The BenQ MW535A is a bright WXGA projector designed for business and education. With a claimed brightness of 3,600 lumens, it works well in rooms with lots of ambient light. It offers plenty of input options to meet classroom and conference needs, and a solid 15,000:1 contrast ratio. All this comes at an affordable price of about $550.
In this review, we’ll start by exploring the projector’s hardware and special features. Then, we’ll take a close look at its picture, video, and audio quality — it has a built-in speaker, too. We’ll also test if it really delivers on that 3,600-lumen brightness claim. Finally, we’ll wrap up with a quick summary to help you decide if the BenQ MW535A is the right fit for your business or classroom. Let’s get started!
| BenQ Specs | |
|---|---|
| Price | |
| Technology | DLP |
| Native Resolution | 1280×800 |
| Brightness (Manufacturer Claim) | 3600 |
| Contrast | 15000:1 |
| Zoom Lens Ratio | |
| Lens Shift | |
| Lamp Life | |
| Weight | |
| Warranty | |
Overview
The BenQ MW535A is designed for smaller conference rooms or classrooms, ideal for up to 10 people. It has a native WXGA resolution of 1280×800.
This projector uses a 210-watt mercury lamp, providing bright images that work well in rooms with windows or limited lighting control. Brightness is key because too much ambient light can wash out the image, making text hard to read and blacks look gray. With a claimed 3,600 lumens, the MW535A tackles this issue effectively. BenQ also claims a long lamp life: 5,000 hours in Normal Mode, 10,000 in Eco Mode, and up to 15,000 hours in SmartEco mode—almost rivaling laser projectors. For comparison, most lamp projectors last between 3,000 and 8,000 hours. The image size ranges from 30 to 300 inches diagonally.
The projector boasts a 15,000:1 contrast ratio for sharp, clear text. While we didn’t test contrast directly, reading text during presentations was easy. The WXGA resolution also delivers great images and video—titles like The Last Reef: Cities Beneath the Sea and Journey to Space looked fantastic!
The BenQ MW535A is built for quick and easy setup, featuring digital vertical keystone correction and built-in test patterns to ensure accurate color and a perfectly squared image. You can place it on a table or mount it on the ceiling—either in front of or behind the screen for rear projection. It doesn’t have onboard storage, and while you can show presentations without a PC, you’ll need a Mini-USB adapter to connect your media since there’s no full-sized USB port. It includes a basic 2-watt speaker, which we’ll cover later.
A standout feature is the SmartEco mode, which saves up to 70% of lamp power while keeping brightness close to Normal Mode. Eco Blank mode kicks in after 3 minutes of inactivity, turning the screen black to save energy. The projector also powers off automatically after 20 minutes without use and draws just 0.5W in standby. These energy-saving features make the MW535A an eco-friendly choice.
Highlights
3,600 Lumens
Around $549 street price
WXGA (1280×800) Resolution
Lamp life up to 15,000 hours
SmartEco mode keeps brightness high while saving power
15,000:1 Contrast ratio
Projects from 30” to 300” diagonal
One-touch access to install functions
Dual HDMI and VGA inputs
Compatible with PC and Mac
Digital vertical keystone and built-in test patterns for easy setup
Digital zoom for better readability of small text and details
Closed captioning support
3D capable
Blackboard and wall color modes