BenQ TK705STi Review — My Apartment Became a Giant 4K Home Cinema
Most projector reviews are filmed in a perfectly blacked-out room with a $2,000 screen — which tells you almost nothing about how the thing actually performs in a normal home. So for this BenQ TK705STi review, I tested it in my Gold Coast apartment, set it up at my parents' house on a massive screen, watched the Winter Olympics on it, played PS5, streamed YouTube, and projected onto a plain painted wall to see what happens when you don't have ideal conditions.
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01What Is the BenQ TK705STi?
The BenQ TK705STi is a short-throw 4K HDR home cinema projector with Google TV built in. It's pitched at people who want a real cinema experience without dedicating a room to it — you can stick it on a coffee table, point it at a wall, and have a movie playing in under a minute. It packs 3,000 ANSI lumens, HDMI 2.1, low-input-lag gaming modes for PS5 and Xbox, autofocus, and auto keystone correction.
Key Specs at a Glance
02Design & Connectivity
The TK705STi is more compact than most 4K projectors in its class. It's still a projector — not pocketable — but it's light enough to carry between rooms without it feeling like a chore.
Connectivity is generous: multiple HDMI inputs (one HDMI 2.1 for gaming), USB, audio out, and Wi-Fi for streaming through Google TV. No fiddling with external streaming sticks unless you want to.
03Google TV & Setup
Out of the box, setup took under five minutes. Plug it in, point it at a wall, let autofocus do its thing, and the auto keystone correction squares the image whether you've placed it perfectly or not. This is the part that surprised me most — on older projectors I'd be twisting knobs and lining up corners for ages.
Google TV gives you Netflix, YouTube, Disney+, Prime Video, and the rest built in, and voice search works through the included remote.
044K Picture Quality & Colour
The 4K HDR picture genuinely looks like a cinema screen. Colours are punchy without being over-saturated, blacks are solid for a projector in this price band, and detail in 4K content holds up beautifully on a big wall.
Daytime vs Nighttime
05Real-World Testing
Apartment Wall Test
I pointed the TK705STi at a plain painted apartment wall and watched a 4K movie. No screen, no special paint, no fuss. The image filled almost the entire wall and looked genuinely impressive — this is where the "short throw" part earns its keep.
Big Screen at My Parents' House
Moved it to my parents' lounge room and paired it with a proper projector screen. The difference is real — a dedicated screen gives you better contrast and a noticeably crisper image — but the wall still looked great for casual viewing.
Sports & YouTube Streaming
Watched the Winter Olympics on it. Motion handling is solid, no major judder, and the brightness held up well even with some ambient light in the room.
06Gaming & PS5 Performance
HDMI 2.1 plus the low-latency gaming mode makes this a genuinely viable gaming projector. PS5 felt responsive — not 1ms-OLED-responsive, but well within the range where you stop noticing input lag. Playing a fast-moving game on a wall-sized image is genuinely different from playing on a TV.
07Fan Noise
The fan is audible if you're listening for it, but during actual content it disappears into the soundtrack. Not silent, but never distracting.
08BenQ TK705STi vs. a Traditional 65" 4K QLED TV
| Feature | BenQ TK705STi | 65" 4K QLED TV |
|---|---|---|
| Screen Size | ✔ Up to 200"+ on a wall | Fixed at 65" |
| Resolution | 4K UHD with HDR | 4K UHD with HDR |
| Brightness | 3,000 ANSI lumens (room dependent) | Excellent in any lighting |
| Black Levels | Good for a projector | Excellent (esp. OLED/QLED) |
| Setup | ✔ Place anywhere, autofocus does the rest | Fixed install on wall or stand |
| Portability | ✔ Move between rooms easily | Permanent fixture |
| Smart Platform | Google TV built in | Varies (Tizen, webOS, Google TV) |
| Gaming | HDMI 2.1, low input lag mode | HDMI 2.1, 120Hz on premium models |
| Daytime Viewing | Best with curtains drawn | Great in any lighting |
| Cinema Feel | ✔ True home cinema experience | Traditional TV viewing |
| Price | Mid-range projector pricing | $1,500–$3,500+ for 65" premium |
09Watch the Full Video Review
The Verdict
The TK705STi is one of the most enjoyable 4K projectors I've tested in real-world use. The combination of short-throw flexibility, genuine 4K HDR quality, Google TV built in, and serious gaming credentials makes this an easy recommendation for anyone who wants a real home cinema without dedicating a room to it.
It won't beat a premium TV for daytime brightness or black levels, but the trade is a 200-inch image you can set up in minutes and move between rooms — and for movie nights, sports, and big-screen gaming, that trade is well worth making.
What Wins
- Genuine 4K HDR that looks cinematic at night
- Short throw — huge image from close range
- Autofocus + auto keystone, set up in minutes
- Google TV built in, no streaming stick needed
- HDMI 2.1 + low-lag mode for PS5/Xbox
- Light enough to move between rooms
Worth Knowing
- Full daytime sun washes the image out
- Black levels trail premium OLED/QLED TVs
- A dedicated screen still beats a bare wall
- Fan is faintly audible in silent rooms
10Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a dedicated projector screen?+
No — a plain painted wall (especially white or light grey) looks genuinely great. A proper screen will give you crisper contrast and slightly better image quality, but for casual viewing the wall is totally fine.
Can I use it during the day?+
Yes — with curtains drawn or in a shaded room the 3,000 lumens holds up well for movies, sports, and YouTube. In direct sunlight, like any projector, the image will look washed out.
Is it good for gaming on PS5 or Xbox?+
Yes. HDMI 2.1 support and the low-latency gaming mode make it genuinely responsive. Playing on a wall-sized image is a different experience to playing on a TV.
How loud is the fan?+
Audible if you're listening for it in a silent room, but during actual movies, sports, or games it disappears into the audio. Not silent, but never distracting.
Do I need to install Netflix or YouTube separately?+
No — Google TV is built in, so Netflix, YouTube, Disney+, Prime Video, and the rest are available out of the box. No external streaming stick required.
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