Recently, I got my hands on the HT5550, the brighter and beefier twin to the popular HT3550.
These, of course, make up the mid-range of BenQs offerings, called the CinePrime line.
In my experience, however, this wasnt the case.
This may be the only time youll wish the HT5550 was more like its cheaper counterpart, the 3550.
This model is perfectly suited for mounting on a table or as a portable display.
The beefy 5550 is better when mounted.
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The projector itself is an Ultra HD marvel.
The large rings surrounding the glass control focus and zoom.
Shift controls are on top.
On the right side is the exhaust port, which houses a whisper quiet fan.
I barely noticed it and forgot about it entirely after a few minutes.
It does tend to get a bit hot, like most electronics.
Youll want to give it some breathing room.
In the rear, theres the connection panel.
Here youll find two HDMI 2.0 ports with HDCP 2.2.
Theres a USB port for streaming media (or powering connected devices).
Additionally, youll find a 3.5mm output.
There are no built-in speakers.
Youll also get some basic menu and source controls.
For our purposes, that of the everyday user, the eye test is best.
And it passed that one with flying colors.
Planet Earth II in Ultra HD was nothing short of an experience on a 125-inch screen from Elite Screens.
We noticed no artifacts or blurring and the projector performed as good or better as any that weve seen.
Colors, again, were rich and vibrant, and the resolution was out of this world.
As for gaming, the HT5550 performed admirably.
The only hurdle youll face with this, or any projector, really, is light.
All projectors look best in a dark room.
The darker the better.
That really only leaves one question: is it worth the $2,700 price tag?
And the answer isnt so simple.
The HT3550 provides most of what youll want, and its quite a bit cheaper.
Is the HT5550 worth the price for someone looking for an exceptional experience?
Its arguably the best offering in this price range.
Story byBryan Clark
Bryan is a freelance journalist.Bryan is a freelance journalist.
