Buying Guide

BenQ HT3550 vs TK850i: Projectors Pros and Cons Comparison

In this guide, we will compare two popular models from the BenQ brand, including BenQ HT3550 and TK850i projector.

BenQ HT3550 vs TK850i

Specs Comparison

BenQ HT3550 is priced at $ 1,699 (street price: $1,119) while BenQ TK850i is priced at $ 1,799 (street price: $1,279). Their price is close but they differ in many aspects.

You have an overall understanding of their difference based on the chart above.

Design Comparison

The two projectors are the same in terms of shapes and dimensions (380 x 127 x 263 mm), but they are different in terms of color rendering. BenQ HT3550 has contrasting colors of brown and white, while BenQ TK850i has contrasting colors of blue and white.

The two projectors both have a foot pad to raise the projector and arrow buttons for quick navigation. There are large perforated vents on the side panels and arrow buttons on the top panel.

Image Comparison

BenQ HT3550 and BenQ TK850i both adopt lamps as light sources, but they are different in terms of brightness. BenQ HT3550 projector is rated at 2,000 ANSI lumens while BenQ TK850i has 3,000 ANSI lumens. That means that the TK850i model is much brighter than the HT3550 projector. The viewing effects are obviously different, especially during the daytime. The two projectors both have 4K resolution, producing clear and sharp images.

As for image color, BenQ HT3550 has 100% Rec.709 color space, much better than TK850i’s 98% coverage. The two projectors both support HDR to enhance the image contrast and dark details.

The two projectors also vary in terms of max image size. BenQ HT3550 has a max image size of 200 inches, but the TK850i projector has a max image size of 300 inches.

System Comparison

BenQ HT3550 has no built-in smart system, while the TK850i projector is powered by an Android TV system. Therefore, you have to connect the projector to external streaming devices such as Roku or Fire TV to access content.

With built-in Android TV OS, the TK850i projector has many built-in streaming apps and a Google Play store, and users can access hundreds of apps conveniently via the projector.

It is worth noting that the two projectors support 3D, enabling users to play 3D movies conveniently.

Connectivity Comparison

The connectivity is one of the major differences between the two projectors. For wireless connectivity, BenQ HT3550 has no Wi-Fi or Bluetooth.

BenQ TK850i is more competitive as it has 2.4G/5G Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and Google Cast. Therefore, the projector supports wireless screen mirroring and can be connected network or speakers in a wireless way. The projector can also work as a Bluetooth speaker.

Regarding ports, BenQ HT3550 has two HDMI 2.0 ports while BenQ TK850i has three HDMI 2.0 ports. HDMI is an important port for external connections, the projector can be connected to TV sticks, Roku, laptops, game consoles, or other devices via the HDMI port.

Audio

The two projectors are equipped with two built-in 5W speakers. The speakers are not powerful enough, but the two projectors can be connected to external audio devices.

Pros and Cons

BenQ HT3550

Pros

  • 4K Resolution
  • Affordable Price
  • Good Workmanship
  • Good Colors

Cons

  • Not Bright Enough for Daytime
  • No Bluetooth
  • No Wi-Fi
  • No Android TV System
  • Short Lamp Life

BenQ TK850i

Pros

  • 4K Resolution
  • Higher Brightness
  • Android TV
  • Wi-Fi& Bluetooth
  • 3 HDMI Ports

Cons

  • Not Impressive Sound
  • Short Lamp Life

Conclusion

After the comparison above, we can conclude that BenQ HT3550 is less smart and less bright than BenQ TK850i. Though it is slightly cheaper than the TK850i model, you may need to buy a TV stick to access more content resources. Therefore, BenQ TK850i is more cost-effective in view of its small price gap and obvious edge on image and system configuration.

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