BenQ AH500ST 1080p Laser Short Throw Golf Simulator Projector

The BenQ AH500ST is a 4,000-lumen 1080p laser projector with a 0.5 throw ratio, built to fill a golf simulator screen from close range in small rooms and under low ceilings.

Why it made the list

Low ceilings and short rooms are the hardest spaces to project into. A long throw projector has to hang far back, often right where your shadow falls. The AH500ST has a 0.5 throw ratio, so it sits close to the screen: Shop Indoor Golf says it can fill an 8 by 10 foot impact screen from about 7 feet, or a 200-inch 16:9 image from 7.4 feet.

The laser light source is the other draw. It is rated for 20,000 hours in normal mode and 38,000 hours in eco mode, so there is no lamp to replace, which makes sense in a garage or basement where the projector stays mounted for years.

What it does well

• 0.5 throw ratio puts a big image on the screen from a short distance
• 4,000 lumens, bright enough for a room with some lights on
• BenQ Golf Mode tunes the greens and sky blues for course play
• Screen Fill switches the aspect ratio to match your screen
• 2D keystone correction of up to 30 degrees horizontal and vertical

Keystone correction is what saves you when the mount can’t go dead center over the hitting area. The AH500ST can square the image from an offset position, which helps in rooms with beams, ducts or a garage door track in the way.

Who it’s for

Golfers with a spare room, low basement or tight garage bay who want a laser projector they can mount once and forget. It pairs well with camera launch monitors that sit beside the ball, since those rooms tend to be the smallest.

Who should skip it

Skip it if you want 4K. The AH500ST is a 1080p projector. Skip it too if you are on a tight budget and don’t mind a lamp, since the BenQ TH671ST costs about half as much.

Key specs, explained

Throw ratio is the distance from the lens to the screen divided by the image width, so 0.5 means a 10-foot-wide image from about 5 feet. The contrast ratio is listed at 3,000,000:1 with HDR10 and HLG support. It has two HDMI inputs, weighs 11.2 pounds and measures 12.6 by 4.5 by 10.1 inches. The zoom is fixed, so you set image size by where you mount it. BenQ also gives it a Cinema Mode for movies and sports when you’re not hitting balls.

How it compares

The BenQ TH671ST 1080p Short Throw Projector costs less and has 3,000 lumens, but it uses a lamp and has a longer 0.69 to 0.83 throw ratio, so it sits farther back. Choose the AH500ST if your room is short, your ceiling is low or you never want to change a lamp.

Good to know

BenQ includes a golf remote for setup. The aspect ratios supported are 16:9, 16:10, 4:3 and 1:1, which covers the common impact screen shapes. Plan your mount point before you buy a screen, because the fixed lens means the distance decides the image size. BenQ offers a 3D planning tool to help place it without casting shadows.

Questions about the BenQ AH500ST

How far from the screen does the AH500ST sit?

About 7 feet fills an 8 by 10 foot impact screen, according to Shop Indoor Golf. Its 0.5 throw ratio means roughly 1 foot of distance for every 2 feet of image width.

Does the AH500ST use a lamp?

No, it uses a laser light source rated for 20,000 hours in normal mode and up to 38,000 hours in eco mode.

Is the AH500ST 4K?

No, it is a 1080p projector, though it accepts signals up to 4K. For native 4K, look at the BenQ AK700ST.