Image credit to: Daniel Schaffer on Unsplash
BenQ Expands Its Simulation and Immersive Projection Lineup With Four New Short Throw Models
Most projector news cycles in 2026 have been dominated by home theater and portable models, but BenQ just made a move aimed squarely at a different market entirely: simulation, projection mapping, and immersive experiences. The company has rolled out four purpose-built short throw and ultra-short-throw projectors — the LU895UST, LH860ST, LK830ST, and LW830ST — each targeting a specific commercial use case rather than the living room.
BenQ frames the launch as a response to a shrinking traditional projector market and a growing one in non-standard applications: golf and sports simulators, museum and themed-attraction installs, projection mapping, training simulators, and interactive/edutainment spaces. All four models share a common thread — BenQ’s new Screen Fill™ technology — which lets installers pick from standard and custom aspect ratios (1:1, 4:3, 16:9, 16:10, and ultra-wide) from a single menu, with the projector automatically adjusting output and display settings to match. That’s a meaningful time-saver in installs where screens are curved, oversized, or otherwise non-rectangular, since it removes a lot of the manual GPU/software reconfiguration installers would otherwise need to do by hand.
LU895UST — Ultra Short Throw for Projection Mapping & Immersive Spaces
The flagship of the group, the LU895UST is built for museums, themed attractions, and large-scale experiential installs where floor space is tight but visual impact needs to be big. It’s an ultra-short-throw laser model with a 0.25:1 throw ratio, meaning it can throw a large image from just inches away from the screen. BenQ built it with 24/7 duty-cycle durability and a blending-ready design for multi-projector setups, plus an IP6X-sealed optical engine (with an optional filter) for dust resistance — a practical detail for installations that run continuously in public spaces.
- Price: $3,499
- Availability: March 2026, via BenQ.com and authorized retailers
LH860ST — High-Brightness Short Throw for Golf & Sports Simulators
The LH860ST is aimed directly at the golf simulator boom, along with shooting/military training sims and ski/sports simulation setups. It runs a 0.5:1 throw ratio with a lower optical offset than most short throw models in its class — useful in simulator bays where the projector often has to sit close to the impact screen without casting a shadow or getting hit by golf balls. BenQ lists it as its highest-brightness model in this launch, at 5,000 lumens, which helps combat ambient light in bays that aren’t fully blacked out.
- Price: $2,399
- Availability: Available now, via BenQ.com and authorized resellers
LK830ST — 4K Short Throw for High-Resolution Simulation
The LK830ST brings native 4K UHD (3840×2160) resolution to the simulation category, aimed at golf sims and other setups where fine visual detail actually matters. Specs include 4,000 ANSI lumens, a 3,000,000:1 contrast ratio, 93% Rec.709 color coverage, a 0.496:1 throw ratio, and a 20,000-hour laser light source (30,000 hours in ECO mode). It also includes a dedicated “Golf” picture mode alongside the usual Cinema, HDR10, and sRGB presets, plus BenQ’s factory white balance adjustment to keep colors matched across multi-projector blended setups without manual calibration.
- Price: $2,499
- Availability: Available now, via BenQ.com and authorized resellers
LW830ST — Value Short Throw for Interactive & Floor Projection
The entry point of the lineup, the LW830ST is positioned for interactive playgrounds, floor projection, edutainment installs, and sensory rooms rather than simulators. It’s a WXGA (1280×800) model with a 0.521:1 throw ratio, capable of images up to 300 inches, 4,000 ANSI lumens of brightness, and the same 20,000-hour laser life and 3,000,000:1 contrast ratio as its LK830ST sibling. It supports 360° installation and Blending Ready Mode for multi-projector setups, plus a built-in 15W speaker, two HDMI 2.0b (HDCP 2.2) inputs, LAN, two USB-A ports, and RS232 — a fairly complete connectivity set for a fixed commercial install. It measures a compact 279 x 121 x 229 mm.
- Price: $1,599 (roughly £1,228 in the UK)
- Availability: Available now, via BenQ.com and authorized resellers
Why This Matters Beyond the Simulator World
It’s a notable strategic signal from BenQ: rather than just iterating on conference-room or home-theater projectors, the company is explicitly designing hardware and firmware around how projection is actually being deployed in 2026 — golf sims in strip malls, haunted house attractions, museum walls, and blended immersive rooms. BenQ has said the LU895UST will be showcased at the TransWorld Halloween & Attractions Show (March 26–29, 2026), specifically demonstrating how haunted-house designers use it for large-scale blended visuals.
For home theater buyers, none of these four models are a direct fit — they’re built and priced for commercial installers, not living rooms. But it’s a good indicator of where BenQ’s short throw and laser engineering is headed, and the same Screen Fill technology and color-calibration tools could plausibly trickle down into future consumer short throw models down the line.
Source: BenQ press release, PR Newswire.
