The Quick Verdict
Get the BenQ AH30ST 1080P Short Throw LED Golf Simulator Projector. It lists at $1,499 against $4,899 for the LK936ST, a $3,400 gap at list. It also throws the wider image from the same distance, and BenQ states it can fill 4:3 and 1:1 screens. Input lag is identical at 16.7 ms, and both have a golf mode. The BenQ LK936ST 4K HDR Short Throw Laser Projector is worth it if the projector can't sit centered on the screen and needs lens shift, or if you want its 3840x2160 resolution and higher listed lumen figure. Check price at Amazon →
What They Have in Common
Both are BenQ short-throw projectors with a 16:9 native shape and a golf picture mode. Both list 16.7 ms of input lag at 1080p 60Hz. Both have a rated light-source life of 20,000 hours. Neither one names a brightness standard, so the lumen numbers below are BenQ's own figures for each.
Where They Differ
Throw and image size
Image width is throw distance divided by throw ratio. The AH30ST has a 0.69–0.83:1 zoom range, so from 10 ft back it gives an image 12.0 ft to 14.5 ft wide. The LK936ST's range is 0.81–0.89:1, which gives 11.2 ft to 12.3 ft wide from that same 10 ft.
Run it the other way and a 10 ft wide image puts the AH30ST 6.9 ft–8.3 ft from the screen, and the LK936ST 8.1 ft–8.9 ft. Both are short-throw by the numbers, but the AH30ST gets the wider image from the same spot. In a hitting bay, a lower ratio is the difference between hanging the projector over the hitting area and hanging it further back toward where you're standing. Measure the distance from where the lens will sit to the screen, then check it against these figures.
Screen shapes
BenQ lists 16:9, 16:10, 4:3 and 1:1 modes for the AH30ST. For the LK936ST, BenQ lists no selectable aspect modes. That doesn't mean it can't fill a 4:3 or square screen. It means BenQ doesn't say either way. If your impact screen is 4:3 or square, only the AH30ST has it in writing.
Brightness, resolution and mounting slack
The LK936ST lists 5,100 lumens and the AH30ST 3,000. BenQ doesn't name a standard for either, but both are BenQ's own figures, and on those numbers the LK936ST lists 2,100 more lumens. The LK936ST lists 3840x2160 against the AH30ST's 1920x1080. BenQ doesn't say how the LK936ST's 4K is produced.
The real hardware difference is mounting slack. The LK936ST has lens shift, vertical -60%+60% and horizontal -23%+23%, plus 3D keystone at ±40 degrees vertical, horizontal and rotation. The AH30ST has no lens shift. It has 2D auto keystone at ±30° vertical and horizontal. Optical zoom is 1.2 on the AH30ST and 1.1 on the LK936ST. My read is that lens shift is the strongest reason to pay the extra, because it gives you more freedom in where the mount goes relative to the screen.
Weight, light source, warranty and price
The AH30ST is LED, weighs 5.84 lbs and measures 11.95 x 4.23 x 8.69 in. The LK936ST is laser, weighs 15.4 lbs and measures 16.4 x 6.5 x 13.8 in. That's 9.56 lbs heavier on the ceiling. BenQ lists the AH30ST with "3 years parts and labor from purchase date (original retail purchaser), US." BenQ publishes no warranty term for the LK936ST. The AH30ST is a 2025 release and the LK936ST a 2021 release. They list at $1,499 and $4,899.
Who Should Buy Which
Get the BenQ AH30ST if:
- Your impact screen is 4:3 or square, and you want the maker to state a mode for that shape.
- The projector has to sit close to the screen. Its 0.69 short end gives the wider image from a given distance.
- You're mounting it yourself and want 5.84 lbs on the bracket rather than 15.4.
- You want a published warranty term on the model you're buying.
- The $3,400 gap at list matters more than lens shift or a higher listed resolution.
Get the BenQ LK936ST if:
- The projector can't be centered on the screen, and you need the vertical and horizontal lens shift to line it up.
- You want 3840x2160 listed resolution over 1920x1080.
- You want the higher listed lumen figure, 5,100 against 3,000 on BenQ's own numbers.
- You want a laser light source and the 3D keystone range, including rotation.
- Your screen is 16:9, so the missing list of aspect modes doesn't come into it.
The Bottom Line
Same input lag, same golf mode, same rated light-source life. The AH30ST gives the wider image from the same distance, states 4:3 and 1:1 modes, weighs far less, carries a published warranty, and lists $3,400 lower. The LK936ST's case rests on lens shift, its 3840x2160 resolution and a higher listed lumen figure. If I had to bet, lens shift is the only one of those that changes whether the bay works. If your mount position can line up with the screen without it, the cheaper projector does the job.