The Quick Verdict
Get the BenQ AH500ST 1080P Short Throw Laser Golf Simulator Projector. It lists at $1,999, $200 under the TK710STi. BenQ names a golf picture mode on it and lists a 1:1 setting for square screens, and it throws a wider image from the same distance. It's also rated 800 lumens higher. The BenQ TK710STi 4K HDR Laser Short Throw Projector earns the extra $200 at list in one case: a bay where input lag comes first, or where a zoom lens would give you mounting slack. Its lag figure is 16.7 ms lower. Check price at The Indoor Golf Shop →
What They Have in Common
Both are BenQ, both came out in 2024, and both use a laser light source rated at 20,000 hours. Each is natively 16:9, and BenQ lists a 4:3 mode on both. Both are short throw by the numbers. They share ±30 degree vertical and horizontal keystone. Each carries a three-year warranty, though BenQ words them differently.
Where They Differ
Throw distance and image size
Image width is throw distance divided by throw ratio. The AH500ST has a fixed 0.499:1 lens. From 10 ft back it throws an image 20.0 ft wide (10 ft ÷ 0.499). For a 10 ft wide image it sits 5.0 ft from the screen.
The TK710STi has a 0.69–0.83:1 zoom lens. From 10 ft back it gives 12.0 ft to 14.5 ft wide. For a 10 ft wide image it sits 6.9 ft to 8.3 ft from the screen.
So for the same width, the AH500ST hangs closer to the screen, at one exact spot. The TK710STi hangs further back, but its 1.2x zoom gives you a band of positions instead of a single mark. Measure the distance from where the lens would sit to the screen, then check it against those figures before deciding.
Screen shapes and golf mode
This is where the AH500ST pulls clear for a sim. BenQ lists 16:9, 16:10, 4:3 and 1:1 for it. The TK710STi's stated modes are 16:9 and 4:3. A square setting isn't among the modes BenQ lists for it, which isn't the same as saying it can't do one. On a 4:3 screen, BenQ states that mode for both.
BenQ names a golf mode on the AH500ST. It doesn't say either way whether the TK710STi has one.
Brightness and input lag
The AH500ST is rated at 4,000 lumens and the TK710STi at 3,200. BenQ doesn't state the measurement standard for either, but they're the same maker's figures, so the 800-lumen gap stands as listed.
Input lag at 1080p 60Hz goes the other way. The TK710STi is rated at 16.7 ms and the AH500ST at 33.4 ms, a 16.7 ms gap in the TK710STi's favor.
Resolution, lens and build
The AH500ST is 1920x1080. The TK710STi lists 3840x2160, and BenQ doesn't say how that 4K is produced.
The AH500ST has no lens shift. BenQ lists the TK710STi's lens shift as "N/A." The TK710STi's keystone adds ±30 degrees of rotation on top of vertical and horizontal.
The TK710STi weighs 6.8 lbs to the AH500ST's 11.2, so it's 4.4 lbs lighter. It's also slightly smaller at 12.0 x 4.4 x 10.0 inches versus 12.60 x 5.14 x 10.04.
Who Should Buy Which
Get the BenQ AH500ST 1080P Short Throw Laser Golf Simulator Projector if:
- Your impact screen is square. It's the only one of these two with a 1:1 mode on BenQ's list.
- The projector needs to hang close to the screen. It gives 10 ft wide from 5.0 ft.
- You want a picture mode the maker actually labels for golf.
- You'd rather keep $200 at list and take the higher lumen rating along with it.
Get the BenQ TK710STi 4K HDR Laser Short Throw Projector if:
- Input lag is your deciding spec. 16.7 ms against 33.4 ms is the clearest gap between these two.
- Your lens position is still uncertain. The zoom lets one width land anywhere from 6.9 ft to 8.3 ft back.
- The bay doubles as a movie room and the 3840x2160 listing matters to you.
- Mounting weight is a concern. It's 4.4 lbs lighter.
The Bottom Line
For a golf bay, the AH500ST checks more of the boxes. It has the square-screen mode, the named golf mode, the wider image from any given distance and the higher lumen rating, all for $200 less at list. The TK710STi's real argument is input lag, plus a zoom range that forgives an imperfect mount. Seems like those matter more to a dual-use room than a dedicated sim. If your screen is square, the decision is already made.