The Quick Verdict
Get the BenQ LK830ST 4K Short Throw Laser Projector. It has half the input lag of the AH700ST at 16.7 ms against 33.4 ms, a 3840x2160 resolution against 1920x1080, and a shorter throw ratio. It lists $200 higher at $2,499. The BenQ AH700ST 1080P Short Throw Laser Golf Simulator Projector (Ace) is the one to pick if you need some give in where the projector hangs. Its zoom lens offers a range of mounting spots for a given image width, where the LK830ST's fixed lens offers one. It also has a published warranty.
What They Have in Common
These are two BenQ short-throw laser projectors, each rated at 20,000 hours. Each lists 4,000 lumens, and BenQ doesn't state a brightness standard for either one. Each has a golf picture mode. Each is natively 16:9, and BenQ lists 4:3 and 1:1 among the shapes each can fill. Both have 2D keystone correction with ±30 degrees vertical and horizontal.
Where They Differ
Throw ratio and image size
Image width is throw distance divided by throw ratio. From 10 ft back, the AH700ST throws an image 12.0 ft to 14.5 ft wide across its 0.69–0.83:1 zoom range. The LK830ST, with a fixed 0.496:1 ratio, throws an image 20.2 ft wide from that same 10 ft.
Working the other way, a 10 ft wide image needs the AH700ST somewhere between 6.9 ft and 8.3 ft from the screen. The LK830ST needs to be at 5.0 ft. Measure from where the lens will sit to the screen surface, and compare that number to these figures.
The real difference here is the shape of the answer. The LK830ST's fixed lens gives you one distance for a given image width, so the mounting spot is decided by your screen. The AH700ST's 1.2x zoom turns that single spot into a range of about a foot and a half for a 10 ft image. That range is the slack if a joist or a light fixture is in the way. BenQ lists no lens shift on the AH700ST. It doesn't publish a lens-shift spec for the LK830ST at all.
Input lag and resolution
At 1080p 60Hz, the LK830ST lists 16.7 ms of input lag and the AH700ST lists 33.4 ms. That's a 16.7 ms gap in the LK830ST's favor.
On resolution, the AH700ST is 1920x1080. The LK830ST lists 3840x2160, but BenQ doesn't say how that 4K is produced. If I had to bet, the lag figure is the spec more sim builders will weigh. That's my guess, not something I've tested on either unit.
Screen shapes and keystone
Both list 1:1 and 4:3, which covers the common impact-screen shapes. The LK830ST also lists 5:4.
The keystone specs match on range. BenQ marks the LK830ST's keystone as auto and doesn't say that about the AH700ST.
Warranty, size and price
The AH700ST comes with "3 years parts and labor from purchase date (original retail purchaser), US." BenQ doesn't publish a warranty term for the LK830ST.
The AH700ST is 7.28 lbs and 11.95 x 4.43 x 9.23 in. The LK830ST is 7.93 lbs, which is 0.65 lbs heavier, at 10.99 x 4.74 x 9.03 in.
The AH700ST came out in 2024 and the LK830ST in 2025. They list at $2,299 and $2,499, a $200 gap at list.
Who Should Buy Which
Get the BenQ LK830ST 4K Short Throw Laser Projector if:
- Input lag matters to you. Its 16.7 ms figure is half of the AH700ST's 33.4 ms.
- You want the 3840x2160 resolution over 1920x1080.
- Your mounting point is already fixed and matches its single distance, such as 5.0 ft back for a 10 ft wide image.
- Your screen is 5:4, the one shape only it lists.
Get the BenQ AH700ST 1080P Short Throw Laser Golf Simulator Projector (Ace) if:
- You aren't sure exactly where the mount can go. Its zoom range covers 6.9 ft to 8.3 ft back for a 10 ft wide image, instead of one fixed spot.
- You want a published warranty term. It lists 3 years parts and labor in the US.
- You'd rather keep the $200 at list and are fine with 1080p and 33.4 ms of lag.
- A lighter unit helps your mount. It's 0.65 lbs lighter.
The Bottom Line
The LK830ST is the pick. It has half the input lag, a higher listed resolution, and the shorter throw, for $200 more at list. Image width is throw distance divided by throw ratio, and that fixed 0.496 lens gives you one mounting distance per screen width. Measure lens-to-screen before you commit. The AH700ST earns its place if you need the zoom's mounting range or a published warranty. Otherwise, the lag figure decides it for me.