When unpacking the Benq GV1 portable projector you would be forgiven for thinking it was a portable speaker, it has a similar design with its wrap-around speaker grill, however its lens and tilting head are a giveaway as to its real function. This compact little projector measures up at 80mm x 155mm x 80mm, weighs just 708g and comes with a remote (essential for controlling the projector) and carry bag. It features auto keystone correction, wire-free connectivity with dual-band Wi-Fi (2.4G/5G), direct hotspot and portable Bluetooth speaker mode with built-in 5-watt chambered audio.
Whether you choose to use it for presentation on the go, creating your own outdoor screening for you and your mates or projecting your favourite movie for a cosy night in on date night, this is a very versatile gadget. The tilting hinge with a 15˚ range lets GV1’s high-mounted lens produce 100” images that can be raised up to 77cm above the projector, all you have to do is adjust the focus and its auto keystone feature keeps the picture perfectly squared. You can stream your content via the dual-band 2.4G/5G Wi-Fi and direct hotspot, from your phone or flash drive via the USB-C Port or via the Smart TV App direct from the smart GV1. If you fancy a break from the screen you can play your favourite tunes via the Bluetooth Speaker mode, the rechargeable battery provides you with up to 3 hours of play time however when it’s out of juice it can also be used when plugged in.
Connectivity is instant with iPad, mobile phone, Mac, tablet, notebook, laptop, and from the embedded Aptoide TV app market, you can download tools or media apps (note however due to the content protection mechanism for the subscription-based streaming platform, mobile devices cannot “mirror” the content of certain streaming services such as Netflix, Amazon, Hulu, etc., but you can mirror the content from a laptop, or via the apps from the Aptoide TV app market wirelessly. The GV1 uses a bright and long-lasting pure LED light (lasting 30,000 hours) which produces a resolution of 480p (854 x 480 pixels), 200 ANSI lumens (when plugged into the mains) and 16.7 million colours. The GV1 is a cool little gadget but its lack of connectivity lets it down, an HDMI port would open it up to gaming and other streaming options and an AUX would give you the option of adding external speakers, while the apps available are unreliable and slow (hopefully this will improve with updates). We found the easiest and most successful way to stream was to connect a smartphone or flash drive via the USB C port, the image quality was impressive for such a compact unit and the sound was satisfying, overall the GV1 has potential but could use some tweaking. RRP £329
3 out of 5
Pros
Compact
Easy to use
Satisfying image and sound quality
Portable
Wireless
Cons
Limited connections (no HDMI for example)
Remote is essential to operating
Casting and mirroring not compatible due to content protection
Apps available are outdated and unreliable
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