Portable projectors are great device for instances when you want a simple solution for home or outdoor occasions and small events with friends. It’s easy to carry them, move them around and setup quickly. Enter BenQ’s GV1, the company’s latest palm-sized portable projector with built-in speakers, which comes with a carry case, a remote controller and a charger.
Setting it up couldn’t be any easier, The BenQ GV1 Portable Projector connects with any device easily. The initial setup was with my iPhone, which literally took less than 2 minutes. All you need to do is setup the WiFi network, and connect your smartphone or laptop via cable or wirelessly, and enjoy your favorite content.
The GV1 is shaped like a speaker, and has a sound grille which blends nicely with the projector bit at the top which can tilt based on your preference and desired image angle. You can even mount the unit on a tripod.
Controlling the unit can be done through 4 buttons on the top, two of them for volume control, one for powering it on and off, and another button to toggle the device between video projection or audio speaker only. On the side, you’ll find your traditional focus adjustment knob, while on the back, there are two ports, one used to plug in the adapter / charger, and another USB-C port for connecting devices such as hard drives and memory cards (no HDMI unfortunately). For more control and navigating the settings and other functions, the remote has to be used, which I found a bit frustrating in terms of reliance.
Screen size wise, the GV1 can reach 100 inch wide, although the recommended width is around 60 inch. The video quality goes up to 480P but is super clear and the colors look good for its size. The sound quality is okay. It’s not extremely loud, but does the job in a small room. The projector can hit a maximum brightness of 200 ANSI Lumens, which is good for its size, but of course recommended to be used in dim environment. Inside, the BenQ GV1 packs a Qualcomm Snapdragon 210 processor backed up with 1GB RAM memory and a 8GB of flash memory.
Using the BenQ GV1 is pretty easy, wether you are an Android, or iOS user, or even through your PC or Mac, you can stream content straight away. The GV1 supports Airplay and Android mirroring. Other ways to connect will also be through the USB-C port of course.
The device recently received a welcomed firmware update, allowing users to download apps on the projector directly though the Apotiode TV app. Once installed, apps like Netflix, Youtube, Amazon Prime and Twitch can be used. Honestly this update made a lot of difference.
Overall, the BenQ GV1 is a very stylish and portable projector which can solve your on the go projection.
