BenQ GV50 Review: A Portable Projector with Smart Features and Impressive Performance
The BenQ GV50 is a remarkable leap in the world of portable projectors. Its unique design, robust performance, and smart features make it stand out in a market often dominated by conventional, bulky projectors. If you’ve ever looked at projectors and felt like they all seem to blend together—bulky, square, or rectangular boxes—the GV50 is a breath of fresh air. The GV50’s innovative circular shape and portability are just the start of what makes it a standout option for home entertainment, outdoor adventures, or even spontaneous movie nights in the living room.
Design: A Portable and Innovative Marvel
One of the most striking features of the BenQ GV50 is its design. Unlike the typical boxy shape of most projectors, the GV50 comes in a sleek, circular form that exudes elegance and modernity. The design feels fresh and different in a sea of otherwise similar-looking projectors. This unique round shape is more than just an aesthetic choice—it’s highly functional. The GV50 is built for flexibility, allowing the user to rotate the projector within its magnetic base to aim the image in whichever direction is needed. This feature allows the GV50 to be used in ways traditional projectors can’t, such as projecting onto the ceiling for a relaxed, horizontal viewing experience, perfect for lying down in bed or during a slumber party with friends.
The magnetic base is sturdy and can hold the projector in place, allowing you to easily adjust the angle for the ideal picture. If you need more stability or precise positioning, a screw mount is located underneath the device, allowing you to set it up on a tripod for additional flexibility. Whether you’re projecting on a wall, ceiling, or even outdoors in the garden, the GV50 offers unparalleled ease of use and versatility.
Performance: Brightness, Clarity, and Durability
The BenQ GV50 offers impressive performance, especially for its compact design. With a resolution of 1920×1080 (Full HD), this projector delivers crisp and clear visuals that rival larger, more expensive models. While previous versions of BenQ’s circular projectors offered lower resolutions and brightness, the GV50 steps it up with 500 ANSI lumens, making it brighter and better equipped to handle ambient lighting. Whether you’re in a living room or even a moderately lit outdoor setting, the GV50 maintains its ability to produce vibrant, detailed images.
The GV50 also supports HDR and can accept 4K input with HDR10 metadata, ensuring that you’ll be able to enjoy high-definition content with excellent contrast and color accuracy. The laser light source is another key feature, providing 30,000 hours of lamp life, which means no need to replace bulbs—an impressive feature that ensures the longevity of the projector without the recurring costs typically associated with traditional bulb-based projectors.
Despite its compact size, the GV50 packs a punch in terms of performance, making it suitable for everything from casual movie watching to more serious home theater setups. The projector shines in its ability to provide solid performance while maintaining portability, and it truly is a testament to how far portable projectors have come.
Smart Features: Google TV, Streaming, and Connectivity
The GV50 stands out in the realm of smart projectors. Unlike many other portable projectors that require external devices for streaming, the GV50 has Google TV built in, offering access to thousands of apps for both video and audio entertainment. The inclusion of Google TV means that you can stream directly from the device without needing to rely on external sources like media players or dongles.
In addition to streaming services like Netflix (which is a big win for this model—more on that in a moment), Google TV provides easy access to popular platforms such as YouTube, Prime Video, and a variety of other entertainment apps. For users in Australia, it’s particularly appealing that the GV50 includes local TV catch-up apps, making it a versatile option for both mainstream entertainment and niche content.
However, there may be times when you are using the projector in a more remote location, such as outdoors or in the garden, where Wi-Fi connectivity might be unreliable. Fortunately, the GV50 has physical connectivity options to fall back on. The projector includes both USB-A and USB-C ports, allowing you to plug in devices and media players directly. You can also use AirPlay or Google Cast to stream content from other devices to the GV50, further enhancing its versatility.
Battery Life: True Portability for On-the-Go Entertainment
The BenQ GV50 truly earns its “portable” designation with its built-in rechargeable battery. Offering up to 150 minutes of playback time, the GV50 is more than capable of handling an entire movie or a few episodes of your favorite TV show without needing to be plugged in. This feature makes it incredibly convenient for both indoor and outdoor use, allowing you to project movies onto a wall in the garden, or bring it with you for a cozy movie night without worrying about an outlet.
This battery life is particularly impressive considering the brightness and power of the device. The built-in rechargeable battery makes the GV50 ideal for settings where mobility and convenience are crucial, such as camping trips, beach outings, or simply moving the projector from room to room. In addition to the battery, the GV50 can also be powered via a cable for longer sessions if needed.
Sound Quality: Immersive Audio Without the Hassle
The sound experience of the GV50 is another pleasant surprise. Equipped with built-in stereo speakers, the GV50 provides clear, balanced sound that’s more than adequate for most casual viewing situations. However, if you’re looking for something more immersive or need to keep the sound to yourself, the GV50 also offers dual Bluetooth functionality. This allows you to connect Bluetooth headphones for private listening, or use Bluetooth speakers to enhance the sound quality for a more theater-like experience.
The inclusion of Bluetooth streaming adds another layer of convenience, enabling users to play music directly from the GV50 to other Bluetooth-enabled devices, further increasing the projector’s versatility as an entertainment hub. Whether you’re using it for movies, music, or gaming, the GV50’s audio features are a significant improvement over what you would typically expect from such a compact projector.
User Interface and Control
The GV50 is designed to be user-friendly and easy to navigate. With the Google TV interface, it’s incredibly simple to browse and select the content you want to watch. The smart features make finding and accessing streaming services intuitive, and the added bonus of a sleep timer ensures that you can wind down your viewing sessions without needing to worry about manually turning off the projector.
BenQ also offers two apps to enhance the experience: Smart Remote for BenQ Projector and a Projector Assistant. The remote app allows you to control the projector via your smartphone, which can be useful if you prefer not to use the physical remote. The Projector Assistant app offers helpful hints and tips for optimal projector use, making it easier for users to get the most out of their device.
The physical remote that comes with the GV50 is simple but effective, with easy-to-use buttons and quick keys for popular apps such as Netflix, Prime Video, and YouTube. The inclusion of Netflix is particularly noteworthy—until now, Netflix has been a long-awaited addition to many projectors, and its availability on the GV50 is a key selling point. With no need for workarounds, users can stream Netflix directly through the device with ease.
Conclusion: The Ultimate Portable Projector
The BenQ GV50 is a standout in the world of portable projectors, offering an impressive combination of design, performance, and smart features. With its unique circular form, it offers an innovative and flexible way to project images, whether onto walls, ceilings, or outdoors. The full HD resolution, coupled with the 500 ANSI lumens of brightness, ensures clear and vibrant images, while the long-lasting laser light source guarantees years of reliable performance.
The inclusion of Google TV and Netflix, as well as its physical connectivity options, make the GV50 a highly versatile entertainment hub that can meet all of your streaming and media needs. The built-in rechargeable battery, dual Bluetooth connectivity, and high-quality stereo speakers further enhance its portability and usability.
Whether you’re hosting an outdoor movie night, enjoying a solo film in bed, or bringing it along on your travels, the BenQ GV50 is the perfect blend of portability, performance, and smart functionality, making it one of the best portable projectors on the market today.
