BenQ GS1 Projector: Full, in-depth review

BenQ Australia GS1
  • BenQ Australia GS1
  • BenQ Australia GS1
  • BenQ Australia GS1
  • Expert Rating

    2.50 / 5

Pros

  • Android OS
  • Detachable battery pack
  • Rugged design

Cons

  • Compatibility issues
  • High price
  • Lackluster brightness

Bottom Line

A great idea, not without its strengths, saddled with plenty of pain-points.

Would you buy this?

  • Price

    $ 999.00 (AUD)

Design

As far as the form-factor of the GS1 goes, BenQ haven’t really strayed too far from convention. It’s a miniaturized LED projector. It looks like you’d expect a projector to - only smaller.

There are heat vents running on dotting each sides of the projector itself, a control panel built into the roof of the device, focal slider on the side and the usual line-up of ports running along the back (HMDI, USB, USB 3.0, 3.5mm audio out, and MicroSD). Everything is pretty much where you expect it to be.

BenQ are touting the GS1 as a ‘palm sized projector’ and while this is technically true, it’s maybe not the right way to handle things. Sure, you can definitely grip it in one hand, but it’s large enough that doing so might not be a comfortable fit.

Overall, it’s not too heavy (weighing just 970g) but it’s definitely bulkier than some of the other miniaturized LED projectors out there. It feels like BenQ started with one of their existing projectors and asked ‘how do we make this smaller’ rather than starting out with a specific form-factor in mind.

BenQ GS1 Portable ProjectorCredit: BenQ
BenQ GS1 Portable Projector

Read more: BenQ treVolo portable Bluetooth speaker


Outside of use, you’ll likely want to keep it bundled up in both the IPX1 rubberized sleeve and carry bag it arrives with. The small(ish size of the projector (along with some impressive auto-keystoning) does give it some added versatility, it still feels like the GS1 is a little too inflexible for its own good.

Though it does support use with a tripod, the slider that lets you adjust the projection angle doesn’t quite give you a meaningful amount of wiggle room to work within. An effort has been made but, in practice, it doesn’t quite deliver.

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