BenQ GS1

NOT QUITE THE STREAMING SILVER BULLET FOR PORTABLE PROJECTORS.

BENQ HAS TAKEN the first step to making a portable projector that’ll let you watch movies and shows without the need for an external player — and it’s done so by essentially whacking an Android smartphone under the hood. Although this should theoretically give it access to dozens of existing streaming apps (like say, Netflix, Stan or Foxtel Now) from the Google Play Store, the number of apps currently on offer is surprisingly limited. Instead of letting you access the Play Store and select the apps you want, the GS1 defaults to Kodi (with its so-called ‘10-foot media interface’) as its primary media playback software.

Kodi is a powerful free media centre app that has the capacity to organise everything from a local media library to free streaming service plugins — we’ve championed it more than once in TechLife, so it’s not a bad place to start. The GS1 also includes a handful of other Android apps pre-installed, including a few of the OS’s best file organisation apps alongside media players VLC and MX Player. For all those hoping to watch Netflix, the GS1 is at least compatible with the Wi-Fi Alliance’s Miracast technology, as well as Apple’s AirPlay. This might not be the direct streaming we we’re hoping for, but it will let you send streams from your Android or iOS smartphone to the device — and it’s a feature set that’s in-line with our favourite current mini-projector offerings.

The 14.6 x 14 x 6.5cm dimensions of the GS1 makes it slightly bigger than some competitors, but it’s still perfectly portable and affords more space for the 30- to 100-inch short-throw projection display, which runs at 720p resolution. The picture quality is impressive, with a dynamic 100,000:1 contrast ratio, HDR colour gamut and 300 Lumen peak brightness, backed up by a three-hour battery life, so you can even use it sans powerpoint. The GS1 is more expensive than many competitors, but it definitely integrates enough of the right technologies to justify a higher price point.