A great idea, not without its strengths, saddled with plenty of pain-points.
There’s a lot to find appealing about the idea of a portable projector. While TVs definitely have their strengths, they’re bulky and inconvenient to move once set up. With projectors, things are (in addition to being that much closer to the cinema experience) a little more flexible - and that convenience can be a big draw for a lot of customers.
Sure, TVs have made huge advancements in recent years with rise of 4K, OLED and high dynamic range content. However, projectors have made plenty of gains too. Chiefly, they’ve grown more and more portable and, perhaps, a better fit for the smaller living spaces more and more Australian consumers are inhabiting.
BenQ’s GS1 tries to capitalise on some of this potential.
According to the company, the new portable projector is the perfect companion for your next camping trip - especially if there are kids involved. Even outside of this example (used across the marketing for the GS1), it’s envisioned as a product that’s easy enough to set up and use that you’ll want it with you for entertainment experiences whenever you don’t have a TV or large display on-hand.
In terms of hardware, the GS1 is a short-throw DLP projector capable of delivering a 60-inch screen in up to 720p and with up to 300 ANSI lumens of brightness. It boasts a contrast ratio of 100,000:1 and supports a native aspect ratio of 16:9 alongside six different preset display modes.
Out of the box, it also comes with a carry bag, remote control, power adapter, HDMI cable, battery and orange rubber case.
The projector features with a 8000mAh lithium battery (both detachable and rechargeable) that can act as a powerbank when not in use. In addition, it supports both wireless and Bluetooth connectivity and most major video (AVI, DVIX, DAT, MPEG), image (JPG, BMP) and audio (MP2, ACC, WAV, MP2, MP1) formats.
On the software side of things, the device runs on a version of Android - which means it’s pretty easy to jump right in and play content - even if it’s on a streaming service like Netflix. Unfortunately, the fact that’s not an “official” build of Android means that you’ll have to load the .apk files for those applications onto the GS1 manually - a process that can be a bit hit, miss and all-around hassle.
Save up to $90! Great Deals on Norton 360 antivirus starting at just A$79.99 Get comprehensive protection with Norton 360 including Antivirus, secure VPN, a Password Manager, PC Cloud Backup, and more. All backed by 60-day Money Back Guarantee and 100% Virus Protection Promise.
What's new, plus best mac-related tips
and tricks
The latest business news, reviews, features and whitepapers
Watch our video news and reviews from around the world
Comprehensive buying guides, features, and step-by-step articles
MSI P65
This smart laptop was enjoyable to use and great to work on – creating content was super simple.
MSI GT76
It really doesn’t get more “gaming laptop” than this.
MSI GS75
As the Maserati or BMW of laptops, it would fit perfectly in the hands of a professional needing firepower under the hood, sophistication and class on the surface, and gaming prowess (sports mode if you will) in between.
MSI PS63
The MSI PS63 is an amazing laptop and I would definitely consider buying one in the future.
Brother RJ-4230B
This small mobile printer is exactly what I need for invoicing and other jobs such as sending fellow tradesman details or step-by-step instructions that I can easily print off from my phone or the Web.
Microsoft Office 365/HP Spectre x360
Microsoft Office continues to make a student’s life that little bit easier by offering reliable, easy to use, time-saving functionality, while continuing to develop new features that further enhance what is already a formidable collection of applications
