Portable projectors are all about freedom. You want to watch Netflix from bed? Sure. You want to stare up at the ceiling while lying down? Also sure. I tested the BenQ GV50 for this exact setup. It’s a small, battery-powered device BenQ calls a “ceiling projector.” Does it work? Yes. Is the picture quality or sound spectacular? Absolutely not. But it does offer true project-it-anywhere portability.
It’s versatile. It has Google TV built in, so you can stream almost anything. It’s cheaper than rivals like the Soundcore Nebula P1. But here is the catch: you pay for that lower price by sacrificing picture, sound, and speed. We live in the age of 4K. This thing is stuck in the past. It outputs 1080p. It doesn’t even support HDMI eARC or Dolby Atmos. You get ARC 5.1 surround with Dolby Audio support only.
At $599, is it a buy? Yes, if you know what you’re getting into. If you expect cinema-grade perfection, run away.
Portability Comes First
The GV50 looks like a giant, gray-and-white seashell. It tilts. Vertically and horizontally. The build quality? Cheap plastic. BenQ isn’t selling aesthetics here. They’re selling function. A highly portable, midrange projector. And they succeed.
It weighs 4.6 pounds. It’s 8 inches tall. You can toss it in a bag. There’s a small strap on top, but honestly, it’s a bit hard to grip. A bigger loop would help. You can also buy a carrying case for $59. It holds the projector, remote, and base. Nice touch.
The base lets you slide the projector up or down. Vertical shift. No buttons needed. Just slide. For horizontal tilt, you fold out two feet on the base. You can angle the beam at the ceiling. It slides easily but stays put when you want it to.
Connectivity: What’s In and What’s Missing
The GV50 has one HDMI port. You can use it for ARC audio pass-through. Or connect a gaming console. There’s also a USB-A and a USB-C. These handle thumb drives, hard drives, or charging your phone. A 3.5mm audio jack is there too.
But look at the connectivity flaws. No Ethernet port. Just Wi-Fi 5. That’s older. Slower. Less compatible than Wi-Fi 6E. I had connection drops with my Google Nest mesh network. It couldn’t always stay connected.
Setup was otherwise smooth. I had to run a 45-minute system update. Painful. After that? Use the Google Home app. Scan a QR code. Install apps. Done. Auto-keystone worked well on a screen, wall, or ceiling. Minor adjustments only. The remote is intuitive. Home button in the center. Shortcut keys for Netflix, YouTube, Prime. Standard stuff.
The GV50 runs on battery. You can power down after a set time. Battery mode helps, but I kept mine plugged in at home. The real value? Camping. Or places with no outlets. You get a few hours of battery life. But beware: it dims the image to save power.
The Picture Quality Problem
Don’t expect cinematic marvels. The GV50 failed my Spears & Muncil benchmarks. Skin tones were average. Not much variation. In demo reels, the 1080p limits were obvious. Bad contrast. Low brightness.
A red cactus looked dull. A yellow flower lacked vividness. Trees in a mountain scene? Too dark. They blended into the inky black background. Bright butterflies? Lifeless. Flat.
The 1080p quality lacks vividness and contrast, making colorful scenes look flat and lifeless.
Streaming from an iPhone 17 Pro or iPad 12.9-inch was a different story. Or rather, a worse one. The processing speed is slow. Google Cast and AirPlay work, but playback is choppy. Jittery. Try to fast-forward? It pauses. Or fails. The culprit? A paltry 2 GB of RAM. And a 1.5-GHz processor. Not enough juice.
Color accuracy is another weak point. It hits 92% of the older Rec. 70 gamut. Nothing about BT.2020. I watched Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 on Disney+. When the alien octopus appeared, I expected a burst of color. I got dullness. No richness. No detail.
Then there was Masters of the Air on Apple TV. I connected to high-end Polk floor-standing speakers. The audio was fine. The video? Off-putting. 1080p. Poor contrast. During aerial battles, planes flew everywhere. Clouds everywhere. Deep blue sky. I could barely see the planes. It looked like a gray coating over the screen. Like a budget TV. Brighter picture modes didn’t help.
Surprisingly, The Creator on Fandango at Home looked okay. I could see texture on rocky cliffs. Awake on Netflix wasn’t bad either. Dark scenes usually kill these projectors, but they survived here. Mostly.
Gaming Performance
I played Red Dead Redemption 2 on an Xbox Series X. This wasn’t meant for high-octane gaming. Yet, it wasn’t terrible. Response time was surprisingly decent. The lakeside town looked murky. Atmospheric, actually. In a good way. If you play slower-paced games, this might work for you. For fast shooters? Look elsewhere.
Should You Buy It?
If you want a true home cinema experience with ceiling projection? No. Not the right tool.
But it’s not a total miss. I liked the fun features. Stargazing? Use Stellarium on a laptop. Cast it to the GV50. It showed what was actually in the sky above me. Real-time. Accurate. That’s cool.
It’s also great if you move around a lot. Quick setup. Quick teardown. Portable. Affordable. Fun.
Is it perfect? No. It’s compromised. But for $599? It’s a viable option for specific use cases. Just don’t expect it to replace your TV.
Power up with unlimited access to WIRED… [rest omitted]
