Projectors are getting better every month and there are plenty of options to choose from but when it comes to having a theatre-like experience on the go with plenty of practical features packed in, there is a small pool to choose from. By practical I mean a projector that runs independently — battery power for a couple of hours, splash resistance, drop proof to a limit, all the ports, perfect sound and so on. BenQ has just delivered all that and more with the GS50, one of the best projectors you can buy if you are looking for a device that works as effortlessly inside a room as it does in the outdoors.
Visual aesthetics
Visually, the projector has all the design elements that ensure it is not restricted to colleges or offices. The box-shaped device has an out-of-the-box design that’s also functional. It’s a conversation starter. The strap on the side is perfect for carrying it from one place to another. There is also a cloth box the projector comes in, so you can carry all the wires (and the machine) without having to worry about leaving anything behind.
There are enough ports to handle all media needs
All-in-one philosophy
What I like most about the projector is that you don’t need to buy anything extra to get the machine running, not even batteries for the remote control. A few things to remember. First, it has a built-in battery inside, which offers around two and a half hours of projection time or enough to get you through a movie. Alternately, you can connect it to a power source for which all the wires are obviously in the box.
Even better is the way streaming is handled. The projector comes with an Android TV stick which is installed inside a small cabinet that can be opened. In case you want to use Amazon Fire TV Stick, the same can’t be installed inside the cabinet because of the size but the Amazon device does have a space on one of the ports on the back of the projector. You have access to almost all the streaming networks and the remote control is super click-y and doesn’t have any lags. There is Google Assistant, so you can just put your request across as a voice command instead of using the on-screen keyboard.
There’s more. You have a 2.1 channel audio set up. At the back is the subwoofer while on the sides are the speakers. The speakers are loud and clear, not just for a medium-size room but even for the outdoors where six-seven people can sit near the projector.
The remote control comes with Google Assistant support
Viewing experience
Sure, the resolution on this is 1080p but I have no problem with that given the use case scenario for the projector. If you are outdoors, I am sure you won’t go pixel-peeping. The other thing to remember is brightness — 500 ANSI lumens which is enough for post-twilight viewing. I wouldn’t recommend the projector for daylight viewing; BenQ didn’t have that in mind. The lumens are kept under check to accommodate around 2.5 hours of battery time. Maybe future iterations will have a bigger battery, hence, more lumens. The HDR content on this machine is good enough for everyday usage.
You also get autofocus and auto keystone features, so videos are automatically adjusted as soon as you turn the projector on. The OS is simple and intuitive while the machine is a perfect example of plug-and-play.
How will it help you?
It is devices like these that bring the family together; it’s great for weekend get-together on the outside. The two years of the pandemic has robbed us of the allure the outside world presents. BenQ brings alive the idea of watching movies together. Having a projector that you can set up in the backyard or while camping is what we need. We don’t need another machine on which we can mind-numbingly scroll through a streaming platform; this is pure entertainment.
It helps that the projector is splash proof and is drop resistant till about two feet. Irrespective of the mode at which videos are running — eco, low or normal, the projector is super quite. The kickstand on the machine can be put into action with the press of a button, so there is no requirement for books to prop up the machine.
What BenQ has managed to do is come up with a projector for the family that loves to go on weekend breaks and at home spends a lot of time watching films in the evening. Keeping this in mind, BenQ GS50 is a brilliant choice – bright and beautiful. It’s a movie theatre on the go.
The Android TV stick is hidden inside a compartment
At a glance
Device: BenQ GS50
Price: Rs 79,990 (available on Amazon India)
Ports: HDMI-1 (2.0b/HDCP2.2), HDMI-Internal (2.0b/HDCP2.2), USB Type A, USB Type C
High points
- Highly portable
- Good picture quality
- Excellent audio output
- Comes with Android streaming stick
- There is an in-built battery
- Splash resistant and drop proof to a degree
Muffled note
- Zoom ratio is fixed