BenQ GP1 Expert Reviews

This ultraportable projector displays good-looking images but works best only in low lighting.

Combination projector/media player; 20,000 hours of LED light

Low brightness; short input cable; built-in media player has supports limited file formats

The Joybee GP1's native resolution of 858 by 600. In image-quality tests, the Joybee GP1 earned a rating of Good for overall performance. The projector displayed legible lettering in most tests, but its low brightness made reading small, light-colored ...

Over the years projectors have gotten both smaller and more accessible to home users. These are both welcome changes given how unwieldy some of these products could be, not to mention expensive enough to drive off all but the most avid enthusiasts. ...

Companies that manufacture ultra-portable video projectors like BenQ's Joybee GP1 typically aim these devices at the business market, targeting corporate road warriors who travel...

Compact footprint, lightweight, can act as USB host, automatic keystone correction

Video cable is far too short, requires a very dark room, low native resolution

Our previous run-ins with pico-projectors have left us vaguely disappointed, with units that will certainly fit in your pocket but underwhelm in their

For $499, you get the world's first-ever LED-based projector with a USB reader. Specs wise, you'll find a Texas Instruments DLP projection system outputting 858

Looking for a portable projector?

On-board speaker, simple to focus and set-up

File support through USB is a little hit and miss, you'll need extra cables

As a business expense the GP1 is relatively affordable, but in the home we'd still prefer to go for some of the high-spec entry level projectors at a similar cost

The BenQ Joybee GP1 is a portable projector that uses LEDs as its light source. This enables BenQ to design a very small device that fits in the palm of your hand -- even so this projector has a reasonable light output and a DVD-quality native ...

Good image quality, 80-inch maximum screen size

Non-standard resolution of 858x600 pixels, low overall light output

The BenQ Joybee GP1 mini projector doesn't have a zoom lens, but its fixed lens has a variable focus to allow it to create a sharp image of between 15 and 80 inches in size. The throw distance is range is between 75cm to 4m away from the projection ...

There's a growing market for the new breed of mini projectors, judging by the rash of models being launched by most of the major players. Benq has recently released the ‘Joybee' GP1: we don't know why ...

If you need a compact projector for presentations on-site or a movie screen at home, the GP1 could fit the bill. Though it's not that bright and may take a bit of colour tweaking, the combination of LED light and DLP shutter is potent and the typical ...

Pico projectors are an impressive feat of miniaturisation, but I never felt they were a gadget I had to have in my life.

The USB slot, the brightness and the portability

At £500, it's around the same price as higher spec, bigger models

Portable, configurable and built to last, just a shame about the media player foibles.

If portability isn't your main reason for choosing a projector, then there are many other options available for under £500 such as Optoma's HD700X which is HD Ready and still portable at around twice the size of the GP1. Indeed, priced at £420, the ...