Wouldn't it be great if you could get a superb home cinema experience without having to get out of bed? That's what the new BenQ GV50 smart laser projector aims to deliver. It's been made with ceiling projection in mind, and according to BenQ president Peter YF Huang, it's ideal for "laid-back movie nights at bedtime".
The big benefit here is that it delivers big-screen entertainment in spaces where you can't (or don't want to) have a massive TV: it's capable of throwing a picture of up to 120 inches from right by your bed, but it's so small you'll barely need to make room on your bedside table.
Despite including an 18W 2.1 Dolby Audio-compatible speaker setup, it's just 130 x 211.2 x 191.4mm and weighs 2.1kg. Prefer your measurements imperial? That's 5.12 x 8.31 x 7.54 inches and 4.6lbs. (Welcome.)
BenQ GV50 ceiling projector: key specs, features and price
The GV50 runs the Google TV OS with all the streaming apps you'd expect as well as Google Assistant and Google Cast. It delivers 1080p resolution with a brightness of 500 ANSI Lumens, 100,000:1 contrast and HDR10/HLG. The integrated speakers are two 4W drivers and a 10W sub, and the USB-C port can also be used to charge smaller devices such as the Nintendo Switch. You can use it on battery for up to 150 minutes of viewing, and it doubles as a Bluetooth speaker too.
One of the most interesting bits of the specification is what BenQ calls "Ceiling Cinema Sound Mode", which has been designed specifically for lying-down viewing and adjusts the sound so bits of your bedding aren't blocking it. We haven't heard it in action, but BenQ seems awfully pleased with it.
The GV50 has automatic keystone correction and can create an image from 40 to 120 inches at distances starting from just under five feet. You can get the full 120 inches at a distance of 10.5ft/3.2m and 60 inches at 4.9ft/1.5m. Latency is 22.4ms over HDMI for gaming, and the intelligent setup takes care of image rotation, screen fit and keystone adjustment for you. Lifespan for the light source is a quoted 30,000 hours.
The BenQ GV50 will be available "soon" in the UK. It's $599 in the US, and while UK prices haven't yet been announced, that pricing would make it around £466 or AU$903 as a rough idea.
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