BenQ describes the GP100A ($799) as its top-of-the-line customary moveable projector, nevertheless it’s greatest categorized as a light-weight, low-cost room-to-room moveable. In contrast with BenQ’s different moveable fashions, together with the GV31, it is brighter, heavier, and has a better checklist value (which is often discounted). Nevertheless, its dimension, weight, decision, picture high quality, and most brightness put it in direct competitors with the Epson EpiqVision Mini EF12, our present Editors’ Alternative choose for a 1080p (1,920-by-1080-pixel) room-to-room moveable. It does not ship fairly sufficient to exchange the EF12 as our high choose, nevertheless it’s a robust contender, and it presents some options the Epson mannequin lacks—together with a USB-C port that can allow you to use it with an influence financial institution or simply mirror a cellular system.Design: Brilliant and Simple to Carry The GP100A measures 8.4 by 6.7 by 7.6 inches (HWD) and weighs 6.4 kilos, making it heavier than, however roughly the identical dimension as, the EF12. Nevertheless, one benefit it has over the EF12 for portability is the versatile rubber carrying deal with on high, which makes it rather a lot simpler to maneuver, even from room to room or to the yard.
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Contained in the field, BenQ pairs a 1080p DLP chip with a three-channel purple, inexperienced, and blue LED mild supply, rated for 30,000 hours in Eco mode or 20,000 hours in full-power mode. The 1,000-lumen ranking is for the brightest image mode solely, which, as with many projectors, sacrifices colour accuracy for the additional brightness, giving it a noticeable inexperienced bias. All the opposite modes drop the brightness only a bit for the sake of extra correct colour.
(Credit score: M. David Stone)
As is customary for BenQ fashions that include Android TV, the GP100A makes you put in the streaming dongle your self. On this case, the hidden compartment is on the highest. Be aware that it requires loosening two tiny screws, so be certain you’ve gotten a small Phillips-head screwdriver readily available if you take the projector out of the field. The preliminary setup is in any other case customary. Plug within the AC adapter, level the projector at a display, flip it on, let it autofocus, after which arrange the Android TV 11, which requires a Wi-Fi connection to the web.
Additionally customary, for each room-to-room and smaller portables: The GP100A does not provide an optical zoom, so one of the simplest ways to regulate picture dimension is to maneuver the projector. It does provide a digital zoom, nevertheless it’s greatest prevented, since it would decrease picture brightness and may introduce artifacts in some pictures. The GP100A additionally has an automated horizontal and vertical keystone correction characteristic that is on by default however is greatest turned off for a similar causes. That stated, in case you’re extra involved with getting arrange in a rush than you’re with getting one of the best picture high quality and brightness, the digital changes will be useful, utilizing both the automated or handbook settings.
(Credit score: M. David Stone)
All of the ports apart from the hidden HDMI port for the Android TV dongle are on the left facet of the projector, together with a second HDMI 2.0b port and the one USB-C port, which you should use both to plug in an influence pack or simply mirror a telephone, pc, or Nintendo Change. The projector has a separate connector for the included energy brick that connects to a normal AC outlet.The GP100A’s 2.1-channel sound system, with a pair of 5-watt mid-to-high-range audio system and a 10-watt chamber woofer, delivers audio high quality that is simply ok for informal use at excessive sufficient quantity to fill a big household room. If you’d like increased high quality, you’ll be able to connect with an exterior audio system by way of the three.5mm audio-out port; the HDMI port, which helps ARC; or by way of Bluetooth. Nevertheless, be aware that you could’t use the HDMI port for audio output if you’re utilizing it for video enter, and the Bluetooth audio output will work solely if you’re taking part in content material from the streaming dongle.
(Credit score: M. David Stone)
You too can use the projector as a speaker for an additional system with the Wi-fi Speaker mode, which makes use of Wi-Fi and requires each the projector and supply to be related to the identical community.Testing the GP100A: Properly Saturated ColorsThe GP100A menus provide six predefined image modes for SDR enter plus a consumer mode. As already talked about, the brightest mode, referred to as Brilliant, has a noticeable inexperienced tint. The entire others do significantly better on this rating, with suitably impartial colour in preliminary testing. I made a decision to stick with the default Dwelling Room mode for my viewing checks, although a lot of the different modes would have been good beginning factors as effectively.One concern with all the image modes, together with Dwelling Room, is a big lack of shadow element with default settings. I used to be capable of largely clear up that drawback by adjusting the brightness upwards, whereas nonetheless sustaining an acceptably darkish black stage and good distinction in each darkish and brightly lit scenes. Colours have been properly saturated, and I did not see any that have been clearly off. Even after my changes, the GP100A misplaced a contact of the shadow element I do know to search for within the darkest scenes in our check clips, however I may nonetheless simply make out what was occurring.
(Credit score: M. David Stone)
The one major problem I noticed was with Recreation mode (together with HDR Recreation mode for HDR enter). After switching to it from one other mode, I noticed a persistent flickering horizontal line in some tries and, worse, a double picture for shifting objects—leaping backwards and forwards left to proper—in different tries. Each issues cleared up instantly when switching to a different image mode, whereas one or the opposite reliably returned instantly when switching again to Recreation mode.The excellent news is that this drawback confirmed solely when utilizing a Blu-ray participant. I did not see any trace of it after I tried switching to and from Recreation mode a number of occasions with streaming enter utilizing the bundled dongle or with a Verizon Fios field related to the HDMI port. This means you’ll be able to simply ignore Recreation mode if the issue reveals up with Blu-ray discs and nonetheless have it out there for its shorter enter lag for video games. BenQ says it is trying into this concern.
(Credit score: M. David Stone)
The GP100A additionally helps 4K HDR enter, downconverting it to its native 1080p on display. Nevertheless, it did not deal with HDR effectively in our formal testing with Blu-ray discs. Brightly lit scenes have been far dimmer than they need to be, it was laborious to make out what was taking place in darkish scenes, and I may discover no settings that improved the picture. The projector did a significantly better job with HDR streaming materials, nonetheless, so in case you’re not planning to observe HDR motion pictures on disc, it’s possible you’ll not run into this drawback.Very a lot on the plus facet, I noticed rainbow artifacts (purple/inexperienced/blue flashes) hardly ever in my testing, regardless of being somebody who sees them simply. Should you’re not delicate to them, it’s possible you’ll not see them in any respect. Even so, it is nonetheless greatest to purchase from a seller who will settle for returns and not using a cost as a way to check this concern out for your self.
(Credit score: M. David Stone)
Enter lag is shortest in Recreation mode. My Bodnar meter measured it at 26.6 milliseconds (ms) for 1080p/60Hz, which is definitely brief sufficient for informal gaming. The GP100A presents no 3D help.Picture brightness utilizing my most popular settings is near what I count on for a roughly 800-ANSI-lumen lamp-based projector. The picture was simply brilliant sufficient to mild up my 90-inch, 1.0-gain display in each a darkish room and a low stage of ambient mild. In a household room, utilizing an 80-inch, 1.1-gain display, it delivered a watchable (although washed-out) picture appropriate for brightly lit scenes like a chat present or newscast, even with daylight streaming by the home windows.Verdict: An Wonderful Moveable Projector if You Persist with StreamingIf you are searching for a light-weight, brilliant, 1080p, room-to-room moveable projector with a bundled streaming dongle, the BenQ GP100A is a robust contender, and its built-in deal with is a helpful comfort that a lot of its competitors lacks. Nevertheless, its disappointing efficiency with 4K HDR motion pictures on disc makes it a poor selection for that specific utility. Nowadays, most individuals are streaming content material, however in case you do have a big Blu-ray assortment, contemplate the EF12, which is our high choose for the class and did a greater job than the GP100A with HDR enter. Even a projector restricted to SDR (so it will not negotiate an HDR connection), just like the GV31, might be a better option. That is notably the case in case you’re prepared to just accept a decrease brightness in change for a lighter weight and a built-in battery for higher portability. And in case you’re a fan of 3D, you would possibly wish to contemplate the Xgimi Horizon, which did not deal with our HDR checks in addition to the EF12, however is the one mannequin talked about right here that helps 3D.All that stated, in case you do not want 3D, and you do not plan to connect with a Blu-ray participant to observe 4K HDR motion pictures, the BenQ GP100A may simply be the projector you need.
Execs
1080p native decision
Excessive 1,000-ANSI-lumens most brightness
Good colour accuracy and distinction
Android TV dongle for streaming
Constructed-in deal with for simple carrying
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Extra
The Backside Line
The BenQ GP100A delivers a brilliant image, picture high quality that is nice for informal viewing, and strong audio, making it a superb selection for a room-to-room moveable projector.
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