BenQ GV32 Projector Review: Strikes a Nostalgic Chord

It was a regular Sunday morning. My grandparents were visiting my mother and me, as they do every weekend. After exchanging greetings and having a cup of tea, my octogenarian grandfather entered my study and saw something that really fascinated him: a projector. Immediately, he asked me to fire it up and put on an old movie clip on YouTube. Seeing him get giddy, I was compelled to ask why he wanted to watch this on a projector when he could have asked me to play it on the television. “The first movie I watched was Aradhana. I saw it on a community projector in my village in Kanpur. Somehow, watching a video on a phone or a television just isn't the same. I had never seen Sharmila Tagore so up close,” he exclaimed.

However, nearly 60 years later, watching content is no longer a luxury. There are numerous things to watch online, and more platforms to watch them on, from phones to tablets, tablets to laptops, and laptops to televisions. But in a crowded space, projectors have carved out a niche for themselves, especially given how portable they have become over the years.

I got to spend some time with a recently launched portable projector, the BenQ GV32, which retails in India for under Rs. 50,000. Initially, I was stumped by the price tag. But after using it for a week, I could see the appeal clearly.

BenQ GV32 projector's design

BenQ GV32 Design and OS: Premium Looks and Functional Design

• Product Size: 211.2x130x191.4mm
• Weight: 1.6kg
• Colour Options: Black and White
• OS: Google TV (Android 11)
• Accessories in the Box: Remote Control, Magnetic Stand

As soon as you open the box, you will notice that the company has put in some thought into maintaining the portability of the BenQ GV32. The projector stands vertically rather than lying horizontally like other projectors on the market. This allows you to place the projector anywhere you want, even if you don't have much room on your desk or table. It is 211.2mm tall and 130mm wide, and the stand does add an inch or so. However, the projector's 1.6kg weight might feel heavy to lift when you have to move it from one place to another. It also has a loop belt for the times you want to securely carry it around.

BenQ's GV32 is on sale in India in two colours: Black and White. I got to test the White colourway, and the projector looks pristine in this shade. The button layout and the projection lens are surrounded by a silver-coloured panel, which adds to its visual appeal. However, the projector can feel off when placed next to other home entertainment devices at times.

The BenQ GV32's button layout is intuitive and easy to navigate. The power button has a small indent that lets you identify it and switch the projector on and off, even in a dark environment. Along with the power button, it also gets navigation, sleep mode, and volume up and down buttons, which are also backlit, which is definitely a good-to-have feature. There is also a small joystick and a dedicated zoom leveller, allowing you to resize the projection size with ease.

BenQ GV32 button placement

Another positive, in my opinion, is that you do not have to interact with the companion Google Home app after the initial setup. However, the app does offer remote control functionality, allowing you to navigate Google TV's smooth user interface and control volume. But I hardly used those features because BenQ also ships a remote controller for the GV32 projector. You can give voice commands via the Google Assistant, turn the projector on and off, navigate, adjust the screen size, and directly open YouTube and OTT platforms like Netflix and Prime Video from the remote.

Apart from the remote, the company also ships a detachable stand for the BenQ GV32 projector. This stand offers great functionality. It can rotate 360 degrees horizontally and 135 degrees vertically, allowing you to project videos onto the roof for comfortable viewing while lying down on your bed or sofa. It attaches magnetically to the projector. The stand is impressively sturdy. In my testing, the stand did not intentionally detach once. However, you can easily take it off whenever you want.

To sum it up, the BenQ GV32 looks great while being compact. And its functional design is the cherry on top.

BenQ GV32 Features and Performance: Does It All and More

• Projection System: Digital Light Processing (DLP)
• Resolution Support: 1080p (1,920x1,080 pixels)
• Image Size: 60-inch to 120-inch
• Light Source: LED
• Light Source Type: 500 ANSI lumens
• Sound: Two 4W Speakers + 10W Woofer

The company makes tall promises about the performance and features that the BenQ GV32 offers at its price. And in my testing, the projector surprisingly aced on multiple fronts. It can project videos at up to 1080p (1,920x1,080 pixels), which may seem low on paper. But the video quality remains crisp and sharp, regardless of the projection size you choose, going from 60-inch to 120-inch.

BenQ GV32 performance

I watched the first three seasons of the popular sitcom Modern Family. Throughout the runtime, the colour saturation seemed comparable to other options on the market. To test its refresh rate, I watched both innings of the India vs West Indies T20 World Cup match. The projector handled fast camera movements and snappy cuts between field angles well. It was even able to project motion blur with ease.

BenQ GV32 performance

On Netflix, the projector displayed deep blacks thanks to its HDR10 support. While it would not be fair to compare it to an OLED panel of a television, it is not really far behind when watching in a dark room.

While its performance in a dark or dimly lit room impressed me, I was surprised to find out that it can even project clear and sharp images in a naturally lit room. In the afternoon, I opened the curtains of my room to see how faded the images would appear. This is where most projectors lay down their arms. However, BenQ's offering was still able to present a passable viewing experience, leveraging its 500 ANSI lumens brightness.

BenQ GV32 daytime performance

It also comes with numerous intelligent features, which add to the viewing experience. The BenQ GV32 can automatically adjust the viewing angle and focus, based on the distance from the wall, to always present a flat image, thanks to its Auto 2D Keystone and Rotation functionality. However, when you move the projection surface, the focus can take some time to bring the image back into focus.

Another impressive aspect of the projector is its built-in audio setup. The dual-speaker 2.1-channel 18W total audio output with Dolby Audio is enough for watching a movie or a show in a bedroom with two people. During my testing, I never felt the need to connect an external audio device to it. However, you might want to connect a Bluetooth speaker if you're watching something with a larger group in a bigger room. Interestingly, you can also use the GV32 projector as a Bluetooth speaker, which is a passable feature at best.

While its 1080p resolution might disappoint a few, the projector delivers crisp, sharp video playback for the price, even at its largest 120-inch projection size.

BenQ GV32 remote

BenQ GV32 Verdict

To conclude, the BenQ GV32 projector offers great value at its Rs. 49,990 retail price in India. Compared to other 1080p competitors, the recently launched GV32 promises and delivers on multiple fronts. There are multiple highlights, like its crisp 1080p resolution video playback and its sturdy magnetic stand, which allows you to project anything on the roof, 360-degree horizontal rotation, 135-degree vertical rotation, and two-way tilt functionality for projecting from the side.

On top of this, the flexibility it offers, letting you go from a 60-inch projection to a 120-inch projection, is a major plus. However, can it replace my television? For some specific use cases, yes. But it does not position itself as an alternative to your television. Instead, it offers a different proposition, along with flexibility and portability.

Ratings:

• Design: 9/10
• Performance: 8/10
• VFM: 8/10
• Overall: 8/10

Pros

• Build quality
• Built-in streaming apps
• Impressive sound quality
• Multi-purpose magnetic stand

Cons

• Expensive
• Projection might take some time to adjust