The BenQ GV11 is an Android TV mini projector available now for RM1,799

Ever since Samsung dropped The Freestyle earlier this year, it really brought into the mainstream the previously niche category of portable projectors. However, it’s a little hard to recommend due to the hefty RM4,999 price tag. If you’re looking for a cheaper alternative, you might then be interested in checking out the BenQ GV11.

BenQ GV11 Malaysia pricing and availability

The BenQ GV11 is available for purchase from today onwards on the official BenQ stores on Shopee and Lazada. It comes with a much more reasonable RM1,949 price tag, but from now until the end of November, you’ll be able to get it for just RM1,799 when you use the promo code BENQGV11, and you’ll also be able to snag yourself free shipping too.

BenQ GV11 specs

If you’re familiar with BenQ’s projectors or maybe just mini projectors in general, the GV11 might’ve caused a bit of deja vu because it actually looks nearly identical to the more expensive GV30, sharing the same circular body. However, just like the naming scheme implies, the GV11 is a much more entry level projector.

For starters, the GV11 projects at just a 480p native resolution, with a throw ratio of 1.3 meaning that at a distance of one meter away, you’ll get an image that roughly translates to a 35-inch display while at two meters away you get a 70-inch display. It covers 92% of the Rec.709 colour gamut and projects up to 16.7 million colours, with a 100,000:1 contrast ratio. The circular design lets you rotate your projection accordingly so that you can switch it up from using a wall or the ceiling and everything in between depending on your surroundings. There’s also an auto vertical keystone to correct your image.

Even with the 480p resolution, that might not even be the weakest part of the GV11. BenQ rates the GV11 to have a brightness of just 200 ANSI lumens, which might not be bright enough for a comfortable image. Samsung’s The Freestyle for instance has roughly 230 to 240 ANSI lumens, which is more than that of the GV11. Despite that, many people were quick to point out that The Freestyle wasn’t bright enough to project a comfortable viewing image.

Other features of note on the GV11 includes a light source life of roughly 20,000 hours which can go up to 30,000 hours in eco mode. You’ll also find a 5W speaker tuned by treVolo along with a 3.5mm audio jack, as well as two HDMI ports and a USB-A port for charging. While a remote is included, you can also connect it to your smartphone and cast your shows to the GV11. The GV11 runs Android TV 10 out of the box too so even without connecting your smartphone, you can use the GV11 to watch YouTube, Hulu and more. You can also use the GV11 without a power source, with BenQ rating it for up to 160 minutes of video playback.

Overall, you might be better off with BenQ’s other mini projector, the GV30. It offers a much more reasonable 720p resolution projection with 300 ANSI lumens of brightness, while also offering Android TV 10 integration. It also covers closer to 98% of the Rec. 709 colour gamut for better colour accuracy and has a pair of 4W stereo speakers with an 8W woofer. The GV30 isn’t even that much more expensive than the GV11, with a price tag of RM2,788 on Shopee which is also almost half the price tag of the Samsung Freestyle.