The BenQ Joybee GP2 ($599 direct) palmtop projector is the follow-up to the BenQ Joybee GP1, an Editors’ Choice from 2009. The new model has added some nice touches, most notably higher brightness and resolution, a dock for an iPhone or iPod touch, an HDMI port, and an SD card slot. The rest of the market hasn’t stood still, though, with palmtop projectors becoming brighter and packing in features, and other iPhone-friendly projectors coming on the scene. Despite some image problems (with both data and video), the GP2 is an enjoyable product that I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend.

The GP2 is built around a DLP chip along with an LED light source meant to last for the life of the projector. The LEDs—rated at 20,000 hours (30,000 if you stick to eco mode)—help keep the total cost of ownership down, as you don’t have to factor in lamp replacement costs. Unlike standard projector lamps, they're also mercury free—a plus for the environment.

This projector is rated at 200 lumens, up from the GP1’s 100. Other palmtop projectors are also ramping up the brightness. Last July I reviewed the 200-lumen Acer K11 Projector ($379 list, 4 stars), and even brighter palmtop projectors are in our reviews queue. The GP2 is the third projector we’ve reviewed to incorporate an i-Thing dock; the other two are both Editors’ Choice products, the Optoma Neo-i ($450 street, 4 stars) and Epson MegaPlex MG-850HD Projector ($799 direct,  4 stars).

In terms of connections, the GP2 adds a little something for everybody. In addition to the iPhone dock, there’s a mini-HDMI port, a USB type A port that fits a thumb drive, and a USB mini-B port for connecting to a computer, and an SD memory-card slot. You can play music or videos, or view photos or documents, from a USB key, SD card, or from 1.3GB of internal memory.

Another port fits an included octopus cable, which connects either to a computer via a VGA connector or to an audio/video source with 3 RCA plugs. You can change sources—either with the controls on top of the projector or with the small remote, which is shaped like a headstone but fits comfortably in a hand; the source options are displayed in a carousel-type menu on the home screen.

As a palmtop projector, the GP2 is a bit on the large side, at 2.2 by 5.5 by 5.1 inches (HWD), though it did fit into my outstretched palm with fingers fully splayed. I weighted it on a postage scale at 1.2 pounds; 2.0 pounds when I included the power adaptor and power cord. An optional battery is expected to be available soon.

The projector has a black top and white sides, which curve outward toward the top. Three sides have speaker or ventilation grilles. One side has most of the ports; the side next to the lens holds the focus ring; and the back has an SD card slot. There’s no lens cover, so you’ll want to keep the projector in its soft carrying case when not in use. 

Image Quality

The Joybee GP2 displayed an image that filled our test screen (about 66 inches diagonal) from about 5 feet away. (As is typical of palmtops, the projector has a focus wheel but lacks a zoom control.)  Data images were bright enough to be usable in a darkened room, although a couple of images showing colored lines on a black background were marginal, as the lines did not display well. When I added a modest amount of ambient light to the room, the images looked washed out.

I ran the GP2 through our standard suite of DisplayMate tests. Color generally was good, with occasional, mild yellow or greenish tints in images. To its credit, the projector shows very little of the rainbow effect that often plagues DLP projectors, in which bright areas break up into little red-green-blue rainbows when you shift your gaze or an object moves on screen.

The projector did have one notable issue. According to BenQ, the GP2’s native resolution is WXGA (1,280 by 800 pixels). However, in several data images, I saw a pattern of spurious, faint lines or bands, reminiscent of a scaling artifact in which there’s a mismatch between the image source’s and the projector’s (specifically, its DLP chip’s) resolution.  

We’ve seen similar issues in other WXGA DLP mini-projectors lately, and the chip maker, Texas Instruments, has yet to explain the nature of the artifacts. I’m not certain if the GP2’s issue is identical (BenQ couldn’t specify the exact model chip), but the lines—which appear mostly in images with finely patterned or hatched backgrounds—are distracting. In presentations, as opposed to our test images, they’d be most likely to affect readability of smaller type. The two smallest fonts in the GP2’s type test were blurred, which is worse than usual for the WXGA projectors I’ve tested.

I viewed video on the GP2 from two sources: a DVD player over an HDMI cable, and my iPhone. Although you could use it to view movies with, it wouldn’t be my preferred method, as it lost detail in both bright and dark areas, and flesh tones sometimes took on a reddish hue. At least you’ll have decent audio at a volume that should fill a small room, from the twin 2-watt speakers.

There’s a lot to like about the BenQ Joybee GP2. Its small size and portability make it useful for anything from making business presentations to small groups to showing photos, videos, or playing music at a party. Its built-in dock lets you play content from an iPhone or iPod touch. It offers connectivity via HDMI, VGA, composite video, or USB cable. The menu system is user friendly.

The GP2’s downside is that its image quality, for both data and video, was less than optimal. The Acer K11 offers better data image quality, while the larger Epson MegaPlex MG-850HD incorporates an i-Thing dock and has great data and video image quality. But the JoyBee GP2 is versatile, highly portable, and a lot of fun—well worth considering, particularly if you want to go small.

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