Portable projectors offer flexibility and the freedom to watch Netflix anywhere and from any angle—including looking straight up at the ceiling from your bed. When I tried this setup using the small, battery-powered BenQ GV50—which the brand markets as a ceiling projector—it worked well. I can’t say the picture quality or even the sound were spectacular, but the projector is indeed capable of project-it-anywhere portability.

Though the GV50 is a ceiling projector, it also works fine against a wall or using a projector screen. It’s versatile and uses the built-in Google TV operating system, so you can use just about any streaming app. And though it’s cheaper than portable-projector competitors, like the Soundcore Nebula P1 (6/10, WIRED Recommends), you’ll make some compromises in picture quality, sound, and speed.

Still, I ended up liking the GV50 for its portability, and I tried it out in various spots in my house. At its current $599 price, it’s a good buy, as long as you’re aware of and OK with its trade-offs.

Portability as a Priority

The GV50 looks like a large gray and white seashell, and it tilts vertically and horizontally. The build quality is not outstanding, made from a cheap-feeling plastic. Alas, aesthetics are not what BenQ is after here; first and foremost, the GV50 aims to be a functional and highly portable low- to midrange projector. And it’s successful in that pursuit: At 4.6 pounds and 8 inches tall, it’s easy to move. It has a small strap on the top for portability ease, though the strap would be easier to grasp if it were a little bigger. When you’re not using it, you might store the projector in BenQ’s protective carrying case ($59) that has a place for the remote and the base.