- TCL has revealed its first mobile projector, the Projector A1
- It’s an affordable offering that has built-in Google TV smarts
- It also has 8W speakers with Dolby Audio and costs just $499
TCL, famed for its TVs, has moved into a new category: portable projectors. The new TCL Projector A1 is a low-priced mobile projector with built-in speakers, Wi-Fi and Google TV.
The Projector A1 is a full HD 1080p offering that delivers 360 ISO lumens of brightness, with a screen size from 45 inches to 120 inches.
The LCD projector includes automatic focus and keystone adjustment for easy setup, and its dual 8W speakers let you use the device as a Bluetooth speaker as well as to providing the soundtrack to your streaming shows and movies.
Another bonus with the TCL Projector A1 is that it’s powered by Google TV, including Google Assistant for voice search and smart home control, while the audio is handled by Dolby Audio processing.
Chromecast is supported too, and the Wi-Fi is 802.11a/b/g/n – not cutting edge, then, but fine given the display resolution.
A new potential bargain?
There are some nice additional touches in the Projector A1, including a clever handle – TCL calls it VersaGrip – that is adjustable for comfort and also turns into a stand.
The projector is fairly portable too, coming in at 5.5lbs (about 2.5kg) with compact dimensions of 5.0in x 7.6in x 10.4in (or 127mm x 193 x 264mm).
As you’d expect from TCL, the new Projector A1 is priced keenly: it’s available now with an MSRP of $499 (around £395 / AU$770).
That’s significantly cheaper than our current budget pick in our guide to the best portable projectors, the LG CineBeam Q, although that model does have a higher specification and resolution than the TCL.