TCL’s portable Google TV projector could be perfect for those dark winter days – surprisingly affordable too

TCL has brought its affordable portable projector to the UK.

Already available in the US where it's been well received, the TCL Projector C1 price is priced aggressively on both sides of the Atlantic: £249 / $249 / €249 (about AU$500). And its specification is impressive, considering.

The projector is capable of displaying images from 40- to 120-inches, it has native 1080p Full HD resolution and can handle 4K sources. It's also very compact and easy to carry.

Its only main downside is that, like other very small projectors, it's not very bright – you get just 230 ISO lumens. That means it's best suited to dark rooms, although at this time of year, that's not hard to arrange.

TCL Projector C1: key features

The optical engine is fully sealed to keep it dust-free, and it's teamed with TCL's TrueHue system to optimise the brightness, contrast and colour on a frame-by-frame basis. There are four image modes: Standard, Cinema, Sport and Game Mode. Its LCD light source is rated for 30,000+ hours.

Despite the small size, TCL has managed to cram an 8W speaker into the Projector C1, which means you don't need to lug a separate audio device around with you. And the one-touch calibration and setup means it's quick and easy to get going in a new location.

It won't dislocate your shoulder as you move it around, either – coming in at a positively lightweight 1.77kg.

There's an integrated handle for carrying and a gimbal you can adjust up to 285 degrees, enabling you to project onto walls or ceilings. Connectivity is decent, too, with Wi-Fi 5, Bluetooth 5.1 for audio devices, USB, HDMI and a 3.5mm headphone jack.

The TCL Projector C1 runs the Google TV OS with Netflix included, plus support for Google Cast and Google Assistant. It also has access to the Play Store for all the other big streaming apps.

It's available now from the usual retailers.