TCL’s first projector appears to be priced just right for outdoors Hijinx

This year we’ve seen a surge in portable projectors, from LG’s cute CineBeam Qube to the Nebula Mars 3; being able to pull out a 100+ inch screen for an impromptu movie at any time is undeniably appealing. TCL, a brand known for making budget TVs, is launching its first portable projector.

The TCL A1 Projector is a 1080p indoor and outdoor front projector that can produce a 45- to 120-inch screen, provided you have the wall space. Its brightness of 360 ISO Lumens should make it a bright enough image when the sun is down. It also comes with an HDMI input, allowing you to connect a gaming console and enjoy a game of Mario Kart projected onto the side of your garage or an empty wall.

For $500, the TCL A1 projector offers solid value as a TV alternative. Its built-in Google TV lets you stream all your favorite content, as long as you’re connected to Wi-Fi. Best of all, it has one-touch auto keystone and focus, so you don’t have to of having to manually adjust the screen to obtain a clear and perfectly rectangular image.

When you’re not watching Monday Night Football on the patio, the A1 doubles as a portable Bluetooth speaker for listening to music. It even has an array of LED lights that syncs with your beats. While it won’t replace your favorite portable speaker, it’s a practical option in a pinch.

Weighing just under 6 kilos and resembling a small cooler, the A1 Projector doesn’t seem to take up much space and moves well thanks to its small integrated handle. Although portable, it’s not entirely wireless, so you’ll need to make sure you’re within range of an outlet. If you’re looking for something that will last a few hours without being plugged in, consider the Nebula Capsule or Kodak Luma 150 Mini.

The TCL A1 projector should be available now for $500 (check if the product page is not updated yet). Although the price seems attractive, we’ll want to see it in action to see if the picture quality, brightness, and sound compare to more expensive options. TCL has managed to strike that delicate balance between price and quality when it comes to its TVs, so I’ll be curious to see how the budget TV maker fares as a budget projector maker.