Gigabyte Brix PC/Projector Review
As far as the projector itself goes, although it didn’t have the greatest black levels and didn’t prove to be particularly bright--even relatively low light in a room will wash out the projected image a bit--the color was consistent and the range of the projected image was excellent. The system was also not terribly loud, which is a feat. For a projector built into a pocket-size PC, you’ll be pleased with what you get.
;)
Put simply, the Gigabyte Brix Projector is an odd duck but a clever, useful device in a lot of ways. It’s a clever idea to bake a projector into a NUC, and to be sure, there are scenarios where that configuration would be a lifesaver (if not at the least utterly convenient). On the other hand, you can’t really use the projected image for much beyond watching video, some light gaming or presentation/signage display, as the resolution it supports is so low that the Windows experience is diminished significantly. That said, as a standalone PC, the Brix Projector is an impressive little thing. It fits just about anywhere, it’s relatively quiet for home theater applications, and it boasts solid performance across the board. It’s ideal for a home theater PC, with a satisfactory array of ports and connectors with an Ethernet port as well a built-in WiFi card for easy wireless connectivity. And with its ample USB port configuration, you can hook up a wireless Bluetooth mouse and keyboard combo and still be able to connect an external storage device.
The Brix Projector isn’t necessarily a great solution for everybody, but for some folks it’s probably just what they need.
The sticking point may be the price. You can pick up a modestly-spec’d NUC for a few hundred bucks, and even the powerful Gigabyte Brix Pro that we recently reviewed goes for just $449 to $599. The Brix Projector costs between $535 and $675 online, and that’s without the storage and RAM.
Thus, average users will be better off with a different NUC, but again, if you want a PC/projector combo for myriad (and more or less portable) applications, you’d no doubt be happy to pay for the utility and performance of a Brix Projector.
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