Brightness is an area where televisions tend to win when pitted against projectors. This is thanks to an array of backlights or LEDs that can easily illuminate a display. Since projectors have to beam light several feet, the result is often a dimly-lit image that pales in comparison. That being said, remarkably-bright projectors have begun to show up lately, and one example includes NEC’s 5,000-lumen unit. An even more impressive Optoma laser projector has now been unveiled, and it takes things even further with a brightness of 7,000 lumens. Continue reading to learn more.
Latest Optoma laser projector shines bright
It’s hard to oversell just how bright the latest Optoma laser projector is. At 7,000 lumens, it promises to create a bright picture that should remain very visible even in well-lit rooms. There is one caveat, and that’s a 1920 by 1200 resolution image. That’s right, you’ll have to forfeit a 4K image.
If you can overlook this, there’s plenty of other features to love. One of which includes a short-throw lens that can create a 100-inch picture from only 6-feet away. Going even further paves the way for a 300-inch screen, a size that dwarfs what consumer televisions have to offer. Connectivity options include HDMI, VGA, Ethernet, and the list goes on.
Pricing and availability
While the new Optoma laser projector can be ordered now from “authorized dealers and distributors,” it has yet to appear at popular retailers such as Amazon and the like. We hope ZU720TST becomes more widely available, but the lack of 4K in favor of a more business-focused resolution could explain why it has managed to fly largely under the radar. Pricing is set at $5,999. While that may seem high at first, other laser projectors cost just as much and aren’t nearly as bright.
9to5Toys’ Take
With such a bright bulb, it’s hard to pick on the latest Optoma laser projector. I’ve used an Optoma projector for several years now and have had no reason to dislike it yet. It’s proven highly-reliable, and I haven’t needed to replace the bulb despite having far surpassed its projected lifespan.
Bearing that in mind, one area that’s hard to overlook is its odd WUXGA resolution. UHD has largely become standard across televisions and is something that new projectors should also accommodate, especially given this model’s ability to create a 300-inch screen. That being said, if you have a bright room and can live with 1080p, the latest from Optoma may be worth considering.
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