Optoma has unveiled its new CinemaX D2 Smart ultra short throw projector, and it sounds as though Samsung and LG have some competition.
This 4K laser projector includes HDR support, high refresh rates for gamers, and a whopping 3000 lumens of brightness, making it brighter than both Samsung's The Premiere and the LG CinemaBeam HU715Q. Optoma has equipped the projector with a DuraCore laser system that provides a sharp and vivid picture and should last up to 30,000 hours according to the projector company.
This Laser Projection TV, as Optoma is dubbing it, includes an Android TV dongle for streaming on the projector from the likes of Netflix, Disney Plus and Amazon Prime Video. It also includes three HDMI 2.0 ports; while the newer and more capable HDMI 2.1 and all the benefits it brings such as VRR and ALLM would have been preferred here, the CinemaX can still handle 4K 60Hz, with Optoma claiming low latency gaming at 16ms. And, if you want to push this projector even further, you can hook up a PC capable of 240hz and play at 1080p for super-smooth gaming.
Not much has been said about the sound performance of the D2 Smart, but Optoma says the built-in audio is crisp, and there is eARC passthrough for Dolby Atmos on this projector if you want to hook up an external soundbar or system. There should be plenty of room for a soundbar too, as the projector needs to sit only 30cm away from the wall it is projecting on to in order to cast a 100-inch image.
Availability at the moment looks to be exclusively limited to the US, where it retails for $2699. That means, when more markets open up, it should cost around £2400 / AU$4200 in the UK and Australia respectively.
Optoma is also selling a non-smart D2 model that forgoes Android TV and costs $200 less, which may be the more sensible value option if you already have a Chromecast or Amazon Fire TV Stick.
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