Optoma GT2100HDR Projector Review: Projection is short, price is high

On paper, the Optoma GT2100HDR projector has a lot going for it: it’s HDR-compatible, has a laser light source, and — thanks to an external power supply — it’s nice and compact. The Optoma is also a short-throw model, so it can sit several meters away from a wall or screen and still project a huge image.

In practice, though, the GT2100HDR is a bit of a mixed bag. Its image quality has potential, but HDR issues sabotage what could have been a great performance. Also, there are 4K projectors for the price that offer more detail, though they’re not short-throw designs.

6.8

Optoma GT2100HDR

Like it

• Fair performance (mostly)
• Suitable for small spaces

I dislike

• Major HDR Issues
• No zoom or lens shift
• 1080p

If the price were better, the Optima’s shortcomings could be overlooked. As it stands, it’s more expensive than many of our favorite 1080p projectors, and doesn’t offer the performance of similarly priced 4K models. A premium is certainly to be expected for a short-throw PJ, but given the GT2100HDR’s issues, that extra cost is pretty steep.

Short specifications

• Resolution: 1080p
• HDR Compatible: Yes
• 4K Compatible: Yes
• 3D Compatible: Yes
• Lumen specification: 4,200
• Zoom: No
• Lens shift: No
• Laser life: 30,000 hours

The GT2100HDR is a 1080p short throw projector. This is not the same as the widely sold ultra-short throw projectors that sit only a few inches from the screen. Short throw (not “ultra”) sits a little further from the screen, but still much closer than traditional “normal” throw projectors. In the case of the GT2100HDR, this means it needs to sit about 43″ from the screen or wall to create a 100″ image. Its upward throw also means it needs to sit about 7″ below (or above) the screen. Even though it’s only 1080p, you can output a 4K HDR image with it, though as I’ll discuss below, HDR itself is a bit of a problem.

There is no zoom or lens shift, so if you want a larger or smaller image, you have to place it further or closer to the screen. You have to set the projector at the right height and flat, otherwise you will get significant keystone problems (the image is not rectangular but trapezoidal). This is true for any projector, but even more so for short projections.

The lumen claims are a little… optimistic. In most accurate mode, I have measured about 1168 lumens. In the less accurate and rather green Bright mode I got 2420. So I’m not sure how Optoma is claiming 4200. All projector manufacturers claim higher brightness ratings than they actually produce in the real world, and given the differences in measurement methods and modes this shouldn’t be a surprise. However this discrepancy is one of the biggest I’ve seen in a long time. To be clear, the GT2100HDR is quite bright and within the brightness range of similarly priced projectors, but it’s not “4200 lumens” bright.

Contrast ratio is another oddity. Technically I measured an average of about 1187:1. This would be higher than the vast majority of projectors in this price range. However, this is largely due to an unbeatable brightness reduction of the laser light source. So for example, in a completely black image the laser dims making the image darker. This is similar to how an iris works on some projectors. This is dynamic contrast and not the “native” we usually measure. I was able to get a closer reading by leaving the photo menu active and locking down the brightness so my test equipment couldn’t see it. Using this method, I measured 692:1. That’s not entirely accurate either, so my guess (based on the performance in the two measurements) is that this is somewhere between those two and a bit closer to the higher end. Again, this is pretty decent for a projector in this price range, despite the light source shenanigans. For comparison, the Xgimi Horizon Ultra is basically the same price and has a contrast ratio of 316:1. The slightly cheaper BenQ TK860i has a contrast ratio of 551:1.

Connections

• HDMI Inputs: 2
• USB port: 1 (1.5A)
• Audio Output: Headphone Output
• Control: Ethernet, RS-232
• Remote control: No backlight

The GT2100HDR has an old-fashioned array of connections, including RS-232 and Ethernet for control purposes. There are two HDMI inputs and a USB output, which should have enough power to drive a streaming stick. There’s no built-in streaming interface, which is fine in my book, though some competitors do offer one.

The tiny remote is smaller than a credit card, with buttons that feel identical. At least it has an input button, unlike some oddballs I can name.

Image quality comparisons

BenQ HT2060

Xgimi Horizon Ultra

We haven’t reviewed many short throw projectors lately, so instead I’ve picked two projectors that offer a good comparison to the GT2100HDR. The BenQ HT2060 is one of our favorite projectors. It’s 1080p, like the Optoma, with great color and contrast. It’s about 35% cheaper, but it’s not a short throw and doesn’t claim to be as bright. The other is the Xgimi Horizon Ultra. At $1,700, it’s a bit more expensive than the Optoma, but it has a motorized zoom, a beautiful chassis, and Google TV. Like the Optoma, it has a laser light source. I hooked them up to a Monoprice 1×4 distribution amplifier and watched them side-by-side on a 102-inch 1.0-gain display.

But before we get into the test, I need to talk about HDR. HDR content is now very common. Most streaming services offer it, most movies have it, and even budget TVs have at least some level of HDR compatibility. The problem with projectors is that none of them have the contrast ratio or brightness to do everything with HDR content. Most displays have the ability to convert the HDR image into something viewable within the limitations of the display. All HDR capable projectors do this to some extent, and many do it quite well. Others struggle. Despite having “HDR” in the model name, the Optoma falls into the latter category. No matter what settings I used, the image was washed out and desaturated. What was even more frustrating was when I turned off HDR in the source, and the image looked great. So for the following comparisons I have only used standard dynamic range content, as turning on HDR would put the Optoma last in every way. Okay, on to the tests.

The first thing I noticed when comparing them was the difference in contrast ratio. There was the Optoma and the BenQ… and then there was the Xgimi. The letterbox bars on the Xgimi were noticeably and significantly greyer than either the BenQ or the Optoma. In dark scenes the Optoma looked very washed out, while the other two had a richer image with more depth. The Optoma’s dynamic lamp didn’t have a huge positive or negative effect on the image in this case, as I was able to pause a scene and compare the black bars during scenes at different brightness levels. There was no clear winner in this test between the BenQ and the Optoma, as they were both good and fairly close. Maybe a slight advantage for the BenQ. However, the Xgimi was far behind.

In terms of brightness, that turned the tables a bit. Both the Optoma and Xgimi were very bright projectors, although the Xgimi was a tad brighter. In their precision modes, the Horizon Ultra was about 10-15% brighter than the Optoma, although subjectively it actually seemed brighter because it was so washed out. The BenQ was a tad behind both, but by no means poor.

In terms of color, the BenQ looked the most natural in terms of skin tones, grass, the blue of water and sky, and so on. The Xgimi was a little less accurate, but not by much. The Optoma was definitely the least accurate. No color was outright bad, and on its own it would look fine, but compared to the more accurate BenQ it was just a little bit less.

Image detail was best on the Xgimi, but that’s no surprise considering it’s 4K. Wrinkles, hair, fabric textures, all were more distinct on the Xgimi. While much is said about resolution, the reality is that it’s only one aspect of image quality. The difference, even in huge images, isn’t as great as, say, contrast ratio.

So with SDR content, the Optoma had similar brightness to the Xgimi and similar contrast to the BenQ, though color wasn’t quite as good as either. That’s a good mix, and when you consider that it can fit into a lot of rooms that neither projector can with its shorter throw distance, it’s almost an easy recommendation. It just can’t do HDR, though. If you don’t mind disabling HDR in your source(s) – and honestly, no other projector can do that much with HDR – the GT2100HDR is a good option. If this is your only display, I guess the lack of HDR won’t be a huge deal, but it is disappointing, especially when “HDR” is literally in the name.

In short(throw)

I like the idea of ​​short throw projectors. They can certainly deliver the biggest images, even in small or narrow spaces. After all, not everyone has a large living room. The optics of any decent projector are complex, and short throw models have physically larger elements. Logically, that can make them more expensive. So I’m willing to give Optoma the benefit of the doubt for the steeper price of the GT2100HDR. Not only does it have short throw optics, it also has a laser light source. More and more projectors have these, but they’re still quite new compared to the tried and tested (and soon to be banned in the EU) UHP lamps.

I test and measure projectors, of course, but I also live with them. I don’t have a TV, I just use whatever I test for a few weeks. The Xgimi Horizon Ultra, which I used for this Optoma, felt like it was from another universe compared to the GT2100HDR. The Xgimi is only slightly more expensive, but it has a zoom, a modern chassis, a retractable lens hood and Google TV built in. It certainly has its issues and is not a short throw, but it’s quite shocking how much more you can get for similar money to the Optoma.

The Optoma does many things well, but stumbles in one aspect that maybe doesn’t matter? I know from testing that projectors don’t do much with HDR, but if that compatibility is claimed and it’s basically unusable, then that’s a bad idea. I’d hate to see someone buy this, play a movie with HDR and think… is this it? It’s probably bad for Optoma too, given the high likelihood of returns. If you’re looking for a short throw projector and don’t mind leaving HDR off… I’d still wait until the GT2100HDR is on sale before considering it.