Bring home the big screen

CHENNAI: Not long ago, projectors used to belong in a board room. The pandemic changed all that. Home projectors were one of the most discernible gadget trends that emerged at the beginning of this decade and it continues in a post-pandemic world.

The numbers validate the trend - the global market for Projector screens is expected to grow at a CAGR of 14.9% from $105.5 billion in 2020 to $278.8 billion by the year 2027 (Source: ResearchandMarket.com).

The Optoma GT2160HDR makes a play for this booming segment. This is a short-throw 4K UHD projector. Short-throw projectors are more convenient – the projector can be as close as 1 metre from your screen or white wall.

This is a contrast from a traditional projector that needs four to five metres for a projection, often creating challenges in your living room. But these short throw projectors do come at a premium.

The set-up is reasonably easy especially if you’ve used a projector in the past. The back panel comes with quite a few ports including two 4K HDMI ports. One of the key consumer concerns this Optoma projector addresses is longevity.

The specs make it future proof while the lamp life (Optoma claims up to 15,000 hours depending on the mode you choose) ensures that this is a good investment. Aside from live sports and movies, projectors also appeal to compulsive gamers.

This is where this projector (we enjoyed using this projector in game display mode) comes alive. You get support for external 4K devices like gaming consoles and an Apple TV; the 240Hz refresh rate adds to its visual appeal with almost zero motion blur.

One more reason to consider making a switch to a short throw projector from a large screen TV.