Optoma GT750 3D Gaming Projector First Look

When I think of "gaming" projectors, I think one word - crap. I'm sorry to all you gamers out there, but you just aren't that discerning. You want bright, you want portable, and you want speakers. Speakers? Seriously? I only want one of those things. But you've got money (since they can only put out so many cover-based shooters a year) and no girlfriends to spend it on, so someone has to serve you. I don't mind that so much except that they end up creating projectors that only really work well with computers. Sure, you can connect other things up to them but if you want the 3D, you're going to have to use a computer.

Frankly, you might as well not bother.

But Optoma is turning that around. The new GT750 is probably the first gaming projector that has really caught my eye. With its DLP Link 120Hz 3D-capable display technology, or RF 3D technology options, not only does it support computer gaming 3D, but also Blu-ray and broadcast 3D. What this means is that it is the first projector, geared toward gamers, that can be used in every 3D application. This a huge boon as it allows the projector to truly do dual duty as your everyday display, supporting all the latest video formats, and also be portable for the gamer on the go.

The Optoma GT750 has two HDMI version 1.4a inputs as well as VGA, S-video, and composite inputs. There is a stereo RCA Audio input and output along with a VESA 3D port and RS-232 connection. The projector measures 12.76" x 3.82" x 9.21" and weighs 6.6 pounds. It comes with an IR remote and a backpack for easy transport. The dual 5 watt speakers will allow gamers to use this projector without a full system (but I'm betting the gaming experience will be slightly marred).

The GT750 brags a 3000 ANSI lumen output and 3000:1 contrast ratio. It is compatible with all video input types including HDTV, EDTV, SDTV, NTSC, PAL, and SECAM as well as PC and MAC compatible. The downside of the GT750 is that the projector's native resolution is 720p. While it will accept 1080p, it downconverts it to its native resolution. There is also no mention of horizontal or vertical lens shift (not unexpected at this price point). On the flip side, the short lens means you can place the projector 1.64" to 16.4" from the wall giving you a image size ranging from 32.2" to 322.4". Of course, that 300+ inch image might be a bit blurry.

The real selling point on this projector is the price. At a $799 MSRP, it's a steal. Sure, it isn't 1080p but, for the price, who cares? Add to that the fact that you'll surely find it on sale soon after release, it's a no brainer. Heck, more than one Audioholic reading this is thinking, "Hey, this might make a great backup projector!" I can see executives buying one "for the office" that ends up at the house as often as not. The Optoma GT750 would make a great first projector.

The last thing that needs to be addressed with this projector is noise. Traditionally, gaming projectors have been loud. Maybe not as loud as the business projectors, but louder than you'd want for a dedicated home theater projector. I'd definitely want to know the dB coming out of this thing before I bought one for a dedicated home theater.

Conclusion

We don't know how loud it is, and we know it is 720p native. But we also know the Optoma GT750 Gaming projector is only $799. It accepts all 3D formats and has enough inputs for most any home or business application. It comes with a backpack for easy transport and should be plenty bright for most any application. While we're not ready to declare this the next hot projector, it does look very promising. We hope to get our hands on one soon for a full battery of tests.

For more information, please visit www.optomausa.com.

Unless otherwise indicated, this is a preview article for the featured product. A formal review may or may not follow in the future.