Optoma has unveiled another very capable-looking ultra short throw projector on the market with its affordable CinemaX D2 Smart offering.
This model is a 4K laser projector that includes support for HDR, high refresh rates for gaming and an impressive 3,000 lumens of brightness, which is superior to both Samsung’s The Premiere and LG Electronics’ CineBeam HU715Q.
The Optoma CinemaX D2 Smart is powered by a DuraCore laser system that’s said to create a sharp and vivid image with a lifespan of up to 30,000 hours. Because it’s a UST model, it can throw up a picture of 100-inches diagonally from a distance of just 30cm, with a maximum screen size of 120-inches available if set a little further back. Other details include an impressive 1,800,000:1 contrast ratio, with a certified Rec.709 colour gamut that should ensure extremely realistic and faithful colour reproduction, and support for HDR10 and HLG, and even 3D content if so desired.
Those are some decent specs and they’re aided by the inclusion of Optoma’s proprietary geometric correction technology that ensures the on-screen image will be crisp and sharp with very straight edges, even when the projector is placed on an uneven surface. Add to that, there’s wall colour adjustment capabilities with six pre-set options, allowing users to tweak the image based on the background they’re projecting onto.
Perhaps the most interesting feature of the Optoma CinemaX D2 Smart is that it supports Android TV through a dongle that’s included in the package. Unusually, Android TV isn’t built in but by slotting in the dongle to one of the HDMI ports, users will gain instant access to Google Play’s library of films and TV shows, as well as streaming apps like Netflix, YouTube, Prime, Disney+ etc.
Connectivity-wise, we have three of the aforementioned HDMI ports, though sadly they’re all HDMI 2.0 rather than HDMI 2.1, meaning benefits such as VRR and ALLM are missing on this particular projector. That said, the Optoma CinemaX D2 Smart can still handle 4K images at 60Hz, resulting in low latency for gaming of just 16ms. For those who want even more performance, it’s possible to hook up a PC that’s capable of 240Hz gaming to enjoy super-smooth gaming at 1080p resolution.
On the audio side, Optoma says there’s a crisp and clear audio system built-in, though it didn't provide any specs. What it did say is that there’s an eARCH passthrough option for those who want Dolby Atmos-quality sound through an external speaker system or soundbar
For now, it appears the Optoma CinemaX D2 Smart is only available to buy in the U.S., where it carries a $2,699 price tag. So we can expect to pay around £2,400 if and when it goes on sale in the U.K.
Besides the Optoma CinemaX D2 Smart, there’s a non-smart D2 model that’s priced at $200 less, though it comes without the Android TV dongle. Otherwise, the specs appear to be more or less the same. As such, that may be a better investment for anyone who already owns a Chromecast or other streaming dongle.
