Optoma GT720 Projector Review-3

Posted on July 5, 2011 by Art Feierman

Optoma GT720 Projector Highlights

2500 lumen claim makes it one of the brightest projectors around, for the home
Color performance is good for a low cost projector
Supports 3D
Brilliant Color ups the dynamics - adds "pop and wow"!
3000/5000 (eco/high power) lamp life - excellent - better than most
Built-in speaker - with significant sound (no deep bass, of course)
Portable - the GT720 comes packed in a backpack - take it with you
Fixed, very short throw lens - that's right, place it close, but no zoom for additional placement flexibility
Can double as a low cost, portable, and reasonable performance business projector, with a handy short throw lens (and backpack to carry between appointments)
Under $700

Specs for Optoma GT720

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MSRP: $749, MAP: $699
Technology: Single chip DLP
Native Resolution: 720p (1280x720)
Brightness: 2500 lumens
Contrast: 3000:1
Lens: Fixed - Very Short Throw
Lens shift: Fixed
Lamp life: 3000 hours at full power, 5000 hours in eco mode
Weight: 6.5 lbs. (2.9 kg.)
Warranty: 1 Year Parts and Labor (3 mo. on lamp)

View full specifications: Optoma GT720

Optoma GT720 Special Features

GT720 3D Capabilities

The GT720 offers a limited selection of 3D abilities, as is typical of first generation 3D 720p projectors we've seen. It supports 120hz field sequential up to 720p. What the GT720 can't do is support Blu-ray 3D and at least some other 1080p 3D formats. Again, this is typical.

Optoma offers the 3D-XL processor, which is compatible with the full range of 1080p 3D solutions, and goes between source and projector.

We recently reviewed a similar product, the Viewsonic VP3D1, using this projector. Give or take a few strange artifacts, and a little trouble on occasion with a few Blu-ray 3D disks when using a PS3, the Viewsonic combined nicely with the Optoma. One would expect the 3D-XL to do at least a comparable job.

The GT720 is Nvidia certified! That's a big thing in the gaming world, and does indicate that hundreds of 2D games can be rendered on the fly into 3D. (Remember, those 2D games are designed in 3D to begin with.)

GT720 As a Gaming Projector

Here are the same summaries (found on the summary page) from our two Gaming bloggers, Pete and Scott. Click on the links for their full blogs on the GT720 as a game projector: