The Quick Verdict
Get the BenQ AH500ST 1080P Short Throw Laser Golf Simulator Projector. It lists at $1,999 against the Optoma GT2000HDR's $1,799, so it's $200 more at list. For that you get a stated 1:1 mode for square impact screens, a named golf picture mode, a published input-lag figure and 3 years of parts and labor on the whole unit. The Optoma is worth it if the projector has to be lighter to hang, or if a longer light-source warranty matters more than the rest. On throw, they're close to identical. Check price at The Indoor Golf Shop →
What They Have in Common
Both are laser projectors with a native resolution of 1920x1080 and a native 16:9 aspect ratio. Both have a fixed lens with an optical zoom of 1, and both have a short throw ratio just under 0.5. Each lists a 4:3 mode. Neither maker says what standard its brightness figure was measured to.
Where They Differ
Throw and image size
Image width = throw distance ÷ throw ratio. The BenQ's throw ratio is 0.499:1, so from 10 ft back it gives an image 20.0 ft wide (10 ft ÷ 0.499). The Optoma's is 0.496:1, which gives 20.2 ft wide from the same 10 ft. Run it the other way and each one needs to sit 5.0 ft from the screen for a 10 ft wide image. Neither lens zooms, so each has one figure, not a range. Your only adjustment is where the mount goes. Measure the distance from where the lens would sit to the screen before buying either one.
A throw ratio around 0.5 is the difference between hanging the projector over the hitting area and hanging it behind you. Call it a hunch, but that matters more than the gap between these two.
Screen shape, golf mode and lag
Golf impact screens are often 4:3 or square. Both makers list a 4:3 mode. BenQ lists 1:1 among its stated modes. On the Optoma, 1:1 isn't among the stated modes. That's not the same as saying it can't fill a square screen, but Optoma doesn't claim it.
BenQ names a golf picture mode. Optoma doesn't publish whether the GT2000HDR has one.
BenQ publishes 33.4 ms of input lag at 1080p 60Hz. Optoma doesn't publish an input-lag figure, so there's no gap to report. Seems like most of the BenQ's case is that BenQ commits to more of the numbers a sim build depends on.
Brightness, keystone and light source
BenQ lists 4,000 lumens and Optoma lists 3,500 lumens, and neither says what standard it measured to. Without that, I'm not calling either one brighter.
For keystone, BenQ lists 2D, vertical ±30 degrees and horizontal ±30 degrees. Optoma lists horizontal ±15° and vertical ±15°. Neither has lens shift, though Optoma lists a native offset of 116%. Rated laser life is 20,000 hours on the BenQ and 30,000 hours on the Optoma.
Weight, warranty and price
The Optoma weighs 6.61 lbs and measures 10.79 W x 4.49 H x 8.50 D inches. The BenQ weighs 11.2 lbs and measures 12.60 x 5.14 x 10.04 inches. That makes the Optoma 4.59 lbs lighter.
BenQ's warranty reads "3 years parts and labor from purchase date (original retail purchaser), US." Optoma's reads "1 year projector parts and labor; 5 years or 12,000 hours light source."
The Optoma lists at $1,799, $200 under the BenQ's $1,999. The BenQ's release year is 2024 and the Optoma's is 2023.
Who Should Buy Which
Get the BenQ AH500ST if:
- Your impact screen is square. 1:1 is among BenQ's stated modes.
- You want a published input-lag figure to plan around: 33.4 ms at 1080p 60Hz.
- You want a projector whose maker names a golf picture mode.
- You'd rather have 3 years of parts and labor on the whole projector than 1.
- You want the wider listed keystone range, ±30 degrees each way.
Get the Optoma GT2000HDR if:
- Your screen is 4:3 or 16:9, and the $200 gap at list matters more than the BenQ's extra published specs.
- Your mount needs the lighter unit: 6.61 lbs against 11.2 lbs.
- Light-source coverage is the warranty you care about. It's 5 years or 12,000 hours on the Optoma.
- You want the higher rated laser life of 30,000 hours.
The Bottom Line
Throw is a wash: both sit 5.0 ft from the screen for a 10 ft wide image, using throw distance divided by throw ratio. The difference is what each maker puts on paper. BenQ states a 1:1 mode, a golf picture mode, 33.4 ms of lag at 1080p 60Hz, and 3 years of parts and labor. Optoma lists $200 less, weighs less and covers its light source longer, but publishes no lag figure and doesn't say whether it has a golf mode. If I had to bet on which leaves fewer open questions in a sim bay, it's the BenQ.