The Quick Verdict
Get the BenQ TK710STi 4K HDR Laser Short Throw Projector. Its 1.2 optical zoom gives you a range of mounting spots instead of one exact spot. BenQ publishes an input-lag figure of 16.7 ms at 1080p 60Hz, and the warranty is 3 years. It lists at $2,199. The Optoma GT2000HDR lists at $1,799, $400 less at list. Its fixed 0.496 lens puts a wide image up from very close. It's worth it if the projector has to hang near the screen and you can accept that Optoma doesn't publish a lag number. Check price at The Indoor Golf Shop →
What They Have in Common
These are two laser projectors with a native 16:9 shape, and both are short-throw by the numbers. Both makers list 4:3 among the selectable screen shapes, and neither lists square (1:1) among its stated modes. Neither maker says whether there's a golf picture mode. Weight is close: the Optoma is 0.19 lbs lighter, at 6.61 lbs against 6.8.
Where They Differ
Throw distance and image size
Image width is throw distance divided by throw ratio. From 10 ft back, the BenQ's 0.69–0.83:1 zoom gives an image 12.0 ft to 14.5 ft wide. The Optoma's fixed 0.496:1 lens gives an image 20.2 ft wide from the same 10 ft.
Here's the same comparison for a 10 ft wide image. The BenQ sits anywhere from 6.9 ft to 8.3 ft from the screen, and the Optoma sits at 5.0 ft. That 0.496 ratio is the difference between hanging the projector well back from the screen and hanging it close in front of it.
The range matters more than it looks. With a fixed lens, each image width has exactly one distance. If the mount lands a bit off, the image size changes with it. The BenQ's zoom lets that 10 ft image come from anywhere in its 6.9 to 8.3 ft window. Optoma lists lens shift as "none (fixed lens)" with a native offset of 116%. BenQ lists lens shift as N/A.
Keystone differs too. BenQ lists 3D keystone at ±30 degrees vertical, horizontal and rotation. Optoma lists ±15° horizontal and vertical.
Before you choose, measure the distance from where the lens will sit to the screen.
Lag, brightness and golf mode
BenQ rates the TK710STi at 16.7 ms of input lag at 1080p 60Hz. Optoma doesn't publish an input-lag figure for the GT2000HDR, so the two can't be compared on lag.
Brightness is listed as 3,200 lumens for the BenQ and 3,500 lumens for the Optoma. Neither maker states which standard it measured to, so those two numbers can't be compared to each other.
Neither maker says whether there's a golf mode.
Resolution, light source, warranty
The BenQ's native resolution is 3840x2160. BenQ doesn't say how that 4K is produced. The Optoma is 1920x1080.
Both use a laser light source. The rated life is 20,000 hours for the BenQ and 30,000 hours for the Optoma.
The warranties are worded differently:
- BenQ: "3 years"
- Optoma: "1 year projector parts and labor; 5 years or 12,000 hours light source"
The BenQ was released in 2024 and the Optoma in 2023. The BenQ measures 12.0 x 4.4 x 10.0 in, and the Optoma measures 10.79 W x 4.49 H x 8.50 D.
Who Should Buy Which
Get the BenQ TK710STi 4K HDR Laser Short Throw Projector if…
- You haven't fixed the mount position yet and want room to adjust. For a 10 ft wide image, the zoom covers a 6.9 to 8.3 ft window.
- You want a published lag figure in hand: 16.7 ms at 1080p 60Hz.
- You want a 3-year warranty term on the projector.
- You want a native 3840x2160 resolution.
- Your mount may end up angled, and ±30 degree keystone on three axes matters to you.
Get the Optoma GT2000HDR if…
- The projector has to sit close to the screen. It needs 5.0 ft for a 10 ft wide image.
- $1,799 at list is the ceiling, and $400 at list is real money for the bay.
- You want 16:10 among the stated shapes. Optoma lists it, BenQ doesn't.
- You'd rather have the 30,000-hour rated laser life and Optoma's separate 5-year or 12,000-hour light-source term.
- You can measure the mount distance precisely, because a fixed lens doesn't give you a second chance.
The Bottom Line
The Optoma lists $400 lower and puts up a wider image from the same spot. My pick is still the BenQ, because a sim bay rewards flexibility and known numbers. If I had to bet, the zoom saves more grief during install than the extra width does. The BenQ gives a 6.9 to 8.3 ft window for a 10 ft image, a published 16.7 ms lag figure, and a 3-year warranty. The Optoma gives one fixed distance and no published lag. Measure from where the lens will hang to the screen, then buy.