The Optoma CinemaX P2 is an ultra-short throw projector that offers big screen viewing experience in 4K resolution without the need for a matching big room. When placed a few inches from the wall, this Laser projector can cast a high-res image in excess of 100 inches, and thanks to its integrated sound system, you really don’t need a big deal of floorspace.
The CinemaX P2 is from the second generation, and while it is not as bright as its predecessor, Optoma’s original CinemaX P1, it’s bright enough to be enjoyed in rooms with limited ambient light, although its best suited for dark room conditions.
Price and availability
The Optoma CinemaX P2 sell for $2,949.00, much less the best short throw projectors, including the LG HU85LA and the VAVA VA-LT002 4K UHD projector. This is a huge saving, around $300 over the original CinemaX P1, which is still available in the market.; but the Optoma GT1080Darbee remains the most affordable in this line. In terms of design, there’s no big difference between the two, however this more affordable model differs on some key parameters.
Perhaps the most notable difference is that the contrast has been reduced from 2,500,000:1 to 2,000,000:1 and brightens is now down to 3,000 lumens. Similarly, color gamut has diminished, with only 85 per cent of DCI-P3 now supported, compared to 87 per cent on the original model.
Design and Features
- Small living room friendly
- Built-in stereo sound system
- Ultra Short Throw parameters
The Optoma P2 Short Throw Projector is without a doubt a beautiful kit, and it’s not always you’d say that about a projector. It sports a stylish finish in matte white, with a complimentary fabric grille and a peekaboo lens on the top. It looks suitably classy and trendy at the same time.
Connectivity is excellent, with three HDMI inputs: a pair to the rear, one on the side – all are v2.0. It also has two USB ports, an optical digital audio output, Ethernet and a 3.5mm audio jack output.
As you might expect of an ultra short throw projector, setup and installation are straight forward. Unlike competing conventional projectors, the P2 can be placed close to a white wall or screen – not quite flush, but as close as you’d place a standing TV. For many, this is easily achieves the best home cinema solution.
When placed a meter away from a white wall, you can cast a massive 3m across. In order to achieve the optimum possible brightness and contrast, you should use the projector with an ALR screen – Optoma has its own 100-inch ambient light-rejecting screen, the ALR101 for this use. But for most users, it will simply cast against a wall.
The small form factor makes it ideal for a small den or media room, where you might otherwise struggle to deliver such immersive visuals.
Again, the P2 stands in as a capable home entertainment hub. It supports dual-band Wi-Fi and Bluetooth, so you can stream music from a smartphone to it when not binge-watching telly, effectively as an over-specified Bluetooth loudspeaker.
Performance
- Long cast laser light engine
- Well-tuned stereo sound
- HDR10 compatible
Knowing that with the CinemaX P2 Optoma has dialed back the spec, we initially had some trepidation about performance. As it happens, there’s still plenty of wow in this model. Images are super crisp, color-rich and delightfully immersive.
The Optoma P2 is built around a single chip DLP 4K device powered by a laser light engine, which is the backbone to the projector’s pin-sharp pictures (free of any panel alignment issues) and excellent color vibrancy. Animation looks particularly great, while nature documentaries feel far bigger than life.
The laser engine has a long operating life, quoted at around 20,000 hours, which is great for home entertainment, and can sustain even a small media house. The 4K P2 is HDR compatible, and paints HDR well enough, free of the unwanted image darkening that’s common in some HDR projectors. Generally, projectors can’t offer pixel precision to match OLEDs, but the P2 puts forward a good showing.
Optoma toned down the lumens on this model, especially when compared to its more expensive stablemate, but the projector’s black level performance remains high. Notably, shadow detail and darker portions of the screen don’t suffer from washed out greyness, which is a common issue in low-light models.
The overall image brightness is great, and brightness is still pretty good. With this projector, you’re fine watching sports with an enhanced level of ambient light, although to make the contrast pop you might need to pull the curtains.
To make the experience even better, there’s motion-smoothing Puremotion mode, with three distinct settings, that proves effective for fast moving sports, resulting in less artifacts.
Should you buy the Optoma CinemaX P2?
The Optoma Cinemax P2 is a great buy if you want cinema sized images, a gaming capable display and a do-it-all sound and vision entertainment hub. On pretty everything else, this ultra-short-throw projectors offers massive projection without the need for a ceiling to mount it. Again, it improves on the latency of its predecessor, making gaming a reasonable activity, and three HDMI inputs will support a handful of consoles too.
However, if you need cutting-edge 4K picture, on this model, contrast has been reduced from 2,500,000:1 to 2,000,000:1, and the color gamut has diminished too. If you own the Optoma P1, then, there’s no need to upgrade.
That said, the CinemaX P2 4K Projector remains one of the few short-throw projectors that perform well across all categories and has the versatility to deliver in almost any space. For those who want it all, for sure, the Optoma CinemaX P2 delivers.
The LG HU85LA remains our Editors’ Choice for Ultra Short Throw projectors, with its class-leading picture quality and smart features including Alexa built-in, LG Thinq AI, and LG webOS Lite Smart TV.
The Review
Optoma CinemaX P2
The Optoma CinemaX P2 is a beautifully-designed ultra short throw 4K laser projector that won’t dominated your living space but delivers super-size images. It offers polished image and the onboard sound system is a blast
Recommended Configuration
LG HU85LA Ultra Short Throw 4K UHD Laser Smart Home Theater Cinebeam Projector with Alexa built-in, LG Thinq AI, and LG webOS Lite Smart TV
$3,449.94 in stock
6 used from $1,899.99
PROS
- Stylish Ultra Short Throw design
- Excellent onboard sound system
- Looks great with both 4K and HD sources
CONS
- Less bright than its predecessor
- Doesn’t support HLG HDR over HDMI
Review Breakdown
-
EDITORS RATING
Last update on 2024-10-30 at 11:58 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
