Epson Home Cinema 980
#14 in Native 1080pFull review
A bright 1080p projector for living rooms and backyard movie nights where room light is hard to control. Add a streaming stick, since it has no apps of its own.
Amazon $799.99$799.99
The Epson Home Cinema 980 and the Optoma GT1080HDR are evenly matched, rated 3.8 and 3.8. The Epson Home Cinema 980 leads on setup and warranty. The Optoma GT1080HDR wins on light life.
Optoma GT1080HDR
#19 in Native 1080pFull review
A short throw 1080p lamp projector for gaming in a small room. Newer laser models cost more but skip the lamp changes.
Amazon $799$799
Prices were last checked October 29, 2026 and are subject to change; the price and availability shown by the retailer at the time of purchase apply.
Which should you buy?
- Choose the Epson Home Cinema 980 for setup (Auto keystone, 1.2x zoom vs Manual focus and keystone) and warranty (2-year warranty vs 1-year warranty).
- Choose the Optoma GT1080HDR for light life (15,000 hour lamp vs 12,000 hour lamp).
Scores side by side
Each factor is scored 0-100 against the same fixed reference points for every native 1080p projector; a clear win is highlighted. How we rank explains each one.
| Factor weight | Epson Home Cinema 980 | Optoma GT1080HDR |
|---|---|---|
| Overall rating | 3.8/5 | 3.8/5 |
| Brightness 25% | 100 4,000 ISO 21118 lumens | 100 3,800 ISO 21118 lumens |
| Value 15% | 94 $0.20 per lumen | 93 $0.21 per lumen |
| Resolution 10% | 100 1920 x 1080 native | 100 1920 x 1080 native |
| Streaming 15% | 0 no built-in apps; needs a streaming stick | 0 no built-in apps; needs a streaming stick |
| Setup 10% | 50 Auto keystone, 1.2x zoom | 0 Manual focus and keystone |
| Light life 10% | 50 12,000 hour lamp | 69 15,000 hour lamp |
| Gaming 10% | 50 input lag not published (neutral score used) | 99 8.4 ms input lag |
| Warranty 5% | 50 2-year warranty | 0 1-year warranty |
Specifications
| Epson Home Cinema 980 | Optoma GT1080HDR | |
|---|---|---|
| Picture | ||
| Brightness | 4,000 ISO 21118 | 3,800 ISO 21118 |
| Native resolution | 1920 x 1080 (1080p) | 1920 x 1080 (1080p) |
| Picture resolution | 1080p | 1080p |
| Display | 3LCD | DLP |
| Light source | lamp | lamp |
| Light source life | 12,000 hours | 15,000 hours |
| HDR | - | HDR |
| Dynamic contrast | 16,000:1 | 50,000:1 |
| Placement | ||
| Throw | Standard throw (1.2:1) | Short throw (0.5:1) |
| Largest image | 300 in | 306.8 in |
| Autofocus | No | No |
| Auto keystone | Yes | No |
| Obstacle avoidance | No | No |
| Auto screen fit | No | No |
| Optical zoom | 1.2x | None |
| Streaming and gaming | ||
| Built-in apps | None | None |
| Input lag | - | 8.4 ms |
| Top refresh rate | - | 120 Hz |
| HDMI ports | 2 | 2 |
| eARC | - | No |
| Speakers | 2 W | 10 W |
| Build | ||
| Battery | None | None |
| Fan noise | 37 dB | 26 dB |
| Power | 349 W | 285 W |
| Dimensions | 12.2 x 11.1 x 4.2 in | 12.44 x 9.61 x 4.25 in (W x D x H) |
| Weight | 6.8 lb | 6.6 lb |
| Warranty | 2 years | 1 years |
| Released | 2025-08 | 2019-09 |