Optoma ZW350ST 3600-Lumen WXGA Short Throw Laser Projector
By Optoma
Will This Projector Fit My Space?
WXGA · Laser · Short Throw
Entry-Tier Laser. Native 16:10. Budget-Built.
The Optoma ZW350ST is the entry tier of the Optoma compact short-throw lineup. A 30,000-hour DuraCore laser, an IP6X-sealed optical engine, a tight 0.521:1 short throw, and a native 16:10 panel that lines up cleanly with simulator screen aspects make it a solid first projector for budget-conscious sim builds where 4K and HDR are not requirements.
WXGA
Native Resolution
1280 × 800, 16:10
3,600
ANSI Lumens
Lights-on viewing
0.521:1
Throw Ratio
Fixed short throw
30K
Hour Laser
DuraCore, IP6X
Why The ZW350ST
The Budget-Friendly Way Into A Laser Sim Projector
The ZW350ST is the lowest-cost entry into Optoma’s compact short-throw line. Same 30,000-hour DuraCore laser engine, same IP6X dust seal, same 24/7 rating as the higher tiers — with a WXGA panel and the lowest sticker price in the family.
30,000-Hour DuraCore Laser
Same DuraCore laser light source rated up to 30,000 hours as the higher-tier GT2000HDR and GT2400HDR. No lamp replacements ever. Brightness stays consistent across the full life.
3,600 ANSI Lumens
Enough output for residential sim rooms with controllable ambient light and small-to-medium impact screens. Holds course detail and shot data clean without a fully dark room.
Native 16:10 Aspect
WXGA (1280 × 800) panel is natively 16:10 — the same shape as most golf-sim impact screens. Less letterboxing or stretching than 16:9 native projectors at the same price.
0.521:1 Short Throw
Tight short-throw lens projects a 100″ image from roughly 4 ft and up to 300″ at the far end. Mount close to the screen to clear the swing line and reduce shadow risk.
IP6X Sealed Engine
The optical engine is IP6X dust-rated. The laser block is sealed against airborne particles so dust cannot degrade brightness or color over the 30,000-hour life — critical in garages and basements.
24/7 Operation Rated
Rated for continuous 24/7 use. A fit for residential sim bays, demo loops, training rooms, and small commercial spaces that need full-day uptime in a compact chassis.
360° + Portrait Mounting
Mount the projector in any orientation including portrait and 360° tilt. Useful for ceiling, floor, and shelf installs that do not sit perfectly level.
Compact, Light Chassis
6.61 lbs net and a 10.79″ × 8.5″ × 4.49″ footprint. Up to 34% smaller than previous Optoma models — easy to ceiling mount in low-clearance bays.
Who Is It Best For?
- Budget-first first-time simulator builds
- Compact residential bays with controlled lighting
- Secondary or training-bay projectors
- Builders prioritizing laser life over 4K
- 16:10 impact-screen aspect ratios
- Garages and basements (IP6X engine)
Short Throw & Setup
The Compact Lens And Geometry Toolkit
Placement Flexibility
The 0.521:1 fixed short-throw lens projects a 100″ image from around 4 ft and a 300″ image from roughly 11 ft. Native 115% offset means the image projects above the lens centerline — matches a ceiling-mount install behind the player.
- Throw ratio: 0.521:1 (fixed, no zoom)
- Projection distance: 11.81″ to 133.86″
- Screen size: 30″ to 300″ diagonal
- Native offset: 115%
- Keystone: horizontal ±15°, vertical ±15°
- Lens shift: not supported
Installer Checklist
Fixed-lens short-throw projectors are unforgiving on alignment. Confirm geometry and clearance before drilling.
- Confirm screen width and final aspect ratio
- Verify ceiling height and bay depth
- Use the ESG fitment tool for exact mounting distance
- Plan HDMI and power-brick runs to the mount
- Use keystone only as a last resort
- Test image placement before permanent mounting
What Is The ZW350ST
The Entry Point To The Optoma Laser Short-Throw Lineup
The ZW350ST is the budget-friendly entry to Optoma’s compact short-throw lineup — lower resolution and lower lumens versus the 1080p GT2000HDR and GT2400HDR, but sharing the same DuraCore laser engine, IP6X dust seal, 24/7 operation rating, and short-throw form factor. It uses a single-chip DLP engine with a WXGA (1280 × 800) panel, a sealed DuraCore laser light source rated up to 30,000 hours, and a fixed 0.521:1 short-throw lens.
Placement range: the ZW350ST supports a projection distance of 11.81 in to 133.86 in (~1 ft to 11.1 ft) and a screen size range of 30″ to 300″ diagonal. For the exact lens-to-screen distance based on your screen size and aspect ratio, run the numbers in the ESG projector fitment tool and throw calculator before mounting.
Mount notes: the ZW350ST weighs 6.61 lbs and supports 360° and portrait orientation. The chassis measures 10.79″ × 8.5″ × 4.49″ — up to 34% smaller than previous Optoma models. Native offset is 115%. The projector has no optical lens shift; image alignment uses ±15° keystone in both axes plus geometric correction.
Resolution honesty: the ZW350ST is WXGA (1280 × 800), not 1080p or 4K. On a sim screen up to roughly 120 in wide it still produces a sharp, readable image for course visuals and shot overlays, but text and fine UI detail in GSPro or TGC 2019 will not match a 1080p or 4K projector. Buy this tier knowing the trade — the budget and the laser life are the wins.
Simulator software: the ZW350ST works with major sim platforms including GSPro, E6 Connect, TGC 2019, Awesome Golf, and Foresight FSX over either of its 2 × HDMI 1.4a inputs. It supports 16:10, 16:9, and 4:3 aspect ratios to match common impact-screen shapes.
Everything It Does
Spec-By-Spec Breakdown
Resolution & Color
WXGA 1280 × 800 single-chip DLP with 10-bit color processing. Native 16:10 aspect with 4:3 and 16:9 selectable. 1.07 billion displayable colors.
Throw & Projection
0.521:1 fixed short throw, no optical zoom. Projection distance 11.81 in to 133.86 in. Screen size 30″ to 300″. Native offset 115%.
Brightness & Contrast
3,600 ANSI lumens with a 300,000:1 native (2,000,000:1 dynamic) contrast ratio. DuraCore laser holds brightness across the full 30,000-hour rated life.
IP6X Sealed Engine
Fully dust-sealed laser optical engine prevents particle ingress — critical in golf bays where impact screens, hitting mats, and turf shed dust into the air.
Audio & Operation
Built-in 15W speaker. 27 dB minimum / 34 dB maximum operating noise. Rated for 24/7 continuous operation in residential and small commercial sim bays.
Connectivity
2 × HDMI 1.4a (3D support), 1 × USB-A 1.5A power, 1 × audio out 3.5mm, RJ45 LAN, RS232. External power supply for portability.
Flexible Orientation
360° projection plus portrait mode. Mount the projector in any orientation needed for the bay — ceiling, floor mount inside an enclosure base, or off-axis.
3D Support
Full 3D compatible — DLP 3D, PC frame-sequential 120 Hz 3D, Blu-ray DVD 3D. Niche for golf simulation but a free bonus for multi-use rooms.
By The Numbers
Full Specifications
| Model | Optoma ZW350ST |
|---|---|
| Display Technology | Single-chip DLP, 10-bit color |
| Native Resolution | WXGA, 1280 × 800 |
| Brightness | 3,600 ANSI lumens |
| Contrast Ratio | 300,000:1 native / 2,000,000:1 dynamic |
| Light Source | DuraCore laser, IP6X-sealed optical engine |
| Laser Life | Up to 30,000 hours |
| Throw Ratio | 0.521:1 fixed short throw (no zoom) |
| Projection Distance | 11.81″ to 133.86″ (~1 ft to 11.1 ft) |
| Screen Size Range | 30″ to 300″ diagonal |
| Native Aspect Ratio | 16:10 |
| Supported Aspect Ratios | 4:3, 16:9, 16:10 |
| Native Offset | 115% |
| Keystone Correction | Horizontal ±15°, Vertical ±15° |
| Lens Shift | Not supported |
| 3D Support | Full 3D (DLP 3D, frame-sequential 120 Hz, Blu-ray 3D) |
| Operating Noise | 27 dB minimum, 34 dB maximum |
| Built-In Speaker | 1 × 15W |
| 24/7 Operation | Supported |
| Orientation | 360° projection, portrait supported |
| HDMI Inputs | 2 × HDMI 1.4a (3D support) |
| USB | 1 × USB-A 1.5A (power) |
| Audio Out | 1 × 3.5 mm mini jack |
| Control | RJ45 LAN, RS232 |
| Power Supply | External, 100–240V AC, 50–60Hz |
| Power Consumption | 98W min / 139W max, <0.5W standby |
| Operating Temperature | 0°C to 40°C, 80% humidity max |
| Dimensions (W × D × H) | 10.79″ × 8.5″ × 4.49″ |
| Net Weight | 6.61 lbs |
| Dealer Status | Elite Sim Golf is an authorized Optoma dealer |
Compare The Lineup
Good, Better, Best — Optoma Compact Short Throw Lineup
All three projectors in the Optoma compact short-throw lineup share the same 30,000-hour DuraCore laser engine, IP6X-sealed optical block, 24/7 operation rating, and short-throw form factor. The differences are resolution, brightness, HDR, gaming-mode latency, and how many premium features come along.
Optoma ZW350ST
WXGA short throw, budget entry tier
- WXGA 1280 × 800 (native 16:10)
- 3,600 ANSI lumens
- 0.521:1 fixed short throw
- 30,000-hour DuraCore laser
- IP6X dust-sealed engine
- 24/7 operation, 360° + portrait
- 2 × HDMI 1.4a, RJ45, RS232
- No HDR, no Gaming mode
Best For: Budget Builds, Compact Bays
Optoma GT2000HDR
1080p short throw with HDR and gaming mode
- 1080p Full HD 1920 × 1080
- 3,500 ANSI lumens
- 0.496:1 fixed short throw
- 30,000-hour DuraCore laser
- HDR10 + HLG support
- Gaming mode, 8.6 ms input lag
- IP6X engine, 24/7 rated
- 4K input compatible
Best For: 1080p Sim Builds, Gaming
Optoma GT2400HDR
4,200-lumen 1080p short throw, sim-ready
- 1080p Full HD 1920 × 1080
- 4,200 ANSI lumens
- 0.496:1 fixed short throw
- 30,000-hour DuraCore laser
- HDR10 + HLG, Enhanced Gaming
- 8.4 ms input lag at 1080p/120
- IP6X engine, 24/7 rated
- Smart Fit app + RJ45 + 4K input
Best For: Brightest 1080p, Largest Screens
Build The Complete Bay
Pair The ZW350ST With The Rest Of The Build
A projector is one piece of the simulator. Elite Sim Golf builds the full bay — enclosure, screen, hitting surface, launch monitor, PC, and projector — sized and shipped together so the geometry works the first time.
Pair It With An ESG Enclosure
The Eagle 12 enclosure is sized for short-throw projectors with proper sidewall clearance and an impact-rated screen surface. Frame, screen, and side curtains ship together.
Build A Complete SimKit
Pre-built SimKit bundles include the projector, enclosure, hitting surface, launch monitor, and PC matched to your room size and budget. Or use the Bundle Builder to spec a custom kit.
