Where they actually differ
The most decisive specs, ranked by how much they matter — before the full spec table.
| Spec | Optoma - UHD35STx | XGIMI - Horizon S Max |
|---|---|---|
| Brightness | 3600 lm | 3100 lm |
| Short-throw | true | false |
| Light source | Lamp | Laser |
Between the UHD35STx and Horizon S Max, the UHD35STx comes out ahead in brightness / short-throw, while the Horizon S Max wins on light source. Overall, the UHD35STx scores 78.9 and the Horizon S Max scores 75 on our Mars Score.
Which should you buy?
The UHD35STx edges ahead on the Mars Score (78.9 vs 75), but the 3.9-point gap is small enough that the right pick comes down to which spec advantages matter to you.
Pick the UHD35STx if you care most about brightness / short-throw. The biggest gaps in its favor are brightness, short-throw. The single most decisive one: Brightness — 16.13% more. 3600 lm vs 3100 lm.
Pick the Horizon S Max if you care most about light source. Its strongest claims are light source. The single most decisive one: Light source: Laser (vs Lamp).
Both ship with comparable resolution, so those specs do not separate the two — focus on the differences below.
Bottom line: there is no wrong answer here — match the spec advantages to how you actually use the product. The Mars Score parity says both are well-rounded; the differences are about trade-offs, not quality.
Which should you buy: Optoma - UHD35STx or XGIMI - Horizon S Max?
Optoma - UHD35STx leads the current Mars Score by 3.9 points.The more useful decision is the trade-off behind that result: compare brightness, light source, short-throw against the way you will actually use the product.
Choose Optoma - UHD35STx if…
Optoma - UHD35STx has the measurable edge on brightness lumens, is short throw.
Choose XGIMI - Horizon S Max if…
XGIMI - Horizon S Max has the measurable edge on light source.
This is a structured comparison of the published catalog values. It is not a claim of identical real-world performance across every workload; use the linked spec drill-downs and methodology page to inspect the inputs.
Why Optoma - UHD35STx wins
- ▲Brightness — 16.13% more. 3600 lm vs 3100 lm.
- ▲Short-throw: true (vs false).
Why XGIMI - Horizon S Max wins
- ▲Light source: Laser (vs Lamp).
Spec comparison
Image
| Spec | Optoma - UHD35STx | XGIMI - Horizon S Max |
|---|---|---|
| Resolutionⓘ | 4K | 4K |
| Brightnessⓘ | 3600 lmlead | 3100 lm |
| Contrast | 1000000:1 | 2800:1 |
| Light source | Lamp | Laserlead |
| Short-throw | truelead | false |
Smart & Connectivity
| Spec | Optoma - UHD35STx | XGIMI - Horizon S Max |
|---|---|---|
| Smart OS | None | Android TV |
| HDMI inputs | 2 | 2 |
| Built-in speakers | true | true |