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Optoma UHZ50 Review

Nikshep Myle Avatar
Updated Jan 19, 2024 4:59 PM

True Score

82
83
4

Experts

86
167

Consumers

Product Awards

GR Certified

Customer Favorite

Expert Rankings

With its low input lag, bright visuals, and large projection, the Optoma UHZ50 offers great value for money for immersive gaming experiences, but you miss HDMI 2.1.

$1,448.95

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Table of Contents

Product Snapshot

Overview

The Optoma UHZ50 is a smart 4K projector released in 2021. It uses pixel shifting to achieve 4K resolution, and similar to the best projectors, it supports HDR10 and HLG HDR and has a brightness of 3,000 lumens. Its connectivity options include 3 x HDMI 2.0 (one eARC), 3 x USB-A, 1 x RJ45, 1 x RS232, and 1 x audio 3.5mm, and it’s compatible with 2.4GHz and 5GHz bands.

It has a throw ratio ranging between 1.21:1 and 1.59:1, a full on/off contrast of 2,500,000:1, and a native contrast ratio of 1,007:1. The projector features vertical auto keystone correction, and 10% vertical lens shift.

Rankings (recommended in)

Best For

  • Gaming

Consensus

our Verdict

The Optoma UHZ50 is a projector fit for gaming that can create a colossal screen size of up to 300 inches. Its 3,000 lumens brightness ensures it won’t get washed out in fairly illuminated spaces. The low 16.9 ms input lag (4K at 60 Hz) is sufficient for casual gaming, and it further reduces to 4 ms at 1080p (at the top of our verified tested projectors), excellent for competitive gaming.

It has HDR10 and a contrast ratio of 1,007:1 for vivid colors, but the blacks appear greyish during darker scenes, and there is mild color banding with HDR. And although not true 4K, you get 3840×2160 resolution with pixel shifting. The projector supports 120 Hz refresh rates, but it has no 2.1 HDMI ports, so that it won’t tap into the full potential of new-gen gaming consoles.

ReasonS to Buy

  • High brightness
    • Designed for immersive gaming, the UHZ50’s 3,000 lumens brightness is great for vivid visuals. Even with lights on, the visuals remain bright.

  • Great image quality
    • Colors are bright and vibrant with a DCI-P3 coverage of 85 to 90% and a Rec. 709 coverage of 99.4% even though the UHZ50’s DCI-P3 coverage ranks in the mid-third, and Rec. 709 coverage ranks in the bottom-third of our certified, tested products.

    • Although the 1,007:1 contrast ratio ranks in the bottom third of our verified tested products, you get striking visuals and colors, especially with HDR10. And the shadow detail is better than what you’ll see on most lamp-based projectors.

  • Exceptionally low input lag
    • Its 16.9 ms input lag (4K and 1080p at 60Hz) is suitable for casual gaming and ranks higher than 95% of the products in in our certified tested list. If you bring down the resolution to 1080p (240 Hz), the input lag lowers to 4 ms.

Reason to Avoid

  • Average black levels
    • Black levels in darker scenes appear greyish.

  • Slight color banding and rainbow artifacts
    • There is slight color banding with HDR, so color gradients don’t look smooth.

    • Since this is a single-chip projector with a color wheel, there are occasional rainbow flashes with high-contrast visuals.

  • No HDMI 2.1
    • Although the projector has multiple HDMI ports, none of them support HDMI 2.1, so it can’t fully utilize the capabilities of new-gen consoles.

Optoma UHZ50 Specs

3D Ready3D ReadyYes
Aspect RatioAspect Ratio16:9
BrightnessBrightness3000 lumens
Contrast RatioContrast Ratio2,500,000:1.
DepthDepth10.43"
Digital KeystoneDigital KeystoneYes
Display TechnologyDisplay TechnologyDLP
HDRHDRYes
HeightHeight4.82"
Integrated SpeakersIntegrated SpeakersYes
Light SourceLight SourceLaser
Light Source LifeLight Source Life30,000 hrs
Max DistanceMax Distance319.2"
Max Screen SizeMax Screen Size300"
Min DistanceMin Distance40.68"
Min Screen SizeMin Screen Size85"
No
Noise LevelNoise Level27 dB
PortablePortableYes
Refresh Rate240 Hz
ResolutionResolution3840 x 2160 (4k)
Smart FunctionalitySmart FunctionalityYes
Sync TechnologySync Technology
TV TunerTV TunerYes
ThrowTypeThrowTypeStandard Throw
VRRVRRn/a
Video InputsVideo InputsHDMI 2.0, RS232, USB
WeightWeight6.8 lbs
WidthWidth13.27"

All Specs

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Product Comparison

Optoma UHZ50 Review

True Score

82
72
76
89

Ranking

#

12

/

28

#

26

/

28

#

20

/

28

#

6

/

28

Market Context

The Optoma UHZ50 is a smart 4K projector released in 2021. It uses pixel shifting to achieve 4K resolution, and similar to the best projectors,…

The Optoma UHZ50 is a smart 4K projector released in 2021. It uses pixel shifting to achieve 4K resolution, and similar to the best projectors, it supports HDR10 and HLG HDR and has a brightness of 3,000 lumens. Its connectivity options include 3 x HDMI 2.0 (one eARC), 3 x USB-A, 1 x RJ45, 1 x RS232, and 1 x audio 3.5mm, and it’s compatible with 2.4GHz and 5GHz bands.

It has a throw ratio ranging between 1.21:1 and 1.59:1, a full on/off contrast of 2,500,000:1, and a native contrast ratio of 1,007:1. The projector features vertical auto keystone correction, and 10% vertical lens shift.

At 3000 lumens, the Optoma UHZ50 is much brighter than the Optoma ML1080 (1200 lumens), making it more suitable for well-lit spaces. However, the UHZ50…

At 3000 lumens, the Optoma UHZ50 is much brighter than the Optoma ML1080 (1200 lumens), making it more suitable for well-lit spaces. However, the UHZ50 has sharper resolution because it is a 4K projector (with pixel shifting), while the ML1080 is limited to Full HD.

The UHZ50 also has smart capabilities and 3D compatibility, making it far more versatile than the ML1080. The ML1080 does come out on top when it comes to full-on/off contrast with its 3,000,000: 1 ratio (vs the UHZ50’s 2,500,000:1) for deeper blacks. For more information, read our full Optoma ML1080 review here.

The BenQ TK700STi has a massive screen size of 200 inches, but the Optoma UHZ50 offers greater immersion at 300 inches. However, the TK700STi makes…

The BenQ TK700STi has a massive screen size of 200 inches, but the Optoma UHZ50 offers greater immersion at 300 inches. However, the TK700STi makes for a more compact setup with its shorter throw ratio of 0.9:1 (100 inches at 2 meters) vs. the UHZ50’s 1.21:1 ratio (100 inches at 2.6 meters). The TK700STi’s 8 ms input lag at 120 Hz is excellent, but the UHZ50 can get as low as 4 ms at 240 Hz, making it preferable for competitive gaming. Check out this LG Electronics Cinebeam HU715QW review for an ultra-short throw projector.

The Epson Pro Cinema LS12000’s contrast ratio ranges from 6000:1 to above 9000:1, which is considerably better than the Optoma UHZ50 (1007:1). It also supports…

The Epson Pro Cinema LS12000’s contrast ratio ranges from 6000:1 to above 9000:1, which is considerably better than the Optoma UHZ50 (1007:1). It also supports HDR10+ and HDMI 2.1, making it more suitable for 4K 120 Hz console gaming. However, although acceptable for casual gaming, the LS12000’s 16.9 ms input lag is much higher than the UHZ50’s 4 ms lag.

3D Ready

Yes

No

Yes

No

Aspect Ratio

16:9

16:9

16:9

16:9

Brightness

3000 lumens

1200 Lumens

3000 lumens

2700 Lumens

Contrast Ratio

2,500,000:1.

3,000,000:1

10,000:1

2,500,000:1.

Depth

10.43"

5.3"

9.70"

17.60"

Digital Keystone

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

Display Technology

DLP

DLP

DLP

3LCD

HDR

Yes

HDR10, Hybrid Log-Gamma (HLG)

Yes

HDR10, HDR10+, Hybrid Log-Gamma (HLG)

Dig Deeper

Optoma ML1080 Review →

BenQ TK700STI Review →

Epson Pro Cinema LS12000 Review →

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Score Card

E

Expert Score

83

*.75

We place a 75% weighted value on Expert Test Scores

C

Customer Score

86

*.25

We place a 25% weighted value on Customer Scores

True Score

82

Expert Scores

  • CNET
    68.25

    Category Trust Rating

    80
    Overall, though, the UHZ50 is a great projector. The image is bright enough to watch… Read More

    By:

    Geoffrey Morrison
  • Projector Central
    61.35

    Category Trust Rating

    90
    The Optoma UHZ50 might be marketed as a solid gaming projector—which it certainly is—but it… Read More

    By:

    John Higgins
  • T3
    15.8

    Category Trust Rating

    80
    We rate the Optoma UHZ50 a top-notch 4K HDR laser projector. It’s bright enough for… Read More

    By:

    STEVE MAY
  • What Hifi
    36.05

    Category Trust Rating

    80
    The Optoma has its strengths, especially for watching animation and gaming, but you can get… Read More

    By:

    What Hi-Fi?