Optoma UHD38x

Name: Optoma UHD38x
Brand: Optoma
Price: 1066 USD
Availability: InStock

The UHD35x with the brightness turned up: 4,000 ANSI lumens from the same chassis, lamp and gaming path. It is the brightest projector in this catalog under $1,500 and the reason it exists is rooms that cannot be darkened.

Approx. price

~$1,066

snapshot, not a live price

Brightness

4,000

ANSI

Screen at 10 ft

83–92 in

16:9 diagonal, estimated from the throw ratio

Input lag

8 ms

fastest published mode

Light source

Lamp

4,000 h rated

Best for: A room with windows that cannot be covered

Specifications

Type: Gaming
Imaging tech: DLP
Native resolution: 4K pixel-shift
Max signal: 1080p240
Max refresh: 240 Hz
Light source: Lamp
Light source life: 4,000 hours
Throw ratio: 1.5–1.66:1
Zoom: 1.1x
Dynamic contrast: 1,000,000:1
Input lag (4K/60): 17 ms
Input lag (1080p/120): 8 ms
HDR formats: HDR10, HLG
3D: Full HD 3D
Speakers: 10 W total
HDMI: 2 × HDMI 2.0
Fan noise: 28 dB
Weight: 8.8 lb
Released: 2022

Features

4,000 ANSI lumens
4.2 ms at 1080p/240
1.1x zoom
Full HD 3D
10 W speaker

What it does well

4,000 ANSI lumens is the highest standardized brightness of anything under $1,500 here
The same 4.2 ms at 1080p/240 gaming path as its cheaper sibling
28 dB despite the output
Full HD 3D included

What it gives up

Lamp-based at 4,000 hours, so the running cost never goes away
1.1x zoom and no lens shift
4K is limited to 60 Hz by HDMI 2.0
The extra 400 lumens over the UHD35x is a small return for the price difference
Keystone and trapezoid correction are unavailable in game mode, which on a projector with no lens shift leaves an off-centre install uncorrectable while gaming

The two lists above are read off manufacturer specifications and published measurements, not from owner reports. Where owner discussion has been collected it appears separately below, so the two are never mistaken for each other.

What owners say

The reason owners buy this is light. 4,000 standardized lumens for around $900 to $1,500 is the best brightness-per-dollar in this catalog, and the practical demonstration owners give is convincing: one reports it working outdoors two hours before sunset with an open side and light cloud, mounted in a roof with a receiver in a weatherproof cabinet.

The reasons owners return it are more specific than general. Keystone and trapezoid correction are unavailable in game mode, which is exactly the mode a gaming projector will be used in, and more than one buyer sent a unit back over it. Sharpness draws complaints from owners who expected more at the price.

The broader caution in owner discussion is about the brand rather than the model. Optoma's reliability comes up repeatedly, the DMD chip is named as the specific worry, and owners who have dealt with the service network describe slow responses. Several experienced owners recommend other brands outright for that reason, which is worth weighing against a genuinely excellent brightness figure.

What owners like

Owners report it genuinely works outdoors two hours before sunset on a lightly clouded day, which very few projectors at any price manage
Owners buying it around $900 describe the value as outstanding for a 4K projector with 4,000 lumens
Input lag is good enough for online play during the day, according to owners who game several times a week
The x version adds corner correction over the plain model, which owners say makes installation easier where lens shift is absent

Common complaints

Owners report that keystone and trapezoid correction are unavailable in game mode, which caught out more than one buyer and led to a return
Optoma's reliability and service record draws repeated criticism in owner discussion, with the DMD chip specifically named as a worry and service response described as slow
It is noisy at 4K — owners describe the fan as the main annoyance alongside the inflexible installation
There is no lens shift and only a 1.1x zoom, so the projector has to go where the geometry says
Owners report image sharpness below what they expected for the price, with one returning a unit over it

Questions owners ask about the Optoma UHD38x

Is it really bright enough for outdoor use?

Owners report yes — one posted results from two hours before sunset with an open side and light cloud, and described himself as very satisfied. 4,000 ANSI lumens is the highest figure under $1,500 in this catalog, and it is a real measured standard.

What is the game mode keystone problem?

Owners report that keystone and trapezoid correction are disabled when the projector is in game mode. Since the projector has no lens shift and only a 1.1x zoom, that means an off-centre install cannot be corrected while gaming — which led more than one buyer to return it.

How reliable is it?

Owner opinion on the brand is poor and recurring, with the DMD chip named as the specific concern and slow service response reported by owners who have used it. Individual units run fine for years on moderate use. Warranty length varies by market and is worth checking before buying.

What is the difference between this and the non-x version?

Owners report the x adds corner correction, which makes installation easier given there is no lens shift. Otherwise the plain version is described as equal or better in other respects, so the choice comes down to whether you need the correction.

How loud is it?

The published figure is 28 dB, but owners report it as noticeably noisy when running 4K material, and name that alongside the inflexible installation as the main annoyance of living with it.

Throw calculator

Worked from this projector’s published throw ratio of 1.5–1.66:1. Estimates: a real install loses a little to lens offset, and zoom ranges are quoted at the extremes of the lens.

Lens to screen

feet

16:9 diagonal

83–92 in