Trusted Reviews is supported by its audience. If you purchase through links on our site, we may earn a commission.Learn more.
Optoma UHZ55 Review
A compact 4K beamer with bright and punchy HDR images
In This Article
Verdict
The Optoma UHZ55 is a bright and capable laser-powered DLP projector that delivers sharply rendered 4K images and HDR with plenty of punch. The motion is buttery smooth, and aside from the lack of 4K/120Hz support this beamer is a great choice for gamers. It’s even certified for WiSA Soundsend wireless audio, allowing you to easily add a sound system for a complete setup.
Pros
Cons
Key Features
Introduction
The Optoma UHZ55 is the latest mid-range 4K DLP laser projector from the brand, replacing the previous UHZ50 and enjoying a few minor tweaks over the earlier model, along with a cheaper starting price.
The UHZ55 uses Optoma’s ‘DuraCore’ laser light source, with a claimed output of 3,000 lumens and a lifespan of 30,000 hours. The beamer supports HDR in the form of HDR10 and HLG, and can handle frame rates at 4K/60Hz for consoles or 1080p at 240Hz for PC gamers. There’s also a built-in media player, integrated speakers, an Android operating system, and support for WiSA Soundsend wireless audio.
All of which makes the Optoma UHZ55 a very interesting big screen beamer, but how does it measure up?
Availability
The Optoma UHZ55 is available now and can currently be picked up for £1,699 in the UK, $2,459 in the US, and €2,099 in Europe. All these prices are reasonable for a 4K HDR DLP projector with a number of film and gaming related features, along with WiSA Soundsend certification.
If you’re looking for alternatives, the BenQ X3100i is worth considering. This LED-powered 4K HDR DLP projector delivers 3,300 lumens, wide colour gamut, Android TV, and extensive gaming features. It can be purchased for £1,949 in the UK, $2,199 in the US, and €2,599 in Europe.
Design
The Optoma UHZ55 doesn’t deviate from the brand’s standard design, with a boxy matte black plastic chassis, lens offset to the right, connections at the rear, and air vents on either side for cooling. The build quality is reasonable, but overall it’s a relatively compact and light beamer.
On top there are buttons for installing, setting up and operating the projector. These may come in handy if you misplace the remote, which is likely given how small and fiddly it is. While all the buttons you need are on the zapper, they’re only identified by icons, which aren’t always obvious.
There are manual zoom and focus controls for the lens, along with one for shifting the image up and down, although for left and right you’ll need to physically move the projector. There are also automatic keystone and geometric correction features, along with a variable wall colour balance setting. However, for best results I’d recommend projecting onto a white wall or better still a dedicated screen.
The connections are at the rear, and the UHZ55 has three HDMI 2.0 inputs that all support 4K/60Hz and high dynamic range (HDR10 and HLG). HDMI 1 alsosupports eARC(audio return channel), and HDMI 3 is the input you should use to enjoy Optoma’s PureMotion with sports.
There are also three USB-A ports, one of which provides power to a streaming stick, along with an analogue stereo 3.5mm output jack, and an optical digital output. There’s also an Ethernet port, a 12V trigger for use with a motorised screen, and an RS232 connector for serial control, along with a 3D emitter port for DLP’s optional 3D Sync system.
Features
The Optoma UHZ55 supports resolutions up to Ultra HD (3840 x 2160), although the DLP chipset isn’t native 4K but actually Full HD (1920 x 1080). However, thanks to its 240Hz refresh rate the image can be repeated four times per a frame to build up a picture that appears 4K.
The DuraCore laser light source delivers 3,000 lumens, along with a claimed lifespan of up to 30,000 hours. That basically means you can use this projector to game or watch movies and sports broadcasts for years without having to worry about the light source noticeably dimming.
The UHZ55 supports high dynamic range in the form of HDR10 andHLG (hybrid log-gamma), and Optoma includes effective tone mapping to render HDR pictures where the shadows are free of crush, the brighter highlights don’t lose detail due to clipping, and the colours retain their depth.
One of the big advantages of DLP is its fast response time of up to 240Hz. These impressive frame rates are backed up by lightning fast latency measurements, with extremely low lag times for a projector, going as low as 16ms for 4K/60Hz and all the way down to 4ms for 1080p/240Hz.
While you’ll need to buy additional third party active shutter glasses, the UHZ55 supports 3D. Due to the inherent brightness of its laser light source, along with DLP’s super-fast response times, the 3D is excellent with punchy images that are free of any annoying cross talk or other artefacts.
The UHZ55 includes a Wi-Fi dongle that works with Optoma’s Creative Control app, and there’s a home page with options for Optoma Connect, Creative Cast and File Manager, along with input selections and the settings menu. There’s also a built-in media player for use with the USB port.
The UHZ55 includes Optoma’s Marketplace, allowing you to download VOD apps for the likes ofNetflixandPrime Video, but implementation is clunky and you’re better off attaching a streaming stick like a Roku orFire TV. The choice and picture performance will both be significantly better.
There are two speakers, each with 5W of amplification, but to complement the big screen visuals you really need to partner the UHZ55 with an outboard sound system or take advantage of the WiSA Soundsend certification and connect the beamer to compatible wireless speakers.
The lack ofHDMI 2.1inputs isn’t surprising for a projector at this price, but means no support for 4K/120Hz or HDR10+ and the benefits of dynamic metadata. The manual lens controls don’t allow for lens memories either, so bear that in mind if you’re using a wider aspect ratio screen.
Performance
The Optoma UHZ55 benefits from a single chipset, and as a result the image is pin sharp. This is despite the UHZ55 not technically being a native 4K projector, and instead using Texas Instruments’ clever pixel flashing tech to display an image at a resolution of 4K.
The smooth motion handling is another DLP strength, and the UHZ55’s 240Hz refresh makes it a great choice for gaming and 3D. Fast movement is delivered without any judder or other artefacts, which is good news for film fans, although if you want to experiment with Optoma’s PureMotion processing with sport make sure you use HDMI 3.
One of the major downsides of DLP is that some people occasionally see colour fringing or ‘rainbows’ in the image, and although the use of a laser light source should reduce the problem, the only way to guarantee you don’t suffer from this issue is to actually demo a DLP projector in person.
The other big issue with DLP beamers is the contrast performance, because blacks don’t actually look black, more a sort of dark grey. This is very obvious in a blacked out testing environment such as mine, but in a normal living room reflected light would wash out the contrast anyway.
However, Optoma’s claims of a 2,500,000:1 contrast ratio are based solely on the dynamic mode where the laser is literally turned off when measuring black. This is hardly reflective of real world material, and I actually measured the native contrast at 1,000:1, which is pretty standard for DLP projector.
The UHZ55’s laser light source has sufficient output to handle lighter environments, and enough headroom to give HDR plenty of punch. It also means you can watch as many movies or football matches as you like, and indulge in marathon gaming sessions without worrying about the laser dimming or needing to be replaced.
Of course brightness is only one aspect of HDR, and the other often overlooked ingredient is colour. Here the UHZ55 slightly disappoints because while it covers the majority of the colour gamut used for SDR, it can’t quite reach the wider gamut employed when studios grade HDR. On the plus side the Cinema mode matches the industry standards for SDR and HDR quite well, with natural colours and an accurate gamma and greyscale.
In terms of HDR what is most important is the tone mapping, and here the UHZ55 provides an excellent account of itself. Tone mapping is how a display adjusts or maps the HDR signal to match its capabilities – done correctly the results can look stunning but done badly and you end up with crushed shadows and blown-out highlights.
The UHZ55 does an excellent job, delivering all the fine detail present in the 4K images of The Revenant, while also rendering the HDR with skill and producing plenty of brightness without losing any detail. The snowy landscapes offer dazzling white vistas, while the colours are richly nuanced and pleasingly natural in appearance.
At the other end of the dynamic range the nighttime action in The Crow doesn’t look as inky as more capable and expensive beamers. But once again the tone mapping does a great job of revealing the details in those shadows while also ensuring the specular highlights in the rain-slicked streets still pierce the darkness and pop with intensity.
Since the UHZ55 is primarily aimed at gamers this is where it really delivers with superb motion handling that results in fluid gameplay at 4K/60Hz, and even smoother action if you have a PC rig capable of 1080p Full HD at 240Hz. The result is a hugely enjoyable gaming experience with big screen images that are sharp, detailed, and colourful, while the very capable tone-mapping ensures accurate HDR with vibrant pictures that are sure to please.
Latest deals
Should you buy it?
You want a projector for gaming
The Optoma UHZ55’s sharply rendered 4K image, super bright HDR, smooth motion, low input lag, and long life laser light source make this projector a great choice for demanding gamers.
You want a projector for movies
The Optoma UHZ55’s weak blacks and limited colours aren’t ideal for movies, and while the pictures look good with brighter scenes, there are better choices for film fans.
Final Thoughts
The Optoma UHZ55 is a capable and affordable 4K projector that should appeal to anyone who fancies some big screen action. The overall picture performance is impressive with bright and detailed images, punchy and vibrant HDR and fantastically smooth motion.
Gamers looking for greater immersion will also enjoy the low input lags and general responsiveness. The smart system is better suited to the boardroom than the living room, the blacks could be better and it’s a bit noisy at times, but overall this beamer delivers a compelling performance.
How we test
We test every projector we review thoroughly over an extended period of time. We usePortrait Displays Calman colour calibration softwareand industry standards to compare features properly. We’ll always tell you what we find. We never, ever, accept money to review a product.
Find out more about how we test in ourethics policy.
Tested across several weeks
Tested with real world use
You might like…
FAQs
At 1080p resolution with a refresh rate of 240Hz, the UHZ55 can hit 4ms.
Full specs
Steve Withers is a professional calibrator and freelance journalist who regularly contributes to Trusted Reviews, reviewing audio and video products, and writing articles. Steve has been writing about…
Founded in 2003, Trusted Reviews exists to give our readers thorough, unbiased and independent advice on what to buy.
Today, we have millions of users a month from around the world, and assess more than 1,000 products a year.
Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.
Why trust our journalism?
Founded in 2003, Trusted Reviews exists to give our readers thorough, unbiased and independent advice on what to buy.
Today, we have millions of users a month from around the world, and assess more than 1,000 products a year.
Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.
