UHD38 Bright, True 4K UHD Gaming Projector | 4000 Lumens | 4.2ms Response Time at 1080p with Enhanced Gaming Mode | Lowest Input Lag on 4K Projector | 240Hz Refresh Rate | HDR10 & HLG

The picture is bright in 4 PM sun with the shades wide open. Of course the darkest colors look even richer with the shades drawn, but it looks 90% just as nice in a bright room (80% as nice with the most strict eco bulb preserving mode). The resolution is true 4K, and it makes a huge difference when you have high-res content. The refresh rate options are nice for gamers with the latest consoles. For blu-ray, the true black is surprisingly deep. The fan noise is somehow quieter than older 1080p models. The audio sound is reasonably clean and loud. However, the lowest setting isn't as low as I'd like to avoid waking someone in the house. Happy surprises: despite having the same familiar remote, the UI is much easier to use than past models, and it's all more responsive too! No more fussing with the source buttons to recognize HDMI signals -- it works the first time, every time. Having the cable inputs in the back looks cleaner than the many side access units out there. Like most projectors, the mounting holes aren't standard. If you're using an arm or ceiling mount, you'll want an adjustable mount on the smallish end (the three holes are roughly 4.5"/4.5"/5” apart in an irregular triangle, longside facing the back). It's long throw. I have around 100" screen at 12.5 ft. (I have to zoom down to fit my 85" screen, and this causes light bleed past the edges.) The zoom range is narrow, like 1-1.1x, so set it up in your house first and try it on a wall before you seek the correct size screen. (Don't be basic using the naked wall; get a screen. The picture quality deserves a good flat white backdrop for all the gorgeous detail.)

This is my second projector from Optoma, in 2014 I purchased the S316 projector which performed so well for the $309 price point that I when it was time to upgrade I decided to purchase from Optoma again. I purchased the UHD38 to watch movies and eventually play games on. I purchased it on 12/31/2021. Initially there were no major issues with the projector and the image quality was everything that I was expecting. After about 2 months I would notice the occasional color distortion and lines of blocks through the image were highlighted; this issue would come and go and could be reset by reconnecting HDMI link, by April 2022 I had two dead pixels. When my Playstation 5 arrived the projector had issues maintaining connectivity to it via the HDMI port and would constantly disconnect then reconnect which is not ample for gaming. Finally after about 7 months the bulb blew when I was turning the projector off. Now I'm back to using my Optoma S316 which is still operating fine 8 years later. When I attempted to contact customer service by phone I was on hold for about 30 minutes before I left a voicemail with the promise of a return call. The return call never came. So about two weeks after that I searched for the customer service email and I managed to send out an email detailing my problems with the projector. It took thirteen days to get a response by email which included a link to customer support maintenance form. I finally filled out the form today so soon I will see if the projector I spent $1300 on which broke within 7 months is still covered by the warranty. I have no additional recommendations for alternative projectors to purchase at this price point however as it stands right now this project has been rendered unusable with minimal use in a 7 month period, so I do recommend looking elsewhere. I'll update review if projector is repaired by Optoma support and works correctly after fixed, at this point though my expectations are low and I expect that I'm just going to be out the $1300.

Looking for an option to upgrade my Epson 6030UB (mfg list $3,999). The 6030UB at the time (2013) was one of the best mid-high-end projectors available. In fact my only real compliant is its brightness (2400 Lumens) which on a 15' screen can be a little dim especially if watching 3D content which halves the perceived brightness. The new Epson LS12000 would have been a clear choice but alas does not have 3D capabilities which should be a showstopper for anyone buying a niche market high-end product which given the flat panel choices today a $5000 projector is. So how did the Optoma UHD38 compare to my nearly 10 year-old Epson? Price Clearly less expensive; at least at time of release. Setup Challenging. No vertical or horizontal shift means you had to have the projector centered and at an exact height or with a certain tilt (quite a bit in my case) to center the image on my screen. Lacking these features and since I couldn't mount it at that "exact" height also meant that I could not "optically" get a square picture requiring digital video keystone correction which the UHD38 does have. However, this arguably will have an effect on the picture quality. The zoom on the UHD38 was also more limited. To fill the 15' screen, I had to max out the zoom and place it further back than my Epson without the zoom maxed. In addition, I found it really difficult to "tune" the picture. See below. Brightness The UHD38 (4000 Lumens rated) did not disappoint. It was significantly brighter than my Epson which although I said was my one compliant for the Epson, it is still a bright projector on its own. 4K vs HD Not a noticeable difference. As a professional in the home theater, sound, and smart home industry, I can tell you 4K is one of the big marketing lies. "BS, the picture looks so much better" many people say. Yes, it looks way better ...but not because of the 4K. The brightness, black levels, contrast, and imaging processing are all way better than most display units of old *and this* is the difference you are seeing. The truth is the physics of the human eye are such that its IMPOSSIBLE for us to see the difference that 4K brings. A top installer for a big electronics company vehemently disagreed, "no lines look jagged at 1080P and straight at 4K, I see this". Of course you're standing RIGHT in front of the screen as withing inches!!!! The point of whether you can see a 4K difference or not is a function of screen size and viewing distance. For most, the screen size will be too small and the viewing distance too far. With my 15' screen at a 17' seated position this was in the range where some 4K differences might start to become noticeable. It was not. Black/Contrast Performance While two different things, I find them very tied together when it comes to perceived picture quality. The UHD38 -at least in my setup- did a pretty poor job of producing black. I tried to take the brightness all the way down and fuzzed with the contrast and mode settings but blacks still came out pretty grey. This is a problem for projectors in general but the UHD38 was significantly worse at it than the Epson. Contrast which has a lot to do with how much picture detail can be displayed did seem better than the Epson as it should considering its much higher spec rating of 1,000,000:1 vs 600,000:1 for the Epson. Unfortunately, the enjoyment of this is all but lost with the massive amount of light leakage from the unit's fan port (so distracting), grey blacks, and poor color accuracy (see below). Color Simply put, in comparison to my Epson, I could not get satisfying color reproduction out of the UHD38. It was always very artificial looking or washed out. Maybe there is some magic setting that would work but if so its not easy to find; I did not. Overvall The Epson 6030UB produced a significantly superior and more enjoyable picture than the UHD38. This conclusion was echoed by everyone I asked to watch the A/B comparisons. It's important to note that my testing was in a light controlled dedicated home theater room. I did not test the UHD38 in a non-light controlled room with windows and ambient light. In a setting like this the UHD38 probably would shine (pun intended) and out-perform the Epson. Also, while the above review might sound bad, this was in comparison to a 3.5-4x (at time of release) more expensive unit. Without this side-by-side comparison, the UHD38 produced a great picture for the price and maybe with some tedious tuning could even be improved.

Devo instalar na primeira quinzena de janeiro. Só liguei e fiz um teste. Ok

I am happy with the projector. The picture is clear even with the ambient light with no distraction. It's just like watching a big100inch TV. The reason for buying this is I don't have a separate room for projection to make it dark as I live in an apartment and during summer times it gets dark very late. Now I watch with out worrying about the ambient light. The picture quality is great with a little compromise on color accuracy due to its high lumens. The picture is more detailed due to its high contrast ratio and most of all I watch it in (eco. mode) where the fan's noise is absolutely quiet which I liked the most as my sitting position is right under the projector. It's easy to operate and the picture resolution gets adjusted automatically as per the source and this is another feature I liked it. I know I am coming there! Yes the gaming mode is quick and the input lag is barely noticeable. Played @1080p120hz the motion is smooth controlling with out blurring just like an instant action on screen. Now I am looking to purchase a PS5 once available and will update the performance after using it. Over all the picture is a decent 4K@60Hz with a pixel shift true 4k colors. The detailing in the picture is very good when watched from certain distance. It has deep blacks. It's a good projector and great alternative for a big TV.

Purchased at the end of April of 2022, received and set up in May 2022, picture was great, loading time and lag minimal. Was happy until presumably a fan failed. I have emailed Optoma for support. I hope they will do somthing to back their product. I will update my review once my issue is either resolved or this UDH38 gets sent to the landfill

Il fonctionnait très bien puis après 3 ans : paf. Gros crépitement, une flamme et il ne marche plus du tout. Payer si cher pour ça, quel scandale.

Not worth the price. Put some more money and buy anker cosmos 4k laser. Best picture quality in anker I've seen, best blacks and contrast and brightness. This optoma is 4000 ANSI lumens but it seems less in the real world testing. Where as the anker cosmos 4k laser has 2400 ISO lumens and much brighter as well as the much better throw ratio.