Gaming projectors can get pretty pricey. If you’re on a budget, it’s hard to find a big-screen option that can play your favorite games, in addition to letting you watch TV and movies. The good news is, we’ve found your solution: the Optoma HD146X.
At under $600, the Optoma HD146X is the most affordable projector on the market with an input lag of 16ms. >>> Check it’s pricing on Amazon
In addition, the bright lamp and high color accuracy are great for watching content in any room, at any light level.
So what’s the viewing experience like with the Optoma HD146X—and is it the right projector for you? Let’s take a look at the details to help you make that decision for yourself.
Optoma HD146X Review of Features:
| Optoma HD146X | |
|---|---|
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| Resolution | 1080p |
| Brightness (Lumens) | 3,600 ANSI |
| Contrast Ratio | 25,000:1 (500,000:1 with Dynamic Black) |
| Throw Distance | 3.3' - 32.2' |
| 3D | YES, Full HD 3D |
| Screen size | 28" - 301" |
| Input lag: | 16ms |
| Price | BHPhotoVideo.com |
Picture Quality
The 1080p resolution on the Optoma HD146X is on par with what you’ll get from any HD TV. It’s not quite up to the 4K ultra HD definition you’ll find on some modern projectors, but it’s still very sharp and detailed. Even better, it maintains that sharpness at any image size, with no loss in quality when you’re using a larger screen.
Colors are vibrant on the Optoma HD146X, too. The 6-segment color wheel gives you bright, accurate hues that offer all the colors included in Rec. 709. You’ll see the colors exactly the way they’re supposed to be seen, in other words. When it comes to the darker areas of the screen, the HD146X uses Optoma’s proprietary Dynamic Black technology. This boosts the contrast ratio up to an incredible 500,000:1 so you’ll get the same detail and depth in darker areas of the screen that you do with brighter images.
Installation Flexibility
Installing the Optoma HD146X is fast and easy. It uses a single-chip image processing that helps the image align more quickly without a lot of fiddling. You’ll also get useful options for adjusting the picture. These include a 1.1x zoom and a vertical keystone correction of +/- 40°. That’s a huge help in focusing the image on your screen and getting down to enjoying your content faster.
Pros
- Bright lamp won’t get washed out by ambient light
- Fast response time with low input lag for gaming
- Dynamic Black technology improves contrast
- Easy to align the image with zoom and keystone correction
- Low fan noise in Eco Mode (26dB)
- 709 6-segment color wheel gives HD TV quality
- Lightweight and portable build
- Very affordable for a gaming projector
Cons
- Won’t give full 4K ultra HD resolution
- Standard throw distance
- Limited connection options (HDMI only)
We also appreciate how bright the lamp on this projector is. The Optoma HD146X puts out an impressive 3,600 lumens of brightness. That’s high enough you don’t have to worry about controlling the light levels in your viewing area or limit yourself to using it in a dedicated home theater. Even if you have a lot of windows in your living room, you can watch TV or movies with the HD146X and not worry about washout.
Optoma HD146x connections
The wide range of image size options helps here, too. You’ll get a clear picture whether the image is as small as 28” or as large as 301”. The only caveat here is that the Optoma HD146X is a standard throw projector, so those bigger sizes will need a lot of space—about 11 feet for a 100” image, or a whopping 33 feet for a 300” screen. While that can make it trickier to use in smaller indoor spaces, it does give it the flexibility for use outdoors if you want to start hosting backyard movie nights. Since it only weighs about 6 pounds, you can take it anywhere easily. Learn about the best outdoor movie projectors here.
Gaming Capability
The Enhanced Gaming Mode on the Optoma HD146X gives you an impressively low input lag of 16ms. That’s plenty low for even hardcore competitive gamers, making sure there’s no noticeable delay between your input on the controller and what you see on the screen.
A fast response time isn’t all you’ll get in Gamer Mode, either. It also adjust the screen, boosting the detail in darker, shadowy areas of the image so you can see whatever obstacles are in your way. Whether you game through consoles or a PC, you’ll love the experience you get with the Optoma HD146X. >>> Check it’s pricing on Bhphotovideo
What’s the Bottom Line?
The Optoma HD146X isn’t perfect. If you need a short throw distance or want full 4K resolution, you’ll need to spend a bit more. For those who want a budget-friendly way to both watch movies and play games on a large screen, it’s one of the best projectors on the market.