Optoma’s line of laser home theater projectors bring cinema-quality big screen entertainment to everyday users at a great value. The UHZ45 lives up to this promise. This versatile projector has the high image quality you need in a home theater, along with a flexible installation and the responsiveness gamers look for. Of course, no projector is perfect for everyone, so how can you tell if it’s the best model for you? We’ll answer that question in this Optoma UHZ45 review (>>> Check on Amazon).
Optoma UHZ45 Review of Main Specs:
| Optoma UHZ45 | |
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| Resolution | 3840x2160 |
| Contrast | 2,000,000:1 |
| Brightness (Lumens) | 3,800 ANSI |
| Input lag | 4ms |
| Throw Distance | 4.0' - 32.7' |
| Screen size | 33" - 300" |
| Speakers | 10.0 Watts × 2 |
| Today's Best Price |
Space and Installation
The Optoma UHZ45 is made for lights-on viewing. Its 3,800-lumen lamp is powerful enough to keep the picture quality high even in relatively bright rooms. While you still won’t want to use it outdoors in direct sunlight, it won’t require light control measures in the majority of indoor viewing areas.
While it uses a laser phosphor light source, the Optoma UHZ45 still has a standard throw lens with a similar throw distance to many lamp-based projectors. It requires at least 4 feet between the lens and screen to get a clear image, and around 11-12 feet to fill a 100-inch screen.
On the plus side, it has automatic 4-corner keystone correction so it’s easy to ensure the image is square. The adjustment options are otherwise limited to a narrow 1.1x zoom and manual focus adjustment.
Image Quality
Like most Optoma home theater projectors, the UHZ45 utilizes a DLP display with a sharp dynamic contrast and support for image technology like HLG and HDR10. This means you’ll see the full 8.3 million on-screen pixels of a true Ultra HD display, along with enjoying rich black levels and full detail in even the darker areas of the screen.
The color performance of the Optoma UHZ45 is just as impressive. It produces the full Rec.709 spectrum, the current broadcast standard, ensuring the accuracy and realism of on-screen hues. Those colors will stay true-to-life even if you don’t have a screen.
The Wall Color Adjustment feature automatically corrects images for display on non-white surfaces, so you don’t necessarily need a screen to see your shows and movies at their best. Check comparison v. UHZ50
Pros
- Sharp and detailed true 4K resolution
- Automatic keystone correction
- Bright lamp suitable for any indoor space
- Wall color adjustment for screenless setups
- Good sound from built-in speakers
- Low-maintenance with lamp lifespan up to 30,000 hours
Cons
- Long throw distance with limited alignment features
- No wireless connectivity
Gaming Performance
Gamers of all styles can play on the big screen using the Optoma UHZ45. It has a 120Hz refresh rate and 4ms input lag for full HD content and supports 4K gaming at 60Hz with a 16.7ms lag. That’s well under the 30ms threshold gamers look for in a projector, ensuring a smooth, frustration-free playing experience. Click here for our best gaming projector picks.
Navigation and Content
The rear panel of the Optoma UHZ45 has all the inputs most will need in a home theater. This includes 3 HDMI ports for content sources, along with a choice of 3.5mm or optical audio output and networking inputs like a 12-volt trigger or RS232.
Its main short-falling in this regard is that it has no wireless connectivity or options for mirroring content or streaming directly through the projector, so you will need to connect content sources the old fashioned way.
That lack of wireless connectivity also means no built-in hands-free voice control. It’s still easy to use, though, with an intuitive button layout right on the projector as well as an included backlit remote.
Optoma UHZ45 Review In Conclusion
Since it supports 3D content as well as 4K resolutions and fast-paced gaming, the Optoma UHZ45 can play just about any type of entertainment you want it to. You can enjoy it with the lights on, too, thanks to its powerful lamp.
It’s also a great choice for first-time projector owners because you won’t need to buy any extra accessories. The built-in speakers are powerful with great mid-range clarity for dialogue, and you don’t need to invest in a screen before you start watching.
Where the Optoma UHZ45 may struggle is in smaller rooms or spaces with complicated layouts where it’s tricky to install the projector head-on and far enough from the screen for a large picture.
It also lacks the wireless connectivity smart home owners look for, and doesn’t have the built-in streaming and voice control you’ll find on other Optoma projectors at a similar price. We hope this breakdown of the UHZ45’s strengths and weaknesses has helped you decide if it’s the right choice for your home (>>> Find on Bhphotovideo)!