Optoma UHD55 4K DLP Projector
  • Performance
  • 4
  • Features
  • Ease of Use
  • Value
Pros
  • HDR10 Support with Wide Color Gamut (97% DCI-P3)
  • Low latency for gaming
  • Supported Netflix app
  • 3D Support
Cons
  • Wide Gamut and Low Lag features tied to specific HDMI ports
  • Out of the box accuracy not the best
  • Underwhelming streaming apps
  • Remote responsiveness
Our Take

The Optoma UHD55 is a solid gaming and movie projector with an attractive price point that performs well above the asking price and is suitable for bright and dark room viewing.

Optoma UHD55 Front Angle

The Optoma UHD55 is a new entry for 2022 and is targeted towards gaming and home entertainment. It provides an all-in-one solution at an attractive and very reasonable $1,799 street price at time of writing, so it has quite a bit to offer. The UHD55 is a 4K XPR (Xpanded Pixel Resolution) DLP with 3,600 ANSI lumens brightness. It uses a lamp based light source and the Texas Instruments 0.47-inch chipset to produce 4K resolution using four phase pixel shift, while also tapping Optoma's 8 segment RGBWRGBW color wheel.

In some cases, gaming projectors can be hit or miss. While they may have the gaming performance down, they can leave much to be desired when it comes to using them for cinema, or perhaps lack key features. Having an affordable package that boasts great gaming performance with latency ranging from 4.4ms to 16.9ms, and which potentially does well with cinema thanks to its specification of 97% DCI-P3 color space coverage, means this may be a projector for the budget-conscious to be on the lookout for. Let's take a closer look.

Features

As mentioned, the Optoma UHD55 uses Texas Instruments DMD 0.47 DLP chipset in combination with XPR (Xpanded Pixel Resolution) to perform a four-phase pixel shift in order to resolve 4K resolution images. Optoma also employs an 8-segment RGBWRGBW color wheel, and luckily during my time with the UHD55 I did not experience any rainbows, which is always a potential concern with DLP projectors. Our usual advice applies though: if you know you're sensitive to rainbows, work with a retailer who accepts returns.

The UHD55 is rated for 3,600 ANSI lumens and support for wide color gamut of the DCI-P3 color space with the specification of 97% coverage. This is accomplished with use of a filter that engages based on using the WCG picture modes. The specified lamp life hours will vary depending on amount of use and Brightness Mode used. Based on Optoma's specification, the default Bright mode allows for 4,000 hours of use. Eco allows for 10,000 hours and Dynamic will allow for an impressive 15,000 hours. Even when considering that the UHD55 uses a tried-and-true lamp-based light source, the supplied lamp should last many users years before needing replacement unless you are a very heavy user and always run in the brightest mode at all times. When you do need one, replacement lamps cost $235.

Optoma has set their sights on targeting the gamer who wants to game on the big screen and this is evident in extremely low input latency. The input lag varies depending on resolution and source timing, with frame rates of 60hz, 120hz, or 240hz resulting in lower latency as frame rate increases. The specified input lag ranges from 17ms for 1080p/60hz and 4K/60hz; 1080p/120hz is rated at an impressive 8.6ms, while 1080p/240hz is an even lower 4.4ms. This is about the lowest input lag you can find on a gaming projector today and is associated with the most recent DLP chipset. These numbers pair very well with the next-generation consoles such as the Xbox Series X and PlayStation 5 because many of the games that support the 120hz frame rate have the resolution dropped to 1080p anyways. When input latency was measured using a Murideo Seven G-8K generator/meter we found the published latency specs to be accurate: 1080p/60 @ 17ms, 1080p/120 @ 7ms, 1080p/240 @ 4ms, and 4K/60 @ 16ms.

Optoma UHD55 Front Left

The UHD55 offers a wealth of connections on the unit with two HDMI 2.0a ports, VGA, and one 3.5mm audio in jack. This is in addition to one 3.5mm audio out, one S/PDIF (optical out), 12v trigger, and three USB A ports—one which can be used for service and as a DC 5V out to power devices such as a streaming stick, while the remaining two USB ports can be used for media playback or with the included Wi-Fi dongle. Lastly an RJ45 LAN port and RS232 port is also available on the unit. With this many connections available it's hard to imagine that it couldn't fill the need for whatever one tried to throw at it connection-wise.

However, the HDMI ports do have varied functionality tied to specific ports, and some may find this problematic depending on what sources they have connected to it and what they want to get out of each source. The issue here is that HDMI 1 has exclusive access to the Enhanced Gaming feature, which is what reduces the input latency of the UHD55 to the numbers cited above. Without this feature enabled, input latency is doubled in all cases. Where this becomes more of an issue is that HDMI 2 has exclusive access to the WCG (wide color gamut) picture profiles. When the WCG picture profiles are selected, this engages the WCG filter that is used to expand the color space coverage of DCI-P3 to the claimed 97%. This is extremely important to HDR color reproduction.

You can probably already see where this will become problematic. Gamers who want to have more enhanced color reproduction for HDR that comes with wide color gamut are effectively unable to do so if they want to have extremely low input latency at the same time. Optoma makes you choose one or the other; you cannot have both. Now, if the game is not HDR and only SDR, then this isn't an issue if the user opts to use HDMI 1. But with HDR becoming more important for gaming, having to choose is a disappointment. I do feel that this is a pretty big oversight, as I cannot think of beneficial reason to split these unless it's for a technical limitation. I much rather would have had both features on one single input if it were not possible to have it on both. This would allow for users to make better and full use of the UHD55's capabilities.

[Editor's note: Optoma has confirmed that this is indeed due to a technical limitation: much focus was put on tuning the HDR wide color gamut mode for movies during development and the internal memory requirements to make it look its best forced the splitting of these functions. On the other hand, this split is also said to allow for PureMotion frame interpolation (which by default creates lag) and low input lag to exist in the same projector, something Optoma says was not possible until introduction of this latest hardware architecture.—Rob Sabin]

Additional features available within the UHD55 are access to the Optoma Connect app, which allows the user to control the projector and create a digital home screen, and IFTTT (If This Then That) compatibility, which is a very unique feature as it allows for triggered automations to take place based on a user's desire. IFTTT is an extremely flexible platform; if you can think it you can code it using conditional statements. So, this is a very cool feature to include on a device such as a projector and I would love to see it implemented more. Another app available for use with the UHD55 is Creative Cast, which allows for mirroring and casting images and videos from a personal device such as a mobile phone or laptop/Chrome device.

Some other notable features available to the UHD55 are a somewhat sparse Optoma Marketplace app store with availability to video apps such as Netflix, Amazon Prime, Crunchyroll, and Plex. Note that this is not the Android-based Google TV platform found on an increasing number of projectors today and which is far preferable to the Aptoide streaming platform found in some earlier Optoma projectors. I found the apps to effectively be browser versions and the performance was inconsistent enough where I would opt to use a more robust dedicated streaming device such as a Roku or FireTV. Though, if you need them in a pinch the apps did work and paired well with the integrated internal mono 10W speaker. The overall output of the speaker is sufficient if needed for a small room though it was a little thin when it comes to bass. As always it is recommended to use an external audio solution such as a soundbar or AVR/surround sound processor for the best audio experience with games and home theater.

The UHD55 also includes 1080p 3D compatibility, which is always a welcome addition. Any off-the-shelf DLP-Link glasses should work, and when the projector sees a 3D signal it automatically switches into 3D mode, which boosts brightness and contrast. The performance of the 3D modes was actually quite good. Very little crosstalk was seen when viewing and a good sense of depth was present, and the 3D picture mode was identical to the ISF 3D picture mode.

Lastly, included with the UHD55 is a small backlight remote with your standard navigation buttons, volume, mute, picture mode access, menu, Home to access the Optoma home screen, settings, power, and input. The remote unfortunately wasn't the most responsive at times despite my starting with fresh batteries; it sometimes required hitting a directional key or the Enter button twice to make a selection or move the cursor. Luckily, after I set up the projector the need to use it was limited.

Optoma UHD55 remote

The UHD55 unit itself measures 4.5x12.4x10.6 inches (HWD), I'd characterize it as medium size and not as small as some lifestyle projectors. It weighs in at 8.6 lbs. so it can be placed almost anywhere. Optoma considered this by including a Wall Color adjustment that applies an offset to the color gamut and slightly shifting the axis of colors to account for if/when projection is used on a colored wall. One factor to keep in mind when installing this unit is that it has a native offset of 105%, meaning it will need to be roughly 5% above or below the screen from lens center when being placed. Luckily the UHD55 does have a 10% vertical lens shift that is operated manually, so there is some placement flexibility. It does not, however, have a horizontal lens shift so placement will need to be horizontally correct by projector placement. The 1.3x zoom and focus are manual on this unit, though very easy to dial in, and once set I did not find any need to adjust further. The UHD55 is capable of throwing a 30- to 301-inch diagonal image depending on distance with its 1.21:1 - 1.59:1 throw ratio. To determine throw distance for your preferred screen size you can utilize the ProjectorCentral Optoma UHD55 projection calculator.

If needed the UHD55 does support vertical and horizontal keystone though as always, its recommended to avoid using such features to maintain integrity of image quality. But it's there as an optidon.

Performance

Color Modes. The UHD55 has six dedicated picture modes for SDR, one for 3D, and four for HDR unlocked out of the box by default. The UHD55 does offer support for ISF picture modes which can be unlocked and locked to prevent settings from being changed. These are intended for pro calibrators but can be accessed using the remote and entering the following button-press sequence: Power, Up, Down, Up, Up. Once this code has been entered, the user will be presented with a menu and options of Off, On, and Unlock (which allows the modes to be edited). This brings the SDR picture modes to a total of eight which include Cinema, HDR Sim, Game, Reference, Bright, WCG_SDR, ISF Day, and ISF Night. 3D picture modes will now total two modes which include 3D, and ISF 3D. The HDR picture mode count will remain unchanged with four, those being HDR, HLG, WCG_HDR, and WCG_HLG. Again, it is important to note that all of the picture modes that have the WCG prefix are only accessible on the HDMI 2 port. Even though they are visible in the Image Settings Display Mode menu for all inputs, they can only be selected for use if the source is connected to HDMI 2.

Optoma UHD55 Top

The UHD55 provides controls for both grayscale and color management adjustment in all available picture modes. This allowed for white balance adjustment of the grayscale using RGB 2-point controls for Gain and Bias. Color Management System (CMS) allowed for Hue, Saturation, and Gain adjustments for White, Primary and Secondary colors (WRGBCMY) within target color space. Gamma options are all predefined values that ranged from the standard 1.8 to 2.6 as well as Film, Video, and Graphics gamma options which applied a slight variation to the gamma curve similar to an S Curve.

Out of the box performance varied and wasn't too bad in most modes. Some modes did have an apparent green bias to them such as Cinema and Bright, while others had more of a blue bias such as Reference and Game, which is preferable as it is harder to visually see. HDR was presented in a similar manner.

Initial viewing of the out of the box (OOTB) picture modes was pleasant and provided a decent image, though it was obvious some colors were not the correct hue or level of saturation. So, calibration was indeed needed to make the projector look its best. However, for those who opt to use this projector with OOTB settings, I found the most accurate modes for dark room viewing to be Reference picture mode for SDR and HDR picture mode for HDR. Ideally using Standard gamma, which is 2.2 in the gamma menu, or 2.4 provided the most balanced image in combination with the Brightness Mode of Eco+ or Dynamic, with Brilliant Color set to 1 for SDR and 9 for HDR.

I began calibration of the UHD55 using Calman Ultimate calibration software from Portrait Displays, a Colorimetry Research CR-250 Spectroradiometer, a Colorimetry Research CR-100 Colorimeter, and a Murideo 8K Seven Generator. The UHD55 was calibrated to 100-inch diagonal on a 1.3 gain Stewart Filmscreen matte white screen, at approx. 8 feet, 11 inches throw distance. Prior to beginning calibration, I ran various measurements to confirm what I saw in OOTB viewing, which was that Cinema and Bright are indeed green biased while other modes are biased towards blue. I also confirmed that the gamma settings do track correctly in accordance to their menu selection.

Starting with SDR, pre-calibration measurements had fairly large dE (DeltaE) errors. (DeltaE is the metric used to determine the visible error. It has been determined that anything over a dE of 3 is visible, anything over 2.3 is a just noticeable difference for trained eyes and anything below 2.3 should ideally not be seen to the eye.) Grayscale pre-calibration measurements of Reference mode had dE errors all over 3 and going as high as 8.3 for 100% white. Color gamut color points for the Rec. 709 color space exhibited very high dE errors in double digits which were due to inaccurate hue and saturation. I ran a large pre-calibration color checker and the results showed and average of 4dE with a max of 6.4dE. (The CalMAN ColorChecker measures accuracy on a wide range of color swatches corresponding to skin tones, blue sky, etc.)

[Editor's note: As an addendum to the above, Optoma expressed concern during our factcheck about what they thought were higher-than-expected out-of-box dE error measurements for the SDR modes. After investigation, they determined that some aspects of their final factory calibration procedures were allowing for a higher degree of tolerance than typical, and are working to correct this. But in the meantime, they suggested unit-to-unit variation could yield better out-of-box results on some samples.—Rob Sabin

Utilizing the provided 2-point gain and bias controls for adjustments I targeted the production industry standard D65 neutral gray white point. Afterwards, a full CMS (color management system) calibration for the RGBCMY primaries and secondary colors was performed as well. Post calibration for SDR resulted in Reference being calibrated to peak 16.75 fL/57.4 nits in my dark theater room. HDR Post calibration measured in at 36.35 fL/124.57 nits when not using the WCG filter. When the filter was engaged for WCG_HDR, the calibration measured in at 25.76 fL/88.27 nits—about 29% less bright, though this does bring DCI-P3 gamut coverage up to 92.79%, as compared to the 69.93% DCI-P3 when not using the filter. When in Rec.709 color space, SDR gamut coverage without the filter was 93.2% Rec.709, and with the filter on while using WCG_SDR, gamut coverage was 115% Rec.709.

Post calibration errors were very low and much better than expected considering the starting point. Running an extensive color checker of 150+ patterns resulted in an average of 1.6 dE, and a max of 4.7 dE which was attributed to 100% saturated primaries of Red, Green and Blue. All other points were either under 1 dE or just under 2 dE. Post calibration results for HDR also fared well and much better than expected. However, HDR calibration will be dependent on whether WCG_HDR or HDR is used. Without using WCG_HDR the projector has no way to move Green to the desired target and it will sit very off axis—almost between Green and Yellow. If the user opts to use WCG_HDR, this can be corrected at the expense of some light output.

One issue I did have with the UHD55 that I would really like to see addressed is that when any on-screen menu is brought up on screen it will cause the video to skip. This occurs with the hard buttons on the unit or the remote. It is an annoyance though I didn't find myself really needing to ride the remote once everything was set up properly.

The devices I used for reviewing content post calibration were AppleTV, FireTV, Oppo UDP-203 Blu-ray player.

Optoma UHD55 Front Right

1080p/SDR Viewing. I started my post calibration viewing with Castlevania, "Season 4 Episode 9: The Endings" on Netflix through AppleTV. This episode is one of my favorites due to the animation and the reunion of Trevor, Sypha, and Alucard. The scene where Sypha and Trevor arrive is bright and vibrant and was displayed very well. Colors were accurate and properly saturated in all instances from Sypha's explosions, to the explosions made from Trevor's Morning Star Whip, to Alucard's teleporting with his red afterimage. Motion was surprisingly good as well. I saw no judder or soap opera effect during any of the fight scenes. I would honestly say that outside of gaming another area the UHD55 really shines is in animation.

Next for SDR viewing I watched Rogue One: A Star Wars Story on BluRay via the Oppo 203. During this viewing I focused primarily on skin tones. When Krennic landed to take Galen away skin tones looked natural on all the characters from Galen, Krennic, Jyn and Lyra. Each had the right amount of saturation and red in their faces and presented a natural look. Krennic's uniform was presented just as well with a very clean look with no color shift. The green foliage was the correct hue was well and properly saturated. The scene looked really good and displayed how well the UHD55 does within SDR and Rec.709 content.

1080p/SDR 3D Viewing. For this section I watched Transformers: Dark of the Moon on 3D BluRay via the Oppo 203. During the entire opening sequence showing the battle between the Autobots and Decepticons in space, the image presented good depth and really no crosstalk. The debris that fly from the ships towards the screen as well as when the ship crashed on the moon gave a sense of depth without being too aggressive in how it was presented. Color appeared fairly accurate and the image was bright even when considering the DLP link glasses are active. It was overall a pleasant 3D viewing experience and at no point did I feel it was not bright enough while watching.

UHD/HDR Viewing. My next selection of viewing was The Witcher, "Season 2 Episode 3: What is Lost" on Netflix via FireTV. The reason I selected this episode was because of the bright overall APL (Average Picture Level) of the outdoor scenes, specifically when Ciri is training and going through the witcher course, as well as when she is training in the morning before breakfast. The scenes rendered well, though they lacked a certain amount of depth and looked flat. Saturation was slightly off as well when using HDR picture mode. I then switched to WCG_HDR, which returned the depth to the picture—though the brightness really did take a hit as was very evident in the snow and in the sky in the background. Not all of the detail resolved within the clouds. It didn't look bad though and was respectable for an inexpensive projector; I just knew I was missing detail that I have seen before.

The Great Gatsby on 4k BluRay via the Oppo 203 was my next movie. This movie unfortunately exhibited the same issues as The Witcher. When viewing this in the HDR picture mode it had good brightness and vibrancy, though it also had a flat look and lacked any real depth. Switching over to WCG_HDR mode restored the depth but resulted in a sacrifice in brightness and highlights. This was most obvious when Nick Carraway (Tobey Maguire) goes to Gatsby's (Leonardo DiCaprio) first party and meets Gatsby for the first time, and the fireworks are going off. In HDR picture mode a certain amount of saturation was missing from the characters, though the jewel-adorned costumes really had a nice HDR presentation with good specular highlights. When switching over to WCG_HDR, some depth returned to the image though the specular highlights just didn't provide the same impact.

Arrival on 4k BluRay was my next movie via the Oppo 203. The scene I focused on here was where Dr. Banks (Amy Adams) first approached and went into the ship. This is a dark scene and challenging for many displays. Saturation was actually not an issue while watching Arrival and both HDR picture modes provided a good image, though WCG_HDR did have more depth to the picture. The one thing that both picture modes struggled with was resolving challenging shadow detail. As an example, when the crew is first approaching the ship there is a certain amount of detail that should be seen on the ship itself, however, the UHD55 was unable to resolve this shadow detail fully and only resolved the detail on the outer edges of the ship while the middle of it was just crushed into black. This was seen as well while they were inside the ship and placing the canary down in its cage; some shadow detail along the walls and in the corners was lost. The scene was still very much watchable, though, as this is very dark material and many projectors would struggle to show this content. I've even seen direct-view displays struggle to show this correctly as it is either too lifted or too dark. So, I would say that considering the material, the UHD55 did pretty well in what it was able to resolve.

Gaming 4K/60, and 1080P/120. During gaming I opted to use HDMI 1 input and activate Enhanced Gaming. I started with Devil May Cry 5 on Xbox Series X, which runs at 4K/60 Hz in HDR. The game felt responsive during gameplay and I didn't feel as though any inputs went missed. Nero was quick, and dodging and navigating from enemy to enemy felt fluid. What I did notice though was a lack of depth in the picture as well as some of the saturation being off in various parts of the picture. Devil May Cry has a lot of neon colors that just are not presented how I'm used to seeing on a good HDR display due to the inability to use the WCG picture mode. I then switched over to the HDMI 2 input and used the WCG_HDR picture mode. It brought the picture closer to what I expected though I did feel a slight delay in inputs and menu navigation with the higher input lag. Depending on the game this mode may be sufficient, though for the best response time I do feel it's worth it to use Enhanced Gaming for most games and only in slower-paced cinematic games would I consider using the WCG picture mode for its better rendering of HDR.

Optoma UHD55 arrival
The Optoma UHD55 had trouble with the dark shadow details in Arrival, but still delivered a watchable image. (Photo Credit: Paramount Pictures)

Forza Horizon 5 on PC running at 1080p/120 Hz was the last game I played. This game was one that I went back and forth on a lot between HDR and WCG_HDR picture modes. The increased latency is easy enough to get used to in a game like this and it's worth it to get the full impact of the vibrant color pallet used in the locales. Of course, if you are racing for record-breaking times then Enhanced Gaming is pretty key. Also, the extra brightness you get when not using the WCG_HDR mode is nice as well. Overall, though, the game played well in each mode and looked great.

Conclusion

The Optoma UHD55 is a solid entry into the gaming space for big screen gaming and fares well with cinema content, too. With its attractive price point and some of the lowest gaming input latency you can find—even among direct-view display technologies such as LCD—it's a very viable choice. The out of the box performance could be a little better, but with a calibration it dials in quite well and can be quite accurate specifically for SDR. HDR could be a little better, but it's far from bad.

The issues more hardcore gamers will have is the lack of HDMI 2.1 (which is currently common to all consumer DLP projectors) and the unusual configuration of tying the Enhanced Gaming feature to HDMI 1, which results in the inability to use it alongside the WCG picture modes tied to the HDMI 2 input. Users who want the most accurate picture modes to appropriately reproduce HDR content as well as have the lowest input latency available will have to pick and choose. A more casual gamer may not mind, though, and at the UHD55's current $1,799 street price, those seeking an all-in-one solution for gaming and home theater should definitely take a look.

Measurements

Brightness. The Optoma UHD55 is rated for 3,600 ANSI lumens. The brightest picture mode in SDR was Bright and in HDR it was HDR picture mode. In SDR, this picture mode measured 2,746 ANSI lumens, which is 76.27% of Optoma's 3,600 rated ANSI specification and is unfortunately outside the 20% tolerance of the ISO21118 specification by 3.72%.

The Brightness mode settings of ECO and ECO+ measured the same and resulted in a 35% decrease of light. Dynamic and Bright measured the same and had no light decrease between the two brightness modes. When engaging the WCG picture mode filter, a 29.1% decrease in light output was measured.

Optoma UHD55 ANSI Lumens

SDR Mode Dynamic/Bright ECO/ECO+
Cinema 1,767 1,148
HDR Sim 1,627 1,057
Game 1,161 754
Reference 635 412
Bright 2,745 1,784
ISF Day 1,764 1,146
ISF Night 647 420
WCG_SDR 1,252 813
HDR Modes
HDR 1,287 836
WCG_HDR 911 592

Zoom Lens Light Loss. The Optoma UHD55's light loss when shifting from the widest zoom position to its longest telephoto position was 5.90%.

Brightness Uniformity. The Optoma UHD55 projecting a 100-inch diagonal image resulted in measured brightness uniformity of 59% while in wide angle zoom, and 67% in telephoto zoom. The brightest portion of the screen was the middle bottom sector, and the dimmest the top left. The difference in brightness on a full white screen was slightly noticeable but wasn't bothersome in viewing content.

Fan Noise. Optoma rates the fan noise at 26 dB for typical noise level, and 28dB at max noise level. Using Room EQ Wizard software and a Umik-1 microphone, my theater room ambient noise floor is 33.3 dBA. The Optoma UHD55 measured at the following dB for both SDR and HDR, in the following brightness modes, from a distance of approximately 4.5 feet from the exhaust vents located on the left side, front right, and above while in table top installation.

SDR/HDR

ECO: 34.7dB
Dynamic: 37.2dB
ECO+: 37.4dB
Bright: 38.1dB

The following measurements were taken in the Bright brightness mode approx. 4.5 feet away.

Left: 39.7 dB
Right: 38.7 dB
Top: 39.1 dB

Input Lag. Input lag measurements while using Enhanced Gaming on HDMI 1 input were recorded as follows:

1080p/60 = 17ms
1080p/120 = 7ms
1080p/240 = 4ms
2160p/60 = 16ms

These measurements met or came in just below Optoma's published measurements for the UHD55.

Connections

Optoma UHD55 connections
  • HDMI 2.0a (x2; HDCP 2.2)
  • VGA (x1; YPbPr/RGB)
  • USB 2.0 type A (x3; 1 x 5V power delivery/service; 2x media playback)
  • RJ45 LAN 100 base Tx
  • RS-232C
  • 1 Mini Jack (3.5 DC12v trigger)
  • 2 Mini Jack (x1 3.5mm Audio In; x1 3.5mm Audio Out)
  • S/PDIF (x1 Optical output)

Calibrated Settings

Calibrated image settings from any third-party do not account for the significant potential for sample-to-sample variation, nor the different screen sizes and materials, lighting, lamp usage, or other environmental factors that can affect image quality. Projectors should always be calibrated in the user's own space and tuned for the expected viewing conditions. However, the settings provided here may be a helpful starting point for some. Always record your current settings before making adjustments so you can return to them as desired. Refer to the Performance section for some context for each calibration.

SDR Settings

Display Mode: Reference

Wall Color: Off

Dynamic Range
Auto

Brightness: 2
Contrast: -3
Sharpness: 10
Color: -4
Tint: 0
Gamma: 2.4

Color Settings

Brilliant Color: 1

Color Temperature: D65

Color Matching
White (RGB) -17/-13/-1
Red (HSL) -1/0/-9
Green (HSL) 16/7/-5
Blue (HSL) 10/3/0
Cyan (HSL) 25/3/2
Yellow (HSL) 22/-5/-9
Magenta (HSL) -24/2/2

RGB Gain/Bias
R Gain: 2
G Gain: -4
B Gain: -6
R Bias: -3
G Bias: 0
B Bias: 0

ColorSpace: Auto

Brightness Mode: Bright

HDR Settings

Display Mode: HDR

Dynamic Range
HDR/HLG: Auto
HDR Picture Mode: Bright
HLG Picture Mode: N/A
HDR Brightness: 9

Brightness: -3
Contrast: 0
Sharpness: 10
Color: 35
Tint: 0
Gamma: N/A

Color Settings

Brilliant Color: 7

Color Temperature: D65

Color Matching
White (RGB) -1/-4/17
Red (HSL) -10/1/18
Green (HSL) 0/0/20
Blue (HSL) -8/-5/20
Cyan (HSL) 8/34/15
Yellow (HSL) 16/-12/9
Magenta (HSL) 22/-2/15

RGB Gain/Bias
R Gain: 0
G Gain: -3
B Gain: 1
R Bias: 0
G Bias: -2
B Bias: -2

ColorSpace: Auto

Brightness Mode: Bright

Display Mode: WCG_HDR

Wall Color: Off

Dynamic Range
HDR/HLG: Auto
HDR Picture Mode: Bright
HLG Picture Mode: N/A
HDR Brightness: 9

Brightness: -1
Contrast: 1
Sharpness: 10
Color: 0
Tint: 0
Gamma: N/A

Color Settings

Brilliant Color: 9

Color Temperature: D65

Color Matching
White (RGB) 0/-3/-14
Red (HSL) 12/-4/0
Green (HSL) -20/-8/15
Blue (HSL) -7/-14/15
Cyan (HSL) -21/-19/10
Yellow (HSL) -20/-6/15
Magenta (HSL) 11/-17/10

RGB Gain/Bias
R Gain: 1
G Gain: -3
B Gain: 1
R Bias: 0
G Bias: 0
B Bias: 0

ColorSpace: Auto

Brightness Mode: Bright

For more detailed specifications and connections, check out our Optoma UHD55 projector page.

To buy this projector, use Where to Buy online, or get a price quote by email direct from Projector Central authorized dealers using our E-Z Quote tool.

 
Comments (13) Post a Comment
Qaz Posted Sep 2, 2022 6:28 AM PST
Cool, thanks for the review. Now if we can only get a "pro" version of this. $1000 more and with 2.1 and the limitations removed and more feature rich. Seems the mid-range ~$3000 market has been given up on, hopefully Optoma can find something new to fill that gap soon.
Rob Sabin, Editor Posted Sep 2, 2022 8:32 AM PST
Qaz, Optoma did jump into that approx $3K space last year with the laser-driven UHZ50, which is also an excellent and high value gaming projector. But the reason we are without HDMI 2.1 DLP projectors with 4K/120 Hz capabilities is because TI has not yet delivered a chipset that can handle it. Even DLPs that advertise they can handle 4K/120 signals, such as the Hisense L9G, actually reduce the frame rate to 60 Hz for display. I am told by those in the know at the manufacturers that we're probably still a year or more away from true HDMI 2.1 DLPs with this capability. In the meantime, something like the Epson LS12000 ($5K) or Epson LS1100 (4K) are the alternative if you want 4K/120 on the big screen with relatively low input lag.
Tomas Posted Sep 7, 2022 7:34 AM PST
Thanks for the review! How does the UHD55 compare to the UHZ50? (Gaming and movies?)
Rene Posted Sep 26, 2022 2:30 AM PST
Hi!!! thanks a lot for the incredible and detailed review! Just one question in pure image quality and colors how does the uhd55 compare to the uhd38 or the benq w2700i in a dark room? I am buying one next month and really need the Best picture for less than 2k and no gaming importante. Please help!
Scott Posted Sep 28, 2022 1:28 AM PST
How is it you have the UHD38 as your #2 editor's choice...but you don't have a review on it? I'm trying to decide between the two... the 55 has this review...but the 38 has nothing (but the editor's choice award)... I don't get it.
Rob Sabin, Editor Posted Sep 28, 2022 7:47 AM PST
Our top ten lists are not editorial recommendations. Please read the boilerplate at the top of the lists. Our only editorial recommendations come in our reviews and articles.
Damien McKay Posted Oct 5, 2022 4:39 PM PST
I am deciding between the Optoma UHD55 and the Epson 3800. I currently have an Epson 8350 that is failing and replacement lamps are hard to find. I do some casual gaming, no competitive FPS, more like Legend of Zelda, God of War, etc., but I tried a BenQ projector that had so much lag that games were unplayable. The Optoma UHD55 specs are better all around than the Epson, but manufacturer specs are not always accurate. Any thoughts on which is a better projector for a room with some ambient light, 80% movies/TV and 20% gaming? thanks!
Rob Sabin, Editor Posted Oct 6, 2022 4:44 AM PST
Damien, one thing I can say is that the new generation gaming projectors touting low lag times, from both Optoma and BenQ, are accurate. That said, your issue is whether you are super sensitive to rainbows, which some of these single chip DLPs exhibit more than others. You might want to look at Epson’s new HC2350, which has the same “faux-K” pixels shift tech Epson uses in the HC 5050UB bust also offers relatively low lag and the ability to play at 1080p/120.
Sam Posted Oct 23, 2022 2:15 PM PST
HI Rob, thanks for the excellent, detailed review. Especially for the calibrated settings you provide, which I plan to use at least as a starting point. In general terms, if I use a very light grey painted wall (rather than the white screen as you have), would I need to 'boost' some of these suggested settings? thank you
Josh Posted Oct 31, 2022 11:34 PM PST
What 4k projector I'm the $1500-$2000 range has the best blacks and decent input lag for gaming? I keep going for the x3000i but would prefer better black levels for movies.
Jose M. Posted Mar 16, 2023 2:28 AM PST
Good morning, Mr. Prescott. Thank you for your great analysis of this projector. I'd be very grateful if you gave me some additional info regarding this particular model.

Last Black Friday I bought an Optoma UHD38X; after some time calibrating it, I managed to get a nice image (less crispy than expected). The point was that having a ceiling mounting for this, it distorted the image and, in game mode, all correction options were disabled (no keystone, no trapeze adjustment). That, in addition to texts not being extra clear for a 4K projector, made me return it and consider a more premium option.

The point is that I came to realize that I needed a projector with vertical lens shift to correct the image, and so I came to the Optoma UHD55.

I need it for a very luminous attic, projecting at 3 meters distance to an ordinary Optoma screen (not AVL), so, its 3600 ANSI Lumens would do (less than the 4000 ANSI of UHD38X but will give better black images in comparison).

The point is that I have read in some specific forums that it uses a 0.47Ti DMD chip and tend to be not reliable and prone to break down.

I am considering any 4K 3D projector, with more than 3200 lumens, a high contrast ratio, to throw from 3 m distance with ceiling mount, NEEDING VERTICAL LENS SHIFT and in the range of 1500 € (UHD55 is found within that range) and I will really appreciate any advice and different models fitting those characteristics you would recommend and if you enlightened me a bit more on this particular model reliability.

Thank you so much in advance and looking forward to hearing from you.
Rob Sabin, Editor Posted Mar 16, 2023 4:51 AM PST
Jose, keep in mind that like many Optoma projectors we test, this one came up well short of its brightness spec with around 2745 lumens for its 3,600 lumen spec. Regarding the 0.47 chip, virtually ALL of the single chip DLP projectors across a range of prices use this chip; only a few very premium models (typically some of the laser USTs these days) use the larger chip. If it's really an issue or concern for you, you can look at the Epson 3LCD models, though I don't know if there have been specific concerns about this projector model in the forums.

For alternate models, try doing a scan of our Find a Projector database for UHD resolution models with vertical shift, which you can then sort by price. The database allows you to collect only models with Vertical Shift in the Features/Functions drop down. You can also visit our Facebook User Group and post your question to get a response from other users or our moderator.

https://www.facebook.com/groups/projectorcentralsgroup/

Dam Posted Mar 17, 2023 6:05 AM PST
Please Note these potential set-up foibles: 3D viewing only occured with HDMI port 1. So it appears to need a switching of ports to get back to benefits (Pure Motion, WCG) of port 2 when watching 4K. This is a hassle for my ceiling mounted UHD55. I have not seen this issue mentioned anywhere. NB I needed to reduce the colour from 4:2:2 12 bit to 4:2:0 10bit from my Panny 4K Bluray player, otherwise no picture to the projector. NNB Replacement bulb appears to be the same as for UHD50, part BL-FP240E, but I've yet to open up the projector to check.

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