Finding a gaming projector used to be a bit of an oxymoron, but today you can get projectors that crank out ridiculous 240Hz refresh rates and super-low 4ms input lag. Optoma UHZ55 is one of them. It’s built with gaming in mind, but it’s not the only one out there right now. It does a lot, and it does it well for the price, but the question is whether it compares better to the other top-tier projectors in our roundup of the best gaming projectors in terms of specs other than speed. Because, let’s be forthright, not everyone needs a projector that’s super brisk. And not everyone has the money to spend on often-wasted refresh rates.
As it turns out, it’s a pretty close choice. But there are a few things that hold the Optoma UHZ55 back.
The Optoma UHZ55 is pretty understated out of the box. No flashy design, just your average black projector with a bunch of wide slits on the sides to blow all that air out. And it needs them, because this thing really blows at higher refresh rates. You’ll definitely notice it starting up when you switch to gaming mode. Which isn’t so great when the projector is sitting right next to your head.
Fortunately, keystone correction and vertical lens shift make it much easier to project from an angle other than directly in front of your chosen wall. Not only are there both digital and physical controls for zoom, focus, and lens shift, but they’re all straightforward to set. It’s significant to note, however, that keystone or “geometric correction” can’t be changed once the lens tilt has been set. Additionally, in gaming mode, the keystone resets, so you’ll need to place it behind your head or mount it to the ceiling if you want to get the full speed this projector offers.
UHZ55 Specification
Projector type: DLP
Lamp type: Laser
Resolution: 1080p
Image size: Up to 300 inches
Refresh rate: Up to 240Hz
Response time: 4ms
Throw Factor: 1.21:1 ~ 1.59:1 (Long throw)
Brightness: 3000 ANSI lumens
Inputs: 1 x Ethernet, 1 x HDMI 2.0 (eARC), 1 x RS232, 2x HDMI 2.0, 3 x USB Type A, 1 x 3.5 mm jack, 1 x S/PDIF
Dimensions: 337 x 265 x 119.3 mm
Characteristics: Keystone Correction, Zoom 1.3, Creative Cast, Optoma Connect
Light life: 30,000 hours
Guarantee: 3 years narrow
Price: $2099 | 1498 pounds
The user interface is straightforward to utilize, both via the controls on the top of the projector and the diminutive backlit controller. But while the user interface is great, the saddest thing about the Optoma UHZ55 is that it runs on a custom Android operating system. Apart from a few apps in the Optoma Marketplace, like Netflix, TED, Prime, there’s not much to choose from. Google Play Services is completely down, which means no YouTube.
This might be a dealbreaker for some, but if you always keep your device plugged in, it shouldn’t be too much of an issue since you’ll have it for your shows. Otherwise, you’ll need to invest in an Amazon Fire Stick or similar, which means spending money on another device if you just want to catch up on subscriptions without having to carry a gaming laptop or anything else.
Once connected, it becomes clear what Optoma has focused on. There’s absolutely no noticeable lag from input signals to the Optoma UHZ55. Whether it’s 4K or 1080p in game mode, motion is as sleek as anything, and I was able to take full advantage of the super high frame rates with V-Sync enabled.
The image is incredibly piercing once you fine-tune the focus. Thanks to the high brightness, the image looks great even with open curtains on a clear day.
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But how does it compare to other top gaming projectors?
You can pick up the BenQ TK700STi – currently on our best projectors list as the fastest with a 240Hz/4ms refresh rate – for $1,699/£1,340. That’s a saving of $400/£160 over the Optoma, with essentially the same specs and an equally awful speaker. Of course, the BenQ’s lamp life isn’t rated as long as the Optoma UHZ55, which is starting to look really good in the long run and might be worth spending a bit more money on.
Buy if…
✅ You are a competitive player: If speed is a concern for you and your hardware can take advantage of a 240Hz refresh rate at high frames per second (FPS), the Optoma UHZ55 is one of the fastest projectors we’ve tested.
✅ You have room for a long throw: The Optoma UHZ55 projector should be placed between 1.2m and 8.1m from the projection surface and as close to a straight line as keystone correction does not work in gaming mode. Make sure you have a place to place it.
Don’t buy if…
❌ You plan to utilize the built-in speaker: The speaker is faint and tinny to the point of being quite painful, especially if you’re sitting right next to it. You’ll want to get your own set of speakers for this one.
❌ You won’t always have a machine/firestick: Without Google Play, the Optoma UHZ55 has few app options. It’s only good for Spotify, Netflix, TED, and Amazon Prime.
That said, compare it to the current top projector on our list – the BenQ X3100I – and you’ll start to see why speed isn’t everything. The Optoma UHZ55 is almost £200 more pricey ($800 for those in the US) for a higher refresh rate and half the input lag. So if you’re packing a powerful rig with one of the best graphics cards, you’ll probably want to make the most of the Optoma’s high refresh rate, but if you’re barely hitting 120fps at 1080p, there’s no need to spend the extra money.
Sure, you lose out on a bit of speed with the Benq X3100I, but overall it’s a more versatile projector with the same lamp life and fantastic image quality, plus it comes with 5W stereo speakers and a true Android TV adapter.
Basically, unless you already have one of the best PC gaming speakers, a machine that can pump out 200+ fps — and an Android/Fire Stick dongle if said machine is a gaming laptop and isn’t always around — it’s a bit harder to recommend the UHZ55. It’s difficult to justify the extra cost over its (slightly slower) competitors, plus all the extras you’ll have to stock up on. But if you’re ready with a surround sound system and a powerful gaming PC, it’ll eat up those frames like no other.
