Optoma UHD52ALV
Product Name: Optoma UHD52ALV
Overall
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DESIGN - 90
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FEATURES - 90
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PICTURE QUALITY - 92
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VALUE - 94
Summary
A good value for money, bright 4K projector.
Pros
- Excellent light output (3,500-lumen rating)
- Best support for HLG and HDR 10
- High compatibility with Alexa and Google Assistant
- Bright and contrast-rich image quality
- Quiet operation
- Decent color gamut
- High portability
Cons
- Average black levels
- Disappointing gaming experience
Optoma UHD52ALV Review
You can come across many different types of home theater projectors nowadays. Various manufacturers, including Optoma, have been launching refined versions frequently to accommodate the varying needs of different people. What about the design, features, and performance and Optoma UHD52ALV? This new version was launched on 17 September 2020. This Optoma UHD52ALV Review makes an honest assessment of this projector to help you make an informed buying decision.
Table of Contents
Optoma UHD52ALV Overview
UHD52ALV is the latest in the product line of Optoma. This model can be termed as a refined model of UHD51 and UHD51ALV. It offers 3,500 ANSI lumens, which is certainly an improved brightness rate compared to the previous models. According to the manufacturer, the color coverage of this model higher compared to other products available on the market at the same price range. It provides the best support to HLG and HDR10. Many users also talk highly about Frame Interpolation and 3D compatibility.
Optoma UHD52ALV is compatible with Google Assistant and Amazon Alexa. You can also find on-board speakers, a built-in medial player, and IFTTT integration on this home theatre projector. The product specifications are 15.4″ x 11.1″ x 4.6″. The weight of this model is 11.75 pounds. So, portability is not a big concern if you buy UHD52ALV. Equipped with a 1.3x zoom lens, it offers vertical lens shift to keep the placement highly flexible. You can place it up to 26.6 feet from the screen. Let us study things a bit deeper to get a clear cut idea about this product.
Optoma UHD52ALV Design
You won’t be able to notice any drastic changes from the previous versions in terms of the overall design of this model. Anyhow, the gleaming white finish creates a pleasant appearance. The neutral design doesn’t make you worry about clashing with your existing decor. The control buttons on the top edge certainly look stylish. An attractive contrast is achieved between black and white with the use of a black lens ring. A small-sized remote control doesn’t make a positive impression. However, lovely backlighting and logically restricted button count offer excellent ease of use.
Optoma UHD52ALV Features
High light output
The light output offered by Optoma UHD52ALV is much higher compared to other home theatre projects of this price range. This product offers a very high light output of 3500 lumens. There might be some fallout after calibration. However, it may still be higher compared to many other calibrated SDR projectors when it comes to displaying HDR efficiently. This feature makes this product highly suitable for all types of rooms.
Excellent lamp life
With the activation of dynamic modulation, the 240W lamp of Optoma UHD52ALV offers 15,000-hour longevity. In Eco mode, the lamp stays up to 10,000 hours. It lasts up to 4000 hours in Bright mode. Optoma projectors are highly renowned for their extended lifespan. This product also does not disappoint you.
Outstanding sound
You don’t need to look for an external audio solution when you use UHD52ALV to enjoy video and music files. The built-in 2x5W audio system puts up a reasonably good performance.
Hassle-free Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant integration
With the help of Optoma Smart+ technology, you can control this projector with voice commands. That is to say, Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant integration become an effortless task when you use this device.
Optoma UHD52ALV Picture Quality
This home theatre projector utilizes Texas Instruments’ single 0.47-inch 4K UHD DMD DLP Chip. You can expect something very close to a full 4K image. Displacing a full high definition 1080p image at a rapid pace in four directions, this product reaches pretty close to a full 4K image quality. You can enjoy incredibly clear and sharp images when you use this device.
It is hard to find a true 4K projector at this price range. With a perfect blend of 1920 x 1080 x 4-pixel shifting and the proprietary UltraDetail Technology by Optoma, this device takes picture quality to a new level. You can always expect admirable image clarity, sharpness, and depth.
Brightness
As mentioned above, Optoma UHD52ALV offers an impressive light output of 3,500 lumens. The most common picture modes available to view SDR content include Bright, Reference, Cinema, User-defined, Game, and HDR SIM. You can also come across three extra modes for 3D, HLG, and HDR10. These modes will be activated automatically when the device identifies the appropriate signal.
In Bright mode, Optoma UHD52ALV offers around 3000 lumens light output. You can expect around 1800 lumens in Cinema mode. The game mode is good enough to deliver approximately 1500 lumens. The Reference mode is the one that offers the lowest output with around 700 lumens. Game and HDR SIM modes offer approximately 1500 and 1200 lumens approximately.
Contrast ratio/Black levels
Within this price range, it is foolish to assume that you will get an exceptional home theatre projector with perfect efficiency and performance like some of the high-end models. The black levels of this product can be termed as average. However, this product stands taller among projectors with the same price tag. Optoma describes this projector as one that can be used in bright rooms with an increased amount of ambient light. The greyish blacks do not turn more prominent than in a fully dark room. Overall, while blacks invite some issues when you use Optoma UHD52ALV.
You won’t be able to find a Dynamic Iris on this device. However, it comes with a Dynamic mode that works like an auto-iris. You don’t have to expect excellent results with this feature. Optoma promises a 500,000:1 contrast ratio with the Dynamic mode. This number can be highly debatable. So, the black levels are only average. Nevertheless, this model puts up a very good performance than most products in this price range.
4K/ HDR picture quality
If you watch films that feature amazingly detailed images, dynamic colors, and abundant bright scenes using Optoma UHD52ALV, you can expect excellent picture quality. The sharpness and image details are outstanding. This model puts up a performance that is pretty equal to a real 4K projector. Unparalleled clarity is what you can expect with this product. The brightness output of this model is highly impressive. At this price point, it is extremely hard to find a better projector than UHD52ALV in terms of brightness in a fully dark or low light environment.
Though Optoma says that the contrast ratio is 500,000:1 with the Dynamic Black mode, this device cannot change the light as efficiently as a dynamic Iris does. With average black levels, this model shows average shadow details efficiently. It is a reasonably good performance at this price. You have four HDR setting options available while viewing HDR content, namely Bright, Standard, Film, and Detail. This product is equipped with the normal HDR10 protocol as far as HDR support is concerned. It is the acceptable standard level for UHD playback and HLG.
Full HD/SDR picture quality
How does UHD52ALV perform in HD SDR material testing? It gives an excellent image resolution and color reproduction. However, the average black levels and contrast become more prominent while watching very dark scenes. Of course, this model is capable of dealing with 1080p material efficiently. Nevertheless, Optoma could have done better with such a high brightness output. The limitation is that blacks often look like dark greys. On the contrary, average blacks do not become prominent in more bright environments. With the help of DLP-Link glasses, Optoma UHD52ALV offers excellent support to 3D viewing.
Color Gamut
Equipped with an 8-segment color wheel, this product offers a color gamut above 80% in the wider DCI-P3 color space. You can expect 100% coverage in BT.709. The Cinema mode is the one that provides the best color accuracy, volume, and contrast, and gradients for SDR. The amazing color gamut performance of UHD52ALV plays an important role in making this model immensely popular. In terms of rainbow effects, this projector does not distract your viewing experience.
Input Lag
All leading home theatre projector manufacturers are making efforts to improve the input lag performance of their products. The Optoma UHD52ALV provides 73ms for 1080p as well as 4K resolutions on an average level. It is not a better performance compared to some high-end models. However, it is an acceptable one within this price range. However, the input lag crosses 100ms if you turn on the frame interpolation feature. When you also consider the fact that this product does not come with a Game mode, you cannot describe it as a gaming projector.
Verdict
Pros
- Excellent light output (3,500-lumen rating)
- Best support for HLG and HDR 10
- High compatibility with Alexa and Google Assistant
- Bright and contrast-rich image quality
- Quiet operation
- Decent color gamut
- High portability
Cons
- Average black levels
- Disappointing gaming experience
Final Words
Optoma UHD52ALV home theatre projector checks many more boxes compared to products in the same price range. Sharp images that are almost on par with the native 4K resolution are a big plus. The color reproduction of this model needs special appreciation. It handles HDR and 3D content superbly. The motion performance is also satisfactory. The contrast/black levels could have been better. When you assess the pros and cons of this model carefully and compare it with other sub-$2,000 projectors, Optoma UHD52ALV is certainly a very good choice.
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