Optoma UHZ68LV UHD 4K projector review

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Optoma is making a concerted effort to woo custom installers with high performance UHD home theatre projectors, most recently partnering with distributor AWE - and there’s no doubt the brand has plenty to offer.

The UHZ68LV is a heavyweight addition to the brand’s projector lineup, a flagship designed with serious home cinema in mind, but engineered with the kind of flexibility and control that makes it just as viable for multipurpose media rooms.

With its cutting-edge dual-laser light engine, 4K UHD resolution, and a blistering 5,000 lumens of brightness, the UHZ68LV sets a high bar for single-chip DLP projection. It’s also highly competitive when it comes to price.

Inside CI has been putting the UHZ68LV through its paces, and can confirm it’s a worthy flagship, one that's certain to impress. Let’s take a closer look…

Optoma UHZ68LV Projector: Design

The UHZ68LV has been designed with medium to large theatre spaces in mind. With a footprint of 498 x 331mm and tipping the scales at just over 9kg (net), it’s finished predominantly in matte black with a high-gloss top plate. That top panel cleverly conceals manual zoom and lens shift controls under a hinged flap, alongside onboard menu navigation buttons, giving direct tactile control even before remote or system integration begins.

The centrally mounted lens is ringed in a brushed metallic surround, adding visual definition to its faceplate. A chrome-effect triangle offers onbody power and input selection. It’s a well-thought-out, professional aesthetic.

Connectivity is extensive and installer-friendly. The rear panel features three HDMI inputs (2x 2.0, 1x 2.1 with eARC/ARC support); three USB-A ports (1x service, 2x power output); 3.5mm analogue audio out and digital optical audio out ; RJ45 LAN port and RS232 for IP and serial control; DIN 3D sync port, and two 12V triggers (labelled A and B).

If the home cinema space is going to be used for gaming as well as movies, Optoma sits ready, with low latency mode and ALLM over HDMI. There’s 4K 120Hz game play available on the 2.1 input.
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The UHZ68LV also ships with a compact remote control.

Optoma UHZ68LV projector: Features

Under the hood, the UHZ68LV uses a novel red and blue dual-laser configuration, offering long-term performance (30,000 hours rated laser life) with minimal maintenance. The dual-laser setup boosts colour vibrancy and contrast performance compared to previous single-laser iterations, and is a significant upgrade from the outgoing UHZ65LV model.

With a 1.6x manual zoom, vertical and horizontal lens shift (+/-10% horizontal, +20/-6% vertical), and four-corner keystone correction, the projector is surprisingly adaptable to a variety of rooms and throw conditions. Throw ratios range from 1.2:1 to 1.92:1, covering a screen size sweet spot from 30 to over 300 inches. It even supports 360° orientation and 24/7 operation, making it viable for both residential and commercial installs.

Smart home integration is robust, with support for major automation platforms including Control4, Crestron, AMX and others.

There’s no built-in smart TV platform though, just a rather basic interface.

Optoma UHZ68LV projector: Performance

Optoma’s dual-laser DLP platform, paired with a TI DLP chipset and pixel-shifting technology, produces an image that’s utterly mesmerising. Its 4K UHD pictures are detailed and vibrant,  with excellent contrast and HDR performance. While it’s technically not native 4K, the 8.3 million on-screen pixels comply with CTA standards for UHD, and subjectively, the sharpness and clarity look stunning.

Brightness is a standout. Rated at 5,000 lumens, this projector performs well in rooms with ambient light and truly dazzles in dark theatre environments. It enables vibrant HDR without needing total blackout conditions, particularly useful in media room installs where lighting is often variable.

HDR compliance is extensive, with support for Dolby Vision (Bright, Dark, Vivid), HDR10+, HDR10, and HLG. There’s also a dynamic AI Picture Mode which uses real-time scene recognition to optimise contrast and colour. Dynamic range settings are user-adjustable, though auto mode performs well in most situations.

Colour accuracy is impressive. The projector covers 100% of Rec.709 and 95% of DCI-P3 in wide colour gamut (WCG) mode, supported by Optoma’s new PureEngine Ultra image processing suite. This includes modules for PureMotion (motion interpolation), PureContrast, PureColor, PureLight, and PureDetail. It’s worth noting that each can be individually adjusted, for optimum perfromance. For example, setting PureMotion to level 1 is enough to clean up judder without making film content look overly smooth.

Integrators should note that the Optoma also includes ISF calibration profiles for Day and Night, and has a wall colour compensation mode for venues lacking a dedicated projection screen.

Invariably, there are multiple picture presets - Vivid, Cinema, Reference, Game, Bright and WCG. The Cinema and Reference modes yield the most accurate results, but I would recommend WCG for SDR content.

In testing, 4K UHD material, be it streamed, broadcast or played from disc, looked superb in Cinema mode, with clean gradations, deep contrast and punchy colour. HD upscaling is also particularly strong, with animations almost indistinguishable from native 4K, with impressive textural detail and strong shadow definition.

Black levels are good, if not inky (this is a single-chip DLP projector after all), and while contrast hits a stated 3,200,000:1 (using Dynamic Black), the deepest blacks are more charcoal than velvet. Still, it handles shadow detail with care and exhibits minimal crushing.

Should it be needed, the UHZ68LV does include an onboard stereo system, rated at 2 x 5W. It’s clean, with some stereo width and clarity. However, given that this projector will almost certainly be paired with a high end sound system, its provision is largely academic.

Gaming performance is notable, with support for 4K/120Hz and 1080p/240Hz on HDMI 2.1, plus a low-latency game mode delivering just 8.5ms input lag. That makes this projector viable for both cinematic gaming and competitive play.

Optoma UHZ68LV projector: Verdict

The Optoma UHZ68LV is a formidable projector with broad appeal across home cinema and multipurpose AV installations. Its brightness, colour performance and installation flexibility make it a standout option for installers needing a projector that can thrive in a variety of conditions, from bespoke home theatres to media rooms with ambient light, all without breaking the budget.

With a solid chassis, wide connectivity, cutting-edge HDR support, and advanced image processing, the UHZ68LV strikes an excellent balance between performance and practicality. The addition of Dolby Vision and HDR10+ support is actually meaningful, thanks to thee huge light output, while 4K/120Hz gaming support widens the projector’s appeal beyond just movies.

If you’re looking for a bright, versatile 4K projector that brings cinematic picture quality to a wide range of spaces, and has extensive control and automation compatibility, the UHZ68LV more than earns its flagship stripes.

The UHZ68LV comes highly recommended for high-end residential installs, media room upgrades, and big-screen AV projects.

The Optoma UHZ68LV retails for £3,999. Distribution is via AWE and Into AV.