Optoma CinemaX P1 Projector Review
Product Name: Optoma CinemaX P1 Projector
Product Description: The Ultra-Short-Throw 4K UHD Laser Optoma CinemaX P1 projector will bring the theater experience in your home with 3000 lumens, HDR and HLG support, as well as NuForce supported built-in speakers. Essentially, all you need in a projector to get stunning images and clear and neat audio.
Offer price: 3,700 - 4,300
Currency: USD
Availability: OnlineOnly
-
Build Quality
-
Performance
-
Features
-
Easy to Use
Summary
From watching films on 4K UHD to streaming online on Netflix, Amazon Prime, and Disney+, and up to playing video games, the flexibility and functionality are brilliant. The Optoma CinemaX P1 is a great projector that allows you to watch and play on a huge screen with a wonderful sound system, high-quality images, and accurate colors all day and night. Its smart features, easy user interface, and stylish design make it highly recommendable to all (except gamers). But just like other projectors, this one is not perfectly made, as its brightness could not compete with a standard TV and doesn’t work well with ambient light. The CinemaX P1 is not cheap but if you can afford it, you will be happy for a very long time.
Pros
Huge, bright, and accurate colors
Smooth and detailed images
Built-in speaker with subwoofer support
Multiple HDR picture modes
Sleek design
Cons
High input lag
Image quality changes in ambient light
Slightly tricky setup
Poor streaming apps
Limited to HD streaming
User Review
( votes)Optoma CinemaX P1 Projector Review
The Ultra-Short-Throw 4K UHD Laser Optoma CinemaX P1 projector will bring the theater experience in your home with 3000 lumens, HDR and HLG support, as well as NuForce supported built-in speakers. Essentially, all you need in a projector to get stunning images and clear and neat audio.
Overview
Optoma is one of the first companies that produced 4K UHD laser projectors. They currently offer a range of projectors for personal, educational, and professional use. Unlike traditional projectors that must be mounted on the ceiling or placed farther from the screen in order to display images correctly, the Optoma CinemaX P1 projector is an ultra-short-throw projector. What this means is that all ou need to do is place it on top of a surface projecting upwards. It uses laser light instead of a bulb to project images on the wall. With an easy user interface, connecting to a wide range of apps, controlling Alexa and Google Assistant, and other smart features that one usually get on a TV is easier than ever. In terms of I/O ports, the Optoma CinemaX P1 4K projector provides three HDMI inputs to connect various devices and you also get very nice built-in speakers with NuForce support that give you a soundbar-style audio system. The CinemaX P1 also supports both HDR (High Dynamic Range) and HLG (Hybrid Log-Gamma) for broadcasting and streaming, as well as SDR (Standard Dynamic Range) for multiple picture modes.
Key Specifications
- 16:9 native aspect ratio with 4:3 support and letterbox
- 3000 ANSI lumens brightness
- RGBYRGBY 8-segment color wheel
- HDMI inputs, USB, optical S/PDIF out, audio out, and RJ45 Ethernet jack
- 85 to 120 inches image size
- 20,000 to 30,000 hours light source life
- 4K UHD (3840 x 2160) native resolution @ 60 Hz
- 3D compatible
- 22.1 x 5.1 x 15 inches dimensions
- 10.9 kg of weight
- 2-year warranty
Design
In terms of design, the Optoma CinemaX P1 projector displays elegance with its sleek black and gold combination. The remote has selection buttons in the middle including volume, software controls, and a circular directional pad. However, going through settings requires software instead of direct functions, which is quite time-consuming. Furthermore, at 22.1 x 5.1 x 15 inches, it might be a little larger than the average consumer projector although it will still fit perfectly on any table in front of the screen. On the front of the projector, you can see a gray fabric that covers the speakers, while on the side is where the ventilation or fans are located, besides the HDMI and USB ports. Then, at the back, you will find the remaining ports such as Ethernet, S/PDIF, and AUX. And of course, on top is where the opening for the projector’s laser is placed.
Setup
Setting up is very easy but fine-tuning in terms of adjustments in the Optoma CinemaX P1 projector can be a little challenging. It is necessary to have a flat white wall or a projector screen like the Optoma’s ALR101 to be able to display the content in the best quality possible. Also, you need the Optoma’s SmartFit geometric calibration technology app to help you align the image perfectly straight. The app works by calibrating the projection automatically using a photo you take in the app which results in a better fit to the screen. Yes, it can be confusing and it might even feel a little intimidating at first, but the instructions are displayed on-screen which means no confusion and with a little practice, you will get the hang of it in no time.
Features
Dynamic Black Technology & PureMotion and PureColor
Another amazing feature of the Optoma CinemaX P1 4K projector is Dynamic Black Technology. It helps to make the blacks look proper black which in turn maintains details in the shadows with little adjustments on the lamp output. Additionally, the CinemaX P1 uses frame-interpolation technology to control the motion of images while avoiding blurriness and vibration. And with the help of PureColor, you will notice that projector renders vibrant, accurate, and natural-looking images.
Digital Light Processing & UltraDetail Technology
Compared to Liquid Crystal Display (LCD) and Liquid Crystal Silicon (LCOS) projectors, Digital Light Processing offer incredible projection and image quality. With multiple mirrors/pixels, every image is displayed in high definition, high contrast, and quick response time. The Optoma CinemaX P1 projector delivers perfect colors with no filters needed and generates lesser heat. And thanks to its UltraDetail technology, every frame projected on the screen is sharp, rich, high in detail and with accurate colors. All of this is achieved thanks to complex algorithms that allow the projector to render true cinematic images.
Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant, and Full 3D Compatibility
To enable the smart home and custom apps, you must download first the Amazon Alexa app. This supports several functions like power on and off, volume level, and picture mode selection with a push of a button or through voice command. The same applies to Google Assistant, but you get much more comprehensive data, giving you information and handling tasks such as finding information online, controlling the device, setting reminders or appointments, and more. The Optoma CinemaX P1 is also compatible with full 3D stereoscopic projection especially with Blu-ray players, game consoles, and broadcasts. The P1 automatically senses when 3D content appears through one of its inputs and automatically kicks in a dedicated 3D mode to suit the signal. We found this totally mind-blowing. You also have the ability to adjust and fine-tune all the image parameters that you could wish for. For us, to be frank, the 3D images looked pretty good without any additional adjustments, which is something we did not expect and left us speechless.
Performance
In terms of HDR playback quality, the Optoma CinemaX P1 did a great job. The colors are deep, vibrant, and stunning while the blacks are punchy with details in the shadows and look amazing. The projector offers different picture modes such as Film, Bright, Detail, and Standard, and they all display really nice and pleasant to the eye images. Moreover, in SDR also has several viewing options like Cinema, Reference, Bright, User, and HDR Sim. The Optoma CinemaX P1 projector delivers 3,000 lumens, which is great for a short-throw projector. Trying it in a dark room displays stunning brightness and rich colors and when the curtains are open, you can still see detailed images. We were pleasantly surprised with this as projectors, generally, struggle a little with any type of ambient light.
However, it also lacks HDR10+ and Dolby Vision, which is pretty sad, as these features can give more details to picture and color accuracy for a better visual experience. Another thing that may upset you, especially gamers out there, is its high input lag that results in long delay when playing games. It looks like this is not a projector for gamers.
Conclusion
A perfect audio and video setting will surely satisfy your needs when it comes to the viewing experience. From watching films on 4K UHD to streaming online on Netflix, Amazon Prime, and Disney+, and up to playing video games, the flexibility and functionality are brilliant. The Optoma CinemaX P1 is a great projector that allows you to watch and play on a huge screen with a wonderful sound system, high-quality images, and accurate colors all day and night. Its smart features, easy user interface, and stylish design make it highly recommendable to all (except gamers). But just like other projectors, this one is not perfectly made, as its brightness could not compete with a standard TV and doesn’t work well with ambient light. The CinemaX P1 is not cheap but if you can afford it, you will be happy for a very long time. We would highly recommend it.
If however, this is not what you are looking for, check out our projectors section in which review a range of different alternatives to suit all budgets and requirements, whether 1080P HD or 4K.
Buy it now in USA – Amazon | Buy it now in USA – B&H | Buy it now in USA – ABT | Buy it – Rest of the world |