Forget OLED TVs — this new laser projector beams a 300-inch image and gives the LG C5 a run for its money

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Optoma’s latest long-throw projector is bright, colorful, and only $1,300

The Optoma UHZ36 in a living room
(Image credit: Optoma)

Turns out, TVs aren’t the only display technology concerned about improved color and contrast in 2026 — Optoma is making a big upgrade to its UHZ projector series in the form of the new UHZ36.

The UHZ36, which was announced earlier this week, sports a 1,500,000:1 contrast ratio (up from the 500,000:1 ratio we saw on the older UHZ35), support for Filmmaker Mode (also new), and a maximum image size of 300 inches. It’s also already available on Amazon for a decently low price of $1,299 or CAD$1,899.

Can this projector dethrone one of the best OLED TVs from the top of the display hierarchy? Here’s what you need to know about it before you pick one up.

Upping the ante with the UHZ36

On paper, there’s a lot to like about the Optoma UHZ36. With 3,500 lumens under its belt, it’s plenty bright for most home theaters and its contrast ratio is a big improvement. Filmmaker Mode enables it to be more color-accurate, and it supports basic HDR.

On top of its aforementioned specs, it’s got two bespoke technologies from Optoma: Pure Motion and PureEngine Ultra. The former promises reduced blur and judder while the latter boosts color output and adjusts brightness based on the scene.

In terms of audio support, however, you’re limited to just Dolby Digital 2.0, Dolby Digital 5.1 and TrueHD 5.1. No Dolby Atmos or DTS:X here.

While OLEDs can’t rival the Optoma UHZ36 in screen size — or price per square inch — top TVs like the LG C5 OLED bring Dolby Atmos and Dolby Vision support to the table. In terms of brightness, they’re about equal (we measured the C5’s brightness at 1,180 nits in a 10% window) but the OLED will win out on contrast thanks to its self-emissive pixel structure.

In short, if you want the best picture performance and sound quality, OLED TVs are still going to give it to you. But if you don’t mind taking a slight hit on the AV side of the equation, the UHZ36 should offer you comparable brightness at a larger screen size for around the same price as a 55-inch LG C5 OLED.

LG 55" C5 4K OLED TV
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LG 55" C5 4K OLED TV: was $1,176 now $1,046 at Amazon

The LG C5 OLED is built on an illustrious design that offers stellar brightness and color metrics. Self-emitting pixels allow it to spit out gorgeous contrast, and it provides a slew of features for gamers to enjoy their favorite experiences at breakneck speeds. This deal also comes with a free 1-month subscription to Xbox Game Pass, allowing you to dive into a stacked library of games directly on your TV.

View Deal

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Nick Pino
Nick Pino
Managing Editor, TV and AV

Nick Pino heads up the TV and AV verticals at Tom's Guide and covers everything from OLED TVs to the latest wireless headphones. He was formerly the Senior Editor, TV and AV at TechRadar (Tom's Guide's sister site) and has previously written for GamesRadar, Official Xbox Magazine, PC Gamer and other outlets over the last decade. Not sure which TV you should buy? Drop him an email or tweet him on Twitter and he can help you out.

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