Optoma WU336 projector review: Value for money projector

Specifications

• Native Resolution - WUXGA 1920 x 1200
• Brightness - 3400 ANSI Lumens
• Contrast - 20,000:1
• Light Source - Lamp
• Lamp Life - 3500 / 10000 / 12000 / 15000 hours (Bright/Eco/Dynamic/Eco+ mode)
• Throw Ratio - 1.58 - 2.06 :1
• I/O Connectors - HDMI v1.4a x1 , HDMI/MHL x1 , VGA-in x1, Composite x1, USB Type A x1, Audio-in x1, Audio-out x1, RS232x1, RJ45 x1
• Speaker (Watts) - 10W
• Keystone Correction - ±40° Vertical
• Weight (Kg) - 2.9
• 3D Support - Yes
• Noise Level - 27 dB (Eco mode)

 

Design and aesthetics

The Optoma WU336 comes in a plain white color with a plastic unibody design which gives the projector a classy yet subtle look. The design of the Optoma WU336 makes it a great option for both professional and personal use.

I had no issues concerning the overall fit and finish of the product. However, the review unit that I received came had physical damage (outer cover has bulged), which is most unlikely to reoccur with the retail unit.

The Optoma WU336 does come with an excellent thermal solution for keeping the projector cool and silent even with the continues usage. In my testing period, I ran the projector for more than five hours on a single stretch, and the projector did not showcase over-heating. However, the projector gets a bit noisy with the continues usage (common with most of the projectors of this class). Overall, the Optoma WU336 is a well-built projector, which can last longer.

Sound

The projector comes with a built-in 10W speaker, which is sufficient for a small room. The built-in speaker on the projector does output a rich sound without any distortive noise (under 80% volume). However, cranking up the volume up to 100% will make the speaker go haywire, where the speaker gets a bit cranky with noticeable distortion in the sound.

If you are planning to buy the Optoma WU336 for a cinema hall, then I would suggest you get an external speaker, which will further enhance the multi-media consumption experience.

Projection quality

The Optoma WU336 is a WUXGA projector, which can natively project 1920 x 1200p resolution (slightly more than 1080p). A WUXGA projector offers more screen real-estate with a wider-screen, similar to a cinema hall compared to an FHD projector with 1920 x 1080p resolution.

The Optoma WU336 is a lamp projector with a rated Lamp Life of 15000 on the Eco+ mode with minimal brightness, and the lamp can offer up to 3500 hours of Lamp Life in the Bright Mode (100% brightness 3400 ANSI Lumens).

Eco+ mode works well in a pitch-dark room, whereas the Bright or Eco mode is more optimal for standard rooms with windows and doors. The projector can project native 1080p content via HDMI port (with audio), and I had no issues with the overall image quality for the most part. However, at times, I felt that the colors reproduced on the projector are a bit more saturated than my liking.

There is a dedicated USB-A port, which can be used to connect pen-drives and hard-disks to play movies and videos directly from the projector. Do note that the supported video format on the Optoma WU336 is a bit limited and does not support all the video formats. The projector does support 1.3x zoom, which is pretty helpful; I did not face any issue with the image quality even while projecting a 100-inch image.

Verdict

The Optoma WU336 is a good value for money projector with a compact form factor. It comes with a premium design, modern connectivity features, and the built-in speaker is an added advantage.

If you are looking for a home entertainment projector, then the Optoma WU336 will definitely tick all the boxes.