The HD27 is a souped-up version of the Optoma HD142X with a lamp that is reported to be brighter and produce a better contrast ratio. We did find it to produce better image quality than its sibling, but it was still was just short of the quality of the top models. It has a fairly quiet fan and sells for a middle-of-the-road price. All in all, it is a good choice if you want something high end but the BenQ HT2050's price seems just a bit steep.
Optoma HD27 Review
Pros: Good image quality, full HD
Cons: Weak zoom, not very bright
Manufacturer: Optoma
Our Verdict
Compare to Similar Products
![]() This Product
Optoma HD27 | |||||
Awards | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() | ||
Price | $600 List | $800 List $649.00 at Amazon | $900 List $599.00 at Amazon | $800 List $749.99 at Amazon | $650 List $616.00 at Amazon |
Star Rating | |||||
Pros | Good image quality, full HD | Great image quality, vibrant colors, full HD | Very good image quality, good color accuracy, full HD | Crystal clear text, portable, bright lamp, full HD | Impressive image quality, accurate colors, high resolution |
Cons | Weak zoom, not very bright | Dim lamp, not ideal for well lit rooms | Dim lamp, not ideal for well-lit rooms | Not the best cinematic image quality | Low brightness, tiny remote control |
Bottom Line | Good image quality and a fairly quiet fan, can function well in a home theater setting | Excellent image quality and a whisper quiet fan, a fantastic home theater option | A great home theater machine, but not quite as good as the Editors' Choice | Perfect business presentations, particularly if you want something that you can travel with | A stellar mid-tier option with great picture quality and a relatively modest cost |
Overall Score ![]() |
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Rating Categories | Optoma HD27 | BenQ HT2050A | Epson Home Cinema... | Epson Pro EX9220 | BenQ HT1070A |
Image Quality (45%) | |||||
Ease Of Use (25%) | |||||
Brightness (15%) | |||||
Fan Noise (15%) | |||||
Specs | Optoma HD27 | BenQ HT2050A | Epson Home Cinema... | Epson Pro EX9220 | BenQ HT1070A |
Projection Technology | DLP | DLP | 3LCD | 3LCD | DLP |
Specification Brightness | 3200 Lumens | 2200 Lumens | 2500 Lumens | 3600 Lumens | 2200 Lumens |
Measured Brightness | 1102 Lumens | 1548 Lumens | 1943 Lumens | 2701 Lumens | 1496 Lumens |
Maximum Resolution | 1080p | 1080p | 1080p | 1920 x 1200 | 1080p |
Contrast Ratio | 25000:1 | 15000:1 | 60000:1 | 15000:1 | 15000:1 |
Apect Ratio | Native 16:9 | Native 16:9 | Native 16:9 | Native 16:10 | Native 16:9 |
Zoom Ratio | 1.0-1.1 | 1.0- 1.3 | 1.0- 1.6 | 1.0- 1.2 | 1.0- 1.2 |
Throw Ratio (wide to zoom) | 1.48 - 1.61 | 1.15 to 1.5 | 1.33 to 2.16 | 1.50 - 1.71 | 1.37 - 1.64 |
Backlit Remote | Yes | Yes | No | No | No |
Vertical Keystoning Correciton | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Horizontal Keystoning Correciton | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | No |
Lens Shift | No | Yes | No | No | No |
Dimensions | 11.7" x 9" x 3.7" | 15" x 4.8" x 11" | 12.2" x 11.2" x 4.8" | 11.9" x 9.9" x 3.6" | 13.1" x 3.9" x 9.5" |
Weight (pounds) | 5.2 | 7.3 | 7.7 | 6.2 | 5.6 |
Warranty | 1 Year Limited | 1 Year Limited | 2 Year Limited | 2 Year Limited | 1 Year Limited |
Lens Cover | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No |
3D Capable | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | Yes |
Our Analysis and Test Results
The Optoma HD27 did well in our image quality testing and has a fairly quiet fan. Though it can't quite match the field-leading performance of the BenQ HT2050, it would please most looking to amass all the trappings of a home cinema.
Performance Comparison
The table above shows how the Optoma HD27 fared in our testing compared to the other models we bought and tested. Below we expound upon the HD27's specific performance in each of our individual tests.
Image Quality
The HD27 earned an image quality score of 7 out of 10 in our testing. This made it the best of the rest, falling just behind the top scorers that received 8's, but well ahead of the low score of 3. In our testing the black levels of the HD27 proved to be quite good. This made scenes of all brightness levels have good depth and vibrancy. The HD27 lost points due to its issues with the color red. It tended to imbue many scenes with a slight red tint. This made the colors in some scenes look odd, and made faces look flushed. After watching this for a while your brain tends to adjust and correct for the oversaturation of red. However, that tint was always clear and present in our side by side comparisons. This is what excluded the HD27 from the top rung of scores. The 1080p resolution made everything sharp and crisp, and easily produced high quality text and graphics.
Ease of Use
As they share the same body and remote control, ease of use is identical on the HD27 and the HD142X. Both received an average score of 6 on our ease of use testing, a metric that saw tightly packed scores ranging only from 5 to 7. At 5.2 pounds the HD27 can be carried around, and it has a fairly sleek design, but it's not the most portable of models. The HD27 has three legs that are all adjustable via a screw mechanism. The threads on the screws are relatively small, so you need to do a lot of turning to get the legs to extend at all. The focus and zoom knobs aren't the most durable feeling, but they have a smooth action and can easily be adjusted in small increments. The focus and zoom knobs are both easily accessible and feel well built, an improvement over Optoma's older models. The zoom is somewhat lackluster at 1.1X, which lends less flexibility than many other models.
The HD27's remote is well designed and easy to use. A dedicated keystone correction button makes it easy to adjust the vertical keystone setting. Dedicated buttons for each input also make it easy to switch between your Blu-ray and gaming console. The buttons on the remote are all backlit with a bright blue light. We found the light to be a bit harsh for a dark home theater. Though this probably isn't an issue as you'll mostly be using your Blu-ray remote rather than the projector remote during movie marathons.
Brightness
We measured the HD27's brightness at 1102 lumens. This was well short of the manufacturer's claim of 3200 lumens. In case you're keeping score, that is the biggest disparity we encountered between the manufacturer's claim and our own measurement. This earned the HD27 the lowest score of 4 out of 10 in our brightness test (to be fair, it shared that score with three other models). This brightness made the HD27 the worst model to use in a brightly lit room. White areas in text pages looked slightly blue when projected in a bright room, and the colors in graphs looked slightly faded.
Fan Noise
The HD27 received a 6 out of 10 in our fan noise testing. This made it the median in a metric that had scores between 2 and 9. The fan is noticeable when it accelerates, but is not terribly annoying. Most people probably wouldn't notice it, but if you're especially sensitive to sound you'll want to upgrade to the BenQ HT2050A.
Value
The HD27 lists for $600. At this price the HD27 is a decent value considering its 1080p resolution and respectable image quality. To get better image quality you'll have to spend $200 more on the BenQ HT2050A or the Epson 2150. If you don't mind a louder fan the ViewSonic PJD7720 offers similar image quality and much better brightness for about $50 less.
Conclusion
The HD27 offers good image quality and high definition resolution at a fairly reasonable price. It will likely please most looking to build a home theater without breaking the bank.
— Max Mutter and Steven Tata