Entry Level - Projector We Wished We Had Reviewed: Optoma HD142X

Posted on September 5, 2017 by Art Feierman

Three years ago, we reviewed Optoma’s HD141X. It was consistently one of the best-selling projectors around the price ($600ish), and we gave it an award. It was on the market for exactly two years (plus however long it took them to sell off inventory). Because exactly two years after it was announced, that is, August 1, 2016, Optoma announced its replacement: the HD142X.

The Optoma HD142X is the replacement for the Optoma HD141X, and is a projector we wished we got to review, but didn't.

Three years ago, we reviewed Optoma’s HD141X. It was consistently one of the best-selling projectors around the price ($600ish), and we gave it an award. It was on the market for exactly two years (plus however long it took them to sell off inventory). Because exactly two years after it was announced, that is, August 1, 2016, Optoma announced its replacement: the HD142X.

The Optoma HD142X is the replacement for the Optoma HD141X, and is a projector we wished we got to review, but didn't.

Optoma HD142X Overview

The HD142X, now a year old, remains one of the best-selling home projectors out there, according to industry sources. Like all Optomas, it’s a DLP projector, and a bright one – claiming 3000 lumens. It’s got a long life lamp, an embarrassingly-limited zoom lens (only 1.1:1), no lens shift, and weighs in at 5.5 pounds. It does have a relatively hefty 10-watt speaker, and 3D. If you want to add wireless, it’s optional.

Here’s the thing I can’t answer for you – how good is the color on the HD142X? I was less-than-dazzled by the HD141X specifically because of the color, which, unless seriously adjusted, never did great skin tones, or even very good ones. Now, the HD142X might be a good bit better at this, but in this case, I just don’t have an opinion. Still, I would be extremely surprised if color accuracy rivaled the more expensive Epson 2040.

Because of its popularity (and it’s usually one of the top 3 best-selling projectors around $500 +/-), I wanted to let you folks know that there might be another projector to consider.

It gives you another DLP alternative to the Viewsonic around this price, although it has a one year warranty, while the Viewsonic has 3 years.

[prsku sku="HD141X"]