Physically the new JVC LX-NZ30 is identical to the previous model. The projector measures 15 7/8 x 13 1/8 x 5 1/4 inches (405 x 145.8 x 341 mm) and weighs 13.01 lbs (5.9 Kg). Last year this chassis was considered relatively small and light for a DLP projector with its specifications, but compared to some newer and brighter competitive DLP projectors in 2023 falls in the middle of the pack depending on which mainstream projector brand you compare it with. The LX-NZ30 is smaller than the JVC D-ILA projectors.

Like its predecessor, this new model is available in black and white. When looking at the face of the LX-NZ30, the front is slightly curved, with the lens on the right with manual zoom and focus controls located around the lens. On the left, there is an IR sensor.

On the top, directly above the lens, are the vertical/horizontal lens adjustment knobs. A simple control panel and three indicator lights are on the top rear. The hot air exhaust vent is on the projector's left side, while the air intake vent is on the right. All the inputs and connections are located on the rear of the chassis.

The control panel of the LX-NZ30 is standard, with the POWER button on the left plus a MENU and HIDE button. There are four directional buttons for menu navigation and an OK/ENTER button in the center. Finally, to the right is the INPUT selector to toggle between sources and a BACK button which takes you back up one level in the menus.

JVC has added several notable upgrades from last year's model and new connectivity options. They've also added a new DisplayPort for connecting to a computer, an upgrade to HDCP 2.3 for the HDMI 2.0 ports, and improved frames per second and reduced input lag.

The LX-NZ30 only has two HDMI inputs and it does not support HDMI ARC (Audio Return Channel) or eARC (Enhanced Audio Return Channel). My theory is that JVC believes that the LX-NZ30 will be connected to an A/V Receiver so the majority of video switching will be done through that device. 

For "old school" command and control, there is a traditional serial RS-232C port (DB9 connector) and a USB terminal for service and firmware updates.  There is also a new USB Type-C connection for USB direct connection (USB-C to USB-C cable only) from a laptop, and the HDMI connections support up to 4K HDR content. JVC has also added a LAN connection and upgraded the USB Type-A port to provide up to 2.5A compared to last year's 1.5A port and a single 12volt trigger output that can control a screen or motorized shades. 

The LX-NZ30 does not include internal streaming services or built-in smart features. , so users must add an external media device such as an Apple TV or Roku. Since the LX-30 is designed to be utilized as part of a home entertainment system, it doesn't include a built-in speaker system.

Regarding placement flexibility, the LX-NZ30 offers 1.6X zoom, an excellent zoom range. Most home theater projectors have zoom lenses ranging from 1.1:1 to 1.6:1, depending on the brand and model.

Here are the throw distances for the LX-NZ30 for filling anywhere from an 80-inch up to a 200-inch diagonal 16:9 screen. The measurements in the chart below represent measuring from the front of the projector's lens to the front of the screen.

The optics on the NZ-30 perform exceptionally well, with no visible chromatic aberrations on the projected image and a clean focus that only softens at the extreme edges of the screen.

The LX-NZ30 offers a decent amount of analog horizontal and vertical lens shift, increasing the projector's installation flexibility without introducing performance reductions that occur when using digital geometric corrections. While we strongly recommend squaring and installing the projector without digital modification, we also understand it's not always possible.

Remember, like most projectors, the more horizontal shift you use, the less vertical adjustment you will have available.

The LX-NZ30 has a less complex menu system than JVC’s 4K DILA models. LX-NZ30’s overall menu is well-organized and easy to navigate. The images of the menu shown in this section represent only a small number of all the sub-menus available. I tried to show a couple more notable sections found in the most used sub-menus (image, setting, networking, etc.). While the font size on the menu is a little small, it is still readable at a “normal” distance. The position of the menu can also be moved.

Delta E, as a measure of grayscale/color accuracy of 3 and under, is considered 'Excellent' and imperceptible by the human eye. Once The LX-NZ30 was calibrated, its greyscale and color tracking measurements were below 2. 

Like SDR, viewing HDR content, there was a little too much emphasis on green, making the image appear too cool. However, adjusting the 2-point grayscale settings produced a good RGB balance (Grayscale).

While calibration did deliver a noticeable improvement in color reproduction the LX-NZ30's SDR and HDR picture quality out of the box was better than most DLP projectors in its price range. 

The amount of streaming content in HDR, both movies and television, has increased dramatically. HDR can deliver an expanded color space with better highlight and shadow detail for content encoded in a high dynamic range. The JVC LX-NZ30's large color gamut gives users a rich color experience, even if a bit on the warm side with most content. Overall, the JVC LX-NZ30 produces an excellent picture I like.

The JVC LX-NZ30 allows users to adjust brightness within HDR content using the HDR BRIGHTNESS mode. Users can also use HDR BRIGHTNESS to change the brightness level based on screen type, size, and room environment. HDR BRIGHTNESS combines tone mapping and light source dimming and works incredibly well.

Despite how difficult it can be for a projector, its 3,300 lumens of brightness helped the LX-NZ30 produce a good HDR picture. The projector's Auto Tone Mapping made a noticeable improvement in the HDR picture. This JVC DLP projector does a good job balancing screen brightness while still producing bright highlight detail. I didn't need to manually adjust the tone mapping when viewing HDR content.

The JVC LX-NZ30 is the second in the company's NZ series of DLP projectors and is one of three currently available for sale. JVC is primarily known for their DILA 4K and now 8K projectors but offers high-quality, lower-cost DLP projectors to expand their consumer offerings. The least expensive DILA projector starts at roughly $7,000 MSRP compared to the LX-NZ30's $3,499 MSRP, and the NZ30 is noticeably brighter.

The LX-NZ30 features a high-quality JVC lens with a projected image from 80 to 200 inches in a 16:9 aspect ratio. The projector is designed for a quick and easy setup, helped by various physical adjustment tools, including horizontal and vertical lens shift controls, two adjustable feet, analog zoom control, digital keystone, and four corner adjustments. JVC even added a 2.5:1 aspect ratio to the projector.

When consumers purchase the JVC LX-NZ30, they get JVC's established projection expertise and technical capabilities. This experience provides users with a high-end JVC BLU-Escent laser phosphor illumination that can display 3,300 lumens with 20,000 hours of worry-free operation, eliminating the need to replace projector bulbs.

Like JVC DILA projectors, the newest NZ series projector takes the company's e-Shift expertise to augment Texas Instruments' XPR or pixel-shifting models to emulate the original 4K content, creating a stunning 4K UHD displayed image. When you compare side-by-side with a true 4K projector, the resolution difference should be unnoticeable to most people. The NZ30's single-chip DLP chip and its laser-light engine are rated to provide over a decade of virtually maintenance-free operation.

I would love to say that the projector's black-level performance is just as good as their higher-end projectors, but that's just not the case. I can say the black-level performance on this projector is about standard for a DLP projector resulting in darker gray rather than blacks, even with an excellent ALR screen, which I highly recommend.

JVC has paid attention to the performance of each of this projector's preset picture modes, two of which are user configurable. The LX-NZ30 produces a beautiful warm image that, with a few exceptions, I found pleasing. The projector's out-of-the-box picture quality is very nice, with no glaring issues I could detect.

The LX-NZ30 now features a GAMING mode allowing users to display 4K game content with an input lag of 25 ms at 60 fps. With this significant improvement in input lag, the NZ-30 can display 1,080P games up to 240 Hz at 6.25 ms. , 1080P 60@25 ms,120@12.5 ms, and 240Hz@6.25 ms. The LX-NZ30 competes with dedicated gaming projectors from companies like BenQ and Optima.

CINEMA and NATURAL preset picture modes are the most accurate out-of-the-box modes for SDR content. Both these modes significantly turn down brightness, attempting to improve black levels and provide a more FILMMAKER mode type of experience for the user. NATURAL mode is also the mode with the lowest brightness settings. If you are looking for a projector to view mainly SDR content in a room with higher ambient light, the LX-NZ30 might be the value in its price range from a premium projector manufacturer.

Regarding HDR performance, this projector excels, delivering one of the best HDR modes I've seen on a DLP projector in a while. Like the LX-NZ3, the NZ30 JVC has worked hard to improve the overall quality of HDR content by using its proprietary auto-tone mapping algorithms, which use the average and peak brightness information found in HDR10 metadata to deliver the best HDR picture possible with little to no adjustment needed when viewing HDR content.

Overall, I was very impressed with the picture performance of the LX-NZ30.

Epson Home Cinema LS11000 $3,999 MSRP

Compared to the Epson LS11000, the JVC LX-NZ30 is 700 ANSI brighter and retails for $500 less. However, LS1100 uses Epson's 3-Chip 3LCD sensors producing equal color and white lumens. The laser light source's brightness of 2500 ANSI lumens delivers excellent out-of-the-box color performance without distracting rainbowing or other color brightness issues seen in many Digital Light Processing (DLP) projectors. The 3LCD panels used in the LS11000 also delivers deeper black levels and higher native contrast. 

The Epson has equipped the LS11000 with dual HDMI 2.1 inputs that accept 4K HDR signals at 120 fps with an input lag below 20ms for a smooth, high-quality gaming experience. The LS11000 supports gaming with the latest generation of gaming consoles like the PlayStation 5 and XBOX Series X, as well as gaming PCs.

The new version of Epson's 4K PRO-UHD (pixel-shifting) utilized in the LS800 is noticeably better than the previous versions. It is quicker and quieter even though the projector rapidly shifts 1/4 of a pixel diagonally and horizontally, and it does so faster than the human eye can see. This 4K PRO-UHD version quadruples the visible pixels onscreen, allowing one pixel to do the job of four when displaying a 4K image.

While 3LCD pixel shifting has improved dramatically in the past few years, it still doesn't deliver the onscreen resolution and sharpness that a native 4K or XPR-equipped DLP projector like to JVC LX-NZ30 can produce.

LG GRU510N 4K UHD $3999 MSRP

The LG GRU510N also beats the JVC in light output, delivering a whopping 5,000 ANSI lumens of brightness compared to the NZ30's 3,300 ANSI lumens. The LG GRU510N is a 4K UHD (3,840 x 2,160) DLP projector with laser-phosphor illumination rated to deliver 20,000 hours of maintenance-free operation. Like the JVC, the LG supports HDR10 and HLG with dynamic HDR tone-mapping and features horizontal and vertical lens shift backed up by 12-point geometry correction.

This LG projector is an older model but is still available for purchase. This projector offers a similar overall picture compared to the JVC. With an MSRP of $3999, it is more expensive but can regularly be purchased for around $3499, making it a compelling alternative to the JVC.