Optoma Wave 120SK DLP 4K Projector Review: Full of surprises

Pros
- Excellent picture quality
- Super bright lamp with a long life
- Compact size
- Short throw
- Easy to calibrate
- Great colours, deep blacks and excellent contrast
- Good gaming performance at 240Hz, 4ms response at 1080P

Cons
- Design looks very basic
- Fans can get loud
- In-built speaker leave a lot to be desired
- No zooming capabilities,  
- No lens shift

Price: Rs 3,90,000
Rating: 4.5/5

With 55, 60 and even 72-inch TVs starting to go mainstream, true home theatre enthusiasts need something unique to stand out. That’s exactly what the Optoma Wave 120SK offers. This 4K laser projector is built for sharp, detailed visuals with excellent brightness and colour reproduction, making it a fantastic choice for movie buffs, and surprisingly, gamers.  

Despite not being marketed as a gaming projector, it holds its own with 4ms input lag, 240Hz refresh rate at 1080p, and 60Hz at 4K, ensuring smooth gameplay. Whether you’re racing in F1 2023 or battling in Call of Duty: Warzone, the motion remains fluid with crisp details and deep contrast..

However, not everything is perfect. The lack of HDR10+ support is disappointing, considering the price, as bright outdoor scenes can lose detail. The built-in speaker is passable, but for a true home theatre experience, an external sound system is essential.

Another thing to note — it’s not a smart projector. Unlike some of its competitors at this price point, it doesn’t have built-in streaming apps, so you’ll need a Fire Stick, Chromecast, or another streaming device. In such a scenario, does Optoma’s asking price of Rs 3,90,000 make any sense? Well, if modern TV prices are anything to go by, that price tag seems like the bargain of the century.

Optoma Wave 120SK Projector Review: Design & built

At first glance, the Optoma Wave 120SK looks plain and understated, with its simple white design. But don’t be fooled—this compact projector is all about performance, delivering bright, sharp visuals while keeping things lightweight and efficient.

Optoma has also taken sustainability seriously, using 50 per cent PCR plastic for the chassis and 97% recyclable packaging. The projector’s small footprint isn’t just for convenience — it allows twice as many units to fit in a shipping container, which helps cut down on carbon emissions.

Despite weighing just 3.2kg, the Wave 120SK feels solid and well-built. The front panel houses the lens on the right and an IR sensor on the left, while a tethered lens cap is included to keep the lens protected. However, keeping it dust-free may take a little extra care.

For cooling, large vents on the sides and front allow for steady airflow, preventing overheating even during long movie or gaming sessions. The fan is relatively quiet, but if you crank up the brightness, it does get noticeably louder. The sealed IP6X-certified optical engine helps keep dust out, which is great for long-term durability.

Setting up the projector is straightforward, thanks to adjustable feet at the bottom that let you tilt it upwards. There’s also an option for ceiling mounting, which adds extra flexibility. The rear panel holds all the necessary connectivity options, while the manual focus dials are neatly tucked into a recessed compartment. If you prefer physical buttons over a remote, you’ll find a basic control panel on the top.

One thing to note: this isn’t a smart projector, so you won’t find built-in streaming apps or an app store, so you may have to make do with a Chromecast, or a separate Android TV box, if you were looking for one. While some might see this as a limitation, it actually makes the interface cleaner and faster without unnecessary bloatware.

Overall, the Optoma Wave 120SK is a well-designed, compact 4K projector that’s perfect for movies, gaming, and presentations. It may not have built-in smart features, but with its lightweight build, efficient cooling, and flexible setup options, it’s a great choice for anyone who wants high-quality visuals without the bulk.

Optoma Wave 120SK Review: Connectivity & Ports

When it comes to connectivity, the Optoma Wave 120SK keeps things simple but functional. The back panel houses two HDMI 2.0 ports, with one supporting eARC, allowing high-quality audio passthrough. There’s also a 3.5mm audio jack, a USB port, and an RJ45 Ethernet port for wired networking.

One interesting addition is what looks like a VGA port, but is actually an RS232 port. While RS232 may seem outdated, it’s still widely used in professional and corporate environments for remote control and automation. This allows the projector to communicate with control systems like Crestron, AMX, and Extron, making it a useful feature for businesses, classrooms, and large auditoriums where automation is key.

The included backlit remote is pretty basic. The buttons could have been better in shape and feel—something that would have made navigating in the dark a bit easier. However, since projectors like this are typically set up once and left alone, you won’t have to use the remote all that often, other than just powering it on and off.  

Optoma Wave 120SK Projector Review: Features & Performance

The Optoma Wave 120SK may not look flashy, but when it comes to performance, it’s got a lot going for it. Designed to deliver a premium 4K experience, this laser projector boasts a sharp 3840 x 2160 resolution and a brightness of 3500 lumens, making it a solid option for home theatres, gaming setups, or even business presentations.

At its core, the Wave 120SK uses DLP (Digital Light Processing) technology, which is known for clear, vibrant visuals and excellent contrast. Unlike LCD projectors, DLP models tend to be more compact and dust-resistant, meaning they require less maintenance and last longer over time. Since Optoma has equipped this model with a laser light source, it’s built to last—over 30,000 hours, according to the company. That’s a big step up from traditional lamp-based projectors, which often require frequent bulb replacements.

DLP also handles motion better, so you’re less likely to see motion blur in fast-paced scenes, making this projector a great fit for action-packed movies or gaming.

One of the biggest benefits of the Wave 120SK is its short-throw design. You don’t need a massive room to enjoy a big-screen experience — you can easily get a 100-ish inch image from about a metre-metre and a half away. This makes it perfect for smaller spaces where long-throw projectors wouldn’t be practical.

Setting up the Wave 120SK can be a bit tricky though there’s no real zoom function, but a digital one. It does include keystone correction (+/-15° both vertically and horizontally), but the adjustment process isn’t the smoothest, and with no optical lens shift, you’ll need the patience of a monk to get everything lined up perfectly. But once you do, the results are absolutely worth it.

Right out of the box, the Wave 120SK produces a bright, detailed picture, but to really get the best image, you’ll want to tweak the settings. Skin tones can sometimes look a little off, and if you’re not careful, yellows may appear washed out, but dialling in the colours is easy.  

The projector’s contrast ratio of 2,300,000:1 delivers deep blacks and bright highlights, which makes watching anything in a dark room a real treat. However, HDR support is limited — it only includes standard HDR and HLG, with no HDR10 or HDR10+. This means that while HDR content still looks good, you may lose some detail in very bright outdoor scenes.

If you’re into gaming, the Wave 120SK projector has a huge advantage — The Wave 120SK supports 240Hz refresh rate at 1080p, and 60Hz at 4K, meaning smooth performance across different resolutions. At 120Hz, you get an ultra-low input lag of 4ms, but crank up the resolution, or tweak the refresh rate in any way, and the input latency drops to 17ms. Also, do note that all your keystone corrections go out of the window when you switch on the gaming mode.  

The net result is, that the Wave 120Sk makes gameplay feel incredibly responsive. Whether you’re racing in F1 2023, dodging bullets in Call of Duty: Warzone, or dropping into PUBG, the motion is fluid, reflections are sharp, and shadows look realistic.

You also get a 15W speaker built in, which is functional but unimpressive. You’ll definitely want to hook up an external sound system. Thankfully, Optoma includes an ARC HDMI port, making it easy to connect a soundbar or AV receiver.

The Wave 120SK doesn’t have built-in apps or Wi-Fi connectivity, so you’ll need to plug in a Fire TV Stick, Roku, or Chromecast to access streaming services. At this price point, this may seem like an unnecessary cost-cutting measure.  

Optoma Wave 120SK Review: Verdict

The Optoma Wave 120SK is a high-brightness 4K laser projector designed for those who want cinema-level visuals at home without committing to a massive 100-inch TV. While it doesn’t tick every box — no HDR10+ or optical zoom at this price is a letdown — it still has plenty to offer.

With long lamp life, nearly 24x7 operation, and impressive colour accuracy, it’s a versatile option for both movies and gaming. The contrast levels aren’t class-leading, but high brightness ensures clear images even with some ambient light, making it a practical alternative to a large TV. The added bonus? It’s far more portable, meaning you can move it between rooms or even different homes.

Where the Wave 120SK truly excels is gaming. Thanks to low input lag (as low as 4ms) and high refresh rates, it competes not just with other projectors, but with some of the best gaming monitors out there.

Its image quality is solid, particularly at 1080p with 120Hz, offering smooth performance without sacrificing sharpness. SDR and HDR visuals hold up well, with dynamic LED enhancements improving the overall experience.

While expensive compared to mid-range projectors, it delivers an immersive gaming and big-screen experience. If you’re after a 4K DLP projector with serious gaming chops, the Optoma Wave 120SK is worth considering — as long as you’re okay with a few missing premium features.