Home theater projectors have come a long way in recent years, with 4K resolution, increased brightness, and more compact form factors. Two popular home theater projectors from Epson are the 4010 and 3800 models.
But with similar specs and pricing, which one is the better buy? This comprehensive guide examines the key differences between the Epson 4010 and 3800 to help you decide.
A Brief Comparison Table
| Specs | Epson 4010 | Epson 3800 |
| Resolution | 1080p | 1080p |
| Brightness | 2,000 lumens | 1,900 lumens |
| Contrast Ratio | 1,000,000:1 | 1,000,000:1 |
| Zoom Ratio | 2.1x | 1.6x |
| Lamp Life | 5,000 hours | 5,000 hours |
| Warranty | 2 years | 2 years |
| Price | $1,799 | $1,649 |
Overview Of The Epson 4010 And 3800
The Epson 4010 and 3800 are both 1080p home theater projectors with similar brightness ratings and connectivity options. Here’s a quick rundown of their key specs:
Epson 4010
- Resolution: 1920 x 1080 (1080p)
- Brightness: 2,000 lumens (color and white)
- Contrast Ratio: Over 1,000,000:1
- Lamp Life: 5,000 hours (Normal mode)
- Lens Shift: Vertical and horizontal
- Zoom Ratio: 2.1x
- MSRP: $1,799
Epson 3800
- Resolution: 1920 x 1080 (1080p)
- Brightness: 1,900 lumens (color and white)
- Contrast Ratio: Over 1,000,000:1
- Lamp Life: 5,000 hours (Normal mode)
- Lens Shift: Vertical and horizontal
- Zoom Ratio: 1.6x
- MSRP: $1,649
The 4010 gains an edge with its slightly higher brightness rating and increased zoom range. But otherwise, these two models share many of the same core specs and performance capabilities. Keep reading to see how they compare in real-world use.
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Picture Quality
When it comes to overall image quality, the 4010 and 3800 are fairly evenly matched. Both offer full 1080p resolution and use 3LCD projection technology to deliver accurate, vivid colors and deep blacks. Side-by-side, you’d be hard-pressed to notice a difference.
The 4010’s extra 100 lumens of brightness gives it a slight visible edge in rooms with more ambient light. Its images appear punchier, with bolder highlights and shadows. But the 3800 is no slouch – it gets plenty bright for most home theater spaces and has excellent color reproduction.
These projectors also have identical 1,000,000:1 contrast ratios. This produces inky blacks and excellent shadow detail in dark scenes. HDR content looks great on both models, with expanded dynamic range and wide color gamut coverage.
For the most part, expect a very similar picture between the two. The 4010 may have a barely perceptible brightness advantage, but overall image quality is comparable.
Features And Connectivity
The Epson 4010 and 3800 share an identical lineup of connection ports:
- 2x HDMI
- 1x USB-A
- 1x USB-B
- 1x RS-232C
- 1x Ethernet
- 1x Audio Out 3.5mm
This allows you to connect Blu-ray players, game consoles, streaming sticks, and more. Both projectors also support control and monitoring over a wired network connection.
For sound, each model has a built-in 10W speaker. The audio quality is passable for casual viewing, but connecting an external sound system is recommended for the best experience.
On the features front, both projectors offer horizontal and vertical lens shift for flexible positioning. They also have powered zoom lenses and support anamorphic widescreen enhancement modes.
The 4010 pulls ahead slightly with its increased 2.1x zoom range compared to the 3800’s 1.6x. This gives you more flexibility for positioning the projector at different distances from the screen.
Otherwise, the pair is evenly matched in terms of features and connectivity. You get the essentials for home theater use without a lot of fancy bells and whistles.
Also Read: Is Epson 3200 Better Than 3800?
Ease Of Use
Epson designed both the 4010 and 3800 to be simple and intuitive for home users. Setup is straightforward – just place the projector, connect your sources, and adjust the image via the manual zoom, focus, and lens shift dials.
The on-screen menus offer several predefined picture modes (like Cinema, Natural, etc.) along with manual controls for fine-tuning brightness, contrast, color temperature, and more. There’s also automatic vertical keystone correction and screen fitting features to square up the image.
Day-to-day operation is simple with instant on/off and source switching via the included remote. Both models are relatively compact and lightweight for their class as well.
Overall, there’s little difference in ease of use between the two. First-time buyers will have no trouble getting up and running thanks to their simple menus and manual controls.
Lamp Life And Maintenance
The 4010 and 3800 specify the same lamp life of 5,000 hours in Normal mode. This translates to over 6 years of use if you watch 5 hours per day. Of course, running the projector in Eco mode extends lamp life even further, to around 10,000 hours.
For maintenance, you’ll need to periodically clean the air filter to prevent dust buildup and replace the lamp module once it burns out. Replacement lamps cost $299 for both models.
There’s no clear advantage here – both projectors offer long lamp life and straightforward maintenance for the light source and air filter. Operating costs will be very similar between the two over their lifespan.
Warranty And Support
Epson covers both the 4010 and 3800 with a standard 2-year limited warranty. This protects against defects in materials and workmanship. To extend coverage, you’ll need to purchase an optional extended service plan.
For support, Epson offers technical phone and email assistance along with manuals and information on their website. Support resources are identical for both the 4010 and 3800 models.
There’s no real difference in the warranty or support you get buying either projector. Expect industry-standard coverage from Epson unless you opt for extended protection.
Also watch the review of Epson 4010!
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
For the price, the Epson 3800 is an excellent value. It delivers superb 1080p image quality with deep blacks, accurate colors, and ample brightness for most spaces. The connectivity options, ease of use, long lamp life, and flexible lens shift make it a worthwhile investment for home theater.
The Epson 3800 was originally released in 2018. It has since been succeeded by newer models but remains available for purchase brand new from many retailers. As a 2018 model, it lacks the latest projector tech but still delivers a great viewing experience.
The Epson 3800 has a native 16:9 widescreen aspect ratio, which is standard for 1080p home theater projectors. This matches the ratio of most HDTVs. and Blu-ray content. The 3800 supports anamorphic enhancement for 2.35:1 cinematic content.
The Epson 3800 has a native refresh rate of 60Hz. This standard refresh allows it to display video content like Blu-rays (24fps), TV (30fps), and games (60fps) smoothly without any frame skipping or artifacts.
Also Read: Comparison Between AMC And Cinemark USA.
The Bottom Line
The Epson 4010 and 3800 are extremely similar home theater projectors. You get the same 1080p image quality, robust connection options, long-lasting lamp, and straightforward ease of use with both models.
The 4010 holds a slight edge in peak brightness (2,000 Vs. 1,900 lumens) and zoom range (2.1x Vs. 1.6x). But whether those differences are worth the $150 premium depends on your needs:
- For very bright rooms or larger screen sizes, the 4010 is the better choice. Those extra lumens will come in handy.
- If you don’t need the maximum light output, the 3800 offers nearly identical performance for less money.
Overall, you can’t go wrong with either of these capable 1080p projectors. Let your budget, room conditions, and screen size needs drive the decision between the Epson 4010 Vs. 3800.