Epson 3800 vs 4010

With the rapid evolution of projector technology over the years, it is now possible to get movie-theater-level experiences at home!

The Epson home-cinema projectors promise you such experiences for an amazingly affordable price range! 

I will compare the Epson 3800 vs 4010.

The main difference between Epson 3800 and Epson 4010 is on a contrast ratio basis. When it comes to black and dark images, the 4010 displays sharper, more detailed, and more accurate images.

Sharp resolution is not the only strength of Epson projectors. A comparison of the Epson 3800 and 4010 reveals that they both have very good quality when it comes to brightness, color accuracy, and overall performance.

In fact, it is very difficult to pick a clear overall winner among them.

Both these projectors use pixel-shifting technology to achieve 4K resolutions. Although they are not short throw or ultra short throw projectors, they are becoming so popular these days.

But nonetheless, they offer amazing picture quality and a lot of other special features that we will look at shortly!

Quick Comparison Between Epson 3800 vs 4010

Similarities 

Both the Epson 3800 and 4010 are 3 LCD projectors that use pixel-shifting technology. This means that they have similar color processing and resolution. They both aren’t native 4K projectors and use 12-bit real-time processing for frame transitions.

Another similarity they share is the focus and lens shift adjustments. 

In terms of design, they both come in white color and share the same size and weight.

Differences

Aside from the contrast ratio differences, there is another notable difference in the picture quality. The Epson 4010 has no rainbow effect, while the 3800 model does. 

Another difference that consumers usually notice is the number of HDMI ports. The Epson 3800 has two HDMI ports, while the 4010 has only one.

It also has a higher brightness level, up to 3000 lumens, whereas the Epson 4010 has only 2400 lumens brightness.

Installation and setup

Both these projectors offer excellent vertical and horizontal lens shift adjustments. This will give you plenty of room and flexibility for projector placement.

However, the Epson 4010 has a motorized zoom of 2.1x. It can also memorize 10 different lens positions to store aspect ratio presets. 

These positions are suitable for maintaining constant image height on 2.4 -1 CinemaScope screens without needing any additional lenses. This is a rare feature for the Epson 4010, and that too at such a low price point.

When it comes to mounting options, due to their heavier size, I would recommend installing these projectors on a ceiling mount and manually correcting their alignment with the screen. 

Epson 3800

Specifications

• Resolution: 1080p (4K with pixel shifting)
• Brightness: 3000 lumens
• Contrast ratio: 100,000:1
• Input lag: 16.7ms
• Throw distance: 6.2’ – 28.8’
• Screen size: 40” – 300”
• Rear-firing, two 10W stereo speakers 

The Epson 3800 is a versatile projector equally suitable for gaming and home cinema applications. With low input latency and fast image processing, it uses real-time 12-bit video processing to provide an instant functional response to on-screen input.

This isn’t just great for gamers. It also reduces motion blur between frames, ensuring a smoother image when watching sports or action movies.

His 3,000-lumen brightness on the Epson 3800 is perfect for users who don’t have a home theater. Even with lots of windows, I don’t see any washout due to the lighting conditions typical of a living room. Colors are also bright and accurate, and 3LCD chip technology eliminates annoying issues such as the rainbow effect.

The Epson 3800 is a little more difficult to set up and focus on. It has robust connectivity options that lend themselves to multi-purpose setups. 

However, the image adjustment options aren’t as good, with some users reporting difficulty focusing the lens on moderate screen sizes. That’s my only gripe about this projector, though, and it’s more of an annoyance than a problem.

Overall, I recommend the Epson 3800 as the best mid-range projector for gamers.

Pros

• No rainbow artifacts
• Auto-iris improves contrast and black level
• Bluetooth wireless audio streaming capability
• Two integrated 10W speakers give a better sound
• Ideal for gaming
• Supports HDR and HLG

Cons

• Difficult to focus on the lens in mid-range screen sizes
• A fan is loud in high-power mode
• Not suitable for darker rooms

Epson 4010

Specifications

• Resolution: 1080p (4K with pixel shifting)
• Brightness: 2,400 lumens
• Contrast ratio: 200,000:1
• Input lag: 28.4ms
• Throw distance: 6.2’ – 29.4’
• Screen size: 30” – 300”
• No built-in speaker

The Epson 4010 comes at an ideal price point for an entry-level, pixel-shifting, 4K UHD projector. Your 4K movies on this projector will look amazing. The smoothness of each frame is very fluid, so you will immerse yourself in the film or content you are watching.

The Epson 4010 shares many strengths with the 3800. They have similar color processing and resolution, and the Epson 4010 also uses 12-bit real-time processing for image transitions. 

The 4010’s main advantage in terms of image quality is its high contrast ratio. Dark areas of the image have more depth and become noticeably sharper.

Setting up the Epson 4010 is also easy. A motorized 3-axis lens allows both vertical and horizontal shifting. Once you have the lens where you want it, you can easily save your settings. 

With 10 user-programmable memory presets you can also save different settings for different situations. This is very useful when using a projector with different settings and screen sizes.

The main thing the Epson 4010 lacks is lamp brightness. With 2,400 lumens of brightness, you can see well in dark or almost dark rooms. That is no problem if you have a dedicated home theater. 

However, it has a tendency to leach. If there are many windows in the viewing area, light control measures should be taken. Also, if you want to use it outdoors, you should wait until it’s completely dark.

Pros

• No rainbow effect
• Better color replication and light reproduction
• Has 5 graduated Image Enhancement settings
• Digital Cinema Mode has 100% DCI-P3 coverage
• 10 different lens position memories
• Maintains constant image height on a CinemaScope screen
• Fan is quiet

Cons

• Does not support 4K 60Hrtz HDR. 
• lacks an 18-gigabyte chipset. 
• Not ideal for video games.
• Too bright for most darker rooms

Final Verdict

If you’re an avid home-theater enthusiast who’s looking for high-quality UHD and HDR movie content, with good sharpness, and enhanced color contrast, the Epson home-cinema 4010 offers fantastic value, and it’s a solid choice in the below-$2000 range that should leave you satisfied.

But if you’re looking for a high-quality gaming projector or you have a larger room that receives a lot of ambient light, you will find the Epson 3800 to be your best choice.

Frequently Asked Questions