Ultra short throw projectors improve, but high prices remain a problem

Picture quality is improving

Ultra short throw projectors are getting better at showing films the way their directors intended, according to a new assessment by What Hi-Fi?. The publication's editor in chief reviewed this year's leading UST models, which sit close to the wall and cast a very large picture, in its annual Awards shootout.

The reviewer identifies two long-standing faults with UST projectors. Some makers, such as Xgimi, try to hide the natural greyness of the black level by boosting contrast, which removes detail from dark scenes. Others accept slightly grey blacks but keep more shadow detail, an approach the reviewer prefers. Older models, including the former Award-winning Hisense PX3 Pro, also tended to push colour and brightness too far.

This year, the site reports clear progress on both fronts. Two models stood out: the Award-winning AWOL Vision Aetherion Max and the five-star Hisense PX4 Pro. Compared side by side with previous Award winners and rivals, the difference between the newer models and their predecessors was, in the reviewer's words, immediately apparent.

The Hisense PX4 Pro and AWOL Vision Aetherion Max

The PX4 Pro shows the work Hisense has put into its PX line over two years. In the site's review, characters' faces in the film Civil War looked more natural, with deeper shadows and more realistic highlights. In a burning forest scene, the extra brightness revealed red and orange flame colours absent on the older PX3 Pro, while blacks kept far more detail.

The AWOL Vision Aetherion Max went further. What Hi-Fi? describes it as delivering the best experience the team has had with a UST, and gave it an Award. The verdict praised the projector for restraining its more extreme tendencies and producing images that follow the creators' intent without looking flat.

Both models therefore suggest the category is maturing, at least on picture quality.

Why prices are still the sticking point

The bad news concerns value. UST projectors pack a large image, a very short throw distance and, often, a built-in Dolby Atmos speaker system into one box. That engineering carries a premium price.

What Hi-Fi? gives examples. The Hisense L9Q, currently under review, is described as fun and engaging but costs £3,999 ($5,999 / AU$8,995). For only a little more, the site argues, buyers could assemble a full home cinema around the Epson EH-LS9000 projector and Wharfedale DX-3 HCP speaker package.

Even the cheaper options are hard to justify. The PX4 Pro, the least expensive UST to earn a five-star rating in the site's reviews, costs £2,499 ($3,999 / AU$4,499). For roughly £100 more, a buyer could get a 65-inch LG C6 OLED television plus a Sonos Arc Ultra soundbar.

What this means for buyers

The comparison matters because, in the reviewer's view, the alternatives are simply better in key areas. A five-star OLED such as the LG C6 offers better picture quality than the PX4 Pro, and the Sonos Arc Ultra outperforms the UST's built-in Atmos system. The reviewer also says a conventional 5.1 surround setup with a long-throw projector feels more immersive than any UST tested.

The conclusion, according to What Hi-Fi?, is that UST projectors suit a specific type of buyer: someone who prizes the ultra short throw distance above all else, perhaps because they cannot fit a long-throw projector or do not want a large television dominating a wall. Picture quality is improving year on year, but for most buyers the price still does not add up.