A head-to-head ust projectors comparison to help you pick the right one for your home theater.
Updated 2026
Verdict
Both are premium RGB triple-laser ultra short throw projectors. The AWOL LTV-3500 Pro is no longer sold on Amazon; the AWOL Aetherion Max (over $2,500) is AWOL's current flagship UST in that slot, rated 3,300 ISO lumens with 3D, Dolby Vision, HDR10+, a 240Hz game mode and Google TV built in. The Samsung The Premiere LSP9T (over $2,500) is rated 2,800 lumens, runs Samsung's Tizen smart TV platform and has a 4.2-channel speaker system built in, but has no 3D or Dolby Vision. Buy the AWOL Aetherion Max for the brighter image, 3D and gaming; buy the Samsung LSP9T if you want the Samsung ecosystem and built-in surround sound for less money.
$2,500+
The LTV-3500 Pro is no longer sold on Amazon; the Aetherion Max is AWOL's current flagship UST in this slot.
Check AWOL Aetherion Max Price$2,500+
Check Samsung The Premiere LSP9T Price| AWOL Aetherion Max (LTV-3500 Pro successor) | Samsung The Premiere LSP9T | |
|---|---|---|
| Light source | Triple laser (RGB) | Triple laser (RGB) |
| Brightness | 3,300 ISO lumens (the old LTV-3500 Pro was rated 3,500 ANSI lumens) | 2,800 lumens |
| Smart TV | Google TV built in (the LTV-3500 Pro needed a streamer) | Tizen built in |
| Gaming | 240Hz mode, VRR, ALLM, 3x HDMI 2.1a, 3D | Game mode, no 3D |
| HDR | Dolby Vision, HDR10+, HDR10, HLG | HDR10+, HDR10 |
| Built-in sound | Not a focus of the listing; plan on a soundbar or AV receiver | 4.2-channel, 40W speaker system |
| Best for | Brightness, 3D, gaming | Samsung ecosystem, all-in-one sound |
| Price now | LTV-3500 Pro no longer on Amazon; Aetherion Max over $2,500 | $2,500+ |
The table above compares AWOL's current flagship and the Samsung The Premiere LSP9T on light source, brightness, smart TV, gaming, HDR, sound and price. The old version of this comparison said the AWOL was the cheaper and brighter pick but needed an external streamer. At current prices that has flipped on two counts: the Aetherion Max costs more than the LSP9T, and it now has Google TV built in. What decides it is whether you value the AWOL's brightness, 3D and gaming inputs over the Samsung's built-in 4.2-channel sound and Samsung ecosystem.
A note on lumens: AWOL rated the LTV-3500 Pro in ANSI lumens and rates the Aetherion Max in ISO lumens. The two standards are measured differently, so 3,300 ISO is not a step down from 3,500 ANSI in any meaningful way; treat them as the same brightness class, and both rated above the LSP9T's 2,800 lumens.
Color volume is how much of its color range a display holds onto as the image gets brighter, which is why a projector can look richly saturated in dark scenes and still wash out in bright highlights.
You want the brightest image in this pair, 3D support, Dolby Vision and the most gaming connectivity (three HDMI 2.1a inputs plus DisplayPort), and you plan to add a soundbar or AV receiver anyway.
Where to buy: the LTV-3500 Pro is no longer sold on Amazon. The AWOL buttons on this page go to the Aetherion Max, AWOL's current flagship UST at the same price tier. If you want a cheaper AWOL, the LTV-3000 Pro (rated 3,000 ANSI lumens) is the step-down model, not a replacement for the LTV-3500 Pro.
Check AWOL Aetherion Max on Amazon
You want a Samsung Tizen smart TV experience, built-in Alexa and Bixby voice control, and a 4.2-channel speaker system built into the projector, and you do not need 3D or Dolby Vision.
Check Samsung The Premiere LSP9T on Amazon
Not on Amazon. AWOL's current flagship ultra short throw projector is the Aetherion Max (over $2,500), rated 3,300 ISO lumens with RGB triple laser, 3D, Dolby Vision and Google TV built in. It fills the same top-of-the-line slot and price tier the LTV-3500 Pro held, so the buttons on this page go to it.
On brightness, HDR format support, 3D and gaming, the Aetherion Max leads on paper. It is no longer the cheaper option: at current prices it costs more. The Samsung LSP9T's advantages are its built-in 4.2-channel sound and the Samsung ecosystem.
For best results, yes. Both premium USTs pair best with an ambient-light-rejecting (ALR) UST screen, which dramatically improves contrast and combats room light. Projecting onto a plain wall sacrifices much of the picture quality you paid for.
The Aetherion Max does: it runs Google TV. The older LTV-3500 Pro relied on an external streamer such as Apple TV, Roku or Fire TV. The Samsung The Premiere LSP9T runs Samsung's Tizen platform, so both current models stream out of the box.
The Aetherion Max, on paper: AWOL rates it at 1ms-class latency at 240Hz with VRR, ALLM, three HDMI 2.1a inputs and 3D. The Samsung LSP9T has a game mode but is oriented more toward a polished smart-TV-style living-room experience.