AWOL Vision Aetherion Max 4K Projector Review

The AWOL Vision Aetherion Max aims to bring the performance of a premium long-throw 4K projector to a much more convenient ultra-short-throw design. Its headline features include a bright triple-laser image, PixelLock technology, impressive gaming specifications, and built-in Google TV. After two weeks of testing the Aetherion Max, here is my review.

Big screen, little distance

The main advantage of an ultra-short-throw projector is the ability to produce an enormous image while sitting close to the screen. This makes the Aetherion Max much easier to accommodate in rooms where a conventional projector would be impractical and/or impossible to set up.

Positioning still requires more precision than with a long-throw model, but I didn’t find the setup particularly difficult. The Auto Keystone and manual adjustment tools worked well in my environment, though getting the projector physically aligned first produces the best results. Give yourself extra time to get the setup right, and you’ll thank yourself later.

The projector itself looks and feels suitably premium. Its futuristic shape, illuminated front section, and motorised lens cover help it stand out as a flagship product rather than another anonymous black box. Kudos to AWOL Vision for the bold design here!

Seriously sharp

The Aetherion Max produces its 4K image using pixel shifting, with AWOL’s PixelLock technology intended to maintain sharpness across the entire picture. At 120 inches, the results were excellent. Text, fine details, and interface elements remained crisp from the centre of the image to its corners. With support for up to 200 inches, users can push things even further.

What impressed me most was the level of sharpness the Aetherion Max achieves despite its ultra-short-throw optics. It delivers the sort of fine detail I would normally associate with a high-end conventional projector, while requiring far less installation space.

Brightness is rated at 3,300 ISO lumens. Even on my matte-white screen, the image remained colourful and watchable during the day. Closing the curtains naturally improved contrast, while a dedicated UST ALR screen should provide better daytime performance for anyone building a permanent setup.

The default picture looked good immediately, although it was slightly warmer than my personal preference. Filmmaker Mode became my main choice for movies and TV shows, delivering natural-looking colours, impressive HDR highlights, and excellent black levels on my setup.

AWOL also provides plenty of options for those who want to fine-tune the image, including Dynamic Tone Mapping, Enhanced Black Level, and a seven-level iris system. Anti-RBE technology is included to reduce the rainbow effect sometimes associated with DLP projectors, and I didn’t notice any distracting flashes during testing.

Let’s game

For gaming, I tested the Aetherion Max with Apex Legends, Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4’s beta, and The Witcher 3 on PS5.

At 4K/60 Hz, all three games felt responsive. The huge picture worked particularly well with The Witcher 3’s environments, while Apex Legends and Call of Duty still felt quick enough for competitive multiplayer.

Dropping to 1080p unlocks refresh rates of up to 240 Hz. AWOL advertises input latency as low as 1 ms at 1080p/240 Hz. The projector certainly feels responsive.

Additionally, VRR, ALLM, and Dolby Vision Gaming are also supported.

Smart enough to stand alone

Google TV runs noticeably smoothly, helped by 8 GB of RAM and 128 GB of storage. Netflix, Disney+, and the other services I regularly use were immediately available. I normally reach for my trusted Fire TV Stick when testing projectors, but I never felt the need to do so here, which is rare.

The built-in speakers are perfectly fine, but anyone spending this much on a projector will probably want to combine it with a dedicated sound system. Three HDMI 2.1 inputs, eARC, and USB-C DisplayPort provide plenty of connectivity for consoles, PCs, and audio equipment. 

The Aetherion Max also supports active 3D playback through compatible DLP-Link glasses, which are sold separately.

Disclosure: Review sample provided by AWOL Vision.