Our best-overall and best-picture-quality picks, and an unusual case: the Hisense beats the AWOL on paper — more lumens, broader HDR format support, a more serious built-in audio system — and costs $500 less. The AWOL still edges it out in our rating. The spec sheet isn't always the whole story.
For the most complete package for the money, the Hisense PX4 Pro. It's the only one of the two with both Dolby Vision and HDR10+, puts up the higher lumens and contrast figures, and includes a genuinely serious built-in Dolby Atmos speaker system — all for $500 less than the AWOL.
For the single best picture quality, if budget isn't the constraint, the AWOL Aetherion Max. Independent reviewers at What Hi-Fi, Projector Central, and Home Theater HiFi have converged on it as their current favorite UST, specifically citing lens and optical quality the spec sheet alone doesn't capture.
| Hisense PX4 Pro | AWOL Aetherion Max | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $3,999.99 | $4,499 |
| Our rating | 4.7 / 5 | 4.8 / 5 |
| Light source | RGB triple laser, 3,500 ANSI lumens | RGB triple laser, 3,300 ISO lumens |
| Native contrast | 6,500:1 | 6,000:1 |
| Color | 118% BT.2020, ΔE≤0.9 | Not published to the same standard |
| HDR | Dolby Vision, HDR10+, HDR10, HLG, IMAX Enhanced | Dolby Vision only |
| Screen size | 80"–200" | Up to 200" |
| Smart platform | VIDAA (smaller app catalog) | Google TV |
| Gaming | 1ms, 1080p/240Hz, FreeSync Premium certified | 1ms, VRR, Dolby Vision Gaming |
| Audio | Devialet-tuned 66W 4.0.2 Dolby Atmos, 2 up-firing speakers | 90W 4-driver (2 full-range, 2 tweeters) |
Specs are from Hisense's and AWOL's own product pages. Note that Hisense's lumens are rated in ANSI and AWOL's in ISO — the two standards aren't measured identically, so the raw numbers aren't perfectly apples-to-apples.
On paper, the PX4 Pro looks like the clear winner: more lumens, higher native contrast, broader HDR format support, a more elaborate built-in sound system, and a $500 lower price. Yet the Aetherion Max still rates slightly higher in our book (4.8 vs 4.7), and independent reviewers at outlets like What Hi-Fi, Projector Central, and Home Theater HiFi have specifically called it their current favorite ultra short throw projector.
The gap comes down to lens and optical engine quality — something that doesn't show up as a line item on a spec sheet but shows up clearly once you're watching the image. Reviewers describe the Aetherion Max's optics as holding up against premium long-throw projectors costing considerably more, which the raw numbers alone don't capture.
The PX4 Pro is the only one of the two with both Dolby Vision and HDR10+, on top of standard HDR10, HLG, and IMAX Enhanced certification — the broadest format coverage of any projector in our lineup. The Aetherion Max supports Dolby Vision only.
Both projectors hit 1ms input lag for gaming. The PX4 Pro is the first FreeSync Premium-certified UST projector and runs 1080p at up to 240Hz; the Aetherion Max adds VRR and Dolby Vision Gaming support. Either is a legitimate gaming projector — the choice here comes down to which ecosystem (AMD FreeSync vs broader VRR/Dolby Vision Gaming) matches your setup.
The PX4 Pro runs Hisense's own VIDAA smart platform, which has a smaller native app catalog than Google TV — AirPlay and Miracast help bridge the gap for casting from a phone or laptop, but it's still a real difference if you want everything built in. The Aetherion Max runs Google TV, with the much larger app ecosystem that implies.
The broadest HDR support, the highest lumens and contrast here, and a genuinely serious built-in Atmos system — for $500 less than the AWOL.
Price: $3,999.99 Check price on Amazon Prices change often — verify current pricing on Amazon.Reviewers' favorite UST right now, on lens and optical quality the spec sheet doesn't show. Runs Google TV.
Price: $4,499 Check price on Amazon Prices change often — verify current pricing on Amazon.Want the Aetherion Max against our best-value pick instead? See AWOL Aetherion Max vs Epson Lifestudio Grand.