WIRED's review of the AWOL Vision Aetherion Max RGB Laser UST Projector calls it a top buy, giving it a 9/10. The reviewer was particularly impressed by its ability to produce a colorful, sharp 4K image in a brightly lit room, noting that a full movie watched in daylight showed no contrast problems. The projector also earned praise for its built-in sound quality and extensive picture-tuning settings, which helped render difficult dark scenes from shows like House of the Dragon.
At $4,499, the Aetherion Max sits in the premium ultrashort throw category. The review compares it favorably to the Hisense XR10 Smart Projector, noting it is lighter at 19.3 pounds, and says it resembles the LG Micro RGB Evo TV in its adjustable picture settings. However, unlike the Xgimi Titan Noir Max, its iris does not adjust dynamically during content playback, so users must manually switch modes like Dolby Vision Bright to match room lighting.
The review also flags several drawbacks. The remote has small, hard-to-find volume buttons and only partial backlighting. Auto-keystoning occasionally struggled, and a QR-code-based phone correction tool failed in a dark room, despite AWOL Vision claiming it should work. Still, the reviewer concludes that the projector's breathtaking color and daylight capability make it a standout choice for home theater enthusiasts.