AWOL Vision is not a brand that many people are familiar with. I had never heard of this brand until last year when I was researching high-brightness ultra-short throw (UST) projectors. While most brands have a wide range of products to choose from – mainly targeting budget and mid-range products, AWOL Vision does things a little differently; it only sells UST laser projectors and their target market is High-end market.
I’ve used six UST projectors over the past five years, and over the past 18 months there’s been a steady stream of new entrants introducing tantalizing new features. AWOL Vision’s LTV range stands out for Dolby Vision; not many UST projectors offer this feature, so naturally I was interested to see how the brand fares in this category.
The only projector I’ve tested with Dolby Vision is the XGIMI Horizon Ultra, but it’s a regular laser projector. What makes AWOL Vision’s LTV-3000 Pro even more attractive is that it uses UST technology, so you can place it against a wall and still get a large image. I have been using the LTV-3000 Pro for just over three months, and here are my thoughts on the UST projector.
AWOL Vision LTV-3000 Pro: Pricing and Release Date
AWOL Vision launched the LTV-3000 Pro in December 2023, and the projector is now available in select global markets. It retails for $3,999 on Amazon US, but you can get a $500 discount, bringing the cost down to $3,499. The LTV-3000 Pro sits in the middle of AWOL’s Vision portfolio; the base model is the LTV-2500, which sells for $2,599 as of this writing. There is a high-end model called the LTV-3500 Pro, which is 3,500 lumens and currently retails for $5,599 on Amazon.
All three models have the same design and connectivity, with the only difference being the brightness of the projection; the LTV-2500 can hit 2,600 lumens and the LTV-3500 Pro can hit 3,500 lumens. You get Dolby Vision and 4K projection as standard, and there’s a ton of customizability in terms of color balance and picture modes.
AWOL Vision LTV-3000 Pro: Design
The LTV-3000 Pro features a bold design that immediately catches people’s attention. I previously used the XGIMI Aura as my preferred UST projector, and although it also had a unique shape, it didn’t look that futuristic. The smooth lines combined with the extensive use of metal accents give the LTV-3000 Pro a lot of visual flair, and I like the way the front of the projector curves.
The LTV-3000 Pro is as massive as some other 4K UST projectors I’ve tested, and it offers all the features you need in a stylish package. My only issue is with the color choice; the projector is available in black, and the glossy plastic used on the sides is cleaner.
Other than that, there’s nothing wrong with the design. There are large vents on the sides that deliver airflow into the case, with the vent on the right acting as the air intake and the vent on the left acting as the exhaust. There’s a power button on top, and you can see the AWOL visual branding along with the usual Dolby label, and there’s a tri-color laser moniker on the side.
Four rubber feet on the bottom make it easy to position the projector, and you can make any necessary adjustments to the height. The projection lens is located on an island and has a larger outlet than some competitors, and AWOL Vision notes that it delivers better clarity even at 150-inch projections.
The usual proximity sensor turns off the laser when it detects an object, and I found it to be a little too sensitive – it would turn off the screen even if I walked past the projector. Overall, the LTV-3000 Pro certainly looks the part among high-end UST projectors, and the bold design combined with build quality makes it an excellent choice in this category.
AWOL Vision LTV-3000 Pro: Features
The LTV-3000 Pro isn’t lacking in features; the UST projector is capable of delivering projections up to 150 inches, and it uses a Texas Instruments 0.47 digital micromirror device (DMD) along with a custom Ricoh lens to deliver a contrast ratio of 2500:1 4K projection.
As the Tri-Chroma Laser brand suggests, it uses a tri-laser light source with up to 3,000 lumens of brightness, and AWOL Vision claims the laser has a lifespan of 25,000 hours, which is significantly longer than the life of a traditional projector.
In terms of connectivity, the LTV-3000 Pro has Wi-Fi ac and Bluetooth 5.0, three HDMI 2.0 ports on the back (one with eARC), two USB 2.0 ports that let you connect external drives to the projector, and digital audio output and Ethernet. As for the hardware, you get 3GB RAM and 128GB eMMC storage.
There is 8-point keystone correction, and like other UST projectors, the LTV-3000 Pro has a standby mode that consumes only 0.5W of power.
AWOL Vision LTV-3000 Pro: Picture quality and sound
The LTV-3000 Pro’s biggest selling point is its ability to deliver up to 3,000 lumens of images. That’s significantly higher than the 1,800 lumens managed by the XGIMI Aura, and after more than two years of using that projector, the effect was immediate when switching to the LTV-3000 Pro.
Most UST projectors aren’t very bright, which doesn’t mean they’re as versatile as TVs; you usually need to place them in a dark room with the blinds closed. But this isn’t a problem with the LTV-3000 Pro, as the projector is capable of delivering a very serviceably bright image, even if there’s plenty of ambient light in the room. Heck, this UST projector is brighter than most regular laser projectors, and that’s no small thing.
The projector has six modes – Standard, Vivid, Movie, Sports, Game and User – and in my use, I found that Movie mode had the best color reproduction. Both SDR and HDR content appear with rich detail and color vibrancy, and AWOL Vision calibrates excellent color out of the box. What I also like is the sheer customizability it offers; you can easily change the white balance, contrast, saturation, and adjust the color balance as needed (in user mode).
In the three months I’ve been using the LTV-3000 Pro, I’ve streamed a lot of content on the LTV-3000 Pro and had zero issues with image quality. Color balance and black levels are excellent throughout, and it performs better at distance viewing than any other UST projector I’ve tested to date, including the VAVA Chroma.
The projector performs well with HDR content and can play Netflix’s Dolby Vision titles effortlessly. Watching movies is just as enjoyable as playing sports, the biggest difference being the high brightness. What’s particularly nice is that you get a 24fps option, and at the other end of the scale, there’s MEMC.
You can also use the projector for gaming, with a dedicated gaming mode reducing latency to 15 milliseconds. It can’t manage 4K at 120Hz, but if you want to connect your console to a big screen, the LTV-3000 Pro is a good choice. You get 120Hz at 1080p, and latency is as low as 8ms in this mode.
I set the LTV-3000 Pro to provide a 95-inch projection, but it can use a 0.25:1 throw ratio to go up to 150 inches. . The projector has two built-in audio drivers that deliver 36W of sound, and it performs well enough on its own. That said, ideally you’ll want to pair it with a quality soundbar.
AWOL Vision LTV-3000 Pro: Remote
While the LTV-3000 Pro’s design is clearly futuristic, the remote control is not. It looks a bit cheap, a bit ’90s, and bears no resemblance to the projector itself. The silver design looks gimmicky and there are so many buttons that they’re almost useless.
The biggest issue is that there’s no backlight, which makes using the remote more cumbersome than it needs to be. The only good thing about it is that after setting up the projector to your liking, you don’t have to use it again.
AWOL Vision LTV-3000 Pro: Software
The AWOL Vision has a barebones software interface based on Android 9.0, and it doesn’t offer any smart features; you can’t install common streaming services, and you can’t do much with the UI. You don’t get much functionality other than switching HDMI sources and changing the projector’s settings.
Thankfully, AWOL Vision has solved the software problem by bundling Amazon’s streaming stick with a software package. Most projectors from Chinese brands aren’t Netflix-certified – a persistent problem with XGIMI’s products – so AWOL Vision doesn’t have to worry about these issues as long as it bundles a streaming stick in the box.
So, there’s not much to talk about in terms of software. There’s a unit on the back of the projector that holds and powers the streaming stick, which is a nice workaround for setting up a custom software interface or for use with Android TV and worrying about Netflix certification.
I used the LTV-3000 Pro with my go-to streaming device, NVIDIA’s Shield TV Pro, and it turned out to be a great combination. The Shield TV Pro was smooth in day-to-day use, had tons of customizability, and allowed me to download all the streaming services I cared about.
AWOL Vision LTV-3000 Pro: Competition
The XGIMI Aura has a lot of similarities with the LTV-3000 Pro; it also uses a similar laser light source and delivers great color out of the box. It’s not as bright as the LTV-3000 Pro, but it’s adequate if there’s not too much ambient light. And at $1,699, it’s even more affordable.
AWOL Vision LTV-3000 Pro: Should you buy it?
You should purchase this product if:
- You need a bright UST projector
- You want a projector that supports Dolby Vision
- You need accurate colors with lots of configurability
You should not purchase this product if:
- You want Android TV out of the box
Honestly, AWOL Vision’s LTV-3000 Pro ticks all the boxes. This projector is the brightest I’ve ever tested, and it performs well even with a lot of ambient light coming through. You get great color and contrast, and there’s enough customizability that you can adjust the color balance to your liking.
The LTV-3000 Pro performs well with HDR content and Dolby Vision, and the various modes play an important role in day-to-day use; this is a versatile projector that can be used in a variety of settings. A big drawback for most new entrants in this space is software, but that’s not an issue here. The only downside is the remote control, but other than that, I don’t have any downsides to the LTV-3000 Pro.
It’s more expensive than the competition, but if you want the bright projection of Dolby Vision and a fair amount of customizability, the LTV-3000 Pro is an excellent choice.
The LTV-3000 Pro is brighter than most UST laser projectors, features Dolby Vision, and delivers great color right out of the box.