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In recent years, we've seen a surge in the projector market, particularly in the realm of Ultra-Short Throw (UST) projectors. These innovative devices are rapidly evolving, with each new model pushing the boundaries of performance and convenience. The allure of UST projectors is undeniable, largely due to their compatibility with Ambient Light Rejecting (ALR) screens, which significantly enhance the viewing experience, especially in well-lit environments.
ALR screens work by rejecting ambient light from above and the sides while reflecting the light from the projector back to the viewer. This technology allows for a crisp, vibrant image even in rooms with significant ambient light, making daytime viewing a reality for projector enthusiasts. The combination of a UST projector with an ALR screen can transform any living space into a home theater without the need for a dedicated, light-controlled room.
While the projector market continues to evolve, we've also seen a trend towards all-in-one units that prioritize ease of setup and portability. From Samsung's compact Freestyle 2 to more powerful tabletop units, the barrier to entry for projector enthusiasts has been steadily lowering. This shift has made projectors more accessible to casual users who might have been intimidated by the complexities of traditional setups.
My journey with projectors recently led me to explore an all-in-one tabletop unit. I was impressed by its sharpness and color, though the contrast left something to be desired for serious movie nights. Still, its fun factor and simplicity were undeniably appealing for casual use.
However, the tabletop design presented unexpected challenges in our household. Our curious one-year-old daughter found great joy in disrupting her older brothers' viewing by stepping in front of the projector, triggering the safety shut-off.
To solve this, we got creative and placed the projector on a barstool, out of reach of tiny hands. Thanks to its auto-keystone correction, we could position it at quite an angle to the screen. While this workaround functioned, it wasn't ideal. The keystone correction reduced our usable projection area, and the off-center placement compromised the sound quality.
Enter the new Samsung Premiere 9. This ultra-short throw projector promised the convenience I'd grown to love, but with significantly more performance muscle. By placing it close to our ALR screen, we achieved optimal picture quality without the positioning compromises of our previous setup. It felt like we were finally getting the best of both worlds – convenience and high-end performance.
The results were immediately apparent. The color depth and 4K clarity that had initially impressed us were even more pronounced on the Premiere 9. But what truly caught us off guard was the brightness - an aspect we didn't realize we were missing until we experienced the Samsung's powerful output. Starting at a MSRP of $5,999, the 2024 Premiere 9 not only addressed the practical issues we faced with our previous setup but also elevated our home theater experience to a new level.
The 2024 Samsung Premiere 9 (LPU9D) is built around a sophisticated light engine that combines triple laser technology with advanced DLP imaging. At its core is the premium 0.66" Digital Micromirror Device (DMD) chip from Texas Instruments, with a native resolution of 2716 x 1528 pixels. This chip works in tandem with XPR (eXpanded Pixel Resolution) technology to achieve 4K output. XPR technology rapidly shifts the image diagonally, creating more pixels (technically the square root of 2 more) from the DMD chip.
It's worth noting many competitors are using the 0.47" DMD, which requires both a horizonal and vertical shift to quadruple the pixel output of the DMD. While this is a more cost-effective solution, the additional doubling of the pixel shifts results in lower contrast performance.
The triple laser light source uses separate red, green, and blue lasers to produce light, resulting in a wider color gamut and improved color accuracy compared to traditional lamp-based or single-chip laser projectors. This system enables the Premiere 9 to achieve an impressive 154% of the DCI-P3 color space, ensuring exceptional color vibrancy and accuracy, particularly beneficial for HDR content.
The laser light source also contributes to the projector's high brightness output of 3,450 ISO lumens, crucial for comfortable viewing in rooms with ambient light. The Premiere 9 also features an ultra-short throw ratio of 0.19:1, among the shortest in the market. For a 100-inch image, the rear of the projector sits just 4.5 inches from the screen, with the front edge about 19 inches from the wall. This short throw distance is ideal for those wanting a large screen experience without the need for ceiling mounting or long projection distances.
| Projection System | Video | Audio |
|---|---|---|
| Resolution: 4K - 3840 x 2160 | Picture Engine: Quantum Processor 4K | Dolby Atmos: Yes |
| Refresh Rate: 60Hz | HDR (High Dynamic Range): Quantum HDR | Dolby Decoder: MS12 5.1ch |
| Light Source Type: Triple Laser | HDR10+: Certified | Object Tracking Sound: OTS |
| Light Source Life: 20,000hrs | HLG (Hybrid Log Gamma): Yes | Q-Symphony: Yes |
| Throw Ratio: 0.189 | Filmmaker Mode: Yes | Bluetooth Audio: Yes |
| Screen Size: 100"-130" | Dynamic Contrast Ratio: 2,000,000:1 (Dynamic) | Sound Output (RMS): 40W |
| Projectile Distance for 100": 113mm | Contrast Enhancer: Real Depth Enhancer | Speaker Type: 2.2.2CH |
| Digital Keystone Correction: Yes | Motion Technology: Motion Xcelerator | Main Speaker Output (W): Tweeter: 10W, Woofer: 20W, H/A: 10W |
| Auto Keystone Correction: No | Movie Mode: Yes | Multiroom Link: No |
| Eye Protection Mode: Yes | Picture: HDMI Black Level | 360 Audio: Yes |
| Scale and Move: Yes | Response Time: N/A | Active Voice Amplifier Pro: Yes |
| Screen Rotation: Yes | Adaptive Picture: Yes | Adaptive Sound: Adaptive Sound Pro |
| Brightness: 3450 ISO Lumens (Peak) | AI Upscale: 4K AI Upscale | Noise (dB): 32dB(A) |
The Samsung Premiere 9 maintains an elegant aesthetic that blends seamlessly into contemporary living spaces. Its warm white finish, rounded corners, and grille cloth wrapping the front give it a sophisticated appearance more akin to high-end audio equipment than a typical projector. The premium fabric is from Danish designer Kvadrat, with an open weave that functions as a speaker grill.
The cabinet's shiny finish, while attractive, can be reflective, potentially causing issues with nearby light sources. The projector's lens is recessed beneath the top of the unit, a common UST design choice that helps protect the optical component. Two adjustable feet with about 5/8" of travel enable quick and easy leveling, and 4 threaded nuts allow for permanent mounting.
The projector's lens is recessed beneath the top of the unit, a common design choice for UST projectors that helps protect the crucial optical component. Overall, the Premiere 9's design strikes a balance between form and function, creating a device that you won't feel the need to hide away when not in use.
Setting up the Premiere 9 is a straightforward process, reminiscent of other Samsung latest smart TVs. The built-in TIZEN operating system offers a quick and easy setup, including seamless integration with SmartThings for those invested in Samsung's smart home ecosystem. The built-in Wi-Fi ensures you can get up and running without the need for ethernet cables, although a wired connection option is available for those who prefer it.
The Premiere 9 offers a generous selection of ports:
The inclusion of three HDMI ports is particularly praiseworthy, offering flexibility for connecting multiple devices without the need for an external switch.
The remote control is similar to other recent Samsung models, featuring a solar-charging design that eliminates the need for battery replacements. It includes dedicated buttons for popular streaming services like Netflix, Samsung TV Plus, Prime Video, and Disney+. The remote uses Bluetooth technology, so line-of-sight isn't necessary for operation. While the voice control feature is convenient, some users might find the remote a bit small, potentially leading to accidental presses of the app buttons when adjusting volume.
The Samsung Premiere 9 sets a new standard for UST projectors, primarily due to its increased brightness and rich, deep colors. If you haven't viewed a modern projector in recent years, you’ll be amazed how far they have come, completely shocking those with memories of dull colors and washed out contrast. This projector delivers an impressive 3,450 ISO Lumens, making it one of the brightest UST options on the market. The result is a vibrant, colorful image that holds up well even in rooms with significant ambient light, also enabling larger screens sizes with punchy HDR.
I was on the lookout for some issues that sometimes plague projectors with DLP and laser light sources. Pleasantly, laser sparkle was not noticeable to my eyes, even when viewing bright, uniform areas of color. The rainbow effect, a common concern with single-chip DLP projectors, was also practically non-existent during my testing. However, I did observe that the occasional white logo on a black background exhibited slight fringing. It's worth noting that this effect was subtle and you really had to be looking for it to notice. For the vast majority of content, these potential issues were not a factor, allowing the Premiere 9's impressive image quality to shine through unimpeded.
The Premiere 9's brightness is immediately noticeable, especially when compared to its predecessors and competitors. We tested it with various content, including animated films which are excellent for assessing color performance. The saturation levels were outstanding, bringing animated characters to life with a vibrancy that's rarely seen outside of high-end OLED TVs.
For instance, while watching "SING 2," the rich, varied color palette of the animated world was rendered with stunning accuracy and depth. The fur textures of the animal characters showed nuanced shading, while the stage lights and colorful costumes popped off the screen with incredible intensity.
The HDR10+ certification really shines in high-contrast scenes. During a viewing of "Hotel Transylvania," lightning flash scenes were so bright and sudden that they elicited genuine jumps from viewers. This kind of dynamic range adds a new level of immersion to the viewing experience.
It's worth noting that on our initial 100" Vividstorm ALR screen, the brightness was almost overwhelming at times. Switching to a larger 132" screen from Nothing Projector not only provided a more immersive experience but also allowed the projector's brightness to shine without being overpowering. The larger screen size seems to be a better match for the Premiere 9's powerful output, and this new screen was a great match for the Samsung.
The Premiere 9 handles challenging dark scenes with impressive skill. In notoriously difficult sequences, such as the cave scene near the beginning of "The Rings of Power," the projector delivered excellent contrast with minimal haze, a common issue for projectors struggling with black levels. Filmmaker mode gave the scene a purists interpretation, however I used this opportunity to test out the Samsung Intelligent Mode, which enabled dynamic contrast features. This boosted shadow detail and all but eliminated the black crush, and while some may find the mode too cool of a white point, the feature worked impressively well to boost detail in very dark scenes.
The Contrast Enhancer and ST2084 brightness trim features (available with HDR content) do an excellent job of pushing highlights while maintaining solid black levels. Even in mixed scenes with both bright and dark elements, the blacks in the image and letterbox bars remained deep and rich, creating a consistently punchy and well-contrasted image.
The 4K resolution, achieved through XPR technology, delivers sharp and detailed images that are virtually indistinguishable from native 4K displays in real-world viewing. However, it's in the realm of High Dynamic Range (HDR) content where the Premiere 9 truly shines.
The projector's HDR10+ certification, combined with its impressive brightness and wide color gamut, results in HDR content that truly pops, especially on larger screens. The Premiere 9's ability to handle HDR content is not just about brightness, but also about the nuanced handling of contrast and color across a wide dynamic range.
For a colorful HDR showcase, consider "Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2". The film's vibrant palette is brilliantly reproduced by the Premiere 9. The opening battle scene against the interdimensional monster highlights the projector's ability to handle a wide range of bright, saturated colors alongside deep blacks. The neon-lit planet Contraxia is another standout, with the projector delivering punchy, vivid colors that pop against the dark background. These scenes demonstrate how the Premiere 9's high brightness allows it to deliver impactful specular highlights - like the gleam of Star-Lord's helmet or the glow of alien technology - that give HDR content its characteristic pop and realism.
Moreover, the Premiere 9's HDR10+ support means it can adjust its performance on a scene-by-scene or even frame-by-frame basis for compatible content, ensuring that each scene is displayed with optimal brightness and contrast. This results in a more consistent and engaging HDR experience across a wide range of content. While the Premiere 9 doesn't support Dolby Vision, its HDR10+ capabilities combined with its high brightness and wide color gamut ensure that it delivers a top-tier HDR experience for the vast majority of available content.
Another impressive feature of the Samsung Premiere 9 is its built-in audio system. While many projectors treat audio as an afterthought, Samsung has clearly put significant effort into making the Premiere 9 a true all-in-one entertainment solution, packing in enough sound quality to skip external solutions. The projector features a powerful 40W 2.2.2 channel Acoustic Beam Audio System. This system consists of two tweeters and mid-woofers, along with two new up-firing drivers for Atmos effects.
While Samsung markets the system as Dolby Atmos capable, it's important to note that true Atmos requires speakers all around and above the listener. However, the Premiere 9 does an impressive job of simulating the Atmos effect. When sitting in the center "sweet spot," you'll hear convincing phantom sounds coming from all around you, with clear and centered dialogue.
The audio quality is surprisingly good for a projector. The bass response is solid thanks to the built-in woofers, and the overall sound is clear and well-balanced. While purists might still prefer a dedicated surround sound system and subwoofers, many users will find the Premiere 9's audio more than satisfactory for everyday use and even movie nights.
Features like Q-Symphony (which allows the projector to work in tandem with compatible Samsung soundbars), Adaptive Sound Pro, and AVA Pro further enhance the audio experience, adjusting the sound based on the content and room conditions. Adding to the experience is the virtually silent operation, measuring in at 32db.
The Samsung Premiere 9 runs on the Tizen operating system, the same platform used in Samsung's smart TVs. This brings a familiar and user-friendly interface to the projector, complete with a wide array of smart features. At the heart of its processing power is Samsung's Quantum Processor 4K, which leverages AI upscaling technology to enhance lower resolution content. This means that even when you're not watching native 4K material, the projector works to sharpen details and optimize picture quality.
For gamers, the Premiere 9 offers an exciting feature in the form of the Samsung Gaming Hub. This integrated platform provides access to a variety of cloud gaming services, allowing you to stream games directly to the projector without the need for a separate console.
One of the most notable additions to this model is the far-field voice microphone. This allows for hands-free voice control, a feature that's particularly useful in a projector setup where you might not always have easy access to the remote. The microphone can be used with Samsung's Bixby voice assistant or Amazon's Alexa, allowing you to control the projector, adjust settings, or search for content using just your voice.
For those concerned about privacy, Samsung has thoughtfully included a dedicated on/off switch for the microphone on the back of the projector. This ensures that users have full control over when the microphone is active.
The smart TV features are comprehensive, including:
The app selection is extensive, covering all major streaming services. The interface is snappy and responsive, thanks to the powerful processor inside the Premiere 9. Loading times for apps and content are impressively quick, and we didn't experience any lag or stuttering during our testing.
While the AWOL LTV-3500 matches the Premiere 9 in raw brightness, it lacks the refinement of Samsung's offering. The Premiere 9 provides a more user-friendly interface, superior color accuracy, and allows for closer placement to the screen while still achieving larger screen sizes. Samsung's package feels more polished overall, justifying its similar price point.
The Epson LS800 boasts higher brightness ratings, but it falls short in color reproduction and 4K clarity compared to the Premiere 9's triple laser-light source DLP system. While the Epson is more budget-friendly, the Samsung delivers noticeably superior image quality.
The Premiere 9 outshines the Formovie Theater with its significantly brighter output and more intuitive user interface. While the Formovie Theater has its strengths, the Samsung offers a more complete package for those seeking top-tier performance.
The 2024 Samsung Premiere 9 took an already great UST projector, significantly bumped it to class leading brightness, improved the color volume, added far-field voice control, updated to the latest software and processing, and finally lowered the price. What you get is the new king of UST lasers with everyone else looking to keep up.
While the price point may still be steep for some, the Premiere 9 justifies its cost with its performance and versatility. It's equally capable of delivering a cinematic experience in a dark room and providing a vibrant, clear image in well-lit living spaces. The onboard sound system is far better than average and with the Samsung streaming apps built in, you truly have a compelling, convenient all-in-one solution.
Given its combination of top-tier performance, thoughtful design, and user-friendly features, the Samsung Premiere 9 earns our Editor's Choice award. It currently stands unrivaled in the UST projector market, offering a compelling package for those seeking the best possible home theater experience without the need for a dedicated projection room.
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