ZDNET’s key takeaways
- Valerion’s VisionMaster Pro 2 retails for $2,999.
- This premium-built laser TV projects up to a 300-inch screen.
- It’s still not ideal for brightly lit rooms (like all projectors).
I chose the word “gorgeous” in the headline for this review because that word sprang to mind when I first laid eyes on the VisionMaster Pro 2 projector from Valerion — and that was before I even plugged it in.
Valerion, a sister company to Awol Vision, is just over a year old, and it’s already helping to redefine what’s possible for big-screen entertainment at home. In fact, Valerion’s packaging promises to “bring Hollywood to your home” with professional-grade specs and features. Granted, this level of quality doesn’t come cheap.
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But how does the Pro 2 perform, and is it worth the hefty price tag? I was eager to dive right in and find out.
First impressions on design and build
Honestly, I’d have to award the Valerion Pro 2 with the “Best looking” superlative over any projector I’ve reviewed. Its design features metallic fins that wrap around a black chassis, giving it a distinctive, modern, high aesthetic. Behind those reflective fins, the left and right sides house both heat dissipation vents and speakers, with neither being a conspicuous part of the construction. The facade of the model I tested gleams in both bright and dark environments, and the whole thing looks as if it’s made of smoked glass.
The Pro 2 measures 10.2 x 7.3 x 8.5 inches and is compact, somewhat rectangular, but mostly cuboid. Despite its glossy exterior, the build is stalwart and dense, weighing over 15 pounds. In its nifty, galvanized polyethylene foam carrying case, the Pro 2 weighs 22 pounds. Portable and well-protected, yes, but not super lightweight. Here, I should mention that this is not an ultra-short-throw (UST) projector.
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I set it up at 10 feet from our lab’s ALR screen, and it filled the 150-inch frame perfectly. Notably, the height at which I positioned the unit did not matter because its autofocus and keystone adjustments were on time, producing a sharp, clear, and color-soaked picture instantaneously. The Pro 2 can be ceiling mounted, or it has a sturdy, swivable foot bar on the bottom for angling, should you need that. (I never did.)
The VisionMaster Pro 2’s remote is well-designed, and backlit!
Chris Bayer/ZDNET
The Pro 2 supports a screen size ranging from 40 inches (at less than three feet from a wall) to a maximum of 300 inches diagonally at almost 33 feet away. That’s just nuts. For scale, it would require a wall that’s nearly 22 feet wide and over 12 feet tall. Assuming your home theatre setup isn’t that big, you’ll be getting a stellar viewing experience with the Pro 2.
The attendant remote control is extremely well laid out, and it has three of my favorite features: it’s backlit, it has a dedicated Mute button, and it arrived with two AAA batteries. Incidentally, it’s also one of the prettiest remotes (of any device) I’ve ever handled.
Operation, features, and picture quality
Despite my salivating over the VisionMaster’s remote, it’s not even essential for using the projector. If you set it up with Google Assistant, you can operate it completely hands-free. Even when the Pro 2 is turned off, you can wake it up with “Hey Google, power on,” and it immediately starts playing (as long as you’ve enabled the far-field button on top). Ask it the current temperature or what time it is in your location, and its familiar female voice will speak to you like any other Google device.
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I didn’t say it explicitly before, but unboxing and setting up the VisionMaster Pro 2 felt surprisingly plug-and-play for this kind of high-end tech. The three HDMI ports (one eARC) on its backside make it easy to connect to an Apple TV 4K, a Blu-ray player, a soundbar, or a PS5 or Nintendo Switch. Even without those peripherals, you’re ready to rock with the Pro 2 once you’ve connected to Wi-Fi.
I did state before that the initial alignment and focus are largely automated, which is lovely. Still, there is a litany of manual tweaks available for perfectionists in a labyrinth of menus and submenus. In fact, the Pro 2 has more options for tweaking very specific settings than just about any TV or projector I’ve seen.
The Pro 2 has a wide array of connectivity ports.
Adam Breeden/ZDNET
One such setting is called Enhanced Black Level (EBL). While I’ve heard minor complaints such as EBL introducing a green tint or brightness pumping, I found the feature to improve the appearance of everything I watched, and that included an 8K OLED color test on YouTube.
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With the Pro 2 fired up, its brightness is the first thing that hits you. Valerion specs this unit at a robust 3,000 ISO lumens. In practical terms, this means you don’t need a dedicated bat-cave to enjoy it. Our testing lab is proof of this because the Pro 2’s projection was watchable — vibrant even — with the studio door open, oozing in ambient light.
We even clicked on a down-facing but very bright studio panel light for testing purposes. My lab partner and I were duly impressed by the sharp details and brightly saturated pictures of coral reef inhabitants floating across the big screen.
As a 4K HDR projector, the clarity and detail are exceptional. Watching underwater photos felt like looking through the glass of a 131-inch-wide aquarium. The colors are rich and vibrant, thanks to its tri-color laser light source, which covers an impressive 107% of the BT.2020 color gamut. This translates to incredibly lifelike and nuanced colors, plus a real sense of depth that you don’t get with most projections of this magnitude.
How does the projector sound?
The Pro 2’s integrated sound system is another point worth mentioning. Valerion has packed in a 40-watt Harman Kardon system that, frankly, surprised me with its clarity and punch. For casual viewing, it’s more than adequate. For movies, it provides a compelling soundstage — so much so that, at first, it seemed like clear dialogue at high volume was emitting from the screen instead of the projector.
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Naturally, audiophiles will still want their dedicated surround sound setups. But the built-in audio is a significant plus for a clean, minimalist installation.
Gaming on the VisionMax Pro 2 was also on my to-do list because Valerion has included a dedicated game mode, which helps to keep any input lag to a respectable minimum. While I wouldn’t pit it against a high-refresh-rate gaming monitor for competitive esports, I found it perfectly responsive for immersive single-player adventures and roving multiplayer fun. The sheer scale of the Pro 2’s vivid pageantry makes gaming incredibly engaging.
ZDNET’s buying advice
Launching at $3,000, the Valerion VisionMaster Pro 2 is a stunning piece of technology that delivers a luxurious viewing experience.
It’s ideal if you’re looking for a massive, high-quality picture with vibrant colors and strong brightness, even in moderately lit rooms. It’s also a good option for users who prefer a clean setup and have the budget for a high-end home cinema experience, potentially including an ALR screen. If your wallet can stretch and you’re serious about your home cinema, this beautiful laser TV absolutely deserves a spot on your shortlist.
The Pro 2 might not be suitable for those with a limited budget, as laser TVs are a significant investment. Despite being more space-efficient than many projectors, the Pro 2’s potential will be severely limited if you have a small living and viewing space. Likewise, you won’t be getting the most out of it if you usually watch content in a room with limited light control. Despite its impressive brightness, it is still projection technology.
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By the bye, the Pro 2 is just one step down from Valerion’s VisionMaster “Max” (priced at $5,000), which isn’t yet available for testing.
What are the tariffs in the US?
The recent US tariffs on imports from countries like China, Vietnam, and India aim to boost domestic manufacturing but are likely to drive up prices on consumer electronics. Products like smartphones, laptops, and TVs may become more expensive as companies rethink global supply chains and weigh the cost of shifting production.
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Televisions (and projectors), many of which are manufactured in these nations, may experience price increases of up to 20%, making them less affordable for consumers. Manufacturers contemplate relocating assembly operations to countries with tariff exemptions, but such moves involve logistical challenges and substantial costs. Companies like Samsung, which produce a significant portion of their TVs in Mexico, anticipate being less affected than competitors relying heavily on Chinese manufacturing.
Overall, consumers should brace for higher prices and potential shifts in product availability within the home entertainment market.
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