Valerion VisionMaster Pro 2 is a Fantastic Projector Limited to Champagne Budgets
A projector worth a total living room remodel.
A must-have to enhance movie night.
Specs:
+ 3,000 ISO Lumens
+ 4K UHD (3840 x 2160)
+ 40” - 300” Projection Size
+ 15,000:1 Contrast
A Projector Worth a Living Room Remodel?
So many projectors tout a theatrical experience right in your living room. It's possible the VisionMaster Pro 2 is the first I've ever seen deliver on that claim. That’s not to say others haven’t provided visually impressive viewing. It’s just the VisionMaster Pro 2 trumps models from brands like BenQ and XGIMI.
Clarity and color accuracy are among the primary concerns for cinephiles, and while I wouldn't go so far as to say I live for cinema, I did find myself retroactively picking apart other projectors I’ve reviewed. Seeing a unit like the VisionMaster Pro 2 in action puts things into perspective. While other models may have appealed to me, in retrospect, they were lacking in some way. Maybe they didn’t produce the fullest audio or struggled to display crisp and vibrant colors. Whatever the pitfall, it wasn’t obvious until Valerion illuminated my wall with vivid imagery.
Even with their noted shortcomings, many other projectors, for their price tag, are great models. For example, I’d still recommend XGIMI’s MoGo 2 Pro if you had a slimmer budget and require portability. Like TVs, there’s a projector for every taste, budget, and room size. With that in mind, think of the VisionMaster Pro 2 as the Sony Bravia you used to eye when going to Best Buy to oggle new televisions was still a thing.
Size Will Matter
Out of the box, the VisionMaster Pro 2 has a bit of a problem. It’s big. Measuring 10.2 x 7.3 x 8.5 inches and 15.4 lbs, I struggled to find a spot to use it. My current living room arrangement barely works for the more portable XGIMI Halo+, and my office doesn’t have the wall space that would allow this beast of a unit to properly shine. In both rooms, I wouldn’t trust its heft standing on a tripod, which means some wiring and a semi-permanent mount would be in order. Thankfully, I’m not a full adult and don’t have a dining room set, so that blank slate of a wall and empty countertop worked so I could determine if the VisionMaster Pro 2 was a projector worth a remodel.
I’m glad I didn’t force it to work in the much smaller space. I don’t think I would have been as impressed. The larger wall, which could easily fit a 120-foot projector screen, gave me that theatrical experience promised by many. A big, bright, fluid image that didn’t look like it was being cast against a textured, swiss coffee-colored drywall. Which it absolutely was, because I’m a one-man operation and installing the 100-foot screen I was provided requires at least two people.
While this couldn’t be the permanent home for the VisionMaster Pro 2, it was enough to have me rethinking my current configurations. Maybe it’s time to rewire the living room for compatibility with a ceiling-mounted projector.
A Feature-Rich Visual and Audio Treat
While the VisionMaster Pro 2 is feature-rich, complete with auto keystone correction, autofocus, optical zoom, and so on, the real draw is how well its triple laser technology produces an image. Considering the VisionMaster’s size, I don’t see moving it often and having to rely on autocorrection and autofocus all that much. In the rare instance I made an adjustment, both work absolutely fine and didn’t leave me with a crooked or fuzzy image for long. The projector also seamlessly adjusted to different lighting situations.
You could be sold on seeing a 15000:1 contrast ratio, triple laser lens, HDR10+, 3,000 ISO lumens, and 4K UHD in the product listing, but that rarely tells the full story. Little nuances in design and processing power, the aspect ratio and project size, what you’re watching (or playing), the medium you’re casting on, and ambient lighting will really dictate the quality of the viewing experience.
I ran my usual projector test: a high-def YouTube video, a current-gen game on my Xbox Series S, and the courtroom scene from Ghostbusters 2. After all, if a movie from the ‘80s that I’ve seen 100 times can still “Wow” me, then the projector deserves my seal of approval.
In all tests, the VisionMaster Pro 2 was very impressive. More so than I could have expected. The clarity of each, even the vibrant colors otherwise hidden by Ghostbuster 2’s age, really popped. The YouTube video, an HD recording of the great outdoors, made me feel like I was looking out a window, and gave my cats the perfect distraction. One was enamored by oversized birds for a good hour. This also happened to be when I noticed the projector was giving off far less heat than I expected for its size and power.
When it comes to gaming, which is likely what the projector’s main use would be, I have only praise. Indiana Jones and the Great Circle played wonderfully through my Series S, at no point showing signs of any input lag. At 4K, the projector achieves a 60Hz refresh rate. When dropped to 1080p, it can hit 120 or 240Hz. Indiana Jones came in at a comfortable and still smooth 60Hz, which really works best for me. Going higher, especially to 240Hz, can be a little too uncanny for my eyes.
Theater-Quality Audio
Not to throw cliche marketing language out there, but the projector comes very close to theater-quality audio. HTS:X and Dolby Audio work their magic, with full-bodied sound coming from its two 12W speakers. It was better than my Samsung TV, but I was also closer to the projector than I typically am to the TV’s speakers.
In a larger room, where I’m not on top of the unit, I could see the viewing experience benefiting from additional speakers. Thankfully, the projector does support S/PDIF audio input. If I were to install the VisionMaster Pro 2 permanently, I think I would eventually add speakers and a subwoofer to ensure it fills the room.
Google OS is Still a Shortcoming
I have yet to use a device where Google OS wasn't a little problematic right out of the box. It’s nothing that will ruin your time with the VisionMaster Pro 2, but I do wish Google would address optimization so I can smoothly navigate across different apps and services. The delay to open any app is a tad annoying, so I recommend utilizing the HDMI ports for external devices that may run a little smoother.
The projector features two USB ports, one 2.0 and one 3.0, though I think you’re more likely to take advantage of the Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and HDMI connections for the bulk of your content. The OS is easy to navigate, and caters to users both familiar and unfamiliar with Google’s layout, with an intuitive UI that’s easy to understand.
Costly for a Market Newcomer
$3,000.
It’s a very tough pill to swallow, especially when you can buy a TV for a significant fraction of that amount. For that price, you’ll really need to take advantage of everything the projector has to offer. This isn’t the kind of projector you get for your apartment living room to cast on a wall that’s barely big enough for a 55-inch TV. This is the kind of projector that lives in a theater room, complete with velvet curtains, illuminated movie posters, and a free-standing popcorn machine.
Do You Need It?
Are you a gamer who favors bright, vibrant colors, crystal clear 4K resolution, and immersive audio? Do you like to feel like your favorite movies are about to jump off your wall and make you part of the experience? If so, I have one last question for you:
Are you willing to pay $3,000 for either experience?
That’s really the hang-up here. I can see falling in love with what Valerion pulled off, then spotting the price tag and realizing you really should see other people. It’s not like other 4K projectors don’t exist, either. The VisionMaster Pro 2 is absolutely a splurge item that you’ll feel a hint of buyer’s remorse for.
Then you’ll boot up something ridiculously beautiful like Returnal, remember that modern gaming can be absolutely gorgeous, and forget entirely that you dropped about two months’ rent on a projector,