Review: Samsung The Premiere 9 UST-projektor (SP-LPU9D)

Samsung The Premiere 9 (SP-LPU9D) is the brand new top model among Samsung’s UST projectors. It takes over from the LSP9T, which we tested back in 2021. The concept is very similar: we’re talking about a beautifully crafted 4K DLP triple-laser projector with lots of smart features – plus great-sounding integrated speakers.

Samsung The Premiere 9

From the outside, the Premiere 9 looks very similar to its little brother, the Premiere 7, and there’s no doubt that Samsung has the most living room-friendly design among the test participants. With rounded edges, a warm white color and light grey/beige speaker covers, this is a projector that easily blends into its surroundings.

Inside, the Premiere 9 uses a triple RGB laser light source, but this year’s model delivers higher brightness (3,450 ISO lumens) and an even wider color gamut (up to 154 percent of the DCI P3 standard) than its predecessor. The new model also benefits from Samsung’s latest advances in video processing, including AI upscaling.

Ease of use and features

The Premiere 9 comes with Tizen OS, which is Samsung’s own user interface. This means you don’t have to mess with a separate dongle to watch TV.

The menu system is easily recognizable from the TV models and offers a clear home screen with plenty of content. Here you’ll find a wide range of streaming services. Samsung also has its own TV service, Samsung TV+, which offers some free TV content with commercial breaks. On the connectivity side, the LPU9D has 3 HDMI inputs and the maximum screen frequency is 4K/60Hz.

The projector is easy to set up. The LPU9D only needs a few centimeters from the wall to create a 100-inch image. Then it’s a matter of finding the right angle in vertical and horizontal direction to ensure correct image geometry. The projector has electronic focus adjustment, which works well.

Image quality

The first impression is that Premiere 9 delivers a sharp and bright image. The image is among the sharpest in the test and retains good sharpness across the entire image area, which is a testament to good optics. The LPU9D is also among the brightest in the test with an image that works well in bright environments. If you use the right type of ALR screen and control the light levels, you can expect a picture with good contrast and not least an impressive richness of color!

In fact, at times it can almost be too much of a good thing, as Premiere 9 has a tendency to oversaturate the colors. The reds in particular are very intense and affect the overall color balance a bit. This is especially noticeable in comparison to the BenQ, which has a more color-neutral image. This is also the case in Filmmaker Mode, which you would expect to be the most accurate picture mode.

In other words, Samsung seems to have opted for a certain “ imponator” effect in the color layout, just as they did with their predecessor, the LSP9T. This picture aesthetic works well on a wide range of content, but we would have preferred an even more neutral movie mode.

Black levels never get really dark on a UST-type projector, but the Samsung has pretty good detail in dark areas thanks to efficient image processing. However, it can’t quite match (or rather beat) its BenQ competitor, which has even deeper blacks.

Overall, the image quality can be described as very good, but considering the price of the Samsung projector, we might have expected even better performance, not least because it’s a brand new 2024 model.

Sound quality

Samsung The Premiere 9 stands out on the audio side with an impressively powerful and sonorous speaker system. It has a 40W output power, 2.2.2 channels and is compatible with Dolby Atmos. There are apparently some “upward-facing” drivers under the hood that are new to this model.

The soundstage is wide and large and manages to fill the room better than the other projectors in the test. There’s also a good surround effect on some of the movie content. We also appreciate the clear voice reproduction, which improves the understanding of TV and entertainment programs. In other words, you get built-in audio that can (almost) do without external help.

Of course, if you want more sound, you can connect a soundbar via HDMI eARC. Another option is to connect wireless speakers (such as the Music Frame designer speaker) directly via the projector’s smart setup. It could certainly be a stylish home theater solution.

Conclusion

With a price tag of around €6,000, the Samsung Premiere 9 represents the upper tier of UST laser projectors, so naturally there are expectations of high performance and quality. And that’s exactly what you get, in terms of overall good image quality, good brightness and nuanced color reproduction.

Compared to the competition, it’s the brightness and sharpness in particular that stand out positively. On the other hand, the somewhat oversaturated color reproduction, which is less neutral than the very best, is a bit of a drawback.

However, the Samsung model is by far the best when it comes to smart features and sound. Another – and important – advantage for many will be the compact and neat form factor. So if you’re looking for a living room-friendly projector with minimal accessories, this model will be a good choice.