ST Prem is gorgeous to look at. With that said.. I think the pro give you a better bang for your buck. If you like light shows however go with the Prem.

Call me crazy - I actually prefer the Star Trek Pro lighting

I like the Vengance ship that crashes, like the laser and lighted apron. I really love the color changing inserts. The lighted warp ramp is nice but not that noticeable. I like the mode start up kicker. I don't really care about the out lane kickback.

Premium also has PF supports

Overall I think the premium is nicer but the pro is still ok not missing a lot in the actual game mostly bling.

You're crazy.

Go Premium. Get you the black-out mod and an upgraded laser, and enjoy the show!

Oh, and get a shaker too!

I purchased a pro, and within 1 hour of setting up, I folded it up knowing that I wanted a premium or LE instead. You get those awesome RGB leds on every insert, which does look incredible. For me though, it was all about that far left shot that starts missions. In the pro, its just a saucer that dribbles the ball back out with unreliable returns. In the premium/LE, it is a VUK that goes into the left habit trail that safely returns the ball to the left flipper every time. That shot is so crucial to good gameplay, I hated the unreliable, let the ball trickle back out into the slingshots mechanism. Sold the pro, grabbed the premium and never looked back. Just my opinion.

What is the black out mod?

During the Klingon battle, when the laser is on. This mod will turn off the GI making the PF mostly dark.

At this time it may be sold out.

Here's the link:
https://pinside.com/pinball/forum/topic/star-trek-le-laser-blackout-mod

I have a premium and love it. I played the pro first and really liked it as well. I do feel with the additional things on a premium it is worth the $$$. But, its only pinball and if you have the case go premium or le, if not pro all the way.

Not really a lot of difference to gameplay, but a lot of bling if you want it.

On Tron just to add Eli ramp lights and Arcade mod that's $600 (iirc).

PF supports are $50

Laser beam can't really add that to a pro but if you could it'd be $100+

Warp ramp light bling it'd probably be $80+

Color changing apron is also cool, I'm not sure if this is on the premium, I have the LE

Color changing inserts are awesome but just bling, probably will never be a mod, but as a Color DMD costs $400 for bling, I'd say the full color changing inserts are worth about that if I was looking at Eli ramp light kit for Tron as an example.

Crashing Vengeance it's totally cool also.

No one will say the gameplay difference is worth $$$$ but most people like bling, if you don't care about that than get the pro.

Also Met color changing light mod is for just GI not inserts right and doesn't that cost $300 plus hours of installation.

It isn't to me. I really like the game and I have played all 3 versions and I think the Pro is the best bang for the buck. The game plays almost exactly the same. I personally could not justify spending $1500+ for lights. For what it's worth I don't own and have never owned a ST so I have no horse in this race either way.

Cosmo just listed a nice ST LE up on here for sale if you were considering a Prem.

Forget pro and premium and go with the LE.
It's a Star Trek fanactics dream come true.
The lighted ship on the side rails with the red lights shooting across is mesmerizing.

For me, I found the color changing leds on the playfield too bright on the le/prem models.

Sunglasses help.

Premium has lighted apron too. Everything under the glass is the same on Premium and LE.

Well, except the signatures!

Lots of threads on this. Only real difference is the light show and gameplay is pretty much identical. Some people think it is worth it, some don't. I'm never looking to spend more on a pin. ST pro is plenty good enough for me and expensive enough.

I own a pro...have played the premium/LE. The LE is a gorgeous game...loaded with cool bling features...but the games shoot the same. The pro is plenty fun.

From reading your posts you are leaning pro. Go for it. The extra cash can buy you tons of mods, another cheap game, and/or beer.

No.

I think it depends on how big of a Star Trek fan you are.
I had to go with the LE.

3 pros with some mods (let's say $5100-$5300 each) cost as much as 2 of premium/LE pins with some mods, whatever you think both have their pros and cons.

$16,000 (ish).

I can argue both sides of the equation, but to me 3 pros are usually better than 2 LEs.

I'd still *rather* have the LEs and premium..

Let's not forget, even with an LE or premium you're not done spending as there are always mods.

I'll leave out my early pins PotC and Tspp.

My pro type pins
-IM
-Tron
-Met

My premium/LE pins
-XMLE
-STLE
-AcDc premium

Of the three premium/LE pins clearly ST is most similar to the pro.

Not to OP but as a general question.

What's better?

STLE + TWD LE

or

ST pro + TWD pro + Met pro

Some people will spend whatever and get three LEs but there's no shame in getting pros across the board.

Depends on how much you like a certain title.
STLE and Tron LE are my favorite LE's that i'm willing to spend the extra cash on. All others I can settle for a premium or pro and still be happy.

Am I the only one here that thinks that left VUK makes the game shoot significantly different? Maybe the pro I had wasn't setup correctly, but every time I went into that left saucer, the ball would just dribble back out and into the slings every time, forcing me to fight to save the ball to keep it alive. For a game that requires me to hit that shot 18 times to get the wizard mode, having to try and save the ball from the slings every time made it play quite differently for me.

Other than the left VUK, I do agree with everyone else here stating that the only other major differences are the bling and that the rest of the gameplay is quite similar across all the models.

Sounds like a problem with your game.

That is definitely possible. I have only played one other pro, and it was on location, but it would do exactly the same thing. For you pro owners, what happens to the ball after the saucer kicks it out? Does it land near the slings or return comfortably to the flippers with no effort on your part consistently every time?

With a couple super easy tweaks, my pro kicks the ball out to my left flipper *every single time*.

Awesome. With that being the case, then I agree with everyone else here that the pro shoots very similar to the other models, most of the differences are just cosmetic.

I usually only go premium. Had ST premium. Sold it. Now have pro. Couldn't be happier. It is the one pro that stands proudly among all my premiums. Game play is identical and the left scoop complaints, whilst I'm sure do exist for those who complain, although I have never seen or experienced it, are an easy tweak to fix.

Probably I should not have muddied the water with the LE discussion since we're only talking about the difference between the pro and premium.

But on my example we could buy 4x pro for the cost of 3x premium.

This is one big reason why I'm hesitating at buying TH which is close to $9000 put it near double the cost of a pro.

I have to say by and large I'm impressed with Sten pros as I have Met and IM and Tron all solid pins. Great bang for your buck, just wish Stern would put PF supports to all their pins, this is simply embarrassing to have to install those on all the pros.

This makes the game more challenging which can be considered a good thing by some.

My pro came with a strip of fabric on the left side of the saucer lane effectively directing the ball to the right of the left sling... but I took it out. Seemed wrong to have it there. I've since learned to nudge the game.

Generally speaking, the Pro plays the same and is good value for the gameplay.

OP... I dressed my Pro up... fairly cheaply...

https://pinside.com/pinball/forum/topic/star-trek-clubmembers-only?tq&tu=27dnast

I have the premium and like it. The question of value is going to be a personal one.

For me, I really like the multicolor leds and the action of the VUK. I'll admit it slows the game down slightly from the pro. But I can live with that. Playing pros out on location give me an opportunity to feel thankful for what I have at home.

I can only speak from my own perspective on it, and I would not (and did not) purchase a Premium over a Pro machine because there just isn't enough there. I also didn't care for the Premium cabinet and artwork and all that red trim and legs just looks out of place IMO. I did purchase the LE and love it, for me the LE was worth the cost difference over the Pro and I knew I would have been dissatisfied with any other version.

ST Pro is the example of what a Pro should be compared to prem/LE models, that the market will feel is reasonable. Plastic ramps instead of wireform, less complicated main toy, less lights, virtual kickback vs real, latch lockdown, SAME gameplay, SAME rules. Everybody happy. ST is the best Pro.

Had both pro all the way actually plays better then the premium le version

Point is almost mute. I've been on the hunt for a HUO premium locally (especially of I can find one with the alt translite, but they should be called "unobtanium". Never see one for sale, except occasionally for crazy money to pry it from an ambivalent seller. Hard to justify buying a used premium (if you can find one), when you can still get NIB pro shipped to your door for < $5,000. I'm holding out on the hope/hunch that stern announces another run of the premiums after the pro run is complete in the next month or two

+1

I believe the word you're looking for is moot

moo_(resized).jpg

Several folks with pro models have played my premium and wished they'd have went premium. Just go premium on this one.

I actually wish I'd had gone LE.

Im one that usually wont spend extra on a pin but man the premium/le lightshow and extra lighting features are really really awesome . The rgb inserts are also amazing but I really love great lightshows which is why I love the star trek premium and want one.

I am a value guy. I bucked up above and beyond for an ACDC Premium and settled saved a few bucks with a ST Pro instead of the Premium. I already owned HS2, but let's say that the $1800 saved on the Pro instead of Premium ST got me that one. Game play is very similar. The premium has more bling and lighting though. I would save the money and get a Pro.

It's Star Trek - of course it's worth it! If you care about being totally immersed in the game, go for the Premium (and the complete lighting as well as the other full features).

Add quality mods such as:

• Aurich translite, decals, & instruction cards
• Shaker motor
• Polk Audio PSW10 subwoofer
• Pinnovators PinPAC2 MAC audio control panel
• Rock Custom Pinball interactive undercab lighting
• Speaker Light Kits speaker lights and acrylics
• BriteButtons illuminated LED flipper buttons
• Pinball Refinery pinblade artwork & UV lighting
• Pinball Refinery nebula lighting
• Kapsreiter (Pinside) blackout mod
• Zittware pop bumper caps
• Beatmaster (Pinside) Vengeance interactive mod
• Mezel Mods Vengeance explosion
• Mezel Mods Vengeance drop target
• Mezel Mods warp ramp insignia light diffuser
• Mezel Mods dome flasher covers set
• Pinbits plastics protectors & blue inlane shields
• Mattel Klingon Bird of Prey ship w/ Zittware lighting kit
• Hooked On Pinball Vengeance visor mod
• Zittware Vengeance nacelle mod
• Sparky Pinball micro display mod (MDM)
• Target decals
• Super-Bands flipper rubbers
• Super-Bands mini post rubbers
• Titan silicone rings
• Cliffy shooter eject protector
• Cliffy shooter lane protector
• VUK opening protector
• Alpha & Beta ramp protectors
• Pinball Life premium ultra-gloss pinballs
• PinGulp beverage holder

And then enjoy - life is short and playing ST should be a full meal deal pinball experience!

Happy with the Pro, but I'm a Pro kind of guy. It seems stupid to spend 5 grand on one of these let alone 7.

One of the big differences between prior Premium and LE games was the color changing inserts. Star Trek has them for the main shots which is kind of nice. I swapped out a few of the white LED's with colors and was lucky enough to get the alternate art in time. The game is simply stunning to look at.