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Everyone will appreciate the $1,699 Xgimi Horizon Pro’s brilliant 4K (3,840-by-2,160-pixel) resolution, HDR 10 and HLG compatibility, LED light source with a brightness rating of 2,200 ANSI lumens, and Android TV for streaming. Few viewers may notice the Xgimi’s unpleasant rainbow artifacts and occasional tendency to lose shadow detail, but the majority of home entertainment enthusiasts will find it to be a great investment.
The Horizon Pro faces competition from the BenQ projectors X1300i, the Epson EF-100, the ViewSonic X10-4KE, and the Epson EpiqVision Mini EF12, our current award winner among 1080p streaming projectors with a solid-state light source. All of these projectors, with the exception of the ViewSonic, have lower native resolutions, while the Xgimi’s Android TV 10.0 implementation offers more powerful streaming than that device; the X10-4KE relies on the Aptoide app store.
In addition to an integrated Android TV, the Horizon Pro features an RGB LED light source designed to last for the life of the projector (Xgimi rates it for 25,000 hours in Standard power mode) and a 1,920 by 1,080 DLP chip that employs TI’s XPR fast-switch pixel shifting to display 3,840 by 2,160 pixels.
XGIMI Horizon Pro review: Design
From the outside, there’s not much difference between the Horizon and the Horizon Pro. Both fit into the same size chassis (208 x 218 x 136mm) and weigh the same amount (2.9kg). That is much bigger and heavier than most portable projectors, like the XGIMI Halo+, but smaller than the average home theater projector.
This projector is small enough that we can carry it around the house, from the kitchen to the garden or even in the car on a trip. I took this projector camping and set it up so the kids could watch movies outside. This model doesn’t have a foot, but it does have a standard tripod mount on the bottom. XGIMI sells a portable stand for this model and its other portable projectors, but any decent camera tripod will also work.
Where the projector will be used will determine if the tripod is needed. If we our outside, we find it useful to have one, and if we our inside, putting the projector on a table usually works. This model doesn’t have a built-in battery, so it needs to be plugged into the chunky power supply. This is the kind of power brick that comes with a gaming laptop. The projector needs about 150W to run, so a battery like the Anker PowerHouse II 400 can power it. You can buy this 4k projector from its official website.
XGIMI Horizon Pro review: Connectivity
In spite of this, we believe that it is one of the greatest LED versions that has ever been brought to market in terms of the connection and functionality it provides. It’s hard for me to say how well this model performs in comparison to other well-liked entry-level 4K versions that are now on the market because we don’t have access to those other models.
Such as the Optoma UHD35, which achieves around 1,100 calibrated lumens when set to the middle setting of its lamp mode, costs less, but requires the use of lamps. How does the contrast stack up against other basic level DLP models that are priced similarly and belong to the same class? Close? It would be helpful to have such information, since many prospective purchasers give that a lot of thought.
XGIMI Horizon Pro review: Picture Quality
That means you can also watch 4K content. The Horizon Pro looks sharper and has more details than the standard Horizon because of XPR. There’s more to the picture, and the scale and scope are more cinematic, especially on a bigger screen and with a 4K Blu-ray input instead of a 4K streaming service.
Even if you watch SD or HD content, the Horizon Pro will convert it to 4K. It works well enough without ruining the picture, but if you mostly want to watch HD shows, you might as well get the Horizon.
XGIMI Horizon Pro review: Audio Quality
The XGIMI Horizon Pro comes with a number of different audio output choices, such as a 3.5mm audio out jack, an optical out jack, and Bluetooth 5.0. We were glad to report that there was no sound latency when we utilized the Horizon Pro with the Sony HT-S40R soundbar through Bluetooth/HDMI eARC.
This is a regular problem with projectors. The sound quality of the two 8W Harman Kardon speakers that are integrated in is also excellent. In addition to producing a respectable amount of bass, the Horizon Pro speakers benefit from having a generous amount of internal space.
XGIMI Horizon Pro review: Performance
The XGIMI Horizon Pro only has a 1920 x 1080 resolution on its 0.47-inch DMD. In fact, it uses the same chip as the regular Horizon. Also, an XPR module sits in front of the lens. The DLP chip used can handle 240Hz, but the projector only shows an image at 60Hz. The XPR module moves where the pixels are being projected four times, making it possible to show four 60Hz images.
In practice, a 1080p chip is used to make a 4K image. Now, it’s a little more complicated than that, and the XPR module only moves by half a pixel. However, this still gives the impression of more detail, and our brains see a 4K image (or near enough). The main benefit is that it is much cheaper to make XPR technology than a full 4K system.
Aside from the fact that the resolution isn’t quite full 4K, there are a few trade-offs. First, the projector has to run at 60Hz. It can’t be set to 24Hz, which is what movies use. Second, everything has to be scaled up to 4K, even though the DMD can technically show a Full HD picture by itself.
Detail is the main reason why the Horizon Pro is better than the Horizon. At 4K, the text is clearer and has more details. This is especially clear when you plug in something like a Fire TV Stick 4K Max. On the Horizon, the interface seemed a little blurry, but on the Pro, it looks clearer.
XGIMI Horizon Pro review: Price
The XGIMI Horizon Pro is an excellent purchase to make if you are in the market for a home projector that is both attractive and small in size, boasts an outstanding picture quality, and provides outstanding convenience features such as auto-keystone and auto-focus, in addition to offering a smooth Android TV experience.
However, in order to improve its poor sound quality, more powerful speakers will need to be added, and the fact that it does not come preloaded with Netflix may turn off potential customers.
XGIMI Horizon Pro review: Final Words
If you want a projector that supports complete home theater and appropriate installation, the Sony VPL-VW290ES could be the right choice for you; however, if you want a projector that works with a battery, the XGIMI Halo+ is the better option. The XGIMI Horizon Pro is an excellent option for all of the purposes that fall somewhere in the middle.
While I was conducting this evaluation, I had mine playing movies in the garden, playing switch in the living room, and for a little bit of big-screen action on the kitchen wall. Those who prefer flexibility will find this projector entertaining, adaptable, and of outstanding quality for the price. Have a look at our other suggestions in the buying guide we’ve put up for projectors.
XGIMI Horizon Pro Ratings