2 years ago
281
(Pocket-lint) - We're enjoying streaming much contented astatine location than ever before, truthful with projector prices yet getting to a terms constituent that's approaching affordable, and their bulbs offering viable lifespans, it could beryllium a big-screen alternate that's perfect for your home.
So is the XGIMI Horizon Pro - an Android TV-powered LED projector that offers a agleam capable representation to ticker during the daytime - bully capable to warrant purchase? We've been surviving with this 4K projector to find retired if it's bully capable arsenic a TV alternative.
Design and hardware
- Dimensions: 208.4 x 218.4 x 136.2mm / Weight: 2.9kg
- Ports: 2x HMDI 2.0, 2x USB, Ethernet, Optical
- Dual-band 2.4/5GHz Wi-Fi (802.11a/b/g/b/ac)
- Wi-Fi 802.11a, Bluetooth 5.0 connections
- 2x 8W Harman Kardon speakers
The XGIMI Horizon Pro projector features a cube-like plan that isn't arsenic wide arsenic others connected the marketplace - but it is taller. That mightiness origin you problems erstwhile mounting connected a ceiling bracket oregon fitting successful a accepted TV rack, but it shouldn't beryllium a occupation if you're putting successful connected a support oregon mounting it up connected a tripod successful your garden.
Pocket-lint
The projector's lens to the beforehand is covered by glass, protecting it from fingers and immoderate accidental of genuinely bothersome interference. A good coagulated talker mesh wraps astir the device, lone interrupted by a ample vent astatine the back, which is besides wherever you'll find the assorted ports for connectivity.
Up apical determination are measurement controls, a powerfulness fastener and a play/pause fastener - perfect for those who request speedy entree without hunting down the remote. Everything other is controlled by this metal-cased controller, though without a dedicated root fastener to alteration betwixt the 2 HDMI ports this is precise overmuch a bundle guardant experience.
This achromatic container of tricks houses 2 Harmon Kardon speakers with Dolby Audio and DTS Studio support. These built-in speakers are perfect for bureau presentations perhaps, but not overmuch much - and surely not punchy capable to make a "cinema" acquisition portion you watch. Our proposal would beryllium to adhd a Bluetooth Speaker oregon perceive via Bluetooth headphones.
Software
- Android TV 10.0 software
- Google Play Store support
- Built-in Google Chromecast
Like different XGIMI projectors, the Horizon Pro is powered by Android TV 10 - giving you entree to the Google Play Store, Chromecast, Google Assistant, and each that the operating strategy offers. That means you get entree to respective streaming services similar Amazon Prime Video, Disney+, Apple TV, and YouTube amongst others.
Pocket-lint
If you've noticed a precise fashionable work missing from that list, it's due to the fact that Netflix isn't presently supported. XGIMI tells america that it's inactive waiting connected approval: "XGIMI's ngo is to present the champion idiosyncratic acquisition astatine each times. We are actively successful conversations with Netflix to integrate and tally the streaming work straight and locally successful our projectors, presently we urge Netflix users to usage 1 of the galore streaming media players for a amended experience." Here's hoping that gets resolved soon.
It's a precise glaring omission fixed the enactment of different streaming services and means that if you bash privation to ticker Netflix connected the Horizon Pro you'll person to bash truthful via a streaming instrumentality oregon acceptable apical container similar the Fire TV Stick 4K, Roku, Apple TV box, oregon Sky Q successful the UK.
You can't usage the Horizon Pro unless you login and spell done the Android TV setup process - adjacent if you're lone expecting to plug successful a set-top container oregon an Xbox Series S for example. Thankfully the setup process is easier than casual - and adjacent much truthful if you usage an Android smartphone.
Pocket-lint
Once you've logged successful and are acceptable to watch, the projector automatically focuses, truthful you get the crispest representation available. The institution calls this its car keystone correction and autofocus technology. It's the aforesaid strategy recovered connected the company's different projectors and rapidly ensures the representation looks ideal.
While the exertion isn't arsenic invaluable successful a projector that you don't determination astir the location - such arsenic the Elfin Smart LED projector - it's surely appreciated, and volition prevention you clip if you're readying this to beryllium an "out for definite occasions" device. It's precise clever and takes 12 seconds to footwear up and beryllium acceptable to watch, reducing to six seconds erstwhile successful a acquainted position.
Watching TV and movies
- Non-replaceable lamp rated for 25,000 hours
- High dynamic range: HDR10, HLG
- 2,200 lumens max brightness
- Resolution: 4K astatine 60Hz
With a representation up to 300-inches this projector delivers big - truthful agelong arsenic you've got the abstraction and ample region from the partition you're projecting it onto. As the ratio is 1.2:1 you person to enactment with the abstraction available. In existent presumption that means to get a 150-inch projection the Horizon Pro would person to beryllium 4m distant from the wall.
Pocket-lint
The 2,200 lumens maximum brightness takes this projector beyond the realm of the inexpensive portable 1 connected the market, meaning it's much than susceptible of moving successful daylight situations with the prima beaming successful done your windows.
Colours are bright, punchy, and vibrant giving everything zing. HDR10 is turned connected arsenic modular and makes a immense quality to the prime of the representation - without it, things are precise overmuch duller.
You surely couldn't assertion this projector makes thing washed retired either. Indeed, the darker the country the amended the show and, astatine times, you could astir reason the show is excessively bright.
Pocket-lint
Picture brightness and colour tin beryllium adapted and manipulated to a point, though, and determination are a fistful of pre-determined settings specified arsenic Movie, Office, Football, and Games (the past of which tin lone beryllium selected if you person a nonstop HDMI connection). Strangely we recovered the Office mode to beryllium the astir earthy successful presumption of colour replication, but there's subtlety betwixt the modes.
Verdict
The XGIMI Horizon Pro projector's cardinal spot is the quality to beryllium up and moving rapidly without having to interest astir further set-top boxes oregon fuss. Well, unless you privation Netflix of course.
The 4K representation prime is large for the money, the connectivity options wide ranging, and the tiny and quiescent cognition marque this perfect for those who privation to up their viewing acquisition without truly pushing the fund to excess.
However, with a sizeable region needed to truly maximise the experience, those who person smaller rooms volition beryllium near with a representation that's lone somewhat bigger than their TV alternatively than reaching to that monolithic 300-inch capableness - which is simply a imaginable issue.
But if you person got the country to maximise past - speech from somewhat struggling with precise acheronian scenes - this is bully worldly from XGIMI. All that's near is for you to drawback the popcorn.
Writing by Stuart Miles. Originally published connected 28 November 2021.
English (US) ·