Cinema experience at home with the XGIMI HORIZON Pro projector (review)

As I had been using for a few years an old projector that I bought in 2015 and repaired several times. Honestly, even if it’s a little noisy and not 4K, it does the job. So for this year I wanted to buy a new one, looking I found the XGIMI HORIZON pro.

I was very curious to see all the developments that have been made in video projectors over the years, and I must say that I was not disappointed. XGIMI is a brand that was launched in 2013 and works with several partners like Google, Harman Kardon, and Texas Instruments. Their core business is “all-in-one entertainment devices,” and their philosophy is “user-first,” meaning they create products that are easy to use and efficient.

Let’s move on to the test!

So, it’s been a week since I swapped my old projector for the XGIMI HORIZON Pro, and I’m not disappointed with the quality of the experience. It’s even better. This projector has a 4K optical engine, a resolution of 3840 x 2160, which is 8.29 million pixels.

In other words, the movies are even better than before, although I discovered that Netflix wanted to scam me into a higher subscription for 4K. No thank you :-).

Usually, watching a movie on a projector during the day is average. But with its brightness of 2200 ANSI lumens, it’s perfectly doable and just as enjoyable as in the evening. By the way, if you’re wondering what screen size the HORIZON Pro corresponds to with its resolution, it’s like having a 200-inch diagonal TV (4.42 meters by 2.52 meters). Isn’t that huge?

As you can see, I was impressed by the image quality. I did some tests with 4K HDR-10 videos (for maximum contrast) and X-VUE 2.0, which allows for insane image quality with bright colors, deep blacks, and even reduced “noise” on the image (more clarity, really).

The MEMC technology, which I had never heard of before, also improves image fluidity, reduces latency, eliminates ghost images, and compensates for image detail loss. It’s very nice, especially for action movie lovers or gamers who thus greatly improve their visual experience (we avoid nausea).

And even though I already have blue light-filtering glasses, know that this projector will protect your little eyes with its native blue light reduction.

It adapts to all surfaces

And above all, when it comes to adjustment features, I had a blast. Before, I had to play with knobs to adjust the image sharpness, but with this new projector, it’s a whole different ballgame. As it’s equipped with Intelligent Screen Adaptation (ISA) technology, it can offer fully automatic focus and trapezoidal distortion correction (if your projector isn’t right in front of your wall or if your wall isn’t straight). It even has an intelligent obstacle bypass mode, which allows you to adjust the display to avoid a painting on the wall or a green plant.

As for the display height, there’s no adjustable stand. So you’ll need to get an adjustable tripod, a stand, or simply a piece of furniture at the right height. I just wedged a small book underneath to give it the right incline.

Next, what I can tell you is that it is very quiet. It is not like other lower-quality video projectors that sound like a wind tunnel. It also features a Harman Kardon audio system, with two 8 W active full-range speakers, specifically designed for it. As a result, I don’t need to connect external speakers or wear headphones to enjoy cinema-quality sound with DTS-HD and DTS Studio Sound, compatible with Dolby Digital.

And what about the software?

In terms of software, it runs on Android TV, which of course includes Google Play so you can install any apps you want (such as Molotov, Amazon Prime, Netflix, Disney Plus, as well as games or apps like Spotify, etc.). Since Android TV has a voice command system “OK Google,” you can even control the projector with your voice. And if that’s not your thing, there is also a plastic and metal remote control with a good grip (it is heavy enough not to feel cheap) and is really pleasant to use. And of course, for gamers, the projector has a “game” mode with a low latency of 35ms, as well as a “3D” mode for those who want to re-watch Avatar with 3D glasses.

Finally, in terms of connectivity, it has everything you need, including a DC port, 2 USB ports, 2 HDMI ports, 1 Ethernet port, 1 audio connector, 1 optical connector, Bluetooth 5.0, and of course, it can connect to your router via WiFi.