XGIMI HORIZON Ultra 4K projector review: The home-sized movie theater I always wanted
XGIMI HORIZON Ultra 4K
Step up your game with XGIMI's high-end projector and watch your favorite content on a giant display with superb speakers.
Pros
- Great image quality
- Impressive sound
- Important smart features to adjust screen size
Cons
- Bad Android TV experience
- Not well-suited for every house/room
- Should have more RAM and storage
XGIMI is a longtime favorite of BGR. We loved reviewing HORIZON Pro in 2022, and the same is true for the new HORIZON Ultra 4K projector, the company's newest premium model that was released at the end of 2023.
After a month of extensive testing, we have a lot to talk about the HORIZON Ultra projector, which has outstanding sound and fantastic image quality with Dolby Vision support but weak Android TV, which will mostly need you to rely on a Chromecast, Roku device, or, in my case, an Apple TV 4K.
With no further ado, this is our XGIMI HORIZON Ultra projector review.
XGIMI HORIZON Ultra 4K projector specs
| Brightness | 2,300 Lumens (ISO) |
| Resolution | 3840x2160 with HDR10, HLG, and Dolby Vision support |
| Aspect Ratio | 16:9 (4K HD) |
| Lamp Type | Laser/LED Hybrid |
| Optical Zoom | Yes |
| Image size | 40" - 200" |
| Smart Features | Intelligent Screen Alignment, Obstacle Avoidance, Auto Focus, and Auto Keystone Correction |
| Audio | Speaker: 2 x 12W Harman/Kardon DTS-HD: Yes DTS-Studio Sound: DTS-Virtual X Dolby Audio: Yes Dolby Digital: Yes Dolby Digital Plus: Yes |
| System | RAM: 2GB Storage: 32GB System: Android TV 11 |
| Connectivity: | Wi-Fi 6 Dual Band Bluetooth 5.2 Input Ports: DC x 1, HDMI x 1, HDMI (eARC Supported) x 1, USB x 2, and LAN x 1 Output Port: Headphone x 1 (3.5mm) and OPTICAL x1 |
Design, connectivity, and where to put it
XGIMI HORIZON Ultra 4K projector is a delight to look at. Its natural curvature design looks great and offers a mixture of eco-friendly PU leather and flow cover fabric. When in use, its front lowers to reveal the projector's lens. The product is compact with 170 x 265 x 224 mm dimensions and weighs 5.2 kg.
Thankfully, it offers several options to guarantee you can project your favorite devices on a big screen, such as your gaming console, Apple TV, and other peripherals. Unfortunately, it has a big power adapter that can't be easily hidden, mainly depending on where you place the projector.
Ideally, if you're planning to trade your TV for a projector, you really need to have "the perfect place" for it. Even though XGIMI HORIZON Ultra 4K offers smart features to align the screen, avoid obstacles, and give you the best experience possible, nothing beats a well-placed projector centered in front of a wall
For review purposes, the best location I could find was around 13 feet from a white wall in the left corner of my bedroom. This means I could get a crazy big display and still be in optical zoom. Trying in different places, I found a slightly smaller display offered more color fidelity.
Image quality
With a 4K projection with HDR10 and Dolby Vision support, I'm impressed with the quality of the XGIMI HORIZON Ultra 4K projector. I had never thought about owning a projector until this review, and I have seen many quality-of-life improvements. The main one is how this product works, as the light reflects in the wall and not directly in my eye. This has become an "issue" because it's been more difficult to finish a movie or a show because it always makes me sleepy.
Jokes aside, with 2,300 ISO Lumens, this projector works great even in long distances and some ambient light. Even without a blackout, you can watch content with no issue. From live TV to 4K HDR movies and animations, it's just great. During my tests, the XGMI HORIZON Ultra 4K projector shined when I was watching animations, such as Snoopy on Apple TV Plus. The colors were vibrant and accurate. Truly flawless.
Still, the downside of any projector is that the more ambient light, the more washed out the image looks. That said, I wouldn't recommend a projector if you can't watch your favorite movies and shows in a darker environment. You don't need a complete blackout, but the darker the better.
It's also worth noting that the feeling of watching your favorite content on a 120"+ display is just amazing. It instantly makes your room into a movie theater.
Sound quality
Even though the image is great with the XGIMI HORIZON Ultra 4K projector, what impressed me the most in this review was its sound quality. Thanks to a partnership with Harman/Kardon, XGIMI can deliver superb sound quality.
I had a blast watching Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour and Let It Be on Disney+. Checking out my favorite music clips on YouTube was also amazing. While I usually prefer the Apple TV + HomePod mini combo in my bedroom, I often switch to XGIMI's built-in speakers because they're impressive.
Is it too late to ditch my HomePod mini combo for true high-quality speakers in my bedroom?
Weak hardware specs with a bad Android TV experience
The only downside of this projector is the 2GB of RAM with 32GB of storage. The experience of navigating through Android TV is clunky, and it might be a pain to set everything right with the projector in the early days. It's also weird that XGIMI doesn't offer all the popular streaming options, as the company doesn't have a license for all of them.
For example, you can't download Netflix. You are also left with a bunch of apps that don't exist anymore, like HBO GO, Paramount+, and Pokémon TV. For that matter, I had to connect my Apple TV 4K for a better experience.
Price and conclusion
The XGMI HORIZON Ultra 4K projector has a suggested price of $1,699 - the same value as a very good high-end TV. If you like watching your favorite shows in the dark and want the biggest display possible (as long as you have the perfect place to put a projector), you should definitely get it.
However, if you usually watch TV in bright environments and don't have a perfect spot for the projector, you'll save yourself time by buying a television instead. I would still recommend a connected Apple TV for both of your choices.
That said, don't get intimidated by the fear of not making the projector work. As long as you have a white wall and some space and time to set everything up, you'll have a far superior experience watching your favorite movies, shows, and music clips. Lastly, I need to mention that this portable projector is great for dissipating heat while still being silent.
Mother Day's deal
Until Mother's Day (5/12), XGIMI is offering $100 off and a free projector stand if you buy it with the code XGIMIHUMAY at Amazon.
The post XGIMI HORIZON Ultra 4K projector review: The home-sized movie theater I always wanted appeared first on BGR.
Today's Top Deals
- Best deals: Tech, laptops, TVs, and more sales
- Today’s deals: $989 M3 MacBook Air, $20 Echo Pop, TheraGun massagers, Bose headphones, more
- Best Echo Dot deals for May 2024
- Today’s deals: $89 Apple AirPods, $3.75 smart plugs, $89 robot vacuum, Samsung monitors, more
XGIMI HORIZON Ultra 4K projector review: The home-sized movie theater I always wanted originally appeared on BGR.com on Sat, 11 May 2024 at 10:43:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.