The XGIMI Horizon Pro Projectors’ absurdly high price more than gives projector owners what they pay for with an all-in-one entertainment system. Smart integration of Android TV gives users plenty of self-contained ways to watch movies and shows, all the while offering a true 4K resolution that turns any surface into a dazzling TV.
I tested a $2000 display on a blank wall in my room. Of course, users with a home setup can throw its display on a pulldown screen. But the XGIMI Horizon Pro Projector had no problems shining a 3840 x 2160 pixel frame on any blank wall. Users have plenty of screens to experiment with at 40 to 200 inches of display. Given its portable design, there are plenty of fun ways to use its 1.2:1 throw ratio (size-to-distance). In other words, the 4K resolution helps users keep definition when they project further back. Big or small, the XGIMI Horizon Pro Projector absolutely sparkles with films and shows.
I set a high bar for myself by cranking up the brightness and taking advantage of its 2200 ANSI lumens. This ambient light is enough to add a vibrant glow to pitch-black rooms. For casual viewers, the Horizon Pro comes as a wonderful “filler” machine, with or without company at home. But of course, the brighter lights also let viewers tell apart sharp details in anything they’re watching.
My test screening of Star Wars: The Force Awakens brought out this particular OLED effect from the Horizon Pro. Impressively, it can show off distinctive blacks, whites and strong RGB. Of course, I could clearly see the quality unfold with flying stormtrooper bits, lightsaber sparks and those bold yellow letters in a sea of stars.
XGIMI doesn’t stop at offering a high-fidelity display. The Horizon Pro also brings in a deep listening experience with two 8 Watt speakers included around its boxy frame. On max volume with the right Christopher Nolan film, Harman/Kardon’s audio tuning could level a quiet room. These perforated speakers add enough punch for deep explosions, soundtracks and hi-fi files to fill the air.
XGIMI’s 360-like design even adds some ambient sound effects, with the primary sound feeling like it’s coming from the virtual TV while other background noises wrap around users. It’s an impressive effect that comes from the lone projector when no other peripherals are available. As mentioned, the included audio and video sources are wonderful perks for travelling presenters, campers and backyard moviegoers.
“Big or small, the XGIMI Horizon Pro Projector absolutely sparkles with films and shows. “
The Horizon Pro’s own shifting lens features are handy for adapting to any setting. It takes one button from the remote for an intelligent screen alignment to kick in. This briefly scans the wall before rotating its screen. Keystone correction rightly centres the projector. Though I wish users had more ways to stretch the display without backing up. It’s worth noting the XGIMI Horizon Pro Projector works best in open spaces and horribly in cramped areas. But enthusiasts should have their spaces prepped before investing this much money into the Horizon Pro. XGIMI—like other modern projectors—makes screen aligning a thing of the past.
I went as far as to test out the IMAX resolution, which ranges from incredibly beefy 4:3 (square) or 16:9 (widescreen). Thanks to the Horizon Pro’s brightness and consistently sharp 4K, it’s a crowd-pleasing effect to see over walls. Tenet’s opening opera siege, fire truck heist, plane crash and pincer finale opened up the Horizon Pro’s eyes.
There was only so much it could do to fit Tenet’s demanding resolution in its frames, while higher quality pictures are best seen by putting the projector further away. But the Horizon Pro still holds its own with enough space to replace 40-inch TVs. Other gimmicks like 3D can only work with proprietary glasses which weren’t bundled with our review unit.
“…the XGIMI Horizon Pro Projector feels incredibly satisfying to use for thoughtful quality-of-life features.”
Some of the most inclined home entertainment users could count on the XGIMI Horizon Pro Projector for its ease of use. It takes a few steps, including Wi-Fi and Google integration, to start watching virtually anything. As an Android-integrated device, users can quickly know their way around using the projector. The proprietary home screen gives viewers plenty to do, thanks to some familiar streaming apps. It’s incredibly easy to update apps and get new ones with a few remote clicks.
Speaking of apps, users can make the most out of Horizon Pro’s native ones. Well-optimized versions of Netflix, Prime Video and Disney+ run like a breeze over the projector. Best of all, the Horizon Pro is tuned to each app’s 4K resolutions. Though users aren’t watching raw files from a Blu-Ray, streaming apps look incredibly clean over the lens.
Any company like XGIMI can scratch the surface by throwing up a wall display, but the XGIMI Horizon Pro Projector feels incredibly satisfying to use for thoughtful quality-of-life features. Users essentially get a computer system which can surf the internet for more videos. A 32GB storage lets users download or keep multimedia files for easy access.
Of course, the Horizon Pro’s multimedia features and strong dual-band wifi 5GHz connections open up media server uses with Plex and VLC. XGIMI clearly knows users expect an easy experience. But some of these all-in-one features maximize the Horizon Pro’s value when TVs just won’t cut it.
Two USB ports allow file transfers, while I got plenty of fun kicks by playing media directly from drives without any problems. No matter the format or codecs, the Horizon Pro does wonderfully with playing out raw audio and video together. Users wanting to use their own audio devices get three ways via optical cable, Bluetooth 5.0 or the 3.5mm headphone jack.
It’s unsurprisingly overkill for users getting more bang for their 2000 bucks, but incredibly welcome features like that make the Horizon Pro easy to adopt in homes or on-the-move places. Yes, it also includes a LAN cable to complete the all-in-one computer system XGIMI aims for.
Two HDMI cables support the latest generation formats and open the projector up to gaming or cable TV. Given the Horizon Pro’s thorough Android TV features and Chromecast, users with existing devices might not need them. As with films, the Horizon Pro churned out pristine visuals from my PlayStation 5, while it natively matches the console’s 4K display with HDR and higher frame rates. Gaming from a projector feels much more realized, thanks to that consistent presentation.
All of the XGIMI Horizon Pro Projector’s features come together when enthusiasts find its ports behind the unit. It takes one simple DC power cable to run everything. But regrettably, XGIMI delivers a short cable and makes large room setups harder. This didn’t stop me from screwing on a tripod under my Horizon Pro and using extensions for larger-scale setups.
The XGIMI Horizon Pro is hardly a replacement for TVs. In fact, it’s an enthusiast-level product that feels like the last puzzle piece for setups. Users can bask in the highly lit bulb, which packs a 30,000-hour (1250 days) lamp life before replacing. Thanks to some efficient XGIMI ingenuity, the Horizon Pro is a surprisingly reliable one-stop entertainment system. Users won’t have a problem lugging a portable six-pound box as opposed to a full-sized TV. I could only think of the possibilities when taking my Horizon Pro with me beyond the home.
