XGIMI Horizon Pro in review: Small but nice
A TEST REPORT from Nils Ahrensmeier 
on July 14, 2021, 13:17 pm | 2 comments
The XGIMI Horizon Pro is the latest flagship projector from the Chinese brand XGIMI, which has already attracted attention in the past due to its good price/performance ratio. TechnikNews tested the Horizon Pro.
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XGIMI Horizon Pro delivery contents:
The Horizon Pro is delivered in a box which contains the projector itself, the power supply and the remote control.
Design and workmanship
The design of the projector is simple yet modern. At 208 x 218 x 136 mm, it is a little smaller than most other projectors I have used to date, but larger than the other "portable" models in the XGIMI line-up. With a weight of 2.9 KG, it is also a little heavy to take the projector to a friend's house, but light enough to transport it around the house without any problems. The light weight for such a projector is explained by the fact that there is no built-in battery. So you have to use the power adapter, which could easily come from a gaming laptop.
The XGIMI Horizon Pro has a modern, simple design (Image: TechnikNews)
On the bottom of the projector there is a connection for a stand/tripod, which can be purchased directly from XGIMI or third-party suppliers. The workmanship is high quality, the projector definitely feels worth the price. I also didn't notice any damage or manufacturing defects after delivery.
BILD
Compared to the cheaper model, the Horizon Pro can display a 300-inch (approx. 8 meters) image with a maximum resolution of 4K, while the Horizon can only display 1080p. The brightness is a maximum of 2200 lumens, and at this brightness the maximum size is 60 inches.
The XGIMI Horizon Pro can display up to 4K, but is upscaled. (Image: TechnikNews)
The picture and quality depends heavily on the brightness of the room. In the morning / afternoon or in bright surroundings, I would prefer a TV because the projector is simply too dark.
The Horizon Pro only really shines in darker environments, i.e. early evening/night. Then the projector manages to beam a flat screen TV onto the wall, the quality in 4K is excellent, especially for the size. Whether football or movies, the Horizon Pro displays it in good quality. The only shortcoming that I noticed is the quality of 1080p recordings via Android TV/YouTube. This is not always "perfect", but still looks good. However, if you watch a lot/mostly 1080p, you should consider saving the money for the Pro and opting for the Horizon. A lot of content on Netflix (with the corresponding subscription), Disney+ and co is already available in 4K, but it is worth it for that.
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- While in bright light a TV would be better ...
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- The XGIMI Horizon Pro impresses in dark environments. (Image: TechnikNews)
One feature that is widely advertised is the automatic keystone correction. This recognizes objects such as pictures, lamps etc. and adjusts the picture automatically. This works really well in practice and does a lot of work for you. This also applies to the trapezoid, but this can be adjusted manually after detection (it doesn't always work perfectly).
XGIMI Horizon Pro: Hardware
The hardware is impressive for a relatively small projector. Internally there is a MediaTek processor (not known which one exactly), along with 2 gigabytes of RAM and 32 gigabytes of internal storage. This runs Android TV 10 with some settings for the projector.
OS
The OS runs smoothly and takes about 45 seconds to boot up, 6 seconds from sleep mode. The advantage is the portability of Android TV, because you don't have to connect a second device to watch films. The projector officially supports every streaming service except Netflix. The lack of certification could come in the future, but I wouldn't get my hopes up. Netflix can be installed via a third party, but malware etc. cannot be ruled out. What is possible, however, is that you can cast Netflix titles via your built-in Chromecast. This is much easier and safer.
External Anschlüsse
So if you want to be sure, you can connect external devices. This via 2x HDMI 2.0 or 2x USB 2.0. Other inputs are for Ethernet, 3,5 mm jack, optical and the power connection. I focused a lot on HDMI and e.g. B. a Nintendo Switch or PS4 connected. The 1080p quality was a lot better than Android TV 10. Apropos Gaming, if you want to play a lot of shooters or more competitive titles, you won't have any fun with an input lag of 35 ms. But for Switch games like Mario Kart or other games like FIFA, it's not a big problem.
The XGIMI Horizon Pro has two HDMI ports, unfortunately only 2.0 (Image: TechnikNews)
Remote Control
The remote control that is included is fantastic! High-quality aluminum and all the buttons you need. Directly below the on/off switch is a button that opens the projector menu. This is where you can adjust the trapezoid or zoom. A Google Assistant button is also a must on an Android device; it is located under the projector settings. A D-pad provides good control of the menu, and below that there is a "Home", back and "More" button. The volume can be adjusted using the last two buttons. The only disadvantage: the remote control is battery-operated, so it cannot be charged via USB-C.
The remote control of the XGIMI Horizon Pro makes a good impression (Image: TechnikNews)
Loudspeakers
The built-in speakers are surprisingly good. This is particularly noticeable when it comes to portability. I didn't have to connect an external speaker via 3,5 mm, but an external system should be used for the home theater setup. The speakers are perfectly fine for watching football or a few YouTube videos every now and then, but the lack of pressure with loud sound effects can be heard in movies.
The XGIMI Horizon Pro has good built-in speakers (Image: TechnikNews)
What really impressed me was the noise level. The projector is very quiet, but can get quite warm.
XGIMI Horizon Pro: Conclusion
The XGIMI Horizon Pro is a very good projector for a relatively low price. The portability, quality and software are impressive. If you watch a lot of 4K films and are interested in an inexpensive and portable solution, then the Horizon Pro is a projector for you. One negative thing I noticed was the lack of a Netflix app, which could be a killer for many. A certain distance from the wall is also necessary; other projectors would be better suited for a short distance.
Hello, could you possibly define the optimal distance described in more detail?
gruß
Dirk Bernsee
About 3 meters
Kind regards
Nils