XGIMI is a brand that is gaining momentum in the field of home and portable projectors. I had the chance to test two portable devices from the brand, the XGIMI Elfin and the XGIMI MoGo Pro. But this time, it's the turn of a home projector to pass through my hands: the XGIMI Horizon.
The video projector XGIMI Horizon is a high-quality projection device designed to provide an immersive cinema experience at home. Equipped with a precision lens and an advanced image processing system, it guarantees exceptional image quality, with rich and natural colors (after adjustments) and relatively high contrast.
The XGIMI Horizon also features a 3D surround sound system that immerses you in the action. Plus, with its voice assistant compatibility, it’s easy to use and control. Finally, it’s compatible with major streaming services, allowing you to watch your favorite movies and TV shows.
Does the XGIMI Horizon live up to its promises and is it a good buy for home cinema enthusiasts? We tell you all about it in the review below!
Unboxing, Design and Getting Started
As usual, XGIMI has taken care with the packaging of the XGIMI Horizon. Sober and elegant, the projector is delivered in a white cardboard cube decorated with a photo of the beast and some inscriptions and logos.
Inside the box, the projector is perfectly well protected from transport and attacks by two foam supports that encase it completely. After removing the upper part of the foam, we finally see the XGIMI Horizon.
Once out of the box, we notice that the dimensions of the device are very reasonable considering its category of home video projector. Indeed, the projector measures 20.8 by 21.8 cm for a thickness of 13.6 cm.
In the box, we also find the remote control, the (imposing) power supply for the device and documentation (FAQ, warranty, user guide and Netflix installation guide).
Projector design
In terms of looks, the XGIMI Horizon is rather elegant. All dressed in dark gray, it is surrounded by a brushed aluminum front in a "grid" style that lets the sound of the two 8W speakers by Harman-Kardon pass through without showing them.
On the front, the "grid" surround continues, but is pierced in two places to make room for the camera's lens as well as a small disc inside which the screen's smart detection sensors are located.
The rear panel, as is often the case, groups together all the connectors as well as the air outlet for cooling. In terms of connectors, there are 8 of them: power supply, optical audio output, 2 USB-A 2.0 ports, HDMI ARC port, HDMI port, Ethernet port and 3.5mm audio output.
On the top, the surface of the device is made of dark gray plastic and there are 4 buttons: molded volume buttons in the shape of + and -, a triangular play button and a round button for power (on/off).
Finally, on the underside, in addition to the characteristics of the device, the serial number and the logo of all the on-board technologies, we notice a small screw thread (standard 1.4″ thread) which will be used in the event that you want to hang the projector on a support.
Start-up
Getting started with the XGIMI Horizon is really very simple… the hardest part will probably be finding the right movie that everyone likes! Position the device at a distance of between 1m60 and 4m from the screen for optimal use. Connect the power supply and turn it on.
Please note that the remote control does not come with batteries, so you will need a pair of AAA batteries available to power it on.
When using it for the first time, you need to configure the Android box and pair the remote control in a few very quick steps:
- Pair the remote control by holding the Back and Home buttons for a few seconds
- Next is the “Language Selection” screen.
- Being an Android box, it offers quick setup from your Android phone if you have one
- Connect to Wifi
- Logging into Google (if you didn't do the quick setup) and agreeing to Google's full terms of service
- Then install recommended applications
For the following uses, simply turn on the device. It will then adjust the screen using the integrated technologies that we will discuss a little later and off you go!
XGIMI Horizon, a home projector overflowing with qualities…
With the Horizon, XGIMI has really hit the mark. This relatively compact home projector is packed with technology and little tricks for great comfort of use on a daily basis.
Image quality: Full HD and brightness
Let's start with one of the most important points when using a projector: image quality!
While the image settings predefined by XGIMI sometimes seem a bit questionable, it is nevertheless quite possible to adjust them, and very easily. The default image modes (Movie, Sport, Games, etc.) offer an image that is too saturated for my taste with lighting that seems unnatural. This is explained in particular by the abuse of certain settings to adapt according to your tastes: deactivation of motion smoothing, colors, brightness, etc.
Once this preliminary step is completed and the image is adjusted as you like it, the XGIMI Horizon then shows its real capabilities!
With its brightness of 2200 ANSI lumens, the colors are vibrant at any time of the day or night and the contrasts are very well marked even in the darkest areas of the image. This is also thanks to the HDR 10 technology which allows for true nuances in both light and dark areas.
We will also appreciate the presence of an optical sensor dedicated to the intelligent adaptation of brightness according to ambient lighting to guarantee an always optimal image.
In terms of resolution, the XGIMI Horizon offers Full HD image quality with a definition of up to 1920 x 1080 pixels and a pretty impressive screen size of up to 200″. For the most demanding, you will have to opt for the XGIMI Horizon Pro which can reach 3840 x 2160 pixels.
Intelligent Screen Adjustment (ISA) technology
Among the qualities that make the XGIMI Horizon an exceptional home projector is the ISA technology. ISA stands for Intelligent Screen Adjustment technology or Smart Screen Adjustment Technology!
Behind this technology are actually four really cool features of this device.
Autofocus
Among the sensors that equip the XGIMI Horizon is a ToF laser sensor. This sensor allows the projector to detect depth information. Coupled with the algorithm of deep learning XGIMI's autofocus for image sharpness (autofocus) is very effective and very, very fast.
If necessary, a button on the remote control can restart automatic focusing.
Automatic keystone correction
Second technology integrated into ISA: automatic correction of trapezoidal distortion. This technology, which allows for a perfectly rectangular image, differentiates itself by allowing the 3-axis automatic correction : pitch up and down, rotation left and right and tilt correction.
So, regardless of the location of the projector (facing the screen, above, below, to the side, etc.), it is able to perform automatic keystone correction. In addition, if the position of the projector changes, the correction is triggered automatically. It is also possible to deactivate this automatic correction in the device settings and only use it when you need it.
In my case, the projector is positioned laterally in relation to the screen and the keystone correction is done perfectly and in just a few moments.
Obstacle avoidance
A little more anecdotal, but just as breathtaking, the image adjustment is able to avoid obstacles. Thanks to a screen detection algorithm, the projector identifies obstacles in the projection area (furniture, plants, etc.). Thus, when correcting trapezoidal distortion, the screen also precisely avoids anything that gets in the way and projects the image onto the most suitable area. Magic!
Smart Screen Alignment
If you have a projection screen at home, this technology will allow the device to automatically adapt the display to the dimensions of the screen by identifying the edges of the latter. No need to adjust the corners of the image one by one to make them fit perfectly on the screen.
Ultimately, this ISA technology is far from being a gadget since it provides real comfort of use to this device which will adjust its image automatically and very quickly!
Good sound from Harman/Kardon
As with the rest of its range, XGIMI has called on Harman/Kardon for the sound system of its device. Hidden behind the side grilles of the device we find two active wide-band speakers of 8 watts each.
These two HPs do a remarkable job. Being used to using big speakers in my audio system, I was not disappointed by the audio rendering of the XGIMI Horizon.
To top it all off, the sound system incorporates DTS Studio Sound and Dolby Digital technologies.
Of course, given the size of the device, the sound is not perfect. It will lack a little depth and roundness as is often the case with integrated speakers... but frankly the result is very, very satisfactory and can replace any other sound system provided you are not too demanding either. Purists will undoubtedly prefer a real sound bar.
Moreover, in terms of sound, the integrated speakers are not the only option. You will be able to use other devices either by connecting the projector via Bluetooth or using an optical sound output. There is also a 3.5 mm headphone jack that makes it very easy to connect to almost anything.
An Android box under the hood
In addition to being a projector with a very high-performance image and equipped with a very decent sound system, the XGIMI Horizon is also an Android box! It can therefore very advantageously replace 3 devices without any problem: a TV (or an older video projector), a sound bar and a TV box...
Android TV is installed by default on the projector in its standard version. Those familiar with Google's TV box, but also those new to the system, should be able to find their way around very easily.
This platform allows you to transform the projector into a multimedia center to access applications available on the Google Play Store. YouTube, Amazon Prime Video, Molotov, MyCanal, MyTF1, FranceTV and other streaming applications are installed by default and it is also possible to install OQEE, the Free TV application, if you are one of its subscribers.
The only downside is that XGIMI does not have a license that allows it to natively offer Netflix and the application therefore does not appear on the device's Google Play Store. However, the brand offers a workaround that I will share with you a little further down in this article.
For my tests, I therefore only used the Horizon Android TV which completely replaced the TV box of my Freebox Pop.
Silence is golden
Another big plus point of this beautiful device is the noise level of its ventilation. You can't hear anything, or almost nothing, and that's very, very appreciable. Having used a lamp projector for a long time whose fan made the noise of an asthmatic octopus lacking ventolin, the fact of not hearing anything when the projector is running is a real comfort on a daily basis!
On the device's technical sheet, XGIMI speaks of a noise level of less than 30 dB measured at 1 meter from the device. Indeed, you really have to stick your ear to the projector to hear a slight breath.
In short, this projector is very quiet and that is really appreciable.
Start and stop with the snap of a finger!
Another really appreciable point of the XGIMI Horizon is its start-up speed. It takes less than 5 seconds for the device to project an image. Thanks to DLP technology. We are far from the warm-up time of lamp projectors!
If you have enabled automatic image correction at startup, it will take about ten seconds for the projector to be ready for use! But in practice, if your projector is always positioned in the same place, it is not necessary to enable autokeystone, which will save you a lot of time at startup!
If it takes a few seconds for the ignition, the device stops instantly ! Puff!
Two-way Bluetooth
Another great thing about the XGIMI Horizon is that this device has Bluetooth connectivity that works both ways.
Indeed, on the one hand, it allows you to use the wireless standard to broadcast sound on a Bluetooth speaker. And on the other hand, it can act as a Bluetooth speaker to broadcast the sound of another device that you have connected to it! Moreover, it is possible to turn off the screen when the device is in operation.
How to get here
…and with relatively few notable flaws
To be honest, I didn't see many flaws worth mentioning in this review. The only downside in my opinion is the remote control.
A stylish, but too minimalist, remote control
Although elegant and sleek, the XGIMI Horizon's remote control is characterized by two major flaws: it can't be seen in the dark and it's too simple.
Indeed, this remote control is very pretty with a brushed aluminum shell and a black plastic front. On the front, the buttons are also black with small dark gray or embossed symbols for the +/- buttons. The remote control does not have backlighting.
So, if the rendering is really successful, its use is made complex. You will have to completely tame the accessory and the position of the buttons to be able to find your way around in the dark… But you will still have to find the remote control itself in the dark…
In reality, getting to grips with the buttons on the remote control shouldn't take too long since this is the second flaw (in my opinion) of the remote control. In fact, it only has 10 buttons and a directional cross. This is really not enough and we would really like to be able to directly access certain functions from the remote control. For example, it lacks a TV channel selector (+/-), for this you have to use the up/down zones of the directional cross. It also lacks a "mute" button to quickly turn off the sound or simply numbered keys... always useful.
In short, the XGIMI Horizon does a lot of things very well and is very comfortable in many ways, but the remote control rather hinders use. Too bad, because it was not far from flawless!
Install Netflix on XGIMI Projector
For some obscure usage rights reasons, it is not possible to natively install the Netflix application on the Android TV box of XGIMI projectors. But fortunately, there is a very simple trick proposed by XGIMI to get around this problem.
Step 1: on the box, go to Google Play, search and install the DesktopManager application.
Step 2: launch the DesktopManager app and when it asks to allow access to photos, media and files on your device, you agree.
Step 3: In the DesktopManager application, select Netflix to install it on your XGIMI projector
Step 4: an "installation of unknown apps" window then opens, authorize Desktop Manager
Step 5: Click on Netflix again and this time the installation will start.
And there you have it, the Netflix app is now installed on your XGIMI projector.
XGIMI Horizon Features
Display and projection
| Projector type: | Home projector | |
| Display technology: | DLP | |
| Brightness: | 2 ANSI Lumens | |
| Lamp life: | 30 000 hours | |
| 3D: | Yes, Frame Packing & Side by Side | |
| Standard resolution: | 1920 1080 pixels x | |
| Projection report: | 1.2:1 | |
| Autofocus: | Yes | |
| Automatic keystone correction: | +/-40° vertical | |
| Image size: | 60″ to 150″ recommended | |
| Projection method | Front, rear, ceiling (front/rear) |
sound system
| Loud speaker : | 2 x 8W Harman/Kardon | |
| DTS-HD: | Yes | |
| DTS-Studio Sound: | Yes | |
| Dolby Audio: | Yes | |
| Dolby Digital: | Yes | |
| Dolby Digital Plus: | Yes |
System
| RAM: | Go 2 | |
| Storage: | Go 32 | |
| Mirror display: | Chromecast built-in / Airscreen | |
| System: | Android TV |
Connection, power supply and dimensions
| Inputs: | Power supply (DC) HDMI HDMI and ARC USB x 2 Ethernet | |
| Exits : | Audio jack (3.5mm) Optical output | |
| Wifi : | Dual-band 2.4/5GHz, 802.11a/b/g/n/ac | |
| Bluetooth: | Bluetooth 5.0 / BLE | |
| Noise level : | <30dB | |
| Battery capacity: | 44.64Wh | |
| Remote : | Bluetooth | |
| Size: | 208.4 × 218.4 × 136.2 mm | |
| Weight: | 2.9 kg |
In conclusion…
With the Horizon projector, XGIMI has once again signed a very, very beautiful product. Packed with technologies designed to improve user comfort, this home projector sets the bar high in its price range!
If the image deserves some adjustments in the settings to appear more natural, the quality of the rendering is really good. In addition, with its 2200 ANSI Lumens, it can be used at any time of the day or night! Visibility is good, even in broad daylight!
Quiet, quick to turn on or off, equipped with an Android box and high-performance Harman/Kardon speakers, the XGIMI Horizon doesn't have many flaws! Only the remote control is a bit disappointing, because it's too simplistic.
In short, with the Horizon, XGIMI has really created an excellent product to put in every living room! The XGIMI Horizon is priced at €1.
Highlights
- Image quality at any time of day
- Sound quality better than expected
- Intelligent screen adjustment technology
- Easy to install and start up
- Very quiet device
- 3-in-1 Projector
Weak points
- Remote control a little too simplistic
- Lack of visibility on the remote control in the dark
- Picture modes lack naturalness
X-Floor Support
In addition to making projectors, XGIMI also offers some accessories for them… and among these accessories, we find supports like the X-Floor which allows you to position your projector wherever you want!
This mount is relatively sober and elegant and allows you to raise the projector by 49 or 89 cm by adding or removing one of the two bars provided. There is therefore no adjustable size between the two.
The device is positioned on a standard 1/4″ screw compatible with most projectors. This screw is mounted on a head allowing a 360° rotation horizontally or 90° vertically to find the perfect angle for an ideal projection.
In my case, I was able to position the XGIMI Horizon on the edge of my room, against the wall and it's really super practical.
X-Floor Support Features
| Fixation : | Standard 1/4″ screw for universal compatibility | |
| Rotation: | 360° horizontally / 90° vertically | |
| Height: | 49cm or 89cm | |
| Weight: | 5.5 kg | |
| Foot diameter: | 30 cm |
