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The new XGIMI Halo+ is brighter, smarter, and easier to install than older Halo

XGIMI has done it yet again! XGIMI has found a way to improve the already great XGIMI Halo Smart Portable LED Projector. The new projector is called the XGIMI Halo+. The new Halo+ Full High Definition (FHD) Smart Portable Projector retails for $849 and it offers smarter setup, more power, more ANSI lumens, and expanded features while maintaining the flexibility and portability of the original XGIMI Halo.

Just imagine if the Halo and Horizon had a projector baby, that baby would be called Halo+. Keep in mind that back in May 2021, we at Projector Reviews awarded the XGIMI Halo the Projector Reviews “Best in Class Award” for it being the best battery-operated portable smart projector in its price range. It is also now on the list for one of the best projectors under $1,000.

Tex Yang, vice president of global sales at XGIMI corporate, said, “Halo+ was designed with the intent to make a projector as capable in the house as it is on the go.” He added, “We packed Halo+ with our best technology to make the most powerful, portable projector that is easy to use for beginners while satisfying the needs of the most discerning technophiles.”

XGIMI sent Projector Reviews a pre-production Halo+ for demonstration purposes. As always, I’m bringing you an independent and honest review. In addition, I have a full review of the XGIMI Halo and a “First Look Review” on the XGIMI Horizon on the Projector Reviews website.

XGIMI Halo+ Specs
Price $849
Technology DLP (0.33" DMD)
Native Resolution 1080p (1920x1080)
Brightness (Manufacturer Claim) 900
Contrast
Zoom Lens Ratio Fixed
Lens Shift No
Lamp Life 30,000 hours
Weight 3.53
Warranty 1 year

OVERVIEW

The XGIMI Halo+ looks sharp on the XGIMI X-Desk Stand Pro.

The XGIMI Halo+ is an FHD (1080p) portable smart projector with a built-in 59W battery rated to last up to two hours. The Halo is rated at 800 ANSI lumens, and XGIMI stated at the time, the Halo was the brightest projector in its class. Well, the Halo+ just took over the throne with its rated brightness of 900 NASI lumens. The Halo+’s extra brightness claim will put that to the test later in this review.

The Halo+ also runs Android TV 10.0 which is the latest version and it offers native support for Netflix which the older Halo does not.

The XGIMI Halo+ is loaded with high technology

The Halo+ has Intelligent Screen Adaption Technology (ISA) and Auto Keystone Correction, allowing the projector to instantly focus and find an optimal screen size while avoiding obstacles like light switches or picture frames. The Halo has Auto Keystone Correction but not the Intelligent Screen Adaption Technology, meaning the Halo will not avoid obstacles. The Halo+ and Halo both have dual 5-watt built-in Harman Kardon speakers that emit clean, distortion-free Hi-Fi sound with ample bass response. 

The XGIMI Halo+ chassis will compliment many room designs and styles.

The XGIMI Halo+ was released to the public on September 22nd, 2021. The Manufacturer’s Suggested Retail Price for the Halo+ is $849 compared to the Halo’s MSRP of $799. That means you are only paying $59 more for the Halo+ and all of its advanced technology.

XGMI also has the MoGo Pro for those looking to get into an XGIMI projector at a lower price point than the Halo and Halo+. The XGIMI MoGo Pro has a smaller display chip at 0.23-inches versus the 0.33-inch chip located in the Halo and Halo+. You drop to 300 ANSI lumens with the MoGo Pro and go from 5-watt Harman/Kardon speakers found on the Halo and Halo+ to 3-watt Harman/Kardon speakers. The Intelligent Screen Adaption Technology is not available on the MoGo Pro either, but you are also spending a lot less on the MoGo Pro. The MSRP of the MoGo Pro is $499. XGMI has set itself up to have a projector suited for almost every type of end-user.

Here are a few of XGIMI’s 1080p projectors with built-in batteries.
ModelMoGo Pro PlusHaloHalo+
Price$649$799$849
Resolution1920 x 10801920 x 10801920 x 1080
Light SourceLEDLEDLED
Brightness300 ANSI Lumens600-800 ANSI Lumens700-900 ANSI Lumens
Smart FunctionalityAndroid TV (Version 9)Android TV (Version 9)Android TV (Version 10)
Intelligent Screen AdaptionNoNoYes
3DYesYesYes
DLP Chip Size0.23” DMD0.33” DMD0.33” DMD
Speakers2 x 3W Harman/Kardon2 x 5W Harman/Kardon2 x 5W Harman/Kardon
Weight1.98 lbs.3.52 lbs3.53lbs

In addition, The Halo+ utilizes the updated Android TV 10.0 in place of the Android TV 9.0 found in the MoGo Pro and Halo. Built-in Android TV provides seamless access to streaming services like Amazon Prime Video, YouTube, and Hulu, right out of the box. With Android TV, you can access your streaming content precisely when and how you want it.

I used the XGIMI Halo+ with my MacBook Pro to write part of this review.

For this review, I connected a 4K Apple TV with a 20-inch (0.5 meters) Bullet Train 18Gbps HDMI cable and a MacBook Pro with a 157-inch (4 meters) Bullet Train 18Gbps HDMI cable to the XGIMI Halo+, just as I do for most of my reviews. I use the same devices repeatedly in my reviews to connect to my demo projectors to minimize image and sound quality variables. I used the XGIMI Halo+ with my MacBook Pro to write part of this review, and it was great.

The Halo went right into my regular traveling backpack as I traveled to my brother’s residence for a birthday party. At night we watched some music videos. The following day we used the Halo+ to watch the Chargers vs. Chiefs game outside in full daylight without any ambient light control. I knew the Halo+ was not intended to be played outdoors in full daylight. Still, at the end of the day, we watched the football game outside while the kiddos stayed inside and watched their kid shows. Sure, the game was a bit washed out in full daylight, but it was good enough for us to watch.

I projected onto my brand-new Screen Innovations Solo Pro 2 110-inch Pure White 1.3 gain screen for most of this review. Bigger is usually better for me, and the Halo+ looked great on the biggest screen I have, which is the Screen Innovations Solo Pro 2 110-inch Pure White 1.3 screen. The Halo+ had more than enough ANSI lumens to project onto the 110-inch projector beautifully.

I also projected onto my Elite Screens Yard Master 2 with a 55-inch CineWhite® UHD-B screen, which is my traveling screen. The Yard Master 2 is a fast folding-frame outdoor projection screen. Its lightweight aluminum frame allows it to be set up in minutes, making the Yard Master 2 perfect for my traveling lifestyle. The CineWhite® UHD-B (Tensioned Matte White) screen on the Yard Master 2 is a 1.3 gain flexible front projection screen that is ISF certified to achieve accurate color reproduction and image fidelity. As expected, the Halo+ also performed great with the Elite Screens Yard Master 2.

The XGIMI Halo+ is 3D Ready
  • MSRP – $849
  • Resolution – 1080p (1920 x 1080) FHD
  • Single DLP Chipset (0.33” Texas Instruments DMD)
  • 700-900 ANSI Lumens
  • LED Light Source
  • Light Source Lifespan – 30,000 Hours
  • Built-in Android TV 10.0
  • Built-in Battery Rated At 2 Hours of Playback Time
  • Dual 5-Watt Harman/Kardon Speakers
  • Auto Keystone Correction
  • Auto Focus
  • Intelligent Screen Alignment
  • Intelligent Obstacle Avoidance
  • Android TV (Version 10)
  • Chromecast Built-in
  • 3D Ready
  • 14 Day Effortless Return & Exchange Policy
  • One (1) Year Limited Warranty

The AAXA M5 is a $499 pocket-class projector with LED technology, featuring a “lamp” with three RGB LED lights. The combination of these LEDs recreates the entire color spectrum for a picture with a lot saturation. This is a single chip DLP projector with WXGA resolution (1280x800) and 900 lumens when plugged in, 500 when operating using the built-in battery. That’s respectable for a projector this size.

The M5 is the little brother to the AAXA M6, which has 1080p resolution, a 1200 lumen output, and a slightly longer battery life when operating on battery power. That one won an award in this year’s Best Home Theater Projectors Report for Best in Class: Pocket LED Projector. The M6 is $599 and does have a better picture due to the higher resolution, but if you really can’t swing that extra $100, the M5 will get the job done.

The M5 could be useful in several applications besides home entertainment (i.e. streaming Netflix/Hulu/HBO Go, etc., watching movies and casual gaming). The portability of the M5 will make it useful for “road warriors” who need a powerful little projector for presentations on the go, but it would also have its place in business and education environments. In those cases, the projector is suitable for classrooms or conference rooms that do not have a permanently installed projector, or when the projector will be passed from room to room.

AAXA Specs
Price
Technology DLP
Native Resolution 1280x800
Brightness (Manufacturer Claim) 900
Contrast 2,000:1
Zoom Lens Ratio
Lens Shift No
Lamp Life
Weight
Warranty

Overview

The AAXA M5 is on the larger end of pocket projectors, but it is still quite small. At 6 inches wide, 6 inches tall, 1.8 inches tall, and just under 2 lbs, it’s quite portable. The projector’s black carrying case (complete with handles) makes the M5 easy to tote around, whether it’s packed in a briefcase or held in the hand.

That portability can come in handy in a number of situations. I wrote in my review of the M6 that I could see this projector as being a good first projector for a young millennial or college student. Having a projector such as the M5 (or M6) would really give the freedom of being able to bring it around to friends’ apartments or dorms for movie night, or to play video games while having a large image size for a fraction of the cost of the larger LCD TVs. Not to mention, serious social points for your kid.

As mentioned in the section above, the M5 would be useful for the road warrior or school teacher on a budget. The AAXA M5 claims 900 lumens, which doesn’t sound like much, but it was enough to handle a modest amount of ambient light, and the image could even be seen when faced with a moderate amount of ambient light.

AAXA M5 The Hunger Games Katniss
The AAXA M5 can produce some good color and a sharp image.

Now, in the case of the latter, there was quite a bit of diluting, but I could still see what was going on in the image. That said, the M5 should be able to handle the amount of ambient light seen in most conference rooms or classrooms, and be able to project presentations, trainings, videos, and other business/education applications quite nicely.

Thanks to the LED light engine, the rated lamp life of the AAXA M5 is 20,000 hours – that’s rather excellent considering you can expect many lamp-based projectors to get about 3,000 to 8,000 hours at full power. What does that mean? You’ll be replacing this projector for being outdated long before the “lamp” ever goes out.

There’s a built-in media player for PC-free presenting, which will be useful in business and education applications, of course, but also for the home entertainment user who wants to show off the photos from their recent vacation. The media player allows for the playback of video, audio, text and photo files from a USB or mini TF-card (Micro SD). As for the other inputs, the M5 is basic, but has all the regular stuff you need for connecting video game consoles, BluRay players, streaming devices, computers, and external speakers.

Highlights

  • 1,200 Lumens – Bright enough to use in a fair amount of ambient light
  • LED Lamp – Lasts up to 30,000 hours
  • Media Player – PC-Free presenting and playback available using multiple ports
  • Simple Menus – Easy navigation with simple options
  • Built-In 2-Watt Stereo Speakers – Loud enough to use with small audiences
  • Battery Powered – Can run for up to 90 minutes when not connected to power
  • Portable – 2.5 pounds and comes with a carrying case
Check out how the Sony VPL-VW40 fared in our comparison report. View the Sony VPL-VW40 vs. BenQ W5000 projector comparison. View the Sony VPL-VW40 vs. Epson Home Cinema 1080 UB projector comparison. View annual winners.

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