XGIMI is one of the more exciting and innovative projector brands of the past few years, developing high-performance projectors that come in increasingly smaller designs. The company built its position in the industry by innovating a range of breakthrough portable projectors but, in more recent years, has moved into the living room with an ultra-short throw and, most recently, the incredible XGIMI Horizon Ultra, which is the world's first long throw Dolby Vision projector.
The new XGIMI Aladdin received a CES Innovation Honoree Award for its groundbreaking, lifestyle-focused design. XGIMI sees this new projector as a seamless integration of an HD projector, smart light, and premium audio experience that showcases the company's mission of delivering unparalleled home entertainment experiences to the masses.
According to XGIMI, the Aladdin is only the first of many Smart Home innovations the company wants to introduce in 2024 and beyond. There are not a lot of details on the Aladdin beyond the basics, but let's talk about what I know and what we've been able to find out from XGIMI.
The Aladdin is the fruit of a developmental partnership between Popin Inc., a subsidiary of Baidu Inc., and XGIMI. The two companies collaborated to produce a projector called the Popin Aladdin 2. Then, in 2022, XGIMI fully acquired the Aladdin business from Popin, and the Aladdin projector looks to be the first product released due to the technology and assets acquired by XGIMI in 2022.
The designs of the Popin Aladdin 2 and the XGIMI Aladdin appear almost identical, and both projectors share similar features and specifications.
Here's what we know for sure. XGIMI has confirmed that, like the company's other projectors, the Aladdin is a Full HD (1,920 x 1,080p) projector built on the Texas Instruments DLP imaging platform. The projector is designed to display an image up to 100 inches diagonally directly from the ceiling. This is an excellent size because 100 inches offers a big screen experience.
The ceiling mount design of the Aladdin solves many of the positioning problems of traditional projectors, eliminating concerns such as bulkiness, screen blockage, and glare while providing an immersive viewing experience without compromising floor space. Its strategic positioning prevents direct light exposure, prioritizes user safety, and offers an impressive 0.7:1 projection ratio. t.
Aladdin is designed to make installations as simple as installing a standard ceiling light while providing users with a feature-rich projector and a 360-degree Harman Kardon smart speaker. This eliminates the need for extensive in-ceiling installations and allows Aladdin to integrate easily into existing home decor. Since audio and smart features are built-in, the Aladdin is designed to be installed as easily as a ceiling light.
Another feature the Aladdin offers is immersive, dynamic wallpapers, life-sized interactive children's books, and soothing ambient sounds for bedtime, bringing pure magic to living and bedroom spaces.
The Aladdin combines a ceiling lamp and a smart projector with built-in speakers, creating a complete audio-video experience and allowing consumers to use their living spaces best.
XGIMI HORIZON MAX
It's been only a few months since XGIMI introduced the company's groundbreaking HORIZON Ultra, the world's first long-throw Dolby Vision projector. At the 2024 CES (Consumer Electronics Show) in Las Vegas, XGIMI announced a new projector, the XGIMI HORIZON Max.
The XGIMI HORIZON Max is the world's first Long Throw smart projector that is IMAX Enhanced certified, bringing IMAX's picture to the home. Before this new XGIMI projector, IMAX Enhanced certification was exclusive to premium-priced projectors. Bringing advanced features and certifications to its projectors underscores XGIMI's commitment to providing premium-grade entertainment to the home projection category.
XGIMI has stated that they see the new HORIZON Max as a product that will reshape the home entertainment experience by providing a cinematic experience previously exclusive to high-end projectors. If the HORIZON Max is the same caliber projector as the recently reviewed HORIZON Ultra, then the Max should deliver excellent performance — at a more affordable price.
IMAX Enhanced certification and Dolby Vision support demonstrate XGIMI's commitment to enhancing projection technology, striving to bring the theatrical movie experience into every home.
The HORIZON Max also introduces XGIMI's new ISA 5.0 (Intelligent Screen Adaptation) technology that uses hardware and software enhancements to introduce a new experience in smart projector engineering.
The HORIZON Max introduces a fully automated motorized gimbal that allows the projector to go beyond traditional projection systems by automatically locating the best projection position on the wall and intelligently remembering settings for specific walls, offering users unparalleled convenience.
The HORIZON Max is also designed to allow consumers to use the projector for gaming on one side of the room and movies on the other by enabling the projector to seamlessly transition when moved between walls. The projector can automatically adapt its software and hardware settings to optimize the visual experience for each activity.
This new feature offers users more control and flexibility over the projected image and content. Integrating 3D ToF in ISA 5.0 enhances HORIZON Max's ability to detect the surrounding space swiftly, enabling users to find the optimal space to project an image. This alleviates the usual hassles associated with traditional projectors, offering the most seamless and user-friendly experience.
Cool features and new technologies are nothing if a projector does not produce a stunning image. The HORIZON Max is designed to achieve extraordinary picture quality through its updated Dual Light 2.0 technology, which was introduced on the HORIZON Ultra. Dual Light 2.0 is XGIMI's newest and exclusive system with a dual-light light source integrating an RGB triple laser for an extended color range and a phosphor light to enhance any imperfections the RGB laser light source produces.
XGIMI uses a proprietary optical engine with MCL lasers commonly used in commercial theaters, leading the way in triple laser performance. As a result of the upgrade to Dual Light 2.0, the viewing experience provided by the HORIZON Max is cinematic and comfortable, boasting an ultra-wide color gamut, ultra-high brightness (3,100 ISO lumens), ultra-high contrast (2000:1 native contrast ratio) and ultra-high color accuracy. The new system delivers XGIMI's brightest display to date, a 35% increase from the HORIZON Ultra.
According to XGIMI, the HORIZON Max establishes a new benchmark for the industry with this certification and represents a significant milestone for the brand by introducing the most refined versions of its signature ISA and Dual Light projection technologies.
With IMAX Enhanced Certification and Dolby Vision, the HORIZON Max sets a new standard in home entertainment, surpassing competitors in its price range.
In 2024, XGIMI plans to expand its projector line-up with even more cutting-edge products featuring IMAX Enhanced certification and Dolby Vision, as well as Dual Light 2.0 and ISA 5.0 technologies, reinforcing its commitment to delivering stunning visual experiences.
As of the writing of this article, XGIMI has not given a specific launch date or price for the new HORIZON Max, but the company did say that this projector should launch in late 2024. If pricing on the HORIZON Max is as aggressive as the HORIZON Ultra, this projector should represent an incredible value for the features and performance provided. I can't wait to get one of these units onto the test bench.
Be sure to visit us at www.projectorreviews.com for all the latest news and information about this and other XGIMI projectors. Also, be sure to watch for our full review of what appears to be another groundbreaking projector.
