XGIMI Introduces the Horizon and Horizon Pro Home Entertainment Projectors First Look Review

XGIMI Introduces the Horizon and Horizon Pro home entertainment projectors

XGIMI has recently released its most powerful series of home projectors, the Horizon Series, the flagship projectors in the XGIMI projector lineup. The XGIMI Horizon Series includes the Horizon, the Horizon Pro and the new Horizon Ultra. The Horizon is a smart all-in-one 1,080p portable DLP projector and the Horizon Pro is a smart all-in-one 4K portable DLP projector. The only difference between these two projectors is the resolution.

Both of the projectors measure in at 8.2" H x 8.6" W x 5.4" D. Their portable design makes them easy to bring anywhere you have access to a power outlet and a flat viewing surface for a quick plug and play experience. A tripod mount is located under the projector to make placement even more effortless.

As I have said in a previous XGIMI review, their products have won many awards in several different international markets over the last few years. These awards include the "iF" International Forum Design (Design Award), the CES (Innovations Award), and the Red Dot (Design Award). XGIMI's MoGo Pro – Android TV 4K portable projector was a CES Innovations Award 2020 Honoree. Impressive.

Projector Reviews recently gave the XGIMI Halo the “Best in Class” award because we felt it was one of the best battery operated portable smart projectors in its price range.

If you are not familiar with XGIMI, or you simply want more information about XGIMI, check out Technical Editor and Lead Reviewer, Phil Jones' interview with XGIMI. Click below for the full video interview.

I was lucky enough to be given early access to the XGIMI Horizon Pro for this review. The Horizon Pro has a small square shape with rounded edges and took only a small amount of space to set up. The matt black aluminum chassis and rounded square body give the Horizon Pro a nice and clean modern look that should be aesthetically pleasing in any room.

The Horizon Pro can project an image as small as 40.38 inches and up to 300 inches; which means this projector has you covered when it comes to screen size choice. The Horizon Pro adopts the latest in DLP technology to provide sharp images with its native resolution of 3,840 x 2,160 pixels.

A highly efficient LED light source is utilized in the Horizon Pro. The XGIMI Horizon Pro is a 4K DLP LED projector with a rated brightness of 2,200 ANSI lumens. The LED light source should allow the Horizon Pro to project bright and clear images for its LED lifespan of 25,000 hours. XGIMI has calculated that to be eight hours of projector usage every day, for almost nine years, without ever needing to change out the lamp.

Often, projectors fall short when compared to flat-panel televisions in certain areas. One of these areas is the projector's light source. The lamp can dim and require a replacement bulb in a traditional projector after only a few thousand hours. A short lamp replacement schedule would add to the operating costs of the projector and be quite an inconvenience to the projector owner. Because the Horizon Pro uses an LED light source, this is no longer an issue when considering projection over traditional flat-panel televisions. The long life of the LED illumination can provide years of maintenance-free operation.

The Horizon Pro supports HDR10 and HLG, which are the two main High Dynamic Range (HDR) formats. With HDR, you do not lose the details between the light and dark extremes in a picture.

The Horizon Pro is powered by the Android TV 10 OS. With Android TV 10, you have apps and capabilities that are also found in smart televisions. Horizon Pro includes Google Assistant, which allows you to control the Horizon Pro with your voice, using the remote. The remote has a built-in microphone to control basic projector features using this voice control feature. It can also control a wide variety of compatible smart devices via Google Assistant.

Android TV also provides seamless access to streaming services, including HBO Max, YouTube, and Showtime, right out-of-the-box. In addition, there are over 5,000 native Android apps available for you to explore.

The integrated Artificial Intelligence (AI) allows the Horizon Pro's AI-powered object detection, auto screen detection, and intelligent spatial sensing algorithm to work together. These features intelligently identify and avoid obstacles in the projection area. With the integrated AI and automatic keystone correction, the Horizon Pro setup is quick and easy. My demo Horizon Pro adjusted to my screen in about 5 seconds.

The Horizon Pro supports DTS Studio and Dolby. The projector has dual 8W Harmon/Kardon speakers built-in. The premium speakers are located on the sides of the unit. The speakers provide fantastic sound for such a small and portable projector. The speakers are more than loud enough for an average-sized household room. When you use the included remote control to change the volume, the volume level is conveniently displayed on-screen.

Like the XGIMI Halo demo model I traveled with, I also traveled with the XGIMI Horizon Pro. I traveled for one week with the Horizon Pro and found it to be a great alternative to a portable Bluetooth speaker.

All of the connections and inputs are located on the back of the Horizon Pro. The rear of the chassis has a headphone audio output, SPDIF input, LAN input, USB 2.0 input, USB 3.0 input, HDMI 2.0 (ARC) input, HDMI 2.0 input, and a DC input.

XGIMI also offers a less expensive model with less performance called the XGIMI H2 ($899.00 MSRP) it offers 1,350 ANSI lumens and projection of up to 300 inches.

For the past few years, the XGIMI H2 1,080p projector with 1,350 ANSI Lumens was XGIMI's reigning champion. However, with 2,200 ANSI Lumens and 4K, the XGIMI Horizon Pro is XGIMI's new top-of-the-line projector.

Stepping up to the Horizon Pro ($1,699 MSRP) adds a plethora of advancements. As we discussed, some of those advancements include Ultra High Definition 4K, 2,200 ANSI Lumens, Auto Screen Detection, AI-Powered Object Detection, and an Intelligent Spatial Sensor.

With a $1,699 Manufacturer's Suggested Retail Price (MSRP) for the Horizon Pro and $1,099 for the Horizon, it is clear that the Horizon series target customer is the individual who is looking to step into the premium home cinema style of projectors but still desires a portable projector. The small and portable Horizon Pro provides a hassle-free home theater experience, a convenient gaming option (Android games, Xbox, PlayStation), direct casting via Chromecast from an Android or iOS device, and non-stop entertainment from Horizon Pro's Google Play Store for Android TV ensure entertainment any way you want it.