Picture quality is very crisp
Let’s start out with what is probably the most important aspect of a projector, and that is picture quality. This is a 4K projector, so we expect it to be high-resolution. It is also rated at 2,200 ANSI lumens, so it should be fairly bright. It can also provide up to a 200-inch display, which is really nice to have. The picture quality here is really impressive, compared to other projectors I’ve used lately. It’s crisp and clear. It’s also pretty bright. Now I’ve been using some ultra-short throw projectors that are brighter lately, but those also cost a lot more than this model. For most people, this is going to be plenty of light. I was able to watch content on this projector with ease, even with daylight coming in from the windows.
I will say, it was a little difficult to watch content on here that was darker. Say shows that mostly take place at night, where it’s pretty dark. Those were a bit hard to watch, but if you’re also watching at night, without any sunlight coming in, then you should be fine. Sure we’d love to see a brighter LED lamp here, but this is good enough for this price. Every time you turn on the projector, it will automatically adjust the auto-focus and auto-keystone. So that it is a straight picture. However, I’ve noticed that it does not keystone the same each time. It’s a bit odd, but after it does its own auto-keystone, you do have the ability to adjust the four corners to your liking. The auto-keystone works really well actually. It will even adjust the picture if there is something in the way. Even something small like a couple of Govee lights from its TV Immersion kit. So I had to lay those down to get the full picture. Having it auto-keystone every time it turns on was a bit annoying for me. I do wish that the projector was smart enough to know that it was not moved, and not do the auto-keystone again. But it only takes a minute, and then you can jump into your apps to find something to watch.
It’s not true 4K
As with most projectors, this is not a true 4K projector. And even if it was, the picture would not look like it’s 4K, especially at the max distance from the wall. But that’s okay. The image quality here is really impressive. Everything has been very crisp and clear during my time with it. I’d even say it’s better than the AWOL 4K projector that I have in my bedroom, as far as crispness goes. Colors are pretty vivid, though they do lack a bit of contrast. But for the most part, everyone will be happy with the picture quality on this projector. There is some light leakage however, particularly when the projector is not straight on the wall. It’s not as bad on this model as we’ve seen on other projectors, but on darker screens – like the Android TV home screen – it’s a lot more apparent.
Harman Kardon’s speakers do the heavy lifting
Inside the XGIMI Horizon Pro 4K, there are two 8W Hardman Kardon speakers, that actually sound really good during my review period. The bass was nice and boomy, while the mids and highs were crisp. It could also get pretty dang loud without sounding distorted, which was rather impressive. Especially when you consider how small this projector actually is.
However, if you’re like me, and live in an apartment and are unable to mount this to the ceiling, then you may not find the experience as great. That’s because the projector is off to the side. So depending on where you’re sitting, compared to the projector, it could sound very loud, or very quiet. I would actually plug in a Sonos Beam to the HDMI ARC port on the back and set up a surround sound setup with a couple of Sonos One speakers with this projector. Then the sound would be perfect. What’s also important to note here is that the projector itself is also super quiet. I never really heard it running, even with the cooling fan on. And I had it on for hours and hours on end without the fan getting super loud.
Android TV is here
So, XGIMI has the Horizon Pro running Android TV OS 10.0 out of the box, which you’d think would have me excited to review it. Well, that wasn’t the case. I’ve reviewed a handful of other Android TV-powered projectors, and the biggest issue I had with them was Netflix. You see, Netflix’s certification process for new products is bad. They will only certify a product that will sell over a million units. So a lot of the cheaper projectors out there, won’t get certified by Netflix. Which means you need to sideload the phone version of the app, which is a nightmare to use with a remote. And that’s the case here with the XGIMI Horizon Pro. You’ll get a message that says the app is not optimized for this device when you launch the Netflix app. And you can log in, but it’ll be the phone app.
The Android TV interface here is basically the same as every other Android TV device on the market. It’s a bit surprising that they didn’t go with Google TV for this projector though. That would have been preferred. But I’m okay, as long as Netflix works properly. There are some customizations here. Like the Settings button on the remote does not bring up the Android TV settings menu. Instead, it brings up the “quick settings” which includes things like image mode, keystone correction, clearing the cache, and then an option to go to the full settings at the bottom. It’s simple and it works. That’s what matters here.
Mounting the Horizon Pro
Like most projectors, you are able to mount this on the ceiling with ease. There is also a tripod mount on the bottom, which is how I had it mounted. Allowing you to put it on a tripod and more easily adjust the height, and tilt it to better take up the space you have.
Of course, you could also put it on a bookshelf across the room and aim it at the wall. I did that for the first week or so, then switched to the tripod.
Build quality is top-notch here
I was honestly surprised at how solid of a unit this projector is. It’s quite heavy, which should be no surprise. But it’s all aluminum and is a solid piece. The front has the LED lamp for projecting onto the wall, and a laser on the other side for helping with auto-focus and auto-keystone. On the top, you’ll find a power button, as well as play and volume buttons. To be honest, I never used these – except for the power button on the first turn on. On the back, you’ll find the barrel connector for power. As well as an optical port, two USB 2.0 ports, two HDMI 2.0 ports (one being HDMI ARC), as well as an ethernet port and an audio jack. So there are quite a few options here for adding peripherals to your projector. The sides are where you’ll see the speaker grilles for those two 8W Harman Kardon speakers.
Should I buy the XGIMI Horizon Pro?
Let’s close out this review of the XGIMI Horizon Pro. If you’re in the market for a new projector and don’t want (or need) an ultra-short throw projector, then this is a good option. The only real downside is Netflix, but luckily you can plug in a Fire TV Stick, a Google Chromecast, or something else and get around that issue. Ultra-short throw projectors are generally more expensive, but also generally brighter. So you’ll need to decide which route you want to go here.
