XGIMI HORIZON Pro Projector Review

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Fast Facts

The XGIMI HORIZON Pro delivers a wall-size 4K HDR image at a premium price point. Is this projector an illuminating purchase, or will you feel left in the dark? Find out in this Rapid Review.

Set-Up

There’s one important factor most people consider when choosing between a projector or a television: wall space. After all, not many people have a spare 200 inches available within their living room. Fortunately for me, my review unit arrived in the midst of a home office renovation, leaving me plenty of blank wall space. Setting up the projector was easy; in fact, I expected it to be a lot harder, both in terms of software and screen adjustment.

Turning the device on, I was impressed by the automatic keystone adjustment. Using the built-in projector camera, I could hear the lens physically adjust in order to provide a pixel-perfect resolution and a straight rectangular image. Although I spent the majority of my review unit with the projector facing directly forward, I was very impressed with how the projector offered a ‘Precise Correction’ feature to provide a straight rectangular image, even from a 30-degree angle! 

The easy set-up wasn’t only for hardware. The software also excelled in the ease-of-use category. I expected to plug in an extra device in order to test entertainment, but – thanks to built-in Android TV integration -my Chromecast and Fire TV stick remained unplugged. Upon setting the projector up, I was asked to log in to my Google account before being greeted with a vast array of apps, in addition to built-in Chromecast support. With Android TV built-in, it was great to operate the projector’s OS, entertainment apps, and settings with a single remote that felt suitably premium with its minimal thickness and metal finish.

Summer Games Test

I’m not exaggerating when I say that the projector’s image quality is simply incredible. I must admit that I let out a few audible ‘wows’ across the review process! Fortunately, my review unit came just in time for the Summer Games Fest showcases, and I loved watching events such as the State Of Play on a big 4K screen to bring the conference atmosphere to my living room. In fact, the standard projection size become almost too all-encompassing, so I used the settings menu to adjust the screen to a slightly smaller size. One thing was clear, though. No matter the size I was using, the image was crystal clear, especially when it came to the high-resolution of text.

Playing The Game

Whilst typing this review, I now realise that using the PS5 to play Horizon Forbidden West on the HORIZON Pro would have been the perfect match. Instead, I decided to use my Series X play Planet of Lana on the big screen. Despite having moments of vivid colours and breathtaking watercolour landscapes, the game also features plenty of dark environments with lots of black and grey colours, so it was a great title to put the projector through its paces.

There’s no sugar-coating it. No matter how bright an image can get, a projector simply can’t beat an OLED when it comes to dark shades. Fortunately, this projector still does a good job of trying. With the curtains drawn and the lights off, I absolutely loved taking in the breathtaking vistas as the protagonist moved across the screen; and I had a good level of visibility within the game’s darker moments. However, during the daytime, with the curtains left open, I had a slightly lesser experience as the colours became more washed out. This isn’t necessarily a fault with the HORIZON Pro but instead a wider drawback of using projectors in general. Even during daylight, the image remained visible and far brighter than previous budget projectors I’ve used in the past.  Nevertheless, to get the best image, you’ll need to invest in a good set of blackout curtains or blinds! 

Speaker Selection

Alongside a surprisingly quiet fan, Harman Kardon speakers are embedded straight into the projector. I was impressed by the quality of sound being delivered. However, it is worth considering purchasing a soundbar or external speaker system, depending on where you place the projector within your room.

Unlike television speakers, projector sound doesn’t arise from the direction of the screen. From where I was sat, music came directly from behind me, so it worked well for me, but your listening experience may vary. 

Conclusion

The XGIMI Horizon Pro is a phenomenal projector, providing a super-sharp image and a fantastic keystone adjustment feature. Although the projector still can’t compete with an OLED screen in daylight, the sheer size of the image provides a considerable counterbalance. Providing you have the wall space, the XGIMI Horizon Pro is a premium purchase that’s worth every penny.

Rapid Reviews Rating

4.5 out of 5

4.5

You can purchase the XGIMI Horizon Pro for £1899 on Amazon, with a current sale price of £1499