Execs
- New brightest PJ
- Correct shade
- Comparatively small and gimbaled
Cons
- Dear
- How shiny do you actually need?
- Followers are fairly loud when operating full throttle
- It is easy to bump out of alignment
It solely took a couple of months to dethrone the brightest projector I’d ever tested. The Xgimi Horizon 20 Max is the brand new king of brightness, an accolade I believe quickly might be meaningless, however extra on that later. With a number of luscious lumens, the 20 Max can fill as large a display, or wall, as you could find. Its colours are additionally surprisingly correct and it has an honest distinction ratio.Â
It is also very costly. With an MSRP of $3,000, it is virtually a greenback a lumen. For that value, it does have a couple of points, together with an underwhelming zoom vary and a few manufacturing flaws that should not exist in a product with that price ticket.
General, although, the Horizon 20 Max is a superb projector that delivers a superb picture with the gimbal-style design that appears to be all the craze. I am undecided its value is totally justified, however if you wish to blind passing spacecraft, pop 140 tons of popcorn or just create an ultrabright, wall-sized picture, it is a powerful little machine.
Specs and such
- Decision: 4KÂ
- Lumens spec: 5,700 (ISO)
- Zoom: 1.2-1.5:1
- Lens shift: ±120% vertical, ±45% horizontal
- Gentle supply kind and life: RGB laser (life not specified however lasers sometimes final the lifetime of the projector)
The Horizon 20 Max is an evolution of the Xgimi Horizon S Max and Xgimi Horizon Ultra. It is a bit bigger and has the previous’s pivot body and lazy Susan-style base. But, I want there have been a method to lock the alignment in place, as any bump to no matter its sitting on can ship it off track.Â
Not like most cheaper DLP projectors, the 20 Max has each horizontal and vertical lens shift, in addition to a motorized zoom. The vertical shift has a powerful downward extension, letting you venture with no upward throw. I do not suppose most individuals want this, however if you wish to mount or place the projector pretty excessive, it will probably sit on the identical top as the middle of the display while not having keystone correction. The zoom is welcome however pretty unimpressive, providing a spread of about 3 ft between its minimal and most throw. That wasn’t fairly sufficient to position the projector both behind or in entrance of my sofa — although I stands out as the just one with that concern. Even so, I would all the time want a wider zoom vary for higher flexibility in placement and display measurement. As with all product, there are trade-offs: A greater lens would price extra and will introduce its personal optical drawbacks.
Talking of optical points, my unit appeared to have mud or one other downside within the optical path, leading to two shiny circles within the higher left of the picture. That is borderline unacceptable for a $3,000 projector. The problem was noticeable sufficient that, had I bought this projector myself, I’d have returned or changed it.
The Horizon 20 Max positive does not have an issue with throwing a LOT of sunshine. Solely six months after crowning the Anker Nebula X1 the brightest projector I would examined, and only some weeks after discovering the second brightest within the Valerion VisionMaster Pro2, that is the brand new king of sunshine. In its most correct mode, I measured 2,699 lumens, about 15% higher than the X1’s 2,383. Within the Xgimi Horizon 20 Max’s brightest, and really inexperienced, Excessive Energy mode, I measured a outstanding 4,850 lumens. That is a lot brighter than any projector I’ve examined; I am amazed and a bit blinded by the light.
Gentle output is essential, but when the ensuing picture is trash it would be ineffective. The distinction ratio, an important side of image high quality, was a really respectable 1,367:1. That is nicely above common, and whereas not fairly pretty much as good because the Anker Nebula X1, it is higher than nearly all of the 4K projectors I’ve examined. Coloration was additionally fairly correct, although with a couple of quirks I will talk about beneath.
Connections
- HDMI inputs: 2
- USB port: 2
- Audio: eARC, optical, 3.5mm analog, Bluetooth, 2x12W audio system
- Web: Wi-Fi
- Streaming interface: Google TV
- Distant: Backlit (and movement delicate)
The Horizon 20 Max sits someplace between the devoted streaming projectors, with their single HDMI inputs, and conventional projectors with a number of connectivity. Two HDMI connections is sweet, but it surely’s the optical and analog audio output that is notable in a projector like this. Producers making it simpler to attach higher audio is all the time welcome.
The Xgimi’s interface is customary Google TV, letting you put in nearly any streaming service you’d need to watch. Not like some Google TV projectors I’ve reviewed, this one contains all the image settings you’d anticipate — and want — to dial within the picture on your particular display and room.
The twin, 12-watt audio system have Harman/Kardon branding and sound surprisingly good. They play pretty loud with an honest quantity of bass, although the low finish can sound a bit boomy. There are a number of EQ presets and, extra usefully, a seven-band customized EQ that permits you to dial in a sound profile that works greatest on your room. General, it is a number of the higher audio I’ve heard from a projector, although the forward-facing audio system can sound barely muffled if the unit is positioned in entrance of you. Happily, the a number of audio-out choices make it straightforward so as to add exterior audio system, a good suggestion with any projector. And because of its onboard wi-fi, the 20 Max can even double as a Bluetooth speaker.
The distant has an enter button, which isn’t a given as of late. Even higher, key buttons mild up after they sense motion, one thing that is welcome in a darkish room.
Image high quality comparisons
I collected three of the highest projectors I’ve reviewed lately to match in opposition to each other. All look nice, are exceptionally shiny and really costly. I related them to a 1 x 4 distribution amplifier (aka an HDMI splitter) and seen them side-by-side on a 1.0-gain display. This was, with out query, essentially the most mild ever mirrored off my display.
Not surprisingly, there aren’t any unhealthy choices right here. All three have their professionals and cons, after all, however all are unbelievable projectors. To suit all three pictures on my 2.35:1 display, I moved the projectors nearer to create a TV-sized picture, and one which’s TV- shiny as nicely. The variations in mild output are the obvious between the fashions. Whereas all are spectacular on this regard, the Xgimi is noticeably brighter than the others, much more so than the earlier brightness king, the Nebula X1. The BenQ, regardless of placing out “solely” 1,683 lumens, manages to carry its personal, but it surely’s undoubtedly dimmer. However would you’re feeling that this projector is dim in your house? Nope.Â
As I’ve stated numerous instances earlier than, brightness is only one side of image high quality. It is an essential one, for positive, however simply being shiny does not imply it is the perfect projector. Distinction ratio is the true key. Right here. the Anker seems a bit punchier than the Xgimi, which itself seems a bit higher than the BenQ. The variations aren’t huge, although. I measured the Anker at 1,544:1, the Xgimi at 1,367:1 and the BenQ at 975:1. That is sufficient to note the distinction in particular person, however solely barely between the Anker and Xgimi. Between the Anker and BenQ it is extra noticeable, however remains to be pretty shut.Â
The place the BenQ wins is shade. All three of those projectors are fairly correct, however the BenQ seems essentially the most pure. It has the perfect pores and skin tones total and is solely actually pleasing to take a look at. Coloration does not get the headlines of brightness and distinction ratio however when it is carried out proper, it actually catches the attention. The picture seems a bit extra pure, much less like expertise shining on a display.
As I’ve talked about in earlier opinions, all RGB laser projectors have a difficulty. In case you put on glasses it’s possible you’ll discover chromatic aberration, or color fringing, alongside the sides of shiny objects, most noticeably white objects in opposition to a darkish background. The picture will appear to separate with a single-color “ghost” on both facet. That is separate from the DLP rainbows some folks see with sure DLP projectors. However this concern will not have an effect on everybody who wears glasses, and it definitely will not have an effect on those that do not put on glasses. I do discover it and discover it annoying sufficient that I personally would not purchase an RGB laser projector. The BenQ makes use of LEDs and does not have this concern.Â
I am not going to cop out and say “everybody’s a winner right here.” Selecting one is a problem, nevertheless. As I stated earlier, all of them have their professionals and cons, so I feel the actual reply is that every is right for a particular use. The Nebula X1 is ostensibly a transportable projector. It has a built-in deal with and its extremely adjustable lens is certainly supposed for less-than-ideal placement. It may possibly completely work in a devoted area, however I feel the others right here could be higher for that. The BenQ is certainly the best choice for extra conventional, mounted, house theater placement. It is huge, which permits it to sit down nearer and extra unobtrusively to the ceiling, and the streaming is through an included dongle you could select to not set up. Whereas the BenQ remains to be lots shiny, it’s barely dimmer than the opposite two right here and extra fitted to light-controlled rooms.Â
This leaves the Xgimi: It is not as simply moveable because the X1, but it surely’s undoubtedly supposed for non-permanently mounted house use. The lens shift, zoom and gimbal make setup quick and simple for an impromptu film evening on nearly any flat floor, and the inner audio system sound good for a small-ish projector. In different phrases, in the event you do not need to mount it (BenQ is best) but additionally needn’t transfer it fairly often (Anker is best), this one matches the invoice. Sure, that is a slim area of interest. You would additionally purchase it in the event you simply need to burn out your neighbor’s retinas — even with the blinds closed.
The brand new regular?
We appear to be coming into a brand new period in house projectors. The demise of UHP lamps has pressured growth of LED and laser mild sources which have now wildly exceeded their predecessor tech. Projectors getting brighter yearly was a given, however what was as soon as gradual has taken off considerably in the previous few years. After I first began reviewing projectors in Ye Olde Darkish Ages of the early 2000s, an exceptionally shiny projector may handle perhaps 900 lumens. Now the common projector I assessment can do this fairly simply. The practically 5,000 lumens the Horizon 20 Max places out is greater than many TVs from a couple of years in the past.
Sooner or later, arguably now with the Xgimi Horizon 20 Max, we’ll should have a dialogue about what’s too shiny in a projector. Such speak would have been laughable just some years in the past. I will concede it is fairly risible now, too, however the reality is that standard properties have a display measurement that is restricted by the ground and ceiling. If that wall-sized picture is blasting out TV-level brightness, at what level does it grow to be an excessive amount of and have to be turned down? I typically joke about pictures being “eye-watering,” however many individuals genuinely discover ultra-bright pictures uncomfortable to observe in a darkish room. And since projectors want a darkish room anyway — any ambient mild will nuke the distinction ratio — there is a pure higher restrict to comfy brightness.
So if a projector is shiny sufficient that you just’re routinely turning it down, the query turns into: Why spend more money on that stage of brightness within the first place?
As I stated, proper now this argument is only tutorial. The actual fact is, you possibly can flip it down. The Horizon 20 Max additionally exhibits that, for essentially the most half, excessive brightness not comes with main sacrifices past price. Distinction and shade stay strong even at these lumen ranges. It was that pushing brightness meant giving up one or each, however with fashionable LED and laser mild sources, that trade-off largely not applies.
So in the event you do not thoughts that sticker value, you may get as large of a display as you need in your home and create a picture with TV-levels of brightness. That is spectacular certainly.
