XGIMI Horizon Ultra Review | 84 Data compared

The XGIMI HORIZON Ultra is a 4K projector offering high peak brightness, excellent uniformity, and Dolby Vision support, making it well-suited for moderately lit rooms. It boasts good out-of-the-box color accuracy, low input lag for gaming, and automated setup tools like auto-keystone and autofocus. However, the unit suffers from poor contrast, resulting in shallow black levels in dark environments. Other limitations include non-functional color calibration tools, a bulky power brick, and a lack of native Netflix support.

The XGIMI Horizon Ultra 4K projector stands out as an exceptionally bright, compact, and non-intrusive alternative to traditional, bulky home theatre systems, offering robust performance for its £1,749 price tag. Equipped with a dual Laser and LED light engine, it delivers a punchy, 2,300-lumen image that successfully filled a massive four-metre screen with accurate sharpness, vivid colours, and reliable motion handling. It distinguishes itself as the world's first long-throw projector with Dolby Vision support, offering exceptional performance when paired with high-quality UHD discs. Its automated features—including autofocus, auto-keystone correction, intelligent obstacle avoidance, auto-eye protection, and wall colour adaptation—are highly responsive and take the typical complexity out of projector installation and setup. Furthermore, its built-in 12-watt Harmon Kardon speakers provide impressive volume and clear sound imaging without requiring an immediate soundbar upgrade. Despite these strengths, the reviewer identified several notable drawbacks that hold the projector back from perfection. The built-in Android TV 11 streaming platform feels clunky and slow during playback on apps like Disney+ or Amazon Prime, while the Netflix experience is particularly flawed, rendering content only in standard HD...

Xgimi Horizon Ultra Review Summary The Xgimi Horizon Ultra ($1,699) is a standout 4K home entertainment projector recognized as the first long-throw model to feature Dolby Vision support. It features a compact, 11.5-pound design with a sophisticated motorized front cover that slides down to reveal the lens when powered on. Utilizing a unique hybrid light source combining both lasers and LEDs, it produces 2,300 ISO lumens of brightness and delivers a wide color gamut covering 95.5% of the DCI-P3 space. Setup is highly user-friendly, offering robust automatic adjustments for focus, keystone correction, and screen fitting, alongside built-in Android TV 11, dual 12-watt Harman/Kardon speakers, and flexible internet connectivity via Wi-Fi or Ethernet. Pros and Cons Dolby Vision Support: A rare and valuable addition for projector HDR playback. True 4K Display: Crisp onscreen resolution using fast-switch pixel shifting. Excellent Built-in Audio: Dual Harman/Kardon speakers powerful enough for large family rooms. Versatile Connectivity: Includes dual HDMI ports, Bluetooth, and an uncommon Ethernet port. Poor HDR10 Shadow Detail: It struggles to hold dark shadow details with HDR10 input compared to SDR or Dolby...

The Xgimi Horizon Ultra is a highly flexible 4K home cinema projector that stands out for its exceptionally fuss-free, user-friendly setup. Encased in a stylish, compact, and lightweight 5.2kg chassis resembling an old-fashioned radio, it features a fabric front panel that glides down to reveal the lens upon powering up. Performance is anchored by a unique dual light source combining laser and LED technologies, yielding a bright 2300 ISO lumens image with a wide colour gamut, while completely eliminating the distracting "rainbow effect" common to laser projectors. The standout Intelligent Screen Adaption 3.0 system handles real-time autofocus, optical zoom, and automatic keystone adjustments, even modifying picture output to compensate for non-white walls. Additionally, it features an 18ms latency for smooth 4K/60fps gaming and built-in, well-tuned 2x12W Harman-Kardon speakers. The core advantages (pros) of the projector include its exceptionally bright and long-lasting light hybrid source, excellent 4K picture detail, and a streamlined setup process packed with automated calibration tools. It also integrates Android TV 11 directly out of the box for native access to major streaming hubs like Prime Video and...