I tried the XGIMI Horizon 20 Pro and I might finally be able to ditch my TV for a gaming projector — here’s why
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Credit: Paul Antill
The best projectors continue to get better each year thanks to 4K quality, punchy colors and flexibility to move from room to room with a massive picture — think, over 200 inches.
But, generally speaking, projectors still struggle with brightness and gaming performance.
That's exactly what the new XGIMI Horizon 20 Series is trying to change. It's bringing some big upgrades that, if you're like me, will make you rethink where and how you'd actually use a portable projector.
Imaging Upgrades
Lens Shift & Optical Zoom
For the first time in an XGIMI home projector, we find Lens Shift. This lets you adjust the image position up, down, left, or right (V±120% / H±45%) without needing to physically move the projector and without compromising sharpness or distorting the picture.
Credit: Paul Antill
You can also optically expand the projection to fill your wall with a throw ratio of 1.2–1.5:1.
Together, these give you flexibility in where you can place the projector, which is handy if you're trying to set this up in a smaller room or don't want the projector perfectly centered against the projected wall.
Bright picture
Credit: Paul Antill
There are three models in the Horizon 20 lineup. The main difference between them is max brightness. The Horizon 20 is rated for 3200 ISO lumens, the Horizon 20 Pro is rated for 4100 ISO lumens and the Horizon 20 Max is rated for 5700 ISO lumens.
Credit: Paul Antill
Which one makes sense for you comes down to your room's brightness. The Horizon 20 Max is the most forgiving if you want to move it around and still get a vibrant picture in spaces with ambient lighting.
Gaming features
What excites me the most about the Horizon 20 series are the upgrades to gaming performance. This projector tackles latency and refresh rates: 1ms at 1080p 240Hz, 2.2ms at 1080p 120Hz, 3ms at 4K 60Hz.
Credit: Paul Antill
4K 120Hz is still absent, but I wouldn't be surprised if we saw this make its way to the Horizon series in the next year or two.
Projectors like the Epson LS12000 from a few years ago offer 4K 120Hz, but they have much higher latency of about 22ms, not to mention it's far less portable and much more expensive at $6000.
Auto Picture Adjustment
The Horizon 20 Series comes with XGIMI's latest ISA 5.0 which includes Auto Keystone, Autofocus and auto image size, which automatically adjusts the picture, avoids objects on your wall, and gives you the largest uninterrupted image possible.
There is also color wall adaptation which adjusts the white balance to compensate for projected directly against walls that aren't a perfect white.
Credit: XGIMI
XGIMI has been one of the most reliable brands at pulling this off, and I'm curious to test how well it holds up in this new generation once we get a review unit.
Connectivity & smart features
Ports include optical audio, USB 3.1, USB 2.0, two full-size HDMI (with one supporting eARC), and a 3.5mm audio jack.
Credit: Paul Antill
The Horizon 20 series runs Google TV out of the box. That means native Netflix support, plus hands-free voice control through Google Home.
Credit: Paul Antill
Which should you buy?
Pricing starts at $1700 for the base Horizon 20 and goes up to $3000 for the Horizon 20 Max. If you pre-order before October 14, you can save up to $750, and they'll also throw in a floor stand and a copy of Assassin's Creed Shadows .
Credit: Paul Antill
If you want that big picture that only a projector can offer but have been on the fence because of brightness or gaming performance, the XGIMI Horizon 20 series might be worth considering.
