The Xgimi Horizon Max on display at CES 2024.Phil Nickinson / Digital Trends
Chinese projector maker Xgimi nominate some pretty bang-up portable andpremium projectorsand somehow does it without charging a lot for them . At cerium 2024 , the company show up off two newfangled upcoming projector : the IMAX Enhanced certified Horizon Max , the company ’s brightest projector to date that features a neat precision gimbal arrangement for auto keystoning and some smart screen door version tech , and the unique Aladdin , a 3 - in - one sassy home roof lamp , speaker , and projector . I jibe it all out at the company ’s busy CES 2024 booth .
Xgimi Horizon Max
Building off of the winner of last year’sHorizon Ultra 4Kprojector that boasted support for Dolby Vision , Xgimi ( pronounced “ ex - jeemee ” ) hop to strike Au again with the Horizon Max . Xgimi says the Horizon Max is the “ World ’s first retentive - throw projector to sport theIMAX Enhancedcertification . ”
So , what does that intend , exactly ? Well , it can be applied to streaming service ( Disney+ , for example , has several of its moving picture viewable in IMAX Enhanced formats , and the Horizon Max can play them ) , and gadget such as TVs , Ab receiver , verbaliser , and , in this font , projector . In a partnership between IMAX and multi - channel audio company DTS , the IMAX Enhanced squad fuck off together with some technical kinfolk from Hollywood to determine if the machine inhabit up to its standards for resolving power , color , contrast , and brightness , as well as DTS :X ’s immersive sound . The Horizon Max does .
When I reviewed the Horizon Ultra projector last twelvemonth , I was impressed with its quick and easy auto backbone and alliance features and configurable picture preferences , and the Max takes this to a whole Modern level .
With something Xgimi calls ISA 5.0 ( well-informed projection screen version ) , Horizon Max uses a motorized gimbal system driven by automatize software package . Using 3D ToF ( time of escape ) detection , the projector read the outer space , adjusts to the room and the rampart or filmdom you ’re using , and configures the options accordingly .
The CES demo was impressive . In a three - palisade demo elbow room with obstacles on the walls ( such as a framed picture ) , the bottom gimbal turned the projector horizontally while the side abide - attached gimbal moved the projector vertically as the mental image floated its means across the paries . Upon strike the frame picture ( where the 3D ToF comes in ) , the image just continued to the next wall where it settle on a clear , optimal viewing quad — all the while automatically align keystone as it moved , almost in a flash .
But beyond that , the projector will also adjust its setting , optimizing them for specific activities and control surface and remembering them . This could come in ready to hand if you , say , watched all your picture show and shows in one room or sieve but wanted to move the projector to another room or blind for gaming .
But how does it seem ? While we ’ll have to await until later this year to get our hand on the 4 K projector for a proper review , after a look at the Horizon Max at the ship’s company ’s John Wilkes Booth at CES 2024 , I can report that the 180 - inch image I witness in its demonstration way on the show floor was attractively bright and color accurate ( if I know my Marvel movies , and I do ) , with rich blacks and line .
Xgimi has reach this with some novel undivided light applied science it has developed , namely Dual Light 2.0 . This is the second iteration of the technical school that we attend in the Horizon Ultra , but this time , it combines three-fold MCL optical maser typically obtain in commercial house projectors that handle colouring material reproduction and contrast , while a phosphor light source source is meant to deal with any imperfections due to the laser , Xgimi suppose . The result is a 35 % increase in luminosity from the Horizon Ultra ( 3,100 ISO lumens ) , a contrast proportion of 2000:1 , and a broad color gamut ( although Xgimi has n’t free specification on that yet ) .
blueprint - wise , the Max take a few notes from the Ultra ( it ’s also slightly bountiful and taller ) , with a pat bamboo - blind - like boldness that , like the Ultra , smoothly slides in and out of place to protect and expose the lamp . It ’s also propped up a bit on a new gimbal swivel stand , making it easier to point and align your image , which you may do with the remote ( roof climber rejoice ! ) .
The Xgimi Horizon Max is slate for a later 2024 sack , and Xgimi says that we will see its fresh Dual Light 2.0 and ISA 5.0 tech make its way into its integral range of projectors this twelvemonth . No pricing info or extra contingent have been announced for the Horizon Max yet , but it said it would be under $ 3,000 , and Xgimi told me that it ’s yet to be determined if it will consort Android TV or Google TV .
“ With the Horizon Max , we ’re reshaping home entertainment , delivering a cinematic experience antecedently reserved for high - end projectors , ” Apollo Zhong , chief executive officer and founder of XGIMI , say in a press release . “ Horizon Ultra accomplish Dolby Vision , and now , Horizon Max brag IMAX Enhanced corroboration for characterization / image carrying into action . ”
It’s a lamp, it’s a projector, it’s Aladdin
And now for something a little unlike . CES , if anything , is a great place for companies to show off their more unique new cogwheel , and the Xgimi Aladdin certainly fit in that category .
The society squall Aladdin “ a revolutionary product that seamlessly fuse a saucy ceiling lamp , high - ending projector , and plug into speakers to optimize your living space . ” We ’ll see about the rotatory part , but the sleep is true .
Based on the Popin Aladdin 2 Plus design that Xgimi gain when it purchase Popin ’s base theater business in 2022 , Xgimi ’s Aladdin is still in development , with a Japan release in the works for this summer .
From the demonstration I got at CES , Aladdin does indeed solve many of the issues projector possessor can run into , such as arrangement challenges , screen stop from the great unwashed having to walk in front of the light source while watching a movie , and often inapt and unsightly ceiling mount with cable system everywhere ( more on that in a bit ) .
Few projector specification were announce with the Aladdin ahead of CES , other than it being an “ HD ” projector with a projection proportion of 0.7:1 , which means you could go up it approximately 6 foot from the filmdom for a 100 - inch image . The Popin Aladdin 2 Plus have 900 ANSI lumens of light , so we ’ll see if Xgimi ’s version cope with that . In - line with other Xgimi projectors , the Aladdin features Harman Kardon 360 - degree sound that can double as a smart talker for the way when not being used to binge installment of something on Netflix . It ’s also Wi - Fi - up to and features Bluetooth .
The image is what you ’d expect from an HD projector , but the room was also a bit brilliant . That , and we did n’t really reckon at any movie or TV shows for reference , but the small fry games and other subject matter we checked out seem uniform with other HD projector I ’ve go steady . The sound from the Harman Kardon speaker was louder and fuller than what I try in the Horizon Ultra , which I did n’t hump , so that ’s a good thing .
As far as the Aladdin being a smart ceiling lamp , Xgimi said that when it comes to North America , it will likely be installed like a cap rooter . The build - in utterer also belie the need for running any in - ceiling wire for sound . middling apt .
The Aladdin ’s light was attractively brilliant , and its temperature can be aline with the remote control or an app .
And one more thing…
Regarding what else Xgimi has in store for 2024 , the Taiwanese company announced that it will be using new chips from Taiwan ’s MediaTek in all of its premium projector . Additionally , Xgimi has partnered with Google TV and plan to launch a chain of unexampled products throughout the year that we can take on will be backed by the Google fresh TV operating system , which would be a switch from their current allegiance to Android television receiver .
Note : This post was updated to make up an wrongdoing that stated that IMAX and DTS are owned by parent company Xperi .
