The $1,099 Xgimi Horizon home projector is a twin to the $1,699 Xgimi Horizon Pro in almost every way, from size and weight to the ports on their back panels. The only difference is that while the Pro offers native 4K (3,840-by-2,160-pixel) resolution, the Horizon produces only 1080p (1,920 by 1,080 pixels), though it can accept 4K input. Not surprisingly, the Horizon Pro's higher resolution pays off in a sharper picture with more detail in bright scenes. In dark scenes, however, the cheaper Horizon did a better job holding shadow detail in our tests. Depending on what you watch most often, you may pick either one as having the better image overall.

Super-Simple Setup

The Horizon and Horizon Pro compete with many of the same home theater- and TV-oriented projectors, including the $999.99 Epson EpiqVision Mini EF12, which carries our Editors' Choice award for a 1080p room-to-room streaming projector with an LED or laser light source. The EF12 has the advantage of a three-chip design, which means it can't show the rainbow artifacts—flashes of red, green, and blue—that can be a deal-killer for those who find them bothersome. Both Xgimi models can show these artifacts (more on that later), but for those who don't see them easily or don't find them bothersome, they won't be an issue.

The Horizon is built around a single 1,920-by-1,080 DLP chip paired with an RGBB LED light source with a lifespan rated at 25,000 hours. It also adds fully integrated Android TV 10. Physical setup is as easy as it gets: To use the projector for streaming, there's little to do beyond finding a spot for it, connecting the power cord, and turning it on. You can connect to other video sources using two HDMI 2.0 ports on the back panel.

By default, auto-focus kicks in to deliver a sharp image every time you turn on the Horizon or move it. Typical for this class of projector, the Horizon lacks optical zoom. It has a digital zoom feature, but as with any projector, it's best avoided since it reduces brightness and can introduce artifacts. It helps that moving the projector to adjust image size is a cinch: The Horizon weighs just 6.4 pounds and measures 8.2 by 8.6 by 5.4 inches (HWD). Android TV setup is standard, with the option to connect via Wi-Fi or Ethernet.

The Horizon's onboard audio is the same as the Horizon Pro's, delivering unusually high quality for a small projector and enough volume to fill a large family room. The Harman Kardon sound system includes two 8-watt stereo speakers and support for both Dolby and DTS audio. For permanent setup or still higher quality, you can connect an external audio system using the 3.5mm analog or S/PDIF optical audio-out.

A Picture That Responds Well to Tweaking

The projector's control menus include four predefined picture modes with limited choices for customization and different options for each. Out-of-the-box image quality is good enough that most people will consider any of the four modes highly watchable, but a fifth or Custom mode offers a much longer list of settings that will reward those who want to fine-tune the image.

Among the presets, Movie and Football modes delivered visually identical images with nicely saturated color. Blues and reds were occasionally too vibrant, which may bother those with a critical eye, though many people actually prefer oversaturated color. The key difference between these two modes involves frame interpolation (FI) for smoothing motion: Movie mode offers three FI levels plus an option for turning it off, while Football is locked into a single level. This makes good sense, since FI adds a digital video or "soap opera" effect to filmed material that many find annoying, but it enhances the look of sports and other live and recorded video.

Office mode delivered the most accurate color in our tests, which made it my favorite of the predefined modes for watching filmed material. It doesn't offer frame interpolation. Game mode is, as you'd guess, the best choice for gaming, thanks to its having the shortest input lag—I measured it at 41ms for 1080p at 60Hz using Standard mode. That's quick enough for casual gaming, while the 18.4ms I measured in Boost mode should satisfy all but the most serious gamers.

Unfortunately, none of the preset modes delivered good contrast or shadow detail in dark scenes. For my viewing tests, I used Custom mode, which provides brightness and contrast settings. After adjusting both of these, the Horizon's contrast, shadow detail, and three-dimensionality in dark scenes jumped from poor to good, raising overall image quality for SDR input from merely acceptable to a considerably higher level.

Note that all of the modes support HDR10 and HLG HDR as well as SDR. In my tests comparing 4K HDR and 1080p versions of movies on disc, the 4K HDR versions were eminently watchable, but not a match for the same films' SDR versions, particularly for shadow detail. I also found they were slightly green-shifted when using settings that worked well with the SDR versions. To avoid obviously green skin tones, I had to change the color temperature setting to Warm for HDR input, then back to Standard for SDR input each time I switched between the two.

The Horizon requires manual switching between 2D and 3D modes, but it handled 3D reasonably well otherwise. In my tests using DLP-Link glasses, I didn't see any crosstalk, and 3D-related motion artifacts were within the typical range for current-generation 3D projectors.

Image brightness after adjustment was easily enough to light up a 90-inch, 1.0-gain screen both in a dark room and in low levels of ambient light. The Horizon was also bright enough to produce a highly watchable image on an 80-inch, 1.0 gain screen in a family room during daytime. (See our guide to choosing the right projector screen.)

As mentioned, like any single-chip projector, the Horizon can show rainbow artifacts. In my tests, I saw them a bit more often than is typical for current DLP units. If you're concerned about them, be sure to buy from a dealer that accepts returns without a restocking fee so you can test the projector for yourself.

A Solid Choice for a Streaming, Room-to-Room Portable

Considered either as a room-to-room portable or a 1080p TV replacement, the Xgimi Horizon is a solid value for the price. It offers suitable brightness and image quality for a family room, along with Android TV for streaming. Also pluses are its good portability, easy setup, and the choice of a wired or wireless connection to your network.

If you can afford the extra cash, be sure to consider the Horizon Pro, as well, for its 4K resolution. If your budget obliges you to stick with 1080p, weigh the Horizon against both the Epson EpiqVision EF12, which is guaranteed not to show rainbow artifacts, and the even less expensive ($699.99) Miroir M1200S, which did an excellent job of avoiding artifacts in my testing. Note, however, that both of those 1080p competitors deliver significantly lower brightness than the Horizon, which means the Xgimi's picture can stand up to brighter ambient light at any given image size. In a family room, that can be a killer advantage.