XGIMI Halo+ Review
A small improvement over the original
Verdict
A tweak to the original, the XGIMI Halo+ brings auto keystone correction to the party, making this portable projector incredibly easy to set up: just sit it down and you’ll get an in-focus, square image. High brightness and a Full HD resolution make this the highest-quality portable projector. It is quite large, and the lack of Netflix will put some people off.
Pros
- Bright
- Clever automatic setup
- Clear image
- Decent audio
Cons
- Expensive
- No native Netflix
Availability
- UKRRP: £749
- USARRP: $849
Key Features
- Projector typeA portable projector with built-in battery, the Halo+ also runs Android TV so you can use it and its integrated apps almost anywhere
- Streaming servicesRunning Android TV, the projector supports Amazon Prime Video and Disney+ natively; currently, Netflix is isn’t supported
Introduction
The XGIMI Halo is a quality portable projector thanks to its bright, Full HD image. Now, we have the XGIMI Halo+, a refinement of the original with some fancy new auto-setup features.
As with its predecessor, this model has an excellent interface via Android TV, good-enough speakers and decent battery life. Once again, the lack of Netflix support is a touch frustrating.
Design
- Quite large for a portable projector
- Built-in kickstand
- Optional tripod mount
XGIMI has ventured too far from the Halo with the Halo+. In fact, stick them side by side and you’d find it hard to tell the difference: the Halo+ has a sensor on the front that it uses to automatically adjust keystone. Otherwise, the two look the same, a bit like bookshelf speakers.
Once again, the Halo+ pushes at the boundaries of what’s acceptable for a portable projector (172 x 114 x 114mm, 1.6kg). At this kind of size, the projector will still fit in a bag or suitcase, but it’s not as easy to carry around as the Anker Nebula Capsule Max.
I’d also like to see a protective case in the box, as there’s no protection for the exposed lens on this model.
Power comes from the laptop-sized power brick. It has around 2.5m of cabling, so you can place the projector a fair way from a screen or wall and still have it powered, although there is an integrated battery for wire-free operation.
The Halo+ can sit on a desk or table, and it has an integrated kickstand underneath it, so that you can angle the projector.
There’s also a standard tripod mount, which gives a bit more flexibility, particularly if you’re going to take this projector camping or use it outside.
At the back, there’s the same port layout as with the standard Halo: HDMI, USB and 3.5mm audio out.
On top, there are some basic controls for volume and play/pause. It’s handy to have these for quick operation, but you’ll need to have the full remote to do anything else.
It’s a slimline Bluetooth remote, which has just the right number of buttons to do what you need without looking overly confusing. It feels robustly made and the buttons all have a nice action.
Features
- Integrated Android TV and apps
- Can take a 4K input
- Disney+ and Amazon Prime work but Netflix does not
Every time the projector is turned on or moved, it runs through its automatic routines to get you the best picture. That includes auto-focus (as with the original Halo) and, new to this model, auto keystone correction. The latter appeared on the XGIMI Elfin, and works brilliantly: just sit the Halo+ down and it will adjust the picture automatically to fit both the space you have and get a square picture.
Given that keystone correction reduces the amount of resolution that you use for the image, it’s still worth trying to get the projector as square-on to a wall as you can, with keystone taking care of the last bit.
As is standard for XGIMI, the Halo+ runs Android TV (version 10 here). Interface wise, this is far better than the usual modified version of Android that many portable projectors use. Android TV is built for the big screen and remote control use (or voice search thanks to the Google Assistant), and it has the full Google Play Store available so that you can download apps.
Once again, we run into a problem: Netflix is available for download, but it has not been certified to run on this projector, so won’t actually run. There’s also a lack of some apps that you might expect to see. I couldn’t find NOW, for example.
The only way around the issue is to plug in an external device, such as a Fire TV Stick – this can be powered via the projector’s USB port, so at least you don’t need to carry around additional power adaptors.
If you don’t want extra devices, then the XGIMI Halo+ does support Disney+ and Amazon Prime Video out of the box. As these apps are the Android TV versions, they don’t support offline downloading, as you get with the Nebula Capsule Max, which runs the mobile Android versions of apps.
Performance
- 900 Lumens makes this bright enough to use in a darkened room
- Loud and powerful speakers
- Capable of projecting a large screen
XGIMI has slightly boosted the brightness, up from the 800 Lumens of the Halo to the 900 Lumens we have here on the Halo+. Truth be told, this doesn’t make a huge amount of difference. The important thing is that this projector is much brighter than its portable competition and bright enough to use in a darkened room.
With a bit of ambient light around, you can get a regular TV-sized picture; as it gets to dusk and nighttime, you can go much larger. XGIMI says you can get up to a 200-inch picture, which is really much bigger than you’ll ever need. I found around 100-inches on an outside screen was about right.
Preset modes (film, sport, and so on) are built-in, although there are custom modes that let you adjust brightness, contrast and colour vibrancy individually, and you can turn the motion compensation on or off.
Without a doubt, the Halo+ with its Full HD resolution produces a far better image than most other portable projectors. The image is bright, with vibrant and rich colours, particularly with brighter more colourful content.
Contrast is generally very good, too, although blacks do tend to be more grey, and darker scenes can be hard to see clearly under any kind of lighting. HDR10+ support helps boost detail in the image, although the limited brightness means that you can’t get the searing highlights that a high-end TV will deliver.
XGIMI has built-in dual 5W Harmon/Kardon speakers, the same as on the Halo. These are loud and clear enough that you don’t need external speakers, although they lack bass for that true cinematic experience. Still, you can travel with just this projector and don’t need a Bluetooth speaker as you do with other portable speakers.
There’s a built-in battery, which will last around two hours. That’s great for camping if you want to watch an average-length film, but your epics will be out of reach on a single charge.
Once again, the non-replaceable LED lamp is rated to last for 30,000 hours. That’s more than ten years of use if you were to use the projector for eight hours a day.
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Should you buy it?
If you want a bright portable projector with excellent image quality that’s very easy to set up, this is the model for you.
If you want Netlfix built-in, then you’ll have to look elsewhere. Those that want something smaller and lighter may prefer a different portable projector, too.
Final Thoughts
Quality, brightness and configuration wise, the XGIMI Halo+ is the king of the portable projectors. Its image is far better than that of the competition, and the built-in speakers are actually useable for watching films. If you want the best that portable projectors can offer, then this is the model for you.
That said, the lack of Netflix support is disappointing and there’s not enough difference here to convince existing XGIMI Halo owners to upgrade. For wider app support and offline viewing, the smaller Nebula Capsule Max may be a better choice. Those looking for a projector to use at home may want to check out our guide to the best projectors.
How we test
We test every projector we review thoroughly over an extended period of time. We use industry standard tests to compare features properly. We’ll always tell you what we find. We never, ever, accept money to review a product.
Find out more about how we test in our ethics policy.
Tested for more than a week
Tested using streaming apps with real world use
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FAQs
Not natively, you’ll need to plug in an external device to get this service.
Yes – it will last around two hours
Full specs
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Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
Professional conduct
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.
Editorial independence
Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
Professional conduct
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.
