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XGIMI Halo+ projector review: Compact and portable with a bright display and superb sound
I have been extremely impressed with the XGIMI range of projectors since I first reviewed the XGIMI H2 in May 2019. Since then, each new iteration of the projector has demonstrated XGIMI's commitment to excellent viewing and superb sound.
The XGIMI Halo+ portable projectoris the latest release in the XGIMI stable and, yet again, I am impressed.
The XGIMI Halo+ replaces the XGIMI Halo projector. It is a compact projector standing at 6.75 inches high with other dimensions of 4.46 x 5.70 inches. The Halo+ weighs 3.5 pounds.
Its weight is partly due to its whopping 59.4Wh battery which makes the Halo+ projector truly portable. In the box, there is also a power plug and mains adapter so you can run this permanently on mains power if you prefer.
XGIMI Halo+ portable projector
pros and cons
- Battery or mains powered
- 900 ANSI lumens
- Twin 5W Harman Kardon speakers
- No TF card slot
The Halo+ also has a Bluetooth remote control in the box so you can mount the projector on the ceiling and manage it in the same way as your TV. You do need to add AAA batteries to the remote control.
The Halo+ has 2GB RAM and 16GB of on-board storage. It delivers images at a standard resolution of 1920 x 1080px at 2K/4K resolution and has a brightness of 900ANSI lumens.
An ANSI Lumen is a unit of measurement devised by the American National Standards Institute to measure the true brightness of an item.
If a projector does not state its ANSI lumen rating but only states its lumen number, the number has probably been exaggerated in terms of actual brightness.
Images displayed range from 30 inches at 0.79m distance from the screen up to 200 inches from 5.28m away from the screen. I usually project my images up to 100inches from 2.65m away from the projector screen. This is simply down to the size of my room and the drop-down ceiling screen I use in my home theatre.
The Halo+ has a throw ratio of 1.2:1. This is not an ultra short projector throw like the XGIMI Aura Ultra short projector I reviewed in November 2021. The lower the first number is compared to the :1, the closer you can place the projector to the wall to get a decent sized image on your wall or screen.
At the rear of the XGIMI Halo+ are the connections: DC in for main power, a 3.5mm headphone jack, an HDMI port, a USB Type-A port and the power button itself. There is no TF card slot in this model. You need to use an adapter to connect your TF card to your USB Type-A port.
On the top of the projector, there are soft buttons to increase and decrease the volume and a play/pause button.
The two Harmon Kardon 5W speakers with Dolby Audio, Dolby Digital Plus, DTS-HD, and DTS Studio Sound are behind the XGIMI stylish grille.
Inside the Halo+ projector, the operating system is Android TV 10.0 with Chromecast/Airstream mirroring technology built into the projector.
Automatic keystone adjustment occurs when you switch on the protector and will adjust up to 40 degrees horizontally and vertically during boot up which takes around 10-15 seconds.
Every time you move the projector, automatic keystone adjustment will occur – if you have enabled this setting. Alternatively, you can manually change the keystone by using the switch on the bottom of the remote control.
The XGIMI Halo+ is quiet when in use, and on board sound is less than 30dB. The battery will last up to two hours, or around 90 minutes if you have the volume cranked up to the max.
The images produced by the projector are bright – even in daylight – and are sharp and clear. On battery power, I estimate that the images are about 20% darker, but still perfectly viewable even in daylight.
Sound is excellent, clear, and crisp across the ranges, and with two 5W speakers, perfectly adequate for most rooms.
Android TV setup means that you can transfer all of your settings from your mobile device including WI-Fi settings, which will make set up far easier.
As the projector runs Android TV, there is access to apps from the Play store, and you can use Google voice assistant to navigate around the menus.
All in all, for $849, the XGIMI Halo+ portable projector is a stylish, compact projector that you can take anywhere.
With automatic keystoning, excellent luminosity, and on board twin 5W speakers, the Halo+ is a fabulous projector that will deliver all you need for great display and sound – wherever you happen to be.