While we have zero trouble spruiking the benefits of the best TVs to enjoy movies and TV shows for a more cinematic experience only a projector will do.

Of course, the more you spend the more cinema-like experience you'll achieve, but if your budget is limited, the Xgimi Vibe One is a mighty-fine choice. It's the cheapest projector we've ever tested, and it's now cheaper still thanks to a 29% discount at Amazon — now AU$427.49.

Amazon has already slashed the price to AU$474.99, and at the time of publishing there's the option to apply an extra 10% saving at the checkout, which you absolutely should do.

Despite the low price, you get an awful lot of projector for your money. We did find we needed to adjust the sharpness and contrast levels from their out-the-box settings when we tested the dinky projector, but once that was done, we were wholly satisfied with the image it projected.

As our reviewer Robyn Quick said in their review, "we unearthed a more natural image that portrays the green trees around an army staging post with more balanced, yet still striking, colours", once those settings were tweaked.

The Vibe One also proved capable with darker content: "In the opening of Alien: Romulus, as a ship floats through the depths of space, the projector presents the dark abyss with an impressively deep black by budget projector standards."

What's perhaps most impressive about the Xgimi Vibe One is that it holds up well in bright conditions, making it a versatile option for daytime use too, not just movie nights curled up on the sofa.

As for specs, the Vibe One doesn't support 4K content, instead topping out at a native resolution of 1080p. It can project an image up to 150 inches in size, with a claimed 250 ISO lumens of brightness.

A single HDMI port means you can connect external source devices such as a Blu-ray player or games console, while Google TV provides native access to Netflix, Apple TV, Amazon Prime Video, and Disney+.

Coming in at 1.4kg on the scales, you should have little trouble putting the Vibe One in a bag to take with you wherever you want to go. Do note though that we found that the projector only offered just under an hour of battery life in Standard brightness mode. If you plan to use the Vibe One outside, you'll likely want to consider an extension cable so you can watch a full movie uninterrupted.

You'll need to temper your expectations where sound is concerned, as the 3W speakers are reasonably loud but lack impact and detail. Fortunately, you can wirelessly connect to a Bluetooth speaker to handle sound duties.

The Xgimi Vibe One delivers a surprisingly detailed and cinematic image that outperforms expectations at this price. While its battery life is limited and the built-in audio falls short, it remains outstanding value for a projector — portable or not.

We are currently entering our third heatwave of the year, and like us, we are sure you’re doing what you can to get through it. If that involves taking your evening movie viewing outside once the temperature is slightly cooler, then we have just the deal for you.

The Xgimi Mogo 4 received four stars in our review, and has now dropped to just £379 at Amazon. That’s a discount of £130, or 26 per cent – a hot deal for the hot weather.

Xgimi Mogo 4 deal: save £130

The Xgimi Mogo 4 is a dinky little thing, about the size of a water bottle. The projector folds out from the stand, and packs the Google TV platform. That means you get Netflix, Apple TV, Prime Video, ITVX and Disney+, but not Channel 4 On Demand or BBC iPlayer, which are sizeable omissions.

You can access those missing apps using Google Cast, but that’s considerably less convenient than native app support.

Bluetooth and wi-fi come as standard, while HDR support is limited to HDR10. There are a host of different picture presets to choose from, as well as the ability to tweak your own.

It can’t match a dedicated home cinema projector – and we wouldn’t expect it to – but the picture quality is still impressive. Tree branches are crisp against the background, and black levels impressively deep. Vibrancy can be a bit heavy-handed at times, but that’s to compensate for outdoor viewing conditions – though it is something to note if you will use it indoors as well.

Still, for £379 at Amazon, the Xgimi Mogo 4 is a great buy, and one of the better ways to survive a heatwave.

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It's Home Cinema Week here at What Hi-Fi?, and to celebrate we've had a bevvy of themed reviews on speaker packages, AV receivers and more.

One of the most notable of those, however, might be the AWOL Vision Aetherion Max projector, now reduced to £3199 at Amazon.

It may not be cheap by UST standards, but considering the specifications involved and the overall performance, it really is a bit of a bargain.

And given how overall impressive it is, from its design to its features to the all-important picture and sound quality, it's sneaked right to the top of our list of UST favourites.

If you had any doubts about the abilities of the AWOL Vision Aetherion Max, here's a snippet from our recent review.

"The Aetherion Max’s picture quality isn’t just a big improvement over the already more than decent LTV-3500 that marks our only previous interaction with an AWOL Vision projector; it’s actually arguably the best picture quality we’ve ever seen from any UST projector. Or, at least, a UST projector selling for anything like as little as the Aetherion Max does," our AWOL Vision Aetherion Max review reads.

The projector is fantastically bright and contrast-rich even in ambient light, but it's in dark rooms that the Aetherion Max really shows how outstanding it is. Colours look even more vibrant, but crucially remain natural, balanced and full of subtle nuances and blends.

Its HDR Standard mode also somehow manages to deliver some of the deepest, most convincing blacks we’ve seen from any 3000-nit or brighter projector, all of which adds up to an endlessly watchable and immersive experience.

The Aetherion Max’s front-mounted speakers, too, are far better than you get built into most projectors, getting loud enough to create a cinematic presence even in large rooms but still retaining detail at high volumes. More bass than most projectors achieve is also on offer, though this does result in some straining under pressure.

Not to be outdone, the feature set is just as impressive. Its DLP optics are illuminated by a triple laser lighting system, for starters, with a claimed 3300 lumens of brightness and an image size of up to 200 inches.

Gamers are extremely well supported, with three HDMI ports that support VRR and reach 240Hz with Full HD (but not 4K) sources.

There's also support for all four current HDR standards, including the premium HDR10+ and Dolby Vision formats, a rarity in the projector world.

Given just how much is packed into the AWOL Vision Aetherion Max and how well it performs, its £3499 launch price was a bit of a miracle. And now our favourite UST is even cheaper, with a £300 discount at Amazon.

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AWOL Vision might have only been around for six years (the blink of an eye by AV standards), but it’s already managed to cram an awful lot of progress into its short life.

As early as 2024, the brand was impressing us – without quite blowing our minds – with its LTV-3500 Pro ultra short throw model. And now, just two years later, the brand has massively upped the ante with the Aetherion Max.

This is another UST model, but the similarities with the LTV-3500 Pro pretty much end there. From its design through to its features and, most importantly, its picture and sound quality, it truly elevates AWOL Vision into the big leagues – all for a fraction of the price of its predecessor.

Price

Its steep price was arguably the Achilles heel of the LTV-3500 Pro, so it’s great to find the Aetherion Max selling for thousands of pounds (or dollars) less than that model – despite boasting a better design and an improved set of specifications and features.

There are, of course, UST models out there that cost much less than the Aetherion Max’s £3499 / $4499 / AU$6299 asking price – including the excellent Hisense PX3-Pro, which is now being discounted to as little as £1599 at some UK retailers.

If you’re able to afford £3499 for a projector, though, the Aetherion Max not only comfortably earns its extra cost but actually ends up feeling like a bargain.

Design

The Aetherion Max looks like a cross between an alien spaceship and a Robot Wars winner – in a good way.

At heart, it’s the usual UST projector low-slung rectangular shape with a recessed slit in the top where the light gets out, but that core design is embellished with a lovely metallic silver finish, a Battlestar Galactica Cylon-like blue illuminated strip running across the front edge that also sports a fetchingly designed speaker grille, and a host of false corners and angled panels that all catch the light differently, creating a strikingly futuristic, exaggerated 3D effect.

Eye-catching though the Aetherion Max is, its UST design means it’s still far less impactful on your room than a king-sized TV would be. We strongly suggest that such a premium projector be partnered with a good quality screen, but you can make this ‘disappear’ when you’re not watching it if you go for a retractable model that can roll back into its housing when you’re not using it.

As if by commercial magic, AWOL Vision actually sells its own impressive 100- and 120-inch ambient light rejecting motorised floor rising screens, with some dealers offering aggressively priced projector-plus-rising-screen package deals.

Having been sent a 120-inch screen with our Aetherion Max test sample, we can confirm that these are remarkably well built and effective screens for their money. They help images look substantially punchier and richer in bright rooms, while the screen’s black level performance holds up startlingly well in dark room set-ups too.

AV purists should note, though, that AWOL Vision’s screens use a 1.3 gain level, which is slightly higher than the neutral or 1.0 figures usually recommended for accurate dark room viewing.

The Aetherion Max is joined by a neatly designed remote control, complete with attractive and tactile metallic highlight elements, a clean and ergonomic button layout, and effective backlighting.

Features

AWOL Vision has equipped the Aetherion Max with a seriously impressive collection of facts and figures for its price.

Its DLP optics are illuminated by a triple laser lighting system, for starters, and this optical system is claimed to pump out both 3300 lumens of brightness and a colour range capable of covering the full BT.2020 spectrum.

That colour range is seldom really relevant to today’s content, though, which typically works within the smaller DCI-P3 range. Needless to say, 100 per cent coverage of the DCI-P3 gamut is promised, too.

A 7-level iris and an advanced black level enhancer algorithm are provided to try and maintain good contrast despite how bright the projector is, while owners of 3D Blu-ray discs will be pleased to hear that AWOL Vision’s latest projector supports 3D playback.

The Aetherion Max’s lens arrangement features so-called Sapphire glass elements that are made using an ultra-low dispersion design for enhanced sharpness, and coated with a Rare Earth material using a premium ‘planetary’ ultra-even coating process that’s claimed to boost light transmission, contrast and colour accuracy.

Backing up these hardware features is a PixelLock software solution that works to prevent pixel drift, where projected images can gradually lose focus over time due to changes in the projector’s optics or lens.

Unlike many of today’s ultra short throw and ‘lifestyle’ projectors, the Aetherion Max doesn’t carry a sophisticated automatic image installation system. The set-up features provided, though, are extensive and calibrated finely enough to make it possible to achieve perfect focus, geometry and corner-to-corner sharpness without having to work too hard.

The Aetherion Max joins the recently reviewed Valerion VisionMaster Pro 2 in sporting a new anti-rainbow effect technology. This manipulates the image’s refresh rate to reduce DLP projectors’ potential for red, green and blue stripes to flit over stand-out bright objects. The Aetherion Max’s Anti-RBE system works for 3D as well as 2D.

Gamers are extremely well supported by the Aetherion Max. Its HDMI ports support VRR and can stretch to 240Hz with Full HD (but not 4K) sources. We measure input lag at an excellent 9.7ms with 1080p/60Hz sources when the projector is set to its Game/PC preset, which drops to only just over 3ms at 240Hz.

These are fantastic results for a projector – though we should add that the refresh rate increases slightly to 12.0ms if you activate the projector’s AMD FreeSync VRR feature, and also increases to 15ms with 60Hz content if you forget to turn off the high frame rate feature you strangely have to manually activate to unlock higher frame rates.

The Aetherion Max carries three HDMIs – one more than many of its competitors – along with a USB-C DisplayPort you can use for connecting tablets or laptops, an S/PDIF digital audio output, an RS-232C control port, and a 3.5mm AV input.

ALLM support means the projector can automatically switch to its Game mode when a game source is detected, and its low-latency mode remains in play when you’re playing in Dolby Vision.

The only significant gaming limitation seems to be that using the AMD FreeSync version of VRR causes the Xbox Series X to default down to Full HD and SDR rather than 4K HDR.

We mentioned Dolby Vision HDR back there, but impressively the Aetherion Max also supports the rival HDR10+ format which, like Dolby Vision, passes extra signal information compatible displays can use to deliver more accurate picture results.

It’s still unusual for a projector to support even one of these advanced HDR formats, never mind both, so the Aetherion Max deserves major props for being able to play the best version of any content you feed it.

In fact, it even carries IMAX Enhanced certification, meaning it’s been deemed capable of getting the best from IMAX’s special mastering system.

As we’d expect to find with a UST projector, the Aetherion Max carries a built-in smart system. And as usual with projectors, that smart system comes courtesy of Google TV, accompanied by AirPlay 2, Chromecast and Miracast content sharing capabilities. As usual, though, the use of Google TV means there’s no BBC iPlayer support.

The Aetherion Max’s built-in sound system, finally, is impressively able to handle both the premium Dolby Atmos and DTS:X formats – and it does so with much more power at its disposal than your average projector. The two 25W full-range drivers and a pair of tweeters are driven by 25 and 20 watts of amplification, respectively.

Picture quality

The Aetherion Max’s picture quality isn’t just a big improvement over the already more than decent LTV-3500 that marks our only previous interaction with an AWOL Vision projector; it’s actually arguably the best picture quality we’ve ever seen from any UST projector. Or, at least, a UST projector selling for anything like as little as the Aetherion Max does.

Looking at it first in the relatively dynamic and bold presets (HDR Standard and Dolby Vision Bright) that showcase its more extreme capabilities, the projector delivers a fantastically vibrant, bright but also contrast-rich image that punches confidently through daytime living room levels of ambient light.

This is especially true if you’re using the optional AWOL Vision ALR screen mentioned earlier, but it still out-punches most UST rivals even using an essentially neutral screen.

While this bright room capability is likely to be very welcome to anyone in the market for a specifically UST projector, what really tips the Aetherion Max into outstanding territory is how well its picture charms hold up in a dark room setting. Colours look even more vibrant, and brightness for both full-screen and peak highlight image elements looks fantastically intense.

Crucially, though, the enhanced intensity the AWOL Vision delivers in dark rooms isn’t just eye-catching; it’s also endlessly watchable and immersive thanks to the way colours still look natural, balanced and full of subtle nuances and blends despite their vibrancy; the way the brightness doesn’t lead colours to start looking washed out; and the way the projector’s black colours and dark scenes still look compelling and convincing despite the brightness and colour punch they’re appearing alongside.

We need to dwell on this black level point more. After all, unlike premium TVs, the Aetherion Max doesn’t have any true hardware-based local light controls to draw on. Yet its image management is so impressive in its HDR Standard mode that it somehow manages to deliver some of the deepest, most convincing blacks we’ve seen from any 3000-nit or brighter projector, despite its price being far from outrageous by premium projector standards.

These impressive black levels are achieved naturally enough, too, to ensure the Aetherion Max can render stand-out bright objects without either dimming them down to maintain consistent black levels, or black levels slipping into heavy greyness to accommodate the bright object’s intensity.

As well as helping dark images look convincing, this sort of contrast consistency really helps you get lost in what you’re watching – something that should always be the ultimate goal of any display, regardless of how eye-poppingly extreme its on-paper specifications might be.

AWOL Vision’s HDR tone mapping is remarkably good for such an affordable high-spec projector. It consistently shows an excellent knack for delivering an unusually bold HDR image experience by projector standards without leaving the image looking strained or full of distracting over-exaggerations or imbalances.

While the Aetherion Max’s Standard mode imagery is so alluring that it may well become the only setting most households need, we’re very happy to discover that AWOL Vision’s projector seals its status as our UST projector of choice by also managing to turn its hand to accurate dark-room playback.

Whether you’re using the HDR Filmmaker Mode or Dolby Vision Dark settings, the projector does an excellent job of reining in its more extreme tendencies to deliver images that track creators’ intent without looking remotely lifeless and flat like they can on all too many rival projectors running in similar picture modes.

Images still look quite bright by projector Filmmaker Mode standards, for starters, and black levels look, if anything, slightly deeper without crushing out subtle shadow detailing or exposing noise in near-dark areas.

Colours still look balanced and nuanced too, even if saturations are slightly toned down for the most part, and detail levels are high without starting to look forensic or overly gritty.

Skin tones look even more nuanced and believable than they do in the HDR Standard and Dolby Vision Bright modes too, while motion avoids looking excessively juddery even with 24p sources without any potentially distracting side effects from the available multi-strength motion processing.

The Aetherion Max carries all the tools needed for a full ISF calibration if you’re willing to spend money to optimise the projector’s performance for your specific surroundings. AWOL Vision has shown such a fine understanding of both HDR and SDR images with its Filmmaker Mode and Dolby Vision Dark settings, though, that we really don’t think many owners will feel the need to go the extra ISF mile.

That’s not to say, though, that the Aetherion Max is perfect or doesn’t benefit from any intervention. For instance, bright highlights of HDR images can clip (lose shading and colour subtleties) quite strongly in Filmmaker Mode unless you turn off the Enhance Black Level feature. Yet doing that can cause black levels to look a little greyer.

The anti-rainbow-effect technology can cause the projector to output an extra whining sound, and at the time of writing is applied automatically to many of the projector’s presets. If the noise bothers you, you may find you need to turn to a setting that doesn’t have the feature active – so it’s handy that these settings tend to be the most movie night-friendly options.

Strangely, the Anti-RBE processing doesn’t seem as effective here as it did on the Valerion VisionMaster Pro Max. It does reduce the rainbow effect, but not as much – something that people who are particularly prone to seeing rainbowing might want to take note of.

The Dolby Vision Bright mode can generate a hint of shimmering effect over bright picture expanses, as well as introducing a mild green undertone to the image. This green undertone all but disappears in Dolby Vision Dark mode, though, helping it become one of our favourite out-of-the-box Dolby Vision projection options.

Even with its FreeSync VRR resolution and HDR limitation, the Aetherion Max is a fabulous big-screen gaming display.

It really is remarkably responsive for a projector, rivalling the best TVs for how quickly it seems to react to your controller or keyboard inputs. Its gaming images look crisp, punchy and vibrant, too, especially at the higher frame rates the projector can seamlessly handle.

Pro gamers may struggle with the time it takes to move their eyes around images as big as those the Aetherion Max is designed to deliver, but the projector’s silicon, at least, won’t cost such gamers many precious milliseconds of response time.

AWOL Vision provided a couple of pairs of its own DLP Link 3D glasses with the Aetherion Max – and we are mostly glad it did.

Early impressions of this projector had suggested that its 3D pictures might suffer from major crosstalk (ghosting) problems, but such issues seem to have been almost completely resolved with our sample. Its 3D images look impressively detailed and clean, in fact, with practically no crosstalk interference at all.

Judder can be a little distracting during 3D action scenes, but there isn’t any major flickering to worry about, and 3D images look brighter, more naturally coloured and richer in contrast – including excellent black levels – than they do on many 3D-capable rivals.

Sound quality

The Aetherion Max’s front-mounted speakers (where our description of front refers to the side of the projector that faces out into the room) are predictably far better than those you get built into most projectors.

They can get loud enough to create a cinematic presence in even quite large rooms, for starters, and they’re able to maintain impressive amounts of detail in a good movie mix even at near max volume levels.

More bass than many projectors can achieve is on hand to provide action movies with a good sense of weight and scale, and there’s enough headroom in the projector’s mid-range to allow the sound to shift up through a convincing number of gears as action and horror movie set pieces build to a climax.

Dialogue is usually clean without standing out too much from the rest of the mix, and expansive soundtracks are thrown clear of the projector very effectively, creating a soundstage so big it makes you forget that it’s being produced from the diminutive form of a UST projector.

There are a few limitations to its audio efforts, though.

Bass can become slightly strained and huffy under severe pressure, as well as sometimes struggling for timing with deep rhythmical/percussive effects.

Deep male voices can occasionally sound a little hummy/electronic too, and dialogue generally can sound as if it’s coming from below your screen, rather than being raised to the level of the onscreen action.

Finally, very high-pitched sounds can hit your ears a bit harshly at high volumes.

While these niggles explain why we’ve only given the Aetherion Max a score of four for sound, though, as we said at the start of this section, it still sounds much more immersive and cinematic than your average projector.

Verdict

While the AWOL Vision Aetherion Max isn’t cheap by today’s UST projector standards, it delivers a combination of specification and performance that ultimately makes it look like a bargain.

In fact, with the projector’s design, features, specs and picture and sound quality all given appropriate weight alongside its price, it’s sneaked right to the top of our current UST projector chart.

SCORES

• Picture 5
• Sound 4
• Features 4

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It's Home Cinema Week here at What Hi-Fi?, and it seems as if Epson is joining in the celebratory spirit.

The Epson EH-TW7000, one of the Japanese brand's entry-level 4K projectors, was already affordable at launch – and has just hit a new low of £799 at Amazon.

That's an incredible price for any 4K projector, but particularly impressive for one with the picture quality of the five-star Epson EH-TW7000.

Let's get this out of the way first – to achieve this price Epson has not included a smart platform or built-in speakers, meaning almost all we have to judge is the picture performance.

However, the picture quality alone was enough to blow us away.

"We play Venom on 4K Blu-ray and this projector explodes into life from the start, with some excellent HDR handling and dark detail in the opening shuttle crash scene," our Epson EH-TW7000 review reads. "The light levels run from the dark forest shadows to the extreme brightness of the floodlights. Despite this range, the tone of the scene is expertly controlled."

Detail is brilliant for this price point, capturing subtle textures and skin details, while colours are controlled yet dynamic.

Set-up is simple by projector standards, and there's plenty of lens flexibility to boot.

While there's no smart platform, there are two HDMI ports, so you can easily add one of the best Blu-ray players or streaming sticks. There are also two USB 2.0 sockets, as well as the option to send out audio via Bluetooth or a 3.5mm cable.

If you thought a 4K projector was out of your price range, you might want to think again. The Epson EH-TW7000 is an affordable 4K projector done right, stripping out features so all of your hard-earned cash goes towards picture quality – all for £799 at Amazon.

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Hisense has clearly decided that it’s time to capitalise on its huge success in the lifestyle projector world by launching a shiny, new no-holds-barred flagship model.

Boasting 6000 lumens of brightness, a triple laser lighting system, liquid cooling, a built-in Devialet sound system, an all-glass lens and support for every HDR format in town, the XR10 certainly makes all the right flagship noises.

But can Hisense marshal all these expensive pieces into a class-leading performance?

Price

With Hisense usually found successfully plying its trade in the mid-range lifestyle projector arena, the £5999 / $6000 / AU$9995 price of the XR10 really is a major step up for the brand.

In fact, it will doubtless be a step too far for many home cinema-loving households, and even raises the question of whether a projector that seems from the outside at least to have been designed more as a ‘lifestyle’ model than a serious home theatre machine really makes sense at such a price.

As we’re about to explain, though, we think the XR10 makes all kinds of sense, even at its very high price.

Design

The XR10’s design is nuts in all the best ways. For starters, it ships in a beautifully designed, built-to-measure real leather carry case complete with wheels and an extendable handle that looks like Hisense thinks you’re going to love the projector so much you’ll want to take it on holiday with you.

The projector’s spectacular bodywork, meanwhile, is actually transparent in some places, so that you can marvel at some of the cool things going on under the projector’s hood.

A huge lens aperture sits within a bold bronze-coloured metallic square on one side of the projector’s front, while the left side houses two vertical stripes, one recessed, one not, housing sensors that the projector can use to help it deliver a more effective automatic set-up system.

The projector’s left, right and top edges are finished in the same bronzy colour as the area around the lens housing, while the projector’s shape resembles a larger (and much heavier) version of the sort of roughly cubic designs we’ve started to see dominating the living room projector market in recent times.

The top plate sports a beautifully designed round dial-style volume adjustment, as well as a large ambient light sensor the projector can use to optimise its picture performance to different room conditions.

That volume control, along with the grilles built into the XR10’s left and right edges, reflects the fact that the XR10 carries a built-in sound system deemed powerful enough to enable the projector to be used as a standalone wireless speaker if you so desire.

The various finishes to different sides and even within the front edge of the XR10 ought, by all rights, to make its design look a bit of a mess. Actually, though, it all comes together remarkably well in a vaguely cyberpunk kind of way.

Features

The XR10 is mostly specced to kill.

Its 6000 claimed lumens of laser-delivered peak brightness is huge by serious projector standards, for starters. That’s easily enough to punch through quite a bit of ambient light if that’s what you want it to do; drive a particularly big screen (Hisense claims 300 inches); and/or potentially handle HDR sources better than most projectors can.

Brightness alone can actually be anything but a friend to projector picture quality, though, so it’s impressive to see Hisense backing this brightness up with a healthy claimed native contrast performance of 6000:1. This jumps, too, to a very impressive claimed 60,000:1 courtesy of the projector’s premium lens iris system. As ever, though, the proof of the pudding will be in the eating.

Hisense has gone the extra mile, too, to avoid the sort of rowdy cooling-fan noise you might normally expect to hear from a 6000-lumen projector by integrating liquid (water) cooling into the XR10’s chassis. This is the first time, we believe, that such cooling has been used in an albeit premium living room projector.

Another big justification for the XR10’s price is its use of an all-glass, 16-element lens system that Hisense claims will deliver better light transmission and temperature stability than a plastic system could, resulting in more brightness/contrast and more consistent 4K sharpness.

The colour coverage claimed for the XR10’s laser lighting/DLP optical system is huge too: up to 110 per cent of the massive BT2020 colour space. That’s well beyond the DCI-P3 colour system used for most HDR mastering.

Talking of HDR, the XR10 is one of a very rare breed in the projector world that’s capable of playing all four of the AV world’s main HDR formats: HDR10, HLG, HDR10+ and Dolby Vision. It’s even received IMAX Enhanced certification, meaning it has been deemed capable of doing justice to the special IMAX mastering system (which focuses on creating a noiseless look to the image). Basically, the XR10 will take in the best version of any content you feed it.

For all their advantages, setting up premium projectors can often be a pain. Hisense couldn’t have worked harder to simplify the physical aspect of set-up, though. The XR10 carries an industry-first four-8MP-camera and dual Time-of-flight (TOF) intelligent sensing set-up that it can use to correct image size, keystone and focus without you having to lift a finger. Plus, that ambient sensor we mentioned earlier can tie its readings into the calculations of a ‘Smart AI’ auto-adjustment system so that images can auto-adjust to compensate for changing room conditions.

As well as all its sensors and AI brainpower, the XR10 carries an exceptionally wide-ranging 0.84-2.0x optical zoom and bags of vertical and horizontal image shifting. It’s therefore able to (auto) adapt itself to a seriously wide range of different room sizes and layouts – and is also capable of delivering a 100-inch image from a throw distance of just 1.86m.

As we’ve come to expect from today’s lifestyle projectors, the XR10 carries a built-in smart system so that you can stream video without the need for any external sources. Rather than the Google TV system found in most projectors, though, the XR10 turns to Hisense’s own VIDAA system. This is good news, as it’s straightforward and stable to use, and it carries all of the streaming services the vast majority of households will need, including the BBC iPlayer app that’s almost always absent from Google TV systems.

The XR10 is, of course, a 4K projector. It doesn’t have a full 3840x2160 count of digital mirror devices (DMDs) that would be needed for a ‘true’ 4K experience, though. Instead, it features Texas Instruments’ XPR technology to create a 4K image from a lower DMD count using pixel-shifting. The Consumer Technology Association in the US deems the resulting images to be true 4K, though, and as we’ll see, it’s hard to disagree with that stance based on the XR10’s real-life 4K performance.

The XR10’s connections impressively comprise three HDMI ports (one 2.0, two 2.1), three USBs, an optical digital audio output, a headphone jack, an Ethernet port, and the now-expected wi-fi and Bluetooth wireless options. Apple AirPlay 2 is included in the projector’s wireless content sharing options, too.

There is one connection disappointment, though, as we couldn’t manage to get even the two HDMI 2.1 ports to handle 4K content at 120Hz from our Xbox Series X. 120Hz is possible at 1440p resolutions with the HDMI ports set to Enhance Mode Pro, but there’s no VRR support in this set-up, and nor can the projector sustain HDR gaming at any refresh rate above 60Hz.

One last premium aspect of the XR10 is its audio. Not only does it carry a 2.1 speaker system that includes a dedicated bass driver and supports DTS: Virtual X playback, but this speaker system has been tuned by acclaimed audio brand Devialet, picking up on a relationship Hisense previously forged for the speaker systems of its high-end TVs.

Picture

We’ve consistently referred to the XR10 so far as a ‘lifestyle’ or 'living room' projector, based chiefly on its appearance and convenient set-up features. It’s worth reflecting before we get into its performance, though, on the fact that Hisense describes the XR10 as being “built for cinephiles who want the big-screen theatre experience without sacrificing design, flexibility or fidelity”.

In other words, Hisense is backing the XR10 to be good enough to satisfy proper home cinema enthusiasts as well as the more casual projection market. And we’re happy to report that it’s absolutely right.

Particularly spectacular and key to its success is its ability to deliver both extreme levels of brightness and some of the deepest, most convincing blacks the HDR projection world has to offer.

Using any of the XR10’s relatively aggressive picture presets, bright HDR images are absolutely radiant, punching through even high levels of ambient light if you’re watching the projector in a regular daytime living room environment. In a dark room, meanwhile, this brightness can be used to deliver HDR with levels of intensity that we’ve only witnessed a handful of times before – mostly on ultra-high-end laser theatre projectors costing way more than the XR10.

Dark room viewing makes it obvious just how good the XR10 is with dark scenes and, even more impressively, scenes that contain a mix of light and dark elements. Provided you’re careful with the settings you use (more on this later), the XR10 can not only deliver dark imagery with much less greyness around than most, if not all, very bright, HDR-friendly projectors, but it also manages to retain all the faint shadow details you want to see if dark scenes are to feel consistent in depth with bright scenes. There’s little if any ‘black crush’ to worry about here.

Even better, the XR10 doesn’t just retain detail in the darkest image areas; it also retains excellent colour tones and saturations in such light-limited areas, avoiding the widespread tendency in both the projector and TV worlds for dark images to become desaturated.

The XR10’s colour performance is more obviously spectacular, of course, with very bright HDR images. Rather than the brightest highlights of HDR pictures starting to look thin or washed out, the XR10’s colour volume just keeps expanding as it’s fed more light.

Colour volumes push into places, in fact, that we haven’t seen before, beyond, perhaps, a couple of Xgimi models. Crucially, though, the XR10 does a substantially better job than those admittedly more affordable Xgimi rivals of making even the most vibrant colours across almost all of its picture presets look balanced and surprisingly natural. Or, at least, extremely believable.

To put it another way, while the XR10 is proud to show off what it can do, it only does so on a foundation of immersive consistency and a constant connection to the source material.

Despite the extreme vibrancy, brightness and contrast of which the XR10 is capable, as you’d hope of such an expensive and ambitious projector, it also cares about the little things in AV life. Its 4K pictures look fanatically detailed and densely textured, for instance – and this is down as much to the almost infinite subtlety of its colour rendition as it is to raw sharpness. The sharpness feels natural rather than forced or processed even in the projector’s most aggressive settings, and motion is handled without smearing or resolution loss.

If you find judder a touch obvious with 24p content, especially during bright scenes, the projector’s Film motion processing option does a pretty smart job of reducing judder without the results devolving into the dreaded soap opera effect.

While many will find it hard to resist the fantastic dynamism and richness of the XR10’s relatively aggressive image presets, film fans who want to see images that look as their creators wanted them to look can rest assured that their needs are catered for brilliantly, too, by the projector’s Filmmaker Mode preset.

This removes a big chunk of the brightness that is one of the XR10’s strengths. But the resulting images look natural, beautifully balanced, full of subtlety and still just excellently watchable despite Filmmaker Mode turning off many of its picture enhancement technologies.

If there’s an issue with the default Filmmaker Mode, it’s that black levels look a bit grey without any of the projector’s contrast enhancement tools in play. Simply setting the projector’s manual iris setting to its ‘One’ level, though, immediately improves black levels, at the expense of a just slightly cooler look to the image.

Aside from some DLP rainbow striping with very extreme contrast content, this set-up suggestion leads us to arguably the XR10’s one major image flaw. Namely, you need to be prepared to tinker with a few of the projector’s settings to get the best from it. It’s not quite the simple 'unbox, switch on and instantly relax deal' you might have been hoping for.

For instance, while the Dolby Vision Bright preset the XR10 defaults to with Dolby Vision content delivers great contrast for such a bright projector, it pushes some colours too strongly. Greens are over-dominant and skin tones look too ripe. The core colour temperature can also fluctuate within a shot if there are significant light level variations to cope with, and you can sometimes see the projector’s dynamic iris system doing its work too obviously.

Setting the manual iris setting to level 1 helps balance colours and eliminates the fluctuating colour tone, but suddenly sees green tones taking on a strangely brownish hue. Fortunately, there’s an easy solution to this one that simply involves switching to the Dolby Vision Dark preset. This instantly fixes colour balance/consistency issues, delivers natural blacks and skin tones and, if you set the iris feature to ‘0’, leaves the image looking totally stable.

The XR10’s complex iris options include a few presets alongside the multi-step Manual mode. Cinema 1 delivers a nicely judged combination of brightness and contrast, but leaves you having to hit the colour calibration tools to try and stop skin tones and red colours looking too pink, and can also cause some noticeable fluctuations in brightness from the dynamic iris. Cinema 2 delivers some of the best black levels we’ve seen from any projector, but at the expense of huge amounts of the brightness that’s so enjoyable a part of the XR10’s usual picture make-up. Only in a fully blacked-out room is this setting even worth considering, and even then, maybe only the most die-hard accuracy enthusiasts will find the dimness tolerable.

In the end, even where the XR10 offers pre-programmed attempts to provide helpful out-of-the-box feature presets, we ultimately end up reverting to manual intervention via the all-important manual iris setting. A setting which, for better or worse, is kept outside of the picture settings encompassed by the projector’s defined picture presets, so that whatever lens setting you choose applies across every preset for every source until you go back in and change it again.

There are other bits of tinkering we’d recommend too, including turning the sharpness setting to zero but leaving a separate Super Resolution feature active, and braving the projector’s more in-depth colour and white-balance controls, too, if you dare.

The bottom line, though, is that for the most part, making the effort to spend just a few minutes fine-tuning images when you first get the XR10 rewards you with what can be absolutely spectacular but also thoughtful and subtle results. Results capable of adapting, moreover, to pretty much any room shape or ambient light condition.

It’s important to add, too, that the projector responds excellently without manual intervention to the extra picture information provided by the HDR10+ format, making us wish more projectors would adopt this alternative/rival to the Dolby Vision system.

Maybe even more importantly, the XR10’s out-of-the-box dynamic tone mapping system with basic HDR10 content is outstanding. The way it maps the available image data of core HDR10 sources to the projector’s capabilities so that they look dynamic and punchy without succumbing to clipping, unevenness, black crush or colour imbalances is superb, and actually requires less manual intervention than you’d usually expect with most HDR projectors.

The XR10’s automated hardware image correction features work brilliantly, too. So while some of its presets could be better, it’s also actually more helpful than most rivals in other areas of usability and set-up.

One last strength of the XR10 to mention is how incredibly quietly it runs for such a monumentally bright projector. The liquid cooling system Hisense has taken considerable trouble to integrate into the projector proves well worth the effort.

Sound

The XR10’s speakers are capable of pumping out levels of volume and dynamic range that shame many premium TVs. Even at just 50 per cent of its maximum volume, it’s loud enough to satisfy even a quite large room.

Trebles reach high peaks without sounding brittle or warbly, even at high volumes, while at the other end, bass reaches remarkably deep without falling prey to dropouts or crackles, or causing the projector’s metal bodywork to start buzzing. This helps low frequencies avoid sounding overly dominant or distracting, despite how present and deep they are. Similarly, the XR10’s ability to produce high levels of detail in a film or TV mix doesn’t leave busy soundtracks sounding too forensic or ambient effects too bright.

Voices are clean and well-rounded too. The only issue is that they sound a bit trapped inside the projector’s bodywork compared with the rest of the sound mix, which means they also sound rather dislocated from the onscreen action on the other side of the room, and sometimes rather decontextualised from the rest of the soundstage.

Verdict

While it might be the XR10’s startling, beautifully built design that first catches your eye, Hisense’s new showcase projector ultimately justifies its premium price tag with its combination of a startlingly powerful sound system and the best picture quality we’ve seen from any lifestyle or, more accurately, lifestyle/home theatre crossover projector before.

As statements of intent go, it’s hard to see how the XR10 could have served Hisense much better.

SCORES

• Picture 5
• Sound 4
• Features 4

MORE:

Read our review of the Leica Cine 1

Also consider the Sony Bravia Projector 7

Read our BenQ W4100i

Best projectors: the best options tested by our home cinema experts

The latest projector to enter our test room is not quite like anything we have seen before. It’s the “world’s first mobile theatre system”, sporting four Dolby Atmos satellite speakers that are housed in the projector’s body.

It can also deliver a 4K picture, with a claimed brightness of up to 3500 ISO lumens. You can push the screen size as big as 300 inches, and it is built around a DLP optical system illuminated by a triple-laser lighting system.

That is all wrapped up in a package weighing a rather hefty 33kg with a set of wheels on the bottom.

That all means that, in theory, you should be able to take everything you need for a movie night in an all-in-one system. It doesn’t come cheap, and will set you back £4499 / $4999 / AU$8999.

Does it deliver on its promises? After we reviewed the product in our test room, it became clear that there are two aspects in which the X1 Pro excels, and two that hold it back from greatness. Let’s dig into it.

Nifty speaker design

The 7.1.4-channel speaker system is arguably the most exciting element of the projector. Each of the four satellite speakers can be placed around the space. They offer a compact yet practical build, with the fronts measuring 8 cm across and the rears coming in at 6 cm wide.

They also include little stands on the bottom with a rubber foot that folds out, making for a sturdy base. On top of that, you can charge them when they are inside the projector, or you can use their individual USB ports to give them some juice.

There’s also a subwoofer inside the projector’s body, which features two drive units, each measuring 13cm in diameter.

It’s a first to see such an elaborate speaker set-up for a portable projector in our test room, and is a draw if you are looking for an entire home cinema system in a box.

Rich, punchy picture

As well as the clever sound and speaker design, the X1 Pro delivers a punchy image performance that makes for pleasant viewing.

When watching Thunderbolts, we note in our review: “The villain’s brightly coloured costume stands out against the background, which makes for an engaging experience.”

Edges of characters and items are crisp and clean, and there is little noise in textures, contributing to an overall picture that feels sharp without tipping into being over-etched. It could do with an extra level of detail considering the price point, but it is still clear enough to see strands of hair and creases in clothes.

When we move to a brighter environment than our dark test room, a fair bit of detail and punch is lost, of course. But this set-up would be watchable with a bright movie when watching outside with the sun still up.

But image looks unsubtle

While it delivers an engaging image, the X1 Pro is not the most subtle of projectors. Its colours look a little over-emphasised, and they verge on unnatural. This becomes clear when watching Civil War as an army chopper lands on lush grass, where the foliage appears a tad too vivid to look realistic.

There is also an issue with the projector’s black depth. During Sinners as Michael B Jordan’s Stack has a terse conversation in a low-lit barn, we found that it “delivers the dark background with a fair bit of banding that verges on grey at points”.

Shadow detail leaves a lot to be desired when it comes to darker skin tones, and it is hard to make out the subtle differences in textures in these areas.

Disappointing sound performance

Unfortunately, while we like the compact speaker design, the sound performance itself rather lets the package down.

The sound is certainly more room-filling than the majority of portable projectors that come with built-in speakers, but we expect a more immersive performance from the 7.1.4-channel system.

With its Dolby Atmos presentation, the system lacks the immersive height and width effects to immerse us truly in the film. And there’s not a huge sense of precision around the space, with obvious gaps in the soundfield.

The bass performance is also underwhelming. Instead of packing a meaty weight, it lands with a rather flat softness. In our review when watching Shang-Chi And The Legend Of The Ten Rings, we say: “Punches should sound deep and impactful, but they lack the powerful drive necessary to convey the right level of force.”

The X1 Pro’s portable, innovative design and punchy picture are not to be dismissed. But the high price tag and lacklustre audio mean that it seems more sensible to invest in a separate projector and sound system to get the best performance from both.

MORE:

Here’s our full review of the Nebula X1 Pro

Check out the best projectors

These are the best portable projectors

Projector brand Xgimi has been on a roll with a continuous stream of new models flooding the shelves in the last year. And there are two more joining their ranks.

The new Elfin Flip Laser and flagship Elfin Flip 4K claim to build on the existing Elfin series to deliver “a significant upgrade in both optical performance and audio experience”.

Both projectors offer a claimed maximum brightness of 1600 ISO lumens and use an RGB triple laser light source. Unsurprisingly, the flagship model offers 4K resolution compared to the Flip Laser’s 1080p.

For gamers, the 4K model also offers VRR and ALLM support. However, like most projectors, it only runs at 1080p@120Hz. 4K is still locked to 60Hz.

The design looks practically identical to the predecessor, featuring a “book-sized” foldable build that can be tucked away when not in use. “Pick it up, place it, and the picture is ready” is Xgimi’s mantra here.

Both projectors come with Google TV built-in, which gives you access to a range of streaming platforms including Amazon Prime Video, Apple TV and Netflix. In terms of sound, the models are equipped with a 7W Harmon Kardon tuned speaker with Dolby Audio support, which will supposedly “eliminate the need for external audio equipment”.

There is a range of features designed to make setup easier as well, including auto-keystone, auto-focus and obstacle avoidance.

The Elfin Flip 4K is priced at £869 / $999, and the Elfin Flip Laser comes in cheaper at £689 / $799.

That puts the flagship against the likes of the Award-winning Hisense M2 Pro, which is currently available for around £870. The five-star Hisense model will certainly prove tough competition for Xgimi’s latest bombshell, thanks to its bright picture and easy setup.

Still, the Elfin’s more portable design and promising picture specifications could challenge the current champion.

MORE:

These are the best portable projectors

And check out the best projectors

This is our review of the Xgimi MoGo 4

If you don’t want to bother with the fuss and decision-making of choosing a projector and sound system to pair together for your premium home cinema system, then there has not been a whole lot available on the market.

But the Nebula X1 Pro is trying to plug that gap.

It combines a 4K projector with four detachable Dolby Atmos speakers to deliver the “world's first mobile theatre system”. That’s all put together into a package on wheels, which makes carting it around easier.

On paper, this is a tempting proposition but, in this case, the combination of execution and price doesn’t quite add up.

Price

If you want to get your hands on this unique projector system, then you will have to pay the rather premium sum of £4499 / $4999 / AU$8999.

That’s a pretty big step-up in price from its more modest sibling – the Nebula X1, which we tested at £2200 / $2999. This is a more compact 4K projector to which we awarded four stars for its punchy picture and rich sound. It features a built-in sound system, although you can add Nebula’s two optional wireless speakers, which create a wider soundfield. That differs from the more elaborate sound system of the X1 Pro.

Design

The X1 Pro is quite a special-looking beast, resembling a suitcase-robot hybrid that could easily feature in a Philip K. Dick novel.

It is 76cm tall and weighs a hefty 33kg, but Anker makes its transportation easier with some clever additions. These include an extendable handle and two sturdy wheels to carry the projector around as if you are off to the airport. There are also two handles on the chassis if you need to carry the X1 Pro up the stairs.

There is no built-in battery, so keep in mind that you will need to keep the projector connected to the mains wherever you want to use it. The two-metre power cable is retractable from a cove at the bottom of the projector, so there’s a fair bit of flexibility.

At the top, there’s a handy lid that stores the back-lit remote control and a pair of karaoke microphones, should you wish to show off your pipes. On the remote, you will find buttons for volume, power, settings, the home menu and auto image adjustment. There is a handy back-lit panel on the top of the lid of the projector, which gives you access to many of these features as well.

Arguably, the most exciting aspect of the Nebula projector is its speaker design. There are four detachable speakers hidden inside the X1 Pro’s body, each with a durable black plastic grille.

All of the speakers feature retractable little stands with rubber feet to keep them stable, and they are all simple to set up. There is also a subwoofer built into the projector itself.

Features

But what are the speakers packing under their sleek-looking exteriors? The front speakers have two forward-facing, one side-firing and one up-firing driver each. That differs slightly from the rears, which include one forward-facing and one up-firing driver per speaker.

The subwoofer features two drive units, each measuring 13cm in diameter.

This sound system has Dolby Atmos support. FlexWave, Soundcore's proprietary spatial audio calibration technology, is also included. The brand claims this “uses sensors, spatial algorithms, and auto EQ calibration” to “intelligently adjust to your room's acoustics”.

When setting up the projector, you will be prompted to calibrate your speakers. This takes less than five minutes, as the speakers play a range of test frequencies and a music sample to get the best spatial soundfield.

There’s a neat nook for physical connectivity, consisting of one HDMI with eARC support and three USB ports. Inside is a small light to help with navigation in the dark, which is a handy addition.

As well as the remote and panel, you can control the projector with the Nebula Connect app. This lets you adjust the picture and sound settings, image correction, switch app input, and you can cast from another device. We do not find ourselves reaching for the app much during testing, though, as the remote control and top panel offer much of its functionality.

In terms of screen set-up, there is a selection of shortcuts that make the whole process pretty simple. That includes auto-focus, keystone correction and wall-colour adaptation (useful if you are projecting on a non-white surface). We find that selecting Spatial Adaptation analyses our dedicated screen most effectively, and adjusts focus and sizing all in one.

The projector offers a claimed maximum brightness of 3500 ANSI lumens, and you can push the screen size as big as 300 inches. It is built around a DLP optical system illuminated by a triple laser lighting system.

The X1 Pro can play 4K sources and high dynamic range in the HDR10, HLG and Dolby Vision formats, but it only supports up to 4K@60Hz video playback, which will be a bit of a shame for gamers.

There are ten picture modes to choose from, but we go with NebulaMaster when using a 4K Blu-ray as, once tweaked (details below), it delivers the best balance between detail and brightness.

The choice of picture modes changes when we go to streaming – we find that Movie is the best choice in this case thanks to its natural-looking motion and colourful image.

Picture quality

When we boot up the projector in NebulaMaster picture mode for the first time, we are met with overexuberant colours and smoothed textures that make for a distracting viewing experience.

But after knocking the saturation and sharpness down, and turning up the brightness a little, we are left with a more pleasing overall image that is engaging and punchy. The colours are still on the exaggerated side, but they are eye-catching and give the picture a burst of energy.

When watching Thunderbolts, as the rag-tag team face up against Sentry, the villain’s brightly coloured costume stands out against the background, which makes for an engaging experience. The rest of the picture follows this colourful portrayal, with the blue skyline and amber-lit bar area giving the background a lively look.

The edges of characters and items are crisp and clean, and there is little noise in textures, contributing to an overall picture that feels sharp without tipping into being over-etched.

Nebula’s 4K model does not unearth as much detail as we would hope for at this level, but it is still good enough to see the creases in Sentry’s clothes and strands of his hair.

The projector shows off its impressive motion-handling skills with F1 The Movie. This is after adjusting the MEMC (Motion Estimation and Motion Compensation) setting from medium to low, as the default setting results in an unnatural smoothness. With the adjustment, cars zoom around the track with minimal judder and a good sense of authenticity.

However, the projector struggles to portray darker skin tones with the same level of detail as lighter ones. As plucky F1 driver Joshua talks to his cousin, the shadows across the latter's face block out a fair amount of detail, so it is nearly impossible to make out the distinction between his chin and beard.

This issue extends to the projector’s black depth, and is further illustrated by Sinners. As Michael B Jordan’s Stack has a tense conversation in a low-lit barn, the X1 Pro delivers the dark background with a fair bit of banding that verges on grey at points.

We do the majority of our testing with the lights off in our dark test room, which lets the projector deliver a bright and clean overall image. To see how it performs in other scenarios, we turn the lights up slightly from our usual dark testing conditions.

As with most home cinema projectors, contrast suffers, and detail is lost. Continuing with Sinners, for instance, it is hard to differentiate faces as the characters venture outside the barn, which makes for a less immersive overall experience.

Even when we turn the lights up higher, though, it's not unwatchable, and the colours are still reasonably punchy, though diminished a little. You do lose the finest details and the sense of three-dimensionality, but it would still be serviceable for a bright movie.

Overall, the X1 Pro’s picture is likeable and engaging, but it could do with a touch more detail and subtlety. By general standards, it’s a solid performer, but for the price, we know that better is available.

Sound quality

The Nebula X1 Pro’s sound set-up is packing some impressive features by projector standards, so we feel hopeful when we get it in our test room.

There are three sound modes to choose from: Movie, Outdoors, and Music. After a good deal of testing, we opt for the first option as it delivers the best balance between precision and scale.

The sound is certainly more room-filling than most projectors that have built-in speakers, but it is ultimately let down by a lack of precision and dynamics.

Vocals are clear and easy to make out from the rest of the sound, but there is not much expression or subtle inflexion in individual voices.

While watching Sinners, as Sammie calls the spirits with the power of his singing, his voice is at the forefront of the sound, but it lacks the emotion that we have heard with rival systems. His voice should come in tentatively but grow stronger as the scene goes on, but the X1 Pro does not convey this level of subtlety.

There’s also not a great sense of precision as the different voices and instruments chime in. The sound should fill the room and the space between the speakers, but it's obvious where it's emanating from instead of coming from all angles.

When watching Top Gun: Maverick, Tom Cruise’s titular character challenges his cohort of cadets to some aerial contests. As the jet flies up into the sky, we get some sense of height, but it does not extend much further than the middle of the projector screen.

It feels more like there are tall columns of sound coming from the speakers rather than the dome of sound we are looking for with a Dolby Atmos product. You can turn off Nebula’s FlexWave surround sound technology, but this makes the sound feel smaller and less precise, so we opt to keep it on, despite its limitations.

The system doesn’t create a cohesive soundfield with any great skill, and we note gaps even when we’ve taken care over speaker positioning. There is a configuration where the front speakers can be left in the main projector body, almost like a soundbar, but, as expected, this reduces the level of scale and width.

Dynamics are not the strongest, either. As the jet prepares to take off, there is not much of a build-up between the initial rumble of the engine and the crescendo of the plane in flight.

The X1 Pro’s bass also fails to pack a meaty weight, instead landing with a rather flat softness. When watching Shang-Chi And The Legend Of The Ten Rings, our hero faces off against a monstrous soul-sucking dragon. Punches should sound deep and impactful, but they lack the powerful drive necessary to convey the right level of force.

It doesn't help that the subwoofer is built into the projector’s body, which means we cannot tune or position it differently without moving the projector itself.

Verdict

The Nebula X1 Pro’s clever design is certainly an intriguing novelty, and its crisp picture performance delivers a reasonable balance between punchiness and clarity. It would be even better if there were greater subtlety in the rendition of colours, though.

But its audio makes for an underwhelming experience, lacking the necessary insight, dynamic expression and surround capability to convince. It’s fussy to set up, too.

However, the biggest issue here is the price. At this level, it would seem more sensible to invest in a separate projector and sound system to get the best performance from both.

SCORES

• Picture 4
• Sound 2
• Features 4

MORE:

Read our review of the Nebula X1

Read our Epson EH-LS9000 review

Best projectors: the best options tested by our home cinema experts

Every projector is a product of compromise. Top-tier 4K projectors can deliver excellent detail and black levels, but usually lack a built-in sound system and cannot be easily moved around.

And outdoor projectors make their compromise clear more than any other projector category, as they must carefully handle the balance between convenience and performance.

With the FIFA World Cup in full swing, more people are looking for ways to watch the winning kick on a big screen from the comfort of their gardens. But no outdoor projector has ever offered the perfect delicate equilibrium between each aspect. I’ve tested my fair share of portable projectors so far and, although nothing has achieved the ideal balance yet, I'm always keeping my eye out for a model that could change all that

So what exactly does the perfect outdoor projector offer?

Portability

To take your projector into the garden and even on the road, it needs to be easy to carry around. Otherwise, you will end up lugging a heavy piece of kit around, which doesn’t make for a practical or fun alternative to watching on your TV screen.

We’ve seen some pretty neat designs in terms of portability that certainly tick this box. Take the Xgimi Mogo 4, for instance, which is a can-shaped projector that weighs just 1.3kg and is only 21cm tall.

You can pull out the main body from the sturdy plastic stand when you want to use it, and its small footprint makes it a great example of the portability I’m looking for in an outdoor projector.

There’s a remote that hangs from the stand that gives you access to the basic controls, such as volume and settings, if you don't want to rely on the larger remote that is also available. It is far from the only model to offer this kind of flexibility, but it's a great example of true portability in the category.

Most outdoor projectors these days also come with platforms such as Google TV, which give you access to the usual streaming suspects, including Netflix, Apple TV and Amazon Prime Video. That makes accessing your favourite TV shows and films simple, although some platforms lack World Cup essentials such as BBC iPlayer and ITVX. You can work around this by casting from another device, at least.

A long-lasting built-in battery

If a projector is small and portable, though, then it understandably must make some sacrifices in other areas. One of the biggest of these is the lack of a built-in battery. Many projectors claim to be portable but, if they don't have a battery, then you are limited to placing it where you can get access to the mains.

Some projectors let you connect a power bank to extend their battery life a little, but that depends on the model's capabilities.

And even if your projector offers a built-in battery, it is often only just enough to watch a few episodes. The Xgimi Vibe One is a small, compact model with a built-in battery, but the brand claims it offers a maximum of 1.2 hours of juice until you need to plug it in. That number is only if you are using the projector in the Eco mode, however. In Standard mode, the battery gave us just under an hour of AV action, which will only give you one half of a World Cup match.

In an ideal world, a projector's built-in battery would be able to last entire game or movie without conking out.

Bright, punchy picture

Of course, the picture needs to be a strong performer in various lighting environments. You might start watching a game at 5pm, where the sun is still blazing during these scorching summer months.

That means you need a projector that can deliver a punchy image that can withstand bright viewing conditions. So far, I have not come across a compact model that can deliver the perfect level of detail, black depth and colour.

Ultimately, that is one of the sacrifices that must be made for the projector to be portable and compact, as there is less room for more comprehensive features. If such a model existed that could expertly balance picture performance and size, it would have a prime spot in our test room.

Immersive sound

Finally, the perfect outdoor projector delivers engaging and precise sound that makes every viewing experience even more immersive.

The closest we have come to this dream is with the Nebula X1 – a 4K projector with a 2.1-channel configuration. We say in our review that the projector's "audio makes it stand out from the crowd, as it is rare we have found a projector that can pack such a punch in terms of bass."

Plus, vocals are clear and relatively emotive, delivering a rich overall sound. This is an outlier in the outdoor projector world, as most of the built-in speakers don't manage much dispersion of sound or punch.

The most recent projector to enter our test room promises to tick every one of these boxes (bar the built-in battery). The Soundcore Nebula X1 Pro claims to be the "world's first mobile theatre system", presenting as an all-in-one package on wheels. Yep, actual wheels. It features four detachable speakers to place around your space, a 4K picture that goes up to a claimed 3500 ANSI lumens of brightness, and a clever design.

We are yet to publish our full review but, suffice to say, the Nebula projector has not managed to claim the crown as the perfect outdoor model.

I never actually expect to find a perfect outdoor projector because – as I said at the start – all of them are a product of compromise. Still, I'm excited to see how close we can get.

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These are the best outdoor projectors

And here are the best projectors

Check out the best soundbars

If you have been looking for a way to bring the big-screen experience to your home, countless projectors and large TVs claim to deliver just that. And, with Amazon Prime Day now in full swing, plenty of different brands are offering tempting discounts across a range of products.

But which models will get you the best large screen, all while saving you some of your hard-earned cash? We have found two products to fit that particular bill – that will deliver an immersive screen size and have similar price tags. Each offers something different, but both can bring the big-screen experience to your home.

A super-sized TCL TV

First up, the gigantic 98-inch TCL C7K is a king-sized 4K TV at a jaw-droppingly low price. The five-star set would usually cost a respectable £2399, but Prime Day has seen this crash to a remarkable £1999 at Currys. Don’t get us wrong, that is still a lot of money. But for the sheer size and quality of the TV, this is a bargain price.

You get 3000 nits of brightness controlled with 2000 dimming zones, plus TCL’s Halo Control features, which aim to reduce the effect of backlight blooming. This is aided by an anti-glare film that reduces reflections.

It received a What Hi-Fi? Award last year, thanks to its spectacular brightness and colour, as well as its excellent gaming specifications. The dimensions of the TV alone are enough to blow your socks off, as we say in our review: “We’ve seen a few 98-100-inch TVs now, but the raw cinematic impact of seeing our favourite test movies and TV shows writ so large across our field of view never seems to grow old.”

The brightness is intense, especially at this size, with small HDR highlights looking every bit as dazzling as on pricier TVs. TCL’s Halo Control also does a stellar job of suppressing any unwanted blooms of light emerging.

In terms of sound, the TV offers a 6.2.2-channel system designed by Bang & Olufsen. It is detailed and clear, and never becomes overstated, harsh or brittle. It does, however, lack the levels of bass and immersion that a decent, dedicated Dolby Atmos soundbar would provide.

It’s very well equipped for gamers, with VRR, ALLM, and a 144Hz refresh rate. You get a full complement of HDR format support, but only two HDMI 2.1 ports.

Of course, a 98-inch screen will take up a fair bit of room in your home. If you don't have the space to accommodate, the option below might be a better fit for you.

And a more compact projector from BenQ

TCL’s super-sized TV is certainly a large beast to behold, but it is simply not a realistic addition to many people's homes. It measures 218cm wide, which is quite a challenge if you are working with a compact space. There is the option to wall-hang, but of course you need to have a wall capable of supporting its 55kg weight.

If that won’t work for you, there’s another way to get the big-screen experience. The BenQ W2720i is a 4K projector that holds the crown as the best mid-range model in our best projectors guide. The price for the What Hi-Fi? Award-winning projector has dropped from £1999 to £1799 at Richer Sounds, saving you a reasonable £200.

It offers a more compact option than the TCL C7K, as it measures 14 x 42 x 31cm (hwd) and weighs just 6.5kg. You can push the screen size up to a claimed 300 inches, which knocks the 98-inch TV out of the park.

When we reviewed the projector, we were met with a clean, detailed picture that still looked natural. We say in our review: “So crisp, detailed, pristine and full of texture and density are the W2720i’s pictures that they really do look 4K, even if pushed to prodigious image sizes.”

The Award-winner's connections go further than those of most projectors, by including three HDMIs, one of which provides ARC support for passing sound out to a connected AVR or soundbar, and one of which supports 4K/120Hz.

There are some limitations to consider with a projector compared with a TV. Any projector that costs less than £10,000 will struggle to produce deep black levels, especially compared with a Mini LED such as the C7K. The W2720i is still a great performer in this area when compared with rival projectors, but the TCL TV does a better job at recreating proper black depth.

You will also have to deal with a weaker picture performance in any sort of ambient light compared with a TV screen.

But the BenQ’s smaller footprint and impressive specifications may well suit your home cinema set-up better. It depends on which big-screen experience works best for you, but these stellar bargains on both products are worth looking into.

MORE:

These are the best projectors out there

Check out the best TVs we have reviewed

And this is our full review of the 98-inch TCL C7K

It’s going to be quite the day for the UK tomorrow.

Not only are England taking on Ghana in the FIFA World Cup for their second group stage match, but temperatures are set to jump to a scorching 34 degrees.

All of which makes for a perfect opportunity to watch the game in the garden. And one of our top portable projectors just got a discount: the Xgimi Vibe One is now only £179 at Amazon.

Only Prime members can access this price, but next-day delivery is included, so you can be sure the Xgimi projector arrives in time for the big game. You’ll have to be quick, though, so you don’t miss the next-day delivery cutoff!

The Xgimi Vibe One is one of the cheapest projectors we have tested, but don’t let that put you off – the mini marvel offers a detailed, natural-looking picture for the money as we saw during a viewing of Civil War.

“This naturalness is present in the rendering of faces, too,” our Xgimi Vibe One review reads. “As the shaken journalists attempt to collect themselves in the car after a particularly traumatic experience, the projector digs up the smaller details in their faces despite the dark interior. Skin tones also appear balanced and natural, without fading into the background or looking over-vibrant.”

Motion handling is surprisingly natural, too, which should bless World Cup matches with smooth, realistic movement.

We made sure to test the Vibe One outside, of course, and did find that it struggles in bright sunlight. It should be fine for the 9pm kickoff, though, and will of course always work indoors.

Wherever you choose to watch, the Vibe One can project an image of up to a whopping 150 inches. It has a native resolution of 1080p, with a claimed 250 ISO lumens of brightness.

The built-in Google TV provides access to Netflix, Apple TV, Amazon Prime Video, and Disney+. The all-important BBC iPlayer is missing, however, but you can cast from your phone or plug in a streaming device into the HDMI port.

It’s also worth noting that the battery life only reaches a maximum of 1.2 hours in Eco mode, but this can be remedied with an extension lead or a half-time recharge. At just 1.4kg, the Vibe One is extremely portable and can easily be carried around should you wish to change location.

The Xgimi Vibe One has some limitations given its low price tag; but, for £179 at Amazon, it delivers a picture far more detailed and cinematic than you might expect. If you’re after a cheap, last-minute projector for the World Cup that is reliable on the picture front, then the Vibe One is a great choice at this price.

If your budget extends a bit further, then consider these alternate options that we have reviewed and recommend:

MORE:

Amazon Prime Day 2026 Live Q&A: personalised hi-fi and home cinema buying advice, direct from our experts

Read our review of the Xgimi Mogo 4

Also consider the Wanbo Vali 1

With the World Cup and some surprisingly good weather upon us, there's been quite the interest in portable projectors that can be taken outside.

The problem is finding a good portable projector – Amazon's sales are often flooded with cheap outdoor projectors, but you'll want to invest your hard-earned cash into one that gives you the AV quality, battery life and easy setup fit enough for the beautiful game.

Well, we have good news. There's a portable projector in the early Prime Day sale that we've tried and tested ourselves, and can vouch for as an outdoor projector we recommend. In fact, the Anker Nebula Mars 3 Air is our favourite outdoor and portable projector – and it's currently on offer for £339 at Amazon.

That's the lowest price we've seen for the Mars 3 Air, though bear in mind that you'll have to be a Prime member to access this deal.

If you're looking for a quick, easy, fuss-free setup to minimise chances of missing a match, then it's hard to look past the Anker Nebula Mars 3 Air.

With a built-in battery, speakers and wi-fi, it’s entirely self-contained, so once you’ve got it in position, there’s no need to add any other kit to get it up and running – just fire up the Google TV operating system and away you go. It’ll even automatically adjust the picture to make sure everything looks as it should.

The handle makes it easy enough to carry around, and it's well-built enough and nicely designed that it'll look good in any room of the house.

The maximum picture size is 150 inches, but we find the Mars 3 Air loses some of its brightness at full size. We recommend an image size of between 70 inches and 90 inches for the best balance of brightness and scale.

And the all-important picture? A step above the rest at this size and price.

"For starters, we’re really struck by how sharp and detailed everything looks," our Anker Nebula Mars 3 Air review reads. "Despite the projector using (like all portable models) a fairly small lens aperture, every pixel and texture of a good HD source is faithfully rendered, adding up to a really dense, smooth, cinematic finish to the picture with little evidence of visible pixel structure."

Audio performance is also a cut above, with the pair of 8-watt speakers producing an expansive and well-rounded soundstage with a solid bass presence. We'd love a bit more volume, but the Mars 3 Air doesn't disappoint on the audio front.

There's also a built-in battery rated for 2.5 hours of mains-free playback. This will depend on your brightness and volume settings, of course, but this should be plenty long enough for a World Cup game.

As a World Cup projector, the Anker Nebula Mars 3 Air is compact, feature-packed and bright enough to be used outside. It's also much more affordable now, thanks to a £211 discount at Amazon for Prime members.

MORE:

Read our Anker Nebula Mars 3 Air review

And these are the best portable projectors you can currently buy

You might also want one of the best soundbars to go with it

The World Cup has long been a great excuse to upgrade your TV.

But what if you wanted to go big? As in really big?

Well for that, you'll want to go for a projector. And we've got just the one. The Nebula X1 is now down to £1519 for Amazon Prime members, which is easily the lowest price we've seen.

The 4K projector can reach a claimed picture size of 300 inches and is portable enough to take into the garden for World Cup matches outside – you'll just need an extension cable long enough.

The Nebula X1 has earned a spot amongst our best outdoor projectors, and while expensive, it makes up for it with some impressive specs.

The triple-laser X1 projector boasts 4K resolution, a claimed 3500 ANSI lumens of brightness and, of course, a claimed image up to 300 inches in size. So it's much better equipped for less-than-ideal viewing conditions than a lot of cheaper models, especially in ambient light.

While it's primarily designed for indoor use with a constant mains power connection required, it is portable enough to carry around and comes with a handle. It also helps that it's super easy to set up, thanks to Nebula's AI Spatial Adaptation auto set-up that includes real-time autofocus, keystone correction, ambient light adaptation and wall colour adaptation.

With an optical engine and lens array that tilts up to 25 degrees, the X1 is also quite flexible with placement, able to go on a projector stand, table, the floor or other spot.

And the all-important picture performance?

"In terms of colour, the X1 keeps the picture vibrant and engaging," our Nebula X1 review reads. "With the Antarctica episode of Seven Worlds, One Planet on 4K Blu-ray, the gentoo penguins preparing to dive into the ocean are detailed and vivid. Their bright red beaks and fluffy feathers look tangible and textured."

We did notice that the image was a tad too sharp, but this can be easily remedied by reducing the Sharpness setting by a few points.

Where the X1 really stands out from the crowd, however, is the audio. The 2.1 speaker configuration is rich and detailed by projector standards, and in a rare case for projectors, it packs a punch in terms of bass.

When it comes to streaming, the built-in Google TV comes with Netflix pre-installed and the option to download Channel 4, Disney+, YouTube, Apple TV, Netflix, ITVX, Amazon Prime Video and more. There's no BBC iPlayer, but you can still cast those World Cup matches from your phone.

For an entry-level 4K projector that can also be used to watch World Cup matches under the stars, the Nebula X1 is a great contender. Especially now it's £681 off at Amazon for Prime members.

MORE:

Also consider the BenQ X3100i

Check out the best outdoor projectors: top models reviewed and rated

And take a look at the best projectors: the best options tested by our home cinema experts

I love watching sport outside.

I think it's at least partly thanks to fond memories of watching football matches in pub gardens, cold beer in hand, sun on my back, perhaps a bowl of chips within arm's reach. Glorious.

These days, my pub garden visits are a little less frequent, so ahead of the World Cup I decided to try to bring the experience home. My plan was simple: set up a projector in the garden, fire up the BBQ and spend the summer watching football under the open sky.

What could possibly go wrong?

Quite a lot, as it turns out.

Before we begin, I should point out that while I've spent almost 20 years reviewing TVs, projectors and home cinema kit, I have exactly zero experience of building an outdoor cinema. I also approached this project with a level of wanton optimism that, in hindsight, was entirely unsupported by evidence.

Still, if nothing else, my mistakes might help you avoid making the same ones.

Mistake 1: assuming an indoor projector would work outside before dark

The first challenge was deciding what to use as a display.

The windows for three rooms of our house face the garden, which limits the available wall space. After some negotiations with my equally football-obsessed wife, it was agreed that a projector screen could temporarily be hung across the dining room windows.

A projector seemed the obvious answer. After all, I wanted the biggest image possible, and no TV I can afford stretches to 150 inches.

While a portable projector might seem the natural choice, most battery-powered models aren't especially bright and often won't last through an entire football match. Since I was going to need mains power anyway, I borrowed the Hisense M2 Pro from our review stockroom.

It's a five-star projector, it's relatively compact, and it supports both BBC iPlayer and ITVX – a surprisingly rare combination in projector land and an essential one for World Cup duty in the UK.

So far, so sensible.

Then came Friday evening. Canada versus Bosnia and Herzegovina. Kick-off at 8pm.

At around 6pm, I wheeled the projector into position using some spare sections of hi-fi rack, ran an extension cable across the garden and powered everything up.

And... nothing.

Well, not quite nothing. The projector was clearly producing light, but there was no discernible image on the screen.

I moved the projector closer.

Nothing.

Closer still.

Nothing.

Eventually, with the projector just inches from the screen, a tiny image emerged from the gloom.

At this point, I began to suspect that projecting onto a giant screen outdoors before sunset might not have been my finest idea.

To be clear, this wasn't blazing Mediterranean sunshine. It was an overcast British evening on the opposite side of the house to the sun. Yet even that proved too much for a projector rated at 1300 ANSI lumens.

The lesson? A projector that looks bright indoors can look surprisingly dim outside.

Mistake 2: buying the cheapest 150-inch screen I could find

Perhaps I should have mentioned the screen.

Wanting something easy to put up, take down and store, I ordered a portable 150-inch projector screen from Amazon for the princely sum of £36.

It had excellent reviews.

It also turned out to be little more than a stretchy white sheet with a black border.

In hindsight, perhaps "buy the cheapest giant screen available and hope for the best" wasn't the sort of rigorous testing methodology that has sustained my career for almost two decades.

The biggest problem, I think, was that the screen had no backing. I hadn't considered this when ordering, but once it was hanging in front of our dining room windows, I could immediately see the issue: light was passing straight through it.

Thankfully, the screen was at least easy to install. With the help of some included ropes, a couple of conveniently positioned hanging basket brackets and my long-suffering wife, it was up in a matter of minutes.

Unfortunately, being easy to hang is only one of the qualities you want in a projector screen.

Mistake 3: forgetting that darkness and warmth rarely arrive together in Britain

I left the projector running while I finished cremating dinner on the BBQ and hoped conditions would improve.

By the 8pm kick-off, the picture was technically watchable, but only just, so we ended up watching the first half indoors.

By half-time, though, it was a different story.

As darkness fell, the image suddenly looked pretty decent.

The projector had enough light output after all, but only when the sun stopped competing with it.

At this point, I was even able to move the M2 Pro further back, create a much larger image and enjoy a picture that was genuinely impressive considering the circumstances.

The projector automatically re-focused itself each time I moved it, too, which was very handy.

At last, I had the something approaching the outdoor football experience I'd been aiming for.

There was just one problem.

It was absolutely freezing – hence the blanket-covered child in the photo above.

After about 10 minutes, common sense prevailed and we headed back inside.

What I'd do differently

The good news is that most of the problems were self-inflicted.

For starters, I picked the wrong projector.

The Hisense M2 Pro is an excellent lifestyle projector that's plenty bright enough for indoor use. It was never designed for outdoor use, which is an entirely different challenge, and I should never have expected it to work in daylight, regardless of the overcast skies.

Clearly, something much brighter is required. Perhaps the 3500 ANSI lumen-rated BenQ TK705i or Nebula X1 Pro might fare better.

I also need a better screen. At the very least, one with a black backing to prevent light passing through it. An ambient light rejecting (ALR) screen would be better still, though those tend to cost considerably more and are often designed for permanent or semi-permanent installation, which isn't where I am with this project.

Finally, I hadn't considered comfort enough. The irony of outdoor football viewing in the UK is that the picture often improves just as the temperature drops to unpleasantly nippy levels.

So yes, this first attempt was largely a failure, and, at 10pm last night, I was ready to abandon the whole idea.

This morning, though, I found myself browsing projector screens again, and I'm already planning phase two, which will probably involve a better screen, a fire pit and the considerably brighter Nebula X1 Pro – which, handily, we currently have in for review.

If that doesn't work, I may have to accept that the answer isn't a projector at all, but an outdoor TV.

Unfortunately, outdoor TVs are eye-wateringly expensive, particularly at the sort of size I'm aiming for.

Which means there's every chance I'll end up exactly where I started: watching the World Cup indoors and wondering why I thought I knew better than the British weather.

MORE:

Here are the best outdoor projectors you can currently buy

And these are the best projectors in general

We've built an awesome playlist that features a local artist from every World Cup 2026 host city

If you want to watch movies on the big screen without forking out thousands for a TV bigger than 85 inches, a coffee table projector can be a tempting proposition. That’s because they can offer a large screen size paired with an easy-to-carry design that gives added flexibility.

The Soundcore Nebula P1 is the latest model to enter the villa, offering a portable build and boasting promising tech specifications. And there’s an intriguing sound addition that is a unique proposition when it comes to the coffee table projector market.

This audio offering makes this projector stand out from the crowd, but as we’ll see, it is ultimately let down in another key category.

Price

The Soundcore Nebula P1 launched at £700 / $800 / AU$1300, placing it in the mid-range lifestyle projector category. We have already seen some limited deals, which have dropped the price to around £595 in the UK, for example.

At a similar level is the Xgimi MoGo 4, a portable projector that is currently available for about £499 in the UK, although it launched at the slightly higher price of £509 / $499 / AU$1399. We gave this model a solid four stars for its punchy picture and compact design, and it features in our best portable projectors guide.

It’s worth noting that the MoGo 4 is not aiming at the same market as the Nebula model. The Xgimi projector has a built-in battery, unlike the Nebula P1, but it lacks separate speakers.

Design

Those separate speakers really make the P1 stand out from the crowd. The two wireless speakers sit on top of the projector and are secured by a magnetic connection and a cute lock switch on the projector’s body. You can charge the pair from here, or separately via their USB-C ports.

The speakers are lightweight and easy to carry, sporting a sleek grey finish with two rounded corners.

You can place them around your space “wherever you see fit”, as the brand claims when you are prompted to set them up. In our test room, we place the speakers on either side of the projector to achieve a degree of spaciousness and stereo separation, facing towards our seating.

There is no Dolby Atmos support, but they offer Dolby Audio to create 2.0-channel sound.

The projector itself feels practical and sturdy. There is a flexible cloth handle that makes it easy to carry around, especially as the complete package weighs only 2.4kg. You can tilt the body up to 130 degrees towards your screen or wall, and the body acts as a stand, which makes set-up simple.

The included remote control has a sleek, premium feel. You can use this to control power and volume, access auto-focus and streaming platform shortcuts.

Features

On the back of the projector, you will find an HDMI eARC port that supports up to 4K at 60Hz. You will also find a USB-A port and a 3.5mm aux jack if you want to connect your headphones.

As we mentioned, the P1 doesn’t have a built-in battery, but you can run it from a portable power supply via the USB-C port: Anker, Soundcore's parent company, sells specific chargers in a bundle on its website, or you can use a non-official one as long as it has a minimum power output of 100W.

Anker claims that its official 737 Power Bank delivers “one hour of continuous use” with the speakers attached to the body and the brightness set to full. That is, of course, not long enough for a full movie or even a football match, so we feel it’s best to think of the P1 as a compact mains-based projector, rather than a true portable one.

The P1 can output an image up to 180 inches in size, and it has a 1080p resolution and HDR10 support.

Nebula claims the projector can produce up to 650 ANSI lumens of brightness, which is brighter than its Xgimi MoGo 4 rival, which comes in at 450 ANSI lumens.

It also uses the Google TV operating system, giving you access to streaming apps such as Apple TV, Prime Video, Channel 4 and Netflix. There is no BBC iPlayer, although you can cast it from your phone as a workaround.

There is a range of smart features to help you get your picture looking straight. That includes auto-focus and auto-keystone, but you can also do this manually if you need to fine-tune. Once you have set up your projector, you can save settings into presets if you repeatedly use it in the same location.

You can also employ Nebula’s own “Vision Fit” tech to set up your screen. This is used via the Nebula Connect app, from which you take a photo of the surface where you’d like to project the image, and the projector will use it to optimise the results. It’s a neat idea in theory, but it is rather time-consuming, and we find ourselves sticking with the more traditional settings.

The app gives you much of the same functionality as the remote control, but you can also access more detailed picture and sound settings.

Picture

When we first switch on the P1 in the default 'Nebulamaster' picture setting in our dark test room, we are greeted with an overly vivid and unpleasant image. We kick off with Sinners on Blu-ray as Sammie drives up to his father’s church, where his movements look exaggerated and too smooth, so he bobs around in the car like a giddy child on a seesaw.

Once we change to Movie mode and turn the MEMC (Motion Estimation and Motion Compensation) setting to low, motion looks much more natural and lacks distracting judder. Sammie enters the frame with a little bit of a bounce, but feels more grounded than in the default setting.

We also knock the sharpness and saturation settings down a few notches. With these adjustments, the picture is much more balanced. In Sinners, as the sun peers out from the clouds at the start of an ominous morning, the projector delivers a relatively natural-looking image, but the colours lack the degree of pop required to deliver a genuinely punchy picture. Instead, you get a slightly flat overall look. The shining sun, for instance, lacks the vibrancy to break through the rest of the picture.

Switching to No Time To Die on Blu-ray, as Daniel Craig’s Bond has a near miss with an explosive device, his skin tone also lacks much natural warmth, instead looking a little pale and unnatural. His features look overetched as well (even with the projector’s Sharpness setting dropped down to zero), exaggerating wrinkles and bumps to a clearly unrealistic degree.

This is a wider issue with the P1 – especially when it comes to wide scenery shots. In the sweeping footage of the Italian town, the projector exaggerates the outlines of the trees and bricks in the buildings. This makes the image look too busy, and in fact means the whole picture verges on grainy instead of clean and clear.

Shadow detail is not the strongest, either. In Civil War, as the journalist protagonists recover from a traumatic event, young photographer Jessie sits with her legs hanging out of a parked van. It is hard to distinguish the interior from her dark hair in the shadows. There is a differentiation between the inside and the outside of the van, but it does not go as dark as rivals.

Despite its claimed 650 lumens, the P1's brightness is underwhelming and lacks the punch we expect. When we test the projector in a lit room, the P1 is still usable, but it isn't impressive, and it loses some shadow detail and colour.

We compare the Nebula model with the Xgimi MoGo 4. Both projectors accept movies in HDR, and the P1 is certainly the better performer in this format. It looks less overcooked compared with the MoGo 4, and keeps the image more balanced overall.

When we switch back to SDR content, the MoGo 4 delivers an image with both deeper blacks and punchier highlights, resulting in a more three-dimensional overall picture that immediately grabs the eye.

While the Nebula P1 offers a reasonably balanced picture and performs acceptably in brighter environments, its lack of punch and brightness holds it back, and in picture terms it can't match the cheaper MoGo 4.

Sound

The P1’s speakers, each powered by 10W of amplification, really are the stars of the show. They deliver clean, engaging sound that adds much-needed energy to movies and TV shows.

In Civil War, as an army chopper takes off, each swing of the rotor blade is portrayed with an impactful punch that elevates the tension of the scene. The wide soundfield is impressive, too; the chopper moves from one side of the screen to another, giving a real sense of breadth.

Dialogue is also clear and emotive. Vocals take centre stage, as they should, but not at the expense of the rest of the mix.

The performance of the speakers will depend at least somewhat on where you can put them in your space, especially if you are outside, and they’re certainly not on a par with the best dedicated Bluetooth speakers, but compared with the speaker systems of most portable and lifestyle projectors, they’re a massive improvement.

Verdict

With the best sound we have heard from a coffee table projector at this price, the Soundcore Nebula P1 certainly offers something new. And its clever, compact design makes for a practical and flexible proposition.

It's a shame the picture performance isn't at the same level, but if you don't mind sacrificing some quality there in the name of much better sound, this is a compelling choice.

SCORES

• Picture 3
• Sound 5
• Design 4

MORE:

Read our review of the Xgimi MoGo 4

Also consider the Hisense M2 Pro

Read our Anker Nebula Mars 3 Air review

Best projectors: the best options tested by our home cinema experts

Calling all home cinema enthusiasts who want a discounted projector with ultra-portable credentials. Right now, the four-star Anker Nebula Mars 3 Air is on sale for just $420 at Amazon.

The 30% discount sees the small all-in-one, battery-powered projector drop to an all-time record low, down $179 from its $599 list price. Suffice to say, that’s a great deal.

This is also one of the best outdoor projectors, so why not draw up that list of friends, select a shortlist of films, and create a cinema night to rival all others?

The Anker Nebula Mars 3 Air comes with a built-in battery, speakers and wi-fi, meaning it’s pretty much as easy a setup as you’re going to get.

And, as far as portable projectors go, the picture you then get from the Anker Nebula Mars Air 3 is mighty impressive. In our full review, our expert testers say: “The Mars 3 Air’s pictures comfortably outgun those of most portable rivals in pretty much every department.

“For starters, we’re really struck by how sharp and detailed everything looks. Despite the projector using (like all portable models) a fairly small lens aperture, every pixel and texture of a good HD source is faithfully rendered, adding up to a really dense, smooth, cinematic finish to the picture with little evidence of visible pixel structure. Even when you push the image to beyond 100 inches.”

Its maximum picture size is a massive 150 inches, but we find that projecting to this full size means you lose too much brightness. For us, an image size of between 70 and 90 inches brings the best balance of brightness and scale.

And, picture aside, the Mars Air 3 is also pretty nice to look at all by itself. With a slick design and comfortable carry strap attached to its top edge, it’s easy to move around even if it is weightier than many ultra-portable projectors.

It compensates for being that little bit heavier by providing fuss-free, easy to set-up movie/TV nights. It has a built-in Google TV operating system that is packed with all the popular video-streaming apps, including Netflix, Prime Video, Apple TV+ and Disney+. It also has an HDMI input, a USB port and Bluetooth for connecting other sources.

In terms of sonic performance, the Mars 3 Air has built-in speakers that our testers praise: “Not surprisingly, given how small they are, most portable projectors sound pretty horrible – if they even have any built-in sound at all. The Mars 3 Air’s 2 x 8W speaker set-up, though, bucks this trend in handy fashion.”

One important feature of a truly portable projector is its battery life. For the Mars 3 Air, you’re looking at 2.5 hours of mains-free movie playback (depending on how bright you set your picture and how loud you run your speakers).

So, if you’re looking for a projector that is affordable, compact, feature-packed, and just about bright enough to be used outside, the Mars Air 3 is one heck of a pick.

And right now, it’s down in price to just $420 at Amazon. But hurry: this mobile movie marvel is on a limited-time deal, so it won’t be sticking around for long!

MORE:

Read our Anker Nebula Mars 3 Air review

And these are the best portable projectors you can currently buy

You might also want one of the best soundbars to go with it

The recommended entry-level projector in our best projectors guide is the Hisense M2 Pro; but that model seems to be out of stock everywhere I checked.

If you need an affordable 4K projector right now, then, we suggest the Epson EH-TW7100. It is discounted right now down to just £999 at Amazon and Peter Tyson.

It’s also not far behind the Hisense in terms of performance, as evidenced by our five-star rating. We also gave it a What Hi-Fi? Award, which is far from easy to achieve. Get it now for a record-low price.

The Epson EH-TW7100 is a brilliantly well-judged and affordable 4K projector and our expert testers said as much when they carried out their exacting review.

While it’s a shade pricier than an entry-level device, securing it for £999 at Amazon makes it a whole lot more enticing.

With excellent contrast, a balanced, nuanced colour palette and good connectivity options, it’s a solid option for most people.

It’s easy to set up and install, as well as producing a picture that emulates that of the cinema – exactly what you want to hear when shopping for a projector.

And fortunately, you don’t have to tinker with any settings to get a great image right from the get-go. All the preset modes are well judged, and the colours are balanced with naturally smooth motion.

You’ll be able to project a 100 inch image from between 2.95 and 4.77m away from the screen, and the unit can be ceiling, rear-rack or desktop mounted.

The EH-TW1700 has Bluetooth for audio-out to a soundbar or wireless speakers, which is a really useful and impressive feature. To go with that it also has sufficient HDMI and powered USB ports.

All this led us to say in our review: “That performance, combined with its luminance, connectivity options, flexibility and the available accessories, all add up to a superb family projector that will make an excellent addition to almost any home. You won’t find better in this class.”

Which is why we are particularly happy to recommend it at its current price of £999.

MORE:

Read our full Epson EH-TW7100 review

Check out the best projectors: budget, 4K and ultra-short-throw

Plus, the best outdoor projectors: top models reviewed and rated

It’s unmistakably another Leica: the Cine Compact 1 is marked out by its solid aluminium Bauhaus-style housing, while Leica starts bringing the glass right from the clear frontage and outer lens.

So this is projector number three from the Leica Smart Projection division, again leveraging the camera-maker’s special abilities with glass and lens manufacture. And the new model brings a new affordable entry point to the luxury line.

This is a smaller projector than the award-winning Leica Cine Play 1, and it is also far more affordable than either previous model at AU$2990. The Cine Play 1 is AU$5990, while the ultra-short-throw Cine 1 Cinema TV has recently been price-reduced in Australia from AU$13,990 to $7990.

This new sub-AU$3000 smart mini projector much resembles the larger Cine Play 1, but it is significantly smaller at 209 x 226 x 193mm, while promising output of up to 1700 lumens (the specs note this is in ‘Ultra’ mode, so standard use may be slightly lower) and to support projection sizes of up to 220 inches.

Inside the projector, Leica’s optical system includes a Leica Summicron zoom lens with aspherical elements, optimising the output of a 0.47-inch pico DMD and triple RGB lasers to promise pixel-shifted 4K images which further benefit from the secret sauce of the company’s proprietary LIO (Leica Image Optimization). Dolby Vision and HDR10+ are onboard to display such High Dynamic Range material to its maximum ability.

It has smart set-up features: zoom, autofocus, keystone correction and intelligent screen framing are set up automatically wherever you may choose to throw the image from the projector’s integrated “360° rotation system”, which Leica notes makes the projector a particularly straightforward solution for everyday use.

It has built-in sources as well as connections for external devices; crucially there is the VIDAA operating system onboard to access streaming services like Netflix, Disney+ and Amazon Prime, while we believe VIDAA now has all Australian catch-up services and Foxtel apps also running (we will check this when we review this projector in upcoming weeks).

The Leica Cine Compact 1 also has one HDMI input, which also has eARC so could be used to take streaming sound to an external audio system, should you wish to expand on the built-in stereo speaker system; there is no optical or analogue audio output available. There’s a USB-A slot, presumably for file replay, along with screen sharing via Wi-Fi, and audio streaming available via Bluetooth or Apple AirPlay.

One inclusion which may attract a particular sub-set of movie fans: there’s a 3D Mode here, compatible with DLP Link active shutter 3D glasses.

And while a screen is always best for best performance, Leica has optimised the Cine Compact 1 for real-world scenarios including projection on walls or ceilings, even in gardens or on terraces.

The mini projector comes with an eco-friendly transport case; there’s an optional Leica stand available, while the integrated tripod thread enables the projector to be mounted on the ceiling.

Leica is, of course, known to consumers primarily as a high-end camera maker, but in fact has multiple arms: it began in the German town of Wetzlar in the 1860s when a talented engineer called Ernst Leitz made initially telescopes and subsequently microscopes, before his son, Ernst Leitz II, famously committed the company to building Oskar Barnack’s revolutionary compact camera, with its idea of using 35mm cinema film, soon to become the standard for still photography.

So right from the offset, it was image quality which drove the company, and older readers may recall how Leitz/Leica home slide projectors were once the gold standard for home projection of still images (Leica’s first projector was released in 1926). So the company’s now three-strong smart projector range is extending their imaging expertise back into home projection after a few decades absence.

The Leica Cine Compact 1 will be available for demonstration in Leica Stores Sydney, Melbourne and Chadstone, and in authorised Leica Cine dealers.

• See all our Australian reviews from Sound+Image and Australian Hi-Fi magazines

The FIFA World Cup is fast approaching on the 11 June, and that means the football fans among you are likely looking for the best way to experience one of the biggest sports events of the year.

If you are hunting for a way to watch the first kick on the big screen, then you may have considered a portable or coffee table projector. Both categories have the advantage of being compact enough to carry from room to room easily, all while boasting a larger screen size than the average TV. The only difference is that a portable projector features a built-in battery, whereas a coffee table model does not.

But which projector is the best choice for you? We have hand-picked three projector models that cater to slightly different needs, so there is something for everyone.

Whether it's portability or picture quality at the forefront of your mind, we have got you covered.

Best cheap

It’s fair to say that when we first had the Wanbo Vali 1 in our test room, we were not expecting greatness from the affordable model. That’s because it launched at a jaw-droppingly low price (£270 / $279 / AU$499) and is available even cheaper right now in the UK at Amazon for £229.

Despite its low cost, the Wanbo model exceeded our expectations. It’s not the perfect projector, but it delivers a natural and enjoyable picture.

We say in our review that, when watching Kingdom Of The Planet Of The Apes: “During the opening minutes, as our ape protagonists swing through the green undergrowth and out into the open trees, the projector portrays a surprisingly balanced image that neither jumps out as overly vibrant nor dull.”

The built-in speakers are not quite as impressive, but they still deliver clear dialogue. For the World Cup commentary and crowd atmosphere, we recommend using a separate speaker for the best experience.

You can tilt the body up to 200 degrees, so the image can be projected onto a screen, ceiling or the wall (we strongly recommend investing in a screen to get the best picture quality from the hardware). It offers a maximum screen size of 180 inches as well.

There is no built-in battery on board, so you will need to have access to the mains. In terms of streaming, it comes with Android TV built-in (more on that later). The projector itself is easy to carry around, weighing about 2.8kg. It also sports a white, rounded body and large single lens which makes for a practical-looking design.

If you are looking for a projector to deliver a big-screen experience on a budget, the Wanbo Vali 1 is a great option.

Best portable

For those looking to take their viewing experience on the go, the Xgimi MoGo 4 offers a portable design that is also worth your time.

It comes with a built-in battery and claims to offer up to 2.5 hours of battery life. That figure is only applicable for Eco mode, which reduces the picture’s brightness, so it is not ideal for outdoor viewing.

That means it offers a fair bit of wire-free usability without being connected to the mains. You can project an image up to 120 inches without warping the picture, and auto-keystone and auto-focus features make for easy set-up.

In terms of design, the Xgimi projector is incredibly compact. It measures 21 x 10 x 10cm (hwd), which is about the same as a large water bottle. That makes it easy to pop into a bag if you are on the move. Google TV comes built-in, and getting the projector up and running takes a matter of minutes.

There is a small remote that hangs off the body of the projector so that you don’t have to keep track of multiple components. This remote keeps things extremely minimal with just controls for volume, a D-pad to navigate the menu and a back button. You can also use the more comprehensive separate remote which offers more navigation features.

While it is more expensive than the Wanbo model, the MoGo 4 is still a budget-friendly projector, coming in at £509 / $499.

But how does it actually perform? When we had it in our test room, the Xgimi MoGo 4 offered a sharp and punchy picture. While its vibrancy can be a little heavy-handed at times and motion can appear smeary, the overall image is easy to watch and keeps a fairly natural balance.

Best entry-level 4K

If your budget can stretch a bit wider, then there’s an Award-winning 4K projector model that is ideal for your sports needs. Enter the Hisense M2 Pro, which scored a five-star review when we had it in our test room.

It is currently available for £899 / $1299, which is a fair bit more expensive than the above models. But that is justified by its 4K resolution (via pixel shifting) and more premium-feeling design.

The M2 Pro sports a silver box-shaped body with a spherical glass lens at its front and speakers at its sides. A hinged stand is bolted to its bottom, which makes it easy to adjust the angle of the image. There's also a common thread adapter in the base, which opens up the possibility of mounting the projector to the ceiling.

As with the Xgimi model, you will find Google TV built in to give you access to a selection of streaming services. You can push the screen up to 200 inches, and auto-keystone and auto-focus are available.

In terms of its picture performance, we call it "one of the best performers we’ve seen in its class" in our review. That is thanks to its sharp image, warm skin tones and well-handled dark detail.

Its 2.0 in-built speaker system offers enough clarity and separation to keep voices and background noise separate enough for comfortable viewing, but loses composure with more intense, busy audio.

Despite this, the Hisense is a brilliant 4K projector that takes both movies and sports matches to the next level.

The streaming conundrum

While all of the projectors on this list (and the majority of those in the portable or coffee table market) come with a smart platform built-in, there are some extra considerations that must be made when it comes to watching the World Cup.

In the UK, all of the matches will be split between BBC iPlayer and ITVX. If you are looking for 4K coverage, the BBC says it will be selected matches in UHD but we don't know exactly how many that will entail.

If you are based in the US, you can watch platforms such as Fox Sports and YouTube TV.

Each streaming platform has slightly different offerings when it comes to native app support. Google TV, for instance, tends not to include BBC iPlayer, but ITVX is usually available. This differs with individual models, but it has been our experience with the models on this list.

Luckily, there are ways to get around this, such as casting from your phone or laptop. This will let you watch the content on the big screen, but it comes with its own issues, such as high latency. That means you could hear the screams or groans of your neighbours before you see the ball hit the back of the net.

Another option is to use a streaming stick with support for the missing apps. Our best budget recommendation currently goes to the Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K Max (2nd Generation), which offers a wide range of streaming support, including ITVX and BBC iPlayer. You can currently snag the streamer for £70 at Argos in the UK.

There is the even cheaper Amazon Fire Stick HD which retails at £40 at Amazon, but we have yet to review this. If its performance is anything like its more premium sibling, however, then it has the potential to be a worthy choice.

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These are the best projectors on the market

Check out the best streaming devices

Here is our review of the Hisense M2 Pro

If you want to level up your home cinema set-up for movies, TV shows, or the upcoming FIFA World Cup, then you may be looking at investing in one of the best projectors. If you're working on a budget though, I've just found a sneaky deal that will save you some serious money.

Right now, Samsung's The Freestyle 2nd Gen can be yours for just £297 at Richer Sounds, a whopping £600 saving and the lowest price we've ever seen it drop to. But, there are a couple of things you need to do.

Firstly, you'll need to enter code 'RSTV50' at checkout to secure a discount. Then, as this is a cashback deal, you'll have to pay the £349 before claiming 15 per cent (£52.35) back directly from Samsung. Full T&Cs can be found here.

We're yet to get Samsung's The Freestyle 2nd Gen into our testing rooms, but we were lucky enough to get hands-on at its launch event. And what we enjoyed in the four-star original Samsung The Freestyle, we found to be present again, along with a couple of new surprises.

And while we haven't made a definitive verdict, we still had plenty to say from our time with the newest model. Firstly, the 2nd Gen is pretty much identical in design, with its compact build, cylindrical body and podium-style base helping it stand out from rivals.

The spec sheet offers more of the same, with a 1920 x 1080 resolution, alongside support for HDR10+ and HLG. It uses an LED light source, with a claimed 30,000-hour life span, and a claimed peak brightness of 230 ANSI lumens. The built-in speaker capable of 360-degree sound that featured in the original is back, as well as Samsung’s extremely clever auto keystone feature.

While physical connectivity options are limited to micro HDMI (although the connector does support HDMI ARC), The Freestyle excels in what it offers in terms of simplicity and portability with smart features and gaming abilities all built-in.

One of those new abilities is access to Samsung's Gaming Hub, meaning you can play Xbox games using an Xbox Game Pass subscription directly through it.

Plus, you've got access to Samsung's Tizen OS, which can be found on its TVs, giving you multiple streaming services including Netflix, Prime Video and Disney+, all of which are reached via dedicated hot keys on the remote control.

Visually, it was hard to get a clear impression of the 2nd Gen in the bright exhibition space we saw it in, but our expert tester said: "There appeared to be decent detail to the picture, with solid enough colours and good definition and detail on faces and clothing. One of the areas we criticised the original for was the below-par black levels, but it was impossible to really get an idea of this in an exhibition environment."

If you're looking for an entertaining projector that'll suit your movie watching and World Cup needs, the Samsung The Freestyle 2nd Gen is an incredibly entertaining option, especially at this knockdown price, just £297 at Richer Sounds.

MORE

Read our hands on with Samsung The Freestyle 2nd Gen

Or, check out our full Samsung The Freestyle review

And here's the best projectors: budget, 4K and ultra-short-throw

American brand Roku has launched its first range of projectors in the UK: the Sharp H272 and the Aurzen D1R.

As their names suggest, the models are launching with two respective hardware partners to “combine advanced projection technology with Roku’s intuitive operating system”.

Richard Halton, Country Manager at Roku UK, claims the projectors are, “bringing the seamless streaming experience Roku users know and love to an exciting new form factor – making big-screen entertainment more accessible than ever”.

The 1080p projectors include Roku’s full app library, including Netflix, Disney+, BBC iPlayer, and HBO Max. The two have also been designed to work when projecting the image onto a screen or wall (we highly recommend the former for the best picture quality).

The Sharp model claims to go up to 120 inches, while the Aurzen entry is a little smaller with a maximum screen size of 100 inches.

The Aurzen D1R is the brighter of the two, offering 280 ANSI lumens, compared to the Sharp H272’s 200 ANSI lumens. These are both on the lower end of the scale, so they will likely perform best in a dark room.

The D1R also has the on-paper edge when it comes to sound, offering two speakers driven by 5W of amplification, which beats the Sharp’s 3W offering. Both come with Dolby Audio, but, unsurprisingly for a budget model, there is no Dolby Atmos on the cards.

There are a few smart features included with both models, which should make setting them up a little easier. These include auto-keystone and auto-focus.

Bluetooth and HDMI connectivity are available, so you could pair wireless speakers, a soundbar, or a subwoofer for “an enhanced home theatre experience.”

You can also access Apple AirPlay support for streaming music, videos, photos, podcasts, and games from Apple devices.

Their designs look fairly similar, with both sporting a white rectangular body with rounded edges.

We don’t have pricing yet, but both will launch in June. With their brightness specifications and streaming offerings, Roku seem to have its sights set on the likes of the Xgimi Vibe One (£219 / $269 / AU$599) projector.

When we reviewed the Vibe One in our test room, we praised its compact design and natural-looking image, which ultimately earned it a solid four-star rating. We'll wait to see the projectors in our test room before giving a verdict, but they could be a strong entry in the budget projector market.

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Check out the best projectors right now

These are the best scenes to test your Dolby Atmos system

Summer is upon us, which means many of us, myself included, have started the yearly ritual of garden maintenance. Weeding, battling that one belligerent fox who keeps scatting (not in the jazz sense) on the patio, and, of course, getting the outdoor cinema set up.

In my case, that involves pulling out one of our portable projectors, plus the Anker SOLIX C300X power bank and 70-inch, portable Xgimi screen that’s become an essential item in my camping pack, out of our eaves storage and getting them set up outside, under our parasol.

What can I say, my wife and I enjoy the occasional movie night under the stars when it's warm enough. And this year it’s particularly pressing as I’ve been informed that we’ve been volunteered by friends to host some watch parties during the World Cup. I don't even like kicky ball...

Yes, picture quality is hindered, especially if you’re watching during the day on a unit with a low peak brightness. But there’s still something magical about enjoying a film in your garden, with the pizza oven or BBQ offering a conveyor belt of snacks. Especially if, like us, you have a Lay-Z-Spa Boy hot tub to stew in while watching.

Editor’s note: Haloumi and slices of Fiorentina are infinitely superior to nachos and popcorn as film-binging snacks. Trust me, I’ve done the research. Just make sure to invest in a floating party tray if you plan to enjoy them in a hot tub. I’ve also done that research and can personally attest that pizza and bubbling, chlorinated hot water are not a good combination, especially if you’re the one who has to clean the tub.

But, if you want to truly enjoy the experience and, like me, are limited to a portable, battery-powered unit, I have one key tip: invest in a Bluetooth receiver with simultaneous dual-link support and a couple of pairs of decent wireless headphones (or earbuds).

Why do that when most portable projectors already have Bluetooth and a sound system built in? The answer's surprisingly simple: consideration for the people around me.

I’m a night owl, and my wife is a superhuman who just doesn’t need sleep. So we tend to enjoy sitting watching films in the garden, or when out camping, into the wee hours of the night. We also, as evidenced by my recent ode to Hokum, enjoy horror movies.

Which is great, but when you live in a Victorian terraced house in zone three London and have neighbours with young kids, having a speaker blasting out Friday The 13th at full volume at 11pm isn’t a smart move – especially if you’ve already accidentally scarred said kids during your last BBQ when a “friend” decided Gwar was a good choice of background music. Never let Gerald Lynch, from our sister site, Shortlist, near your Bluetooth speaker…

So, having the option to continue enjoying our films, without keeping the entire neighbourhood up, just by switching to our headphones or earbuds when it gets late, is a game-changer.

The same is true when camping. Even if there aren’t people right next to you, the slightest noise pollution can carry a surprisingly long way in the great outdoors, so it’s only fair to try and keep things reasonably contained once it gets late. Though even with headphones, I’d still avoid watching Evil Dead while actually camping in the woods. I’ve still not gotten over that experience after my wife caught me off-guard with an improvised real-world jump scare a few years ago.

I’ve not used enough receivers to say which is definitely best. But I’m currently rocking an AirFly Pro 2, which works a treat, for these purposes. Connect it to your beamer via the 3.5mm aux input, and it’ll connect two pairs of wireless cans with zero fuss, then offering aptX HD Adaptive streaming.

Sure, the audio’s not perfect, but considering what we watch while outdoors, it’s good enough and delivers the main thing I care about with an outdoor cinema – a fun night under the stars.

I can’t ask for more than that, really.

MORE:

These are the best portable projectors we’ve tested

We rank the best projectors money can buy

Our picks of the best wireless headphones

Looking for a simple home cinema in a box projector? Then we have some good news: Anker's Nebula X1 has had a sizable discount, thanks to this stellar deal.

Right now, you can grab the Nebula X1 for just £1699 at Amazon. That's a whopping £500 saving and the lowest-ever price we've ever seen.

So, if you're looking for a projector that offers a simple set-up, punchy picture and top-notch sound performance, then this is a solid pick, especially at this discount price.

The Nebula X1 spells tough competition for rivals, but it's certainly a lot more expensive than cheaper alternatives, such as the Xgimi MoGo 4 and the brand's own Anker Nebula Mars 3 Air.

But, there's a good reason for this and why it's earned a place amongst the best outdoor projectors we've ever tested.

The triple-laser X1 projector boasts a 4K resolution, a claimed 3500 ANSI lumens of brightness to play with and it can supposedly project an image up to 300 inches in size, meaning it's much better-equipped to deal with less-than-ideal viewing conditions than a lot of cheaper models.

It also offers an easy set-up experience, with Nebula's AI Spatial Adaptation auto set-up that includes real-time autofocus, keystone correction, ambient light adaptation and wall colour adaptation.

And while it's designed for indoor use, if you're looking for a traditional projector that you can get away with taking outside occasionally (as long as you've got an extension cable up to the job), then this is a projector we love to recommend.

The Nebula X1 can be placed on a projector stand, table, or the floor, with an optical engine and lens array that then tilts up to 25 degrees. And when it comes to picture performance, our expert testers said: "In terms of colour, the X1 keeps the picture vibrant and engaging. With the Antarctica episode of Seven Worlds, One Planet on 4K Blu-ray, the gentoo penguins preparing to dive into the ocean are detailed and vivid. Their bright red beaks and fluffy feathers look tangible and textured."

At times, though, our testers noted the picture is actually a bit too sharp, which can be easily fixed by reducing the Sharpness a few points.

For your streaming needs, the Nebula features the Google TV platform with Netflix built-in. You can also download a variety of the big streaming services, including Channel 4, Disney+, YouTube, Apple TV, Netflix, ITVX and Amazon Prime Video. BBC iPlayer is not available, though you can at least cast it to the projector from your phone as a workaround.

And while all this is impressive, our testers were most impressed by the audio offerings, noting: "The Nebula X1’s audio makes it stand out from the crowd, as it is rare we have found a projector that can pack such a punch in terms of bass.”

With such a premium offering, the price tag is premium to boot. But, right now, you can pick it up for just £1699 at Amazon. You'll have to be quick, though, this is only a limited-time deal.

MORE:

Read our full Nebula X1 review

Check out the best outdoor projectors: top models reviewed and rated

And take a look at the best projectors: the best options tested by our home cinema experts

TVs are certainly getting bigger – and better – so the difference between the classic telly and projectors is getting smaller every year.

But if you're looking to create a fully dedicated home cinema, it's hard to beat the huge screen sizes, flexibility and immersive experience of a projector.

And one of our favourite projectors is now on offer – the Epson EH-LS9000 is now £2699 at Sevenoaks.

That's the lowest price we've seen so far, on a projector that was already great value and the best of its kind for its launch price.

Epson's 4K projector is superb, and offers picture quality that won't be beaten at this price.

Bear in mind that this is a dedicated home cinema projector, designed to be used in a dark room. Stick to this rule and you'll be rewarded with a cinematic and punchy picture.

"We’re instantly struck by the sharpness and detail of the image," our Epson EH-LS9000 review reads. "There’s an awesome solidity and depth to the picture, which is particularly impressive at the 100-inch scale of our screen, and you almost feel as if you could reach into the image and poke the little figures in the distance."

Even tricky panning shots are handled with a suitable mix of naturalism and smoothness, and colours are both vivid and natural with excellent shading. We did note that we would like better black depth in the darkest images, but this is still a brilliant cinematic image overall.

The Epson EH-LS9000 also impresses with its HDR support, boasting the dynamic HDR10+ format as well as HDR10 and HLG formats. The extra scene-by-scene information of HDR10+ should result in precise, vivid, and detailed images.

The EH-LS9000 is also a very appealing gaming projector, with two HDMI 2.1 sockets which can handle 4K/120Hz signals. Testing with Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart on PS5 resulted in a silky-smooth and responsive gameplay experience.

As with most home cinema projectors, there are no built-in speakers, so make sure to budget for one of the best sound systems.

As our expert review team concluded: “A slight lack of black depth aside, the Epson EH-LS9000 is an exceptional home cinema projector that redefines performance expectations at this level.” Anyone looking for a projector at this price level should consider the EH-LS9000 – especially now you can save £300 at Sevenoaks.

MORE:

Check out the best projectors: budget, 4K and ultra-short-throw

And the best outdoor projectors: top models reviewed and rated

Read our review of the BenQ W4100i

BenQ is one of the busiest projector brands around, producing models of all shapes, sizes and prices.

The TK705i successfully finds another little twist to add to the current projector range by combining a solid picture performance with an aggressive price, built-in smarts and arguably BenQ’s cutest design to date.

Though as we’ll see, offering so much for its price tag hasn’t been a completely compromise-free process.

Price

At £1199 / $1799 / AU$2199, the TK705i sits towards the lower end of the lifestyle projector market – yet it has some promising specifications and features to its name. These include built-in Google smarts, 3000 lumens of claimed peak brightness, 4K HDR playback and an integrated sound system.

Key rivals in this space are the Award-winning Hisense M2 Pro, and the super-stylish Epson EF-72.

Design

The TK705i is the latest example of a rapidly expanding trend for roughly cubic projectors. Its take on this trend, though, is actually one of the most attractive to date.

Apparently inspired by dappled sunlight filtering through layered leaves (yes, really), the TK705i features a bluish-grey fabric front and sides finished in a nicely contrasting hard plastic grille with some interesting spots of solid smooth grey finish over clusters of the grille holes.

Rounded corners soften the projector’s presence to complete the living room-friendly feel, and you can attach its strikingly compact form to a mounting foot if you want to add rotating and tilting flexibility to its design charms. It’s even possible to use the projector inverted and tilted on a shelf if such positioning suits your room layout.

At which point we’re feeling pretty confident that our inadequate words really aren’t doing the TK705i’s prettiness justice, and refer you to the photographs accompanying this review.

The TK705i ships with a full-sized remote control featuring large, clearly labelled buttons in a sensible layout that makes its key mic, home screen, auto picture adaptation, YouTube, Netflix, Prime Video and Live TV buttons suitably prominent with an eye-catching white backing.

Features

The TK705i’s eye-catching design is built around a DLP optical system illuminated by LED lighting. It can play 4K sources and high dynamic range in the HDR10, HLG and HDR10+ formats, but not Dolby Vision. The 3000 lumens of claimed peak light output is reckoned to be capable of driving screens as big as 120 inches across.

The 4K support is achieved using Texas Instruments’ XPR pixel shifting technology rather than the sort of native 4K pixel counts you get with much more expensive projectors from Sony and JVC, but unlike other pixel-shift technologies, DLP’s approach has been deemed ‘true 4K’ by the Consumer Technology Association group in the US.

Connections on the TK705i comprise two HDMIs (one with eARC support for passing audio out to a soundbar or AVR), two USB-C ports, a 12V trigger port for powering up or down a motorised screen or curtains system, and a 3.5mm audio output. Plus, there’s wi-fi, of course, to support the projector’s built-in smart features.

The TK705i’s HDMIs don’t support 4K resolution at 120Hz. The best we could get was 4K/60Hz, in fact, complete with HDR resolution. No higher frame rates were showing as available, even if we lowered the resolution output from our Xbox Series X.

The projector does have a few helpful gaming features up its sleeve, though, including dedicated HDR RPG and FPS gaming modes designed to give the best experience for those sorts of games, and an impressively low standard input lag time in its Gaming mode of just 12.2ms.

While we didn’t find a way to achieve the 5ms of lag quoted as possible for the projector by BenQ, we did get it down to an extremely low 9.3ms by activating Gaming Boost mode. Note that this mode, however, turns off all of the image placement corrections you likely made during set-up – even the manual zoom function. So, unless you’re very lucky and the TK705i delivers a perfect image at just the right size and in just the right place in your living room with no corrective measures required, you’ll probably prefer to live with the extra 3ms of lag required to keep image set-up corrections intact.

Talking of set-up, the TK705i features a sophisticated Smart Image Adaptation system to help you get images appearing with the correct geometry and proportions with the minimum of manual intervention. This includes automatic 2D keystone adjustment, auto focus, automatic screen fit (provided your screen has a clearly defined border), auto obstacle avoidance that can shift pictures around objects that might sit between the projector and your screen, and automatic eye protection that turns the brightness down if you get your head too close to the lens.

There’s even an Auto Cinema Mode that can adapt the image’s tone and brightness based on analysis of both your wall colour and ambient light levels.

In the unlikely event that you still feel you need to fine-tune the image after the auto set-up features have done their thing, optical zoom, manual focus and digital image shift features are all provided in motorised form via the remote control.

The TK705i’s menus and smart features are delivered, as usual for BenQ, by the Google TV system. Which is mostly fine, except that the BBC iPlayer still refuses to play ball with it. Just about every other app is there, though, including the other key UK terrestrial broadcaster catch-up apps.

BenQ’s CinematicColor system for delivering ‘true to life’ colours is present and correct on the TK705i, and claims to be capable of covering 98 per cent of the Rec 709 standard dynamic range colour spectrum.

One final positive feature of note is the projector’s ability to run very quietly – as little as 24dB – for such a compact 3000-lumen-capable projector, even when showing HDR video.

Picture

While the TK705i’s pictures are unsurprisingly (given its price) not quite up there with the very best projectors in BenQ’s current range, they’re still enjoyable enough to make it look pretty good value.

The first thing that strikes us about the TK705i’s pictures is how bright they are. That 3000 lumens brightness claim feels slightly pessimistic, in fact, as the projector both punches through quite high levels of ambient light without its pictures feeling flat or washed out, and delivers intense, luminous-looking pictures in dark-room conditions.

The high brightness helps it deliver compelling HDR pictures by such affordable 4K projector standards, as well as allowing BenQ to provide a reasonable amount of flexibility over your preferred HDR ‘look’; in particular, how much the presentation favours brightness vs detail in bright areas.

Initially, we felt that the TK705i’s brightness seemed to be running slightly ahead of its colour performance, leaving tones feeling a little faded. A Dynamic Colour feature, though, does an excellent job of injecting more vibrancy into proceedings, resulting in a punchy, potent image with both SDR and HDR sources. This extra colour punch is delivered while retaining impressive levels of blend and tone subtlety, too.

No colour – not even skin tones – looks flat or plasticky under the Dynamic Colour regime, and while tones don’t look quite as uniformly natural and accurate as they do with BenQ’s finest projectors, no particular tones stand out too starkly from the rest.

In fact, it’s ultimately the balance and nuance the TK705i’s pictures retain despite their high brightness and Dynamic Colour vibrancy boost that most stands out against much of the competition at this level.

Motion looks clean and natural on the TK705i, even with 24p films, without any need to engage the motion processing options, and DLP projection’s rainbow effect issue, where red, green and blue stripes can flit over bright highlights, is controlled well enough not to become a serious distraction even to What Hi-Fi? team members who are particularly susceptible to seeing it.

There are a couple of areas, though, where the TK705i’s relative affordability shows through. First, its pictures aren’t quite as pin-sharp and detailed-looking as some of the best sub-£1500 projectors around. Pictures still look 4K, to be fair, regardless of whether you’re watching native 4K or HD sources, but they lack a little of that snap and crispness that we know DLP projectors are capable of (despite not using truly native 4K optical systems).

The biggest limitation of the TK705i, though, is its handling of dark scenes. While dark areas of mostly bright pictures look reasonably convincing and create a decent sense of contrast and depth, fully dark sequences look rather grey and flat as the projector struggles to resolve the sort of black levels movie fans love – and which BenQ is usually so good at producing.

Setting an Adaptive Luma feature to its Medium setting enhances the projector’s dynamic range and gives the image a bit more punch, which at least helps to hide the black level shortcomings – but it doesn’t completely solve the problem, and can cause some shadow detailing to go missing in the darkest corners.

To be fair, the TK705i’s black colour limitations are much less noticeable if you’re watching the projector in a non-blacked-out room – and relatively ‘lifestyle’ projectors such as the TK705i are much more likely to find themselves operating in ambient light than dedicated home cinema models. So, if your likely use case for a TK705i is going to be almost constant regular living room viewing, where removing all ambient light is pretty much impossible, its pictures could seriously work for you.

For a projector to bag that elusive fifth star, though, it needs to be able to adapt to serious movie nights a little better than the TK705i can.

Sound

Given that the TK705i’s cubic design is down at least in part to a desire to include decent integrated speakers, its sound performance comes as quite a disappointment.

Particularly troublesome is how bright and harsh high-pitched sound effects and voices are, especially at the sort of relatively high volumes many home cinema fans will want to push towards for movie nights.

Dense soundtrack moments also sound thin and sibilant at any sort of volume, and the tendency to exaggerate treble isn’t helped by the integrated 2 x 8W sound system’s bass limitations. The movie world’s deepest rumbles lack potency and presence relative to the rest of the sound presentation, can succumb to sort of whistling distortion at times, and can even just drop out of the sound presentation entirely when the going gets really deep.

The pity is that aside from the one-sided nature of the sound, there are signs of promise in the TK705i’s audio. Despite not being one of BenQ’s most powerful projector sound systems, for instance, it still manages to project elements of the sound beyond its bodywork, getting some value out of Dolby Atmos soundtracks and reducing the common projector sound sensation that what you’re hearing isn’t connected with the pictures across the room.

The harshness reduces substantially if you’re in a small enough room not to need the volume to be cranked high, too.

In the end, though, while the TK705i can get pretty loud and detailed for such a compact projector, that loudness just isn’t fun to listen to.

Verdict

The TK705i’s uniquely cute, living room-friendly design and bright, vibrant images will deservedly win it plenty of fans.

Rather lacklustre black levels for dark room viewing and a surprisingly bass-light and brittle sound system, though, mean that the TK705i ultimately falls short of becoming another five-star BenQ projector masterclass.

SCORES

• Picture 4
• Sound 2
• Features 4

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Also consider the Hisense M2 Pro

Read our BenQ W2700 review

Best projectors: the best options tested by our home cinema experts

No musician in recent memory innovated quite like Bowie. The master of reinvention, his looks were just as iconic as his songs, showing a deep understanding of the importance of image to a pop career. Not for nothing did he call one track Sound And Vision.

So it's fitting that Lightroom's new exhibition is a 360-degree immersive experience that's a treat for the eyes and ears alike.

I went down to check it out, and now I can finally see a good use for spatial audio.

Bowie in his own words

Part biography, part concert film, part career retrospective, David Bowie: You're Not Alone is split up into various thematic chapters (Curiosity, Spirituality etc) that run on a loop. The same technique was used in Lightroom's Prehistoric Planet: Discovering Dinosaurs show – it means that you can wander in whenever and not miss a thing, as long as you stay for the full hour duration.

Bowie himself is your guide, via voiceovers presumably cribbed from various interviews over the years. So you get his childhood in suburban Bromley, his time in Berlin, how he stumbled across "happy accidents" in the recording studio that led to some of his biggest hits, his feeling like an outsider, how he dealt with mainstream success, and more – all in his own words.

Sound And Vision

Visually, it's stunning. Bowie diehards will love the numerous close-ups, with every inch of his face rendered in excruciating detail thanks to the four-storey-high walls onto which images and footage are projected.

These are beamed from a ridiculous 28 Panasonic PT-RQ22K laser 3-chip DLP 4K projectors – 14 for the walls, and another 14 for the floor. This output is then stitched together to create the humungous visuals.

If you ever wanted to feel like Tom Thumb in a world of giant Bowies, this is your chance.

There's a lot of content to draw on, including rare performance footage, concert film, photography, Bowie's own drawings and paintings, lyrics, personal notes and audio recordings. Concert footage is filmed from within the crowd – with the scale of the place, and screaming fans projected onto the walls either side and behind you, it really makes you feel like you're watching Bowie live. At points, I had to stop myself from applauding. The only thing I've seen that gets closer to a real-life concert experience is ABBA Voyage, and that has a live band playing the songs.

The audio too, is top notch. As well as the crowd pleasers like Let's Dance and Ziggy Stardust, it includes plenty of lesser known tracks (I'm Afraid Of Americans was a new one on me), with each one newly reconfigured into spatial audio by Olivier and Tony award-winning sound designer Gareth Fry (who worked on the stage show Harry Potter & The Cursed Child and the touring exhibition David Bowie Is).

I could feel the bass rumbling through the bench seat on which I was perched, and the spatial sound is perfectly suited to the immersive nature of the show. The audio comes courtesy of Lightroom's permanent X1 Matrix Array sound system from Berlin-based audio company Holoplot. It's the first of its kind in the UK.

The space to shine

I've found spatial audio a little underwhelming so far. I've written before about how, when wearing headphones, it can cut off the sound to one side when you put your phone in your pocket – it's meant to make it sound like the sound is 'anchored' at a certain place, but it feels more like your headphones are broken.

But now, I can see a really compelling use case for it. And, ironically enough, I'm not alone. My colleague Harry McKerrell recently heard spatial audio in a dedicated recording studio, and was blown away. "The lesson here is that spatial audio can, in the right hands, be genuinely transformative," he wrote.

In my experience, we're a long way from hearing such a striking effect in home audio devices, but if you want to see what spatial audio is capable of, get yourself down to Lightroom in London's King's Cross for the full sound and vision experience.

MORE:

What is Apple Spatial Audio? Find out

The best Dolby Atmos soundbars you can buy

Bose's spatial audio headphone tech is less successful, in our writer's view

The best outdoor projectors are one thing, but how about one built into your car's headlights?

That's the promise of Huawei's XPixel tech, which it showed off at the recent Beijing Auto Show.

The tech underpinning it has been around for a few years already, but the newest version can display a full range of colours. Hence, it can render proper videos like movies and football matches. It can even project games like hopscotch for kids.

Its 'open-air cinema' mode can project whatever's playing on your in-car entertainment system onto a wall in front of the parked car.

The tech is set to debut in the Aito M9 SUV, and will come to other models like the Qijing GT7 and Luxeed V9.

While it may seem a little pointless, especially to anyone without a driveway and suitable projection surface, it could come in useful when recharging your electric car's battery during a long drive. Especially if you brought popcorn.

As for the picture quality, we're guessing it probably comes under "not fantastic". But it could well be preferable to watching on an in-car entertainment system. Just make sure you clean your windscreen first.

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The best projectors for at-home viewing

I set up an average portable projector in my son's bedroom, and now I'm "the best dad ever"

Here are the best portable projectors you can buy

The Hisense PL2 delivers a 150-inch screen experience without the need to sacrifice your entire living room to a TV that size. Sounds good, right?

Thanks to a limited-time Amazon deal, you could be the proud owner of the PL2 for a discounted price of $1800. The $200 price cut doesn't make the projector 'cheap', but it's certainly more tempting, especially if you were in the market for one anyway.

We gave the PL2 five stars after having it in our testing room and crowned it one of the winners in our What Hi-Fi? Awards 2025. Snap it up while it's reduced.

But what makes this model worth your consideration? First off, it offers a balanced picture performance, especially when it comes to portraying natural-looking colours and solid dark detail levels.

We say in our review while watching Dune: Part Two: "The additional brightness gives explosions and the desert sand noticeably more impact and vibrancy compared with [its predecessor] the PL1, which was best in class at this price less than a year ago."

The Hisense PL2's Dolby Atmos sound performance isn't quite as impressive as its picture, but the eARC socket makes it a prime candidate to be paired with a separate sound system.

The ultra-short-throw model offers an up to 150-inch image via a laser light system that's capable of reaching 2700 lumens. This makes it an ideal TV replacement, as using the PL2 shouldn't be troubled by the intrusion of ambient light.

Furthermore, it includes the Google TV operating system, meaning support for a wide range of international and domestic streaming apps, including the likes of Netflix, Disney+ and Apple TV+ is built in.

You'll also find HDR support in the form of HDR10, HLG, Dolby Vision and HDR10+.

If you're aiming for a cinematic experience at a scale that exceeds any of the currently available best TVs, then the Hisense PL2 is worth considering, especially at this low price.

MORE:

Here's our review of the Hisense PL2

And these are the best projectors right now

Ultra-short throw projector vs big-screen TV: which should you buy?

If you’re researching portable projectors, it’s very likely that you will have come upon offerings from the brand Xgimi.

The China-based company offers a range of products, from premium 4K projectors to the smaller portable models we are looking at here.

The Xgimi MoGo 4 is a small cylindrical model that has featured on our best portable projectors and best outdoor projectors guides since we reviewed it last year.

The Xgimi Vibe One, on the other hand, is the first product from Xgimi’s new budget-focused ‘Vibe’ sub-brand, which targets budget buyers even more than the MoGo 4.

We have pitted the pair head-to-head in our test room to see which is the best one for you to spend your money on.

Xgimi Vibe One vs Xgimi MoGo 4: price

Both of these Xgimis target the budget end of the projector market, of course, with affordability and portability their USPs.

The Vibe One is the cheaper option of the two, having launched at £219 / $269 / AU$599. It hit the shelves only late last year, but discounts are already available at various retailers, making it even more affordable.

Going for a slightly more premium audience, the MoGo 4 also boasts a slightly more premium price tag. It has an official price of £509 / $499 / AU$1399, but you can find it cheaper in the UK if you look around. We have often seen it drop to £399.

Despite this discount, the Vibe One still comes out on top in terms of pricing.

** Winner: Xgimi Vibe One **

Xgimi Vibe One vs Xgimi MoGo 4: build

Both projectors are compact and easy to carry, and you shouldn’t have an issue putting either in a bag to take it on the go.

They each weigh about the same, too, with the Vibe One coming in at 1.4kg and the MoGo 4 at 1.3kg. So there’s no need to worry about lugging around a bulky projector for a garden movie night.

The MoGo 4 is slightly more petite than the Vibe One, measuring 21 x 10 x 10 cm (hwd), which is about the same size as a large water bottle. The cheaper model is a little larger (31 x 12 x 14 cm), but it’s still easily portable – indeed, the Vibe One has a useful handle at the top which makes it even easier to carry around.

Both projectors are activated in the same way: you tilt the body up from the bottom to face your screen or wall (a screen is highly recommended for a better picture). The MoGo 4 offers an extra feature as the hard plastic on the side transforms into a nifty stand.

The Vibe One comes in two colour options: blue spark or cloud ash. You can also personalise your model with the included stickers, which should please kids or whimsical adults. The MoGo 4 is available in just one finish: silver with orange trimmings.

The projectors offer almost identical remote controls, which let you control volume, output, auto-focus, and the settings menu. There are also shortcuts for a few streaming services to speed up menu navigation.

The Vibe One’s remote does not have a backlight, but the MoGo 4’s does.

With the MoGo 4, there is an additional mini-remote that hangs from a rope on the side of the body. This remote keeps things extremely minimal with just controls for volume, a D-pad to navigate the menu and a back button.

While both models offer a solid and compact build, the MoGo 4 takes the prize here for its sturdy stand and more premium overall feel.

** Winner: Xgimi MoGo 4 **

Xgimi Vibe One vs Xgimi MoGo 4: features

Both the Vibe One and the MoGo 4 have a built-in battery, but this good news comes with a caveat: the models offer a claimed 1.2 hours and 2.5 hours of battery life, respectively.

And that is when they are in Eco mode, which dims the brightness in order to preserve energy. In our preferred Standard mode, that estimated figure reduces a fair bit. This is less of an issue for the MoGo 4, as it can be plugged into a power bank using the USB-C connection, but there is no such feature with the Vibe One.

On each model, you will find one HDMI port, although ARC is supported only with the MoGo 4. Bluetooth 5.1 is available with both Xgimi projectors.

Both models deliver a 1080p Full HD image. The Vibe One is claimed to offer up to a 150-inch picture, while the MoGo 4 offers slightly less at a claimed 120 inches. Xgimi says you can take the screen size up to 200 inches with the MoGo 4, but you won't be getting the best display quality available.

The MoGo 4 can go half as bright again as the Vibe One, with the projectors producing a claimed maximum brightness of 450 and 300 ISO Lumens, respectively. The MoGo 4, then, has a better chance at delivering a punchy picture in well-lit settings.

You also get access to the Google TV smart platform through both models. This includes the usual streaming suspects such as Amazon Prime Video, Disney+ and Apple TV. There is, however, no BBC iPlayer on the cards. There is the option to use Google Cast from a smart device, but it would be nice to have native app support.

From the remote control or settings menu, you can access the auto-focus and auto-keystone correction. This works pretty well in our test room to adjust to the space, although we find ourselves using the manual features to fine-tune.

There is a range of picture modes, but for each unit, we settle on Movie mode with a bit of further adjustment in the settings menu.

Thanks to its better battery life, the MoGo 4 takes this round as well.

** Winner: Xgimi MoGo 4 **

Xgimi Vibe One vs Xgimi MoGo 4: picture

Despite their small statures and budget price tags, both models are surprisingly cinematic performers with plenty to like.

The Xgimi MoGo 4 provides a punchy yet detailed picture. When watching Knives Out: A Glass Onion Mystery on Netflix, for example, we say in our review: “It, of course, does not have the detail of bigger, more expensive projectors such as the Nebula X1, but for such a small piece of kit, the MoGo 4 manages to portray a nicely balanced picture, with the branches of trees in the background appearing crisp.”

Colours are incredibly punchy as well, to the extent they sometimes verge towards being overexuberant. This is probably a decision Xgimi has made to compensate for when users are watching films outdoors, but it's certainly noticeable when viewing in a dark room.

When we switch to the Xgimi Vibe One, we don't find the colours to be too vivid. They are, rather, better balanced – which results in a surprisingly cinematic picture.

Projecting Alien: Romulus, the Vibe One shows off its abilities with dark scenes. As a ship floats through the depths of space, the projector presents the dark abyss with an impressively deep black by budget projector standards. Still, the MoGo 4 goes a fair bit darker and manages to dig out more subtlety in the levels of black during the same scene.

Motion handling is better done with the Vibe One. It makes movement feel more natural compared with the MoGo 4, which can smear slightly during fast-paced action.

The MoGo 4, as you would expect considering its higher lumen count, looks brighter and more vibrant than the Vibe One. The latter will be fine for a spot of sunny sport viewing, but expect to lose a fair bit of detail, especially when compared with its more expensive cousin, when watching in a well-lit environment.

While the Xgimi Vibe One nails the basics in terms of motion handling and natural colours, the MoGo 4 is the better performer overall with its brighter picture and deeper blacks.

** Winner: Xgimi MoGo 4 **

Xgimi Vibe One vs Xgimi MoGo 4: sound

Neither projector manages to blow us away in the audio department. The MoGo 4 features two 6W speakers, while the Vibe One offers two 3W speakers, with both built into their small bodies.

They struggle to push sound far enough to create an immersive audio experience, which results in a rather localised performance.

The MoGo 4 offers voices that are clear and reasonably crisp. It also delivers the upbeat soundtrack to Indiana Jones And The Dial Of Destiny, for example, with the right level of expression.

The Vibe One, on the other hand, has a harder time making voices audible. Continuing with Alien: Romulus, we say in our review: “As the android Andy and his human sister Rain rush through the bustling mining colony, their conversation gets muddled with radio chatter in the background, which makes it hard to decipher at points.”

And that’s in a quiet test room – it will be harder to hear during an outdoor viewing with a few guests.

With each model, we recommend investing in a Bluetooth speaker to get a clearer, louder audio experience. Still, the MoGo 4 is the more expressive and clear option, so it is the winner here.

** Winner: Xgimi MoGo 4 **

Xgimi Vibe One vs Xgimi MoGo 4: verdict

The Vibe One is the more affordable of the two projectors here, and its balanced yet detailed picture means it is the winner on a picture-performance-per-pound basis.

But the MoGo 4 delivers a more cinematic image with greater brightness and contrast, making it better suited to use in a bright room – or even outside.

On top of that, the Vibe One's disappointing battery life and inexplicable lack of support for USB-C battery packs mean it's much less practically portable than its more expensive sibling.

So, while the Vibe One's picture performance is very impressive for its low price, the MoGo 4 is worth stretching to for the even better picture quality and much greater practicality.

**Overall winner: Xgimi MoGo 4**

If you are looking for a 4K projector with a small footprint, you’ll be greeted with oodles of options with a simple Google search. Those range from entry-level models to premium products with eye-boggling price tags.

And there is a new entry to the 4K market from Chinese projector brand JMGO: the N3 Ultimate.

What has particularly piqued our interest in this model? Well, the brand claims it offers the “world’s first three-in-one integrated optical system”. That includes a four-way lens shift, wide-range optical zoom, and a smart gimbal, all wrapped into one product.

In theory, that should let you adjust the image’s placement without moving the projector itself in an effort to reduce the “traditional constraints of placement, angle, and setup complexity”.

The N3 Ultimate also has a memory function, which can recall different settings for different walls. It remembers the ideal screen size, image optimisation settings and your favoured streaming app depending on where you are projecting.

It supports Dolby Vision HDR and, in terms of sound, Dolby Audio is available for an “immersive viewing experience”. For gamers, there is a low latency of 1ms and a refresh rate of up to 240Hz with support for variable refresh rate.

We don't have the UK or Australian pricing yet, but in the US, the projector comes in at $2999 (around £2222 / AU$4185). That pits it against the Xgimi Horizon 20 Max, which comes in a little cheaper at £2599 / $2699 / AU$4950.

In our review, we gave the Xgimi 4K projector four stars for its strong, adaptive picture and tactile design. Its brightness levels also impressed, with a claimed peak brightness of 5700 ISO lumens. That’s one of the highest figures we have seen at this level, but the JMGO model is claimed to go slightly higher with 5800 ISO lumens.

We have yet to get the new model into our test room, but its high claimed brightness levels and smart adjustments could make it a strong competitor in the category.

MORE:

Here are the best projectors we recommend

Check out our review of the Xgimi Horizon 20 Max

And these are the best portable projectors

Looking to kick back this summer and enjoy a movie (or two) with one of the best outdoor projectors? Well, the sun is shining and so is this deal that we have just found on our overall top pick.

Right now, the ultra-portable Anker Nebula Mars 3 Air can be yours for just £399 at Amazon. This dinky all-in-one, battery-powered projector is ideal if you want to be flexible with your movie watching.

And with this deal you’ll be be saving just over £150, which is big ol’ chunk of change when it comes to this impressive pick. You’ll have to be quick, though: it's only a limited time deal.

The Anker Nebula Mars 3 Air comes with a built-in battery, speakers and wi-fi, meaning it's pretty much as easy a setup as you’re going to get.

And, as far as portable projectors go, the picture you then get from the Anker Nebula Mars Air 3 is mighty impressive. In our full review, our expert testers say: “The Mars 3 Air’s pictures comfortably outgun those of most portable rivals in pretty much every department.

“For starters, we’re really struck by how sharp and detailed everything looks. Despite the projector using (like all portable models) a fairly small lens aperture, every pixel and texture of a good HD source is faithfully rendered, adding up to a really dense, smooth, cinematic finish to the picture with little evidence of visible pixel structure. Even when you push the image to beyond 100 inches.”

Its maximum picture size is a massive 150 inches, but we find that this full size loses some of its brightness. We find that an image size of between 70 and 90 inches gives us the best balance of brightness and scale.

And, picture aside, the Mars Air 3 is also pretty nice to look at all by itself. With a slick design and comfortable carry strap attached to its top edge, it's easy to move around even if it is weightier than many ultra-portable projectors.

It compensates for being that little bit heavier by providing fuss-free, easy-to-set-up movie/TV nights. It has a built-in Google TV operating system that is packed with all the popular video-streaming apps, including Netflix, Prime Video, Apple TV+ and Disney+. It also has an HDMI input, a USB port and Bluetooth for connecting other sources.

In terms of sonic performance, the Mars 3 Air has built-in speakers that our testers praise: “Not surprisingly given how small they are, most portable projectors sound pretty horrible – if they even have any built-in sound at all. The Mars 3 Air’s 2 x 8W speaker set-up, though, bucks this trend in handy fashion.”

One important feature of a truly portable projector is its battery life. And for the Mars 3 Air, you’re looking at 2.5 hours of mains-free movie playback (depending on how bright you set your picture and how loud you run your speakers).

So, if you’re looking for a projector that is affordable, compact, feature-packed, and just about bright enough to be used outside, the Mars Air 3 is a heck of a pick.

And right now, it's reduced to just £399 at Amazon. But hurry: this mobile movie marvel is on a limited-time deal, so it won't be sticking around for long!

MORE:

Read our Anker Nebula Mars 3 Air review

And these are the best portable projectors you can currently buy

You might also want one of the best soundbars to go with it

If you’ve got a few thousand pounds or dollars to spend on a premium projector for a dedicated home cinema room, you’re spoiled for choice.

The go-to recommendation is the native 4K Sony VPL-XW5000ES, but the BenQ W5850 and Epson EH-QB1000 are both strong, five-star alternatives.

But what if viewing in a bright room is important to you, either because your viewing room isn’t fully light-controlled, or simply because you enjoy some daytime movie, sports or gaming action?

In that case, you want a super-bright projector that can punch through the ambient light – and that’s where the Optoma UHZ78LV comes in.

While the aforementioned Sony, BenQ and Epson have claimed peak brightness levels of 2000, 2700 and 3300 lumens, respectively, Optoma is claiming a monstrous 5000 lumens for its new flagship model.

So is it a great bright-room projector? And can it also deliver an impeccable dark-room movie night?

Price

Those lumens don’t come cheap: the launch price of the Optoma UHZ78LV is a hefty £5999. That converts to $8100 in the US (where the projector isn’t due to be sold) and $11,300 in Australia (where pricing is still to be confirmed).

The benchmark at this level, the Sony VPL-XW5000ES, also launched for £5999 / $5998 / AU$9990, but thanks to heavy discounting, it can now be bought for significantly less: ‘just’ £4399 in the UK at the time of writing.

The BenQ W5850 and Epson EH-QB1000 launched for £4599 / $4999 / AU$8499 and £4799 / $7999 / AU$11,900, and both still command roughly those prices.

All of that, of course, means that the Optoma is really going to have to go some to justify its much higher price.

Design

The Optoma is a fairly utilitarian-looking projector. Its blocky, functional chassis looks serious and premium, but it’s not stylish in the way of the rivals mentioned above. That’s slightly ironic, given that this is designed to be used more often in everyday living spaces than most.

That said, aesthetics matter less here than they do with a TV. Many buyers will ceiling-mount the Optoma or otherwise position it out of sight, and in that context, its understated design is unlikely to be a dealbreaker.

And, in fact, the chunky styling disguises a relatively compact form. It’s smaller than you might expect for a projector with this brightness and noticeably more compact than the Sony VPL-XW5000ES. At 11.5kg, it’s also lighter than the Sony, which helps make installation that little bit easier.

The supplied remote is functional rather than elegant. It’s quite button-heavy, which can feel a little overwhelming at first, but it is sensibly laid out, and the central navigation/enter button is easy to locate by feel in a dark room. Jabbing that button (or any other, for that matter) activates the backlight, making further operation easy during movie nights.

Features

Specs-wise, the Optoma is something of a powerhouse – and much of that comes down to its triple RGB laser light source. This is still relatively rare at this level and gives the projector an on-paper advantage in both brightness and colour volume.

As flagged right at the start, that brightness is the headline figure: a claimed 5000 lumens. That’s a huge number for a home cinema projector, and it underpins the Optoma’s aim of delivering a punchy, watchable image even in rooms with significant ambient light.

The projector uses a single-chip DLP system with pixel shifting to deliver a 4K image. This approach rapidly shifts the image on screen to create the full 8.3 million pixels required for Ultra HD, and it is recognised by the Consumer Technology Association as meeting the criteria for 4K.

In practice, it’s a technology that can produce impressively sharp and detailed images – as this projector demonstrates – but it doesn’t typically deliver quite the same level of natural crispness and fine detail as a native 4K system such as that used by the Sony VPL-XW5000ES.

Optoma claims coverage of 98 per cent of the DCI-P3 colour space and 96 per cent of BT.2020, and crucially, this wide colour performance is achieved without the need for a brightness-sapping filter.

HDR support is comprehensive. The Optoma handles Dolby Vision, HDR10+, HDR10 and HLG, and that Dolby Vision support is particularly noteworthy, as it remains rare among projectors and proves, as we’ll get to, a genuine strength in use.

Connectivity is solid, too. There are three HDMI inputs – two HDMI 2.0 and one HDMI 2.1 – all of which support eARC/ARC. The HDMI 2.1 socket allows for 4K/120Hz gaming, which is backed up by a pair of low-latency modes.

Engaging Low Latency mode disables features such as PureMotion and PureLight, while Ultra Low Latency goes further, also switching off image adjustments including aspect ratio, digital zoom and geometric correction. Using our Leo Bodnar input lag tester (at 60Hz), we measured input lag at 34.9ms in Low Latency mode, and a very respectable 18.1ms in Ultra Low Latency.

When it comes to installation, the Optoma is pleasingly flexible. It offers motorised zoom, focus and lens shift, along with a 1.6x zoom and a 1.25:1–2:1 throw ratio, making it relatively easy to position in a variety of room layouts.

The PureEngine Ultra processing suite provides a range of enhancement options, covering elements such as colour, contrast and motion. As we’ll explain further down, these features are best used sparingly, but it’s good to have the flexibility there.

Noise levels are impressively low, too. Optoma claims a maximum of 28dB, and in practice, the projector remains quiet and unobtrusive, even in its brightest modes. In most real-world scenarios, it will be effectively inaudible once your content starts playing.

Finally, the laser light source is rated for up to 30,000 hours of use, meaning there’s no need to worry about lamp replacements over the lifetime of the projector.

Picture

The Optoma makes an immediate impression with its sheer intensity. This is a seriously bright projector, and it uses that brightness to deliver a picture that’s bold, vibrant and consistently engaging – particularly in rooms that aren’t fully light-controlled.

Where many projectors start to look fairly washed out with ambient light in play, the Optoma is more than capable of punching through, maintaining strong colours and striking highlights that make it well-suited to everyday TV, sport and gaming, as well as movie nights.

That sense of dynamism is one of its defining traits. High-contrast scenes are delivered with real impact, with bright elements such as street lights, explosions and reflections cutting through darker backdrops with convincing force.

There’s also a pleasing sense of depth to large-scale images, giving action sequences and wide shots a tangible, almost three-dimensional quality. The battle for DC in our Civil War 4K Blu-ray, for example, looks particularly arresting, with blazing highlights and deep shadows combining to create a properly cinematic sense of scale.

Clarity is another strength. The Optoma produces a crisp, detailed image with plenty of fine texture on show, even in its more restrained modes. Skin textures, environmental detail and subtle lighting effects are all rendered cleanly, contributing to an image that feels sharp without immediately tipping into artificiality. Back to Civil War, you can clearly make out the sweat glistening on faces in harsh sunlight, while the dusty, sun-bleached landscapes retain plenty of fine detail.

In HDR, there are three main presets: HDR, Filmmaker Mode and IMAX Enhanced. Interestingly, their default settings are closer than you might expect, with the biggest differences coming from their colour tuning.

HDR is the most immediately striking, delivering maximum brightness and vibrancy, while Filmmaker Mode reins things in for a more balanced and controlled look. IMAX Enhanced goes further, offering a darker, slightly softer presentation that can initially seem subdued but proves surprisingly effective once your eyes adjust. It’s this mode that we settle on for HDR viewing in a dark room.

Even in its most restrained settings, though, the Optoma tends to favour a more expressive palette than strict neutrality. Colours are rich and often very appealing, but there’s a consistent sense of them being just a touch more saturated than they perhaps should be.

Skin tones in particular can carry a little extra warmth, which adds vibrancy but doesn’t always feel entirely authentic – something that’s noticeable in Blade Runner 2049, for example, where Luv’s typically porcelain complexion takes on a slightly warmer hue than expected in certain scenes.

That slightly over-enthusiastic approach extends to the overall balance. In a fully darkened room, the Optoma can feel just a fraction overcooked, even when dialled back. It’s not harsh or unpleasant – far from it – but there’s a sense that it’s always pushing for impact rather than settling into a completely natural, effortless delivery.

Switch to Dolby Vision, though, and things tighten up noticeably.

With Dolby Vision Dark selected, the Optoma adopts a more subtle and subdued colour balance, along with a more considered approach to contrast that better suits dark-room viewing.

Dolby Vision Bright adds a little extra punch without tipping things over the edge, and ends up being our preferred mode overall – even in a fully dark environment. Dolby Vision Cinema is the better option for use with ambient light, though you will want to disable the motion processing that’s enabled by default.

In these modes, the Optoma hits a sweet spot that proves slightly elusive elsewhere. It’s dynamic but balanced, punchy but controlled, and sharp without looking over-etched.

Even so, the Sony VPL-XW5000ES remains more flawlessly natural, particularly in the way it delivers fine detail, but the Optoma is a hugely enjoyable watch at its best.

Black levels and contrast are handled well, especially with the DynamicBlack system engaged. This adds useful depth to darker scenes while preserving highlight intensity, resulting in a picture that remains lively and engaging. Shadow detail is generally solid, and the projector avoids the kind of flatness that can affect less powerful models in mixed lighting conditions.

With SDR content, however, that balancing act becomes a little trickier. Cinema mode is overly bright and vivid for an authentic dark-room experience – though it works well with some ambient light – while Reference looks a bit cool and even slightly green.

With some tweaking, better results are possible: dropping Power to around 70 per cent, reducing Colour to 0 and disabling the PureEngine processing features produces a very enjoyable image.

Even then, though, there’s a lingering sense that the Optoma can’t quite resist leaning into the ol’ razzle-dazzle, with our Blu-ray of Logan taking on a sheen and vivaciousness that doesn’t entirely align with its gritty creative intent.

One trade-off for the Optoma’s single-chip DLP design is the presence of rainbow artefacts. These aren’t constant, but they do appear from time to time, particularly in high-contrast scenes where bright highlights sit against dark backgrounds.

In rare moments, they can become noticeable enough to distract, and more sensitive viewers will want to take this into account – for instance, bright light sources against dark skies can occasionally trigger fleeting flashes of colour.

Motion is handled well overall, though there are occasional hints of processing even with the motion processing features disabled. This can result in fleeting moments where movement looks slightly smoothed or less natural than expected. The effect is subtle and rare, but it does crop up often enough to be worth noting.

The PureEngine processing options, in general, are best used sparingly. Features such as PureColor and PureMotion tend to push the image too far, introducing an unnatural look. PureContrast can be useful in brighter rooms, though, where a little extra punch helps the image cut through ambient light.

Ultimately, the Optoma is a hugely engaging and versatile performer, particularly in rooms with some level of ambient light, where its brightness and colour vibrancy really come into their own. In a fully dark, dedicated cinema environment, it’s still very enjoyable, but its slightly heightened, more expressive presentation means it prioritises spectacle over absolute authenticity.

Verdict

The Optoma UHZ78LV is a projector with a very clear identity. It delivers a level of brightness and colour vibrancy that few rivals can match, and that makes it a superb choice for rooms where ambient light is part of the equation.

In those conditions, it’s hugely impressive. It produces a bold, dynamic and consistently engaging image that retains its punch where many projectors start to look flat or washed out.

Crucially, it also has a trump card in the form of Dolby Vision. With the right content, the Optoma finds a level of balance and authenticity that elevates it beyond its standard HDR performance, combining punch with control in a very satisfying way.

However, that performance isn’t consistent across all formats. With HDR10 and SDR content, the Optoma’s tendency towards vibrancy and impact can tip into slight exaggeration. This is most obvious in a fully dark room, where we argue that picture quality matters most.

It’s here that more traditional, dark-room home cinema-first projectors still have the edge. The Sony VPL-XW5000ES, in particular, delivers a more natural, balanced and ultimately more authentic image, with greater subtlety, more convincing motion and superior native 4K sharpness.

That leaves the Optoma as something of a specialist – but a very appealing one. It’s not the most faithful projector at this level, but it is one of the most flexible and, in the right environment, one of the most enjoyable.

So, if your priority is the most accurate performance in a fully dark home cinema, there are more accomplished alternatives. But if your viewing takes place in a room with at least some ambient light, or you want a projector that can double as a bright, punchy all-rounder for TV, sport and gaming, the Optoma UHZ78LV is an excellent choice.

SCORES

• Picture 4
• Design 4
• Features 5

MORE:

Read our review of the Sony VPL-XW5000ES

Also consider the BenQ W5850

Read our Epson EH-QB1000 review

Best projectors: budget, 4K and ultra-short-throw

As the large-screen trend continues, many people are looking at investing in a projector, rather than the 100-inch-plus TVs on offer from the likes of Hisense, TCL and Samsung. And, to furnish that desire, we are seeing more ultra-short throw (UST) projectors hit the market than ever before.

Acer is the latest brand to jump on the trend with the catchily named PD1520Us projector. It boasts an affordable price tag and the capability to project a huge image without taking up much space.

Weighing just 740g, this UST projector seems to join Samsung’s The Premiere 5 and Optoma’s Photon Go projectors in this quirky new category of compact UST projectors.

It features an LED light source, with a claimed 2000 LED lumens of brightness, and a reported lifespan of 30,000 hours. Setup should also be easy, thanks to the auto focus and an auto 2D keystone feature for an easy setup.

Acer also touts wi-fi, Bluetooth, and screen-mirroring functionality built in, allowing users to beam content from a phone or tablet. There is also a smart platform built in, which supports Netflix and YouTube, although it appears to be a proprietary operating system rather than Google TV or Android TV.

Despite its small footprint, this projector can beam a 100-inch Full HD image onto your wall, and it needs to sit only a few centimetres from your wall, to do so according to Acer.

The company says that it has specifically designed this UST projector to be “light enough to move from the lounge to the bedroom”, and “for UK homes where space is at a premium”. The built-in battery, which Acer says is rated to last around two hours on a single charge, means it can even be used outside.

Acer also says that this projector has “4K support”, which we presume means that it can accept 4K signals, but outputs them in 1080p. We have reached out to Acer for confirmation.

Much as with the Samsung Premiere 5, you can change the orientation by standing the projector in an upright position to beam a 23-inch interactive surface onto a table, worktop, or even the floor.

Acer even has a variant that includes the same touch-screen-style interface, although that is being sold only through commercial channels currently.

Priced at £550/€650 (or £650/€700 for the Touch variant), the Acer PD1520Us sits below the Samsung and Optoma rivals mentioned above, making it a tempting choice for those looking for a UST on a budget.

MORE:

Read our full Optoma Photon Go review

As well as our Samsung The Premiere 5 review

And check out our picks for the best portable projectors

If you've decided to invest in a home cinema, you might be thinking about which projector you want to secure. And if you're looking for native 4K resolution, well, we've got quite the deal for you.

Our overall top pick amongst the best projectors we've ever tested has dropped in price – and we're talking a big saving.

Right now, you can pick up the Sony VPL-XW5000ES for just £4399 at Richer Sounds. That's a massive £1600 off its usual price

Surprisingly, that's not the lowest price we've seen it go to – it hit an all-time low of £3999 during Black Friday. But, for a sale price in April, it's a splendid deal.

Despite being Sony's cheapest 4K laser projector, the VPL-XW5000ES still delivers gorgeously cinematic and detailed pictures.

And while there's certainly cheaper 4K projectors on the market, there's also much more expensive ones. Yes, the BenQ W5850 is £100 off at Peter Tyson right now, but when we asked the question: "BenQ W5850 vs Sony VPL-XW5000ES: which five-star projector should you buy?" Sony's model won out – and it's £100 cheaper even with BenQ's discount.

Typically, all but the very premium (five-figure) 4K projectors apply 'pixel shifting' or 'double flashing' technology to native Full HD chipsets to create a 4K resolution (or a 4K effect) – but like Sony's higher-priced models, the 5000ES actually carries a real 4K 3840x2160 pixel count on its 0.61-inch SXRD imaging chips.

And moving to laser, rather than Sony's previous reliance on lamp, means no longer having to put up with the inconvenience and ongoing costs associated with having to replace lamps every few thousand hours of use.

All this led our expert testers to say: "The XW5000ES further earns its stripes over cheaper ‘4K’ laser projection rivals with its phenomenal sharpness. Perhaps because of the new SXRD chip, native 4K footage looks even more detailed, dense, three-dimensional and crisp than it has on any of Sony’s previous entry-level and even mid-range 4K SXRD projectors."

Throw in excellent black levels that are deep, rich and neutrally toned, as well as beautifully balanced, exceptionally nuanced and bold but controlled colours across the board and you'll start to really understand why we gave it our Product of the Year award for 2025.

There are a couple of compromises you have to make for this price though, such as the lack of support for either of the HDR10+ or Dolby Vision advanced HDR systems, and the two HDMI connections supporting 120Hz for gaming but not at 4K, only 1080p.

But, it's truly hard to complain considering what this full-4K laser projector at a desirable price has to offer. And it just got even cheaper, dropping to just £4399 at Richer Sounds.

MORE:

Read our full Sony VPL-XW5000ES review

The best projectors you can buy, budget to premium

And best outdoor projectors: top models reviewed and rated

If you have just picked up your first portable projector or are considering taking the plunge, you may have a whole bunch of questions on how to perfect your garden movie nights.

Well, you are in luck. We have gathered the best tips and tricks to give you the best set-up and make the process as stress-free as possible. From simple setting-changes to extra add-ons, these are the elements worth considering before inviting all your mates round for the first screening.

If you are not sure which model to go for, we also have a handy guide to the best portable projectors and the best outdoor projectors available right now.

Invest in a projector screen

First up, getting a projector screen will give your portable projector the best chance of performing well. It may be tempting to set up your projector using a blank wall or a white sheet, but a dedicated screen will ultimately deliver better picture quality.

Which one you choose depends on your individual space, but the main aspect to consider is whether it is a screen with a higher gain, especially when you are watching outdoors.

A gain of 1.0 means the screen reflects all the light that shines on it, while higher numbers mean the image on the screen is brighter when viewed straight ahead – but will suffer at wider viewing angles.

You don't have to spend hundreds to find a screen that does the job, and using one will hugely boost your projector's performance compared with using a wall. If you need some extra help, we have a guide with everything you need to know about projector screens.

Don't use Eco mode

Portable projectors, especially budget models, tend not to offer the most dazzling brightness levels. Of course, every product is different and there are exceptions.

The Wanbo Vali 1, for instance, claims to deliver a maximum of 900 ANSI lumens of brightness. That's twice as much as our best current overall portable projector – the Anker Nebula Mars 3 Air, which offers up to 400 ANSI lumens of brightness.

Regardless of which model you are using, however, you are going to want to switch off the Eco mode if it is available. This feature is designed to reduce the energy consumption of a product by dimming the brightness levels.

While it could come in handy if you are trying to conserve the built-in battery, you should get punchier colours and deeper blacks by turning it off in the settings menu.

Remember a battery pack

Speaking of battery life, we recommend adding a separate battery pack to your shopping list. Portable projectors come with a built-in battery, but their runtime can be underwhelming – especially when you have turned off Eco mode.

The recently tested Xgimi Vibe One, for instance, offers a very specific 1.2 hours of battery life on Eco mode. But, when we watch a film on the projector with the Standard brightness setting, it lasts barely an hour. And, with no USB-C connectivity, there is no possibility to hook it up to a battery pack.

The good news is that plenty of other projector models do allow for this option, as they have a USB-C port. You can find a range easily online, and some brands offer battery packs in a bundle deal. The Xgimi offers a tripod stand-cum-battery pack for its MoGo 4 series, for example.

Add in a Bluetooth speaker

Finally, let's take a look at (or a listen to) your portable projector’s sound quality. We have tested countless portable projector models, and the vast majority have failed to dazzle in the audio department.

That is usually down to the compromise of having a small, compact build that leaves little room for a more comprehensive sound system.

That is where a Bluetooth speaker comes into the mix, as even a budget model can produce a better experience than the sound from the projector.

You may well already own a speaker that can be connected to the projector but, if you don't, there are plenty of options on the market. The dinky JBL Go 4, for example, received a dazzling five-star review from us for its cohesive sound, and it's currently available for just £30 in the UK.

MORE:

Check out the best portable projectors

Here is our review of the Xgimi MoGo 4

These are the best Bluetooth speakers

Here at What Hi-Fi?, we have products of all budgets pass through our test rooms, from £50 earbuds to five-figure projectors.

The Xgimi Vibe One firmly falls into the budget category, earning the honour of the cheapest projector we've reviewed.

Clearly, this wasn't enough of an achievement for the Vibe One, which has fallen even further in price. The portable projector is now available at Amazon for £185, down from an already very reasonable £219.

You don't need us to tell you that this is an incredible price for a projector, especially one with the thumbs up from our testing team. Perfect for a garden movie night now the sun is coming out!

While the words "cheap projector" might set off alarm bells for some, there's no need to fear when it comes to the Xgimi Vibe One.

After adjusting some of the sharpness and contrast levels, a viewing of Civil War presents a natural, balanced picture.

"This naturalness is present in the rendering of faces, too," our Xgimi Vibe One review reads. "As the shaken journalists attempt to collect themselves in the car after a particularly traumatic experience, the projector digs up the smaller details in their faces despite the dark interior. Skin tones also appear balanced and natural, without fading into the background or looking over-vibrant."

Even in a well-lit environment, the Vibe One boasts vibrant and eye-catching colours, making it an excellent choice for a garden projector this summer provided the content is not overly dark.

The Vibe One can project an image of up to 150 inches in a native resolution of 1080p, with a claimed 250 ISO lumens of brightness.

An HDMI port allows you to plug in a Blu-ray player or games console, and built-in Google TV provides access to Netflix, Apple TV, Amazon Prime Video, and Disney+. Do note that BBC iPlayer and Channel 4 are missing, however.

At just 1.4kg the Vibe One is extremely portable, helped further by its sturdy carry handle. However, we found that the projector only offered just under an hour of battery life in Standard brightness mode, so those looking to watch a full-length movie or sports match outside might want to consider an extension cable.

As with most projectors, the built-in sound is not a highlight, with the 3W speakers going reasonably loud but lacking impact and detail. This can be rectified by adding a dedicated Bluetooth speaker for sound duties – even the compact JBL Go 4 will give your movies a significant sonic upgrade.

The Xgimi Vibe One offers a picture far more detailed and cinematic than its price would suggest. If you can get past the limited battery life and weak audio, this is an absolute steal for a projector, portable or otherwise. Try it for yourself for only £185 at Amazon.

MORE:

Read our review of the Xgimi Mogo 4

Also consider the Wanbo Vali 1

Read our Anker Nebula Mars 3 Air review

With summer finally on the horizon, outdoor movie nights are becoming increasingly tempting as the days get longer. And that calls for a portable projector that delivers a cinematic picture and has a built-in battery to watch movies and TV shows wherever you want.

The latest model in this market is the Xgimi Vibe One, a budget portable projector that is the cheapest we have had in our test room, with a price tag of £219 / $269 / AU$599.

This dinky 1080p projector would look right at home in the toy section of a supermarket, with two colour options in the form of blue spark or cloud ash.

It comes with a built-in battery which offers a maximum of 1.2 hours of life (more on that later), and can project an image up to 150 inches. But how does it perform when we put it through its paces in our test room? While there's a lot to like about the budget projector, two things hold it back from five-star greatness.

Detailed, natural-looking picture for the money

When we first got the budget projector into our test room, it is fair to say that our expectations were not sky high. But the Vibe One outperforms its affordable price tag.

After adjusting the contrast and sharpness levels on the projector's Movie mode, we are greeted with a balanced, easy-to-watch picture. Playing Civil War on Blu-ray, the projector digs up the smaller details in our protagonists’ faces despite the dark interior. We also say in our review: “Skin tones also appear balanced and natural, without fading into the background or looking over-vibrant.”

Surrounding the lead characters is a circle of trees, and the green of the leaves looks striking yet still balanced.

On top of that, motion looks smooth yet convincing with minimal judder, which lends scenes a sense of realism.

When watching as a xenomorph fossil drifts towards the camera in Alien: Romulus, the Vibe One also portrays a solid sense of three dimensionality thanks to the contrast between the black of the fossil and the ship’s interior.

All of that results in an enjoyable viewing experience that is a surprising delight considering its cost.

Goes surprisingly dark

It also delivers impressively dark blacks considering the money, which is particularly prevalent as we continue to test with Alien: Romulus, where an abandoned ship floats through the abyss of space.

There is a fair amount of subtlety in the different shades of black etched into the dark sky, and it captures that sense of a vast expanse, which is surprising for such a cheap model.

It can’t quite differentiate the darkest elements of the scene (the point at which the ship ends and space begins, for example), but it does well with such a challenging scene considering its price.

Of course, most people will not be using the projector in a windowless dark room, so we turned on the lights in our test room to see how it copes. Understandably, quite a bit of dark detail is lost but the bright colours still manage to punch through. This means it should be fine for a spot of sunny sport – just maybe steer clear of Christopher Nolan's back catalogue.

Compact build

One of the most important aspects of a portable projector is that its design is actually portable. And that is certainly the case with the Vibe One's light, easy-to-carry build.

It resembles a camping lantern more than a projector, with a sturdy carry handle on the top. Weighing just 1.4kg, the small model is about the same weight as a pineapple, and it should easily fit in a backpack if you are looking to take it on the road.

If you turn the projector on while the lamp is facing downwards, it transforms into a Bluetooth speaker. The base also illuminates in its ambient mode with eight colour options, which is a neat touch.

The model offers easy setup, too, with auto-keystone and auto focus both easily available through the settings menu. Plus, with Google TV built-in, you don't need to worry about taking an extra kit to watch movies or TV shows.

But there is one rather big fly in the ointment that we can't ignore...

Disappointing battery life

As we mentioned, the Vibe One claims to offer a maximum of 1.2 hours of battery life. And that number is attainable only if you are using the projector in the Eco mode.

In Standard mode, the battery gave us just less than an hour of AV action, which is barely enough for three episodes of The Simpsons, and will only give you one half of a World Cup match without being plugged into the mains.

This wouldn’t be too much of an issue if you were able to connect a battery pack, but there is no support for USB charging. Unfortunately, that makes the the Vibe One not as portable, in practice, as you would think at first glance.

If you can run a wire from the mains to your space then it won't be an issue, of course, but it's worth keeping in mind.

Tinny, localised sound quality

While the Vibe One surprises with its picture performance, the same cannot be said for its audio quality. The two built-in speakers, driven by 3 watts of amplification, don't manage to push sound much further than the projector's body, which results in a localised performance.

There is also a lack of bass to give exciting action scenes that much-needed injection of energy. We note in our review, for instance: “When watching Civil War, for example, the lack of punchy bass makes a landing helicopter sound more like a knife on a chopping board than a pounding piece of military hardware.”

Voices get lost in the mix at some points, too, so some dialogue is hard to make out. In Alien: Romulus, as the android Andy and his human sister Rain rush through the bustling mining colony, their conversation gets muddled with radio chatter in the background.

And that’s in a quiet test room; it would be even more difficult to hear in a busier setting.

This disappointing sound performance, along with the low battery life, means the Vibe One does not quite score five stars in our review. But its natural-looking picture and compact build achieve an admirable four stars overall, making it one of the best portable budget projectors we have tested.

If Xgimi can improve the audio and battery life in its next iteration, we could have a real winner on our hands.

MORE:

Here is our review of the Xgimi Vibe One

Check out the best projectors

And here is our review of the Xgimi MoGo 4

Looking out of the window first thing in the morning the past few days has brought a smile to my face. That's not because a clown school has been set up right outside, but because the sun has been shining through the cherry blossom trees still clinging to their flowers on my street.

And this beautiful weather comes with all sorts of exciting possibilities. Picnics in the park, leaving work to a still blue sky, and even watching movies outdoors with an affordable portable projector.

But that last option calls for a projector model that can balance two key features in its bid to deliver a practical yet cinematic experience.

We have tested a fair few budget models over the years, but none have quite managed to strike the correct balance. So what features make for the best projector experience?

First off, a projector can only call itself truly portable if it includes a built-in battery. Ideally, this would last at least two hours so you can watch an average World Cup match and enjoy the entirety of Barbie without the power conking out.

Unfortunately, most budget models struggle to reach this target. That is likely due to the compromise of having a compact build, which leaves less room for a more powerful battery.

Take, for instance, the Xgimi Vibe One (£219 / $269 / AU$479), which we gave an impressive four stars in our review. It sports a light, easy-to-carry build which weighs just 1.4kg. That's about the same as a pineapple.

Its convenient design, however, comes at the cost of its battery. The built-in battery offers a claimed specific maximum life of 1.2 hours, but this is on Eco mode, which dims the picture considerably.

In our preferred Standard brightness mode, it barely lasts an hour, which is not nearly enough time for a full sports match or even three episodes of Bob's Burgers.

This is more of an issue when you realise that there is no option to charge the projector with a separate power bank.

But what the Vibe One does deliver is a detailed, cinematic picture that outperforms its price tag. In our review, we note: "While expectations must be tempered at this level, the Vibe One does an impressive job of getting the basics right, resulting in a balanced, natural-looking picture".

It's an excellent picture performance from such an affordable model, but it is ultimately let down by its underwhelming battery life. We are yet to find a portable projector that manages to perfectly balance picture quality and battery, but the Vibe One certainly excels in one category and gives us hope for future entries.

MORE:

Here is our review of the Xgimi Vibe One

Check out the best portable projectors

And here is our review of the Xgimi MoGo 4

At last, the summer weather is finally peeking through the grey clouds after a gloomy winter.

And with that comes the opportunity for outdoor movie nights aplenty as the evenings get longer, making portable projectors a tempting proposition thanks to their small build and reasonable price tags.

The latest portable projector pushing its way to the front of the crowd is the Xgimi Vibe One, which would look right at home nestled in the toy section of a supermarket. But there is more to this dinky model than meets the eye, as it makes its mark far more impressively than we would expect from such a low-cost piece of kit.

Price

Few portable projector models come close to matching the Xgimi Vibe One’s price of £219 / $269 / AU$599. In fact, it is the cheapest that we have had in our test room.

The closest projector to this price point that we have tested is the Wanbo Vali 1 (£270 / $279 / AU$499), which achieved a solid four-star score for its balanced overall image. The Wanbo is more of a coffee table projector, though, with no built-in battery and a bigger/heavier design, so it isn’t aiming at the same market as the Vibe One.

The cheapest portable projector we recommend is the Anker Nebula Mars 3 Air, which launched at £550 / $600 / AU$1300. That leaves the Xgimi model in a league of its own.

Build

The Vibe One resembles a camping lantern more than a projector. It is very light, weighing just 1.4kg, which is about the same as a large pineapple. It’s much easier to carry around than a big fruit, though, thanks to the sturdy handle on the top.

You can get it in two colour options: cloud ash or blue spark. There’s also the option to add some pizazz thanks to a pack of included stickers, which are great fun for kids or whimsical adults.

To activate the projector, you tilt the body up from the bottom to face your screen or wall (a screen is highly recommended for a better picture).

If you turn the projector on while the lamp is facing downwards, it transforms into a Bluetooth speaker. The base also illuminates in its ambient mode with eight colour options, which is a neat touch.

Features

The projector offers three brightness modes: Standard, Performance and Eco. Performance is clearly the most intensive of the modes as the fan immediately goes into overdrive and the brightness slightly increases, whereas Eco dims the brightness to extend battery life. We find Standard offers the sweet spot between brightness levels.

The Vibe One features a built-in battery, which the company claims can deliver a very specific 1.2 hours of life. That number is only if you are using the projector in the Eco mode, however.

In Standard mode, the battery gave us just under an hour of AV action, which is barely enough for three episodes of The Simpsons, and will only give you one half of a World Cup match.

This wouldn’t be as much of an issue if there were the option to give the projector some juice via a power bank, but there is no support for USB charging. Ultimately, that means the Vibe One is not as portable as you might think, so definitely consider whether you have access to the mains in the spaces you want to use the projector.

The 1080p projector can also project an image up to 150 inches and claims to offer a maximum 250 ISO lumens of brightness. That figure might not look massive, but brightness figures all need to be taken with a pinch of salt. What matters is the actual performance.

On the body, you will find a USB as well as an HDMI, which allows you to hook up a Blu-ray player or games console. Google TV is built in, which means you can access streaming services such as Netflix, Apple TV, Amazon Prime Video and Disney+.

There’s no BBC iPlayer and, although you can bypass this by using Google Cast, it would be nice to have native support. Channel 4 is not on the cards either, and when we try to use the casting feature with both Android and Apple devices, it doesn’t work.

Picture

We start our testing in a pitch-black room with the projector hooked up to an Oppo UDP-203 Blu-ray player to give it the best test. In terms of picture modes, you can choose between Movie, Game and Standard. We settle on Movie as the most cinematic of the choices, offering the warmest colours and best dark detail.

Playing Civil War on Blu-ray, the Xgimi delivers a punchy but slightly over-baked picture in the Movie mode’s default settings, but after adjusting the contrast and sharpness levels, we unearth a more natural image that portrays the green trees around an army staging post with more balanced, yet still striking, colours.

This naturalness is present in the rendering of faces, too. As the shaken journalists attempt to collect themselves in the car after a particularly traumatic experience, the projector digs up the smaller details in their faces despite the dark interior. Skin tones also appear balanced and natural, without fading into the background or looking over-vibrant.

The Vibe One continues to impress when we switch to some darker content. In the opening of Alien: Romulus, as a ship floats through the depths of space, the projector presents the dark abyss with an impressively deep black by budget projector standards.

It can’t quite differentiate the darkest elements of the scene (the point at which the ship ends and space begins, for example), but it does well with such a challenging scene considering its price.

Xgimi’s projector also creates a good sense of three-dimensionality as a xenomorph fossil drifts towards the camera, helped by the contrast between the black of the fossil and the ship’s interior.

The Vibe One’s motion handling is surprisingly natural as well. We switch to the scene in Shang-Chi And The Legend Of The Ten Rings where the titular character gets caught up in a bout of fisticuffs on the bus. As the vehicle swerves towards us, it moves with a smooth yet convincing movement that gives the scene a sense of realism.

Judging by the projector’s portable design and budget price, it seems likely that many users will be using the model in a more well-lit environment. So we turn on the lights in our test room to see how it copes. While a fair bit of dark detail is lost, the colours are still balanced and eye-catching.

Bright sunlight will inevitably cause the Vibe One more problems – it will be hard to enjoy a Christopher Nolan movie outdoors on a summer's day, for instance – but it will be fine for a spot of sunny sport, the short battery life notwithstanding.

Back to our windowless test room, and we put the Vibe One against the Wanbo Vali 1. The Vibe One is clearly the more detailed and colourful performer, and while the Wanbo skews brighter than the Xgimi, the Vibe One’s crisper, sharper edges and more insightful dark scenes make the Wanbo look a bit murky by comparison.

Ultimately, while expectations must be tempered at this level, the Vibe One does an impressive job of getting the basics right, resulting in a balanced, natural-looking picture that massively outperforms its price tag.

Sound

The Vibe One is not as strong a performer when it comes to audio, however, despite the apparent involvement of JBL in its sound system. That’s perhaps not particularly surprising, given that there are only two speakers driven by 3 watts of amplification built in.

While it can go reasonably loud considering its size, the Vibe One still struggles to make much of an impact even at maximum volume. When watching Civil War, for example, the lack of punchy bass makes a landing helicopter sound more like a knife on a chopping board than a pounding piece of military hardware.

The bigger issue, though, is that voices can get lost in the mix, so some dialogue is hard to make out. In Alien: Romulus, as the android Andy and his human sister Rain rush through the bustling mining colony, their conversation gets muddled with radio chatter in the background, which makes it hard to decipher at points. And that’s in a quiet test room, so it would prove even more difficult in a louder setting.

When voices are audible, they also sound somewhat tinny and artificial. In Guardians Of The Galaxy Vol. 2, as Gamora and Peter Quill share a dance to Bring It On Home To Me by Sam Cooke, the relative lack of tonality in the characters’ voices and lack of bass detracts from the emotion of the scene.

The Wanbo delivers a louder audio performance with clearer voices, and outdoes the Xgimi in this area.

If you do buy the Vibe One, we recommend also adding a Bluetooth speaker for sound. Even something along the lines of the JBL Go 4 will be a significant upgrade for movies – as well as being an excellent little music speaker in its own right, of course.

Verdict

The Vibe One offers a detailed and cinematic picture for an impressively low price.

If it had better sound and a bigger battery (or USB power pack support), this could well be a five-star portable projector. Perhaps something to consider for the sequel, Xgimi…

SCORES

• Picture 5
• Sound 3
• Features 4

MORE:

Read our review of the Xgimi Mogo 4

Also consider the Wanbo Vali 1

Read our Anker Nebula Mars 3 Air review

Best projectors: budget, 4K and ultra-short-throw

Xgimi’s latest bid to turn the world’s living rooms into cinemas is its most all-round spectacular projector yet.

The Horizon 20 Max’s eye-catching design is out to make light of the often complicated job of projector set-up.

Its retina-challenging claimed brightness of 5700 ISO lumens is out to cut through ambient light like a knife through butter.

Its claimed 20,000:1 contrast ratio is out to suggest the projector might actually be able to turn itself into a proper home cinema machine for movie nights.

And its claimed 110 per cent coverage of the AV world’s most extreme BT.2020 colour gamut is out to make it look locked and loaded for whatever video challenges the future might bring.

Exciting stuff indeed. Unless it’s all just hype, of course.

Price

The Horizon 20 Max’s price puts it in arguably the single most competitive projector space right now.

Around its level can be found all manner of weird and more or less wonderful serious home entertainment projectors, all keen to combine lifestyle convenience with genuine performance skills.

Key rivals, for instance, would be BenQ’s X3100i and the recently reviewed Valerion VisionMaster Pro 2, both of which back up their on-paper appeal with the real five-star performance deal.

Despite still being relatively new to the projector scene, though, Xgimi has already proved capable of staking a strong claim to even the most competitive projection turf, so we can’t see any reason why the Horizon 20 Max can’t also at least keep up with the Joneses. Especially given the sort of on-paper features and specifications it boasts.

Design

While projectors that join the Horizon 20 Max in adopting a roughly cubic shape are pretty common these days, Xgimi’s model still manages to stand out from the crowd for two main reasons.

First, it hangs its cubic form in a distinctive cradle stand, within which the projector can be effortlessly tilted up and down to get its pictures in the right place on your wall or, ideally, screen.

The hinge mechanism that makes this possible is outstanding, supporting the meaty projector body as if it’s no heavier than a handful of candy floss, while at the same time allowing you to adjust the projector’s angle of attack over clearly defined and well-calibrated steps.

The whole cradle rig can be rotated left or right on the unit’s circular base, too, with the rotating movement again impressing with how smooth and clean it is.

The other unusual feature of the Horizon 20 Max’s design is the leather-like texture of its ‘elephant grey’ finish. This soft finish creates an unusual combination of tactile warmth and premium quality that’s unique in even the Horizon 20 Max’s relatively design-led part of the projector market.

The Horizon 20 Max is joined by a crisp, button-lite remote control that combines a smooth metallic finish element for its bottom half and side/rear elements with a matte black-backed button section offset by a gleaming black metallic-looking navigation circle at its heart. The key buttons on the remote are helpfully backlit, too.

Features

While the Horizon 20 Max’s design is flexible and innovative enough to be classed as a feature in itself, its attractions run much more than skin deep.

For starters, its triple-laser 4K DLP optical engine is claimed to be capable of blasting out a monumental 5700 ISO lumens of peak brightness. That’s one of the highest brightness figures we’ve seen from any projector, and it seems like it should be impossible from a projector as compact and affordable as the Horizon 20 Max.

Other big Horizon 20 Max numbers include a claimed 20,000:1 contrast ratio courtesy of the projector’s dynamic light control systems, claimed coverage of 110 per cent of the extreme BT.2020 colour spectrum (most HDR content is mastered in the much narrower DCI-P3 spectrum), and the claimed ability to satisfy a screen as big as 300 inches.

Gamers will be pleased to learn that the Horizon 20 Max can handle refresh rates all the way up to 240Hz. Those refresh rates can be variable, too, and unlike some rivals, the Horizon 20 Max can retain 4K and HDR when you’re gaming at 120Hz.

The Horizon 20 Max’s operating system is built around Google TV. This brings with it most of the world’s most popular streaming services, including Netflix, Prime Video, Disney+ and Apple TV, as well as most of the UK’s main terrestrial broadcaster catch-up services.

The only things missing are the BBC iPlayer, which hardly ever appears on Google-based products, and both the Freeview Play and Freely services.

It becomes apparent while exploring the Horizon 20 Max’s smart features that it impressively supports both the Dolby Vision and HDR10+ premium HDR formats. After years of projectors not supporting either of these formats, with their extra scene-by-scene HDR image information, we’ve now tested two in a row.

The Horizon 20 Max’s connections include a pair of HDMIs (one of which supports eARC for shipping sound through to a connected AVR or soundbar), two USB ports, an optical digital audio output, a 3.5mm audio line out, as well as the now pretty much obligatory Bluetooth and wi-fi streaming options.

The Horizon 20 Max’s attempts to make itself easy to set up and adapt to different room arrangements don’t stop at its unusual cradled design. It also offers motorised horizontal and vertical optical image shifting, and motorised zoom. All of which are delivered via outstandingly refined and smooth mechanisms. Plus, there’s auto keystone correction, intelligent obstacle avoidance and screen alignment systems, an autofocus system, and even the facility to adjust the projector’s colour to compensate for different wall colours.

The words 'Sound By Harman Kardon’ at the bottom right of a grilled area over the bottom half of the Horizon 20 Max’s fascia alert you to the presence of a potentially unusually powerful sound system by projector standards. This turns out to comprise a 2 x 12W speaker arrangement with DTS Virtual:X and Dolby Audio decoding – with the cubic design providing more room for sound to breathe than regular projector designs do.

Picture

The Horizon 20 Max is capable of being a seriously enjoyable watch across a surprisingly wide range of room conditions.

It’s great to discover, for starters, that Xgimi seems to have taken on board past criticisms that its projectors can be a little too interested in aggressive spectacle over the naturalism and balance that more serious AV fans desire. Basically, the Horizon 20 Max not only now provides easy-access presets that cater sensibly for both bright and dark room set-ups, but it’s clearly worked hard to make sure that its newly diverse range of preset options are actually quite thoughtfully calibrated.

There’s even a Filmmaker Mode on the Horizon 20 Max, in fact, designed to produce pictures that get as close as the projector can manage to the look of industry video mastering standards.

Unusually, though, the Horizon 20 Max only seems to let you access Filmmaker Mode if it’s triggered by a flag in the content you’re watching. There’s no manually selectable Filmmaker Mode in the list of different presets the projector lets you choose between. Which means, essentially, that while Filmmaker Mode may trigger with some streamed content, you can’t apply it to 4K Blu-rays given that no 4K Blu-rays, so far as we’re aware, have been mastered with the Filmmaker Mode flag embedded.

It’s fortunate, then, that the Movie preset that the Horizon 20 Max does provide is very effective, injecting a level of warmth, subtlety and balance into the image that old Xgimi would not have done so well.

Colours – even skin tones – look believable and balanced, and there’s enough subtlety in the rendering of the image’s colour tones to ensure that nothing looks plasticky, flat, garish or cartoonish. Nor is there any significant evidence of colour striping over colour blends.

This welcome new interest from Xgimi in creating a picture that’s built around immersion, balance and refinement is joined by outstanding sharpness, too. Truly native 4K projection still isn’t yet an option at the Horizon 20 Max’s price level, but the crispness and sense of detail and texture in this Xgimi’s pictures look at least 4K adjacent. Without, crucially, anything feeling over-sharpened.

While the Movie preset is an overall great option for watching movies and premium TV shows in a relatively dark or fully blacked-out room, viewing in such conditions does reveal slightly raised black tones during dark scenes. This issue is nothing like as bad as we might have expected from a projector with 5700 ISO lumens of claimed brightness in its locker, but there’s certainly a slightly greyer look to dark areas than we experienced with a well-set-up Valerion VisionMaster Pro 2 – though that Valerion model doesn’t look quite as bright and punchy as the Horizon 20 Max.

The Xgimi’s brightness really is impressive. As well as helping images retain enjoyable punch and dynamism even in quite high levels of ambient light, this brightness is also put to excellent use by Xgimi’s dynamic tone mapping system in creating a genuine HDR ‘feel’ to the presentation of HDR sources. This includes some proper intensity in bright peaks, such as sunlight reflecting on metal or glass.

Having said all that, you shouldn’t expect to get anything like the Horizon 20 Max’s full claimed light output while still watching enjoyable pictures. This is because you can only access the projector’s full light output by switching the projector to a High Brightness picture preset which, while undoubtedly almost unbelievably bright, also does some very strange things to the image’s colours, leaving them looking washed out and excessively ‘cool’ in tone, to a degree that still looks off even in the relatively high levels of ambient light this setting is presumably designed to fight against.

Happily, though, the Standard or even Vivid presets are both fantastically punchy by projector standards if that’s the look you’re after, or you’re wanting to use the projector in ambient light without suffering such blue-dominated colour shifts. In fact, these two modes actually look extremely vibrant, giving you easy access to Xgimi’s fun, if occasionally OTT, vibrant side.

Xgimi’s new willingness to cater for a wide variety of image tastes is further expanded by the Horizon 20 Max’s ability to play Dolby Vision and HDR10+ content, and the addition of an IMAX Enhanced mode as another very watchable, if slightly more muted, film enthusiast’s alternative to the Movie mode.

Bright Dolby Vision scenes look particularly gorgeous in the Dolby Vision Dark setting – though even with Dolby’s extra help, dark scenes still look a little washed out.

While the Horizon 20 Max makes its biggest mark against the competition with HDR content, it is able to adapt its output very successfully to the much milder demands of SDR, retaining the necessary colour balance and refinement that AV fans look for with SDR playback.

The Xgimi’s brightness and vibrancy contribute to a seriously fun gaming performance that does substantially more justice than most projectors to the HDR graphics that pretty much all AAA games now deploy. No other projectors in the Horizon 20 Max’s class look crisper, brighter or more vibrant in their game modes, in fact. The projector’s 4K 120Hz HDR gaming support delivers a really responsive experience, too, backed up by input lag that measures just 11.1ms with 1080p/60Hz feeds.

Figuring out what gaming features the Horizon 20 Max supports does bring up our toughest battle with its bizarrely over-complicated picture set-up menus, though.

These menus contain an impressive number of tweaks and options, but some are confusingly named, and worse, there appear to be some seriously complex and typically unexplained inter-relationships between some of them. Choosing one option can cause another to become greyed out and inaccessible, for example, and you’re not even always clear about whether a particular feature is actually working or not.

When it comes to gaming, there’s a Game setting in the basic presets section – but this doesn’t introduce any sort of low-latency features. In fact, the lag if you just choose this option is well over 100ms – far too high for a responsive gaming experience.

It turns out that you need to manually select a separate Game option buried deep in the All Settings/Display Settings sub menu, and then additionally select a Boost option within that Game submenu before lag gets down to the 11.1ms figure noted above.

Even weirder, if you turn the Boost mode on, but then turn the ‘secondary’ Game mode off, the Boost mode remains active, even if you’re no longer playing a game. Thankfully, the projector does tend to remind you that Boost mode is active, but then you have to remember how to navigate the tortuous route back to the option that switches it off.

Another issue is that some of the Horizon 20 Max’s picture adjustments are very unrefined, only making coarse, extreme changes to the image when much finer levels of adjustment are needed.

So complex and ‘raw’ are the Horizon 20 Max’s settings, in fact, that we suggest you pretty much just stick with the two or three picture presets you like the most for different light levels rather than getting involved with much fine-tuning. The only exception to this 'leave well alone’ advice, aside from the low lag situation for gamers, concerns the projector’s motion processing. The default setting of this MEMC feature turns films into over-smooth soap operas in its default setting with most picture presets, so you should switch it into its relatively gentle Real Cinema mode, or just turn motion processing off entirely.

Aside from its slightly grey black levels and brain-bending picture set-up options, the one other issue we have with the Horizon 20 Max’s pictures is the rainbow effect. The distracting tell-tale stripes of red, green and blue flit over the image consistently enough to become at least a low-level distraction to most viewers – never mind those people who are particularly prone to seeing this common DLP issue.

Sound

The Horizon 20 Max’s built-in sound system is impressive in many ways. Bass, in particular, is much more present, deep and free of distortions than it is on the vast majority of integrated projector sound systems. The sound also projects forward from the projector very handily, and spreads out rapidly in the process, achieving that very rare projector sound system feat of making its sound appear at least vaguely connected to its pictures.

The integrated speakers are powerful enough to get pretty loud without starting to distort, too, and consistently manage to shift smoothly through a good few gears when playing action scenes without starting to sound muddy or constrained. Especially with low-end sounds kicking in so enthusiastically.

The speakers are sensitive enough to portray plenty of subtle details from busy film soundtracks, too, while the projector’s sound processing manages to place location effects with likeable accuracy. Dialogue remains locked at the heart of the soundstage, though, as it should. In fact, dialogue can go a little far in this respect at times, to the point where it can start to sound a little trapped inside the projector’s belly, especially with male voices.

The only other issue with the Horizon 20 Max’s sound is that the very deepest extended bass rumbles can sound a bit coarse and unrefined compared with the rest of the audio profile. Though the speakers seldom if ever lose their integrity to such an extent that they flat out distort or crackle.

Verdict

There’s a ton of stuff to like about the Horizon 20 Max. Its design is cool, tactile and user-friendly; its feature count for movie fans and gamers is long and useful, and its pictures are fundamentally strong and adapt well to a much wider range of room set-ups than the vast majority of other projectors can.

Dark scenes can look a touch grey if you fancy a serious dark room movie night, though, and the rainbow effect can be hard to ignore. Its set-up menus are bizarrely inscrutable at times, too.

With some impressive sonics to keep its generally good pictures company, though, in the end, the Horizon 20 Max is impossible not to like.

SCORES

• Picture 4
• Sound 4
• Features 4

MORE:

Read our review of the BenQ x3100i

Also consider the Valerion VisionMaster Pro 2

Read our Hisense C1 review

Best projectors: budget, 4K and ultra-short-throw

In January, Samsung unveiled its newest Freestyle projector, The Freestyle+ (3rd Gen). The only problem is that it probably won't be released until later this year. That's a long time if you're currently on the lookout for a projector to kit out your home cinema.

If that's the case, we'd recommend snapping up the 2nd Gen model of The Freestyle projector for just $499.99 at Best Buy.

We've only been hands-on with the The Freestyle 2nd Gen, but it's similarly specced to the original The Freestyle which we rated four stars.

With $300 off the list price, this is the best projector bargain we've seen in a while.

Today's best portable projector deal

We haven't fully tested Samsung's The Freestyle 2nd Gen model, but our expert testers enjoyed the four-star original The Freestyle and, in terms of spec, it's pretty close with a few extra surprises.

The 2nd Gen has the same cute design as its predecessor – and is something Samsung is continuing with newly-unveiled The Freestyle+. But, how does it perform?

With the 2nd Gen, you get an LED light source with a claimed 30,000-hour life span, and a peak brightness of 230 ANSI lumens. Plus, it offers a 1080p resolution, alongside support for HDR10+ and HLG. The built-in speaker is capable of 360-degree sound akin to the original, and Samsung’s extremely clever auto keystone feature is also on board.

While physical connectivity options are limited to micro HDMI (although the connector does support HDMI ARC), The Freestyle excels in what it offers in terms of simplicity and portability, with smart features and new gaming abilities all built-in.

And even simpler is Samsung's Tizen OS, which can be found on its TVs, which gives you easy access to multiple streaming services, including Netflix, Prime Video and Disney+, all of which are reached via dedicated hot keys on the remote.

If you're into gaming, the 2nd Gen model does have a feature that the OG doesn't: access to Samsung's Gaming Hub, meaning you can play Xbox games directly through it using an Xbox Game Pass subscription.

Visually, it was hard to get a clear impression of the 2nd Gen in the bright exhibition space, but our expert tester reached this verdict: "There appeared to be decent detail to the picture, with solid enough colours and good definition and detail on faces and clothing. One of the areas we criticised the original for was the below-par black levels, but it was impossible to really get an idea of this in an exhibition environment."

While The Freestyle+ will almost double the brightness of the 2nd Gen, reaching a claimed brightness of 430 ISO lumens, it'll undoubtedly come in at a price point more like the 2nd Gen when it first launched (although we don't know the exact price).

For now, the 2nd Gen drops to a seriously competitive price, just $499.99 at Best Buy. And if you fancy saving $300 today while securing a decent projector for movie nights in, then it's a great time to buy.

More

Read our hands-on with Samsung The Freestyle 2nd Gen

Or, check out our full Samsung The Freestyle review

And here's the best projectors: budget, 4K and ultra-short-throw

If you're on the hunt for a projector that works equally well inside and out, then one of our top recommendations would be the Anker Nebula Mars 3 Air.

With a cinematic and punchy picture performance, the projector "comfortably outguns those of most portable rivals in pretty much every department."

And right now it can be yours for just $469.99 at Best Buy. That's a handsome $130 discount on the $599.99 retail price.

It might be small, but don't let that put you off. The Nebula Mars 3 Air is a fantastic "all-rounder that’s capable of being as fun or as serious as you want it to be."

So what makes the Nebula Mars 3 Air such a good option? While the projector may have only a 1080p resolution, it's still more than capable of delivering a reasonably impressive big picture.

In our Nebula Mars 3 Air review, we said, “Despite the projector using (like all portable models) a fairly small lens aperture, every pixel and texture of a good HD source is faithfully rendered, adding up to a really dense, smooth, cinematic finish to the picture with little evidence of visible pixel structure.”

It offers a claimed brightness of up to 400 ANSI lumens, which gives the image a sharp and detailed look, considering its size and price.

For sound, the Mars 3 Air has built-in speakers that we said were “pretty potent ones by portable projector standards, actually, in that they’re capable of delivering Dolby Audio with 2 x 8W of power.”

It has a built-in Google TV operating system that's packed with all the popular video streaming apps, including Netflix, Prime Video, Apple TV+ and Disney+. It also has an HDMI input, a USB port and Bluetooth for connecting other sources.

With its sleek portable design, the projector is easy to carry around if you want to take your movies on the go. There is a built-in battery which lasts up to 2.5 hours, according to Anker, but this depends on how bright you set your picture and how loud you run your speakers.

If all that sounds up your street, we recommend snagging this deal on a top-performing portable projector, with $130 off at Best Buy.

MORE:

Read our Anker Nebula Mars 3 Air review

And these are the best portable projectors you can currently buy

You might also want one of the best soundbars to go with it

While it’s only been around for the blink of an eye by AV standards, having started out in ultra-modern fashion on Kickstarter in 2024, Valerion has already come a long way.

It was officially announced as the premium ‘sub-brand’ of slightly longer-in-the-tooth projector brand AWOL Vision in May 2025, and it’s now already onto its second generation of products.

That second generation of products includes the first Valerion model to ever grace our review pages: the VisionMaster Pro 2.

With a grand name like VisionMaster Pro, a gleaming design that feels like it could go ten rounds with a Sherman Tank and still look catwalk-ready, and not one but two genuine performance boosting updates recently tucked under its belt, Valerion’s latest projector certainly isn’t shy about coming forward.

But can such a nascent brand really hold its own with the best the projector establishment has to offer?

Price

Considering Valerion is positioned as a premium sub-brand of AWOL Vision, the VisionMaster Pro 2’s £2019 / $2999 / AU$4999 price really doesn’t seem unreasonable.

That’s especially true when you consider that this is a projector which, as we’ll see, is packed with convenience and performance-enhancing features, and sports one of the most eye-catching designs the projector world has to offer.

The sort of premium coffee table space the VisionMaster Pro 2 at least looks like it’s designed to fit into, though, is a crowded one these days, with other roughly cube-shaped models such as BenQ’s similarly priced X3100i and Hisense’s much more affordable C1 already setting a high design and performance bar.

Design

Aside from its now quite common cubic shape (usually adopted to accommodate a decent sound system and some extra cooling room to help keep fan noise down), the VisionMaster Pro 2 looks truly unique.

Its top and left/right edges are particularly eye-catching, adorned as they are in a distinctive, deeply ribbed finish where the outer end of each rib features gleaming silvery metal.

The ribbing combines with the fact that the VisionMaster Pro 2 is exceptionally heavy by projector standards to make it a tricky beast to pick up and move.

With the gleaming ribbed sides offset glamorously by beautifully smooth, polished, mirrored glass front and back panels, though, this really is a projector design to admire. Even if your tastes might normally lean towards something more conservative.

The metallic theme continues with the VisionMaster Pro 2’s remote control, which is wrapped very fetchingly across its bottom third, around its edges and over the navigation buttons by a beautifully premium-feeling brushed metal finish.

This is offset handsomely by a matte black backdrop for the remote’s buttons, which are both backlit and helpfully arranged for the most part.

Features

The VisionMaster Pro 2 packs a handy bag of tricks inside its compact but weighty form. At its heart lies a triple (RGB) laser lighting system feeding into a 4K-capable DLP optical set-up, capable of pumping out a claimed 3000 ISO lumens of light.

That’s a pretty promising brightness figure in our humble opinion, with experience suggesting it has the potential to handily straddle the tricky line between being bright enough to punch through a degree of ambient light, but also not so bright that there’s little to no chance of the projector being able to deliver any decent black levels and contrast.

In fact, Valerion claims a very respectable 15,000:1 contrast ratio for the Pro 2 with the projector running in its most contrast-friendly settings (more on these later).

Remarkably, the VisionMaster Pro 2 is claimed to be capable of covering 110 per cent of the AV world’s most extreme BT2020 colour gamut (well beyond the DCI-P3 range used for most real-world HDR content mastering), and impressively, it’s capable of playing both the Dolby Vision and HDR10+ premium HDR formats.

Projectors able to handle even one of these premium formats are still relatively rare, so the Pro 2’s ability to handle both – essentially meaning the projector can play the best version of any content it’s presented with – feels like a real luxury.

It’s equipped with a Filmmaker Mode setting for quick access to relatively accuracy-based pictures (though we feel its Movie preset actually delivers the most rewarding results in dark room settings).

Also, its IMAX Enhanced certification shows the Valerion been deemed capable of doing justice to the relatively noiseless and screen-filling IMAX Enhanced mastering system.

Finally, ISF certification proves that it has all the tools a professional calibrator needs to optimise the projector to your specific room conditions.

Gamers will be pleased to hear that the VisionMaster Pro 2 can support 240Hz frame rates, at which speed it can render images in just 4ms. HDMI ports one and two can also cope with 4K/120Hz signals with HDR, though the third HDMI tops out at 1080p/120Hz if you want to retain HDR.

Note, though, that as with some TVs, even the two full HDMI 2.1 ports only take in high frame rates with HDR and 4K resolution if you manually select the specific HDMI’s Enhanced Pro option via the projector’s Input menu options.

There’s support for ultra-wide gaming formats (32:9 and 21:9) if you’re playing a PC title that supports such ratios, and you can call up an overlaid crosshair in the centre of the screen to help your aim.

This latter feature is especially useful when you’re dealing with images as big as the 300 inches the VisionMaster Pro 2 claims to have enough edge-to-edge sharpness to successfully deliver. The only gaming disappointment is the lack of any VRR support.

Smart features are handled by a built-in Google TV system. This gives you access to most of the key streaming and UK broadcaster catch-up apps, including Netflix, Prime Video, YouTube, Disney+, Apple TV, Channel 4, My5 and ITVX. Though, as usual with Google TV, the BBC iPlayer is notably absent.

There is, though, support for AirPlay 2, Chromecast, Miracast, Google Home, Apple HomeKit and Alexa, with near- and far-field Google Assistant voice control also available.

While the VisionMaster Pro 2 might have designs on being a fairly serious home cinema projector, it can still adapt easily to a range of potential living room set-up situations thanks to auto image size, auto keystone correction and auto focus options, along with manual backup adjustments where required.

The auto size feature is backed up by an unusually generous 0.9x-1.5x level of optical zoom.

Picture

The first thing we should say here is that the way our time with the VisionMaster Pro 2 played out meant that we actually got to see it both before and after it received not one but two firmware updates that seriously improved picture performance in multiple ways.

So, before we get into how a fully updated Valerion VisionMaster Pro 2 performs, we recommend that you check if your Pro 2 is running the latest software.

If your model’s DLP firmware version (found in the About/Upgrade section of the Settings/System menu) says it’s in the 7x series, it needs to be upgraded to version 79 – a process that can only be done using a USB storage stick.

If your projector’s DLP firmware is in the 83 series, you don’t need the DLP firmware update.

Once you’re confident your DLP firmware is correct, check that your projector is running firmware version P1215, and if it isn’t, you should be able to get it via manually instigating an over-the-air update. Full details on both update processes can be found in the support area of Valerion’s website.

The DLP update is designed to reduce the projector’s susceptibility to DLP’s projection’s rainbow effect issue, where stripes of red, green and blue can flit around in your peripheral vision or over standout bright objects. And it’s fair to say its effects are pretty transformational.

So much so that the Pro 2’s rainbow effect goes from being consistently and obviously distracting enough to cost the image a full performance mark, to occurring so mildly and rarely that it seldom bothers us at all. It hasn’t completely gone, to be clear, but it really is way, way less of a nuisance.

The P1215 firmware, meanwhile, delivers two other extremely welcome performance enhancements, first by unlocking the ability to adjust the projector’s laser output for the Dolby Vision Dark mode, and second by enhancing the projector’s Dynamic Tone Mapping system for optimising HDR sources to the projector’s capabilities.

The Enhanced Black Level feature for automatically optimising the projector’s laser output to suit each scene you’re watching is pretty essential to getting the most all-round watchable images on the VisionMaster Pro 2.

Being able to apply it on its Low setting to the Dolby Vision Dark mode results in some of the best images we’ve seen on a projector even close to this price level. Black levels go from OK to excellent, without costing much brightness or colour vibrancy at all.

The ‘Low’ Enhanced Black Level setting has a helpful impact on regular HDR10 content, too, transforming images from good if slightly grey in dark scenes, to really cinematic, contrast-rich affairs that wouldn’t look out of place on a much more expensive dedicated home theatre projector.

Making the Enhanced Black Level feature’s impact all the better is that it improves black depth while causing precious little subtle shading detail to become lost in the darkness.

Though if you do feel that dark areas have started looking a touch hollow with the Enhanced Black Level feature engaged, a thoughtfully designed Shadow Detail Enhancement feature is able to do a great job of marginally raising the black level floor when subtle details are present without impacting the overall brightness level.

In a perfect world, more of the Pro 2’s picture presets might have been more effectively set up out of the box, rather than needing manual adjustment. It’s true, too, that achieving the most accurate images using the Filmmaker Mode requires the Enhanced Black Level feature to be turned off, resulting in a slightly flat-looking image.

It’s hard to complain too much about the odd preset foible, though, when Valerion has not only provided fairly straightforward and logical tools for enhancing its images in all the right ways, but has actually delivered those tools with a degree of sensitivity, subtlety and image understanding that’s rare indeed in the ‘lifestyle’ projection world.

Joining the Pro 2’s impressive brightness and contrast is a seriously impressive colour range. This extends comfortably out to the furthest reaches of even the most aggressive HDR masters in our 4K Blu-ray collection, but at the same time, the colour processing uses that range at least as much for delivering subtle shading differences as aggressively vibrant spectacle.

The result is an exceptionally punchy image, but one that doesn’t feel cartoonish or flat. Especially as Valerion’s latest firmware update for the projector seems to have introduced better control over how light combines with colour, causing less clipping of detail in the brightest areas and a better all-round balance of tones across HDR scenes.

The VisionMaster Pro 2 delivers 4K sources with a level of pixel density and sharpness that gets mighty close to native 4K in appearance, despite the projector not having a genuine 4K DLP Digital Mirror Device count.

It even manages to keep that sharpness more or less intact when there’s motion and camera panning to handle, thanks to an unusually effective ‘Film’ motion processing option. This massages away the heaviest judder effects without making the results look unnaturally fluid or generating unwanted and distracting processing side effects.

Even after receiving its latest firmware updates and plying it with a few judicious picture setting tweaks, the VisionMaster Pro 2’s images aren’t entirely niggle free.

We’ve already mentioned that faint traces of the rainbow effect remain. Also, though, bright shots can be affected by a slight glimmering effect of the sort we’d normally associate (at a much stronger level) with watching a bright projector on a high-gain screen.

And, while using the ‘Low’ Enhanced Black Level mode is for us borderline essential to getting the best picture quality from the VisionMaster Pro 2, it can occasionally cause slight brightness instability – and the High Enhanced Black Level option pushes this issue to really quite unpleasant levels. The ‘Clear’ motion processing option applied by default to many of the Pro 2’s presets also causes all sorts of distracting issues.

Finally, while gaming on the VisionMaster Pro 2 is enjoyable and responsive enough at 120Hz frame rates, it feels a little laggy with 60Hz titles. Input lag measures 34.3ms with 1080p/60Hz feeds, which isn’t actually bad. But the real-world 60Hz gaming experience just doesn’t quite feel as responsive and fluid as we’d like.

With any projector, though, especially any projector that wants to have a serious stab at HDR content, there are always going to be picture performance trade-offs.

And the simple fact is that the trade-offs that an updated and mildly tweaked VisionMaster Pro 2 requires you to swallow feel like pretty small beer against all the good stuff Valerion’s projector can do.

Sound

The VisionMaster Pro 2’s integrated 2 x 12W speakers sound much better than most integrated projector speaker systems.

For starters, they have enough power and projection behind them to create at least a sense of a dome of sound existing beyond the projector’s physical bodywork.

Most location effects in a sophisticated movie mix appear fairly accurately placed within this sound dome, too, and the simple fact that the audio can escape the projector’s bodywork helps it sound a bit more attached to the projector’s distant pictures than usual.

Perhaps even more impressive is the depth of bass the Pro 2’s speakers can reach without succumbing to crackling, buzzing or dropouts.

This gives soundtracks a properly cinematic feel you barely ever get with integrated projector sound systems – especially as this impressive low frequency foundation is maintained even during loud, dense action scene moments without the rest of the mix sounding overwhelmed or thin.

There’s even a genuine sense of impact with movie staples such as punches or gunfire.

In a perfect world, the highest treble would sound a little more rounded and smooth, and voices would sound a bit more open and project better from the Valerion’s bodywork.

But the fact that we’re even able to pick out such specific audio issues rather than just being overwhelmed by the general mediocrity most projector audio systems serve up actually proves how much better the VisionMaster Pro 2 sounds than most of its peers.

Verdict

Valerion is, on paper, still a novice brand, and the Kickstarter-plus-major-firmware-updates journey of its VisionMaster Pro 2 projector is unusual to say the least.

It turns out, though, that neither of these apparent challenges has managed to stop the Pro 2 from both becoming a (literally) shining star of the mid-range lifestyle projector scene, and putting Valerion firmly on the home entertainment map.

SCORES

• Picture 5
• Sound 4
• Features 4

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Read our review of the BenQ x3100i

Also consider the Hisense C1

Read our Epson EF-72 review

Our pick of the best projectors you can buy for every budget

We've reached the final day of the Amazon Spring Deal Days sale, which has been surprisingly kind to projector discounts for some reason.

Not that we're complaining – projectors are your best option to get the big screen experience at home, and the weather will (hopefully) soon be warm enough in the UK for an outdoor cinema.

• Browse the Amazon Spring Deal Days sale

One of the best value projector deals of the sale might just be the Nebula X1, which has dropped £500 to £1699 at Amazon.

Even better, you can get a projector stand (worth £79.99) included absolutely free. Simply add the Nebula 100-Inch Outdoor Projector Screen to your basket along with the X1 and the cost of the stand will be removed at checkout.

The Nebula X1 may not be the cheapest projector in the sale, with the likes of the Xgimi MoGo 4 and the brand's own Anker Nebula Mars 3 Air available for under £400.

But this projector certainly makes up for it with several premium features, boasting 4K resolution, a claimed brightness of 3500 ANSI Lumens and a screen size of up to 300 inches.

It's also rather easy to set up, with the AI Spatial Adaptation auto set-up including real-time autofocus, keystone correction, ambient light adaptation and wall colour adaptation.

This will be especially useful if you plan to move your projector frequently. The X1 is relatively bulky and requires a mains connection, but can be moved around the house and taken outside if you have an extension cable.

Google TV is built in as well, so you won't have to worry about connecting a streaming device. Netflix, Channel 4, Disney+, YouTube, Apple TV, ITVX, and Amazon Prime Video are all supported, too, but do note that BBC iPlayer is missing.

The all-important picture quality is also exceptionally detailed and three-dimensional, with impressive black levels and vibrant colours. Motion handling is occasionally inconsistent, and the picture can be a tad noisy, but this is a crowd-pleasing performance overall.

However, the biggest draw of the Nebula X1 is its audio, which is rich and detailed even without adding any additional speakers.

It's rare to find a projector that packs such a punch in bass, making battle scenes feel weighty and gripping.

"The BenQ X3100i, by comparison, sounds thin and much less impactful, especially in terms of vocal clarity," our Nebula X1 review reads. "When it comes to sound, the Nebula X1 blows the competition out of the water."

If you're looking for an all-in-one home cinema-in-a-box, the Nebula X1 might just meet that need. And it's now £501 off at Amazon and with a free screen, too.

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Check out all our best projectors

Also consider the BenQ X3100i

See the whole Amazon Spring Deal Days sale

The Hisense PL2 is an Award-winning ultra short throw projector, and right now it can be yours for £1139 at Sevenoaks. That's a massive £860 saving on the price we reviewed it at when we gave it five stars less than a year ago.

Despite previously dropping to £959 during Black Friday sales, this was a very rare discount, and there are no expectations that it'll drop that low again for a while.

Sound is a little lacking, but it more than makes up for it with a balanced picture and solid dark detail. And if sound is an issue, one of the best soundbars will complete your package.

The Hisense PL2 is the direct successor to the Hisense PL1, and it entered the market with a flourish, bagging five stars and taking the Award-winning crown from its predecessor. Make no mistake, this is one of the best projectors we've tested this year.

As an ultra short throw projector, it delivers large pictures even when sat right up close to a screen or wall, meaning you can save some serious space by adding this to your home cinema instead of a massive TV.

And it's thanks to a serious spec upgrade that the PL2 really shines. Visually similar in build to the PL1, it breaks the mould by projecting a much larger 80-150-inch picture as opposed to the PL1's 120 inches.

Plus, Hisense raised maximum brightness to 2700 ANSI lumens (from PL1's 2100 lumens), allowing it to operate in more challenging, brightly lit conditions.

It's also packed out with two HDMI 2.1 inputs (one with eARC), as well as a basic HDMI 2.0 input plus ethernet, USB 3.0 and USB 2.0 sockets. For gamers, it's worth noting that 4K/120Hz is not supported, but it can handle 1080p/120Hz, meaning you can sacrifice a little resolution for responsiveness.

Dolby Vision, HDR10 and HLG are all supported. And another welcome addition is HDR10+, which is a variant of HDR10 that optimises the projector brightness and colour settings at a frame-by-frame level.

Running on Hisense's VIDAAA U7 software, it's got solid app support too, with Netflix, Disney+, Amazon Prime Video and Apple TV all readily available.

Visually, there's a little tweaking to do, with our expert testers opting for Filmmaker mode with motion and noise reduction settings at the lowest, dynamic tone mapping on and the Warm 2 colour profile for the best results. But overall, it's another marked improvement on the PL1.

And when it comes to sound, the PL2's built-in 15W sound system is fairly impressive but far from perfect. This led our experts to say, "This makes it a good performer by UST built-in speaker standards, but nowhere near good enough for proper movie watching. If you want the best results, budget for a separate speaker system if you don’t already have one."

At its launch price of £1999, we already considered this projector to offer huge value for money. However, at just £1139 at Sevenoaks, this becomes one of the best-value home cinema deals so far this year.

MORE:

Read our full Hisense PL2 review

Check out the best projectors: budget, 4K and ultra-short-throw

And the best outdoor projectors: top models reviewed and rated

The days are getting longer, the temperature warmer, and I've even spotted that bright glowing ball of fire in the sky a few times. That means I'm starting to dream of watching movies out in the garden and while on camping trips.

And would you believe it, to coincide with the improved weather, Xgimi has just slashed the price of their MoGo 4 down to just £359 at Amazon.

That's a whopping £150 saving off its normal price and an all-time record low. With its four-star performance and compact design, the MoGo 4 is a commendable choice for any outdoor cinema enthusiast.

One of the biggest draws of the MoGo 4 is its incredibly compact and easy to use design. By twisting the body out, the hard plastic on the side transforms into a stand.

There's also a small remote that is attached to the side of the projector, which is ideal for those taking it on-the-go who don't want to carry the larger remote in case it gets lost.

In terms of picture, the Xgimi projector provides a solid and impactful overall image. When watching Kingdom Of The Planet Of The Apes during testing, for example, we note: "The MoGo 4 does a good job with the deep blacks, as well as making sure there is a decent amount of detail in the lighter shades."

The MoGo 4 uses Google TV with built-in Netflix support, plus the usual major streaming platforms, including Apple TV, Amazon Prime Video and Disney+.

On top of that, it runs HDR10 and supports both Bluetooth (5.1) and wi-fi connectivity. And, for such a compact model it manages to produce a reasonably detailed sound.

If you are looking for a small but mighty projector for casual movie nights at a discount, the MoGo 4 could be for you, especially at just £359 at Amazon.

MORE:

Here's our review of the Xgimi MoGo 4

Check out the best portable projectors on offer

And the best projectors 2026

What’s the first product that comes to mind when you think of a spring sale?

A projector probably isn't at the top of that list – but Amazon's Spring Deal Days has seen projector deals aplenty.

We’ve rounded up some deals on the very best, in a list that includes some of our reigning Award winners as well as a few new lowest prices. And many of them are portable, meaning they can be set up outside if you really want to lean into the spring theme.

These are all projectors that our expert review team have tried and tested themselves, so every product below has earned a recommendation – there are links to their reviews so you can see our in-depth thoughts.

Here, then, are those deals in all their home cinema glory:

• See the whole Amazon Spring Deal Days sale

MORE:

Check out the best portable projectors you can currently buy

And take a look at the best projectors: budget, 4K and ultra-short-throw

And the best outdoor projectors: top models reviewed and rated

Spring has officially sprung – and so has Amazon's seasonal sale. With thousands of offers out there, it’s hard to know where to start. Fortunately, if you’re in the market for a five-star projector, I have found one of the best deals.

At just £349 at Amazon, the Hisense M2 Pro can be yours for the lowest price we’ve seen. Only last month, we were shouting about the projector dropping to £399; chop another £50 off that and you’ve got a massive saving.

So grab a big screen experience with this high-performing projector, without the eye-popping, cost before it's too late!

The Hisense M2 Pro holds a spot among the best projectors on the market right now, and proves that you don't have to break the bank for a cinematic experience at home.

And we said that when it was priced at £1299. How about £849? What you get for that price is a flexible, easy to use home cinema in a box that punches above its weight.

It's a small, unassuming box, with a spherical glass lens at its front and speakers on its sides. It is bolted onto a square swivel stand that should slide nicely in to your home cinema setup.

Most importantly, it performs well. After switching from the default settings to the more natural-looking Filmmaker mode, our expert testers said it delivers “consistent performance that never pushes beyond the M2 Pro’s capabilities, which makes for a nicely immersive and more mature home cinema experience than we had expected.”

Brightness levels are impressive too, with a claimed peak of 1300 lumens, which is 300 lumens higher than its direct rival, the Epson EF-72. We put that claim to the test by playing Pan (a go-to stress test disc due to the film’s atypically high 4000 nits mastering).

To this, our reviewers said: “The Hisense does an excellent job, with highlights in a blob of water in the sky retaining a pleasing range of colours, and every ripple looking sharp and three-dimensional.”

It's packed with features as well. Chief among those is Hisense's Trichoma Laser technology, which the brand claims can improve picture quality using three individual lasers to create the red, green and blue parts of the image.

HDR support is also on board, with the M2 Pro working with all four of the currently available formats: HLG, HDR10, HDR10+ and Dolby Vision. You will also find support for all the usual suspects on the streaming market, including Netflix, Disney+, Amazon Prime Video, and Apple TV+.

The M2 Pro has a 2.0, 10W in-built speaker system. Unlike its fancier C2 cousin, this is a purely Hisense system – there is no partnership with JBL or any other audio specialist.

Ultimately, the M2 Pro is one of the best coffee-table projectors on the market. It offers solid picture quality, excellent app support and a wonderfully easy set-up process, and ticks all the right boxes for its target market.

And it's yours for just £849 at Amazon for a limited time – that’s the lowest price we have seen. But, you’ll have to be quick!

MORE:

Read our full Hisense M2 Pro review

Check out the best portable projectors you can currently buy

And take a look at the best projectors: budget, 4K and ultra-short-throw

In the market for a premium 4K projector? Look no further. Right now, this What Hi-Fi? Award winner is available at its lowest-ever price!

For just £2749 at Peter Tyson, the five-star Epson EH-LS9000 can be yours for £250 off its original launch price. Considering this is just the second time we have seen a discount on this projector – it had previously dropped to £2899 – it's definitely worth talking about.

And there’s even better news: Peter Tyson is throwing in a free Apple TV 4K Wi-Fi with 64GB storage to sweeten the deal even more. Considering we rate it our overall top pick among the best streaming devices, that’s an easy recommendation too.

The Epson EH-LS9000 stands proudly among the best projectors we have tested. Beautifully crisp, punchy and three-dimensional picture quality, superb gaming specification and performance, and quiet operation are just some of the reasons we gave it five stars.

Described by the Japanese company as an “affordable high-end projector”, it sits below the LS12000 and even more premium QB1000. And while there have been some downgrades to hit that lower price, this is still an absolutely exceptional projector for the money.

Primarily intended for use in a dark (preferably blacked-out) home cinema room, the Black model fits right in. The White model can also be picked up for the same discount right now, if you prefer that finish.

And it's a quiet projector too, unless you push the brightness past 95 per cent. Our expert testers say: “Even when the fan does fully kick in, it’s still inaudible against the majority of most movie soundtracks.”

But, how does the image look? Well, we say: “There’s an awesome solidity and depth to the picture, which is particularly impressive at the 100-inch scale of our screen, and you almost feel as if you could reach into the image and poke the little figures in the distance.”

With the Vivid preset, you’ll get the most out of the LS9000, enjoying a picture with quite exceptional vibrancy and three-dimensionality without making things look forced. A slight caveat though that we noted a relative lack of black depth in this setting.

It is packed with features, with HDR support on board, plus support for the static HDR10 and HLG formats as well as the dynamic HDR10+. If you’re a gamer, you are also going to get a lot out of this projector, with its two HDMI 2.1 sockets capable of handling 4K/120Hz signals. We fired up Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart on our PlayStation 5 and were treated to a really smooth and responsive gameplay experience.

There are no integrated streaming smarts in the EH-LS9000, but with the free Apple TV 4K as part of deal at Peter Tyson, you'll be able to fill in that gap.

Ultimately, our expert testers say: “A slight lack of black depth aside, the Epson EH-LS9000 is an exceptional home cinema projector that redefines performance expectations at this level.” And this price drop, to just £2749 at Peter Tyson, makes it an even more enticing find!

MORE:

Read our full Epson EH-LS9000 review

Check out the best projectors: budget, 4K and ultra-short-throw

And the best outdoor projectors: top models reviewed and rated