XGIMI Halo+ Review: A projector for any occasion and in any location

This Android TV powered projector from XGIMI can be easily moved around, allowing you to enjoy content literally anywhere. But is it any good?

You may not have seen many projector reviews on this site before, which is probably because there haven’t been any! It’s not that I’ve not reviewed non-mobile products, just not on this site. As the mobile industry begins to slow down a little due to falling sales, I have chosen to review a wider range of tech products here.

In this case, it’s the Halo+ portable projector from XGIMI, retailing at £750 and offering a very impressive specification. This is no cheap portable projector with a low-resolution, poorly upscaled, and dimly lit image. With a Full HD resolution, HDR10 support, and DTS and Dolby audio support from the integrated speakers, there’s a lot on offer.

The XGIMI Halo+ is powered by Android TV, and anyone with a Google account can be up and running in less than 15 minutes from the moment you remove the projector from the box, plug it in and start the painless setup process.

Anyone with an Android phone will be immediately familiar with the Google Play store, and any content you already own on the Google TV app will also be available.

The home screen puts all of the key apps at your fingertips. It really is simple, and gives the projector a lot more functionality than a dumb unit that can only project images from a connected device (although you can use the HDMI socket to connect laptops, game consoles etc).

Without having a dedicated projector screen, on account of not reviewing these on a regular basis, I found the largest bit of white wall in my home – which turned out to be behind my sofa – the opposite wall to where our TV is.

Propped up on top of a box and slightly to an angle to allow access to the sofa, the intelligent screen alignment and keystone correction was extremely impressive. Within a few seconds of analysing the space and spotting obstructions (like sofa cushions and a nearby lampshade) the picture was skewed and scaled to fill the space perfectly.

The end result; a properly proportioned display as if the projector was dead centre. You can also make manual tweaks if you prefer, but it wasn’t necessary. If the projector was moved more than a few centimetres, the alignment process repeated automatically. Very impressive.

At 900 lumens the Halo+ projects an image that is watchable in the daytime as long as there’s no direct light on the screen. It will however look a little washed out, as with any projector. Pull the curtains, or wait until it’s dark, and it all looks fantastic.

My son fell in love with it the first time he saw it and preferred laying backwards on the sofa to watching our 55-inch LG OLED TV on the opposite wall. Now considering the difference in contrast ratio, surely OLED should win – but, no, it seems size really does matter.

The Halo+ comes with integrated Harman Kardon DTS HD and Dolby Audio sound support, which isn’t hugely powerful at just 5W per speaker. It’s sufficient for quieter environments, but you can output the audio over HDMI to a soundbar (the Halo+ supports eARC) or using Bluetooth.

Resolution is 1080p with HDR10 support, and there are a variety of picture modes – including various power saving modes that will prove essential if you wish to run this on the internal battery.

XGIMI claims you can get around 2.5 hours of playback from the internal battery, but I never actually achieved that. I did achieve around an hour and three quarters with the brightness turned down about 25-30%, which would be enough to watch most films and, say, a football match – with a charge required in-between of course.

It’s safe to say that if you are wishing to watch a longer movie, or a football match that goes into extra time and/or penalties, you’ll probably need to be near a power source – or for a camping trip, hook up to a portable power station and run off mains power all the time.

The Good

• Setting up the Halo+ is a very simple process, and once you’re connected to Wi-Fi (or portable hotspot) you can log in and access all the key streaming services.
• With its intelligent screen alignment feature, you don’t have to worry about precise positioning – although if you want the largest possible image on a wall or screen, you will need to place the unit around 2-3 metres away.
• The Halo+ includes a clever little fold out stand at the base to angle it upwards, or it can be mounted on a ceiling or tripod.
• You can also cast content to the Halo+ from an Android or iPhone, or from many laptops and tablets – as well as using the HDMI port.
• There’s also a low-latency Game Mode Boost for connecting a game console.
• The sound quality from the internal speakers (2x5W) is good, if not terribly loud, and you can use it as a Bluetooth speaker for other devices (as well as playing the sound on other Bluetooth speakers or headphones).

The Bad

• While you have access to most apps on the Play store, the most notable exception is Netflix. The Play store offers a link to download but you cannot stream anything without getting an error. It isn’t clear if this will ever change, so do not buy in the hope that it is added later.
• The battery life is good enough for most movies or sporting events, but you will need to activate power-saving functions and turn the brightness down, which impacts on the overall experience (especially in non-dark environments). I’d recommend using on mains power whenever possible.

Overall

£750 isn’t pocket change and while the portability aspect might be marketed as making this the perfect gadget for a camping trip, in reality it isn’t going to be many people spending this sort of money for something to take travelling.

However, it is perfectly well suited in a home – with the battery powered portability aspect being a welcome bonus. Clearly getting a proper screen is a must for anyone who is going to keep it for more than a few weeks for a review, and there are plenty of options available to suit any room.

Not only can you position the Halo+ in a variety of positions and still get a straight display on the screen, you can also mount the projector on a ceiling if you’d prefer, or on a tripod.

Android TV means you don’t necessarily need any other equipment to watch your favourite streamed content, or live content on supported apps, but the lack of Netflix is a disappointment.

Compared to the cost of buying a 80, 100, or 120-inch TV, the Halo+ becomes much more of a value proposition, and its ability to be taken to other locations is a definite bonus. It may also prove valuable to business users who can give presentations with ease, and also enjoy the other benefits of Android TV when it suits – such as after work get togethers.

If you have the space to fully enjoy the large-screen action, the Halo+ is a great option and worth your consideration.

Key Specifications

	XGIMI Halo+
Size/Weight	113.5 x 145 x 171.5mm 1.6Kg
Screen Output	1920 x 1080 pixels HDR10, HLG 900 ANSI Lumens 25000 Hours lamp life 3D support MEMC Intelligent Screen Alignment: Auto Focus / Intelligent Obstable Avoidance / Auto Keystone Correction
Audio	2 x 5W Harman/Kardon stereo speakers DTS-HD / DTS-Studio Sound / Dolby Audio / Dolby Digital / Dolby Digital Plus
Chipset	MediaTek MT9629
RAM	2GB
Storage	16GB
Connectivity	Dual band Wi-Fi 5 (802.11ac) Bluetooth 5.0/Blueooth Low Energy (BLE) USB-A HDMI (eARC) 3.5mm Audio Out
Battery	59.45Wh (manufacturer stated 2.5 hour playback)
Price	£749.00 with mains power cable and Bluetooth remote control supplied

More information

• XGIMI Halo+