XGIMI Halo Projector review: Powerful and portable

The XGIMI Halo Projector is a portable, cordless indoor or outdoor projector that offers 1080P full HD resolution and supports 4K video. You get a cinematic display up to 300 inches. It is an Android TV system with over 5000 apps, including games. It does indeed support iOS, macOS, and AirPlay. A remote control is included, and you can use Google Assistant for voice control. Use the projector wirelessly if you like; the rechargeable battery lasts about two hours.

The picture displayed by this projector is beautifully bright, 600 - 800 ANSI Lumens, in fact. An ANSI Lumen is a unit of measurement created by the American National Standards Institute to measure brightness. A decent entry-level projector would start at about 200 ANSI Lumens. The premium sound via 2x5W Harman-Kardon speakers is nice and loud; you can use the XGIMI Halo Projector as a Bluetooth speaker too.

You can access some streaming services directly from the XGIMI Halo Projector if you're a subscriber, such as YouTube and Hulu. For others, like Netflix, you'll have to do a workaround (due to Netflix's limitations), such as an HDMI cable. You can also cast your media with Chromecast or use Apple AirPlay to project your device's screen (note that screen mirroring will not work with copyrighted content). Another content delivery option is a thumb drive plugged into the projector's USB port.

XGIMI Halo Projector: Price and availability

You can purchase the XGIMI Halo Projector on Amazon or on XGIMI's own site, where it retails for $799. It does sometimes go on sale; it was recently a "Deal of the Day" on Amazon.

XGIMI Halo Projector: What you'll like

This is a quality projector. When I tested it in a dark basement, the picture was so bright and colorful. Even in the daytime, the picture is quite watchable (though obviously dark is better.) Use the XGIMI Halo Projector to watch video content, conduct virtual meetings, play video games, and more.

You can make your "screen" up to 300 inches! This would be fantastic to take outside and project on the side of your house or one of those large outdoor projector screens for the ultimate movie night. Or use it inside instead of a big-screen TV. You'll like the true 1080P full HD resolution and 4K support, plus the 600 - 800 ANSI Lumens brightness. The sound is great, too, with 2x5W Harman-Kardon speakers.

While the XGIMI Halo Projector is an Android TV product with Google Assistant voice control, you can indeed use it with your Apple products as well. You can use Chromecast or use AirPlay. The projector has over 5000 apps you can download, such as YouTube or Hulu, where you can view the content directly by logging into your account.

As an Apple user, you'll need to download the app called AirScreen. Through that app, you can mirror your Apple device via AirPlay. This is great for showing slide shows and movies you've created.

There are some nice touches you'll enjoy. While the XGIMI Halo Projector isn't tiny, it's certainly portable enough to take outside or take with you on a picnic or something. And it can use wirelessly; the battery lasts about two hours. It does have auto-focus, which works well. This is a nice feature to have, as you might be moving it from place to place, and you don't have to worry about refocusing it each time. Keystone correction means your projection is always rectangular, even if your projector is set at a little bit of an angle. You'll find a connector on the bottom, which will allow you to mount the projector onto any standard tripod.

XGIMI Halo Projector: What you won't like

Though it's not XGIMI's fault, there are some major content limitations. For example, you can't AirPlay Netflix or stream it directly from the projector. You'll be able to watch some of the streaming services you subscribe to just by downloading the app on the XGIMI Halo Projector, but not all of them. You can do various workarounds to access all of the content you pay for, but it's not a seamless experience. I was able to get to my Netflix account with an HDMI connection.

Frankly, it's pretty frustrating, and XGIMI could do a better job explaining each of the various workarounds you need to do. Especially as an Apple user, the whole experience of setting up and accessing your content feels a bit disjointed.

There's no denying this is a pricey projector. But you pay for quality, and you do get a 12-month warranty and lifetime technical support.

XGIMI Halo Projector: Competition

For a bit less money, you can have Anker's Nebula Mars II Projector. While the resolution isn't quite as high (720P compared to XGIMI's 1080P), it's just as portable and shares many of the same features.

XGIMI Halo Projector: Should you buy it?

• You want a cinematic film experience with high-quality visuals and sound
• You want a multi-purpose projector for media, gaming, and more
• You want a portable projector to use indoors or outdoors

• You're on a tight budget
• You hate figuring out your tech without great instructions
• You don't want to deal with anything Android or Google

If you have the budget and you're willing to figure out the workarounds, any Apple or non-Apple user will enjoy the cinema-like experience the XGIMI Halo Projector offers. The portability means it's great for both indoor and outdoor users.

The XGIMI Halo Projector has a beautiful 1080P full HD resolution video, 300-inch display with 600 - 800 ANSI Lumens brightness. The high-end Harman-Kardon speakers make your videos sound great. The portable, wireless projector is an Android TV system with over 5000 apps for streaming, gaming, and more. Apple users can download the AirScreen app and use AirPlay. The HDMI and USB ports on the back allow you to show content you can't access directly from the projector.

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