For the third year in a row, I’m reviewing the latest and greatest home projector from XGIMI. Before trying XGIMI’s Horizon Ultra 4K model in 2024, I had never considered trading in my reliable 4K TV for a projector. However, its brightness, sound quality, and display size made me an instant fan.
A year later, the company released the Horizon S Max model, which brought IMAX support for home projection. Although the projector had some drawbacks, such as optical zoom, lack of major ports, and an aging Android TV operating system, it was another step forward. Then, at IFA 2025, the company introduced its Horizon 20 Max home projector, offering more fixes and improvements. Over the past few months I’ve used this projector and the experience has been familiar but also exciting.
XGIMI has been an interesting brand to cover in recent years, and it’s been innovating with trending products like smart glasses, which BGR has previously reviewed. I still think home projectors are where the brand shines the most, and the Horizon 20 Max could be the option that could get people to ditch traditional screens in their home entertainment setups.
Design and connectivity
Not all companies understand what XGIMI does: you don’t need to fix what’s not broken. With the Horizon 20 Max, the company has continued to build on and improve the design of its older models. Larger than the Horizon S Max, focused on aesthetics rather than functionality, this model has more space for internal optics and motors, but it still doesn’t feel as bulky as the Horizon Ultra 4K option from a few years ago. It mixes eco-friendly PU leather and aluminum for its finish, resulting in a beautiful hardware that adapts to any environment.
The adjustable stand can tilt the projector almost 180 degrees, which is useful for projecting on the ceiling or wall in front of you. XGIMI also sells a rotating floor stand that allows you to rotate the projector 360 degrees. No matter what your room looks like, there are ways to ensure a stable, clear picture throughout your home.
XGIMI also listened to customers and added multiple ports and the latest connectivity technologies. The Horizon 20 Max has a DC port, two HDMI ports (one with eARC support), a USB 3.0 port, a USB 2.0 port, and optical and audio output ports. Additionally, it supports Wi-Fi 6 and Bluetooth 5.2.
Image quality
XGIMI ticks all the boxes for future-proof image quality. This projector features Dolby Vision, HDR10+, a Filmmaker mode, IMAX Enhanced, and lens shift with optical zoom, which was not available on the previous model. The 4K projector features a low latency gaming mode, 240Hz refresh rate, and VRR. The Horizon 20 Max also offers 5,700 ISO lumens of brightness (in comparison, the previous model offered up to 3,100 ISO). It’s bright enough to require the included eye protection feature when walking in front of the projector.
The XGIMI Horizon 20 Max can project a screen extending diagonally from 80 inches to 300 inches, depending on the distance, which can be from 2.1 meters to a maximum of 10 meters from the screen or projector wall. It features automatic keystone correction, autofocus, obstacle avoidance, and intelligent screen alignment. All of this sophisticated technology, in practice, provides a very cinematic experience while watching anything from the World Cup to extended versions of “Lord of the Rings” to the new season of “Silo” on Apple TV.
Although I sometimes need to tilt the projector to ensure that the automatic keystone correction displays an image in the optimal aspect ratio, it’s impressive how well I can still watch content with some ambient light. That said, the darker you can ensure the environment is, the better the image will look. Still, the new level of brightness is very impressive.
Sound quality
XGIMI continues its partnership with Harman Kardon and offers two 12W integrated speakers offering 360-degree surround sound, 55Hz bass and a 630cc acoustic chamber. With the HDMI eARC port, you can connect an Apple TV 4K paired with a HomePod 2 speaker combo to enjoy even better sound quality. Those with a full home theater can do the same.
In my current setup, I’m using the XGIMI Horizon 20 Max projector in a smaller environment, which means it doesn’t have enough space for proper surround sound. In previous years, I have always been amazed by the built-in audio quality of XGIMI projectors, which is well above average when it comes to projectors. However, it’s important to note that if you’re in a small room, the sound from the Horizon 20 Max won’t be much more than “good enough,” which isn’t the experience the company is known for. Still, it can get very loud, and even with the volume turned down, you can easily tell the difference between vocals, background music, special effects, etc.
That said, as good as the projector looks, I highly recommend owners install a home theater or other speakers by connecting them via the eARC port. After all, you’ll want high-quality sound to match high-quality picture.
Google TV is finally here
I can’t express how desperately I was hoping that XGIMI would ditch Android TV on its high-end models. At first, the company claimed to use Android TV because it gave high-end users more ways to customize picture quality, something Google TV doesn’t offer. Still, I’m glad the company opted for a new strategy, as it offers a simpler experience with Google TV, leaving high-end users with the option to upgrade to the Titan Noir Max projector, which is double the price and ditches smart operating systems altogether.
Google TV offers an experience that’s almost as usable as Apple’s tvOS. With a MediaTek 9679 processor, 4GB of RAM, and 128GB of storage, the software runs smoothly and I never had any issues switching from Netflix to HBO Max, YouTube, etc. XGIMI also promises smooth gameplay, as the processor can handle low-latency games.
Google’s software provides all major streaming services through Google Play, learns from my usage and suggests recommendations based on the services I subscribe to. Although I miss Apple perks like Apple Music, Apple Podcasts, and Apple Fitness+, I could simply connect the Apple TV via HDMI cable if I wanted them back. The takeaway here is that XGIMI finally offers hardware AND software powerful enough to keep everything running smoothly.
Should you buy the XGIMI Horizon 20 Max?
Although the XGIMI Horizon 20 Max costs $2,999, XGIMI often offers deals on the projector – for example, it’s available for $2,599 at the time of writing. Still, this is a very expensive device that costs the same or more than many of the best OLED TVs on the market. With this in mind, should you buy XGIMI’s high-end projector or a TV? Ultimately it depends on what you need. If you want a big screen with an IMAX-compatible picture, there’s nothing like XGIMI’s Horizon 20 Max. If you don’t want to install a projector, don’t have an empty wall to project on, or the only available wall is near a large window, a TV might be the best solution.
For me, XGIMI has been the most reliable option for the bedroom, as it provides a cinematic experience for anything I might want to watch or play: a random YouTube video, a season finale, a movie, or a game on my Nintendo Switch 2. The company does a remarkable job with its projector and continues to improve the experience year after year, this time with Google TV, brighter projection, and optical zoom.
With that in mind, you need to remember that this projector needs room to breathe. All this power can cause the fans to spin noisily, especially in a heatwave or if you are too close to a wall. Yet even with these potential issues, the image remains impeccable. XGIMI has really outdone itself with this release and I highly recommend this projector.
