XGIMI Halo+ portable projector review: easy to use and great sound quality

Since the restrictions of the last few years made us all more reliant on using our outdoor space for entertainment, outdoor projectors have become a popular way to enjoy ourselves and occupy the family without ever leaving our homes. But not all battery-powered projectors are created equal.

This is why we wanted to test the XGIMI Halo+ portable projector to see if it could surpass expectations regarding brightness, contrast and overall ease of use, which can often be lacking with projectors that be used outside. The 2.5 hours of battery life is good if you want to watch a movie away from a power source, and it can project an image up to 200in.

Read on to see what we thought of the XGIMI Halo+ portable projector and, for more top picks, take a look at our guide to the best outdoor projectors.

XGIMI Halo+ portable projector: key product specs

• Type: DLP
• Resolution: Full HD
• Brightness: 900 ANSI Lumens
• Contrast ratio: 10,000:1
• Screen size: 30-200"
• Distance: 0.79-5.2m
• Smart TV: Android TV
• Noise: less than 30dB
• Speakers; 2 x 5W
• Dimensions: H11.3 x W11.3 x D17.1cm
• Weight: 1.6kg

Caroline Preece

Having only just moved somewhere with outdoor space to call her own, Caroline has been keen to test out smart home tech for the garden. Having previously tested pricier projectors designed for the living room, the XGIMI Halo+ portable projector was an intriguing prospect because of its ability to be used outside without a power source. 

Setting up the XGIMI Halo+ portable projector

The XGIMI Halo+ portable projector is pleasingly minimalist in its setup, and the box only contains a charging lead, remote control, and instruction manual alongside the projector itself. The first and only thing you need to do to get the Halo+ going is to charge it. Once plugged in, the light on top will illuminate orange, flashing green once the battery life is above 90%. This took under an hour out of the box for our unit.

Then you can get to finding the best position for viewing. For best results, the projector should be positioned at a distance of between 0.79m and 5.2m, with the screen going up to a maximum of 200in. This is on the larger side for a portable projector, so big screen enthusiasts will be pleased.

Hit the power button, and you will be greeted with a Google login screen. We couldn't figure out how to bypass this, so it's likely you will need an existing account to use the Halo+. We logged in as instructed, and the screen switched to the familiar Android TV interface. This is useful in many ways, including the fact that we were already logged into many of our streaming apps.

How does the XGIMI Halo+ perform? 

The first thing we were impressed by with the XGIMI Halo+ was its ability to give you a clear, straight, and centred image without any manual fiddling from us. While other projectors might make it easy and simple to line everything up on your chosen wall via the remote, the Halo+ does it all automatically. It will be very welcome for those who prefer to just sit back and watch without spending time in settings.

Android TV gives you access to more than 5,000 apps to choose from. As said, the initial login via your Google account eliminates the need to log into every single one individually. This was the case for us, anyway, but it will depend on how integrated your Google account is with other streaming accounts you may have (we have a Google TV streaming stick).

There is also Chromecast and Google Assistant on board, and HDMI and USB ports on the back to play your own content as your wish. Unfortunately, Netflix is missing from Android TV at this time, so you may need to find a workaround in the form of a streaming stick.

We opted first for YouTube and loaded up the recent trailer for Black Panther: Wakanda Forever to test how its sumptuous visuals translated.

The above-average 10,000:1 contrast ratio pays off with great blacks and lush greens in the two contrasting scenes from the trailer. Tested inside (but beside large patio doors) during the late afternoon, and with a floor lamp turned on, we saw how the images would look in relatively bright conditions. The slightly washed-out look is pretty much eliminated in truly dark conditions, which is not always the case.

The Halo+ has a brightness of 900 ANSI lumens which, while generally low for a projector, is at the top end of what you can expect of a portable model. The image was perfectly acceptable to us but undoubtedly looked better at night and with minimal environmental light.

Luckily our patio area gets very dark at night, with no street lamps around and little light coming from surrounding houses. We pointed the projector at a blank white brick wall, and the picture looked just as clear and colorful as it had inside.

Perhaps the most impressive thing about the Halo+ is the sound. The dual 5W Harman Kardon speakers are great. With Dolby Audio and DTS HD on board, the projector sounds brilliant, filling the room and pulling you into the action without needing external speakers.

Design of the XGIMI Halo+ portable projector

The XGIMI Halo+ doesn't break the mould for outdoor projector design, but it doesn't need to. The update looks extremely similar to the previous model – the XGIMI Halo – doing away only with the auto-focus lens on the front (now moved to the bottom) but keeping the silver perforated grille casing and off-centre primary lens.

Disappointingly, there's no handle for carrying it around, but the projector is small and lightweight enough for most people to easily pick it up. The 2.5-hour battery life means there's just enough juice to take it on trips, and it wouldn't take up too much room in the suitcase or backpack.

There's also a built-in kickstand on the base to help get the angle of the lens right for your setup, which was helpful for us trying to project onto a wall from a shorter coffee table.

How does the XGIMI Halo+ compare to other outdoor projectors?

As mentioned elsewhere in the review, the XGIMI Halo+ has an above-average brightness for outdoor projectors (900 ANSI Lumens). In contrast, another of our top choices for the best portable projector is the Samsung Freestyle, which sports a brightness of 550 ANSI lumens. It also beats the XGIMI MoGo Pro, which reports a brightness of just 300 ANSI lumens.

It rates well for maximum screen size, too, with many other projectors like the Nebula Cosmos Laser projector only able to achieve up to 150-inches. The Halo+, on the other hand, can project up to 200-inches (if you have a big enough garden).

The XGIMI model also has a good contrast ratio considering this is a battery-operated projector, enhancing the 1080p Full HD image. It's admittedly pricier than some other models, but in our opinion, has the specs to justify it.

Overall verdict of the XGIMI Halo+ portable projector

As a portable projector, the XGIMI Halo+ is top class, combining ease of use with genuinely impressive video and audio specs. It won't give you the performance of a premium indoor projector (which can cost in the $1,000s), but it is impressive for a battery-powered model. We would recommend it for family backyard movie nights, gaming sessions and pretty much anything else, though it performs best at night or in dark conditions. 

About this review and reviewer

All reviews on Gardeningetc are based on real-life experience with products, with testing always done in the writer's own home and outdoor space. 

As the Smart Home editor for Gardeningetc, the unit was tested in Caroline's home and on her small patio area. She tried out the projector at various times of day to gauge how different light conditions impacted the image. 

We are not paid to review this product (nor any products we test), but we were supplied with it without charge for testing.