Let’s start by saying I love this projector.
It’s an amazing bit of tech made for on-the-go viewing with a cracking built-in speaker.
But there are two small setbacks.
The Halo+ is pushed as a ‘home and away’ device, with maker XGIMI promoting its outdoor credentials in particular.
But it has a two and a half hour battery limit.
So so you won’t get through bigger movies on a single charge with this device on your camping trip due to that limitation.
Also, its 1080p – not 4K – and when you can get 4K TVs now under £250 some potential buyers may bulk at the £749 price tag here for the headline display detail.
Fix those two points and XGIMI will have a near-perfect portable speaker here.
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Those points made, however, we still absolutely rate the Halo+.
It not only offers an excellent plugged-in home projector option for screen lovers but that gorgeous built-in speaker really makes it an ideal tuckaway, compact device.
Set up is simple, it runs just like any Android TV and you can plug-and-play access free services like YouTube instantly.
You can also download or sign-up to a host of streaming services like Disney+, Amazon Prime.
In fact, the Google Play store boasting 5,000 apps is on there.
When setting up, some very clever AI tech in the machine allows it to auto focus and resize on your screen, wall or tent surface.
That is almost a system seller in itself as the Halo+ is brilliant at no only giving you a perfectly straight screen image, even at an angle, it will work around obstacles.
So when we tried it out on a rickety shed wall complete with kids pictures and a dart board, the device was able to project a perfect 100in visual around the other items on the wall, without bleeding into them.
Top stuff.
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The LED display is bright and clear, boasting a hyper-focused 900 ANSI lumens. It has 60Hz motion compensation, so fast-moving images won’t blur.
And there’s HDR10 too, so you’ll get real definition in your colour palette.
Its minimalist design reminds you of a Sonos One speaker, and thanks to the dual 5W Harman Kardon speakers you get a clean, distortion-free Hi-Fi sound with ample bass response.
Turned up to the max, live music sounds rocking on this mini beast.
You can easily enliven any karaoke night or your favourite music via Bluetooth connection.
It can cast screen sizes of 60''-120” , which you can adjust using the simple menu system.
And it has Chromecast built-in, so you can wirelessly cast apps, games, and more directly to Halo+ from your Android or Apple devices.
There’s even Google Assistant in the controller, allowing you to ask for YouTube or certain shows to be played all by voice alone.
Gamers get their own Game Mode, which fuses resolution and sound with high refresh rates and a 26.5ms low latency to allow for competitive online multiplayer gaming on titles like Call of Duty.
The makers also try to reduce blue light usage, so your eyes won’t get tired, and have put in an ultra-efficient LED lamp, making it eco-friendly and, they claim, usable for 17 years.
I’ve not tried it for that long.
But what I can tell you is that this is an incredibly compact, bright projector ideal for the family home and shorter sessions outdoors.
It’s versatile, has cracking AI tech to make the most of its surroundings and delivers a strong sound thanks to its in-built speakers.
If it was 4K it’d be a 5-out-of-5 review. But for now, let’s hope the next iteration goes that step further.
VERDICT 4/5
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