In the XGIMI HORIZON S Max review, we discuss how it expands on its predecessor’s features, now with IMAX certification and more.
Built on the foundation of the HORIZON Ultra 4K, XGIMI has expanded its premium long-throw home projector offerings with the new HORIZON S Pro and S Max models. With these products, the company offers an improved design with more high-end features but the same Android TV experience.
After extensively testing the XGIMI HORIZON S Max projector for over a month, here’s the good, the bad, and the in-between for one of XGIMI’s top home projectors of 2024.XGIMI HORIZON S Max specsDesign, connectivity, and where to put it
It’s only been six months since I reviewed the XGIMI HORIZON Ultra 4K projector. Still, the new HORIZON S Max feels like a natural upgrade over its predecessor. The design is similar to the HORIZON Ultra, which mixes eco-friendly PU leather and flow cover fabric. It looks like a beautiful piece of furniture and blends well with the environment.
XGIMI was able to make this device half the size of its predecessor while adding an adjustable stand. This change was important to help users find a good place for the projector.
However, while reviewing the XGIMI HORIZON S Max, I discovered that XGIMI removed the optical zoom feature, which was great for making the image fit my wall without losing quality. Therefore, I can only use this projector with Digital Zoom now, which cuts off the perfect optical image I used to love (more on that later).
The company explained that it removed the optical zoom to make the projector smaller. It believes the adjustable stand gives more flexibility and possibilities for home users, so the trade-off was worth it.
It’s important to note that XGIMI also made some other compromises on the connectivity side. Wi-Fi supports Wi-Fi 5 instead of 6, and the Bluetooth standard is 5.1 instead of 5.2. To be honest, these compromises didn’t disturb my experience with the projector, but it’s weird to see XGIMI improving some areas but downgrading others.Image quality
Despite the lack of optical zoom, I can’t say I had a worse experience.
