I’ve tested all the XGIMI projectors released in the last five years, and there’s no doubt that the Horizon 20 Max is the best of the lot. I want to highlight three areas where the projector has a clear advantage: lens shift with optical zoom, bright projection and built-in gimbal.
Lens shifting in particular is a game changer as it allows me to position the Horizon 20 Max anywhere and adjust the projection as needed. I used the projector with a 100 inch ALR panel and it was so easy to set up with the screen that it only took a few minutes. I used to use the XGIMI Aura UST projector because it was easier to set up – I didn’t want to set up a long-throw projector – but with the Horizon 20 Max, I just put it on the nightstand and the projector automatically adjusted the resolution.
Optical zoom also plays a big part in this, and the Horizon 20 Max has an adjustable throw range of 1.2-1.5:1, giving you better flexibility in where you position the projector. Honestly, with these two features, you don’t have to deal with any of the usual hassles of building a long-term projector. The best part? Horizon 20 Max reduced again to $2,199, its lowest price. The projector normally costs $2,699, but with the 4th of July holiday, you can get it for less.
The design of the Horizon 20 Max is similar to its predecessor Horizon S Max. There are few changes to the color scheme and the 20 Max doesn’t stand out as much, which is a good thing. What I like most is that XGIMI retains the gimbal system, making it easy to point the projector at your preferences. This is the main advantage over it Valerion VisionMaster Pro 2and it’s so convenient that I don’t want to use a projector that isn’t mounted on a swivel base.
You get a regular connection; there are dual HDMI ports (with one eARC), optical and 3.5mm outputs, and USB-A ports if you want to add an external drive. The projector uses Wi-Fi 6 and I haven’t had any connectivity issues in the six months I’ve been using it. As for the internals, it is powered by the reliable MediaTek MT9679 platform and has 4GB of RAM along with 128GB of internal storage. 4 GB of RAM is absolutely necessary to ensure that the Google TV interface is lag-free, and thankfully there are no problems in this area.
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The projector gets two 12W audio drivers and has Dolby Digital Plus, DTS-Virtual:X and DTS-HD. I’d recommend using a dedicated soundbar to get the most out of the projector, but if that’s not possible, the built-in sound is decent enough.
Where the Horizon 20 Max really shines is projection; it delivers up to 5,700 lumens, and in real life you can easily get over 3,500 lumens, making it one of the brightest projectors in its category. It is brighter than Horizon S Max, Valerion VisionMaster Pro 2 and even more. VisionMaster Max. Why is this relevant? If you don’t have a darkroom, you can still use 20 Max during the day and not get washed out colors, which is a problem with projectors that aren’t that bright.
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Colors are vibrant and there’s a noticeable difference between the 20 Max and the Horizon S Max in this area, especially when it comes to HDR content. I also like that there is a dedicated game mode that works really well with the PS5. The 20 Max gets Dolby Vision and IMAX Enhanced, and if you’re missing out on the unique Dynamic Black Level feature — which boosts black levels — when using Dolby Vision, it’s not a big deal.
The 20 Max uses pixel shifting to deliver a 4K image and stretches to 300 inches. Valerio’s VisionMaster Max is its closest competitor, and the 20 Max does better with automatic keystone correction, overall brightness levels, screen alignment, and the ability to adjust color balance based on wall color—which makes a big difference if you’re not using a custom screen. You get the standard Google TV interface, and while I’m not a fan of the UI, I haven’t had any problems with lag.
Overall, the Horizon 20 Max is the best 4K long-throw projector I’ve used. While it had its share of bugs at launch, XGIMI has done a good job of addressing most of these with software updates over the past six months, and after extensive testing I feel confident in recommending this projector. If you need a bright 4K long-range projector with different colors and easy configuration, you’ll get the 20 Max and It comes in at $2,199is an unmissable deal in this category.
