NexiGo Aurora Pro  Projector Review

Reviewed Aug 14, 2024 at 11:04am
Writing modified Nov 10, 2025 at 12:49pm
Tested using Methodology v0.10 
NexiGo Aurora Pro
7.9
Movies 
7.6
Gaming 
 11

The NexiGo Aurora Pro is an ultra-short-throw (UST) 4k HDR laser projector and is NexiGo's only UST model. It has Dolby Vision and Dolby Atmos support for an immersive HDR viewing experience. Due to its UST capabilities, it can project content at an extremely short distance from the screen or wall: it projects an 80" image at a distance of 3.9" and up to a 150" image at a distance of 17.3". It has three HDMI 2.1 ports and can passthrough advanced audio formats through its eARC port. It has Bluetooth 5.2 and Wi-Fi 6 support and comes with the Android TV smart interface with full Miracast and AirPlay integration. Finally, it comes with an integrated 60W sound system.

Our Verdict

7.9
Movies 

The NexiGo Aurora Pro is very good for watching movies. It's bright enough for rooms with a few lights, has incredible brightness uniformity, and has excellent contrast, so it excels in dark rooms. It has an extremely wide color gamut, but sadly, the projector isn't quite bright enough to make them pop. However, the projector's pre-calibration accuracy is poor; you'll need to calibrate it if you care about color accuracy. It supports both HDR10+ and Dolby Vision, so it's pretty versatile.

Pros
  • Good peak brightness, with incredible uniformity.
  • Excellent contrast for an amazing dark room experience.
  • Extremely wide color gamut.
  • Ultra-short-throw capabilities, so you can place it very close to the wall or screen.

  • Supports both HDR10 and Dolby Vision.

Cons
  • Has poor pre-calibration color accuracy.
  • Can't project bright, vibrant colors.
  • Android TV smart OS is barebones.
7.6
Gaming 

The NexiGo Aurora Pro is a solid gaming projector for 60Hz console gaming. With Game Mode and Low Latency on, the unit's input lag is low enough for most single-player titles, especially if you play at normal difficulty levels and aren't chasing trophies. It's capped at 60Hz, as anything faster frame skips, so serious multiplayer gamers will want something faster. Image quality is a strong suit for bright living rooms, as it's bright, has punchy colors with crisp text, and clean motion. Its contrast is excellent, so it looks great in bright or dark rooms. Unfortunately, it's not accurate out of the box, so accuracy purists will want to calibrate it.

Pros
  • Good peak brightness, with incredible uniformity.
  • Excellent contrast for an amazing dark room experience.
  • Extremely wide color gamut.
  • Ultra-short-throw capabilities, so you can place it very close to the wall or screen.

  • Input lag is low enough at 60Hz for single player titles.

  • Supports both HDR10 and Dolby Vision.

Cons
  • Has poor pre-calibration color accuracy.
  • Can't project bright, vibrant colors.
  • Frame skips with refresh rates faster than 60Hz.

  • 7.9
    Movies
  • 7.6
    Gaming
  • Changelog

    1.  Updated Nov 10, 2025: 

      We've added Imaging, Optics, Noise, Supported Resolutions, HDR Format Support, 3D, Input Lag, and Audio Passthrough boxes as a result of our latest test bench. We've also added a Gaming usage in the Verdict section.

    2.  Updated Oct 30, 2025: We've converted the review to Test Bench 0.10, which updates our Design tests, and adds a whole new suite of Inputs tests. We also added new gaming-oriented usage scores in Our Verdict. See the 0.10 changelog.
    3.  Updated Dec 16, 2024: 

      We mentioned the newly reviewed Hisense PX3-PRO in the Pre-Calibration Color Accuracy section of this review.

    4.  Updated Aug 21, 2024: We initially experienced severe calibration and frame-skipping issues with this projector. After factory resetting it twice, the colors improved, and the frame-skipping problems were resolved at 1080p @ 240Hz. We've updated the review with the new results and new comparisons.

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    Differences Between Sizes And Variants

    We bought and tested the NexiGo Aurora Pro. This projector has no variants and is the only model in NexiGo's UST Laser Projector line.

    Our unit was manufactured in China.

    Popular Projector Comparisons

    The NexiGo Aurora Pro is a very good UST projector; it performs well due to its good brightness, extremely wide color gamut, and excellent contrast. It's also decent for gaming when set up correctly, with low input lag at 60Hz; just note it can't exceed 60Hz, as higher-refresh inputs (like 1080p/120–240 or 4k/120) are accepted but frame skip, so stick to 4k60 or 1080p60. Unfortunately, the projector's color accuracy is poor pre-calibration, and it comes with a barebones Android TV implementation with no streaming apps. It's also rather buggy; our initial firmware update broke the unit's colors and gaming performance, and we had to reset it twice before it started working as it should. Still, when it works well, it's one of the best-performing projectors at its price point and is especially enticing for users wanting the best home theater experience or gamers wanting a great projector for dark rooms. We recommend getting a streaming dongle if you care about streaming apps. For those who want a unit with a functioning smart OS, the Formovie THEATER is an alternative, but the NexiGo is better overall due to its brightness and gaming features.

    Check out our recommendations for the best 4k projectors, the best projectors for home theater, and the best short-throw projectors. If you'd prefer to shop for a cheaper product, look up the best projectors under $1,000 instead.

    Hisense PX3-PRO

    The Hisense PX3-PRO is a bit better than the NexiGo Aurora Pro, but the NexiGo has its advantages. It has slightly better contrast than the Hisense, with colors to match. Unfortunately, the NexiGo is also far less accurate than the Hisense, and is also harder to calibrate. This makes the NexiGo the slightly better choice for those who plan to use their projector exclusively in a dark room and don't care about color accuracy; everyone else is better off with the generally superior Hisense, especially with its wider feature set.

    Valerion VisionMaster Pro 2

    The Valerion VisionMaster Pro 2 is better than the NexiGo Aurora Pro. While the NexiGo has noticeably better contrast, the Valerion is visibly brighter and is also far more accurate out of the box. Plus, it's also far easier to calibrate than the NexiGo. Furthermore, the NexiGo comes with a barebones smart OS, while the Valerion has a fully functioning Android TV implementation on which you can install apps. The NexiGo is a UST projector, making it more versatile in certain room configurations, although the Valerion does have an optical zoom that lets you adjust the projection distance somewhat.

    XGIMI AURA 2

    The XGIMI AURA 2 and NexiGo Aurora Pro are closely matched. While the XGIMI is a bit better overall, the NexiGo is an attractive alternative for those who prioritize image pop over accuracy; its pre-calibration accuracy is far worse than the XGIMI, but its contrast is noticeably better, and it has a far wider color gamut Still, the XGIMi is brighter, and has a fully functioning smart OS. In contrast, the NexiGo's smart OS is barebones, and the unit requires a smart dongle if you want to access any streaming apps.

    AWOL Vision LTV-3000 Pro

    The NexiGo Aurora Pro is better than the AWOL Vision LTV-3000 Pro. The NexiGo has much better contrast, and has wider color gamut in the Rec. 709 color space, although the AWOL Vision performs better in the Rec. 2020 space, but these colors are terrible inaccurate without calibration. The NexiGo isn't terribly accurate out of the box either, but it's still far better than the AWOL Vision, giving it the edge.

    Show more 
    How We Test Projectors
    How We Test Projectors

    We've independently bought and tested over 60 projectors, and we've published all the detailed results for each so you can decide which one to buy. These have all been tested under the same standardized methodology, allowing you to compare them side by side. We still have all these projects in our lab so we can continually go back and compare them to ensure our reviews are still accurate. All our test methodology is also public on our website, so you can validate the results yourself.

    Throw Calculator

    Global Controls

    132
    1
    100
    NexiGo Aurora Pro
    100.0 in
    Aspect ratio: 16:9
    Throw distance: 20.0 in (range: 20.0 in – 20.0 in)
    Throw Ratio: 
     0.23
    Zoom (Wide → Tele): (1 - 1.00) 
    1
    Screen Size (D / W / H)
    100.0 in / 87.2 in / 49.0 in
    Lens Shift (Vertical / Horizonal) 
    0% (0.0 in) / 0% (0.0 in)
    Screen Brightness (estimated) 
    122 cd/m² (35.6 fL)

    Test Results

    perceptual testing image
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    RATINGS
    Category:
    All
    Picture Quality
    7.7
    Brightness
    White Light Output
    1,257 lm
    Color Light Output
    1,190 lm
    Brightness Uniformity
    98%
    Screen Brightness
    122 cd/m²

    This projector has good peak brightness. It's bright enough for a pleasant experience in rooms with a few lights. Its brightness is also incredibly uniform outside of barely noticeable darker corners. Unfortunately, its colors are only alright even though it has a wide color gamut; its colors don't fully pop in brighter scenes, especially next to its whites.

    8.8
    Contrast
    See details on graph tool
    1% APL Native Contrast
    2,517 : 1
    5% APL Native Contrast
    1,128 : 1
    10% APL Native Contrast
    668 : 1
    15% APL Native Contrast
    472 : 1
    25% APL Native Contrast
    296 : 1
    50% APL Native Contrast
    147 : 1

    The projector has excellent contrast and performs exceptionally well in darker scenes, leading to deep blacks when watching content in a dark room. Its relative contrast performance drops as the scenes get brighter, but it's still very good overall.

    4.8
    Pre-Calibration Color Accuracy
    White Balance dE
    8.92
    Color dE
    4.27
    Gamma
    2.25
    Color Temperature
    6,505 K
    Picture Mode
    Cinema Pro
    Color Temp Setting
    D65
    Gamma Setting
    2.2

    The projector has poor pre-calibration image accuracy. Its reds and blues are overrepresented and its greens are underrepresented in most shades of gray. Regarding gamma, most scenes are too dark, except for very dark and some very bright scenes, which are slightly too bright. The color accuracy is sub-par; yellows, greens, cyans, and whites, in particular, deviate from what they should be, especially when they're undersaturated. Thankfully, the color temperature is perfect, as it's right on the 6,500K target. If you'd like a similar yet more accurate projector, consider the Hisense PX3-PRO instead.

    7.9
    Post-Calibration Color Accuracy
    White Balance dE
    2.83
    Color dE
    2.80
    Gamma
    2.17
    Color Temperature
    6,551 K
    White Balance Calibration
    11 point
    Color Calibration
    Yes
    Picture Mode
    Cinema Pro

    The NexiGo Aurora Pro has full color calibration and 11-point white balance calibration, and it's much more accurate after adjusting these settings. Reds and blues are still overrepresented in the brightest grays; otherwise, the white balance is good. The color accuracy is also good, with whites being the outlier as they still have noticeable accuracy errors. Otherwise, most colors are now mostly what they should be, although greens lean a bit too much towards blue. Finally, the color temperature is still effectively perfect.

    9.6
    Color Gamut
    Rec. 709 xy
    99.86%
    Rec. 709 uv
    99.72%
    Rec. 2020 xy
    92.21%
    Rec. 2020 uv
    90.20%

    The NexiGo Aurora Pro has an extremely wide color gamut and covers all of the Rec. 709 color space, although its whites lean towards purple. It performs nearly as well in the wider Rec. 2020 color space, although with more accuracy errors, as whites, purples, blues, cyans, and grays are severely off the mark.

    Design
    Imaging
    Imaging Technology
    DLP
    Light Source
    Laser

    This is a single-chip DLP ultra-short-throw with an RGB laser light engine, which requires no maintenance and will last for 25,000 hours or more. It's not a true 4k projector, as it uses pixel shifting to create a higher-resolution image. This offers better quality than a pure 1080p projector but isn't as good as a native 4k projector.

    Optics
    Optical Zoom
    No
    Focus
    Manual Focus
    Keystone
    Manual Keystone
    Aspect Ratio
    16 : 9
    Minimum Throw Ratio
    0.23
    Maximum Throw Ratio
    0.23
    Horizontal Lens Shift
    N/A
    Vertical Lens Shift
    N/A

    As an ultra-short-throw model, the NexiGo Aurora Pro uses a fixed lens with no optical zoom. Focus is manual, there’s no lens shift, and only manual keystone is available. For precise sizing and placement, use our Throw Calculator.

    4.0
    Portability
    Height5.3" (13.5 cm)
    Width21.5" (54.6 cm)
    Depth16.1" (41.0 cm)
    Weight
    22.5 lbs (10.2 kg)

    The NexiGo Aurora Pro is big and heavy and requires an outlet to function, so it isn't made with portability in mind. It has no automatic image correction feature, so you'll need to manually adjust the focus and image geometry. The projector has two adjustable feet towards the front of the unit, letting you adjust the vertical projection angle. This model has a 60W speaker system with two 15W woofers and two 15W tweeters.

    7.1
    Noise
    Noise @ Maximum Brightness
    52.5dBA

    The NexiGo Aurora Pro's fan noise is decent. You'll hear it in a quiet room, but it's easy to mask by running your audio at a moderate volume, especially as the unit sits close to the screen, and thus away from you.

    Inputs
    Inputs & Connectivity
    HDMI
    3 (2x HDMI 2.0, 1x HDMI 2.1)
    HDMI 2.1 Rated Speed
    48Gbps
    USB Data Ports
    3
    Audio Out 3.5mm1
    Digital Optical Audio Out1
    Wi-FiYes
    Ethernet Speed100Mbps

    The NexiGo Aurora Pro has three HDMI 2.1 ports, one of which doubles as the eARC port. It's capable of 1080p @ 240Hz gaming, but it skips frames at 4k @ 120Hz. The projector supports Wi-Fi 6 and Bluetooth 5.2.

    7.3
    Supported Resolutions
    Native Resolution
    Pixel Shift 4k
    4k @ 60Hz
    Yes
    4k @ 120Hz
    No
    1440p @ 60Hz
    Scaled
    1440p @ 120Hz
    No
    1080p @ 60Hz
    Yes
    1080p @ 60Hz @ 4:4:4
    Yes
    1080p @ 120Hz
    No
    1080p Maximum Refresh Rate
    60 Hz

    The NexiGo Aurora Pro is a pixel-shift 4k projector. It accepts 4k @ 60Hz and 1080p @ 60Hz cleanly, and the latter supports full 4:4:4 chroma for crisp desktop text. 1440p is taken in but scaled to 1080p, and there's no 120Hz support at any resolution, as the unit frame skips at 4k @ 120Hz, 1440p @ 120Hz, and 1080p @ 120Hz (and 240Hz).

    7.1
    Input Lag
    4k @ 60Hz
    19.9
    4k @ 60Hz Outside Game Mode
    36.4
    4k @ 120Hz
    N/A
    1080p @ 60Hz
    19.8
    1080p @ 60Hz Outside Game Mode
    36.5
    1080p @ 120Hz
    N/A
    1080p @ Max Refresh Rate
    19.8

    With Gaming Mode and Low Latency enabled, the projector's input lag is decent. While it only supports 60Hz (as it frame skips at anything faster), it's quick enough for single-player titles. Multiplayer gamers might want to look elsewhere, however. Make sure to disable MEMC in the quick and display menus, as otherwise the projector enables interpolation.

    HDR Format Support
    HDR10
    Yes
    HDR10+
    Yes
    Dolby Vision
    Yes
    HLG
    Yes
    Audio Passthrough
    ARC/eARC
    Yes (eARC)
    eARC: Dolby Atmos Over Dolby Digital Plus
    Yes
    eARC: Dolby Digital Plus 7.1
    Yes
    eARC: LPCM 7.1 Over Dolby MAT
    Yes
    eARC: Dolby TrueHD 7.1
    Yes
    eARC: DTS:X Over DTS-HD MA
    Yes
    eARC: DTS-HD Master Audio 7.1
    Yes
    eARC: LPCM Channels (Bitstream)
    2.0
    ARC: Dolby Digital 5.1
    Yes
    ARC: DTS 5.1
    Yes
    Optical: Dolby Digital 5.1
    Yes
    Optical: DTS 5.1
    Yes

    With eARC and Digital Output set to RAW, the NexiGo Aurora Pro can pass Dolby Atmos (DD+ and TrueHD/Atmos), Dolby MAT/Atmos from consoles, DD+ 7.1, DTS-HD MA, and DTS:X. Uncompressed LPCM passthrough is limited to 2.0, so if a console/PC is set to LPCM 5.1/7.1, you'll only get stereo unless you switch to bitstream (Dolby or DTS). Over standard ARC and optical, you're capped at Dolby Digital 5.1 or DTS 5.1.

    3D
    3D Support
    Yes

    3D is supported with DLP-Link glasses. It accepts the common formats: Frame Packing, Frame Sequential, Side-by-Side (left–right), and Top–Bottom. To access the 3D options, use the Quick Menu and make sure DNR (noise reduction) is disabled under Image Parameters.

    Features
    In The Box

    • Power cable
    • Remote control
    • 2x AAA batteries
    • Microfiber cloth
    • User documentation
    Smart Features & Sound
    Cast Capable
    Yes
    Smart OS
    Android
    Speaker(s)
    Yes

    The NexiGo Aurora Pro has Android TV built-in and supports Miracast and AirPlay for casting. Unfortunately, a recent firmware update removed the operating system's app-style home menu, leaving you with a reduced user experience; we recommend a streaming dongle for the best overall experience.