The XGIMI AURA is a 4k HDR Ultra Short Throw (UST) projector. It's capable of projecting on large surfaces from a very short distance: it projects an 80" image at a distance of 4.3" and up to 150" at 17.3". The projector comes with 8-Point and 4-Point Keystone correction technology to help eliminate trapezoid effects if you've installed it off-center or at an angle. The projector uses a laser light source with a lamp life of at least 20000 hours. It comes with Android TV with Chromecast built-in, with three HDMI 2.0 ports, each capable of 4k @ 60Hz. Finally, it supports DTS and Dolby advanced audio formats and has four integrated 15W Harman/Kardon speakers.
We've independently bought and tested over 45 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.
Our Verdict
The XGIMI AURA is decent for watching movies. Its native contrast is very good, and its brightness is okay, leading to deep blacks and a somewhat bright image when watched in a dark room. Unfortunately, the projector's color accuracy before calibration is bad, and it lacks any color calibration to significantly improve the colors after calibration, so it's not the projector for color purists.
- Very good contrast for deep blacks in dark rooms.
- Ultra Short Throw technology allows large screens from a very short distance.
- Dull and inaccurate colors.
Changelog
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Updated Feb 10, 2025:
We mentioned the newly reviewed XGIMI AURA 2 in the Differences Between Variants and the Compared To Other Projectors sections of this review.
- Updated Sep 30, 2024: Mentioned the newly reviewed Samsung The Premiere LPU7D in the Color Gamut section of this review.
- Updated Aug 02, 2024: We've converted this review to Test Bench 0.9. We've overhauled our Contrast tests, as we now measure contrast at various average pixel levels (APL). You can see the full changelog here.
- Updated Mar 18, 2024: We mentioned the newly-reviewed Formovie THEATER in the Post-Calibration Color Accuracy section of this review.
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Differences Between Sizes And Variants
We bought and tested the XGIMI AURA. It has a successor, the XGIMI AURA 2. While they have a similar feature set, the AURA 2 is brighter, has more HDR formats, and has a more modern feature set. You can see the primary differences between the two units in the table below.
| Model | Luminance (Lumens) | HDR Formats | Light Source | Bluetooth | Smart OS | Auto Keystone/Autofocus |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| AURA 2 | 2400 | HDR10, Dolby Vision, IMAX Enhanced | LED + Laser | 5.2/BLE | Android TV 11 | Yes |
| AURA | 1800 | HDR10 | Laser | 5.0 | Android TV 10 | No |
See our unit's label.
Popular Projector Comparisons
The XGIMI AURA is packed with technology, and its Ultra Short Throw (UST) lens projects very large images from a very short distance. Still, it's very expensive for what you're getting. The Epson EpiqVision Ultra LS300 is another UST laser projector that's cheaper than the XGIMI and better due to its significantly higher brightness and image accuracy. However, it's only a 1080p projector, so it doesn't look as sharp as the XGIMI when projecting on large surfaces. The AURA also has a successor, the XGIMI AURA 2. The newer model is better in every way and is also now more widely available than the original.
Check out our recommendations for the best short-throw projectors and the best projectors. If you'd prefer a cheaper unit, look up the best cheap projectors instead.
The XGIMI AURA 2 is a noticeable improvement over the XGIMI AURA. The AURA 2 is brighter and is far more accurate than the AURA. It also has a more modern feature-set, with Dolby Vision and IMAX Enhanced certification, Android TV 11, and Bluetooth 5.2, while the original AURA is limited to HDR10, Android TV 10, and Bluetooth 5.0. The AURA 2 also has full auto keystone technology and an autofocus, making it easier to move around than its predecessor.
The XGIMI HORIZON Ultra is better than the XGIMI AURA. The Ultra is significantly brighter than the AURA and has superior image accuracy. The Ultra also has full auto keystone correction and autofocus, which the AURA lacks, so the Ultra is easier to set up correctly. However, due to its Ultra Short Throw lens, the AURA can project large images at much smaller distances. Otherwise, the Ultra is better.
The Formovie THEATER is better than the XGIMI AURA, but it's close. Still, the contrast, color accuracy, and color gamut are better on the Formovie, leading to a more vibrant and punchier image overall.
The Hisense PX1-PRO is a bit better than the XGIMI AURA. The Hisense is a bit more colorful due to its wider color gamut and is much more color-accurate both prior and after calibration. However, the XGIMI has better contrast and looks better in a dark room.
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Test Results
The XGIMI AURA isn't meant to be portable as it's a big and heavy projector without an integrated battery, so it needs to be plugged in. The projector lacks auto keystone correction, so you must manually adjust the image. It also doesn't have autofocus, so you have to manually focus the projector using the remote control. It does have integrated speakers in case you need to move it.
This model uses a laser light source, which requires no maintenance and will last for 20,000 hours or more. This means you likely won't ever have to worry about replacing its light source. It's an Ultra Short Throw (UST) projector, capable of projecting an image on an 80" screen at a distance of 4.3" up to a 150" screen at a distance of 17.3". The projector doesn't do true 4k as it uses pixel shifting to create a higher resolution image. This offers better quality than 1080p but doesn't look as good as native 4k.
This projector has okay brightness, with great brightness uniformity. It offers an alright viewing experience in a dark room. Unfortunately, the projector isn't bright enough to make its colors pop.
The XGIMI AURA 4k has very good native contrast, leading to deep blacks in a dark room.
The projector has poor image accuracy out of the box. Its white balance is off, with blues being overrepresented in most shades of white. Its color accuracy is bad, with blues and cyans, in particular, being completely off the mark. Finally, the projector's color temperature is very cold, giving everything a blue-ish tint.
The projector's image accuracy improves significantly after calibration, but it's still only decent. It lacks color calibration, so its colors are still noticeably inaccurate, especially its blues. Thankfully, its post-calibration white balance is very good, with some minor accuracy errors, and its color temperature is almost exactly on target. If calibration is important, the Formovie THEATER is much more accurate post-calibration than this projector.
The projector has a good color gamut. It covers most of the Rec. 709 color space used with SDR content, although it struggles with displaying the wider Rec. 2020 color space. For a similar projector with a slightly wider color gamut, look at the Samsung The Premiere LPU7D instead.
