XGIMI Elfin projector review: High-def or horrible?

Last Updated on: 29th March 2022, 04:30 pm

The Elfin is a portable projector made by XGIMI that claims to be the brightest in its size. We received one of these projectors for review, so is it any good?

Portability

One of the biggest (or rather smallest) features of the Elfin is its size. This XGIMI projector can easily fit into a suitcase to take on a plane trip or a backpack if you’re looking to just take it to a friend’s house.

With as small of a footprint as the Elfin has, you might think it uses that space elsewhere in the form of a bulky power brick to house the battery, but the Elfin only uses one power cable and a small brick.

Honestly, I’ve had a bit of experience with portable projectors and nothing even comes remotely close to the Elfin.

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Picture Quality

The Elfin’s standard resolution comes in at 1920 x 1080 (1080p) but is compatible with both 2k and 4k resolutions — however, I have only tested strictly with the standard resolution for this review.

I have to say, with the size of the Elfin projector I was really not expecting much at all, but the picture quality blew me away.

Right now, I have it set up to display from my computer desk and project onto the bare wall (no screen) behind my bed — a projecting distance of about 15 feet. This little projector is able to fill my entire wall and then some with incredible quality.

However, there are some screen tears that happen every so often which does bug me to some extent, but overall the picture quality is impressive. And at a maximum of 800 lumens, you’ll still probably need to close your blinds if you want to enjoy a quality picture.

Features

As far as features go, the Elfin projector is full of them. To start, it’s a “smart projector” with a built-in Android operating system, which means you can download apps directly to the projector instead of worrying about using another device as a source.

You can download all of the major streaming services like Netflix, Disney+, HBO Max, Hulu, YouTube and a ton of other apps including a bunch of games.

The Elfin projector also includes auto-focus, auto-keystone (which is the angle adjustment to make sure your picture is lined up properly) and there’s even a game mode included to reduce latency.

It also has built-in speakers which actually hold their own pretty well, but if you’re looking for ultra-high quality sound then you’ll probably want to get separate speakers.

There is also a 3D mode included with the projector that can be used with XGIMI’s 3D glasses, but I did not test this feature as I don’t have the compatible glasses.

The Elfin projector also includes one USB-A 2.0 port, an HDMI 2.0 port and a 3.5mm headphone jack on the rear of the device. It also has Wi-Fi and Bluetooth 5.0 built into the system.

I do wish the projector included an option for AirPlay, but since it’s an Android device it’s understandable why it doesn’t. Just would have been nice.

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Price

The XGIMI Elfin portable projector will run you about $650 (direct from XGIMI and from Amazon).

Worth it?

So, ultimately, the question comes down to: is it worth it? Well, when it comes down to the features included I would have to say if you’re in the market for a projector this is certainly a fantastic option.

It may seem pricey looking at the projector itself, but factoring in the different features, the small footprint and the fact that most smart TVs nowadays are significantly more expensive (when it comes to the size that the projector can display), $650 is easily justifiable.

One thing to note is there’s a strange discoloration I’ve found that happens on the surface of the projector. It almost seems like it would just be dust accumulation (which would be normal), but it doesn’t feel like it is. So I’m not sure what’s up with that.

Plus, you can’t fit an 80-inch TV into your backpack. Just sayin’.