Nighttime Performance

While we were preparing to test the nighttime experience with the XGIMI Halo+, we managed to snap a picture of the auto focus in action as it was starting up. On top of that, the Halo+ ended up receiving the latest Android update, which brought along the modern interface we have seen on the Chromecast with Google TV devices. This makes the user experience on the Halo+ the best Android experience to date and is something the Elfin should benefit from as well, as this is a Google controlled update.


Needless to say, at night, the XGIMI Halo+ really excels for its size. The unit is ever so slightly brighter than the Elfin when plugged in, but dims a little below it in terms of brightness when on battery power, similarly to how a laptop's maximum brightness is ever so slightly limited when running on its own power source.


Firing up our favorite trailer—yes, Top Gun: Maverik again—the colors popped, and you can clearly see all the details of the crowd within the hangar, as well as the wooden chair in the background of that one scene. Fun fact, even the crew member in the dark area of the fighter jet elevator platform scene becomes clearly visible, which is not even the case in our local IMAX theater where the trailer was also shown during our recent outing to see Shang-Chi on the big screen.


Obviously, anything else you throw at it looks great as well, with the cave walls in Death Stranding now visible in all their detail.

While not pertaining to the nighttime viewing experience, the speakers on the XGIMI Halo+ are crisp and loud with ample base to fill the soundstage without sounding tinny. In fact, they were so loud that 30% volume is more than enough to fill out the living room, while the full blast results in a scenario where you would have to shout at each other to be understood across the room. Even so, at 100% volume, the audio distortion which many compact speaker platforms in general suffer from was not present on the Halo+ unless listening really closely at the right moment.

Battery Use And Noise

With a unit as compact as the XGIMI Halo+, noise is always a concern, especially as you are meant to be able to place the unit in front of you with the kickstand pointing the unit upwards, thus putting the audio right in front as well. From 12 inches directly behind the unit, after it has been on for about 60 minutes, we measured an excellent 40.2 dBA, which is essentially comparable to a high-end PC working away in idle on your desk.

The included battery of the XGIMI Halo+ is advertised as another point of improvement over the original Halo. It takes about 2.5 hours to charge from completely empty to full, with the red LED on top of the device turning off once fully charged. Playing a video at 50% brightness yielded two hours and 19 minutes of runtime before the XGIMI Halo+ turned off with a 30 second warning from the Android OS. That is slightly less than the original Halo, which managed 2 hours and 38 minutes.