Review: XGIMI Vibe One Battery-Powered Projector

The fact that a battery-powered, Google-certified, Netflix-streaming, Full HD LCD projector can cost less than $250 is remarkable. The fact that it’s actually pretty good verges on preposterous. The XGIMI Vibe One manages both, which is great news you’re looking to project your next bingeable series just about anywhere.

This portable projector weighs only 3.1 pounds and measures 12.1 by 5.3 by 4.5 inches. It’s the size and shape of one of those sadistic mini foam rollers you'd find at the gym, but with a useful handle. This handle rotates 160 degrees to serve as a stand, letting you tilt the image from wall to ceiling without needing a separate tripod. The Vibe One also doubles as a portable LED lamp and Bluetooth speaker.

This petite projector is obviously not in the same league as a hugely powerful (and much more expensive) all-in-one model like the enormous Nebula X1 Pro, but is it still worth buying?

Lights, Camera, Action

WIRED’s favorite projectors include the similarly cylindrical but wired XGIMI MoGo 3 Pro ($379), and the brand's fully portable XGIMI MoGo 4 ($399) that boasts a 2.5-hour battery life, 450 ISO lumens of brightness, and the cutest key fob-style remote control.

Of those three, the Vibe One is definitely the runt of the XGIMI litter, with its simple plastic casing and toned-down specifications, but it is one of the cheapest Full HD, battery-powered projector on the market, undercutting the smaller but similarly powerful Nebula Capsule 3 ($530).

I’m a fan of XGIMI’s industrial design, and the brand has worked wonders here given the obvious budget constraints. My review sample was a muted cream, but the brand also offers a more playful blue and yellow option, and both come with stickers for customization.

Photograph: Chris Haslam

The built-in pivoting stand makes it easy to position the projector in your space. Point the lens down to activate Bluetooth mode for streaming music. A built-in ambient light turns on, giving it the look of a funky Ikea table lamp. You can even tweak the light color with the remote. The 4-hour battery life in Bluetooth mode is pretty terrible, but it's easy enough to plug the projector in when you're leaving it out on display.

Setting up the projector is incredibly simple with the built-in Google TV software. Turn it on, point at a wall, wait for the autofocus and auto keystone correction to kick in, and then log into your Google account. After that, you’re free to stream from any entertainment app you can think of. There are also HDMI and USB-A ports for mirroring from other devices.

Big Screen, Tiny Package

I admittedly did not expect much from the XGIMI Vibe One. My meager expectations were exceeded, though, and given the right conditions—a small, virtually pitch-black room— the picture is enjoyably good.

The LCD projection system has a native resolution of 1920 x 1080 with a 1.3:1 throw ratio and 1,500:1 contrast ratio. It’s good for a 70- to 90-inch display (in a dark room), and the picture is detailed and smooth enough for casual viewing. Motion on cheap projectors is often woeful, but it’s actually fine here. There’s a little ghosting, especially if the action is happening at night, but it doesn’t ruin the fun. You can delve easily into the picture menus and tweak the sharpness and contrast levels to your heart’s content, which can definitely improve the viewing experience.

Photograph: Chris Haslam

Photograph: Chris Haslam

The projector's 250 ISO lumens of brightness can only get you so far, however, and the Vibe One is almost powerless against sunshine. You'll want to draw the curtains at all times with this one. You can boost brightness via the settings, which punches things up a notch, but devours battery life and causes the fan to run so loud I assumed it was defective. (Sadly, it was not.)

The pair of built-in, three Watt JBL speakers are adequate here, but as you can imagine, there’s very little in the way of bass frequencies. Dialogue can also get lost if there’s a lot going on in a scene, and it all sounds very localized. As a Bluetooth speaker, it’s perfectly fine, but it can't compete with our top picks.

Battery Woes

With the average movie now running to 114 minutes, the Vibe One’s maximum 1.2 hours of battery life is, well, terrible. To even achieve that figure you’ll need to set it to Eco mode, which limits brightness considerably. Otherwise you'll need to plug it in to watch anything over an hour long.

It’s the biggest flaw in an otherwise great little projector, and sadly limits its practicality. You're better off considering the Vibe One's portability a bonus feature rather than a reason to buy. You'd need to spend at least $100 more to punch through the 2-hour battery ceiling, or invest in a projector like the Soundcore Nebula Mars 3 ($1,149), which has a 5-hour battery life and 1,000 ANSI lumens of brightness.

Should You Buy One?

Despite its technological limits, the XGIMI Vibe One is extremely easy to enjoy. No, it isn’t bright enough for daytime viewing, the speakers are only adequate, and the battery won’t get you through most films. But for $250, you’re still getting a Full HD projector with Google TV, autofocus, keystone correction, and plenty of customization, all squeezed into a stylish, practical design that doubles as a speaker and lamp.

Photograph: Chris Haslam

It’s not the best portable projector, and it’s no TV replacement, but it is a great extra screen for spare-room cinema nights, kids’ sleepovers, and garden-wall projectors well after dark. Just treat the battery as backup rather than the main event, and keep the curtains closed.