Projectors Tests Reviews

XGIMI Mogo 4 Laser : test / review

Published on: 07-06-2025 / Modified: 12-06-2025

XGIMI's Mogo range of portable projectors is usually divided into a "normal" and a "pro" version. With the launch of the fourth generation, things are going to change a little. The "pro" version will be replaced by a "laser" version, arguably the most important evolution since the creation of the Mogo range.

The use of a laser source can bring a lot of good things, such as extended color space, contrast, brightness, lower power consumption...etc. Will this XGIMI Mogo 4 laser tick all the boxes? That's what I'm here to find out

Introductory offer

Introductory price: €799

Until June 30, you'll receive the following gifts with the purchase of an XGIMI Mogo 4 Pro: carry bag, picnic blanket, inflatable sofa, Meng Lang mascot

To take advantage, choose your country from the following list:

XGIMI France

XGIMI Spain

XGIMI Germany

XGIMI Europe

XGIMI United Kingdom

XGIMI United States

XGIMI Canada

XGIMI Rest of World

Video test

Audio language: French

Subtitles in many languages

Audio language: English

Manufacturer web site:
https://www.xgimi.com

Price Mogo 4 Laser

Not yet available / tested

Timeline

Early May 2025: XGIMI Mogo 4 laser received for pre-launch testing

June 12, 2025: XGIMI Mogo 4 Laser officially launched and test published

Why this projector?

XGIMI is one of the brands I've been following for some years now, having tested every model in their range over the last 5 years. After the launch of the Horizon range, I felt the brand had a bit of a slump, but things have changed since the end of 2024 with the launch of many new models.

This time it's the Mogo range that sees the arrival of the Mogo 4 Laser. XGIMI's range of portable projectors is renewed almost every year, and until now, the evolution had been mainly aesthetic. The XGIMI Mogo 4 Pro takes up the basics of the previous model, improving placement flexibility and offering Netflix compatibility, but it's above all the use of the laser that will make the difference

So I'm curious to see what the use of the triple laser will bring to the Mogo range. In making this choice, XGIMI is tackling another market segment where there is little competition. The most direct competitor is the Nebula Capsule 3 Laser.

Unpacking

The XGIMI Mogo 4 Laser box is quite imposing for the size of the projector. The projector is obviously well protected, but it comes with a box containing 4 creative filters to extend the use of your projector. I'll come back to this point later in the test.

The box contains:

- the projector

- a USB charger

- a manual

- a box with 4 filters

- a remote control + batteries

As an option, you can also order a tripod containing a battery to extend the projector's autonomy.

Operating system

The XGIMI Mogo 4 Pro runs on Google TV with Netflix certification. You therefore benefit from the best operating system for projectors, with native compatibility with most streaming applications (Netflix, Amazon Prime, etc.). Google TV broadly follows the interface used on Android TV, with additional customization options. It's possible to use multiple profiles on the same projector to have a personalized home screen, but you can also use a search engine that will traverse all compatible applications. That way, if you don't know where a film or series is, you won't have to search for it manually in every application

Although this won't be useful for the majority of users, I also find that the wealth of settings makes it even easier to adapt/improve the experience of this projector. The image settings are quite extensive, the only thing missing is a tint setting.

Finish

The MOGO 4 is more or less the same cylindrical format as the previous generation, with a few modifications. First, there's the color. The previous model was champagne-colored, this one is metallic gray. I think this gives it a more qualitative look than

the previous generation, but that's my subjective opinion

It measures 20 cm in height and 10 in circumference. It weighs XXX grams, which is very light, but not enough to carry around the projector in your pocket.

The audio part is protected by a grille and features the usual Harman-Kardon speakers.

On the outside, there's a USB type C port to power the projector. There's a USB type A port and an HDMI port inside. I'm glad to see a normal HDMI port again on this version, as the previous model had a micro HDMI port but didn't come with a suitable cable in the box

The projector's positioning is also more flexible, as this time you can position it perfectly vertically for ceiling projection. This was not possible with the previous model, and this small modification adds a lot of interest to this projector

On the optical side, it's almost the same as before. We find the usual DMD 0.23 chip as on previous generations, but this time XGIMI has opted for a laser source instead of an LED source

A DMD 0.23 chip will inevitably have an impact on image size. Although XGIMI says this projector can generate a 120-inch image, in reality it will be much less. At 120 inches, the image will be far too dark and the gap between pixels will be visible. I'll come back to this point later in the test

Another new feature is this little plastic remote control. It allows you to control the projector without the remote control. It is undoubtedly designed for using the projector as a Bluetooth speaker, as the remote control is limited to basic functionality. This remote control uses a flat battery which is not supplied with the projector

Underneath is a standard screw thread for using any tripod, but XGIMI also markets a tripod equipped with a battery. This was already the case with the previous version, and the tripod is almost identical. It consists of two easy-to-assemble parts. One USB port is used to power the projector, the other to charge the battery. Using the projector's battery in combination with the tripod's will give you several hours' autonomy

The basic box comes with a series of optical filters. Each filter has a different function. There's a filter for a sunset atmosphere, a filter to create a wave effect, another to blur the image as if in a dream, and the last is a projection of the moon.

The first filter is designed to enlarge the image, but at the cost of significant distortion. The others are designed to create atmospheric lighting with music.

When you install one of the filters for the first time, XGIMI will prompt you to download an application to configure the filters. Each filter will create a different musical ambience, and by passing your hand in front of the filter, the visual effect and the music will change. I can't directly see the possibility of changing the music, and the volume tends to go back to maximum with each change

Before moving on to the next chapter, I'll take a quick look at the remote control. It has a very common appearance, looking like every other Mogo remote control I've tested before, but... It detects movement and lights up! This is the first backlit remote control in the Mogo range. Even the Aura 2 doesn't have one. It's a detail, but it's really very practical

Projection room

My projection room is rectangular, 4.6m by 2.9m (height 2.2m). I have two projection walls, one white wall 2.9m wide with just white paint with a possible 4m setback. I then have a 133 inch ALR screen on another wall with a possible setback of 2.8m. I mainly use the ALR screen except when the layout or type of projector is not suitable for this situation.

Battery autonomy

I didn't receive the battery specifications at the time of writing, but I can share my experience with regard to autonomy. In standard brightness, I obtained an autonomy of between 1h30 and 2h, which isn't enough to watch a full-length movie. It is possible, however, to increase autonomy by using the eco mode or by using the XGIMI tripod, which contains a battery. With the tripod, you should be able to double autonomy. With eco mode, you should theoretically be able to do the same, but the image is considerably darker (see paragraph on brightness).

The use of an integrated battery and the flexibility of placement are two of this projector's strengths. If you don't feel like buying the tripod with battery, a USB battery capable of delivering 60 watts should be able to power this projector.

Power consumption

I measured a consumption of just over 40 watts in standard mode, which is a little less than the previous model and brings the consumption level down to a ridiculously low level. In eco mode, consumption is around 25 watts, with brightness reduced by almost 50%. In eco mode, you should be able to watch a full-length film for more than two hours.

Operating noise

The projectors in the Mogo range have always been fairly quiet, and this is once again the case with this one. I measured less than 40 decibels close to the projector, and apart from a few bursts, this noise level remains stable. The projector is a little noisier when focusing, for example.

It becomes very noisy in performance mode, the same as on previous models. This performance mode is of little use, because image quality is poor and the projector is too noisy.

Image quality

Not yet available / tested

Colorimetry

More explanations on colorimetry

Measuring color fidelity (colorimetry) is not a subjective question, it is something completely measurable. This measurement is carried out with a device (colorimeter, spectrometer, ...) which measures the difference between the real color and the displayed color. This difference is expressed in delta E (abbreviation: dE). A dE greater than 3 indicates a deviation perceptible to the human eye.

The dE must therefore be as low as possible but projectors rarely have a dE lower than 3 out of the box. They are often between 5 and 10, only a calibration can correctly adjust the colors.

For a perfect calibration, you must call a professional. I give you my parameters which correspond to my situation. These settings might work for your situation but it is not a guarantee, so take them as an indication of the direction to follow.

White temperature

I'm starting my test of image quality with the measurement of white because white will determine the overall hue of the image.

White should have a temperature of 6500 Kelvin. Below this value, it will tend towards red, above it will tend towards blue.

This projector has a more limited number of image configurations, but as usual it's the film mode that comes closest to the norm at 7746 kelvin. The other settings produce an image that's too cold

You can still improve the situation with a calibration, and I'll show you how to do that later in this test. After calibration, I obtained a white at 6670 kelvins, which is really a very good result

With 6670 kelvins the image is warmer and this is particularly noticeable on the face of this still image. Skin color is much more natural, even though shooting from a laser source tends to increase the red in the image

Gray fidelity

I get the same result for grays as for whites; once again, the film mode has the most faithful gray level, but the deviation from the standard is still quite significant.

I obtained a delta E for grays of 6.91 with a growing deviation on the lightest grays. Gamma isn't too bad, I got 2.18

After calibration, I get a perfect delta E of 0.89 and a gamma of 2.3. This is an excellent result. This projector offers quite fine adjustments for white balance and gray, which is quite rare in this price range

Color fidelity

I measured the color fidelity of each configuration (standard, film, games) and it's with the film mode that I got the best result with a delta E of 6.65:

This result is not optimal, especially for white, but it's not catastrophic either. This type of projector is intended to be used just about everywhere, so it's not possible to find a configuration that will guarantee a good level of delta E in all circumstances.

After calibration, I get a delta E of 3.28 for colors, a delta E of 0.89 for grays and a delta E of 1.5 for white.

I could probably have done better on blues and greens, which still deviate too much, but the absence of tint adjustment makes things more complicated. I've asked XGIMI about this, and will update if I get more information

The color result is therefore good, but the gamut is also excellent. I exceed the REC2020 space, which is very rare for a portable projector.

Here, too, you can see the excessive deviation of blue and green.

With such an extensive color space, this means that this projector is capable of rendering a wide range of colors, which will be very useful for HDR.

Brightness

More explanations on brightness

The brightness for a projector is absolutely crucial. The brightness is measured in ANSI lumens and the values provided by the manufacturer are very often higher than reality.

I measure the brightness with a lux meter and I convert my measurements into ANSI lumens in relation to the projection surface. You thus obtain a real value.

A video projector, even if it is bright, cannot compete with a television. The contribution of light (natural or artificial) will have the effect of drastically reducing the contrast of your image. With a brightness lower than 1000 ANSI lumens, the projector must be used in total darkness.

I measured the brightness in all the available configurations and didn't notice any major differences. I measured brightness at between 370 and 390 ANSI lumens. This is a low level of brightness.

The performance configuration provides more brightness, but at the expense of image quality, so this configuration is not usable.

This projector also has an eco mode that drops brightness below 200 lumens

This level of brightness is very similar to the previous model and will therefore lead to the same recommendations for use:

The first is that this projector should be used in total darkness. The image will still be visible with ambient light, but as you can see from this image, the loss of contrast is very significant.

The second is that you'll need to limit the screen size to prevent the image from being too dark. You can aim for an image of 80 to 85 inches, or even a little more if your tolerance threshold is higher

Brightness plays a role in the maximum image size, but so does the DMD chip used. If you project the image onto too large an area, you'll start to see gaps between pixels.

Sharpness

XGIMI has a tendency to overdo the settings, but that's not the case with this model. The image is softer. I'll show you an example here with sharpness at 0 and another at 20, and I can't see any noise appearing in the image. The texture of Stilgar's skin is more detailed with maximum sharpness, but without any disturbing flaws

There's no scientific rule for finding the right level of sharpness. Some people prefer a well-cropped image, others prefer a softer one.

Contrast

More explanations on contrast

Contrast (on/off) is used to measure the difference between white and black. This measurement gives an indication of the ability of a projector to produce a good rendering in dark scenes.

A contrast lower than 500:1 should be considered as a very low contrast and the consequence will be especially visible in dark scenes where you will lose details. This is less of a problem for sports, bright films or even cartoons.

A low contrast ratio does not mean that a projector is not usable, you just have to be aware that for films like Aliens, dark scenes will no longer allow you to distinguish details.

The MOGO range has never shone in its ability to produce high-contrast images, but this new model will raise the bar. First, let's take a look at the Batman movie image I use almost every time:

The image isn't as cluttered as usual, the dark areas aren't totally lost in a mush of gray. This is a good sign.

I measured contrast in all configurations and obtained a contrast of 975:1 in game mode. Game mode is unfortunately not the best for colorimetry, so you have to find a compromise.

After calibration I obtained a contrast of 735:1, which is the best result of the entire MOGO range so far. We're slowly approaching the contrast level of projectors like the Formovie S5 or the Dangbei Atom. I'd achieved a contrast of 838:1 after calibration with the Formovie S5, so the gap isn't quite as wide.

Although the black is handled fairly well, it's still visible as a gray background.

Now, it's important to understand that with this type of projector, contrast will always be lower. So you probably won't be able to tell the difference between a projector with 1000:1 contrast and one with 900:1.

Motion compensation

Image size and projection distance

More explanations on the projection distance

The projection distance determines the size of the image and the size of the image is determined by the projector's throw ratio. If a projector has a throw ratio of 1.2, it will have an image width of 83 cm with possibly a gray border.

The distance also plays a role in the brightness because the brightness decreases with the square of the distance. A projector placed at 4 meters will therefore lose 4 times more brightness than a projector placed at 2 meters.

Keystone image correction does not modify the projection cone, it resizes the image inside the projection cone. This means that in the event of a significant correction, you will see a large gray border appear around your image.

With a brightness of less than 400 lumens, you can't project an image onto a very large surface without losing brightness. I remember testing a first-generation Mogo on a factory wall to obtain an image with a 15-meter base. It worked, but the image was very dark. It's the same with this Mogo 4 Laser. You can aim for an image size of around 85 inches in total darkness, and to achieve this image size, the projector needs to be around 230 cm away.

Screen choice

The choice of screen for this type of projector is fairly straightforward. The only reasonable option is a neutral white screen, possibly with a brightness gain greater than 1. Grey screens are not suitable for projectors with low brightness.

The question of the screen may even come to the fore, because for a projector in this price range, the cost of a screen will quickly represent a significant percentage of the projector's price. The gain won't be extraordinary unless you have a smooth, white, uniform surface.

You should also bear in mind that this projector has been designed to be used just about anywhere, so using a screen is probably not the most suitable use case.

Audio quality

More explanations on audio quality

I use several types of music tracks to illustrate the sound quality of the projector but the rendering will always be limited by the recording device. Since I always use the same device, you will be able to compare the difference on the same basis.

I regularly use well-known songs protected by copyright to illustrate the sound quality of a video projector. It therefore sometimes happens that YouTube decides to block my videos for these reasons. In this case, you can listen to the soundtracks directly on YouTube and hope that YouTube has not completely blocked my channel.

I put together a 3-minute soundtrack to test my projectors, using royalty-free tracks.

The sound is produced by a Harman Kardon loudspeaker that diffuses sound 360°. I haven't received the technical specifications, but I think it will be of equivalent power to the previous generation.

The sound produced by this projector is of good quality, but it's far from reaching the level of a dedicated installation. The sound is less powerful, so bass is shallower, but treble is fairly well represented

You'll find the sound sample in the video at the top of this article. I've interrupted the usual video with an external view of the projector in Bluetooth mode to show you what it sounds like

Video games

Encoutered bugs

I encountered a few bugs in the settings, but they weren't systematic. Sometimes parameter changes had no effect on the image, and HDR detection sometimes followed the same principle. I passed these problems on to XGIMI.

ALR/CLR Projection screen

Are you looking for a good ALR/CLR screen for your projector? I may have what you need:
ALR/CLR NothingProjector Screen

Test / Review conclusion

XGIMI has evolved the Mogo range over time, focusing mainly on the projector format and a few software improvements. As a result, technical specifications have not changed much between the first Mogo and the third generation.

With the MOGO 4 Laser, we find the same DMD chip, but the most important change comes from the use of a triple laser source.

The MOGO 4 is capable of rendering more colors with a higher level of fidelity. I also see a significant improvement in contrast. Contrast was a recurring weakness with XGIMI, but this new model doubles the contrast. It's still weak compared to a short-throw projector, but it's a big leap forward. We're approaching a Formovie S5 here.

This Mogo 4 laser is clearly the best of the Mogo range to date, and it also shakes up other brands such as Dangbei and Formovie. Its biggest weakness is its brightness, but in any case, even if it were twice as bright, you'd still have to use it in the dark. This was also the case for the Formovie S5

The Mogo 3 was the first to come with this tilting format, but it was limited in its movement. This is no longer the case with the MOGO 4, whose flexibility of use has improved dramatically. You can now envisage true ceiling projection without distortion, and I'm sure this will be a fairly common use case

You can also use the Mogo as an ambient projector with music. The filters supplied in the box can project relaxing patterns on the ceiling while playing music. Given its low power consumption, you can leave the projector running to create a visual and aural ambience without having to donate a kidney

On the sound side, we take the same and start again with Harman Kardon. Sound quality is good for a product of this type. It lacks a bit of power compared to a dedicated speaker, but it does the job for a portable projector. If you want something more punchy, you can always pair it with an external speaker like JBL

Other positive points include low operating noise, low power consumption, the presence of a built-in usb-rechargeable battery, numerous setting options and a game mode to lower input lag. Unlike previous models, this one offers native Netflix compatibility

The biggest weakness of this projector is its brightness and the size of the DMD chip. So you'll need to use this projector in a dark room and limit the image size to 85 inches to avoid seeing the pixel gap. It's the same for most projectors of this type. I also note the appearance of a red or green border around the white for large images.

I encountered a few bugs during my test period, but these are things that can happen when you test a projector long before its launch. XGIMI always listens to the problems I raise, so I think everything will be corrected for the launch date

Beyond the measurements, I'll also give you a purely subjective opinion. I always keep at least one portable projector for travelling or vacations. Until now, I've kept an XGIMI Halo+ on hand. I'm going to replace it with this MOGO 4 Laser. It may be less bright, but color rendition is much better, as is placement flexibility.

Strengths

Not yet available / tested

Weaknesses

Not yet available / tested

LAURENT WILLEN
Head of myself on this blog

I share my passions on my blog in my free time since 2006, I prefer that to watching nonsense on TV or on social networks. I work alone, I am undoubtedly one of the last survivors of the world of blogs and personal sites.

My speciality? Digital in all its forms. I have spent the last 25 years working for multinationals where I managed digital teams and generated revenues of over €500 million per year. I have expertise in telecoms, media, aviation, travel and tourism.