logo
Xgimi MoGo 4 review: The most stylish portable projector you can carry

Xgimi MoGo 4 review: The most stylish portable projector you can carry

Irish Examiner17-07-2025
With full HD visuals, Google TV, and a bold, compact design, the Xgimi MoGo 4 proves that a portable projector can be more than just functional; it can be downright fun.
Design and build
The MoGo 4 resembles a Bluetooth speaker or a stylish travel mug, ready to sit on your desk. It's that compact. But don't let the sleek exterior fool you, because inside this 2025 iF DESIGN Award winner is a serious entertainment device.
Roughly the size of a large travel cup, the cylindrical MoGo 4 sports a stylish silver matte finish, smooth rounded edges, and a subtle LED light ring at the base. It's compact enough to slip into a backpack and comes with a detachable lanyard featuring a basic remote control on the end. This is a brilliant idea that lets you leave the standard remote at home while still retaining full control of the projector. Another thoughtful design touch is the use of bold orange accents, which add a playful and distinctive flair to the overall look.
The build quality is solid, with a weighty feel that suggests exceptional durability. The integrated pull-up stand allows for 360° rotation, so whether you're projecting onto a ceiling or a side wall, you won't need a tripod. That said, there's also a tripod screw mount on the base, allowing you to use a standard tripod.
You can also purchase the MoGo 4 with an optional power stand that includes a built-in 20,000mAh battery. The projector snaps securely into the stand and releases with a simple press of a button. The stand complements the MoGo 4's design language perfectly, adding extra setup flexibility, extended playtime, and overall convenience.
Setup
Setting up the MoGo 4 was surprisingly intuitive and straightforward. Pull the stand up, aim it at a surface, and the auto-keystone correction and autofocus instantly snap everything into place. I was able to project a sharp, perfectly aligned image on my wall in under 30 seconds, with little to no manual adjustment required. The auto keystone correction worked flawlessly, although I occasionally needed to make minor adjustments to the focus to achieve optimal sharpness, but only by a slight amount.
Even better, the instant setup tech handled tricky surfaces and uneven angles without any fuss. The built-in battery means no scrambling for a socket during setup either, making it ideal for outdoor movie nights or impromptu presentations.
Smart features
The MoGo 4 comes with Google TV built-in, and the interface is polished and intuitive, offering full access to the Play Store and built-in licensed services, including Netflix, Prime Video, YouTube, and more. No sideloading, no weird workarounds, just log in and start watching.
Amazingly, the MoGo 4 comes with two remote controls. The main remote includes a feature you don't always find, even in more expensive projectors: backlit keys for the most essential functions, making it much easier to use in the dark. You get four shortcut keys for YouTube, Netflix, Prime Video and a fourth shortcut to jump straight to any app downloaded from the Google Play Store. There's even a built-in microphone and Google Assistant button for voice commands.
The mini remote typically attaches to the projector itself but can be detached from its lanyard to handle basic functions. Sure, you could just use your phone as a remote, but this cutesy alternative is far simpler, and means you can leave the main remote at home when you take the Mogo 4 on the move.
Connectivity is excellent, featuring WiFi, Bluetooth 5.1, HDMI ARC, and USB. Whether casting from your phone or plugging in a console, the MoGo 4 handles it with ease.
Picture quality
The MoGo 4 delivers Full HD 1080p resolution with 450 ISO lumens, making it bright enough for indoor use, especially at night or with curtains drawn. During my testing, I streamed Netflix and YouTube content via Google TV, and the image held up well even on textured white walls.
Colours were vibrant, motion handling was smooth, and the image remained sharp up to around 100 inches before losing fidelity. For something this small and stylish, the picture performance was better than expected. That said, this projector isn't bright enough during the day, and the darker the room, the better the image quality will be. Although I haven't tested it myself, based on the spec sheet, the laser version of the MoGo 4 should deliver slightly better image quality, thanks to the improved brightness and contrast typically offered by laser projection.
Audio
Xgimi partnered with Harman/Kardon for the dual 6W speakers. Audio reproduces clear dialogue, with decent loudness, and surprisingly rich given the projector's size. For small to medium spaces, it easily replaces a portable speaker, but don't expect too much in the way of bass. However, its unique point of difference is the ambient speaker mode. Simply switch the MoGo 4 into Bluetooth speaker mode, and the base pulses to the beat of your music. It might be a bit of a party trick, but it's still pretty cool and adds a fun touch to the overall experience.
Creative filters and gesture controls
The MoGo 4 features magnetic filters like Sunset, Ripple, and Lunar. The Sunset filter is included in the box, while the other three filters need to be purchased separately. Snap them over the lens, and the image casts ambient hues to match your mood, making it great for parties, chill nights, or as an ambient background visual.
While you can switch filter effects using the remote, simply waving your hand in front of the lens also changes them. The gesture control worked reliably during my testing and adds a fun, interactive element, especially for kids.
Battery life
The MoGo 4 lived up to its rated 2.5 hours of video playback on eco mode, which is enough for most films. Using the PowerBase Stand (sold separately), it can stretch to around five hours. As a Bluetooth speaker, the MoGo 4 provides up to 6 hours of playback time.
For its size and features, these numbers are more than respectable. Charging is via USB-C, which is another practical plus.
Verdict
The XGIMI MoGo 4 combines everything you could want in a portable projector, including a stylish design, impressive visuals, decent audio, and ease of use. It delivers serious portable entertainment with fun extras to match.
€495 Xgimi MoGo 4 or €565 when bundled with PowerBase stand Amazon.co.uk
Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

YouTube and Apple among those still 'turning a blind eye' to child abuse material, eSafety commissioner finds
YouTube and Apple among those still 'turning a blind eye' to child abuse material, eSafety commissioner finds

Irish Independent

timea day ago

  • Irish Independent

YouTube and Apple among those still 'turning a blind eye' to child abuse material, eSafety commissioner finds

In a report released on Wednesday, the eSafety Commissioner said YouTube, along with Apple, failed to track the number of user reports it received of child sex abuse appearing on their platforms and also could not say how long it took them to respond to such reports. The Australian government decided last week to include YouTube in its world-first social media ban for teenagers, following eSafety's advice to overturn its planned exemption for the Alphabet-owned Google's video-sharing site. 'When left to their own devices, these companies aren't prioritising the protection of children and are seemingly turning a blind eye to crimes occurring on their services,' eSafety Commissioner Julie Inman Grant said in a statement. 'No other consumer-facing industry would be given the licence to operate by enabling such heinous crimes against children on their premises, or services.' A Google spokesperson said 'eSafety's comments are rooted in reporting metrics, not online safety performance', adding that YouTube's systems proactively removed over 99pc of all abuse content before being flagged or viewed. 'Our focus remains on outcomes and detecting and removing (child sexual exploitation and abuse) on YouTube,' the spokesperson said in a statement. Meta - owner of Facebook, Instagram and Threads, three of the biggest platforms with more than three billion users worldwide - has said it prohibits graphic videos. The eSafety Commissioner, an office set up to protect internet users, has mandated Apple, Discord, Google, Meta, Microsoft, Skype, Snap and WhatsApp to report on the measures they take to address child exploitation and abuse material in Australia. The report on their responses so far found a 'range of safety deficiencies on their services which increases the risk that child sexual exploitation and abuse material and activity appear on the services'. Safety gaps included failures to detect and prevent livestreaming of the material or block links to known child abuse material, as well as inadequate reporting mechanisms. It said platforms were also not using 'hash-matching' technology on all parts of their services to identify images of child sexual abuse by checking them against a database. Google has said before that its anti-abuse measures include hash-matching technology and artificial intelligence. The Australian regulator said some providers had not made improvements to address these safety gaps on their services despite it putting them on notice in previous years. 'In the case of Apple services and Google's YouTube, they didn't even answer our questions about how many user reports they received about child sexual abuse on their services or details of how many trust and safety personnel Apple and Google have on-staff,' Inman Grant said.

Must-know Samsung ‘button hold' trick saves telly fans from nightmare TV-breaking problem
Must-know Samsung ‘button hold' trick saves telly fans from nightmare TV-breaking problem

The Irish Sun

time3 days ago

  • The Irish Sun

Must-know Samsung ‘button hold' trick saves telly fans from nightmare TV-breaking problem

The tech giant has also unveiled its range of foldable phones SAMSUNG customers across the world were hit with issues with their smart TVs over the weekend. Tech-savvy users figured out a way to solve the outage and shared the hot tip with others. 2 Samsung TV users were unable to access YouTube and Prime Video Credit: Samsung Reddit became awash with Samsung customers reporting issues with their TVs last week, claiming they were unable to access apps like YouTube, Apple TV, Hulu and Prime Video. They claimed that the apps were still visible on the menu, but as soon as they tried to open them, they were presented with a variety of error messages. Netflix, which operates on its own content delivery network, was unaffected by the outage, which suggested the issues were connected to the servers used by other streaming apps. Top TV tip On Reddit, users from across the globe were reporting issues. read more on samsung FOLD ON! I try mind-boggling 4mm thin folding Samsung phone – with a perk missing on iPhone Denmark, America, England, El Salvador were some of the countries affected by the fault. Following a discussion on Reddit, one user shared the handy trick. "Suggest you hold the power button on your remote until the splash screen comes up. That's a full power cycle. Or you can unplug, leave unplugged for 30 seconds, and then power up," they wrote. Another advised: "Try to reboot the TV, and if it doesn't work, reboot the router. If it doesn't work, hold the power button on the remote until it resets." Samsung's scramble One user on Reddit claimed to have received a response from Samsung support, letting them know that the company was "aware of a potential disruption of service on your Samsung TV". The brand added that its engineers were working to fix the issue "as soon as possible". The issue is now resolved, but for Samsung smart TV customers, this could be a helpful tip to remember. The Sun has contacted Samsung for comment. Foldable phones This comes after customers have gone wild for the new Samsung foldable smartphones. The tech giant has unveiled a new range - and they are thinner and lighter than before. This includes a new Galaxy Z Fold7 for those wanting to seamlessly switch to a big screen experience, the Galaxy Z Flip7 for a compact handset, as well as a cheaper Galaxy Z Filp7 FE. On the Galaxy Z Fold7, Samsung has managed to bring the weight down to 215g (less than an iPhone 16 Pro Max) and the thickness to 8.9mm folded. Meanwhile, the Galaxy Z Flip7 is the thinnest the range has seen yet at 6.5mm when folded - and the battery size has been increased despite the slimming down. And for the first time a budget "FE" edition has been introduced, starting at £849. While Samsung has led the way on foldables, the category as a whole still remains smaller compared to traditional phone formats. So, to give people a chance to test them out Samsung has started a new 100 day trial period. It means you can buy any one of the new Galaxy Z devices and return it for a full refund up to 100 days later if you're unconvinced. 2 People shared the handy tip on Reddit Credit: Getty

RedMagic Astra gaming tablet review: A compact powerhouse for mobile gamers
RedMagic Astra gaming tablet review: A compact powerhouse for mobile gamers

Irish Examiner

time7 days ago

  • Irish Examiner

RedMagic Astra gaming tablet review: A compact powerhouse for mobile gamers

If you're serious about mobile gaming and want something ultra-portable without compromising on raw power, the RedMagic Astra gaming tablet might just be what you've been waiting for. With its compact design, flagship-grade internals, and gamer-focused software, this is a tablet made for those who want more than just casual entertainment. I've spent the last few weeks testing it thoroughly across everyday use, gaming, and emulation. Design and build The Astra is a premium metal-bodied tablet that feels sleek and solid in the hand. At only 6.9mm thick and weighing 370g, it's lightweight enough for long gaming sessions without wrist fatigue. The silver finish I tested doesn't scream like many gaming devices. I love the 9-inch form factor because I find it perfect for handheld gaming as it's large enough to display detail, yet small enough to remain portable. Just like RedMagic gaming phones, there's no annoying camera bump to disrupt your grip, and the corners are nicely rounded for comfort. The power button doubles as a fingerprint reader, while the signature RedMagic gaming red switch on top gives you instant access to the gaming UI. However, there's no SIM support or microSD card slot, which might disappoint those hoping for cellular data or expandable storage. Display The Astra packs a 9.06-inch OLED panel with a resolution of 2,400 x 1,504 pixels and a super-smooth 165Hz refresh rate. Colours are rich, contrast is deep, and brightness levels (1,600 nits peak) are strong enough for both indoor and outdoor use. You can choose between dynamic refresh rate adjustment and locking it to 60Hz or 165Hz, depending on your needs. It's a joy to game or stream video on, and although it lacks HDR support for platforms like Netflix, the Widevine L1 certification ensures full HD playback across most major apps. Performance Under the hood, the Astra is powered by the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 Elite Edition, paired with up to 24GB of LPDDR5T RAM (plus virtual RAM support), and UFS 4.1 Pro storage. This tablet is seriously fast. My 16GB + 512GB model never once felt slow, whether I was multitasking, gaming, or running emulators. Games like Call of Duty Mobile and Wreckfest ran smoothly at the highest settings, and even PS2 emulation, which scaled up to 8x resolution, didn't stutter. The thermals were impressive too. Even after long sessions, the device never got hot, and I didn't notice any throttling. There's also full support for RedMagic's gaming overlays and performance modes, including 'Diablo Mode' and real-time CPU/GPU monitors. Software features The RedMagic gaming switch launches a dedicated game space UI where you can tweak performance, access shortcuts, and control notifications. You also get screen recording, floating windows, CPU boosting, and more. The software is slick and streamlined into an interface that feels made for gamers first. The stereo speakers tuned with DTS:X Ultra provide punchy audio, and while the physics of a smaller device limits the bass and audio fidelity, the audio quality is excellent. While the 13MP rear and 5MP front cameras are nothing special, they're perfectly fine for video calls, scanning documents, or casual snaps. RedMagic haven't skimped on connectivity with the latest bells and whistles onboard, including dual-band Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth 5.4, and USB-C with DisplayPort out, which is a great feature if you want to connect the tablet to a larger display for docked gaming or media use. The Astra comes with Android 15 and the RedMagic OS 10.5. The UI feels fluid, gaming features are neatly integrated, and it comes with full Google Play support. Graphical features The Astra supports frame interpolation technology, which RedMagic calls Frame Rate Boost. This enhances fluidity by intelligently inserting extra frames between existing ones, much like what you'd expect from high-end gaming monitors or smart TVs. The result is a smoother, more immersive visual experience, especially during fast-paced gameplay where split-second reactions matter. The tablet also features the ability to upscale mobile games to 2K resolution at up to 120 frames per second, delivering a level of visual fidelity and responsiveness which RedMagic claims rivals many console or even mid-range PC setups. A growing number of popular titles are already taking advantage of Astra's high refresh rate display. Call of Duty: Mobile currently supports 120Hz gameplay, while Minecraft takes it a step further with full 165Hz optimisation. Arena Breakout and Delta Force both run at 144Hz, with full support for Delta Force arriving in July 2025. League of Legends: Wild Rift is also due to receive 144Hz support in the same timeframe. Even PUBG Mobile is joining the high refresh club, with 120Hz gameplay expected to land by mid-2025. Having tested several of these games on the Astra, the difference is striking. Animations appear smoother, touch response feels more immediate, and the entire gaming experience is excellent. Battery life and charging The 8200mAh cell comfortably lasts through a day of mixed usage, and even with sustained gaming, it managed well over six hours of screen-on time. For media streaming, you can expect up to 33 hours of playback, which is remarkable for a tablet of this size. The Astra supports up to 80W fast charging (though no charger is included), with a full charge taking a little over an hour. Verdict The RedMagic Astra has a premium build, class-leading performance, and dedicated gaming features all packed into a highly portable package. Highly recommended. From €499

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store