XGIMI’s earlier portable MoGo models were released a few years ago now – reviewed here – and the XGIMI MoGo 4 is a considerable leap forward, that follows a previous model in this range by only a year. This new MoGo 4 builds on that previous outing, while retaining a similar design, but they clearly want to capture the market with a ‘go-everywhere, anytime’ approach, and this is a high quality, portable projector that’s been excellent to assess.

Whether you’re lingering in the realms of home working, or dropping into the new student year, this is a good addition to your setup. It’s got big screen dynamism in a small device. So much so, you can carry it around or slip it into your bag to take it anywhere you like. It also holds the charge for a decent time (depending on your screen resolution level), yet also comes with a plug as you’d expect, so you can slot that thing in when you need an energy boost.

So even though it’s designed for the outdoors, and we’re heading into the red, orange and darker hues of autumn and winter, there’s no reason you can’t use it immediately and see it as an investment through the colder nights, right through to the brighter seasons. Envision transforming your chosen wall into a cinema screen, and whether you’ve got a proper ‘screen’ or not, pretty much any surface – within reason – can become your display.

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What can I expect from the MoGo4?

Described as an ‘All-in-One Vibe Machine’ – but stick with me – it is a fun and valid term for what you’re getting. As well as it being truly transportable, and I’ve seen the evolution of these coming from chunky beings to this device that’s incredibly easy to pack up and move around, it also offers 1080p Full HD visuals enhanced by 450 ISO Lumens brightness, enabling vibrant, detailed projections up to 120 inches (3 meters) – meaning a good image in varying conditions.

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First Impressions

I’ve witnessed the development of so-called portable projectors over the last 5-10 years, and this is one of the first ones I’ve seen that really is transportable – although not without a related power issue but I’ll come back to that.

The MoGo4 can picked up, unplugged and stored safely in your bag of choice, so there’s no doubt it covers that truth. Personally, I think you’d move it room-to-room, rather than take it out of the house, but both are unquestionably an option. Now, to use it outside, you’ll need sunshine or the darker warmth of nighttime in the summer – as this isn’t waterproof – but it’s one for the future, when the late-night adventure options return.

As a unit, it’s a solid plastic cylinder that feels both bulky and secure, in a way you’d want it to, given the technology inside. The cover for the lens itself is also magnetic, and you open it by pulling it out gently and then (approximately) turning 150>180 degrees as, resourcefully, it’s also the strong base for the unit upon which it will sit – and that’s also alterable by 360 degrees, so you can project on the ceiling, on the wall or wherever. Also, this ‘PowerBase’ stand has 20,000mAh built-in power bank, which isn’t loud either once when its running.

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Sound and Vision

The most crucial factor and, in comparison to older models I’d previously tested, is that it’s a vast improvement for a smaller, cheaper device in brighter conditions. Sound wise as well, with a wide range of viewing options from drama to sport and films. It’s the viewing experience you’d hope it would be – which should be typical for everything in this realm of product.

To switch it on, you literally push the little orange button on the MoGo4 to let it warm up for a moment. When starting for the first time, it’ll run you through the usual setup instructions and then the main screen will load up. As preset in the MoGo4, it’ll auto-keystone correct and focus its image for you – meaning it’s trying to fit to whatever surface you’re projecting onto. You can change and adjust this whenever you need, either by physically moving the device (and it’ll auto-adjust) or altering it manually via the main ‘settings’ menu, via your remote control- with the latter also being a steady, easy to use piece of tech.  

This streams in 1080p, so nice and high res (see above) and while the HDR support runs to HDR10, there’s no Dolby Vision here – yet it offers a very respectful Standard mode for streaming and depending on whether you’re using a lighter or darker room, the quality comes across well. I assessed it with sport and films, and in a wintrier condition, having originally used it in the conclusion to the summer, and plugged into the wall, it’s certainly impressive in relation to the ever-present portable element.

Your other picture modes include the ‘movie’ setting that always seems to be higher in contrast but if you manually lower it a little, you get a better picture. As briefly noted in my intro, the ECO mode is where XGIMI’s 2.5hr battery life comes into existence. There’s a slight snag depending on the quality you use here, because if you go high then the battery will run out faster, so maybe don’t watch the likes of Scorsese or Nolan if you’re hoping for a plug-free outdoor movie experience, but a 90 minute film in a dark ECO space might do it. And if you are outdoors, then flip through those two as well as the Performance mode, and see what works for you.

In terms of sound, the MoGo4 will work fine within a quiet home setup but might not be the loudest. This is one of the moments where the nature of compromise comes into play for sound and its size. And, like the picture mode, you’ve got Movie, Music, Sport, and Game sound modes to choose from. If you’ve used any preset before, you’ll know what these do but they’re easy to flip through. The Movie setting enables the wider, louder involvement of everything, Music is designed to focus on the vocals, with Sport slightly enhancing the crowd edge, and Game being a less exciting choice, even if you’re an avid gamer.

The speakers are Harmon/Kardon, integrated dual 6W ones at that, and designed to round the sound as much as they can. And also, if you needed another smart speaker in your home – surely, we’ve all got 3-4 each these days – it can also be turned into a standalone Bluetooth speaker with reactive light pulses that sync with your music. I did try this out, and it works, but the necessity is less conclusive, in my humble opinion.

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Other features and technical notes

Both projectors feature built-in Google TV with licensed Netflix support, along with Wi-Fi 5, Bluetooth 5.1, HDMI (ARC), and USB ports, ensuring easy access to your favourite content and seamless integration into any setting. In terms of apps that are built-in, you’ve got Netflix, Google TV, Prime, and YouTube to mingle through, so make sure of the HDMI if needed as well!

The stand offers has a ‘detachable buckle lanyard’, as the middle pic above, supposedly for customisation and easy carry, but I’m not entirely sure of its usefulness as its barely noticeable, so many not needed next time around However, they have added fun stuff which comes in the shape of ‘Magnetic Creative Filters’. These are magnetic lens that clip easily over your lens, they approximately create a sunset-like mood and come in a variation of ripple, dreamscape, and lunar – flipping you through colour schemes and lighting up the MoGo4 itself. They don’t reinvent the wheel but it can be entertaining if you fancy playing.

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Summary

While my initial reservations were in relation to previous portable projectors, the MoGo4 presents an immense service for its size and setup. The image is sharp and clear, with the sound ultimately sufficient plus enough auto and manual settings for you to scroll through, or choose from, which then give you a good balance of getting exactly what you personally want to see – making it personal and professional.

And, of course, this is certainly a portable-sized device, easy for putting in your bag and taking on a vacation, or even to a friend’s house to share the joy of a cinematic experience. Get ready to transform your space into a small film screening room, because the MoGo4 is impressive for whatever kind of user you are, right through the generations.

The XGIMI MoGo 4 portable projector is available now*: https://amzn.to/3L2iBM7

*this is an affliate link, but very much my own opinions for this review