Please note that this is a meta-review prepared by the Simple Home Cinema team. Our meta-reviews analyse and cross-check data across multiple sources including professional reviews, user reviews and user forums to arrive at our analysis and review scores, and are useful to get an overall – and hopefully balanced – picture for a specific product. We will specifically state if we had the product tested by one of our team. Please do let us know, should you find any errors.
Introduction: A Gamechanger or a Mixed Bag?
The NexiGo Aurora Pro Ultra Short Throw (UST) 4K Laser Projector promises to revolutionize the home theater experience with its advanced Dolby Vision HDR, tri-color laser engine, and ultra-low latency gaming performance. With a competitive price tag of $2,999, it enters a high-stakes market dominated by feature-packed alternatives such as the AWOL Vision LTV-3500 and Formovie Theater. On paper, it ticks all the right boxes. But in practice, can it live up to the lofty promises, or does it stumble like others in the UST market?
This detailed review dives deep into NexiGo’s specifications, real-world performance, and how the Aurora Pro stacks up against its toughest competitors. Whether you’re a movie buff, a competitive gamer, or an audiophile, we’ll break down whether it’s worth the investment.
If you are into high-end home theater, check out our Display and Audio Calibration Guides to maximize your experience.
Design and Build Quality: Smart Looks, But Feels Commodity
The NexiGo Aurora Pro features a minimalist, modern design with curved accents that blend well into both high-tech and cozy living spaces. The RGB LED strip running across the front adds a touch of flair, especially for tech enthusiasts, calling back to classics like “Knight Rider.” Its form factor also complements its functionality as a UST projector, allowing for a cinematic setup without devoting much space to your home theater system.
However, there’s a caveat: the plastic build, while sturdy, lacks the premium feel of more expensive projectors like the AWOL LTV-3500 Pro, which use higher-quality materials. This trade-off may be acceptable for its price, but luxury-focused buyers might find it underwhelming.
Highlights:
- Dimensions: 21.54 x 4.81 x 16.04 inches
- Weight: 22 pounds
- Remote Control: Ergonomically designed with automatic backlighting, although slightly less refined than some competing units.
What’s Missing? A premium metal finish, which could elevate the Aurora Pro’s perceived value and durability, especially in its high-end price category.
Picture Quality: Black Levels That Impress, but Not Perfection
Central to NexiGo’s pitch is its ALPD 4.0 RGB+ Laser Engine, boasting 107% of the BT.2020 color gamut and a native contrast ratio of 3000:1. Let’s break that down in practice:
Pros:
- Outstanding Dark Room Performance:
- Black levels on the NexiGo Aurora Pro are exceptionally deep for a DLP projector, rivaling high-end models and creating an OLED-like visual experience in controlled environments.
- Its Dynamic Laser Dimming feature contributes further, enhancing dark scenes with strong shadow detailing.
- Dolby Vision & HDR10+ Excellence:
- Forget the washed-out HDR experience seen in many budget projectors; the Aurora Pro renders stunning, lifelike highlights and striking depth.
- Cinematic Color Accuracy (Post-Calibration):
- After tweaking factory settings, the Aurora Pro delivers vibrant and immersive colors. Cinema Pro and Cinema Home modes are excellent starting points for avid moviegoers.
Cons:
Pre-Calibration Issues: Out of the box, the color tones tilt toward overly cool hues with inaccurate greens and yellows, forcing users to invest time (or money) in calibration.
Subpar Focus Consistency: Despite electronically adjustable focus, the image can appear slightly blurry at the top corners, an issue shared by UST projectors with similar optics. Competing models like the AWOL Vision LTV-3500 perform better in this regard.
Struggles in Ambient Light:
While NexiGo claims 2,400 ANSI lumens, it’s less convincing in brightly lit spaces, where the image fades compared to brighter competitors like the AWOL Vision 3500 Pro (rated at 3,500 lumens).
PRICE CHECK
Use the below links to check the most up-to-date product price.
| Retailers |
|---|
| Amazon.com |
| ProjectorScreen.com |
Smart Features: Solid Hardware, Outdated Software
The Aurora Pro offers Android 9 as its smart TV operating system, providing access to popular apps such as Netflix, YouTube, and Disney+. However, unlike projectors with Google TV or Android TV, NexiGo’s lack of Google Play certification limits app functionality. Apps need to be side-loaded from third-party services, which can result in an inconsistent user experience.
Workarounds:
Savvy users may prefer pairing the Aurora Pro with external streaming devices like the Fire TV Stick 4K Max or Roku Ultra to bypass these limitations entirely.
Pros:
- AirPlay and Miracast Support: Seamless device mirroring for Apple and Android users.
- Voice Assistant Integration: Works with Amazon Alexa for convenience.
Cons:
- Cumbersome App Installation: Google Play is noticeably absent, requiring third-party workarounds that may frustrate non-technical users.
- Barebones Interface: The UI is functional but far from intuitive or sophisticated, lagging behind competitors like the Formovie Theater.
Gaming Performance: Near-Flawless Execution
Serious gamers, take note. The NexiGo Aurora Pro shines with its HDMI 2.1 ports, supporting ultra-low input lag of 9ms at 1080p@240Hz. Gamers playing first-person shooters or fast-paced platformers won’t experience stutters or delay, creating a near-console-like responsiveness on a massive screen.
What Stands Out? Few projectors in this price range allow 4K 120Hz input (processed at 4K 60Hz), making this a standout feature for gaming on the Xbox Series X or PlayStation 5.
Comparison With Competitors:
While the Formovie Theater offers decent gaming performance, it lags behind NexiGo’s near-flawless latency numbers, making the Aurora Pro a go-to choice for casual and competitive gamers alike.
PRICE CHECK
Use the below links to check the most up-to-date product price.
| Retailers |
|---|
| Amazon.com |
| ProjectorScreen.com |
Sound Quality: Big Sound, But Room for Improvement
The built-in 60W Dolby Atmos sound system packs a punch, filling smaller rooms with ease and outperforming most TVs and basic soundbars. However, there are limits to what is achievable in an integrated projector sound system:
Pros:
- Powerful Audio Output: Thanks to 2x15W tweeters and 2x15W woofers, it delivers clarity with solid bass presence.
- eARC Support: Allows seamless integration with premium external sound systems, enabling Dolby Atmos and DTS:X audio.
Cons:
- Imbalance in Audio Profiles: Modes like Dolby Cinema fail to balance dialogue and effects, muddying the soundscape.
- External Upgrade Recommended: For home theater purists, pairing it with a mid-range soundbar or surround sound system like the Sonos ARC elevates the audio experience significantly.
Black Levels and HDR Performance: Setting a Benchmark
Perhaps the biggest selling point of the NexiGo Aurora Pro is its ability to render black levels that rival even high-end UST projectors. In movies like The Batman, the projector’s native contrast of 3,000:1 pairs beautifully with dynamic HDR-toned scenes, offering a true theater-grade experience.
What’s the Catch?
Be aware: Black levels shine in light-controlled rooms. If strong ambient light floods the room, performance dips sharply, even with a decent ALR screen.
Final Recommendation: Who Should Buy the Aurora Pro?
The NexiGo Aurora Pro delivers an outstanding cinematic experience in a controlled environment, excelling in delivering some of the most detailed blacks and sharp HDR rendering in its price category. It’s perfect for gamers, dark-room home cinema enthusiasts, and those unbothered by minor setup tinkering. However, its limitations in focus adjustment and lack of intuitive smart TV software mean it’s not a perfect all-in-one device.
Don’t mind dealing with workarounds for media apps? Then you’ll struggle to beat the Aurora Pro’s value-for-money.
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