Xgimi MoGo3 Pro review – Because walls are the new TVs

Projectors offer a bigger screen with a smaller footprint. Xgimi takes this to the next level with its MoGo3 Pro, packing portability into the versatility of a projector. As the name suggests, you get to ‘go mo’ places with it and show mo’ to friends and family. As nice as it is in theory, does it hold up as a TV and a travel buddy?

Travel light, stream heavy

Portability is the Xgimi MoGo3 Pro’s strongest selling point, and it’s hard not to get excited about bingeing on holiday. We had no trouble packing it into the boot for our road trip, and carrying the 1.1 kg projector was a breeze. Some may say it’s no larger than a coffee cup, but that’s only true if you’re talking about those huge Stanley mugs that people somehow manage to lug around.

To get the most from the Xgimi MoGo3 Pro, you’ll need the powerbase stand. It’s powered by the same USB-C that charges the projector and comes with a compact USB-C to USB-C cable. We got about 120 minutes on one charge, so if you don’t have a power source at your venue, use it sparingly. We recommend choosing your single movie wisely or unplugging it at halftime if you’re watching a sports match. For transport, we didn’t have the optional carry case, which would have beaten carrying it around in its box. The bag that comes with a cheap tripod suffices for the stand.

There’s Xgimi at home!

The Xgimi MoGo3 Pro was a legitimate substitute for a TV in our house. We found that, for watching, the projector was preferred. It may have had the inferior of the two resolutions at 1080p, but the atmosphere created for movie nights with friends and family was worth the sacrifice. While the projector supports gaming via its Micro HDMI port, using it alone—especially for gaming—feels like overkill. A large projection isn’t always necessary, and a TV is the more convenient choice. Plus, a smaller screen with a projector still requires a proper surface, which adds to the hassle.

The Xgimi MoGo3 Pro saves you the trouble of getting a third-party streamer, thanks to built-in Google TV. We snagged all of the major apps like YouTube and Netflix with ease, so you could do worse when it comes to operating systems. If we wanted more, USB-A and HDMI ports connect enough different devices and storage to satisfy.

Xgimi Xgimi more

We enjoyed the Harmon Kardon-engineered sound on the MoGo3 Pro. If you’ve already invested in audio, you can connect it to the projector via Bluetooth. You can even use just the speaker in ambient mode, which we only managed to connect to after a couple of tries, so have tutorials handy for that.

The day-to-day features of the MoGo3 Pro are also a highlight of the user experience. Autofocus is a quick fix for times when someone walks past the projector. Object detection also shrinks the display to avoid objects it detects that are in the way. The MoGo3 Pros’ automatic keystone correction process adapts to any placement to give you a straight image with little fuss. Its 130-degree rotation won’t reach the ceiling unassisted and will need manual keystone correction. It’s worth noting that these manual settings will be remembered the next time you set up the projector, so make sure you set it up before having guests over.

Xgimi MoGo3 Pro verdict

Using the Xgimi MoGo3 Pro was genuinely a joy—from setup to streaming, it delivered a fun, flexible experience. Its portability allowed us to take it on holiday, to the office for presentations, and it was an all-around hit at group events. It’s a viable replacement for a TV for movie buffs and social butterflies, but less so if you’ll mostly use it solo. At R17,000, you could get a higher-resolution 75-inch TV for the same budget—but good luck packing that into a backpack.

As far as projectors go, the MoGo3 Pro’s versatility makes it a good first projector to own. The projector and a flat surface are all you need to get going, and accessories like the power base stand give you more places to use it.