XGIMI Elfin Flip 4K review: An ultra-portable laser projector with sharp video quality
The Elfin Flip 4K certainly looks unique. It's mounted in a squarish swivel stand that also serves as a handle, and can be adjusted up
The Elfin Flip 4K certainly looks unique. It's mounted in a squarish swivel stand that also serves as a handle, and can be adjusted up to 150 degrees to project from a coffee table, shelf or even up to the ceiling. It weighs just 3.4 pounds, making it one of the lightest 4K projectors on the market. What's more, the brushed metal finish gives it an elegant and futuristic look. I set it up to project on my 120-inch standard roll-down screen, though the Flip 4K can project an image up to 400 inches. Setup isn't fully automatic like Anker's Nebula X1 or other models I've tested lately, but the 0.98x to 1.3x optical zoom, along with the light weight, made placement easy.
I just needed to place it on a table and center it to the screen, tilt it up and adjust the zoom. From there I ran the auto keystone adjustment and autofocus, giving me a perfect screen fit and image in about two minutes. The projector comes with a pair of HDMI 2.0 inputs, including one with eARC to easily incorporate audio devices like soundbars or speakers. You also get a pair of USB-A ports to play media files and supply power to streaming dongles, along with a 3.5mm output port. It includes Bluetooth 5.2 and Wi-Fi 6 for wireless speakers and streaming.
At room temperature where excessive cooling for the triple laser engine isn't needed, I measured fan noise on the Flip 4K at just 30 decibels, which is barely audible. However, cranking brightness can boost the fan speed and thus increase the noise. Unlike XGIMI's other Elfin Flip models, the Flip 4K isn't truly portable because it doesn't have an internal battery. That likely wouldn't be practical in any case, as the relatively high brightness and 4K chip would eat power quickly. If you plan to take it outdoors, you'll need to have a good-sized portable battery or some other way to plug it in.
Google TV is built-in for streaming and projector control via the slim remote. It provides a large library of apps via Google Play plus a familiar interface. You get certified versions of Netflix, YouTube, Prime Video, Disney+, Max and others, plus Google Cast and AirPlay support, along with Google Assistant for voice control. As with other Google TV projectors, it was reasonably responsive but not super snappy, so some buyers may prefer to use a Chromecast or another streaming device.
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