Mobile Technology

Xgimi takes on the big players with cheap, wireless, portable projector

Xgimi takes on the big players with cheap, wireless, portable projector
The Xgimi CC Aurora is a boxy portable projector jammed with features, including long battery life and bright images
The Xgimi CC Aurora is a boxy portable projector jammed with features, including long battery life and bright images
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The CC Aurora can project images of up to 180 inches in size
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The CC Aurora can project images of up to 180 inches in size
The CC Aurora can also be used as a regular Bluetooth speaker
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The CC Aurora can also be used as a regular Bluetooth speaker
The CC Aurora is big, but has a battery that lasts up to four hours
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The CC Aurora is big, but has a battery that lasts up to four hours
Xgimi has produced several projectors in the past
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Xgimi has produced several projectors in the past
The CC Aurora has a brightness of 350 ANSI lumens
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The CC Aurora has a brightness of 350 ANSI lumens
Perfect for moving around the house to unconventional spaces
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Perfect for moving around the house to unconventional spaces
The development process
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The development process
It's not the most stylish device we've seen
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It's not the most stylish device we've seen
The CC Aurora is boxy, but it's good
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The CC Aurora is boxy, but it's good
Take it camping!
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Take it camping!
You can pair your smartphone or computer screen relatively easily
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You can pair your smartphone or computer screen relatively easily
Use the CC Aurora as a regular Bluetooth speaker
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Use the CC Aurora as a regular Bluetooth speaker
The company has produced a working prototype and is set to move into mass production
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The company has produced a working prototype and is set to move into mass production
The CC Aurora comes with a Bluetooth remote control
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The CC Aurora comes with a Bluetooth remote control
Keystone correction means you can set it up anywhere
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Keystone correction means you can set it up anywhere
Weighing a bit over 3 pounds it is heavy but not so heavy it can't be easily taken outdoors
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Weighing a bit over 3 pounds it is heavy but not so heavy it can't be easily taken outdoors
The CC Aurora will retail at $569
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The CC Aurora will retail at $569
It has all the connections you would expect in a device like this
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It has all the connections you would expect in a device like this
Exploded diagram of the CC Aurora
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Exploded diagram of the CC Aurora
Handy for business also
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Handy for business also
The Xgimi CC Aurora is a boxy portable projector jammed with features, including long battery life and bright images
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The Xgimi CC Aurora is a boxy portable projector jammed with features, including long battery life and bright images
View gallery - 21 images

Portable projectors have come a long way over the past decade. From the clunky 25-lumen prototypes we saw back in 2006, we now have super-bright, HD projectors that can wirelessly connect to your computer or smartphone. Chinese projector manufacturer Xgimi has now launched the latest in portable projector technology, the CC Aurora, a wireless, bright projector powered by Android.

Xgimi is no stranger to the projector game after making over US$1 million last year crowdfunding its previous design. Before that came a model called the Z4 Aurora, which we reviewed and found to offer a great image but glitchy Bluetooth functionality.

This new model, the CC Aurora, dives into the portable projector market with some pretty impressive specs for a portable device at a very competitive price point (especially if you get in on the early bird offers). Like many other small portable projectors on the market the CC Aurora only has a resolution of 720p, but it's the brightness and scale that really make it stand apart. It hits 350 ANSI lumens and can project an image of up to 180 inches in size.

It has all the connections you would expect in a device like this
It has all the connections you would expect in a device like this

The projector measures in at 5.4 x 5.3 x 4.7 in (137 x 134 x 119 mm), so it's certainly a little larger and boxier than some of its competitors and it weighs in at 3.3 lb (1.5 kg), which is a bit heavier than some of the super-light portables. But what it loses in those categories it gains in battery life. A single charge reportedly offers four hours playtime and the built-in JBL speakers should deliver a decent sound. On the sound front, the unit can also be used as a Bluetooth speaker.

The CC Aurora is packed with all the features you'd expect from a device like this, including Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, Airplay and DLNA connectivity as well as USB, HDMI and 16 GB of internal storage. It also comes with a Bluetooth remote control and a mobile app that can manage all the functions, including handy keystone correction.

Keystone correction means you can set it up anywhere
Keystone correction means you can set it up anywhere

Ultimately, the CC Aurora sits in an interesting middle ground in the world of portable projectors. It's a bit bulkier than some others, but it makes up for its size in fantastic battery life and picture quality.

Xgimi is currently launching the product through an Indiegogo campaign and its planned retail price is set for US$569. But it's the early bird offers than make it a real bargain with the first tier going for $389. Xgimi estimates shipping in January 2018 if all goes to plan, and while it's an ambitious target for an unproduced product, the company does have a history of successfully manufacturing projectors so this is probably a relatively safe crowdfunding gamble.

Take a look at the CC Aurora in the video below.

Source: Xgimi

XGIMI CC video

View gallery - 21 images
1 comment
1 comment
Gregg Eshelman
$569? I thought the article said affordable?