I Tried XGIMI's New MoGo 3 Pro With Google TV, and I May Never Buy Another Television

I was recently invited to attend an XGIMI event where they showed off their new line of projectors, and I fell in love, so when I was given the opportunity to test out the XGIMI MoGo 3 Pro, of course I was all in. And I’m so glad I agreed.

I’ve been looking for a way to have a TV over my fireplace in my new home, but honestly, getting one installed isn’t a process I really want to go through. I recently tested another projector, and it was good for a few uses, but it wasn’t exactly what I was looking for. I have a small-ish living area, and that, combined with the angle that I want to project it, can be a tough combination.

So, when the MoGo 3 Pro arrived, I decided to see if it might work. Here’s how that worked out.

Setting Up the XGIMI MoGo 3 Pro

Projectors come in all shapes and sizes, so I wasn’t super surprised by the box the MoGo 3 Pro came in. The projector is a little bigger than a large coffee cup. It has that same cylindrical shape, and you can purchase a separate carrying case (in a beautiful green color) for $69. The remote and the projector fit nicely into the case for when you want to take it on the go. The package I received also included the PowerBase Stand ($129) and the Creative Optical Filter ($49), which are accessories that are sold separately.

Once I got everything unpacked, it took a minute of fiddling with the projector to figure out how it rotates. But once I figured that out, getting it plugged in and connected was easy enough. It uses Google TV, so once you sign into your Google TV account, all you have left to do is choose the apps you want to use. It works with Netflix, but I also added Amazon Prime and Apple TV. Once I started using it, Google automatically pulled the passwords I saved to log me into other services I have.

The 65W PowerBank Stand is a nice add-on for this device. It seems pretty stable with the projector attached, and it can power your projector through an entire movie when you’re using it away from an electrical outlet. It’s just another portability element that seems very well thought-through.

The MoGo 3 Pro Surprised Me

I’ve already mentioned that getting connected and actually working was easy. It took maybe 15 minutes, and that was only because I had to sign up for Google TV (don’t judge!). When it was working, I plunked it down on my ottoman in front of where I wanted the project to appear and went to work, making it fit. The MoGo 3 Pro has auto-keystone adjustments, which just basically means it will adjust your picture angle and focus based on the distance of the projector from the surface it’s projecting on. But once the automatic adjustments are done, you can make manual adjustments, too (or you can do only manual, but I like how I do it).

I adjusted the image so it fit perfectly in the spot I had in mind, and even during the day, with plenty of light coming through the windows, I was able to see the image clearly, and it’s even better at night when there is less light competing for space. One thing I might change about the whole adjustment system is to have a lock you can tick once you get it to the perfect spot. Sure, this might be handled by doing it all manually, but using the autokeystone and then making the adjustments the way I did, I noticed that if someone bumps the projector, I needed to adjust the size of the projection again. It’s a small thing, but an adjustment lock would solve the problem.

There are some additional adjustments you can make in the menu. I played around with them but found, for my personal tastes, the factory settings are fine. A cool feature you’ll find in the menu, though, is the art gallery-style screen saver feature. You have a few categories you can choose from, and it’s a good way to fill the space when you’re not using the projector.

Once I turned on a movie and it’s fair to say my mind was blown. The MoGo 3 Pro has a built-in Harmon-Kardon speaker. I expected it to be good. I didn’t expect it to be exceptional. The sound coming from that speaker doesn’t sound like it’s coming from the speaker. There is some serious magic happening there because it sounds like it’s coming from the direction of the projection, and it fills the space as if you are using a surround sound system. It’s so good that even my audiophile friend was impressed.

The MoGo 3 Pro can also play music and match it to a light show when the projector is in the vertical position. Alternatively, you can use it for ambiance lighting when not in use. These aren’t features that were super useful for me, but I can see where someone who entertains regularly would find them handy.

Is the XGIMI MoGo 3 Pro Worth It?

The MoGo 3 Pro projectors with the case and remote, bundled with the Power Bank Stand, will cost you $499. As portable projectors go, that’s a good price point. For a projector that can go where you go, has a power bank included, and offers great sound and a great picture, you can’t expect much more for the money. Would I recommend it? Absolutely. I’ll still be using this projector a year from now and will likely still love it as much as I do right now.