XGIMI Elfin Smart 1080P LED Projector Review – Performance

COLOR REPRODUCTION

I connected a 4K Apple TV with a 20-inch (0.5 meter) Bullet Train 18Gbps HDMI cable and a MacBook Pro with a 157-inch (4 meter) Bullet Train 18Gbps HDMI cable to the demo XGIMI loaned to me for this review as I do for all of my reviews.

Like the other XGIMI projectors that we have reviewed, the Elfin’s color reproduction was pretty good out of the box. There are several LED brightness modes and picture presets.

The Brightness tab located under Projector Settings has five presets. They are labeled as Standard, Bright, Eye Protection, Performance, and Custom. The custom mode allows adjustability to Brightness, Red, Green, and Blue to suit your visual preference.

Pressing the Shortcut Settings button on the remote will show the projector’s Image Mode, which has five presets. The five preset modes are labeled Movie, Football, Office, Game, and Custom. The custom mode allows adjustment of brightness, contrast, saturation, sharpness, noise reduction, and color temperature.

The images above provide a general idea of color accuracy. However, when viewing in person, the colors will look much better than how the photos look on the device you are using to read this review.

BRIGHTNESS

XGIMI rates the brightness of the Elfin at 800 ANSI lumens. The Elfin was more than bright enough for all the different environments I tested the projector in while traveling.

To measure the brightness, I set the projector’s Image Mode to Brightness and its Projector Setting to Performance, to maximize the Elfin's light output. I then took 3-4 readings about 15-20% out from the center of the lens.

The maximum measured brightness of the Elfin was 577 ANSI lumens. I also measured all five available Image Modes; my measurements are below.
 

XGIMI Elfin Projector Settings Brightness

We are pleased that XGIMI rates their LED projector's brightness in ANSI Lumens. Many manufacturers have begun using the term "LED lumens" which is not a universal measuement standard so it is difficult to compare brightness between brands.

While the Elfin only measured 577 ANSI lumens, which is lower than its rated brightness, it is quite bright for a projector of its size. Also, its LED light source did make the image appear brighter. So the Elfin should be more than bright enough for a 70-inch to 120-inch screen in most darkened environments. 

PICTURE QUALITY

The XGIMI Elfin picture quality was good out of the box. Changing the brightness modes and image modes can significantly alter the on-screen image. I found myself leaving the Projector Brightness settings on Standard mode and then switched between the Movie and Custom image modes. The Custom mode allowed fine-tuning of the projector image quality to better suit my viewing environment.

Overall, I was delighted with Elfin’s picture quality. Vibrant colors and pleasing skin tones made this projector easy to watch. Best of all, the Elfin is so small that I can travel with it and have good-looking movies and videos anywhere I go.

GAMING

I cannot talk about Performance without talking about gaming. Under Image Mode, you will find Game Mode. The Game mode has options for Standard and Boost. XGIMI states Boost mode lowers image latency. When using Boost mode will temporarily disable keystone correction, so you will have to physically square up the Elfin when using this mode.

XGIMI rates the Elfin's gaming lag at 26.5ms when playing HD and 4K games at 60 frames per second.

Using Phil’s Murideo SEVEN Generator, we took some input lag test (signal lag) measurements. We averaged 1080p@60Hz input lag at 27 milliseconds.

I ran numerous games from my PlayStation and Xbox on the Elfin. The games I tested on the Elfin played fine, including my usual Elder Scrolls Online (ESO), Genshin Impact, and Overwatch. My daughter helped me out with the gaming photographs. She enjoys gaming on a big screen, and I had a hard time getting her to stop playing Genshin when I was done taking the photographs. She reported that she did not experience any issues with input lag while in an action-packed match on Overwatch. I also did not experience any significant input lag while I played games on the projector.

The Elfin would be just fine for most casual gamers. Casual gameplay was not hindered by excessive input lag. This projector will not be used for any national gaming competitions, but it is good enough for use in the home or while traveling.

SOUND QUALITY

Once again, XGIMI has partnered with Harman/Kardon to maximize the Elfin’s sound quality. The single forward-firing 3-watt Harman/Kardon speakers sound great for how tiny the unit is.