Both projectors run Google TV with licensed Netflix, both use DLP 4K on a 0.47-inch chip, both have two 12W speakers, and both go on Black Friday sale on November 19. The XGIMI HORIZON 30 Pro went on general sale in the US on November 11 at $2,499. The Dangbei MP1 Max has been out since last year and is $1,599 on Amazon. Picking between them is really a question of how much the Pro’s extra hardware is worth to you, and that number changes depending on where and when you shop.
On November 12, Amazon had the HORIZON 30 Pro at $2,499 and the MP1 Max at $1,599, a $900 gap. Dangbei’s own US store had the MP1 Max at $1,234 the same day, which widens the gap to $1,265 if you buy each one from the cheapest place. During Black Friday it narrows a lot. XGIMI says the Pro will be $1,899 on XGIMI.com and Amazon from November 19 to 30, and Dangbei’s store has the MP1 Max at $1,119 for the same dates. That leaves $780 between them, so the Pro costs about 70% more.
Dangbei’s sale prices are for its own store. On November 9, Amazon still had all six Dangbei models at their regular prices. Whether Amazon matches $1,119 after the 19th is something we’ll check then.
| XGIMI HORIZON 30 Pro | Dangbei MP1 Max | |
|---|---|---|
| Price, Nov 12 | $2,499 (XGIMI.com, Amazon) | $1,599 (Amazon) / $1,234 (Dangbei store) |
| Black Friday, Nov 19–30 | $1,899 | $1,119 (Dangbei store) |
| Light source | RGB triple laser | Triple laser + LED hybrid |
| Brightness (maker’s rating) | 4,800 ISO lumens | 3,100 ISO lumens |
| Native contrast (maker’s rating) | 8,000:1, with dual iris | Not published |
| Refresh | 4K 120Hz, 1080p 240Hz, VRR/ALLM/FreeSync | No high-refresh mode listed |
| HDR | Dolby Vision, HDR10+, IMAX Enhanced | HDR10+, HDR10, HLG |
| Throw and placement | 1.2–1.5:1 optical zoom, lens shift ±130% V / ±50% H | Fixed 1.20:1, built-in stand turns 360° and tilts 135° |
| Fan noise (maker’s rating) | Up to 28 dB | 24 dB |
| Weight | 5.3 kg | 5.6 kg |
Three things, and they show up on the screen, not just the spec sheet.
The first is light. XGIMI rates the Pro 55% brighter than the MP1 Max, and pure RGB lasers usually cover wider color than hybrid engines, though both makers claim 110% of BT.2020. On a big screen in a room with some light in it, 4,800 against 3,100 lumens is a difference you’ll see. In a dark room on a 100-inch screen, both have far more light than they need.
The second is the lens. The Pro has a real optical zoom and lens shift, so it can sit on a shelf off to the side or high on a back wall and still fill the screen at full 4K resolution. Lens Memory saves six setups, which is useful if you switch between 16:9 and a wider cinema screen. The MP1 Max has a fixed lens. It lines the picture up with Dangbei’s InstanPro system, which does auto focus, auto keystone, screen fitting and obstacle avoidance. That works well, but keystone correction is digital, so the more you correct, the more pixels you give up.
The third is gaming. The Pro does 4K at 120Hz and 1080p at 240Hz, supports VRR, ALLM and FreeSync, and XGIMI quotes 1.9 ms of input lag at 4K 120Hz. Dangbei’s product page doesn’t claim a high-refresh mode for the MP1 Max. If a PS5, an Xbox or a gaming PC is the main source, this one point is enough to choose the Pro.
Dolby Vision belongs on the Pro’s list too. Streaming services often send Dolby Vision versions of their shows. The MP1 Max gets HDR10+ and HDR10 instead, and HDR10 is the version every HDR title has.
The Dangbei is the better projector for a room that isn’t a dedicated home theater. Its stand rotates a full 360 degrees and tilts 135, so it can point at a wall, a ceiling or a pull-down screen without a mount. Dangbei rates it at 24 dB against the Pro’s 28. That 4 dB is easy to hear in a quiet room, where the projector often sits within arm’s reach. It also has an ambient light sensor that adjusts brightness for daytime and nighttime viewing, and it plays Blu-ray 3D.
Dangbei claims a ΔE below 1 for color accuracy out of the box. That’s a factory figure, not one we’ve measured, but it suggests the picture needs less calibration than most projectors at this price. Sound is close: both have two 12W drivers, and Dangbei says the MP1 Max’s 750cc chamber reaches down to 45Hz.
The HORIZON 30 Pro has only four ratings on Amazon, averaging 4.7, which is too few to mean much. The MP1 Max has 97 ratings averaging 4.4 stars, and Amazon’s summary of them is mostly positive. Buyers praise the picture, the brightness and how quickly it sets up, and several say it’s the best projector they found under $2,000. One owner says it’s bright enough to use in a fairly well-lit room. Another, who also owns a Dangbei DBOX02, says the MP1 Max is brighter but advises waiting for a sale rather than paying full price. Dangbei’s own store already makes that advice easy to follow. One aspect gets a mixed rating: connectivity. Buyers who mention it are split, so if you plan to stream heavily over Wi-Fi in a crowded network, keep the receipt.
For a dedicated home theater, a gaming setup or a large screen in a room that’s never fully dark, the HORIZON 30 Pro earns its premium, and $1,899 during Black Friday is a strong price for an RGB laser projector with 4K 120Hz. For everyone else, including living rooms, bedrooms, projectors that move between rooms and anyone who mostly streams films and series, the MP1 Max gives you most of the picture with less noise and less setup work. At $1,119 it also leaves about $780 for a proper screen and a soundbar. Our auto-generated spec sheet compares the two projectors line by line, and our earlier comparison of the MP1 Max against the HORIZON 20 Pro covers the previous-generation pairing.