XGIMI Aura 3 Max First Impressions

The Aura 3 Max does not look like a typical projector. The copper-toned horizontal grille across the front, the low wide chassis, and the Harman Kardon branding make it feel much closer to a piece of living-room electronics that is meant to stay on display. That makes sense for a UST product XGIMI is positioning as a Laser TV rather than something you hide at the back of a theater.

One of my favorite design touches so far is on top. The XGIMI-branded section covers the optical area when the projector is off, then moves out of the way when the projector is being used. UST optics face upward, so dust is always something I think about. A cover that protects that area when the projector is sitting idle is a small feature, but it is one I immediately appreciate.

The other thing that caught my eye is the cooling system. Through the rear grille you can see a substantial heatsink assembly and copper heat pipes. I am not drawing any conclusions about thermals or fan noise yet, but with XGIMI claiming 5,700 ISO lumens, the way this chassis manages heat is going to matter.

All of the ports are on the rear of the Aura 3 Max, with nothing on the front or sides. 
Around back, you get 1Gbps Ethernet, optical audio, a 3.5 mm audio jack, three USB ports, and three HDMI inputs. HDMI 2 — the middle HDMI input — also serves as the eARC connection, so if you are sending audio out to a soundbar or receiver through eARC, you realistically have two HDMI inputs left for other devices.

That is still workable for a lot of setups, especially if you already run everything through an AVR. But it is worth pointing out, because in a living-room setup with a game console, streaming box, Blu-ray player, or other source, those HDMI ports can disappear pretty quickly.

The Ethernet port is nice to see, especially on a projector built around Google TV and high-quality streaming. But you do not have to hardwire it. The Aura 3 Max also has built-in Wi-Fi, so you can still use the onboard apps without running a network cable to the projector.

The three USB ports are useful as well. One is USB 3.0, and they give you more flexibility for local media, photos, videos, or accessories. That could be especially helpful with a floor-rising screen or a motorized UST cabinet, where you may want to keep everything clean and hidden behind the unit instead of running cables around the room.

Google TV is built in, so the Aura 3 Max can function without an external streaming box. The included remote has direct buttons for Netflix, YouTube, Prime Video, and Disney+, which reinforces the idea that XGIMI expects many owners to use this more like a TV replacement than a traditional projector.

The physical controls are much more minimal. The main onboard control I found is the power button, which sits on the rear of the chassis next to the AC inlet. Most people will use the remote almost all the time, but if the projector is installed tightly inside a UST cabinet, that rear placement is something to keep in mind.

XGIMI lists a 0.163:1 throw ratio and advertises a 120-inch image from roughly eight inches away. That is an excellent number for an ultra-short-throw projector, and it is one of the things that makes the Aura 3 Max interesting. The closer a projector can sit to the screen, the easier it usually is to make the setup feel more like a normal TV replacement instead of a projector taking over the room.

But there is also a practical downside: this may make some older UST cabinets harder to use. A lot of existing UST cabinets were designed around projectors that needed more distance from the wall or screen. If the Aura 3 Max really needs to sit closer, then the projector position, screen height, cabinet depth, and sliding tray location all become important. In some cabinets, the projector may end up too far forward, too far back, or at the wrong height without modification.

That is why I still want to measure the real furniture requirements myself. The useful placement depends on what reference point is being measured, how high the screen sits above the cabinet, and whether the cabinet gives you enough adjustment to place the projector exactly where it needs to be.

Flip the projector over and there are four adjustable feet for leveling the chassis. I do not see conventional threaded ceiling-mounting points on this unit, which fits XGIMI’s living-room positioning. This is clearly designed around a tabletop, media console, or UST cabinet rather than a traditional projector mount.

My first complaint is that the feet are small and a little awkward to get to. That sounds minor until you remember how sensitive UST geometry can be. A tiny physical adjustment at the projector can create a much larger change at the screen, so I would have preferred larger or easier-to-access leveling controls.

If you have used one of XGIMI’s recent projectors, this remote will feel familiar. It is slim, comfortable in the hand, partially backlit, and very easy to understand. You get a microphone button for voice search, dedicated shortcuts for Netflix, YouTube, Prime Video, and Disney+, a quick-focus button, a large directional control, Back, Home, Settings, and volume up/down.

For normal streaming use, I like it. The problem is that the Aura 3 Max is not just a simple streaming projector. This is XGIMI’s flagship UST, and there is a lot more here that people may want to adjust. There are no direct buttons for picture mode, brightness, iris behavior, HDMI input selection, or the other image controls I am likely to change while testing.

Even switching inputs appears to require going through the Settings menu first. That is not a huge deal if you mostly live inside Google TV, but if you are using multiple HDMI devices — like a game console, AVR, Blu-ray player, or external streaming box — it makes the remote feel more limited than I would expect on a projector at this level.

So my first impression is a little split. The remote itself feels good and is pleasantly simple, but I would have liked to see an upgraded flagship version with a few more enthusiast shortcuts. The physical design is premium enough; the functionality is where it feels more basic.

The front grille is not just a styling element. XGIMI is advertising an 80-watt Harman Kardon sound system with Dolby Atmos and DTS Virtual:X, and the physical design makes it obvious that audio is supposed to be part of the Aura 3 Max's value proposition.

I am not ready to tell you whether it can replace a good soundbar or a dedicated home-theater system. That needs real listening time with movies, dialogue, music, and bass-heavy content. But for a product being sold as a Laser TV, this section matters more than it would on a traditional projector with a pair of convenience speakers tucked into the chassis.