JMGO N1S Pro 4K is the new little brother of JMGO. N1 Ultra We reviewed it last year. The N1S Pro has a claimed 2400 lumens, which is less than the Ultra but retains the projector’s distinctive gimbaled design. Easy streaming is available via Google TV. At a list price of $2,000, it’s certainly not cheap, but since it’s on sale for much less, it’s in line with the great $1,500-plus projectors we’ve reviewed. BenQ X500i.

7.5

JMGO N1S Pro 4K

like

• High brightness in a small(-ish) projector

• Surprisingly good speakers

I don’t like it

• Colors are not correct

• Gimbal design still weird

Overall performance is a bit mixed. Contrast ratio and brightness are good but the color is definitely not accurate. It’s extremely vivid, but in a way it’s not entirely disturbing, and will probably be fine for less discerning viewers. The JMGO’s speakers are also pretty good, better than many projectors of this size. The lack of zoom or lens shift means the unit requires very specific placement; This is probably why it has a gimbaled design. If you don’t mind this limitation and you can find it on sale, it can project images in ways other projectors can’t. I’m not sure if this is very useful, but maybe I’m missing something.

Features and so on

• Resolution: 4K
• HDR compatible: Yes
• 3D compatible: Yes
• Lumen specification: 2,400 (claimed)
• Zoom: No
• Lens shift: No
• Lamp life: Not specified, but have had 3 lasers for a while

When I examine Last year’s predecessor to the N1S Pro, I couldn’t quite understand why it was gimbaled like a spotlight you might find at a party. Yep, it’s been a year and I still don’t get it. I’m having trouble rotating up and down as not everyone has permanent space for the projector. Quickly positioning the projector and pointing it at a flat surface will probably make a parent’s life a little easier. But the return? There’s a Lazy Susan-like disk at the bottom that allows you to rotate the projector. Can’t you do this manually with any projector? Do people really need to shine on various walls so often and so quickly? I’m clearly missing something because not only has JMGO stayed true to the design, I’ve seen more projectors come to market with the same “feature”. I guess I’ll have to live without understanding who needs a projector with this much freedom of movement. I’d like to point out that I’m not knocking this design as it doesn’t add much to the price compared to its performance (mostly as I’ll discuss this below).

JMGO rates the N1S Pro at 2,400 lumens, and I measured around 1,198 in its most accurate mode. With the Ultra Brightness setting enabled, the image was noticeably greenish, but I was able to get 1,581 lumens. That’s quite a bit outside the claimed spec, but that kind of optimism is pretty common from projector companies. Contrast is above average: I measured 926:1. This is less than some new BenQ projectors and slightly less than the N1 Ultra, but more than several newer (and similarly high-priced) models. Xgimi and Anker.

One feature that was notably missing was any sort of optical zoom, and while you can zoom digitally, this just crops the image so you lose resolution. The lack of physical zoom is a serious downside in my book for a projector this costly. This is an odd oversight, considering JMGO clearly wants the N1S Pro to work in as wide a variety of environments as possible. Creating a 100-inch image places the projector approximately 30 feet away from the screen; this is closer than a typical projector but farther than a short throw projector. A strange middle ground. Autofocus is pretty fast, which is a good thing. Automatic keystone adjustment is also fast. but you shouldn’t use.

HDMI, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi and more

• HDMI inputs: 2
• USB port: 1
• Audio output: Headphone out, eARC
• Internet: Wi-Fi
• Remote Control: Backlit

If you want to use a Roku instead of the built-in Google TV and games console, the two HDMI inputs should have you covered. Or two game consoles. Or two Roku. Whatever you want, I’m not your companion. Any cable would certainly make the design less able to pivot and swivel, but I think it’s safe to assume that most people considering the N1S Pro 4K aren’t expecting to be regularly connected to an external source.

The speakers are surprisingly good, with a claimed power of 20 watts. There’s a decent amount of bass for such a small cabinet. JMGO claims it goes down to 45 Hz, although it doesn’t specify at what volume. The speakers are located on the sides of the projector, which is a much more logical layout compared to the similar Xgimi Horizon S Max (review coming soon). Since the JMGO’s throw distance is somewhere between short throw and a “normal” projector, you’ll likely be sitting at or near the projector so it can render a large image. That’s why the speakers are facing you. As with any projector, a soundbar or receiver and speakers will provide much better sound.

The remote isn’t backlit, but it does have useful buttons for YouTube, Amazon Prime Video, and Netflix. It also has a dedicated button to switch inputs. I once thought it was meant for remote control.

Picture quality comparisons

Xgimi Horizon S Max

BenQ X500i

Xgimi Horizon S Max is a new variant of Xgimi Horizon S Max. Ufuk Ultra We reviewed it at the beginning of this year. It has the general aesthetics of this projector but shares JMGO’s gimbaled design. MSRPs are around $100, but JMGO’s pricing varies widely. BenQ X500i is a recent favorite. It lists it a little less and is a short throw projector (so it needs to be closer to the screen than the JMGO). I connected all three to a Monoprice 1×4 distribution amplifier and reviewed them side by side on a 102-inch 1.0 gain display.

All three projectors are quite bright, as can be seen from their technical specifications. The BenQ is 20-30% dimmer, while the Xgimi is the brightest, but they all have plenty of brightness for a 100+ inch screen. Beyond that, despite their relatively similar prices, they all perform quite differently.

In terms of color, BenQ looks much more natural, its colors are much closer to reality. Caucasian skin tones are slightly reddish but not excessive. JMGO looks more oversaturated and less natural. It doesn’t look bad, it’s just too colorful. Xgimi’s color is definitely the worst of the bunch. It’s not so bad that you might think it looks odd on its own, but it’s a far cry from the pleasing accuracy of the BenQ or the acceptable inaccuracy of the JMGO.

Contrast ratio, which is by far the most important element of image quality, appears everywhere again. BenQ stands out here with a very impressive display. When watching 2.35:1 movies, letterbox bars disappear more than others. But keep in mind that no projector will even come close to what you get with an OLED or LED LCD with local dimming. With roughly half as much contrast as the BenQ, the JMGO holds up surprisingly well. It’s still above average in this important test. Its overall brightness and color are sufficient to create a watchable, if not completely accurate, image. Xgimi doesn’t fare so well here, coming in last with 30% worse contrast than JMGO. It doesn’t look washed out, just slightly worse than average, but it lacks the punch and depth of the BenQ or even the JMGO.

gimbaled

If we judge the JMGO N1S Pro 4K strictly based on its performance, it is an above average projector. It’s quite bright, has a good contrast ratio, and while its colors aren’t accurate, it’s not cartoonish to look at. The speakers are also good, better than Xgimi or BenQ. So for something you can place on a flat surface, plug in and watch, it does a good job. The BenQ X500i offers superior performance for less money and can sit closer to the screen (or wall).

JMGO is vastly better than the Xgimi Horizon S Max, which is sort of like a mirror universe version. Xgimi’s color is better, but its contrast and speakers are worse. The N1 Ultra outperformed it in terms of color, contrast, and brightness, but it also cost hundreds more. So if you really want a gimbaled projector without spending over $2,000, this is what you’ll get… I guess. Maybe someone will eventually figure out what these are for.