Having already caused a stir with its strikingly designed Elfin Flip Plus portable projector, XGIMI is now expanding the Elfin range with two new models – including a “high-performance” 4K laser model.
The Elfin Flip 4K is set to be the flagship model of the Elfin Flip range. It’s powered by a 4K RGB Triple Laser optical engine delivering 1,600 ISO Lumens of brightness, a claimed 20,000:1 dynamic contrast ratio, claimed coverage of 110% of the extreme BT.2020 color range, and a delta E color accuracy error of less than 1 (where anything under three is deemed invisible to the human eye).
These specifications contribute to picture quality results, claims XGIMI, that mean the Elfin Flip 4K should be thought of less as a travel projector or casual streaming device, and more as a “performance class home projector” that just so happens to also be easy to move between different rooms of your house.
This portable/lifestyle aspect of the Elfin Flip 4K finds all of the specifications described above fitted into a book-sized (9.64 inches wide) projector that weighs just 1.55kg and is supported within an attractive support cradle that makes it was to adjust the projection angle. In fact, you can get the Flip 4K to switch on just by flipping it up in its cradle, with the picture then automatically adjusting itself to your wall or screen courtesy of XGIMI’s Intelligent Screen Adapt technology. This is capable of automatically adjusting everything from keystone to focus, screen alignment, obstacle avoidance and eye projection features, and can even adapt pictures to compensate for the color of your wall if that’s what you’re projecting onto.
The Flip 4K provides a decent degree of optical zoom, too, delivering a 0.98-1.3:1 throw ratio. Such optical zoom flexibility is unusual to find in the truly portable projection market.
The Elfin Flip 4K has been designed to deliver gaming as well as TV and movie thrills. Its HDMI port supports variable refresh rates and auto low latency mode switching, while the 120Hz frame rates (at 1080p resolution) the Flip 4K can support are apparently capable of being delivered with just 1ms of input lag.
The projector also provides a few gaming aids, including a Black Equalizer that can make it easier to spot enemies lurking in dark areas, a Virtual Crosshair, and a dedicated Gaming picture mode.
Portable projectors tend to feature built-in sound systems to enhance their ‘plug and play’ credentials, and this is true of the Elfin Flip 4K model, too. In fact, XGIMI has gone to the trouble of working with the audio experts at Harman Karman to come up with a 7W speaker system with Dolby audio support that’s claimed to be capable of delivering a “room-filling sound experience”.
The more affordable new Elfin Flip Laser model that XGIMI has launched alongside the Flip 4K carries the same sound system, as well as joining its step-up model in using an RGB Triple Laser lighting system (the entry-level Elfin Flip Pro uses an LED lighting system). Both the Flip Laser and Flip 4K models also deliver the same 1,600 ISO Lumens of brightness, support HDR10 and HLG HDR formats, and are equipped with Google TV smart systems.
Differences between the two newly announced Elfin Flip models kick off with the Laser model only supporting a 1080p full HD resolution, and only delivering a claimed dynamic contrast ratio of 10,000:1 versus the Flip 4K’s 20,000:1 (thanks to an extra dynamic black level enhancement feature). Gamers should also note that the Flip Laser doesn’t support the VRR, ALLM and 1ms response time features of the Flip 4K, and finally the Flip Laser doesn’t benefit from the optical zoom facility carried by the Flip 4K.
The Elfin Flip Series are available now from XGIMI’s website, and will also be available from July 22 from Amazon. The Elfin Flip 4K will cost $999/£869, while the Elfin Flip Laser will set you back $799/£689.
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