NexiGo Aurora Pro MKII UST Projector Review
CES is in the rearview mirror, and there’s always a handful of memorable products that catch our attention on the show floor. But as many of you know, what looks impressive under showroom lighting doesn’t always translate to the same experience at home. One of the products that stood out this year was the Nexigo Aurora Pro MKII Ultra Short Throw projector. Nexigo had it set up right next to the original Aurora Pro MKI, and the difference was hard to ignore. Saying I was eager to get my hands on the MKII would be an understatement—I couldn’t wait to see if it would live up to its CES performance in a real-world setting.
Specifications
The Aurora Pro MKII is the successor to the Aurora Pro MK1. It’s an Ultra Short Throw (UST) projector that uses a 0.47-inch DMD chip and an RGB Tri-Color laser system. It features Appotronics' latest ALPD 5.0 RGB+ optical laser engine which delivers 2,400 ANSI lumens. Many features carry over from the original, including support for HDR10, HDR10+, HLG, and Dolby Vision, along with 3D capabilities via DLP-Link glasses and motion smoothing (MEMC).
One of the smaller but notable differences is the throw ratio. The MKII shifts from 0.23:1 on the MKI to 0.21:1, meaning it requires slightly less distance for the same image size. At just 2.76 inches from the wall, it can project an 80-inch image, while a 120-inch screen requires about 10 inches. It can produce images up to 150 inches in size. Another improvement is its lamp life which is now rated at 30,000 hours, up from 25,000 hours in the original model.
The biggest upgrade in the MKII is the addition of the new Scene Adapt Engine (SAE). This makes a huge impact on contrast and black levels, bringing two key improvements: a dynamic iris and laser dimming. If you’re unfamiliar with iris control on projectors, it works by adjusting the lens aperture, narrowing it for deeper blacks in dark scenes, and opening it up for brighter highlights. On the other hand, laser dimming is becoming more common in DLP projectors. It dynamically adjusts the laser light output based on the video signal to improve perceived contrast by dimming darker areas while maintaining brightness where needed. More on these later.
In terms of sound, the Aurora Pro MKII is equipped with a built-in sound system featuring two 15W woofers and two 15W tweeters. It supports both Dolby Atmos and DTS-HD.
Design
The Aurora Pro MKII keeps the same minimalist design as its predecessor, with a dark grey finish that gives it a clean and modern look. A subtle touch is the RGB LED lighting on the front, which gently pulses when the projector powers on or off. If you find it distracting, you can disable it in the settings, but it does add a bit of character to the overall design.
In terms of size, it measures 21.6-inches wide, 16.1-inches deep, and 4.8-inches tall. I would say it's a little on the lighter side of USTs weighing only 22 pounds. There’s also an adjustable dial on the bottom that allows you to fine-tune the height of the front feet.
Around the back, you’ll find three HDMI 2.1 inputs, including one with eARC support. You also get three USB 2.0 ports, an Ethernet port, an optical audio output, and a 3.5mm audio jack.
Remote
The NexiGo Aurora Pro MKII comes with a remote that features an automatic backlight that turns on when moved and stays lit for about four seconds. It can be used via Bluetooth or infrared, giving you flexibility in how you control the projector.
The button layout is straightforward and fits comfortably in your hand. Power, settings, and source buttons are at the top, with a directional pad and home button in the center. Volume, play, and pause controls are placed toward the bottom. It’s a practical design that works well.
Operating System
The Aurora Pro MKII runs on a basic Android 9-based operating system but doesn’t come with any pre-installed apps. While you can install apps manually, the process isn’t the most user-friendly. To install apps using APK files, you first need to enable installation from unknown sources. From there, you’ll need to download an APK file from a trusted source, save it onto a USB drive formatted to FAT32, and plug it into the projector. Then you can open the file and install the apps. It’s probably better and easier to just use an external device. The projector supports Wi-Fi 6 and Bluetooth 5.2 so you can also cast from a phone or tablet.
As for the interface itself, it's simple and easy to navigate. It provides quick access to the projector’s inputs and adjustments. There’s also an application section where you can view installed apps, launch them, or uninstall them as needed.
Setup
Setting up the Aurora Pro MKII is straightforward. It features manual focus and keystone correction, allowing adjustments using either four or eight points to fine-tune the image. While keystone correction can be helpful, I recommend avoiding digital keystone adjustments when possible, as it tends to reduce image quality. The projector also supports ceiling mounting with an upside-down projection mode. For my testing, I used a 120-inch ALR screen in my living room, sitting about 10 feet from the screen.
When it comes to calibration, you have control over the Gain and Offset grayscale settings in each picture mode. For more precise tuning, the Aurora Pro MKII includes grayscale adjustments in both 2-point and 11-point settings, a Color Management System (CMS) with three-dimensional color controls, multiple gamma options, and four preset color temperature settings.
The Aurora Pro MKII also offers three Dolby Vision modes—Dolby Vision Bright, Dolby Vision Dark, and Dolby Vision Vivid. In my setup, Dolby Vision Bright provided the best results. For both HDR and SDR content, there are multiple picture modes to choose from, including Standard, Cinema Home, Cinema Pro, Custom, Gaming Mode, and Brightest. If you don’t plan on doing a full calibration, Cinema Pro is probably your best bet. The menu system is straightforward and offers a good amount of control to fine-tune the image.
Since this is a pre-production sample, Nexigo has assured that the final production units will match the picture quality of this test model. However, they are still working on out-of-the-box settings, so there may be minor variations. Right now, the menu provides little information about the different modes and settings. Hopefully, Nexigo can improve this in future updates to make it easier for users to understand the settings.
The Aurora Pro MKII includes multiple iris modes to adjust brightness and contrast. Iris Bright provides the widest dynamic range and is the recommended setting for most content. Iris Dark limits the iris to a narrower range, reducing color shifting in darker scenes. Iris Custom offers a balance between Bright and Dark modes.
In addition to iris settings, the projector also includes four laser dimming modes labeled SAE1 through SAE4. These settings control how aggressively the projector adjusts its light output in response to scene content. SAE2 is the most aggressive, followed by SAE3, SAE4, then SAE1, which applies more subtle adjustments. SAE4, on the other hand, disables the laser dimming entirely.
SAE isn't enabled by default, so you'll need to turn it on manually in the menu. Once active, it works behind the scenes to analyze each scene and adjust three main aspects of image output: the iris position, the brightness of the light engine, and the gamma curve. The goal here is to improve contrast and black levels dynamically, depending on what's on screen, without noticeably impacting overall brightness.
Performance
Right out of the box, the first thing that stands out is the contrast and black levels. The combination of the new Scene Adapt Engine (SAE) and dynamic iris delivers deep blacks and an impressive dynamic range. Native contrast without any dynamic contrast engaged measured at 3,678:1, but with the iris and laser dimming activated, it jumped to just under 31,700:1. This is among the best black levels I’ve seen on an ultra-short throw projector to date. Watching Blade Runner 2049, the black levels during night scenes looked deep, with the neon lights of the cityscape maintaining their intensity without washing out the shadows. Even in the darkest scenes such as the opening fight scene between K and Sapper Morten, details remained intact without the murky, lifted blacks that some projectors struggle with.
I ended up using Iris Bright mode with SAE 1 the most. Anything higher than SAE 2 had a bit more clipping than I liked, but this combination struck a good balance between deep blacks, dynamic range, and brightness. In darker scenes, it added depth while still keeping shadow details intact. I did notice some very minor flickering when the iris was engaged, but it wasn’t too distracting. My wife didn’t notice it at all, so it probably depends on how sensitive you are to it.
Nexigo is working with beta testers on firmware updates, and given how I’ve seen a couple of updates so far this issue continues to improve.
When it comes to laser speckle, the MKII performs exceptionally well. It’s practically nonexistent. Even when looking for it, it was hard to find, aside from some faint speckling on solid bright red backgrounds (I’m looking at you State Farm commercials). I never noticed it when watching movies or sports.
The Aurora Pro MKII delivers a sharp and bright image. In its uncalibrated brightest mode, I measured 2,158 ANSI lumens. After calibration in Cinema Pro mode, it settled at 1,758 ANSI lumens, which is still plenty for a dedicated theater or a dimly lit living room. Watching Dune: Part Two, the desert landscapes looked as harsh and sun-soaked as they should. In the scene where Chani rescues Paul after he drinks the Water of Life, the projector handles the transition from the blinding desert to the dimly lit cave naturally and keeps the brightness without making the darker areas look washed out.
Colors are vibrant and well-balanced. The Aurora Pro MKII has no trouble delivering a wide range of colors. Watching La La Land, the hues of the city lights, and the glow of the sunset during the "A Lovely Night" sequence looked great. The blues of Sebastian’s suit and the yellows of Mia’s dress popped without feeling exaggerated.
Operating noise is relatively low, with the projector hovering around 42dB in HDR mode. Turning off SAE lowers fan noise, but I found the trade-off for better black levels well worth it. Even with SAE engaged, the fan noise is subtle enough not to interfere with the viewing experience.
Motion handling is another strong point. Thanks to MEMC (Motion Estimation, Motion Compensation), fast-moving content remains smooth and free from noticeable motion blur. Watching Formula 1: Drive to Survive, the high-speed racing sequences looked clean, with no ghosting or any artifacts.
Even though the Aurora Pro MKII isn’t a native 4K projector, its upscaling is great. Watching The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers from a 1080p Blu-ray on a 120-inch screen from 10 feet away, I was impressed by how well it handled the lower-resolution content. Fine textures in armor and landscapes remained sharp. Battle sequences maintained clarity without excessive noise or artificial sharpening.
Audio
The built-in audio on the Aurora Pro MKII is better than I expected. It easily outperforms typical TV speakers and even some budget soundbars. There are several sound modes to choose from, including Cinema, Standard, Gaming, Dolby Cinema, and a custom option. I found Dolby Cinema mode to be the most balanced, with a stronger low-end that added weight to sound effects and music. Dialogue was clear and well-centered, while sound effects felt well-placed.
Movie soundtracks had good detail, with treble that remained smooth without becoming harsh. The built-in speakers also get loud enough to fill a medium-sized room. While a dedicated audio setup is always ideal, I could see someone using the projector’s speakers on their own without feeling the immediate need for an upgrade.
Gaming
Hooking up a PS5 to the Aurora Pro MKII made for a solid gaming experience. I tested it with Call of Duty: Black Ops 6, and with Game Mode turned on, everything felt smooth and responsive. The projector automatically adjusts settings to reduce lag and improve motion clarity, which definitely helped during fast-paced action. I measured input lag at 17.6ms at 4K 60Hz, which is really good for a projector. Movements felt natural, and I didn’t notice any distracting ghosting or motion blur. It’s not going to replace a high-end gaming monitor, but for big-screen gaming, it does a great job.
Conclusion
The NexiGo Aurora Pro MKII takes a big step forward from its predecessor, with dynamic laser dimming and a mechanical iris making a noticeable difference in contrast and black levels. While there are still some refinements to be made, NexiGo has been actively working with testers, so I expect improvements before the final units ship. Even as it stands now, the MKII delivers a great image. NexiGo has really nailed it with this projector.
For $3,499—but especially if you got it at the preorder price of $2,299—it offers a level of performance that’s hard to match. With features typically found in higher-end models, the Aurora Pro MKII delivers an impressive ultra-short throw experience without pushing into the premium price bracket.
FAQ
What is laser dimming in a DLP projector?
Laser dimming is a feature that dynamically adjusts the brightness of the laser light source based on the content being displayed. It reduces brightness in dark scenes to improve black levels and improves it in bright scenes to maintain HDR highlights.
How does a dynamic iris work in a projector?
A dynamic iris is a mechanical aperture within the projector’s light path that opens and closes to control the amount of light reaching the image. This adjustment improves contrast by limiting brightness in dark scenes and expanding it in bright ones.
What is a 0.47-inch DMD chip in UST projectors?
The 0.47-inch DMD (Digital Micromirror Device) chip is a key component in many Ultra Short Throw (UST) projectors. It controls the projection by reflecting light off tiny mirrors to create an image.
Do UST projectors suffer from rainbow effect?
Some single-laser UST projectors using the 0.47-inch DMD chip may show the rainbow effect due to their color wheel. Triple-laser and RGB laser models typically reduce or eliminate this issue.
