The catch
Hisense C3 Ultra
C3 Ultra weighs 8 kg, which is a lot to lift onto a shelf. The space it needs for ventilation and cables is also greater than its body dimensions suggest.
Side by side
Hisense C3 Ultra vs XGIMI HORIZON 20 Max, starting with the room: XGIMI carries lighter, Hisense fits 120 inches from 9 ft
Quick verdict
The C3 Ultra is the one when a 120-inch screen has to work from about 9 feet, or when you need its built-in Ethernet and AirPlay2. The HORIZON 20 Max is the one for a Google TV service you have confirmed, or for regularly changing rooms with a 5.4 kg body rather than 8 kg. From a 12-foot lens position, both fit 120 inches optically. A brightness headline is no replacement for checking the room and viewing mode.
Before you buy
Why, and what it costs you
With a nine-foot position, the lens decides before brightness does
In a family room there may be only one spot for a projector that keeps the sofa and walking route usable. From 9 feet at the lens, C3 Ultra can produce a 120-inch 16:9 picture optically, while HORIZON 20 Max tops out around 103 inches from that position. If the lens can move back to 12 feet, both can fill the same 120-inch screen. Measure the usable position first. A brighter-looking headline can’t make up for a lens that can’t fill the screen from where your furniture allows.
Where this comes from
Width of a 120-inch 16:9 screen = 104.59 inches. Distance = width × throw / 12. C3 Ultra 7.84 to 13.07 ft, HORIZON 10.46 to 13.07 ft. At 9 ft with a 1.2 throw, the maximum diagonal is 103.3 inches. This assumes a perpendicular image before digital correction, and installation tolerance is still needed.
The catch
XGIMI HORIZON 20 Max
For 120 inches, its shortest optical throw needs about 10.5 feet. No digital correction can make that picture fit optically at a 9-foot position.
Hisense C3 Ultra
- Why pick it
- A lens around 9 feet away has to serve your 120-inch screen. Leave the required 20 cm of ventilation space at the sides and rear.
- The documented Ethernet connection or AirPlay2 is something you need, with the exact streaming service and content restrictions checked.
- The catch
- C3 Ultra weighs 8 kg, which is a lot to lift onto a shelf. The space it needs for ventilation and cables is also greater than its body dimensions suggest.
XGIMI HORIZON 20 Max
- Why pick it
- Putting the projector away is a regular habit for you, and its longer optical distance works in your room. The body is 2.6 kg lighter.
- The service you require is on Google TV, whereas VIDAA would need an external player for it. Confirm that service before buying.
- The catch
- For 120 inches, its shortest optical throw needs about 10.5 feet. No digital correction can make that picture fit optically at a 9-foot position.
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What this page compares
Looking at a fixed shelf, a shared living room and existing sound equipment? See how the lens, carrying weight and app choice change the buy between the C3 Ultra and HORIZON 20 Max.
Streaming, speakers, optical zoom and lens shift all come together in these premium 4K triple-laser models. They go on the same shortlist for a living room that can’t be turned into a dedicated cinema.
Which one fits
Pick the situations that sound like you
Get 120 inches with the lens around 9 feet away
C3 Ultra alone reaches that optical distance. Allow room for the body and ventilation.
- Hisense C3 Ultra
- Better fit
- XGIMI HORIZON 20 Max
- Not suitable
Carry the projector out and put it away after each movie
HORIZON’s body weighs 2.6 kg less. Both call for safe handling and separate cable storage.
- Hisense C3 Ultra
- Depends
- XGIMI HORIZON 20 Max
- Better fit
Use an app confirmed on Google TV that VIDAA doesn’t offer
If the exact service is supported, HORIZON can do without an external player.
- Hisense C3 Ultra
- Depends
- XGIMI HORIZON 20 Max
- Better fit
Plug into a built-in wired network socket
Gigabit Ethernet is documented for C3 Ultra. HORIZON’s published connection list documents Wi-Fi and has no equivalent built-in socket.
- Hisense C3 Ultra
- Better fit
- XGIMI HORIZON 20 Max
- Depends
Wire two consoles and an eARC-only soundbar in directly
Each has two HDMI sockets. Connecting three HDMI devices directly calls for a different route.
- Hisense C3 Ultra
- Not suitable
- XGIMI HORIZON 20 Max
- Not suitable
In practice
Differences you will notice
With a nine-foot position, the lens decides before brightness does
In a family room there may be only one spot for a projector that keeps the sofa and walking route usable. From 9 feet at the lens, C3 Ultra can produce a 120-inch 16:9 picture optically, while HORIZON 20 Max tops out around 103 inches from that position. If the lens can move back to 12 feet, both can fill the same 120-inch screen. Measure the usable position first. A brighter-looking headline can’t make up for a lens that can’t fill the screen from where your furniture allows.
How we worked this out
Width of a 120-inch 16:9 screen = 104.59 inches. Distance = width × throw / 12. C3 Ultra 7.84 to 13.07 ft, HORIZON 10.46 to 13.07 ft. At 9 ft with a 1.2 throw, the maximum diagonal is 103.3 inches. This assumes a perpendicular image before digital correction, and installation tolerance is still needed.
A tidy room is a different kind of advantage from a projector that stays installed
When the projector sits on a table only for movies, HORIZON takes 2.6 kg off the body you lift and put away each time. When C3 Ultra stays installed, its wider throw range may let you stop moving it at all. That second option works only with stable support and the manual’s 20 cm of side and rear ventilation space. A cabinet that looks big enough for the body may still not be suitable. Go with the lighter HORIZON if you carry it repeatedly, or with the C3 Ultra placement that ends the carrying for good. Neither recommendation means any particular person can safely lift either unit.
How we worked this out
Using manufacturer body weights, 8.0 minus 5.4 = 2.6 kg. Whether carrying or installing makes the difference depends on room layout and the clearance in the manual. No ergonomic or accessibility test is claimed.
Whether the console needs a switch can come down to the sports app
Say the room already has a console and an eARC-only soundbar. On either projector, those take both HDMI sockets. When the family’s sports service is built into the operating system you choose, the setup stays simple. When it needs an external player, three devices end up competing for two sockets. HORIZON fits better if the verified Google TV app removes the need for that extra player. C3 Ultra can fit better if its supported VIDAA app and Ethernet connection suit the room. A compatible receiver, or a soundbar with video passthrough, can change the answer. AirPlay is no universal substitute for protected streaming apps.
How we worked this out
Take one eARC soundbar and one console away from two HDMI sockets and zero are left for a streaming player. This assumes a soundbar with no separate HDMI input. Service availability and format support have to be checked for the actual devices.
Plug in your numbers
Will either projector work in your room?
This checks hard limits only. Personal preferences are left out of the math.
Hisense C3 Ultra
Works with your numbersFor a 120-inch 16:9 picture, the calculated lens range is about 7.84 to 13.07 ft. You entered 9.50 ft.
XGIMI HORIZON 20 Max
Does not work with your numbersFor a 120-inch 16:9 picture, the calculated lens range is about 10.46 to 13.07 ft. You entered 9.50 ft.
Measure distance from the lens to the screen. The math assumes a 16:9 picture and uses the verified throw range for each exact model.
Option A
Hisense, C3 ULTRA
C3 Ultra
A lens around 9 feet away has to serve your 120-inch screen. Leave the required 20 cm of ventilation space at the sides and rear.
- Best for
- A lens around 9 feet away has to serve your 120-inch screen. Leave the required 20 cm of ventilation space at the sides and rear.
Facts we checked
- 120-inch optical distance: About 7.8 to 13.1 feet
- Body carried between rooms: 8 kg / 17.6 lb
- Streaming platform: VIDAA with AirPlay2 and Gigabit Ethernet
- Console and soundbar connections: Two HDMI inputs, eARC on HDMI1, optical and analog audio
Option B
XGIMI, XR16A
HORIZON 20 Max
Putting the projector away is a regular habit for you, and its longer optical distance works in your room. The body is 2.6 kg lighter.
- Best for
- Putting the projector away is a regular habit for you, and its longer optical distance works in your room. The body is 2.6 kg lighter.
Facts we checked
- 120-inch optical distance: About 10.5 to 13.1 feet
- Body carried between rooms: 5.4 kg / 11.9 lb
- Streaming platform: Google TV with Google Cast and Wi-Fi 6
- Console and soundbar connections: Two HDMI inputs, eARC on HDMI1, optical and analog audio
Spec by spec
Where they really differ
| Spec | Hisense C3 Ultra | XGIMI HORIZON 20 Max | In practice |
|---|---|---|---|
| 120-inch optical distance | About 7.8 to 13.1 feet | About 10.5 to 13.1 feet | A closer table works for C3 Ultra. Around 12 feet, both can manage before digital correction. |
| Body carried between rooms | 8 kg / 17.6 lb | 5.4 kg / 11.9 lb | The 2.6 kg gap counts if the projector leaves the room after every film. Cables and accessories make both loads heavier. |
| Streaming platform | VIDAA with AirPlay2 and Gigabit Ethernet | Google TV with Google Cast and Wi-Fi 6 | Look at the service you really watch. If an external player is required, the HDMI plan changes. |
| Console and soundbar connections | Two HDMI inputs, eARC on HDMI1, optical and analog audio | Two HDMI inputs, eARC on HDMI1, optical and analog audio | Each takes one HDMI source and an eARC-only soundbar directly. A second source requires a different route. |
| Optical shift | Up to vertical 100 percent and horizontal 35 percent | Up to vertical 120 percent and horizontal 45 percent, with full horizontal at vertical zero | Nothing in these figures promises that a high side corner will work. Confirm the combined envelope and the reference position. |
| Published light output | Up to 4,000 ANSI lumens | Up to 5,700 ISO lumens in specified peak mode | A percentage brightness advantage can’t be drawn from these two headlines, since no matched movie-mode test backs it up. |
Trade-offs
What each pick costs you
With Hisense C3 Ultra
- AirPlay2 doesn’t guarantee that every protected video service can be mirrored. If a VIDAA app is missing, a separate HDMI player may still be necessary.
With XGIMI HORIZON 20 Max
- Color and fan noise may change in the 5,700 ISO peak mode. The 1 ms claim applies at 1080p240 with VRR on and auto keystone off, and not at 4K from any shelf.
Change of plan
When the answer changes
A 120-inch picture needs the lens around 9 feet away
Go with Hisense C3 Ultra. HORIZON needs more distance, whereas C3 Ultra fits optically.
You carry it often and the longer throw suits the room
Go with XGIMI HORIZON 20 Max. HORIZON takes 2.6 kg off the weight of the body.
Three HDMI devices all have to connect directly
Neither model fits. A suitable switch, receiver or different audio route is needed for both.
Decision guide
Before you buy
The aim is a large picture without a heavy projector standing in the middle of the room. A shorter throw can free up the walking route, and a lighter body is easier to put away.
What this page can’t tell you
- We ran no matched test of noise, brightness, contrast or input lag.
- Documentation for the C3 Ultra is inconsistent on automatic adjustment for screens above 150 inches. Before relying on it, confirm the intended function and the software.
- Looking into the beam is not made safe by a protection sensor. Follow the supervision and eye-safety instructions.
By the numbers
What the data shows
What we found across the home projectors we compare, plus the checked facts behind each finding.
Show the facts and the math
| Product | Needs it meets | Facts we checked | Sources |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hisense C3 Ultra |
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| XGIMI HORIZON 20 Max |
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Ready to buy
See today’s price and what owners say
Open either model on Amazon for the current price, customer reviews and delivery options.
Hisense C3 Ultra
A lens around 9 feet away has to serve your 120-inch screen. Leave the required 20 cm of ventilation space at the sides and rear.
The documented Ethernet connection or AirPlay2 is something you need, with the exact streaming service and content restrictions checked.
See price & reviews on AmazonXGIMI HORIZON 20 Max
Putting the projector away is a regular habit for you, and its longer optical distance works in your room. The body is 2.6 kg lighter.
The service you require is on Google TV, whereas VIDAA would need an external player for it. Confirm that service before buying.
See price & reviews on AmazonEach link opens in a new tab.
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