XGIMI AURA 3 Max on Kickstarter: RGB Laser TV With 4K 120Hz Ultra-Short Throw
A camera pans across the pitch and, at 60Hz, the grass on a wall-sized picture softens into a smear just as the action peaks. Films judder instead, their 24 frames per second stretched into an uneven cadence. The XGIMI AURA 3 Max, an RGB laser projector XGIMI sells as a laser TV, is designed to reduce the blur and end the pulldown judder.
The AURA 3 Series is the second Kickstarter project from XGIMI, whose Titan Noir campaign raised more than $12.6 million. Digital Trends and Les Numériques both singled out the AURA 3 at IFA 2026. The XGIMI AURA 3 Max price on Kickstarter is $2,999.
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📈 Campaign: $1,099,239 raised from 372 backers, goal $100,000, 44 days left
💰 Max: $2,999 (633 of 1,000 left); Pro: $2,599 (989 of 1,000 left)
📦 Delivery: estimated December 2026
Quick Verdict
Our verdict: 8.6/10
Who Is It For?
The Max suits buyers who want the biggest picture in a bright living room, the setting it is built for. It also fits gamers who want that size for console play.
Main Strengths
4K UHD at 120Hz, which XGIMI says keeps fast sport and games crisp, also lets films play at their own 24fps cadence.
A dual iris and an 8,000:1 native contrast rating target deeper blacks on a large screen.
The RGB triple laser is rated at 110% of BT.2020, with IMAX Enhanced and ISF certification.
Sitting 8 inches from the wall for a 120-inch picture, the projector stays on the media console.
Google TV is built in, so no streaming stick is needed, and an 80W Harman Kardon system handles the sound.
Main Limitations
Every screen shown on the campaign page is sold separately, so the price does not include a screen.
The campaign lists no rated lifespan for the laser light source.
The reward listing publishes no shipping fee.
Is the XGIMI AURA 3 Max on Kickstarter Worth Backing?
Back it if you are the living-room buyer described above, ready to hand the TV's job to a projector. Skip it if your room is dim to moderately lit, where the cheaper AURA 3 Pro fits. The AURA 3's 120Hz motion on a UST projector is the reason to back the XGIMI AURA 3 Max on Kickstarter.
XGIMI AURA 3 Max Price on Kickstarter
The XGIMI AURA 3 Max price on Kickstarter is $2,999, against a $4,999 MSRP. The Max is the model to take for its extra 1,600 ISO lumens, while the AURA 3 Pro costs $2,599 on a $3,999 MSRP. Each is limited to 1,000 units, and both come with two pairs of 3D glasses and a backlit Bluetooth remote.
Against its MSRP, the Max's Kickstarter price takes 40% off, and $400 over the Pro buys that extra light plus a higher native contrast rating, a fair gap for a bright room. A motorized lens cover comes standard on both. A screen is extra, and the shipping fee is not listed. The Max is $2,999 on Kickstarter.
Best XGIMI AURA 3 Max Alternative Shipping Now
The XGIMI MIRA is the brand's current 4K RGB triple laser UST projector, with Google TV, Dolby Vision and Harman Kardon sound, and it ships now. It is rated at 2,000 ISO lumens and lists its 240Hz mode at 1080p only, with no 4K 120Hz figure: check the current price on XGIMI .
What Is the XGIMI AURA 3 Max and What Problem Does It Solve?
XGIMI AURA 3 Max: A Console-Top Laser TV With a 0.163:1 Throw
The AURA 3 Max is an ultra-short-throw laser TV built to stand where a TV would. It sits 8 inches (20.3 cm) from the wall for a 120-inch picture, on a 0.163:1 throw ratio, and XGIMI's own chart puts other UST projectors at 0.23:1 and 0.25:1.
The body measures 138 x 588 x 295 mm and weighs 9.4 kg, with a 19-element optical system using ED-grade glass that XGIMI says keeps the edges as sharp as the center. Yanko Design noted that it is designed to sit on a media console "like just another piece of furniture," and Kickstarter has marked the campaign a Project We Love. XGIMI has sold more than 7 million units in over 100 countries, and the AURA 3 Series follows the Titan Noir Max we reviewed.
Why Fast Pans Smear and Films Judder at 60Hz
Film night on a 60Hz projector comes with a stutter built in. A film shot at 24 frames per second does not divide evenly into 60, so 3:2 pulldown holds some frames longer than others, and slow pans judder. Fast sport and games add a second problem at 60Hz: motion blur.
On the AURA 3 Max, a slow pan across a landscape moves at an even pace, and a fast match keeps clearer detail in motion.
XGIMI AURA 3 Max Key Features and Specs: 4K 120Hz, Dual Iris, RGB Laser and Max vs Pro
4K at 120Hz From Two DLP Controllers: 5:5 Film Cadence and Gaming
Two Texas Instruments DLPC 8545 controllers run in parallel to drive the DMD at 4K UHD and 120Hz. XGIMI calls the AURA 3 Series the world's first ultra-short-throw projector to do it. Techlicious, giving it a Spotlight Award at IFA 2026, called it "the first UST projector to actually deliver true 4K at 120Hz."
Because 120 is an exact multiple of 24, each film frame is shown five times in a steady 5:5 cadence, with no pulldown. Anti-RBE processing is designed to reduce the rainbow effect. Gaming features include VRR, ALLM, AMD FreeSync Premium, Dolby Vision Gaming and 1ms input lag, with 1080p at up to 240Hz.
Dual Iris and 8,000:1 Native Contrast: Black Levels Set at the Light Source
Two irises work together, with five-step manual control from f/2.0 to f/7.0 and a dynamic mode that resizes the iris frame by frame with scene brightness. XGIMI calls it the first ultra-short-throw model with a dual iris.
XGIMI says its Dynamic Black Enhancement (DBLE) boosts dynamic contrast by up to 10x. HDR covers Dolby Vision, HDR10+, HDR10 and HLG with dynamic tone mapping.
RGB Triple Laser at 5,700 ISO Lumens: Brightness, Color and Room Setup
Separate red, green and blue lasers produce 5,700 ISO lumens on the Max. XGIMI says the image stays clear in bright rooms. Color accuracy is rated at Delta E under 0.8, with 99% of DCI-P3, and the projector carries Filmmaker Mode and TÜV Rheinland Low Blue Light certification.
Setup is automatic: keystone correction and focus run continuously, the projector adapts to wall flatness and wall color, and Screen Alignment Assist helps line the image up with a screen. Fan noise stays under 28dB at one meter.
AURA 3 Max vs AURA 3 Pro: Which Model Fits Your Room
Both models use the same RGB triple laser type, 0.47-inch DMD, throw and feature set. The AURA 3 Pro drops to 4,100 ISO lumens and 7,000:1 native contrast, and weighs 8.9 kg.
XGIMI positions the Max for bright rooms and the largest screens, and the Pro for dim to moderately lit rooms, so a bright living room calls for the Max.
Should You Back the XGIMI AURA 3 Max on Kickstarter?
The AURA 3 Max is a laser TV for the family room: an afternoon match and an evening gaming session on the same wall.
XGIMI, founded in 2013, schedules shipping to begin in December. At $2,999 against a $4,999 MSRP, with the Max the model to take over the Pro, the XGIMI AURA 3 Max is on Kickstarter.
FAQ about the XGIMI AURA 3 Max on Kickstarter
Does the XGIMI AURA 3 Max play Netflix and other streaming apps natively?
Yes. It runs Google TV, with Netflix, YouTube, Prime Video, Disney+, Apple TV, HBO Max and Hulu among its apps, plus Gemini, Google Home control and Google Cast.
How does the XGIMI AURA 3 Max compare with the Titan Noir Max?
XGIMI rates the Titan Noir Max brighter, at 7,000 ISO lumens, and higher at 10,000:1 native contrast, but its 0.98-2.0:1 throw needs roughly 7 to 14.5 feet for a 100-inch 16:9 image. The AURA 3 Max sits on a console, 8 inches from the wall for a 120-inch picture.
How does the XGIMI AURA 3 Max compare with the AWOL Vision Aetherion Max?
Both are 4K RGB laser UST projectors. The Aetherion line adds Apple HomeKit and Alexa control, where the AURA 3 page names only Google Home. The AURA 3 Max is rated higher on native contrast, 8,000:1 against 6,000:1 for the Aetherion line we reviewed.
How does the XGIMI AURA 3 Max compare with the Hisense L9Q?
The Hisense L9Q has more speaker power, 116W against 80W, and Hisense publishes a laser life of 25,000+ hours, a figure the AURA 3 page omits. The AURA 3 Max runs 4K at 120Hz where the L9Q runs 4K at 60Hz, and its 0.163:1 throw ratio is shorter than the L9Q's 0.18:1.
Do you need a screen for the XGIMI AURA 3 Max?
No screen is included: the screens shown on the campaign page are sold separately. The picture scales from 80 to 200 inches, and the projector adapts its image to a wall's flatness and color.
Which HDMI ports on the XGIMI AURA 3 Max support 4K 120Hz and eARC?
Of its three HDMI inputs, HDMI 2 and HDMI 3 accept 4K at 120Hz, and HDMI 2 also carries eARC for a soundbar or AV receiver.
About the Author
Michael Green
Chief Editor at GizmoCrowd
Michael has been tracking tech and innovation campaigns on Kickstarter and Indiegogo for over 10 years, covering wearables, health tech, smart home devices, and audio-visual equipment.
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