The RGB Hype Cycle: Does the Hisense XR10 Actually Deliver?

Let's be honest: the tech world loves a buzzword. Right now, that word is 'RGB.' We've seen RGB backlighting transform the TV market, promising a level of vividness that makes standard LEDs look washed out. Now, the projector world is trying to ride that same wave. Enter the Hisense XR10, a projector Wired recently put to the test.

On paper, the XR10 is a monster, promising 6,000 lumens of brightness and a native contrast ratio of 6,000:1. But spec sheets don't watch movies—people do. At $5,998 at Amazon and $6,000 at B&H Photo, the unit demands scrutiny to see if it actually earns its keep, as Wired first reported.

**The Verdict: Vivid, but with Caveats**

The Hisense XR10 is a powerful piece of hardware that largely delivers on its promise of color, but it isn't without its frustrations.

If you are chasing color accuracy and punch, the RGB tech here is legitimate. According to reporting from Wired, the XR10 hits 118 percent of the BT.2020 color gamut. To put that in perspective, Wired notes this exceeds the Xgimi Titan Noir Max, which sits at 110 percent. In a side-by-side battle of vividness, the Hisense takes the trophy. It's a brilliant choice for those who want their summer movie nights to pop with colors that exceed current industry specs.

However, the 'vivid' experience is highly dependent on your environment. Wired reported that the XR10 did not perform as well in bright rooms, which suggests that while the colors are there, they can be drowned out if you aren't controlling your lighting.

**Hardware vs. Hassle**

Physically, the XR10 is a beast—literally. At 23.4 pounds, it's significantly heavier than the 18-pound Titan Noir Max. Wired praised the aesthetic of the dark metallic cube and bronze faceplate, though lugging the unit around is a workout. One design win, however, is the inclusion of four tiny feet on the bottom for micro-adjustments. As Wired noted, quite a few projectors tested recently offer only front feet, so the ability to tweak the angle from the back is a welcome touch.

Inside, Hisense opted for liquid cooling. This is a smart move. While there is still a fan that can get a bit loud, Wired notes that it doesn't reach the distracting levels found in some other projectors. Plus, the built-in speaker is loud and clear, which is a rarity in a market where so many projectors have underwhelming audio.

**The Software Struggle**

This is where the experience starts to fray. The XR10 runs on VIDAA OS, a system Hisense developed around 2014. While it's the same OS found on the Leica Cine Play 1, it feels restrictive. For instance, Wired pointed out that Fandango at Home—a staple for renting early-release movies—is missing. Now, you can easily bypass this with a $50 Google TV or Amazon Fire TV Stick, but for a $6,000 machine, the native experience should be seamless.

Then there's the remote. Wired found it merely "OK"—busy, with too many buttons, including three dedicated just to settings. While the backlit buttons are great for dark rooms and the dedicated brightness buttons are handy, the overall layout is confusing.

**The Technical Glitches**

If you're an audiophile or a gamer, pay attention to the ports. The XR10 features three HDMI ports, but only two are HDMI 2.1. The middle port is reserved for eARC passthrough audio, and this is where things get messy. Wired's reviewer encountered audio dropouts, flashes to a black screen, and other glitches through that port when using an Onkyo TX-RZ50 AV Receiver. Hisense is reportedly looking into the issue, but for a premium product, these kinds of stability problems are irritating.

One final point on the 'RGB' experience: the iris control. Unlike the Titan Noir Max, which adjusts the iris on the fly, the XR10 requires you to manually select from seven different levels of iris control to manage light. While this allows for great customization of dark scenes, some of these settings are somewhat buried in the menus.

**Final Thoughts**

Is the Hisense XR10 just an over-promised spec sheet? No. The color performance is genuinely impressive, and the ease of setup—which Wired noted took only 10 minutes—makes it accessible. Wired found the Enhanced picture mode works well across most scenarios without requiring the tedious customization seen in some RGB TVs, like the LG Micro RGB Evo.

But it is far from perfect. Between the weight, the dated OS, and the eARC glitches, the XR10 feels like a piece of hardware that is slightly ahead of its own software. If you value color gamut above all else, the XR10 is a formidable challenger. Just be prepared to do some manual tweaking to get the most out of that RGB hype.