YgiTK Northern Galaxy Lights star projector review

Star projectors have become a must-have gadget for a wide range of consumers, captivating everyone from space enthusiasts and movie fans to gamers and party hosts.

Users often want to create an immersive environment, to add another dimension to the atmosphere, and these handy little gadgets have given us a means to do this quickly, easily and more affordably than ever before.

We've reviewed a ton of models, and they all offer different ways to change the vibe of a room. Some just project lasers, some combine lasers and pretty LED patterns. Some come with speakers, in-built 'white noise' sounds and even radio. The star projectors we're discussing here are the 'non-scientific' versions. Other scientific models exist, usually projecting 'real' imagery or constellations rather than lights, patterns, and lasers.

The YgiTK Northern Galaxy Lights Projector we are reviewing here is sold by lots of sellers, all giving it a slightly different name. The model number is BL-XK03-01 and we've seen it being sold for as little as $17.99 to around $40, which is still pretty cheap compared to some. If you're looking for a 'quick fix' to enhance your environment with lighting and sounds, this model, on paper, seems like a no-brainer, but let's have a closer look.

YgiTK Northern Galaxy Lights star projector review

YgiTK Northern Galaxy Lights Projector: Design

★★★★

• Unique 'regular' tripod with ball head
• Doesn't feel premium to the touch
• Mediocre packaging

This small tabletop star projector is unique compared with all of the previous models we have reviewed in that it comes with its own little tripod. You can detach it and place the unit on a flat surface, or use the tripod with its ball head to maximize positioning options.

We can liken the shape of the star projector to 'spaceship-like', giving further appeal to space enthusiasts or Sci-Fi fans. It is by no means a 'discrete' star projector as its striking design would stand out against modern decor, but it still has a fairly small footprint to fit on a bookcase or bedside table.

The packaging box is typical of a mass-produced star projector. Curious grammar with the headline marketing being 'Bring a Romantic Starry Night'. Obviously, not the be-all and end-all, but it does 'cheapen' the product, especially if you're giving it to someone as a gift.

The 'feel' of the unit is fine, but it doesn't feel premium. It feels a lot more toy-like than the likes of the premium Sega Toys Homestar Flux, but given the $200+ price tag difference, that's hardly surprising. The design of the overall finish, buttons and function logos has also been given little style attention, but they do their functional jobs accordingly. As always, we'd prefer glow-in-the-dark or backlit buttons to make operation in the dark a little easier. A handy instruction manual is supplied in five languages to get the projector up and running quickly.

A fairly long USB-A to USB-C cable is included, so you shouldn't have a problem reaching your nearest mains supply, and the unit is available with a Black or White finish.

YgiTK Northern Galaxy Lights Projector: Performance

★★★★

Image 1 of 3

• Near-silent motor
• Customizable, to a degree
• Good quality speakers

It took next to no time to get the star projector up and running. Within minutes, we had the lights and lasers dancing along to music blasting from the speakers that we had linked to our phone using Bluetooth.

The speakers are pretty good, given how cheap this unit is. The music we streamed through it didn't sound tinny, but perhaps a bit 'fuzzy' when the volume is set to maximum. There is little 'bass' to speak of, which we'd expect from a cheap portable speaker, but the overall sound isn't bad at all. It would be ideal for playing an audiobook at bedtime, or having background focus or ambient music playing. It would also work well as a speaker in a spa to accompany the relaxing lighting patterns. We know someone who uses this exact star projector in a sensory room to play calming music and nature sounds alongside the lights.

Image 1 of 2

Lighting-wise, again, we were pleasantly surprised when we booted up the unit. The lights shine brightly, even during the daytime, on both light and dark colored walls. The brightness can be adjusted from a soft, barely-there glow to a bright, almost fluorescent shine.

The YgiTK Northern Galaxy Lights Projector offers pretty much the same functionality as the similarly priced Cadrim Star Projector we reviewed recently.

There are two preset modes for the "aurora" lights, both cycling through a combination of colors, but there isn't much to differentiate them from one another. Using the remote control, you can customize the lighting to your desired lighting combination by picking which RGBW colors are turned on or off at any time. There aren't as many customization options as units supplied with an app (like the Encalife Atmosphere), but there's enough, given the price point.

You have the option to project a 'moon and stars' image, but interestingly, you can only turn this on or off using the remote. The green lasers can be changed to 'breathe', stay static, or be turned off completely.

Again, like the Cadrim, the operation is near-silent. You could definitely use this device as a sleep aid or for creating a focused work environment without being woken up or distracted by the sound of moving motors.

YgiTK Northern Galaxy Lights Projector: Functionality

★★★★

• Decent customizability
• Remote control and sleep timer
• Built-in speaker

This is a multi-functional star projector, and all functions work well. Unlike some of the more expensive models, there is no associated app or voice control, just a simple 'universal-style' remote control. The remote requires 2 x AAA batteries, which aren't supplied. Not everyone likes having to install apps, register for accounts, or use their phone to control their devices, so this isn't necessarily a bad thing.

The remote control, we found, wasn't always reliable, and a few attempts were needed to get it to respond; on some occasions, we had to move closer to the unit. As we've mentioned before, often the basic functionality of these units can be controlled with remotes that ship with other similar models. This is handy if you have more than one star projector. You can typically change all of the basics (volume, power, sleep timer) using a different model's remote.

We've already discussed the quality of the speakers, but we haven't yet mentioned the option to plug a USB flash drive to play MP3 music from. This might seem a little outdated, but there are some occasions where this is handy. Take the sensory room use we mentioned earlier, no one needs to connect their phone to the unit to play an approved list of audio. It's also helpful if you don't want to leave your phone unattended, or for the music to go off if you walk out of the room with your phone. You could load up an audiobook so you don't need to look at a screen to start it at bedtime. There are still plenty of uses for this functionality.

Like most star projectors, a fairly standard function is a sleep timer. This unit allows you to set it for thirty or sixty minutes. No need to wake yourself (or someone else) up to turn it off.

Should I buy the YgiTK Northern Galaxy Lights Star Projector?

Given that this star projector is available for less than $20, we recommend it. Just a couple of years ago, the functionality of this model would have been something you could only find in much more expensive star projectors. The quality of star projectors has improved as they have gained popularity, and because there is much more competition on the market, we've seen the price of such models generally decrease.

The YgiTK Northern Galaxy Lights Star Projector is remarkably quiet to operate and the lasers and lights are plenty bright enough for use in most environments (better in the dark, but they can be used during the daytime too). The speaker is impressive for a cheap portable Bluetooth model, and we like that you can stream music live off a paired Bluetooth device and have the option of plugging in a flash drive. It is a cost-effective means of completely transforming the mood of a room. Remember to search for the model number, BL-XK03-01, as you might be able to find it cheaper from different distributors.

If a good speaker quality is the most important element to you, the Govee Star Projector is a standout performer — the speaker is great. Although if you are looking for something with quiet motor operation, steer clear of this. We tried to use it in our focused work environment and the buzz from the motor was a distraction. It's a unit best used in noisier environments like play school classrooms or hospital wards, for example.

If you're looking for a basic means of filling up your environment with a single color of pinpoint lasers, you can't go far wrong with the BlissLights Starport USB star projector. It would be great to make a DJ booth more exciting or make a gaming room feel more immersive, taking up next to no space.

For a disc-projection-style star projector, we have reviewed a couple of models recently that we'd happily recommend. The first that springs to mind is the Orzors Galaxy Lite projector. It is a more affordable version of the more premium scientific star projectors and is also reusable. Its disks can be used with the highly rated Pococo Galaxy star projector, too.