The Soundcore Nebula P1 from Anker isn’t essentially the most moveable Google TV projector I’ve ever reviewed, neither is it the brightest. It doesn’t also have a built-in battery. As a substitute it’s a good video system that focuses on sound.
The Nebula P1’s standout characteristic is a pair of audio system that detach to create true left- and right-channel separation. It sounds significantly better than typical all-in-ones just like the supremely moveable TCL PlayCube, Xgimi MoGo, or Anker’s in style Capsule projectors.
I’ve been testing the $799 (at the moment on sale for $639) Nebula P1 as I journey across the European countryside in my van. It’s not my favourite moveable projector, however I’ve grown fairly keen on the P1 – similar to cameras, generally the most effective projector is the one you will have with you.
$639
The Good
- Removable audio system produce nice sound for a conveyable
- Doubles as a good Bluetooth speaker
- Tilting stand for simpler placement
- Google TV built-in with official Netflix assist
The Unhealthy
- No built-in battery
- Poor display detection and impediment avoidance
- Tilt mechanism provides a lot of bulk
Anker’s been on a tear with modern moveable projectors that target superior sound, first with the $3,000 Nebula X1 after which with the absurdly large X1 Professional. The Nebula P1 trims all that extra down from 72 kilos to five.3 kilos to create a very moveable (and far cheaper and fewer succesful) projector suited to vanlife or impromptu film nights anyplace there’s a wall, sheet, or display… and an influence outlet or huge USB-C battery.
In darkish rooms, the P1 produces an pleasurable 1080p picture which continues to be the usual for moveable projectors on this class. Its LED mild supply, rated at a 650 ANSI Lumens, isn’t sufficient to defeat rooms crammed with an excessive amount of ambient mild, however it nonetheless seems to be good inside my van through the day when tightly centered onto a close-by floor. But it surely’s the sound that makes the P1 actually shine.
There’s one thing particular about outside film nights in the course of nowhere. However needing an enormous battery to energy the projector type of stinks.
The removable 10W audio system mix to provide a large and nice soundscape. I’ve grown fairly keen on the little speaker pair in my few weeks of testing. As a bonus, they magnetically connect to my van on both aspect of my projection display for a clear outside film setup. Placing the audio system up by the show actually does assist create a extra immersive expertise. Often, you’re seated proper subsequent to the audio system built-in into moveable projectors, which suggests the audio sounds prefer it’s coming from the aspect or your knees as a substitute of the place the motion is going down.
General the sound is respectable, and about what you’d anticipate from audio system the scale of soda cans. I additionally like that I can shut off the projector’s LED lamp and use the P1 as a Bluetooth speaker. The quantity is loud sufficient to simply fill an RV or front room.
Madeleine Peyroux’s rendition of La Vie En Rose sounded incredible, with particular person string plucks of the violin popping out the left speaker, a strumming guitar from the suitable, and her dulcet vocals wrapped in a squeezebox oozing out the middle. Bass-heavy tracks like Kendrick Lamar’s Not like Us sounded skinny, nonetheless. In contrast to Anker’s a lot bigger Nebula X1 and X1 Professional projectors, there’s no subwoofer constructed into the bottom of the Nebula P1.
Anker’s 400W, 3500 ANSI lumen Nebula X1 Professional (left) vs. the 20W, 650 ANSI Lumen Nebula P1 (proper) through the day.
The tiny, battery-powered TCL PlayCube (left) vs. the Nebula P1 plugged into an influence station (proper) at nightfall.
The Nebula P1 continues to be watchable through the day inside my van.
Like most portables, the P1 seems to be greatest with none ambient mild.
As a projector, the Nebula P1 may be very quiet, measuring simply 26dB from one meter away — barely noticeable above the din of my loud night breathing canine. However I did all of the testing on cool days so the followers by no means had a cause to essentially spin up. The audio system characteristic an IP54 resistance to mud and rain splashing onto them from all instructions, whereas the projector’s extra restricted IP33 score ought to defend it from mild rain.
Anker says the P1’s audio system will final 20 hours earlier than needing a recharge, which appears correct primarily based upon my testing up to now. They snap along with magnets then mechanically dock to the highest of the projector the place they’ll cost when the Nebula P1 is plugged right into a wall jack or a battery able to 100W over USB-C. The audio system will also be charged straight over USB-C whereas in use, which is handy after they flash a low-battery warning mid movie.
The Nebula P1 boots into Google TV in about 50 seconds from a chilly begin, or about 5 seconds from sleep, the place it consumes a near-constant 6W. The projector ate via 51Wh of battery capability in a single hour of Netflix streaming at most brightness. Which means a typical 99Wh energy financial institution gained’t final lengthy sufficient to view a two-and-a-half hour movie like Pulp Fiction with out taking a charging break.
It’s dumb and cumbersome and I hate it.
Anker says that the Nebula P1 options Clever Atmosphere Adaptation (IEA) 4.0, which suggests automated focus, keystone correction, impediment avoidance, and display becoming. In my testing, nonetheless, it did a horrible job at detecting obstacles and my projector display, although my display lacks black borders which doubtless complicates issues. If I needed to “automate” detection I needed to resort to Anker’s clunky “VisionFit” tech. You launch the Nebula Join app and take a photograph of the floor the place you’d prefer to mission the picture, and the P1 will use that enter to keep away from obstacles and discover the display. It’s dumb and cumbersome and I hate it.
Luckily, the autofocus and clever keystone correction labored wonderful, with guide overrides so you’ll be able to brute power the picture into place when wanted. Having the projector on a swivel additionally offers you extra placement choices with out having to resort to a stack of books. It’s also possible to save settings into presets for those who repeatedly use the projector from the identical location.
1/13The projector swivels down to guard the lens. The audio system connect collectively magnetically then dock mechanically to the highest.
Basically, I don’t like moveable projectors that lack a built-in battery as a result of you need to plug a snaggy cable right into a wall jack or carry an additional battery round. That’s very a lot the case with the Nebula P1.
Whereas I loved my time with it, I’d select TCL’s $799.99 (on sale for $649.99) PlayCube when true portability is the precedence. The PlayCube prices the identical, is a little bit brighter, additionally tilts, and runs the identical Google TV OS, however manages to suit a three-hour battery right into a a lot smaller projector. It simply can’t compete with the Nebula P1 on sound.
- Show Know-how: DLP 0.23” DMD
- Decision: 1920 × 1080
- Gentle Supply: LED
- Brightness: 650 ANSI Lumens
- Colour Gamut: 124% Rec. 709
- Native Distinction Ratio: 400:1
- Gentle Supply Lifespan: 25,000 Hours
- Side Ratio: 16:9
- Throw Ratio: 1.2:1
- Offset: 100%
- 3D Content material Compatibility: No
- Focus Adjustment: Auto / Handbook
- Projection Mode: Entrance / Rear / Entrance Ceiling / Rear Ceiling
- Keystone Correction: Auto (Vertical ±40°), Auto (Horizontal ±30°)
- Interface: HDMI 2.1 (eARC), AUX-OUT, USB-A, USB-C
- OS: Google TV (With Official Netflix)
- Modes: Projector Mode / Bluetooth Speaker Mode
- Display Mirroring: Google Solid Constructed-In
- CPU: Quad Core ARM Cortex-A55
- GPU: ARM Mali-G52MC1
- RAM / ROM: 2 GB / 32 GB
- Audio system: 10W ×2 (Dolby Audio Supported)
Pictures by Thomas Ricker / The Verge
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