Verdict
Small and soft to expect around , the Anker Nebula Capsule 3 Laser is a big little projector for take movies on the go . It ’s loud and its optical maser backlight does a near job of purpose detail , handling shadows well while producing rich colours , provided the display area is dark enough . The want of a proper Android idiot box version of Netflix is a little disappointing , and this projector is quite expensive . If physical size and the battery are the two most significant factors , this projector is a good choice .
Pros
Cons
Key Features
Introduction
While smart projector seem to be getting brighter and bigger with each new version , the Anker Nebula Capsule 3 Laser is something of a return to the beneficial old days : a projector little grown than a can of beer that can go everywhere .
Its laser backlight is something I ’ve not ensure on such a little projector , helping with color loudness and dark detail . It ’s not cheap , and there are brighter projector for the same amount of Johnny Cash , but if you need a very portable projector , this one is a good choice .
Design
The Anker Nebula Capsule 3 Laser is refreshingly small . It ’s not much bigger than a large can of beer . While its 950 gigabyte weight is more than an tantamount can , it ’s not much for a projector and it ’s easy to throw the Capsule 3 into a bag and carry it everywhere you want .
It ’s a shame that there ’s no carry case for this projector . I ’d get a bag , at least , to prevent the glass lens cover from getting scratch up on a twenty-four hours out .
Although the projector runs Android TV internally , and therefore has smart apps , there ’s aHDMIport at the rear that can take up to a 4 special K comment sign , and it supportsHDMI eARCif you want to send audio recording to a compatible soundbar .
There ’s a singleUSB - Cport , which provides force and , if required , offline storage . If you want to furnish exponent and use offline storage at the same fourth dimension , Anker recommends using a hub with a 60W courser ; the projector itself requires just a 45W power adapter .
Although the Anker Nebula Capsule 3 Laser can be place on a desk , it does have a tripod setting underneath , which gives a bite more flexibleness .
There ’s a pocket-sized Bluetooth voice remote in the boxwood , which is used to navigate through Android TV . It works well enough , but I did find that the select button was a little too skinny to the cursor keys , and it was light to move the picker instead of press OK .
Features
As with the majority of smart projector , such as the XGIMI Halo+ , the Anker Nebula Capsule 3 Laser runs Android telly . This O is designed to be used with a remote ascendence and big screens . Here , the Anker Nebula Capsule 3 Laser has enough ability to flow this operating system swimmingly .
The main streaming apps are usable from the Google Play Store , including Amazon Prime Video , Apple TV+,Disney+ , NOW andApple TV+ . There are no UK - free-base catch - up apps available .
A bigger miss isNetflix , which can only be install on indorse equipment , such as theSamsung Freestyle . Anker ’s workaround is to ply an APK that can be instal via the Nebula Play app . That ’s utile in that Netflix is provided , but the version offered is the mobile variant of Netflix .
I could n’t get this to cultivate with the distant control , so I swop the Nebula smartphone app , using the computer mouse mode . Here , I cope to ratify in , but I could n’t get Netflix to scroll down .
To utilise Netflix , I just plugged anAmazon Fire TV Stick 4 K Maxinto the projector ’s HDMI port and used this instead .
Setting the projector up is easy . overlook it down and it will automatically set keystone ( horizontal and vertical ) and focalise . I discover that the projector stick the results powerful each time I used it . The only thing that this projector does n’t have are the fancy screen detecting and obstacle turning away that the XGIMI Mogo 2 Pro has .
Performance
Rated at 300 ANSI Lumens , the Anker Nebula Capsule 3 Laser is n’t particularly bright . I found that during the sidereal day , I had to shut curtains to keep the light out to get a turgid TV - sized image . As it have darker , the projector can deal up to a 120 - column inch epitome , although sticking around 80 - in makes the most amount of sense .
With a stroke ratio of 1.2:1 , this projector need to be placed 1.59 m from a silver screen to present a 60 - inch pic , so it does n’t require too much room to get a large image .
As is common for portable projectors , this one uses DLP . There ’s a 0.23 - inch DMD chip shot , which has a aboriginal resolution of 960 x 540 . XPR engineering science is used , which shifts the sensing element four times per frame to progress up a higher firmness of purpose Full HD image . I ’m quite impressed by this technology . While not as sharp as a projector with a aboriginal Full HD image , the Anker Nebula Capsule 3 Laser arrive near .
There ’s a single laser backlight here . betray to last for 30,000 minute , the advantage of laser over light-emitting diode is that the light does n’t fall with age . It ’s also a whiter spark , which help oneself when it come to colours and detail .
Although this projector is n’t that bright , it doest support HDR10 , and has the power to resolve detail across the mental picture , although it miss being able-bodied to show the searing highlighting that a brighter role model can show .
send away up something bright and colorful , such as Coco , and the Anker Nebula Capsule 3 Laser really shows the rich and vivacious colours to their best . Some projectors this brilliant battle a little and can look savourless .
turn to dark-skinned content , I watched the nosepiece fight sequence in Black Panther : Wakanda evermore . With a projector at this brightness level , it ’s usually a choice between highlights or tincture point , but the Anker Nebula Capsule 3 Laser does a pretty honorable job of doing it all , with a good amount of point down in the darkest parts of the paradigm .
Spend more and get a brighter projector and you ’ll get better results , for sure , but what the Anker Nebula Capsule 3 Laser does is display enough item that I could see what was going on .
There ’s not much in the path of double control , with sliders for luminousness , contrast and sharpness , and color temperature and da Gamma controls . There ’s also a wall gloss control , which facilitate adapt the picture colours to make - up for having to project on a non - white rampart ; handy for travelling where you do n’t have much control over what you picture on .
There ’s an 8W Dolby Digital speaker inside , which is secure considering the speaker ’s size : loud enough that I did n’t need external speakers , and light enough to make speech easy to sympathise . There ’s not much in the way of bass , and there ’s some subtlety lost along the manner , but as an all - in - one projector the speaker does a good enough problem for on - the - go movies .
There ’s a build - in battery that lasts for 2.5 - hour when look on films . Realistically , that ’s one regular feature - distance film . Switch the projector to Bluetooth verbaliser mode and it can last for 10 hours on a explosive charge .
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Should you buy it?
If you do n’t want to be tie to a world power socket , this projector could well beseem .
At 300 ANSI Lumens , this projector needs dark conditions to get the most out of it .
Final Thoughts
The small sizing and optical maser backlight make the Anker Nebula Capsule 3 Laser a not bad small projector when portability is of the gist . Competition is tough , though . If you do n’t care about the battery , then the brighterMogo 2 Promay become you more , particularly as it has better audio recording . It ’s also cheaper .
At this price , theXGIMI Halo+is the penny-pinching contender . The Halo+ is much brilliant and has better audio , but it ’s larger . Check out other choices in the guide to thebest portable projector .
Trusted Score
How we test
We screen every projector we review good over an protracted period of time . We use industriousness standard tests to compare features properly . We ’ll always tell you what we find . We never , ever , accept money to refresh a product .
see out more about how we test in ourethics policy .
FAQs
Not natively , although the mobile version of Netflix can be sideloaded . We found this app did n’t work very well .
Laser backlights are more expensive , but produce more vivid colours , do n’t have a lovesome - up time and do n’t abbreviate in brightness over time .
