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Anker checked out a can of soda and mentioned, “Yeah, we can make a mini projector that’s the same size.” With its compact dimension, weight of about two kilos, and spectacular show high quality, the 1080p Anker Nebula Capsule 3 Laser mini projector has earned a everlasting place in my journey bag. That’s, as soon as I take it down from utilizing it as my on a regular basis TV. Not solely does the Nebula Capsule 3 Laser supply a projection of as much as 120 inches, but it surely additionally doubles as a Bluetooth speaker with rattling nice sound high quality.
What’s to like in regards to the Anker Nebula Capsule 3 Laser
Anker has develop into one of many extra dependable manufacturers should you’re searching for inexpensive tech that doesn’t fully suck. The Anker Soundcore P20i earbuds are Mashable’s alternative for the finest finances earbuds, the Anker Soundcore Sleep A20 are the finest sleep earbuds we examined, and the Anker 735 Nano charger is considered one of Mashable’s tech editor’s secret weapons. So once we began testing the Anker Nebula Capsule 3 Laser mini projector, we have been in no way shocked to be wowed.
For those who’re taken with an excellent transportable mini projector that impresses with picture and sound high quality, whereas additionally doubling as a Bluetooth speaker, you’ve landed on the proper assessment. Anker succeeded in making a travel-friendly projector that weighs a bit over two kilos and shows by way of a laser gentle supply to present us 300 ANSI Lumens of brightness in 1080p HD decision.
Nothing beats an outside film night time.
Credit score: Lauren Allain / Mashable
When testing the Nebula Capsule 3 Laser projector, I used it inside and outdoors with an Elite Screens Yard Grasp Plus. I additionally used it at my in-laws’ home on a window shade, on a barely textured wall at an Airbnb, and on a totally white, clean wall in one other. After all, the Elite Screens was the most suitable choice, however the different makeshift screens labored simply nice, and I believe you’d nonetheless be in for an ideal out of doors film night time should you used a white sheet.
For these , listed here are some noteworthy particulars of the Anker Nebula Capsule 3 Laser mini projector:
Specs:
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Measurement: 6.7 inches tall x 3.3 inches diameter
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Weight: 2.1 kilos
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Rated brightness: 300 ANSI lumens
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Native decision: 1920 x 1080
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Engine sort: DLP
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Inputs and interface: HDMI, USB-C
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Battery life: 2.5 hours film playback mode; 10 hours Bluetooth speaker mode (52Wh battery)
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Guarantee: 1 12 months
Autofocus begins the present
After you’ve powered the Capsule 3 Laser on, it takes off on an automated journey to search out the perfect focus and keystone. For these unfamiliar with projector operate, keystone correction ensures your display screen is a typical rectangular form. It corrects for distortions which might be more likely to occur if the projector is misaligned out of your projection floor, like if it’s not set within the middle or it’s tilting barely towards the ceiling. Earlier than you’ve gone into the Google TV menu, the Anker Nebula takes off by itself present to get the concentrate on keystone right.
A small however mighty beast of a projector.
Credit score: Lauren Allain / Mashable
To be trustworthy, it’s one thing I by no means tire of watching. There’s an simple gratification that comes from the projector discovering the proper focus. However should you’re much less smitten with this present, go forward and go away the room to seize the popcorn. This course of can take a couple of seconds. The Nebula doesn’t want help or intervention to get this proper about 99 p.c of the time. Ought to it mess up this course of, or the projector must be moved mid-show, there’s a front-and-center button on the included distant that’ll redo the method. I’ve by no means wanted to provoke a 3rd try at excellent focus in my testing.
A soda can with ridiculous picture high quality
There’s no use in shopping for a projector should you’re going to be sad with the picture high quality, and that’s actually the primary purpose why we love the Anker Nebula Capsule 3 Laser. Given it’s the scale of a can of cola, the picture it may well undertaking is significantly spectacular. Its native decision is 1920 x 1080. It is able to projecting a show of as much as 120 inches, which is an effective way to impress your folks throughout a yard film night time.
A bit bigger than a can of soda.
Credit score: Lauren Allain / Mashable
A nod to the distant
The Nebula Anker Capsule 3 Laser comes with its personal modern distant management. It has your customary buttons like energy, quantity controls, mute, and fast entry to YouTube, Netflix, and Prime Video. There’s additionally a single button to ship the projector into auto focus and keystone mode. Just like the projector itself, the distant’s compact and just about unnoticeable in weight whenever you pack it into your weekend bag.
The distant, nevertheless, actually shines (actually) in its capability to light up when it senses a slight bump or contact. Meaning you received’t need to memorize the buttons’ areas as a result of they gentle up in a darkish room.
Crank the tunes
Identical to the Anker Nebula Capsule 3 Laser impressed in picture high quality, the sound from the built-in speaker is strong. The inclusion of an 8W Dolby Digital speaker within the mini projector makes this a one-man present, and also you received’t want to connect with your house’s stereo system or carry alongside a Bluetooth speaker. But it surely additionally has a 3.5mm stereo output do you have to want to bodily connect with an exterior sound system.
Along with offering the soundtrack to your films and reveals, the Capsule 3 Laser can operate as a Bluetooth speaker, with out a show. This makes it an ideal system to pack alongside for tenting or a weekend away because it’s a two-for-one, serving as each a projector and speaker.
A visit throughout the Pacific with the Nebula Capsule 3 Laser
Product testing has no borders, so I packed the Nebula Capsule 3 Laser projector with me to Japan as a result of why not? Because it solely weighs two kilos and has a compact form, it was fairly straightforward so as to add to my backpack. I studied the Airbnb photographs and knew I might have the proper white wall to lastly watch Shogun throughout my journey. I additionally simply needed to rewatch some episodes of the unbelievable Tokyo Vice (disgrace on HBO for canceling this collection) as a result of when in Rome. On nights after I was too drained to maintain strolling the neighborhoods in Tokyo, utilizing the Nebula Capsule 3 Laser was a dream.
Get in bitches, we will Japan.
Credit score: Lauren Allain / Mashable
I pack gentle — as in my one carry-on backpack is available in at underneath 20 kilos, together with all of my tech and my laptop computer. Committing to packing an additional two kilos was really sort of an enormous deal for me, however I didn’t remorse it for an prompt. Touring with the projector with built-in Google TV meant I used to be nonetheless logged into my private accounts on all streaming platforms. I didn’t need to log in on the Airbnb TV after which set a reminder to myself to sign off earlier than I checked out. It was all there and loaded up. I additionally utilized the projector as a Bluetooth speaker each morning whereas preparing for the day. Plus, the Capsule 3’s USB-C charging means I didn’t need to pack a separate adapter or cable. I used my telephone/laptop computer charger, the Anker 737 GaNPrime charger.
A must have for out of doors film nights or dwelling the house life
This portability makes me assume the Nebula Capsule 3 Laser may very well be superior should you stay in a compact house and don’t really feel like getting a conventional TV. These is usually a ache to maneuver with to not point out a priority for taking injury. You additionally don’t have to cope with placing holes within the wall that may be needed should you went the mounted TV route.
After all, a shining level of a conveyable projector is the power to take it exterior for an epic yard film night time. The built-in battery can final for as much as 2.5 hours, which implies you’ll make it by at the very least one movie or two animated Disney hits (go tropical with a double function of Moana and Lilo and Sew). Take note you’ll want a projector display screen of some type to make this film night time occur.
This isn’t the projector for daytime soaps
In case your fundamental viewing instances happen throughout brilliant hours within the afternoon and also you don’t have room-darkening curtains, the Nebula Anker 3 Laser might be not the proper match. The 300 ANSI lumens are spectacular, particularly given the projector’s tiny dimension and inexpensive value, but it surely’s not the best in brilliant situations. You’ll lose particulars of the picture to the purpose of shedding the plot.
The Anker Nebula’s lumens are actually designed for darkish viewing both at night time or in a room that may obtain relative darkness.
It takes a smidge of endurance to get going
Whereas I’m personally wonderstruck by the automated focus and keystone course of, getting the Anker Nebula Capsule 3 Laser to the stage of being able to play your chosen present or film takes a little bit of endurance. The main focus course of, paired with the pretty gradual preliminary loading of Google TV, means you’ll be able to overlook the snacks, go get them, and are available again to a projector that’s simply develop into prepared to your choice. I didn’t discover this a deal breaker in any sense, but it surely does maybe point out low RAM for Google TV to run at a zippy velocity.
You’ll need to decorate (offered individually)
The Anker Nebula Capsule 3 Laser comes with the projector itself, a USB-C charging cable, an adapter, and the lovable distant, however no stand. It does, nevertheless, have a typical threaded mount on the underside so you should purchase a stand or mount individually. After all, the projector works simply nice with out a base, but it surely’s a worthwhile improve to have. Plus, the small dimension of the projector can really be a damaging by way of avoiding knocking it over.
I journey with the compact Nebula Projector Foldable Stand, which does the job. At house, I a lot want the adjustable Nebula three-foot ground stand that retains cords tucked away. When automobile tenting or utilizing the projector within the yard, the Nebula Capsule Energy Financial institution Tripod is superior because it’s a conveyable dimension and presents an additional two hours of battery life. However because the energy financial institution tripod weighs as a lot because the projector itself, I wouldn’t suggest this feature for journey.
You’ll probably additionally need some type of carrying case. Because the Nebula Capsule is roughly the scale of a can of soda, I’ll have used a neoprene wine koozie in a pinch on one journey.
In order for you equipment like a stand or tripod, it can save you some cash by bundling them collectively when shopping for from Anker’s web site.
Laser vs. non-laser
Anker makes a non-laser model of the Nebula Capsule 3, which is solely referred to as the Nebula Capsule 3 mini projector. It’s inexpensive, barely smaller and lighter, however you lose the picture high quality that comes from a laser projector. It’s nonetheless able to give you a terrific film night time, and it’s travel-friendly, but it surely’s simply barely much less fairly on the subject of the show. It’s additionally barely dimmer, coming in at 200 lumens as a substitute of the 300 lumens on the laser model. Once more, this isn’t the proper projector should you’ll be watching in the course of the day or in a brilliant room.
The Nebula Capsule 3 mini projector (left) in comparison with the scale of the Nebula Capsule 3 Laser mini projector (proper).
Credit score: Lauren Allain / Mashable
The usual Capsule 3, nevertheless, comes with one profit I want considerably over the Nebula Capsule 3 Laser. The usual Nebula Capsule 3 has a USB-A port along with the USB-C and HDMI. The Laser model omits the USB-A port. Since each variations of the projector cost by way of the one USB-C port, you can’t use this port to view media. You’ll want a dongle should you hope to each cost the projector and use the USB-C port for a media library with the Capsule Laser 3. That’s not an enormous deal, and you may seize an Anker USB-C hub to treatment this port state of affairs for underneath $25 at Amazon.
Is the Anker Nebula Capsule 3 Laser price it?
At full value, the Anker Nebula Capsule 3 Laser prices $749.99 on the time of this assessment, but it surely goes on sale typically at Amazon for about $600. For that value, the Capsule 3 Laser presents an unbelievable worth for a conveyable projector that comes with spectacular picture high quality in 1080p decision. There’s additionally the additional advantage that it may well function a conveyable Bluetooth speaker. For those who’re taking this on a tenting journey, to a weekend cabin getaway, or on trip, that eliminates the necessity to pack a separate speaker. The Google TV addition additionally means you received’t need to log into your accounts on the TV on the Airbnb. It additionally fees by way of USB-C, which is one thing you’re most likely already packing, so that you received’t have to pack an additional cable or adapter.
With the built-in battery, you’ll be able to watch at the very least one film on the projector earlier than you should discover a energy supply. However should you’re utilizing it as a Bluetooth speaker, you’ll be able to stand up to eight hours of listening time earlier than a recharge.
