Gone are the days when projectors were bulky, cumbersome slabs confined to home theatres. Projectors have come a long way in the last ten years, becoming smaller, more affordable and with better visual fidelity.
So, I was surprised to discover that Anker is also the creator of the Nebula projector as Anker is primarily known for its expertise in manufacturing batteries, charging solutions, and accessories. Nonetheless, considering their solid reputation in the industry, I had high hopes.
Their first Capsule projector was originally released in 2019 and took portability to the extreme. The design hasn’t changed all that much, now on their third iteration of the powerful, portable projector and as you can expect this offers several improvements most notably to the visual quality.
The Nebula Capsule 3 Laser is the latest in Ankers's fleet of portable projectors, being a compact and convenient model without compromising on quality, having been enhanced with laser technology to offer a better viewing experience than ever.
It's also very important to note that while you can cast or connect other devices via the HDMI input the Nebula is a standalone device.
Meaning you don't have to use it with a phone or laptop making it more versatile than some projectors and limiting the number of devices you need to carry and set up.
The Nebula is a Black cylinder with a large laser projector lens on top as well as a small discreet camera at the bottom that helps with auto-focusing, and a small logo makes this projector look smart enough to be used in a professional environment. Although if you want something flashier there is also a Transformers special edition that is more colourful.
With a height of 6.7 inches, the Nebula is as tall as a Monster energy drink can and 170mm in diameter about the same width as a Pringles.
This makes it very easy to hold in one hand and carry on the go, in fact, my only criticism is that there isn’t an included carry case in order to accommodate its unique shape and keep it safe.
It also weighs 950g, making it lighter than most projectors and very portable especially compared to a laptop but it’s not as light as modern tablets.
I didn’t have to worry too much about knocks and bumps due to its tough aluminium body, which felt very well built.
It also features an IR sensor on the back as well as a pairing button and power button and three ports including a USB-C, a HDMI port and an auxiliary port which allows you to plug in headphones or other wired audio devices like speakers. It can even be placed on a tripod or lighting stand as it has a ¾ standard thread on the bottom.
The Capsule offers multiple connectivity options including an HDMI port, a USB port, and a 3.5mm audio jack, allowing you to connect various devices such as smartphones, laptops, gaming consoles, and speakers.
Visual quality is one of the most important features of any projector and thankfully the Capsule 3 has seen a noticeable upgrade on past models making this one of its strongest suites.
It supports an image resolution of 1920 x 1080, which while not the highest available it’s incredible for such a small device. It also projects at a 16:9 aspect ratio, which fits most films perfectly and looks fantastic for gaming too.
The DLP (Digital Light Processing) laser optics offer impressive sharpness and brighter colour and stronger contrast than the LED projectors on the market and it supports HDR 10 giving you nice dark blacks.
You can easily project a huge 120-inch or more display while retaining excellent visual quality which is so impressive for the size of the Capsule.
It has a maximum brightness of 300 ANSI Lumens, which again, is remarkable for the size. I wasn’t expecting it to handle daylight and it isn’t the brightest I’ve seen; however, it worked in most normal environments and looked amazing in dark conditions like most projectors.
The keystone correction is handy if you are on an uneven surface or your picture isn’t quite level as it uses this feature to straighten and correct the image, the keystone correction and focus are very quick with the only downside being its white screen projection while adjusting can be jarring if you're in a dark room.
The 8W Dolby Digital speaker was surprisingly decent but did lack depth, which is unsurprising given their compact size, but you can connect a portable speaker or soundbar and enhance the experience.
Set up was simple and it didn’t take too long to have me signed into my streaming services, bar the ones I couldn’t get working immediately like Netflix.
The Capsule 3 can be operated via the remote control provided but it thankfully also includes touch controls on top in case you can’t find or see the remote, as well as via the Nebula smartphone app.
The remote is compact but well-built and easy to use, it also includes a Google Assistant button, I only wish the remote was backlit as I preferred using the projector in the dark.
Specifications
CPU: Quad-Core ARM Cortex-A55 CPU
RAM: 2GB DDR
Storage: 16 GB eMMC
Battery: 52Wh
The MediaTek CPU’s performance wasn’t quite smooth but was fine most of the time with occasional stutters, it could also be a little sluggish when browsing large external devices, but for smaller capacity USB drives it was much better.
It is also very quiet making a slightly audible 25dB hum from the device but it’s not loud enough to bother most as it's no louder than a modern laptop.
However, the 16GB storage while not huge was still very handy allowing me to download a good number of apps as well as fit a few films on the device.
Navigating apps and streaming services was simple, thanks to it using Android TV 11 which is based on the Android Phone operating system and should receive regular updates and optimisations. It also supports a variety of apps and integrates with Google Assistant for voice control, allowing casting from other devices.
Although I was slightly baffled by the limited app selection with some apps like Netflix, BBC iPlayer and All4 not being available on the Play Store, you can side-load these apps if you are willing to tinker.
However other big services like Apple TV, Prime and Disney Plus were thankful all present and correct and ran well and were reliable supporting the full resolution of the device.
It can be used as Chromecast supported device allowing you to cast from other devices like tablets and phones. This along with its USB-C port and HDMI Input make the projector incredibly versatile. And if that wasn’t enough it can also be used as a Bluetooth speaker, giving you around 10 hours of music.
Gaming with the Nebula was much better than I expected and while you can play some games natively it’s not really what this device is built for. However, connecting my Steam deck and docked Nintendo Switch was fantastic making these portable devices even more fun, especially for some multiplayer carnage on the go.
At £799.99 it’s not exactly an impulse buy however, considering its portability, impressive specs and audio/visual quality compared to the usually much more expensive projectors you can’t go wrong.
The internal rechargeable 15000 mAh battery lasts around 1 hour 30 mins which is roughly a film or a few episodes of your chosen shows but more intense activities like gaming will drain it faster.
In battery-saving mode, it can last about 2 hours and 10min instead with a dimmer image while this is fine, I do wish Anker could squeeze just a little more juice out of it.
Due to the single USB-C port, you can’t charge the device and plug in a USB device, but USB-C fast charger is supplied with the device, and it can be fully charged in 3 hours.
As corny as it sounds, there's an almost magical, nostalgic feeling it offers like being in your own private cinema that I really enjoyed, and its brilliant features and versatility allowed me to overlook any shortcomings.
Anker Nebula Capsule 3 Laser VERDICT: 4/5
The Nebula Capsule 3 Laser is a sleek, versatile and innovative device combining impressive image quality, portability, and smart functionality all in one stylish package.
While it may not be a replacement for a modern TV, given its quality and portability it's great for anyone travelling or with limited space.
It goes without saying its brilliant for those camping out with friends and for using around the house, whether you're a film lover, a gamer who wants to level up there on the go sessions, or someone who loves sharing multimedia content on the big screen, the Capsule 3 Laser projector makes a fantastic go-to companion.
The Nebula Capsule 3 Laser is out now and is available from the Nebula Website and is on sale on Amazon.co.uk for £659.99
