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    Anker Nebula Solar Portable projector: More white dwarf than supernova

    The Anker Nebula Solar Portable is a 1080p projector with a built-in battery and Android TV. It’s a whole bundle that allows you to take pleasure in motion pictures and TV with an enormous picture nearly anyplace. You may even use it as a Bluetooth speaker. If this sounds vaguely acquainted, it is as a result of it is just like one other Nebula projector, the Mars II Pro, which we reviewed a couple of months in the past. The Mars II Pro is our favourite moveable projector total and whereas the Solar has its (ahem) vibrant spots, it is simply not nearly as good.

    LikeSleek, compact design1080p resolutionBuilt-in battery lasts 3 hours

    Don’t LikeFairly dimMediocre distinctionAndroid TV is wonky

    On paper, the Solar Portable addresses two of the problems we had with the Mars II Pro: decision and its app retailer. The II Pro is barely 720p, and makes use of a “curated” Google expertise known as Aptoide. Unfortunately, fixing these two issues comes with decreased gentle output. No projector this measurement is especially vibrant, however the Solar is about 40% dimmer than the Mars II. Android TV beats Aptoide, however it nonetheless has some quirks that imply you may be higher off attaching a streaming stick anyway. Yes, that flat design is exclusive, however Anker’s personal Mars II Pro is a better option.
    Little Anker Nebula Solar Portable projector, huge photos
    See all photographs

    Basic specsNative decision: 1,920×1,080 pixelsHDR-compatible: Yes4K-compatible: Yes3D-compatible: NoLumens spec: 400 ANSIZoom: NoLens shift: NoLamp life (Normal mode): 30,000 hoursThe Solar accepts HDR10, however will not be HDR. It accepts 4K, however will not be a 4K projector. Since this projector is incapable of truly displaying these higher-resolution and high-dynamic-range indicators, their inclusion appears extra like one thing to beef up a options listing on a web site than the rest.

    There’s no lens shift or zoom on the Solar, however neither is anticipated on this value vary. There’s autofocus, nonetheless, which works fairly nicely. A pivoting foot on the underside tilts the entrance of the projector upward for a bit extra flexibility in placement.There’s a claimed three hours of life from the 20,000-mAh battery. This is a bit odd for the reason that brighter Mars II Pro has a smaller battery and but the identical quantity of play time.Speaking of brightness, Anker claims 400 lumens. I measured about half that. The Mars II Pro had a claimed 500, and I measured over 300. No projector on this measurement and value vary could be very vibrant, however aspect by aspect the Mars II Pro’s image appears to be like considerably brighter, which permits it to look higher on larger screens.

    You can use the Solar as a Bluetooth speaker. The two 3-watt audio system sound fairly good, which is all the time a bonus in a conveyable projector. They’re not as loud because the Mars II Pro’s twin 10-watters, nonetheless.If you need to obtain some content material to observe offline, there’s 8GB storage.
    Geoffrey Morrison/CNET
    Connectivity and convenienceHDMI inputs: 1PC enter: NoUSB ports: 2Audio enter and output: NoDigital audio output: NoWi-Fi: 802.11a, b, g, n, ac12-volt set off: NoRS-232 distant port: NoMHL: NoDistant: Not backlitThe Solar’s HDMI enter is able to accepting HDR and 4K, however for the reason that projector is neither, it is a six-line freeway connecting two small cities with no vehicles.The USB-C connection is for charging, and included with the Solar is a fast-charger you might use on your cellphone or pill if you’re not utilizing or charging the projector. The different USB connection can settle for recordsdata or cost a streaming stick. The energy ranking is not specified, however I used to be in a position to get a streaming stick working on it, so it ought to be sufficient.I just like the Android TV app retailer however sadly some apps, like Vudu, would solely ship the standard-definition variations of their content material. This is disappointing, to say the least. It makes the decision of the projector much less related. Others, like Disney Plus, Amazon Prime Video and Hulu appeared effective, nonetheless. Then there’s Netflix, which requires a number of steps to get put in on the Solar. You want to put in the Nebula Manager app, which then lets you obtain the cellular model of the Netflix app. To watch Netflix after you put in it, you might want to go to the Manager app after which Netflix. Which, even in any case these steps, appears to be like exceptionally gentle. Because it is the cellular model, it additionally means it isn’t designed to work with a standard distant, so you might want to use the Nebula Connect app in your cellphone to navigate. These points spoil the goodness of built-in Android TV to a sure extent, however as I discussed a simple resolution is attaching an exterior streamer. 
    Geoffrey Morrison/CNET
    Picture high quality comparisons

    The Mars II Pro and the PH30N are each direct rivals to the Solar. To evaluate the three I ended up utilizing a mixture of inside apps, exterior streaming sticks and a Monoprice 1×4 distribution amplifier because of the totally different resolutions of the projectors, and the truth that the Solar accepts 4K (and for some irritating cause that grew to become the default when linked to the Monoprice). I seen every little thing on a 102-inch 1.0-gain display.The most evident distinction was gentle output. The Mars II Pro was simply the brightest, adopted by the Solar and the LG. Brightness will not be the one necessary think about a projector’s picture high quality however it’s an enormous half. Not solely does it decide how compelling the picture is total, however it additionally determines how giant a picture you possibly can create that is nonetheless watchable. This is among the causes I preferred the Mars II Pro: It’s very vibrant for its measurement and value. The Solar’s image appears to be like dim as compared, and the LG’s is the dimmest of the three. 
    Geoffrey Morrison/CNET
    Contrast ratio is poor throughout the board in contrast with one thing just like the BenQ HT2050, however that is par for the course. No cheap projector has a great distinction ratio. The Solar is technically higher than the Mars II right here, at 407:1 in contrast with 354:1, however that is too near see even aspect by aspect and is barely exterior the vary of regular measurement error. This low distinction ratio is ok on the Mars II, because it’s comparatively vibrant, however on the Solar it means the picture is flat. Not absolutely washed out, however it does not impress both. The LG is decrease nonetheless, however once more, it is all in the identical ballpark.With the added distraction of its undefeatable cleaning soap opera impact, I put the LG apart and focused on the 2 Ankers.Fan noise on the Solar is much quieter than the Mars II, which is welcome if you’re sitting shut.While I welcome the swap to Android TV over the troublesome Aptoide retailer, there is a obvious challenge: HD. With some apps the content material you get is SD-only. So what then is the purpose of the Solar’s 1080p decision? This may very well be an Android/Google challenge, however it does not actually matter the place the issue is, the result’s that the simplest approach to get content material on the projector means taking a success in image high quality. Using an exterior streaming stick the additional element is obvious. After you flip down the sharpness management, that’s, which is about extraordinarily excessive out of the field (as traditional, huge quantities of edge enhancement masks precise element). Now it is the Mars II Pro’s flip to look gentle, missing effective element on issues like hair and beards. However, the Solar’s larger decision, even when configured appropriately, will not be sufficient to win out over the Mars II Pro’s higher brightness.
    Geoffrey Morrison/CNET
    ConclusionThe adage goes “Two steps forward, one step back.” In this case, it is extra like two steps ahead, two barely smaller steps again. With their large photographs, projectors actually see a giant profit from larger decision, so the Solar’s 1080p ought to be an apparent enchancment over the Mars II Pro’s 720p. But with SD inside apps, that enchancment is negated. Worse, the decrease brightness means its picture is much much less compelling. The larger battery appears good on paper, however claimed viewing time is roughly the identical. Even the Solar’s audio system are much less highly effective.All that, mixed with the next MSRP, and I’m unsure what the Solar has to supply over the Mars II Pro. That projector is slightly gem, and the Solar is left to play catch-up.

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