Anker is taking aim at the high-end portable projector market with the launch of a new liquid-cooled model that it says will deliver “cinema-grade” big screen 4K pictures with intense brightness, punchy sound and simplified set up, all for around $3,000.
The Anker Nebula X1 is said to be powered by a triple-laser system paired with a 14-element glass lens that puts out an impressive 3,500 ANSI lumens brightness and is good for up to 30,000 hours of use.
That level of brightness should ensure the Anker Nebula X1 is suitable even for outdoor use, and it can throw up a suitably massive picture of up to 200 inches at the maximum from a distance of 6.7 metres.
The company said easy set up is ensured by the motorised optical zoom built into the XI, and further enabled by the micro gimbal that can automatically tilt itself up and down by up to 25-degrees to adjust its throw angle.
As with most high-end devices these days, it has plenty of AI smarts to help tweak the pictures and get them to fit the projection screen, or adapt the colours based on the surface wall. It even allows users to save different viewing preferences for multiple spaces, so it will be easier to set up if you use them again.
Other specifications include 110% coverage of the Rec.2020 colour gamut, a 5,000:1 native contrast ratio, a heat resistant lens that eliminates blur, and the liquid cooling system that enables smarter heat dissipation, making it ultra quiet while it’s in operation.
The audio capabilities are also pretty impressive. The built in speaker system consists of dual tweeters, a full-range speaker and a passive radiator, which combine to deliver 40-watts of total sound output. You can also buy a couple of pairs of optional satellite speakers to create a 4.1.2 channel surround sound system. They connect to the Anker Nebula X1 over WiFi, ensuring low latency of less than 25 milliseconds.
Anker said the Nebula X1 runs the Google TV platform and comes with a shed load of streaming apps, voice controls, a remote control and supports HDR content. There are two HDMI 2.1 ports that support 4K at 60Hz, with USB Type-A and Type-C ports providing further connectivity options.
Other nice features include a pop-up handle for lugging the projector around, but there’s no internal battery, so it can't be regarded as a truly portable device, although that’s necessary with such a powerfully specced piece of hardware.
The Anker Nebula X1 even supports 3D content, so if you have a pair of DLP Link 3D glasses and suitable content, you’re good to go in that department too.
As for the optional extras, these include the satellite speakers, a pair of wireless microphones for karaoke and a rugged carrying case.
Anker said the Nebula X1 will go on sale on May 21, priced at $3,000 for just the projector and $4,000 for those who want all of the optional extras, but if you sign up to preorder now, you’ll get a $700 discount on the latter package.
We should note that there’s a fair bit of competition in the premium portable projector space these days, with the likes of Samsung’s Premier 9 and Epson’s QB100 priced at a similar range.
Another, more affordable option is JMGO’s gimbal-mounted N1S Ultimate, which boasts similar specifications and costs around $2,800, and the Hisense C2 Ultra, which costs just $2,500.
