Nebula Capsule 3 Laser Review: A Portable Projector Done Right!
The third generation of super portable laser projector is here. Nebula Capsule 3 is slightly taller and bulkier than its first generation, but it has a lot more power and features.
Nebula is another brand by Anker, a pioneer company in the home entertainment industry. It has been among the most prominent brand for the past couple of years because of its great quality products, attractive prices, and practical designs.
The third-generation laser projector has Android TV, Chromecast, and 1080p resolution. This can be the best projector of its kind.
One way to find out. Let’s Inspect!
Overview
In a hurry, read this short overview stating the pros and cons of the Nebula Capsule 3 Laser Projector.
Pros
- Great Price
- Full-HD bright image with crisp and vivid colors
- Supports Google Assistant, Chromecast, and Streaming Apps
- Beautiful and solid body
- Multiple options to control
- Bluetooth and ports to connect external devices
- Great sound quality
Cons
- No Netflix support
- Lack of USB Type-A port
- All the games are not accessible
Nebula Capsule 3 – Price
All these improvements and unstable economic conditions have pushed the early bird launch price to 679$, which is still quite good as it undercuts all the laser projectors and some of the LED models with similar specs.
Nebula Capsule 3 – Unboxing
The unboxing is pretty good, not much different from the predecessor. The highlights are mentioned all around the box, with an “Ok Google” stamp which is part of Android TV. Other information includes full HD resolution, connectivity options, huge battery, etc.
Upon opening, you will find a cardboard box housing the Android TV remote, removable AAA batteries, and a handy user guide. Other than that, there is the laser projector itself and Anker’s power adapter. Which is the universal one as it fits all the common global standards. Moreover, it can be used to charge other devices like smartphones.
Nebula Capsule 3 – Appearance
Main Optic and Focusing lens in front
Out of the box, the projector feels excellent in hand. The first and most prominent difference is the larger size and bigger optics. On the front, there is another lens for focus adjustment right over the Nebula branding. We have the power and source switch buttons on the rear, along with the connectivity ports, including a USB Type-C port, full-size HDMI, and a 3.5mm headphone jack. I would have loved to see the Type-A port.
Capacitive Buttons
The bottom side has a 1/4-inch mounting hole to attach it to a tripod, and on top, we have the capacitive buttons. The capacitive buttons are excellent; they look good and make the laser projector easier to control.
So far, so good; the build quality is great, upper section takes care of the ventilation to keep things cool, and the solid base has a rubber ring to ensure a firm grip on every surface.
Technical Specifications
- Display Technology: DLP 0.23 DMD
- Resolution: 1920 x 1080
- Brightness: 300 ISO Lumens
- Light Source Life: 30000 hours
- Focus Adjustment: Yes, Automatic
- Keystone Correction: Yes, Automatic
- Processor: ARM Cortex-A55 Quad Core
- GPU: G52MP2
- RAM + ROM: 2GB + 16GB
- OS: Android 11.0
- Battery:52Wh or 14500mAh
- Mobile App: Nebula Connect
- Weight: 900 grams
Nebula Capsule 3 – Features
Nebula Capsule 3 has a lot more upgrades than the previous generation. It is one of the best laser projectors of its kind, and I absolutely love how Nebula has integrated all the features perfectly.
The first thing is the full-HD resolution. That was capped at 480p in the first generation. But now, with a better and more powerful MediaTek processor, it supports 1080p. The processor is strong enough to run 4K, but I think Nebula has limited it to 1080p to reduce the stress on the processor. Moreover, it comes with automatic keystone and focus adjustment, straightening the image and removing distortion. The lens under the primary optic does not let the image get out of focus.
The Android operating system is one of the key strengths of the laser projector. It has Android 11; the interface is quite similar to most smart TVs, nice looking, and not easy to customize. But with some remapping, you can install third-party launchers and themes. You cannot download all the android apps. Only Google-certified apps are available on the Laser projector. Moreover, having Google Assistant is exceptional; the remote has a dedicated Assistant button. With Chromecast, you can connect your mobile devices as well.
Nebula Capsule 3 comes with Widevine L1 certification, which means you can download almost all the streaming apps, including Disney + and Amazon.
Android TV Remote
Nebula has added multiple ways to control the laser projector. It has capacitive buttons on top and a couple of buttons on the back side for power and switch. You can use the Android TV remote, and another option is the Nebula Connect app. It is another fantastic way to control the projector with your smartphone.
Lastly, along with the port’s input, you can also connect Bluetooth peripherals for both audio and video. With all these features, Nebula Capsule 3 Laser is exceptionally well equipped.
Video and Sound Quality
Nebule Capsule 3 uses DLP 0.23 DMD display technology with G52MP2 GPU that allows it to project high-quality 1080p video. It has a fairly big 300 ISO lumens light source with a life of 30000 hours.
As far as the video quality goes, it’s pretty well. The picture looks incredible, doesn’t get soft on the corners, and has rich and vivid colors thanks to HDR 10 support. The brightness is also very nice. I have not used it on a projector screen, but it still brightens the area relatively evenly, even in the daytime. But the more you move the projector away, the paler the screen will get. So, keep the light off and place the projector close to the screen or surface.
Most projectors are not particularly great with gaming as they don’t have the proper hardware to handle games. The games are playable but don’t provide the greatest experience. Here is Asphalt 9; there is some notable delay as it is a high-end graphics-intensive game. But if we move to slightly small games like Beach Buggy Racing and some first-person shooter games, the results are satisfactory. There are no delays, and runs smoothly.
The sound was a surprise for me; it has 8W sound power that feels very good. Of course, you can add an external soundbar, headphones, or a bigger speaker but even continuing with the in-built speaker is excellent. And it also supports Dolby Audio.
Nebula Capsule 3 – Battery
With a 52Wh battery, Nebula Capsule 3 has excellent battery life. In my testing, it lasted 2 hours and 26 minutes and had 9% battery remaining when the brightness was at 40%. It definitely drains quickly when gaming.
Drawbacks
- Access to some games is impossible
- Having a Type-A port would have been great.
Conclusion
Nebula Capsule 3 is by far the best portable laser projector on the market. It is better than most competitors with premium technology and pricing. So, if you often travel or like to sit outside, Nebula Capsule 3 is the perfect portable projector that will keep you entertained for a long time.
So, get yours now from the link below and watch more graphics from the projector in our YouTube video.
Where to Buy?
