However, I was pleased to see it continue to provide backlit navigation and volume buttons for essential, quick, remote-less adjustments. Be sure to alwaysupdatethe firmware of both the projector and the Streaming Dongle to get the latest enhancements, bug fixes, and security patches. Look for those that have ANSI or ISO Lumen numbers during your research. For 2022, Nebula Projectors, an Anker brand and a company best known for cables, batteries, and other products, is rolling out a portable entertainment projector called the Nebula Cosmos Laser 4K. Ideally, I would have liked it foldable for better storage in a packed travel vehicle. 
The Cosmos Laser 4K uses Android TV 10 to drive its operating system, which is nice because this increases the number of apps available and content you can use on this projector. 
Review: Goal Zero vs Jackery Yeti 1000 Core vs 1000X vs Explorer 1000. According to Wikipedia, Anker was founded in 2011 by Steven Yang, a former Google software engineer, who shifted its focus from replacement laptop batteries to smartphone battery [and] wall chargers. Indeed, I witnessed the Shenzhen, China, based companys steady rise in brand recognition for its batteries, cables, and wall chargers on the Amazon Marketplace, competing against more established players like Belkin for quality products at lower prices. Screen: 100BTF 1.1-Gain Screen with Stand: Rating was developed by the American National Standards Institute (, Projector set 2.4m (7.9 ft) from the screen, Projection size set to 60 with a 33 grid, Measure the illuminance of each of the 9 points on the grid, ANSI Lumens = average of the 9 points multiplied by the total surface area of the projected image, Improves upon ANSI Lumen rating by taking multiple measurements across a larger sample size, among other stricter controls, Major companies started moving away from ANSI towards ISO Lumen rating, Get very hot and only last 2,000 5,000 hours before needing replacement at an exorbitant cost, A noisy fan must be left running for a while after power off to ensure adequate cooling before putting the unit away, Avoid touching the lamp with your naked fingers because the skin oils can degrade the coating and cause the bulb to explode when turned on, Can be mounted at unusual angles, such as those by Ultra Short Throws (UST). Anker customer service had informed me that Android TV 11.0 was forthcoming via a simple software upgrade, though an expected release date was not provided. Following the evaluation of the Mars II Pro (which was bought with my own money), Anker sponsored their Nebula Cosmos Max 4K that I had compared against the equivalent Xgimi Horizon Pros published specs. Only the Cosmos Laser series required the additional step of connecting the Nebula Streaming Dongle to provide the smart TV brains. One feature that stood out was the devices Auto Screen Fitthat aimed to maximize the usable surface of a detected projection screen by centering the image and adjusting the edges automatically. I like the color scheme that Nebula has chosen. The Halo was rated with an 800 ANSI Lumen brightness rating (see Projector Basics section in this review to learn more) that should have made it brighter than the Mars II Pros 500 ANSI Lumen but in a side-by-side comparison, my eyes could not discern a noticeable difference. Both models were essentially the same, except for the following differences: The Nebula Cosmos Laser 4K is Ankers brightest projector to date with a compact design geared towards portability. Brilliant! Overall, we were quite impressed with Ankers newest Cosmos Laser 4K projector that bested its previous flagship, the Cosmos Max 4K and its unusual, oval design I was not particularly a fan of. The latest projector will be a noticeable jump in brightness from its Cosmos Max that previously offered the lineups highest brightness at 1,500 ANSI lumens. I have not heard this projectors sound, but Ive listened to excellent projector sound systems running at five watts per speaker. The projector looks solidly built, but ultimately Im going to have to get my hands on a unit to tell for sure. Shop on Amazon.com and support Tools&Toys. 
My, how things have changed. Keep in mind, however, that image brightness can be affected by ambient light, projection distance, screen size and type, light output technology and age, and other factors. Unlike Samsungs Freestyle traditional projector design, the Cosmos Laser 4K projector uses freakin lasers. Setup is supposed to be a breeze according to Anker, who said the Cosmos Laser 4K is ready in three seconds with its InstaSet Display Technology that has auto-keystone and auto-focus capabilities. Other apps could be sideloaded outside the Google Play store, though be careful as some may contain malware. A website by Shawn Blanc and friends. At least a 400Wh battery would be needed for viewing a 2+ hour movie, and that would have added considerable weight to the projector, Does not recognize FAT-formatted USB flash drives.
Lets deep dive into it! Once your account has been created, you will be logged in with it. Furthermore, Viewsonic also points out that LED-based projectors produce higher, perceived brightness over older lamp ones despite having the same ANSI lumen rating. For example, when watching a movie, you want the black to be as deep/dark as possible without affecting the lighter parts of the scene. And, You know if u hold the record button on the pocket 2, Android TV 10.0 with Streaming Dongle module, HDMI (ARC), USB, Bluetooth, WiFi, Screen Mirroring, Chromecast, HDMI (ARC), USB, Bluetooth, WiFi, Optical, LAN, Screen Mirroring, Chromecast, HDMI (ARC), USB, Bluetooth, WiFi, Optical, Screen Mirroring, Chromecast, HDMI, USB, Bluetooth, WiFi, Screen Mirroring, 110 @ 10.17 (3.10m) / 120 @ 11.06 (3.37m) / 130 @ 11.98 (3.65m) / 140 @ 12.89 (3.93m) /, Bright enough for a very large room even in daylight, Outshines Mars II Pro and is a bit more intense than Cosmos Max 4K, making it Ankers brightest to date, Excellent pop and color accuracy, especially in a dark room, Automatic image adjustment: focus, keystone, and auto screen fit (not 100% accurate), Safety sensor dims laser projection when an object passes in front of lens, Game Mode improves on lag, but still too slow for high-intensity gaming, 3D viewing capability with DLP-Link glasses, though we did not test, Streaming Dongle is optional. In the simulated illustration below, columns 1 and 2 have the same ANSI lumen rating, but the left appears to be brighter. In other words, more color-saturated images appear to be brighter as the result of the HK (Helmholtz-Kohlrausch) Effect. The 10.7-pound Cosmos Laser 4K was much heavier than the Cosmos Max 4K (7.27 lbs, LED) and Mars II Pro (3.94 lbs, LED). There are plenty more awesome details to learn about these projectors, so head over to the Amazon page and read on as you prepare to give your home media setup a nice upgrade and start planning those backyard movie nights with friends. It appears that Nebula took great care to make sure that the Cosmos was easy to set up every time you moved it from environment to environment. Seller assumes all responsibility for this listing. Was that an intentional design by Anker? We test each product thoroughly, give high marks to only the very best, and the views expressed here are honest and our own. Anker is planning to include a 4K streaming dongle with the projector for any other streaming services you might want to use. You could turn the projector upside down and use the fixed carry handle as a kickstand, I suppose. Something went wrong. What that also meant was Anker could potentially be able to provide future upgrades to the Laser 4K by simply swapping out that dongle with an updated model. A wired Ethernet network connection was not available, though WiFi (2.4/5 GHz) was built in that enabled Googles Chromecast via the Android TV operating system (OS) for wireless video and audio beaming. Some sources use a 7x factor to convert lumen to ANSI lumen. Likewise, columns 2 and 3 appear to be equally bright but have different ANSI lumen measurements. I almost always use a professional tripod from my past photography work to securely keep the projector off the dirt while camping. High-intensity gaming was still not possible with this projector due to lag, but we are hopeful to see the technology continuing to improve where one day, one could playCall of Duty on a huge 150 screen without any loss of detail and responsiveness.
That also meant the included remote (meant for the Dongle) could not be used to navigate the projectors own settings. The ViewSonic X2000B-4K is a 4K Ultra-Short Throw (UST) smart, Sony Introduces Two New Models Equipped with their X1 For Projector processor for enhanced HDR and SDR image quality: VPL-V, Panasonic just announced four new projector series. It even sends an alert to your phone when this happens. Did you know? The latter were accessible from the gear button found at the top of the device, but once invoked, the remote could then be used. Tip: Projector can be flipped upside down, turning its carry handle into an excellent kickstand. Tip: Flip projector upside down to turn carry handle into a kickstand (intentional design? Copyright 1995-2022 eBay Inc. All Rights Reserved. Materially, Ankers Cosmos Laser 4K felt sturdy and looked strong like its smaller Mars II Pro sibling complete with a carry handle for portability, though the newcomers was in a fixed, non-removable position. In a nice touch, there was no AC brick needed like most projectors I had worked with. The Cosmos Laser 4K works without the Streaming Dongle but only for HDMI input. There was no built-in battery like the Mars series. Some manufacturers overstate their lumen rating in an attempt to sell more without regard to how the disinformation could hurt their brand and customer trust in the long run. The Business Education and Commercial Projector Blog, Contact / About / Privacy Policy / Permissions. Lets Save the Planet Hire the Space Billionaires! The JVC DLA-RS1100 is a 1,900 lumen native 4K home theater that retails for $6,999. After all, the Cosmos Laser was meant to be carried around, not permanently affixed to ones home. In the case of the Anker Nebula Mars II Pro, its 500 ANSI lumen rating can be roughly converted to 3,500 lumens (500 x 7), and the Xgimi Horizon Pros 2,200 ANSI lumen to about 15,400 lumens (2,200 x 7). The moment it was unpacked and removed from the barebone packaging, a small device accompanied the Cosmos Laser 4K an Anker Nebula 4K Streaming Dongle that was also sold as a separate, standalone product but with one small difference: the included version came with 16GB of ROM storage instead of 8GB. Keep in mind that Android TV is a Google operating system. Still, the chunky design of Ankers latest laser projector is not as compact as Samsungs latest Freestyle projector that it also revealed at CES 2022. Speaking of which, there was no built-in stand to prop the Cosmos Laser up with. Navigating the Android TV on the projector (and by extension, the Streaming Dongle) was swift and smooth with hardly any lag. It just works. Here are the specifications of the Anker Nebula Cosmos Laser 4K / Cosmos Laser 1080p / Cosmos Max / Mars II Pro and Xgimi Horizon Pro 4K projectors. This would result in a better experience with sharper, more detailed images and colors. The Xgimi Halo (1080p) had superior specifications and a higher-end experience, but I often found myself gravitating towards the Nebula. A higher contrast ratio is generally better and can go as high as 10,000:1 (white is 10,000x brighter than black), though the human eye will have difficulty discerning the miniscule difference past a certain point. Take the math with a heavy grain of salt, but looking at either ANSI or ISO Lumen is a great indicator to consider in your research. In general, ANSI tends to be slightly lower than ISO, and so for the sake of discussion, some sources use the following formula: ANSI = ISO * 0.8 (or) ISO = ANSI / 0.8. Ambient light and other factors can SIGNIFICANTLY affect the contrast, and as such, one should focus more on darkening the room and using a good projection screen. A threaded mount could be found at the bottom of the projector for attaching to a tripod, but keep in mind that due to the Laser 4Ks weight, a sturdy one should be used that could accommodate at least 12 lbs. Its overall package and brightness were quite astonishing for the price point, but its oval design and antiquated Android TV 9.0 made it feel a bit restrained, particularly for someone like me who primarily wanted a portable projector for traveling. Those of you familiar with Android TVs interface will know that it is easy to use and provides access to thousands of applications that can add serious entertainment value and productivity. Android TV with Google Play app store /Anker. Power was provided through a single cable. The company has since added several brands to its portfolio, including audio-focused Soundcore, Eufy smart home devices, Nebula video projectors, and ROAV car accessories. In practice, it was a bit off and required some manual keystone adjustments, but nonetheless a very cool and convenient option to have.
The laser projector will be able to cast your devices screen and run most of the popular streaming services. Unlike the Mars II Pro, no lens protector was available or built in. Running Android TV 10.0, it provided access to Googles more than 7,000 apps optimized for a television viewing and interaction experience, including games, movies, social media, news, and streaming services like YouTube, Netflix, Hulu, Amazon Prime, Plex, Disney+, and HBO Max at up to 4K resolution with HDR10 enrichment. I love the Android TV interface because its consistent in that once you use it, youll always be able to figure it out. Xgimi Halos exterior design and material contributed to that fancy feeling and perhaps was one of the reasons for why it commanded a higher cost than the equivalent Anker Mars II Pro. This listing was ended by the seller because the item is no longer available. Also encouraging were automatic adjustments of focus, keystone, and fit onto a detected screen. If that did not already impress, the Streaming Dongle could also be used with any HDMI television or projector, including at a hotel or the rear entertainment system of our Toyota Sienna 2022 minivan. The Nebula Cosmos offers automatic keystone adjustment and alignment corrections designed to produce a perfectly square image. For example, a 2,400 ISO Lumen projector may very roughly be equivalent to 1,920 ANSI Lumen. We here at Projector Reviews always stress the negative side of keystoning, but in the case of this portable projector, the auto keystone adjustments can come in handy. Projector works without it, but only for HDMI input (no USB at this time a future software update will enable it), Google Assistant voice control and queries, Full-featured, smart TV experience with access to 7,000+ apps, APK sideloading possible, though do so with caution, Android TV 11 upgrade is in-the-works by Anker, Modular design enables future hardware upgrades via a simple swap, Basic input options available: HDMI, USB, WiFi, Chromecast, AirPlay (via optional AirScreen app), Bluetooth audio (as speaker projection gets disabled in this mode), Easy-to-use remote, though with limited functionality, Download Ankers Nebula Connect app for better control, Compact and portable at 8.7 H x 6.5 W x 10.4 D and 10.7 lbs, Carry handle makes transport easier. Also, Anker does have a previous model thats about the size of a soda can. Pre-orders for the Cosmos Laser 4K will start January 11 on Kickstarter for $2,199. Laser projection coming from the new Anker was excellent: bright with great color accuracy in daylight and even better with all other light sources removed. The output had plenty volume and decent bass like the Mars II Pro, but better with two 10W speakers and dual 5W tweeters. How could that be? ), then image automatically flips.
Ankers former pixel-shifted, 4K-resolution flagship, the LED-based Nebula Cosmos Max (Review), was designed for use in a permanent home theater or mid-sized auditorium setting with a 1,500 ANSI Lumen rating. The more the industry marches towards an internationally-recognized unit of measurement, the more the consumer benefits when comparison shopping. Our lives are now complete, eh? Although this is NOT ACCURATE because of the many factors involved that affect brightness, it provides a generic reference to which to compare products by. Speaking of multimedia, you could play a variety of video and audio file formats from your personal collection off a USB drive formatted with a supported filesystem. Furthermore, if the company designed the dongle with upgradeability in mind, that could potentially be a big win for those who do not want to buy a new projector to get the latest smart features. Anker rated the better one at 40ms, but I would not use the Cosmos Laser for anything but casual gaming. Left: Mars II Pro. In contrast (no pun intended), the dimmer, LED-based Cosmos Max 4K had output those same scenes slightly more evenly but at the expense of relative brightness, clarity, and color reproduction. I did not test that feature, though Anker stated that DLP-Link glasses were supported, but only for side-by-side and over-under formats. 2022 Blanc Media, LLC. VLC Player is an excellent multimedia player to view your video collection with, and Total Commander (or ES Explorer) is my file organization tool of choice. No optical zoom was available, unfortunately. The Nebula Cosmos Laser 4K, weighing 10.7 lbs at 8.7 H x 6.5 W x 10.4 D, claimed to be the Worlds most compact 4K laser theater with a pixel-shifted 3,840 x 2,160 resolution (1080p native like most 4K DLPs) and 2,400 ISO Lumen brightness rating. An optimally low-light room would yield no visible difference between 300:1 and a 50,000:1 contrast ratio. We publish every day with reviews, photo essays, gear guides, articles, and links to awesome and interesting things. As such, you will have to use a Google account to use it. There are measurement differences between the internationally recognized ISO and ANSI Lumen standards (which I will go over in the Projector Basics section), but for comparisons sake, the 2,400 ISO very loosely translates to 1,920 ANSI, making the projector suitable for a dark, mid- to large-sized auditorium (give or take because manufacturers ratings do not always live up to their advertised figures). I just ordered an Ecoflow Delta Max, Does anyone know what E-10 means on Evercross H5 Electric Scooter? I, Generally, manufacturers will tell you that mixing different brands is not recommended, Thanks for this helpful review. Indeed, its daytime performance in a sunlit room was quite good and even better excellent, if you will with all light sources removed from said quarter. Some were quite impressive, from companies like XGMI and LG, to name two, and some were not so impressive (Im not planning on calling anyone out). Nebula has specifically referred to this model and a flagship model, especially with the addition of a laser light engine. You simply installed it into the covered compartment at the back of the Cosmos Laser 4K by plugging in the HDMI and USB (for power) ends to the appropriate ports, and voila, the mindless body of the projector suddenly knew Kung Fu (if you get the Matrix movie reference). The company is apparently also offering a 1080p version that is expected to cost $1,599. They could also manually be adjusted through the Settings. Anker Cosmos/Mars and Xgimi Horizon Pro 4K Projector Comparison. The latter was more convenient since I always had the phone with me and could be used in the dark. Doesnt matter if you bump into the projector or move it to another location; you dont have to spend time fiddling with focus settings or tilting the device to get a better picture. Remember, ANSI lumen takes into consideration the projection distance, screen size, and 9 measurement points, whereas lumen only measures a light sources fixed intensity regardless of the aforementioned elements. Then Anker started a Kickstarter campaign on January 11, 2022, for its newest, brightest, portable projector yet: the Nebula Cosmos Laser 4K touted as the most compact 4K laser theater with a 2,400 ISO Lumen rating.