The Anker Nebula P1 is a compact 1080p DLP projector built around an LED light source. Its standout feature is its pair of detachable 10W wireless speakers, which can be removed from the projector and placed around the room for more flexible sound. It has automatic focus, automatic keystone correction, and post-movement image correction, though some of its more advanced screen-fitting tools rely on the Nebula app. Unlike some portable projectors, it doesn't have a built-in battery, so it needs external power to run. Connectivity includes one HDMI input, USB-C, USB-A, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, Google Cast, and a 3.5 mm audio output, and it can accept a 4k @ 60Hz signal and downscale it to 1080p.
Our Verdict
The Anker Nebula P1 is sub-par for watching movies in a home theater setup. It's best used in a dark room because it doesn't get very bright, but even then, its contrast isn't strong enough to give dark scenes much depth. Its color gamut is good for SDR content, and the image can look more balanced after calibration, but its out-of-the-box accuracy is only okay. Overall, it's fine for casual movie nights on a smaller screen, but it doesn't deliver a very cinematic image.
Colorful in SDR.
Contrast holds up well in very bright scenes.
Not bright enough for anything but dark rooms.
Terrible contrast in very dark scenes.
The Anker Nebula P1 is good for casual 60Hz gaming. Its input lag at 60Hz is incredibly low for a projector, so games feel responsive, and it can accept a 4k @ 60Hz signal from a console or PC and downscale it to 1080p. It doesn't support 120Hz or VRR, and its limited brightness and contrast keep the image from looking especially punchy, but for 60Hz gaming in a darker room, it performs very well.
Colorful in SDR.
Incredibly low input lag at 60Hz for a projector.
Contrast holds up well in very bright scenes.
Not bright enough for anything but dark rooms.
Terrible contrast in very dark scenes.
No 4k or 1440p support; downscales signals to 1080p.
The Anker Nebula P1 has poor brightness. It's usable for casual viewing in a dark room on a small screen, but it doesn't have the light output needed to handle much ambient light or produce a bright, punchy image at larger sizes. Its brightness uniformity is fantastic, so the image stays very even across the screen, but overall, this is still a projector that needs a controlled viewing environment.
Very uniform brightness.
Not bright enough for anything but dark rooms.
The Anker Nebula P1 has mediocre contrast overall. Its biggest weakness is in very dark scenes, where blacks look washed out compared to most projectors, and shadow detail doesn't have much depth. It performs better relative to other projectors with brighter or mixed content, where the image looks less flat, but there are no dynamic contrast settings to help improve perceived depth in darker scenes.
Contrast holds up well in very bright scenes.
Terrible contrast in very dark scenes.
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Differences Between Sizes And Variants
The Anker Nebula P1 is available as a standalone projector or in several accessory bundles, including bundles with an Anker SOLIX C300 DC Power Station, an Anker 737 Power Bank, and the Nebula Carry Case. Anker also sells the Anker Nebula P1i, which is a related but different model with flippable speakers instead of the P1's detachable wireless speakers, so our results don't apply to it.
Our unit was manufactured in December 2025.
Popular Projector Comparisons
The Anker Nebula P1 is an easy-to-use projector with a great set of portability features. Its fully detachable speakers are a major advantage, since you can place them wherever they sound best, and its integrated strap makes it easy to carry. It's also one of the better portable projectors for gaming, thanks to its very low 60Hz input lag. While it doesn't have a built-in battery, Anker offers several bundles with external battery options. If you want a more rugged all-in-one portable projector, the Anker Nebula Mars 3 is a better choice since it has a built-in battery and adds water, dust, and drop resistance. If you don't care about gaming and mostly want a compact projector for movies on the go, the LG CineBeam Q has a clear edge thanks to its much better contrast. Still, the Anker Nebula P1 is one of the best portable options at its price point.
Check out our recommendations for the best portable projectors, the best outdoor projectors, and the best projectors overall. If you'd prefer to shop for another product in the same price range, look up the best projectors under $1,000 instead.
The Anker Nebula Mars 3 is better than the Anker Nebula P1 if your intended use is to take your projector out into the dirt and mud, as the Mars 3 has water, dust and drop resistance built-in. It also comes with a large integrated battery, which the P1 doesn't have. Finally, the Mars 3 is brighter, making it easier to use in various conditions. But if you're instead looking for the best image quality, the P1 has the slight edge due to its better contrast. It doesn't come with a battery, but you can buy one as a bundle directly from Anker. Also, the P1 is far better for gaming due to its far lower input lag.
The LG CineBeam Q is better than the Anker Nebula P1 for watching movies, mainly thanks to its much better contrast, wider color gamut, and higher-resolution pixel-shifted image, although the Anker is a bit more accurate out of the box. If you're gaming, the Anker is the far better choice due to its much lower input lag.
We've independently bought and tested over 80 projectors and published detailed results for each, so you can decide which one to buy. These have all been tested under the same standardized methodology, allowing you to compare them side by side. We still have all these projects in our lab, so we can continually go back and compare them to ensure our reviews are still accurate. All our test methodologies are also public on our website, so you can validate the results yourself.
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