High decide
This 1080p LED projector provides good picture brightness and distinction, above-average sound, straightforward setup, and a built-in battery. However mounting it on a tripod may be difficult.
Key specs
| Projection tech: | DLP | Sensible-TV platform: | Google TV |
| Gentle supply: | LED | Constructed-in battery: | Sure; 2 hours 38 minutes at 50% brightness, 1 hour half-hour at 100% brightness |
| Connections: | HDMI, USB-A, auxiliary audio out, DC energy | Measurement and weight: | 7.01 by 4.8 by 5.24 inches; 3.75 kilos |
| Throw ratio: | 1.2:1 | Auto picture shaping/sizing: | Sure |
| Bluetooth: | v5.1 | Wi-Fi: | 802.11ac |
The Nebula Mars 3 Air is our favourite moveable mini projector as a result of it has the entire important options we wish to see on this class, and it delivers good image and sound high quality for a aggressive worth.
This projector measured properly on our check bench. Within the Film image mode, the Mars 3 Air served up a nice-looking picture with good element, wealthy coloration, and higher distinction as compared with what we noticed on most rivals.
The general coloration steadiness is pretty impartial — not as correct as what you will get from a superb home-theater projector, however the picture doesn’t skew too blue, pink, or inexperienced. The colours themselves are vibrant however a bit off the mark from the HDTV customary, which is true of most moveable mini projectors we check. Some superior image changes can be found within the Customized image mode, however they don’t do a lot to enhance upon what you get from the preset Film mode.
The Mars 3 Air isn’t the brightest moveable projector we’ve measured total, however it strikes a greater steadiness between brightness and black degree than many rivals, so you may get pleasure from brighter HDTV exhibits and sports activities in a room with some ambient mild after which get pleasure from a well-saturated film in a darkish room. It additionally does a greater job than many portables of preserving the superb particulars in darkish film scenes.
Whereas some moveable projectors provide you with solely a few brightness choices to select from, the Mars 3 Air has preset customary and eco modes plus a 100-step slider so that you can fine-tune the brightness to your viewing scenario. This projector additionally helps HDR video within the HDR10 format. Even at most brightness, it isn’t vibrant sufficient to point out off what HDR can supply, however at the very least it handles HDR video accurately; many rivals (together with our runner-up) produce HDR video that’s a lot darker than it ought to be, crushing superb particulars within the course of.
The Mars 3 Air has a 1080p decision, which permits for a pointy, well-detailed picture at modest display screen sizes. At a distance of about 5 toes, we may see the element enchancment that this projector provided over 720p projectors, particularly in textual content readability. The pixel construction (that’s, the grid of tiny little squares or the screen-door impact) was nonetheless considerably seen in patches of white or strong coloration, however we actually seen it solely after we have been actively attempting to see it.
It has a built-in battery. We examined the battery life by working the inner YouTube TV app at low quantity. We bought 2.5 hours at 50% brightness and 1.5 hours at 100% brightness. These are glorious outcomes.
It routinely focuses and shapes the picture. The projector’s Clever Atmosphere Adaptation know-how makes use of a mixture of automated focus, keystone correction, impediment avoidance, and display screen becoming to shortly form a degree, rectangular picture on no matter wall floor you’re utilizing.
We don’t love using keystone correction in higher-end projectors as a result of it reduces picture element and provides artifacts, however it is smart right here, the place you’re in all probability utilizing the moveable projector in a wide range of less-than-formal settings. You may also flip them off, for those who’d desire to deal with the duty manually.
The Mars 3 Air comes with a Bluetooth-based, backlit distant that has the core buttons you want and helps voice search by way of Google Assistant.
Due to the unit’s Chromecast help, you may wirelessly transmit audio and video out of your cell system. If you wish to join a Blu-ray participant, gaming console, or standalone media streaming system, the projector additionally has one HDMI enter, plus a powered USB-A port.
The built-in audio system carry out properly. The audio system makes use of twin 8-watt audio system to supply higher dynamics and a extra balanced sound than what you hear from a variety of rivals — which is essential for film and TV playback, but in addition makes this projector extra helpful as a Bluetooth speaker.
In our assessments, dialogue had a much less beaming, “cupped arms” high quality, and we heard precise bass notes in demo tracks like Ani DiFranco’s “Little Plastic Fortress” and Tom Waits’ “Lengthy Approach Residence.”
That mentioned, it could’t produce as a lot bass as even a modestly priced moveable Bluetooth speaker just like the UE Wonderboom that I related it to.
The design feels sturdy. The Mars 3 Air’s boxy form is probably not as fashionable as that of many rivals, however it additionally has no apparent break factors (as there are with our runner-up) and feels higher suited to throw in a journey bag or arrange outdoors.
Flaws however not dealbreakers
It doesn’t work with all tripods and mounts. The mixture of a shallower tripod socket and the ridged design of the Mars 3 Air’s underside limits which tripods and mounts work with this projector. We couldn’t safe it firmly onto our Vanguard Alta Pro2+ tripod, which has a bigger, rectangular baseplate, however it labored superb with a little bit desktop tripod that had solely a threaded screw.
If you happen to plan to make use of a tripod or mount, select fastidiously. Search for one with both no baseplate or a smaller, spherical baseplate.
It lacks USB-C. This projector makes use of a regular DC energy port that requires an exterior energy brick. However at the very least the cable is lengthy, and the flexibility to run the projector off the built-in battery at full brightness makes this inconvenience rather less bothersome.
It isn’t made for big-screen film watching or critical gaming. Not one of the small, moveable projectors on this information have the brightness, coloration accuracy, or deep black ranges needed to supply a satisfying big-screen (80 inches or extra) film picture. For that, have a look at our information to funds dwelling theater projectors.
We measured over 45 milliseconds of enter lag on this projector’s sport mode, which, mixed with the 60 Hz refresh fee, implies that it isn’t responsive sufficient for critical gaming. But it surely’s superb for, say, connecting a Nintendo Swap for informal gameplay.
