I saw Anker’s new 4K projector, and it really could be the ideal summer party projector

Finding a good outdoor projector for summer parties can be challenging. Bright sunlight can really hamper picture quality when viewing outdoors during the day, and while some projectors can handle the outdoors in the evening, the picture can still look a little washed out as it’s never truly pitch black outside.

What can help with this? Super-high brightness, of course. So, when Anker announced its new 3,500 ANSI lumens Nebula X1 portable 4K projector, which it touts as an ‘outdoor projector’, it caught my interest. Not only because Anker has produced some of the best portable projectors, but because its predecessor, the Anker Nebula Mars 3, is a solid outdoor projector, though comparatively dim with its 1,000 lumens rated brightness.

Another thing that caught my attention was the Nebula X1’s bespoke, wireless speakers (part of its optional accessory kit), which promise a more immersive audio experience than what we’re used to getting from the best projectors. With summer approaching here in the UK, I was glad to get a chance to see the Nebula X1 in person.

A bold, bright image

I caught a demo of the Nebula X1 in a screening room in London’s Soho Hotel. While the demo itself was short, it was clear that the projector’s 3,500 ANSI lumens made a difference in the demo video, primarily showing forests, natural landscapes and animals.

The greens of the trees and forest looked punchy and vivid, and the contrast was surprisingly powerful, giving the trees greater perceived depth. The balance of light and dark between a leopard’s yellow fur and black spots created the same sense of depth. The picture was crisp with the right level of sharpness, making textures look mostly natural.

Although we didn’t get to see the Nebula X1 outside or with Dolby Vision HDR content (which the Nebula X1 supports), it was still clear that the projector would do a decent job in brighter viewing conditions.

Wireless speakers add more

While the Nebula X1 can be used with the best soundbars, the company developed wireless speakers to pair with it. The speakers, each of which contains a 40W amp plus up and side-firing drivers powered by 2 x 20W, create a 4.1.2-channel surround sound system with the X1 itself serving as a subwoofer. This was demoed at the event with a Dolby Atmos video.

The sound was immediately surprising. I was sitting a few rows up and back from the projector and speakers, and even then, surround effects such as a chirping bird in a jungle and heavy rainfall seemed to come from behind and above me. There was a solid sense of bass in the soundtrack’s rumbling thunder as well. Finally, the system sounded clear regardless of what was played through it, adding another layer to the Nebula X1 experience.

The speakers themselves are small and extremely portable, which made the sound they produced during the demo all the more surprising. These could be a game-changer for those looking to up the quality level of their outdoor movie nights.

The party projector to beat, but at a cost

A pair of wireless microphones is included in the X1’s accessory bundle, one of which was used to give the presentation I attended. Their real purpose, however, is for karaoke, adding to the projector’s summer party vibe.

Of course, the X1 is not just all about outdoors and summer parties (which come later in the year for our Australian readers). From what I briefly saw and from what I’ve come to expect from Anker’s projectors, it will still make a great addition to a home theater setup.

Cost is something to consider here, however. The Nebula X1 is by no means cheap for a portable projector, launching at $2,999 / £2,199 (roughly AU$4,695) for the projector itself and $999 / £499 (roughly AU$1,564) for the accessory bundle, meaning you’ll be paying $3,998 / £2,698 (roughly AU$6,260) in total for the full package. (There is a package offer for $3,298 in the US until June 20th, one month after the X1’s May 20th launch date.)

That makes the X1 a pricey ‘portable’ projector, one that’s in line with the Hisense PX3 Pro ultra-short-throw (UST) projector, and even a top-end OLED TV in a 65-inch screen size. But the X1’s optional speakers, and features such as Dolby Vision HDR support, almost put it in its own category.

While we haven’t fully reviewed the X1, based on my first impressions, it could be an excellent all-around projector for outdoor parties and indoor movie nights. We’ll have to see how it fares when we get one in and put it through our usual tests.

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 James is the TV Hardware Staff Writer at TechRadar. Before joining the team, he worked at a major UK based AV retailer selling TV and audio equipment, where he was either telling customers the difference between OLED and QLED or being wowed by watching a PS5 run on the LG 65G2. When not writing about the latest TV tech, James can be found gaming, reading, watching rugby or coming up with another idea for a novel.