This is my first foray into any kind of projector. I use projectors every week as a part of my job, but I have next to know understanding of their inner-working, specifications, etc. I only know how to use them. So you can imagine my excitement at getting this Nebula Prizm sent to me from Anker as a prize in their launch promotion for this product.
FIRST IMPRESSIONS
My first impressions of the device can be summed up as, “wow that looks good!” Aesthetically, it is quite nice and appealing to look at. This is something that is often overlooked when choosing a product that is going to live in your living room, camper, etc. Without a doubt, this is attractive and the fabric design on top is a nice touch. Additionally, the packaging that came with the Prizm was great as well, which is typical of Anker. The projector is well protected with a soft cover as well as plenty of foam, so there is no worry of damage when being transported.
FEATURES
This projector comes with a remote (with batteries), a power cable, and a soft cap to put on the lens when not in use. It would have been nice if an HDMI cable was included with the purchase of this product, but in 2018 most of us have a few of those lying around. In my use of the Prizm I used a Chromecast plugged in via HDMI. Doing this gave me access to all of your standard fare when it comes to streaming (Netflix, YouTube, Plex, etc.). This projector will accept anything that you plug into it via HDMI so your streaming boxes of all sorts will work perfectly. Also, there is functionality that allows you to plug in your iPhone into the USB port and mirror your screen to the projector in the event that you don’t have an HDMI source available! This worked really well and there wasn’t a hiccup at all in setting it up and using it or any of the features.
SOUND
This speaker comes with an integrated speaker. This is a single 5 watt speaker, but in our uses it sounded pretty decent! It was big enough to fill up the room in our house where we were using it, but I’m not confident that it will be very useful outside for this reason. I believe that the integrated speaker should be used as a sort of last resort–if you are planning on using this for any extended period of time, I recommend getting a speaker or soundbar that you can plug into the AUX port on the projector. The speaker that’s in the thing will do, but it’s not ideal.
PICTURE
This is really what matters. The Prizm is equipped with a pretty decent sensor. You have peak brightness at 100 ANSI lm / 500 lm which will not light up the night sky outdoors, but is plenty bright for a dark room. This probably isn’t going to do in a room with any natural light before dusk, so bare that in mind. The Prizm can project 30in to 100in, but the bigger you get the more you realize this is an 800x480p projector. This is not the projector for everyone–to some, that resolution just won’t cut it, but I think there is an argument to be made that says the novelty of having a projector and a decent one at that for a good price outweighs the loss in resolution. In my use, I never found the 480p to be a distraction or a frustration. And my kids, the ones who will be using this the most, I anticipate, they won’t notice it either. The Prizm picture quality in four words, “More Than Good Enough.”
SUMMARY
It should be stated that this projector is $149 on Amazon at the time of my writing. That is a BARGAIN price for the convenience and solid built of this device nevermind the quality of picture or sound. Truly, if someone were going to balk at the idea of a picture less than 1080p, they wouldn’t be glancing a second time at a projector priced at $150. But for those of us who are not projector enthusiasts, this projector is all we need! I definitely recommend this product to those who are like me–”yeah, I’d like to check out a projector!”
Again, thanks Anker for letting me check this one out and experience what the Prizm has to offer!
