GoKawiilTwo wireless, battery-powered speakers sit on top of the P1 and will charge as long as you keep the main unit connected to a power source. Its two-channel audio isn’t ideal for movies and games; the main advantage here is that you can place the speakers about 20 feet from the projector for more immersive sound. The projector lens rotates 130 degrees up and down, which allows you to project onto a wall or the ceiling. You can also retract the lens fully down into the enclosure for safekeeping. When you do, the entire unit can withstand splashes and light rain, given the Nebula’s IP33 rating.
Auto key stoning and autofocus let the projector work instantly. As soon as you power up the P1, the device will prompt you to use the VisionFit feature on the NebulaConnect app. This process asks you to point your phone at your projector screen or wall so the P1 can automatically adjust. It worked perfectly during my testing, though if I accidentally bumped into the P1 after completing this process, the projector would offer to readjust the picture—at least until I disabled that feature.
Photograph: John Brandon
The P1 runs on the Google TV operating system, which is super easy to use and doesn’t require that you bring along any sort of additional external devices to stream content or play games. I also loved the P1 remote, which is small enough to stash in your pocket, has intuitively placed buttons, and is backlit to save you from fumbling for buttons in a dark room.
Maxing out its brightness at ANSI 650 lumens and offering a 400:1 contrast ratio, this is not a home cinema model that will compete with your local cineplex. If that quality is what you’re looking for, consider that Soundcore also makes the Nebula X1 ($2,799) and the massive Nebula X1 Pro ($4,999) that both project at 3,500 lumens and have a crisper 5,000:1 contrast ratio.