Anker Nebula Mars II Pro review: A versatile and portable 720p LED projector

The Anker Nebula Mars II Pro Projector has a Texas Instruments 0.3-inch DLP (DLP3010) DLP chip that displays 1280 x 720 pixel definition accompanied by a 500-lumen LED. Unlike a UHP (Ultra High Pressure) lamp that has a maximum life of 10,000 hours, the diodes used by Anker make it possible to reach a life of 20,000 hours with normal brightness and 30,000 hours in mode.battery. This video projector also has two 10W amplifiers, the quality of which can still be improved.

Its Android platform is a homemade version with a limited catalog of apps. You also have to deal with 1 GB of RAM and 8 GB of storage. It also has wifi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac and Bluetooth 4.0.

The Anker Nebula Mars II Pro Projector retails for around $600, but often sells for less than $500. It competes directly with the XGIMI Mogo Pro, a more compact 1080p 300-lumen model with Android TV, and the BenQ GV30 (also 720p, but limited to 300 lumens) that’s more upgradeable thanks to its HDMI switch in the box.

The Nebula Mars II Pro is equipped with fixed-focal-length optics for a primary image width between 80cm and 2.40m for a bounce between 1.15m and 3.07m. For our measurements, we set the video projector at a height of 2.4 meters to obtain an image with a base of 2 meters.

This model has an autofocus system and a basic keystone adjustment system that activates by simply moving the projector. This system is very effective and works up to an angle of 135 degrees. The 720p DLP chip displays impressive resolution. The grid remains visible with an image with a base of 2 meters, but the sharpness is good. We recommend instead choosing a 2m back step to get a 1.3m image of the base.

By setting the temperature to “warm” for a more faithful display, the average delta E is measured at 6.1, well above a value of 3, which is the threshold beyond which the eye can tell the difference between the colors requested and the colors displayed. The display is far from perfect, but the drift still holds true for an LED display, since all the models we tested displayed an average delta E greater than 3.

Obviously, the gamma curve lacks stability. If dark gray levels are reproduced relatively well, light gray light will be systematically overexposed, even blocked.

If the average temperature measured at 6,840 K is close to the reference value (6,500 K), the curve is irregular, especially in the darkest grays – the least punishing.

The contrast ratio of 340:1 (on our white 1% chart) is low and produces a dull black. This value drops to 240:1 on our target of 35% white. Maximum brightness is good for a compact model. up to 41 cd/m². However, you still have to submerge the room in the dark to fully enjoy it. Of course, we’re a long way from home cinema projectors in the living room because our reference, the Sony XW5000, peaks at over 207 cd/m² in HDR with a native contrast of 1890:1.

The Nebula Mars II Pro uses three diodes (red, green and blue) for color reproduction, and like all DLP mono projectors, the rainbow effect is present. This phenomenon is rather visible, if it depends on people and images. It produces small rainbows around bright objects on a dark background.

We measured display delay (input delay) at 102 ms, which corresponds to a delay of just over six frames compared to the 60 Hz source. Heaviness in response to commands. Honestly, it’s not a good idea to play on this video projector.

The Nebula Mars II Pro design frankly succeeded. The plastic is of good quality, the finishes are good and the imitation leather handle gives this model a bit of an authentic side as well as being useful while in transit.

The slot protects the optics during transportation. Opening it turns on the monitor. Next to the fixed optics, we find the camera used for autofocus and keystone correction.

On the underside of the Mars II Pro there is a standard screw thread that allows the projector to be mounted on a very classic tripod.

At the top there are keys for controlling the projector almost completely: a directional crossover with a validation button, a key for return and a volume control. The Bluetooth button allows the projector to be used as an external speaker. The projector has two 10W speakers but their quality isn’t really there. In comparison, the BenQ GV30 with two 4W speakers performs better. The sound of the nebula lacks clarity and low mids.

Connectivity is simplified as you have to do an HDMI 1.4 input, a USB input and a headphone output with a 3.5mm mini-jack. The device also has Bluetooth 4.2 and Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n.

Mars II Pro comes with a custom version of Android 7.1. The interface is very discreet and smooth. We find access to HDMI source, file managers with multimedia playback, application manager, network access, and preferences. The second part shows the apps as well as the Nebula App Store. There is no access to the official Google Play Store and you have to stick with the apps offered by Nebula.

Let’s say it right away, the list is very thin. You just have to use Amazon Prime, Disney+, YouTube, and Netflix. For the latter, the process is clearly not ideal because the application does not fully work with the remote control. You have to use the Nebula mobile app to scroll through the list of content, for example. Finally, French streaming apps such as Molotov, OCS, TF1 or MyCanal are not available.

The all black remote control works very well. It provides access to all functions of the projector, but suffers from the lack of a built-in microphone, which is necessary to simplify searching, or backlit keys.