Review: Soundcore Nebula P1i Projector

Soundcore has been having some fun lately. Apparently, bored by designing tiny can-sized projectors like the Nebula Capsule 3, the brand has become much more adventurous in their designs. I've recently tested the Nebula P1 and enormous Nebula X1 Pro, both of which feature pop-out and positionable surround sound speaker options.

These are the flagship models, but I've spent the past couple of months with the Nebula P1i, which has those same pop-out speakers in a more budget-friendly bundle. It's well-priced and has an easy-to-use design, while the picture quality is solid and the audio is punchy. While it lacks more premium features of some of the best projectors, it could be a decent choice for impromptu movie nights around the house.

Getting Started

Google TV has transformed the projector market. I used to dread having to work through endless sub-menus and inputting Netflix and Wi-Fi passwords using a fiddly remote control. Here, a quick QR code scan and the convenience of my smartphone means I’m watching Kill Bill Vol. 1 on a 60-inch screen less than five minutes after unboxing.

Google TV provides easy access to all the major streaming platforms including Netflix, YouTube, Disney+, HBO Max, Apple TV and Prime Video. You can also plug in via USB-A or HDMI 2.0 with ARC.

The Nebula P1i has a 1080p resolution with 380 ANSI lumens brightness. That resolution and level of brightness is fairly typical for a compact portable projector, with XGIMI, BenQ, Samsung, Aurzen all offering similar specifications. It’s not searingly bright, but for a decent 60-80-inch screen in low light (curtains closed) it’s acceptable.

Auto focus and keystone correction are accurate and fairly quick to lock in, and help make life easier. It’s worth remembering that the more acute the keystone angle, the worse the final image quality will be. In the base, there is a small flip-out 15-degree stand to help with angling the projector, which is a neat touch, but didn’t remove the need for me to prop it up on a book as well. If I was buying this projector for my home, I’d budget for a tripod as there is a thread in the base.

Some might me miffed the projector doesn’t support 4K, but at this price, the industry isn’t there yet. And again, for casual big screen movie nights, you don’t really need it. Unlike their complaints about the lack of popcorn at movie night, my daughter and her mates have never complained at a lack of pixels.

Picture Quality

Photograph: Chris Haslam

The Nebula P1i produces an enjoyable 1080p picture for casual viewing, but, like so many cheap projectors needs a dark room to thrive. Ambient light will quickly wash out pictures, especially if you’re extending the display past 60 inches.

So while it's not suitable for daytime use, at night, with curtains closed and lights off you can push the display to 100-inches with good results. Just don’t expect the color and contrast to pop like your TV. Dark scenes can suffer too, and it struggles with blacks and shadows, but again, this is par for the course with budget projectors. It’s not a design for videophiles, but it’s a fun alternative to the TV.

Take the projector outside and you’ll have the same issues with brightness. If you live in a rural idle with the only ambient light coming from the stars, you might be OK, but please take the marketing pictures of city roof terrace movie nights with a handful of salt.

You can easily tweak contrast, saturation, black levels, sharpness etc. as well as choose from various picture modes including Vivid, which boost color and contrast, and Movie, which punches up tone depth for dark rooms. The differences are noticeable but not remarkable.

Sound

Photograph: Chris Haslam

Each speaker can rotate 90 degrees side to side and 200 degrees vertically. They also work when sitting flush to the main body, and have a better-that-expected level of heft to them. It’s a bit boxed in, but that’s always the way with projectors.

And I’m pleased to say that when unfolded and pointed at where you’re sitting, the sound is vastly improved with a surprising amount of directional cut-through. It’s a neat trick and does help the audio escape the box. You’ll never forget where the sound is coming from, but you won’t feel like you’re having to lean in to hear dialogue.

There’s very little in the way of bass however, and while the overall audio is enjoyably punchy, it is a little thin. Pushed beyond about 35 percent and it’s just loud, but not in a good way. You’ll need to be sitting a good distance away for it not to be grating.

Competition and Verdict

At $299, the Nebula P1i is not short on company. I recently tested the XGIMI Vibe One (review coming soon) which at $250 is battery-powered, is super easy to use and has 250 Lumens and Full HD resolution. It’s nowhere near as good as the P1i however, which has far superior cinematic presence. Spend a bit more however and the fully portable MoGo 4 ($399) has a 2.5-hour battery and brighter 450 ISO Lumens and serious portable appeal. Then there’s the $370 Nebula Capsule 3 which defies both price and size.

The Nebula P1i sits in the sweet spot of acceptable brightness, low cost, and bold audio performance. But irritatingly, it's quite and doesn't have an internal battery, which means it’s not as appealing as truly portable option. It doesn't quite have the resolution and brightness to make it as a dedicated home option, but the clever flip-out speakers do help boost the sound significantly.

The Google TV and Nebula app ecosystem is superb however, and makes owning and using this projector incredibly easy. If it ticks the boxes you need, you have no more money to spend, and you don’t crave a full-on movie experience, especially in the day, there’s a lot to like.