Anker Nebula Cosmos Max – 4K projector in the test
Contents
Anker Nebula Cosmos Max – scope of delivery and specifications
First of all, the specifications of the Anker Nebula Cosmos Max summarized:
- Scope of delivery: Anker Nebula Cosmos Max, remote control & power supply
- Image resolution: 3840 x 2160 at 60 FPS
- HDR10 & HLG support
- Brightness: 1500 ANSI Lumens
- Light source life: 30,000 hours
- Throw Ratio: 1.2: 1
- Projection mode: front / rear / ceiling front / ceiling rear projection
- Keystone correction: automatic (vertical ± 40 °) and manual (horizontal ± 40 °, quadrilateral ± 40 °)
- Connections: 2x HDMI 2.0 (one with ARC), USB 2.0 Type-A for storage, audio, adapter etc., optical audio connection (Toslink) and DC-IN for power supply
- Connections: WLAN: 802.11a / b / g / n / ac (2.4 / 5GHz), Bluetooth BT4.2 dual mode / A2DP (Chromecast feature is supported.
- OS: Android TV 9 with Nebula UI
- 4x 10 watt speakers with Dolby Digital Plus
Anker Nebula Cosmos Max – design and functionality
The dimensions of the Anker Nebula Cosmos Max are 350 x 250 x 100 mm so it is not only quite large, but also comes with a decent weight of 3 kg.
In terms of color, the anchor Nebula Cosmos Max is metallic gray. I think the design is very modern and you notice that you notice both visually and when you touch that it is of very high quality. I particularly like the top, where a kind of starry sky is displayed on it when it is in operation.
There is only one button with the power button on the back. That is completely sufficient, since it is intended as a stationary projector and you will operate it with the remote control or the smartphone anyway.
In addition to the mains connection, the Anker Nebula Cosmos Max offers several connection options: two HDMI 2.0 connections, one of which comes with ARC, two USB 2.0 Type-A connections and an optical audio connection (Toslink) for the large, expensive system. 4K 60 FPS can be transmitted via HDMI. It doesn’t matter whether you connect a PC, game console or something else. The communication regarding HDR10 also works flawlessly. The USB port can be used to connect data carriers such as an external SSD or use it as an audio input if you have USB speakers or headphones. Wireless adapters also work with it without any problems. Of course, you can also easily use Bluetooth here. There is no 3.5 mm jack connection. But at least a USB-C connection would be nice.
There is a ¼ inch tripod thread on the underside of the Anker Nebula Cosmos Max. This means that it can be attached to any conventional tripod. There are also four more holes that are intended for attachment to the ceiling.
Anker Nebula Cosmos Max – control
You can control the anchor Nebula Cosmos Max in different ways. With the remote control, with the smartphone, with the keyboard. The smartphone can also be used as a touchpad. As a rule, I only use the remote control myself, as it is the most convenient. The smartphone makes the most sense to transfer media via the Chromecast feature. A YouTube video, for example, can be searched for and found so much faster than typing with the remote control. If you can handle it, you can also use the Google Assistant here to make entries. A media keyboard would of course also be a good option.
Anker Nebula Cosmos Max – operating system and apps
The operating system is Android TV 9 with Nebula UI on the Anker Nebula Cosmos Max. The first projectors with Android TV 10 are now available, so I think that there could be an update here in the future. In general, it is clear, runs very smoothly and offers simple setting options. It is practically what is now running on every Smart TV, which is why you really don’t have to get used to it. The whole thing comes of course with a very large variety of apps in the Play Store, where you can use practically all possible streaming apps, services, etc. There are also a lot of media libraries from various news portals, radio stations and more. The Chromecast integration also allows you to send content directly to the projector.
Furthermore, it is also possible to access local content, because in addition to a USB stick you can stream from your NAS just as well. The type of content is completely irrelevant. Music, films, pictures: everything is possible.
Anker Nebula Cosmos Max – audio and video
The sound of the four 10 watt speakers basically do a very good job in terms of dynamics and bass, so that you usually don’t necessarily need a separate sound system. It supports Dolby Digital Plus and can generally be very loud without losing sound quality. It is particularly noticeable that the speakers are significantly quieter than other anchor projectors. So, depending on the mode, quite pleasant.
Most important here, however, is the picture. Here you get a 4K resolution of 3840 × 2160 with up to 60 FPS. HDR10 is also supported. The picture is very sharp. Even at 150 inches, the brightness of 1500 ANSI lumens provides a clear and sharp image. Everything after that slowly loses quality.
Regardless of whether HDR10 content via Disney Plus or via PS5: If the room is at least slightly darkened, the dynamic here is good. In principle, it would also be possible to operate the projector during the day, provided that no direct light hits the wall or screen from the windows.
In general, I wouldn’t recommend the Anker Nebula Cosmos Max for gaming because the input lag is too high so it wouldn’t be fun. Especially with fast games. Unfortunately, there is currently no gaming mode. According to the manufacturer, this could be delivered in the future. The focus here is more on looking than playing. The Xgimi Horizon does a much better job here, as it comes with a gaming mode whose input lag is not noticeable.
Front / rear / ceiling front and ceiling rear projection can be selected as projection modes. Accordingly, you can place the anchor Nebula Cosmos Max, depending on how you need it. The keystone correction works very well, provided you stay within the specified angle limits of ± 40 ° so that the image is not distorted. It is also interesting to mention here that the image is diffused well enough that you are not dazzled by direct radiation or reflections.
Anker Nebula Cosmos Max – Price and availability
The anchor Nebula Cosmos Max is already available through various portals such as Amazon and currently costs 1399.90 euros, although it is currently 300 euros cheaper. Alternatively, there is the 1080p variant, which is significantly cheaper.
