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I've been flying co-pilot with Anker's new R2-D2 projector, but this isn't quite the droid I'm looking for
A bad motivator is one thing, but low brightness is harder to fix
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Today is Star Wars Day (May the 4th be with you), and companies everywhere are getting in on the fun. Google's got some good stuff, including a free game for Stadia Pro users, but one of the coolest-looking new Star Wars gadgets this year made its debut just a little over a week ago: the Anker Nebula Capsule II Star Wars R2-D2 Limited Edition.A couple years back we checked out the company's uber-portable Nebula Capsule II projector with Android TV baked right in. Now that stalwart A/V solution is back with a fresh new look, dressing up like everyone's favorite astromech droid. Other than the new R2-D2 livery, this Capsule II is largely the same projector we reviewed back in 2019. And while its 720p resolution and 200 ANSI lumen output both feel a little on the low side now, there are still some good reasons to check out this extremely portable offering.
What's better than a projector the size of a soda bottle? How about a projector the size of a soda bottle that runs Android TV? That's exactly what the Anker Nebula Capsule II is, and today only, you can get it for $200 off the usual price from Amazon-owned Woot.
Portable projectors are great for impromptu movie screenings, and Anker's Nebula Capsule line comprises some of the best. They're priced accordingly, though; the Capsule II is a whopping $580 at full price. But not today! Amazon's got the projector for $412.49 right now — $167.50 off.For your $400 and change, you'll get 200 ANSI lumens of brightness, and a 720p picture up to 100 inches, diagonally. The Capsule II also runs apps natively, so there's no need to connect to an external source to stream from the likes of YouTube or Hulu. In his review, Corbin praised the projector's design and software.
Anker has been producing portable projectors since 2017, when it released the first Nebula Mars. Since then, it has made a sequel to the Mars, and a smaller Nebula Capsule the size of a soda can. While the hardware and build quality were excellent on all of them, the heavily-modified Android software always left a lot to be desired.Anker's newest model, the Nebula Capsule II, is significant because it's the first portable projector to run full-blown Android TV. No more struggling with a remote to navigate Android apps intended for phones — you get a real TV interface with real TV apps. For that reason alone, the Capsule II is the new portable projector to beat, but it has a few more nice features — as well as a few drawbacks.
Anker has released a few Android-powered projectors over the past year — the Nebula Mars, Nebula Mars II, and Nebula Capsule. Even though the Capsule is only about six months old, Anker already has plans for a replacement. The Nebula Capsule II is brighter, has a higher-resolution projector, and runs the full Android TV operating system.