The Nebula Mars 3 projector offers an immersive outdoor movie experience with its 1000 ANSI Lumens of brightness, full-HD 1080p resolution, colossal 200-inch screen capability, and a built-in battery that ensures your outdoor movie nights are bound to be a hit. But that’s not all. This projector has some nice features, including the innovative RoamPower technology, a sturdy and durable design, crystal-clear audio enhanced by a powerful 40W speaker, and a seamless setup that seems to anticipate your every need. These features are exactly what caught my attention when I was looking for a portable outdoor projector that could accompany me on my camping adventures.
This year, my family and I went on multiple outdoor adventures, dedicating a grand total of 36 days to camping at different campgrounds throughout the summer. I was fortunate enough to have the Mars 3 Projector with me on two of these memorable trips. In this comprehensive review, I’ll take you through the unboxing, share my initial impressions, delve into its features, assess its performance, and ultimately deliver a verdict on this portable projector that has become my trusty sidekick in the great outdoors.
Unboxing and Initial Impression
When I cracked open the Nebula Mars 3’s box, it was as if I was unlocking a treasure chest of entertainment opportunities. Inside, everything was neatly organized, including the projector, a user-friendly remote control, a power adapter, a power cord, and even two AAA batteries for the remote. The packaging had a pleasingly soft and smooth texture, making the unboxing experience quite enjoyable.
When I took out the projector, I could see the care that went into its packaging. It was well-protected by foam layers, assuring me of its safe journey to my doorstep. Holding the Nebula Mars 3 in my hands, I could immediately sense its high-quality build and rugged feel. It’s clear that this design was made with outdoor adventures in mind.
The lens cover, which also serves as the power switch, was a clever and practical addition. The user-friendly remote control perfectly complements the projector. It’s these thoughtful details that set the stage for an exceptional movie watching experience, both in terms of unboxing and initial impression.
Nebula Mars 3 Projector Features
The Nebula Mars 3 offers numerous exceptional features, the highlights include:
Immersive Outdoor Movies: With 1000 ANSI Lumens brightness, 1080p resolution, and a maximum screen size of 200 inches, you can enjoy a cinematic experience anywhere. Its intelligent AI automatically adjusts screen brightness for optimal viewing. It’s compatible with Android TV 11.0, granting access to a vast library of content and apps, including compatibility with Chromecast and Google, simplifying your movie nights.5 Hours of Playtime Anywhere: Thanks to RoamPower technology, the projector offers a substantial 185Wh capacity, allowing 5 hours of movie playback or 15 hours of music playback. It can even serve as a power bank for your smart devices.
Built for the Outdoors: Designed with IPX3 (Protects against sprays up to 60°) water resistance, 0.5 m drop resistance (although I wanted to keep it nice so I didn’t test that claim), 0.7 mm dust resistance, and various practical features like a built-in stand, lens cover, camping light, power indicator, integrated controls, and a carry handle, this projector can withstand the rigors of outdoor usage.
Crisp and Immersive Audio: The built-in 40W speaker with Dolby Digital Plus technology ensures clear and immersive audio, enhancing your movie and music experience.Easy Setup in Seconds: Intelligent Environment Adaptation ensures rapid autofocus, keystone correction, and Screen Fit in just 3 seconds, simplifying the setup process.
Using the Nebula Mars 3 Projector
Set-Up:
My quest for an outdoor projector for camping trips led me to the Nebula Mars 3 projector. The set-up process and connectivity were relatively straightforward. Using my Blu-ray player plugged into a BLUETTI EB3A Portable Power Station and an HDMI cable, I connected it to the back of the Nebula Mars 3. While the projector can be powered directly from a power box, I opted to assess its performance under its own power. Notably, the projector offers a battery life of up to 5 hours in eco mode or 2 hours in standard mode. For my testing, I left it in AI mode, which automatically adjusts settings based on the environment. Under this mode, I played movies such as “Pets 2” and “The Wild Hogs” without any hiccups. Impressively, the battery indicator still showed over 50% battery remaining after both movie sessions.
Once I loaded the movie into the Blu-ray player and set up the screen, I was ready to use the projector. It can automatically adjust its settings, including zoom, screen size, and image alignment. Every time I moved the projector, it presented a calibration screen and made the necessary adjustments. While the auto AI adjustments suited my outdoor movie-watching needs, I could also manually adjust settings via the menu, although this method is more time-consuming and requires some navigation through the menu options. The projector’s design includes a mounting point for a tripod and a foldable leg extension that allows for tilting. The leg extension requires some effort to open and position due to its intentional adjustability at various angles. At first I was not sure how to open it up because it was so tight.
The Built-in Light:
During the set-up and break-down phases, I made good use of the built-in light located on the back of the projector. This light offers adjustable brightness and proved to be a valuable addition to the projector. I like when gadgets have multiple uses.
Watching Movies with the Nebula Mars 3:
The Speaker:
On my camping trips, I encountered different scenarios that tested the Nebula Mars 3’s sound capabilities. During one camping trip to a small and relatively empty campground it allowed for a pleasurable movie-watching experience. However, the projector’s sound must have been loud enough that the owner of the campground, who was about 100 yards away, came up and asked us to lower the volume. This incident attests to the projector’s audio power.
In a contrasting environment with less favorable weather conditions and wind speeds of up to 20 mph, I had to push the speaker to its limits. While the speaker’s volume was satisfactory at that moment, I was left desiring even more volume.
The Picture:
The Nebula Mars 3 met my expectations for evening movie-watching experience, typically an hour before darkness falls. This projector produces 1000 lumens of light, a necessity for outdoor projection in my view. With its 1080p resolution, the picture quality is impressive. Its bright, offers excellent auto-focus and auto-keystone features, and comes equipped with Android TV, providing a seamless and integrated streaming experience.
During the day, the Nebula Mars 3 did not do so well. Attempting to view content in bright, sunlit conditions lead to a noticeable reduction in image quality.
Operating System of the Mars 3
The Nebula Mars 3’s built-in Android TV operating system offers a comprehensive entertainment platform. However, it’s not without its limitations. The system’s responsiveness can be sluggish, occasionally leading to frustration during navigation. Additionally, the functionality of the Netflix app on the Nebula Mars 3 may not match the experience provided by the dedicated TV app. The Netflix app’s usability, or lack thereof, is largely influenced by Netflix’s restrictions, which require users to navigate the app with a virtual “mouse.” While this may be a minor inconvenience, it’s not a deal-breaker and is primarily a workaround to adhere to Netflix’s limitations.
Pros:
Immersive Cinematic Experience: The Nebula Mars 3 projector offers an immersive outdoor movie experience with its 1000 ANSI Lumens of brightness, full-HD 1080p resolution, and a colossal 200-inch screen capability.RoamPower Technology: The projector features innovative RoamPower technology, providing a substantial 185Wh capacity that ensures up to 5 hours of movie playback or 15 hours of music playback. Moreover, it can double as a power bank for your smart devices, enhancing its versatility.Rugged Outdoor Design: Designed with outdoor adventures in mind, the Nebula Mars 3 is built to withstand outdoor rigors. It boasts IPX3 water resistance, 0.5 m drop resistance, and 0.7 mm dust resistance. Practical features like a built-in stand, lens cover, camping light, power indicator, integrated controls, and a carry handle make it the perfect companion for outdoor excursions.High-Quality Audio: The built-in 40W speaker with Dolby Digital Plus technology delivers immersive audio. It disperses sound in multiple directions, enhancing your movie and music experience.Easy and Intelligent Setup: The Nebula Mars 3 ensures a hassle-free setup, with intelligent environment adaptation for rapid autofocus, keystone correction, and Screen Fit in just 3 seconds.
Cons:
Limited Sunlight Use: The Nebula Mars 3 is not suitable for use in direct sunlight.Android TV Operating System: The projector’s built-in Android TV operating system, while comprehensive, can be slow. Navigating through the system may test your patience, impacting the overall user experience.Netflix App Limitations: The Netflix app’s functionality on the Nebula Mars 3 does not match the experience provided by dedicated TV app.
Nebula Mars 3 Features
Projection Technology DLPBrightness 1000 ANSI LumensResolution 1920 x 1080 (16:9, FHD)Projection Size 30-200 in: 150 in @13.85 ft; 120 in @11.09 ft; 100 in @9.22 ft; 80 in @7.38 ft; 60 in @5.54 ftOperating System Android TV 11.0 Download 7000+apps in Google Play storeSpeaker 40W 3-Way Speaker with Dolby AudioVideo Playtime 5H In Eco Mode 2H In Standard ModeConnectivity HDMI, USB, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, and ChromecastFocus AutofocusKeystone Correction Auto Keystone Correction (Horizontal & Vertical)+Auto ScreenfitSize 3 x 10.2 x 9.8 in / 160 x 260 x 250mmWeight 9 lb 
Conclusion
In summary, the Nebula Mars 3 projector offers a great outdoor movie watching experience. With its bright light, good resolution, and a massive 200-inch screen capability, it is the perfect outdoor projector for me. The built-in battery ensures uninterrupted 5-hour movie nights and can even charge your devices.
It also has a rugged design, offers some water resistance, and its built-in features make it suitable for my outdoor adventures. The built in 40W speaker with Dolby technology delivers good audio. While I would not use it in direct sunlight, I am happy to have this projector. You can learn more about this projector or make a purchase at www.us.nebula.com or www.amazon.com.
Notes:
Battery: The battery life of the built-in battery depends on environmental conditions, machine settings, and user habits. In Eco Mode (300 Ansi Lumens), with 25% volume, and 1080p online/local playback, the longest playback time will be 5 hours maximum. In Standard Mode with the same conditions as mentioned above, the playtime will be roughly 2 hours.Outdoor Design:Mars 3 has passed IPX3 waterproof testing. Which can effectively prevent rainwater from entering the machine and causing product damage during normal use. After rain or if the product is splashed by water, ensure the product is placed vertically in a dry environment. It is not recommended to use this product in extreme weather conditions, in environments with unknown liquids, near hot springs, or near corrosive liquids.Mars 3 has passed the 0.5 m standard cement floor drop test, which ensures that the device functions properly after accidental drops from a height of up to 0.5 m.The bottom of Mars 3 is designed to prevent dust and it can effectively prevent particles of up to 0.7 mm in size from entering the product.Brightness: Brightness (light output) will vary depending on the conditions in which the projector is being used. Light output is measured in accordance with ANSI IT7.228-1997. The nominal value represents the average value of mass production and is tested under ideal laboratory conditions. Brightness diminishes over time as usage increases.Projection Size: For the best viewing experience, we recommend using a projection size of 80-150 inches. Exceeding this range may affect the quality of your projected content and the effectiveness of auto-image adjustment.
