At the heart of the soundcore Nebula P1 is the projector's 4LED light engine. Over the last several years, projectors the size of the P1 struggled to exceed 300 lumens, with many falling far short. The 4LED light engine not only delivers 650 lumens of brightness but also covers 124% of the Rec. 709 color space. The P1’s high-performance 4LED light source is combined with a 0.23-inch DLP (Digital Light Processing) chip, which displays dynamic color consistency and has a 25,000-hour light source life. While the 650 ANSI lumen brightness is not designed for daylight viewing, it is more than enough for a space with minimal ambient light.

The P1 is built to endure with two separate IP ratings. The projector's body is rated IP33, meaning it’s "splash-resistant," protecting it against solid objects larger than 2.5 mm and water sprays at angles up to 60 degrees. Realistically, this means the projector can handle light environmental moisture, but should not be left out in a heavy downpour. Not exactly waterproof, but nonetheless impressive compared to many portable projectors.

Because the speakers are intended to be moved around and may be placed on the ground or near the poolside, they carry an IP54 rating, making them "dust-protected" and resistant to water splashes from any direction, providing better durability for outdoor use.

The soundcore Nebula P1 is very much a plug-and-play projector in that it’s designed to offer an incredibly fast and easy experience when setting up the projector. The P1 offers two solutions to make the setup easier. First, there is the physical solution, a 130-degree dual-arm gimbal that allows for effortless placement and adjustment. This sturdy built-in stand lets you tilt the projector so you can display content on a high wall or even the ceiling above your bed, all without a separate tripod. The gimbal's dual-arm design provides greater stability than single-hinge stands.

If the physical gimbal isn’t getting the job done, the projector features several INTELLIGENT ENVIRONMENT ADAPTATION auto modes that handle the technical setup for you. These automated systems include REAL-TIME AUTOFOCUS to keep the image sharp and AUTO KEYSTONE CORRECTION to square the frame into a perfect rectangle. Additionally, the P1 uses AUTO OBSTACLE AVOIDANCE to scale the image around objects like picture frames and AUTO SCREEN FIT to snap the projection perfectly into the borders of a dedicated screen.

The P1 offers a range of auto setup modes, including the AUTO KEYSTONE CORRECTION feature, perfectly aligning the projected image in six seconds or less, regardless of the projector's placement. In addition, the AUTO FOCUS feature delivers sharp visuals instantly. The P1 even uses an advanced AI algorithm that identifies and avoids obstacles in the room, providing a perfectly tailored image for your space and an uninterrupted viewing experience.

The P1 can offer these simple-to-use yet powerful features because the company has integrated a range of highly sensitive screen sensors that constantly monitor the displayed image in real time, correcting for bumps that either moderately or significantly change the projector's position relative to the screen.

The P1 projector features a high-performance fixed lens with a 1.2:1 throw ratio, allowing you to project a 100-inch image from just 8.7 feet away. This precision lens can project sharp images from 40 to 180 inches diagonally, though the manufacturer notes optimal performance up to 120 inches. To project a 120-inch image, the projector must be positioned 10 feet from the screen. During my testing, I projected a 100-inch image. The image on my screen was sharp, with no significant chromatic aberration or artifacts, until about 85% out from the center, which honestly exceeded my expectations for a portable projector.

The P1 also features a ToF sensor and a CMOS camera for its IEAS (Intelligent Environment Adaptation Suite). These auto modes worked well and simplified setup by providing real-time AUTOFOCUS and AUTO KEYSTONE CORRECTION. Both of these modes worked well on my 100-inch screen. The front includes a Smart Eye Protection sensor that automatically dims the light source if someone walks in front of the lens. The system is managed via a Google TV remote control that includes a navigation D-pad and dedicated shortcuts for Netflix and YouTube.

Keep in mind that on all projectors, using these digital image correction features comes at a cost in picture quality and, more importantly, on the P1, brightness. While 650 lumens is a decent amount for a portable projector, the fact is that even in a darkened room, every lumen counts. For that reason, I strongly urge you to make every effort to square the image to the screen by physically positioning the projector. The P1's gimbal design makes this very easy to do.

In addition to a wide range of smart features, the soundcore Nebula P1 includes manual adjustments for a range of features, including COLOR TEMPERATURE, GAMMA, and MULTI-POINT WHITE BALANCE. All adjustments are made via the Google TV OS menu system, something I wish more manufacturers using Google TV would adopt. In fact, the projector surprisingly features a full-featured CMS (Color Management System). Out-of-the-box picture quality is good but not great, with tones overall leaning toward blue and green as soundcore tries its best to squeeze every last bit of brightness out of the projector and onto the screen. If you would like to make quick adjustments to improve the picture quality of the projector in your room, check out our video titled "Optimize The Image of a Projector or TV Using Free Murideo Test Patterns."

This is an interesting section that honestly I did not expect to be writing because nowhere on the manufacturer's materials does soundcore Nebula show that the P1 supports HDR. So color me surprised when I ran some HDR content through the projector, and its menu settings and color profiles changed.
Apparently, the projector has been updated to support HDR, or, since the hardware needed to support HDR was already in the projector, Nebula enabled the feature via an update. That’s great! The benefits of HDR10 are diminished on low-lumen projectors. Most HDR content is mastered for devices capable of displaying 1,000 nits, but dimmer projectors can benefit from tone mapping to compensate for lower brightness. The P1 is not a bright projector and lacks tone-mapping found in more expensive models, particularly in black-level performance. When viewing HDR content, I found that a projection distance of about 80 inches was optimal. I certainly would not recommend anything over 100 inches, even in light-controlled spaces.

For many users, switching to SDR (Standard Dynamic Range) mode results in a more consistent, punchier image. Not all content looks better in HDR on this projector. For example, The Batman struggled with dark areas and dark area details on the P1. SDR just worked better on this content. Superman 2025 actually looked better in the projector’s MOVIE mode with HDR10 support activated.

Since the P1 has a native contrast of 400:1, even a tiny amount of ambient light will wash out the "HDR effect." You must use the projector in a pitch-black environment. The MOVIE mode is calibrated for better gamma tracking, which helps prevent "black crushing" where dark details disappear into solid black blobs. Finally, be sure to use the included power bank, or if you are using an external battery or power bank, make sure it’s a 100 W USB-C PD source.

I want to talk briefly about the P1’s impressive 10 ms gaming performance. In order to get the best overall gaming experience, you need to engage the GAME mode manually by going to PICTURE settings in the Google TV menu and selecting GAME mode. Gaming on the P1 with my Xbox Series X was fast and responsive. Also, being able to detach the speakers and get some stereo separation when gaming worked extremely well on the P1. Honestly, the added audio imaging was even more noticeable while gaming than while watching movies, and it was very noticeable there as well.