If you’d told me a few years ago that my go-to recommendation for a home cinema set-up would involve a suitcase-sized projector with pop-out speakers, I’d have laughed and pointed you towards a wall-mounted OLED 4K TV like a normal person.
But here we are, and Anker sub-brand Soundcore’s new Nebula X1 Pro has me seriously rethinking what a home theatre setup could look like. The Nebula X1 Pro follows the startling bright X1 projector that launched earlier this year – was so bright it had me considering replacing my own OLED.
This is technically a projector, but calling the Nebula X1 Pro “just a projector” is like calling the Millennium Falcon “just a spaceship”. It’s a fully loaded mobile theatre station on wheels. Literally. It rolls, it extends, it unfolds, and it projects a ludicrously bright 3500 lumens of 4K laser-powered crispness onto a screen up to 300 inches across. It can turn your living room wall or garden fence into a cinema-worthy display, with the kind of punchy contrast and colour depth that only RGB laser and Dolby Vision can pull off.
But it’s the audio set-up that makes this thing a game-changer. Anker’s built a surround sound system directly into the unit. We’re talking four detachable pop-out wireless speakers and a pair of built-in subwoofers, all carefully engineered to deliver 7.1.4 spatial audio with proper Dolby Atmos decoding. A single button press, and the front units swing out into soundbar mode – handy for quick viewings or when you can’t be bothered rearranging your furniture. But when you do want full cinematic immersion, each speaker detaches, sprouts legs or mounts on tripods, and can be repositioned anywhere in your space. Even the rear surrounds tuck neatly into the back of the unit and come with their own pop-out legs.
The set-up process has gone full AI, but actually does something useful. You get autofocus, keystone correction, obstacle avoidance, screen fitting, and even wall colour compensation. It’s all handled by a single button and some very clever microphones that fine-tune your speaker positioning. It’s a refreshing break from the usual fifteen minutes of menu-diving and swearing at your ceiling.
Naturally, it runs Google TV with proper Netflix support. There’s an HDMI port if you fancy plugging in your PS5 or a Blu-ray player, and you also get USB-C and USB-A. Anker reckons the entire thing runs whisper-quiet, thanks to a liquid cooling system.
If you fancy taking your outdoor movie nights up several notches, Soundcore also offers a giant 200-inch inflatable screen. It comes with its own battery-powered air pump and a clever T-shaped frame that doesn’t fall over at the first gust of wind. You can even attach the pop-out speakers to it for proper directional sound.
The Anker Soundcore Nebula X1 Pro is up for pre-order now via Kickstarter at $5000. It’s a huge price, but you get a whole lot of gear. Early backers can snag up to 40% off before 12 November. There’s also a bundle including the inflatable 200-inch screen with up to 47% off depending on your tier. Shipping is expected to start in late 2025, with a wider launch planned for March 2026.
