While most projectors come with a fixed design that allows pointing in a single direction, Samsung’s latest lifestyle projector gives users the choice to point at almost any angle, including the ceiling. We take a look at the new Samsung Freestyle portable projector.
Design
Unlike other bulky projector designs, the Freestyle is meant to be a compact portable projector that is easy to carry around. The device weighs about only 800g and has a dimension of 102.4 x 172.8 x 95.2 mm. The overall projector is white in color and features a cylindrical body with a soft surface.
Samsung’s goal with the Freestyle is to offer a projector that has the flexibility to aim and tilt at most angles. The base and cradle of the Freestyle allow users to tilt the device up to 180 degrees. This means you will be able to shit the projection from the wall to even the ceiling by just a small turn of the projector. The 90-degree angle for the ceiling view is my personal favorite, where you get to see your favorite movies and shows from the comfort of your bed.
The projector also comes with a few connectivity options such as one USB-C port for charging and one micro-HDMI port. There is also a dedicated switch to turn on or off the mic. The projector also comes with dual air vents to easily dissipate heat and is located between the ports section. The device also has touch-sensitive buttons for volume control, power, and mobile connections. Apart from the main lens on the top, there is also the distance sensor, remote control sensor, and an LED indicator.
Samsung also mentions that the Freestyle can work with a portable battery that offers USB-PD with 50W/20V output or above. Samsung has also included the Freestyle with its Smart Control remote that allows users to use voice controls, dedicated buttons for Netflix, Amazon Prime, Samsung TV Plus, and more.
Features
The Freestyle not only offers the freedom to twist and turn its projection to the angle of your liking but also packs some good hardware under its hood. The DLP projection system with its LED light source has a native display resolution of 1920 x 1080. The light source is designed to display a screen size that ranges from 30-inch and up to 100-inch in size. The maximum brightness of the Freestyle is 550 LED Lumen and the life of the light source is 20000hrs.
Samsung uses its Crystal Engine, Pur Color, and Auto Motion Plus display technologies for producing good video quality and comes with support with HDR10 for true-to-life colors. The native contrast is 100,000:1. I used the Freestyle by pointing it towards the walls and the ceiling, and the video quality is good for a projector.
For frame adjustment, the Freestyle comes with the Auto Keystone that corrects skewed images to form a straight rectangular screen. The Auto Keystone works really well most of the time and takes only a few seconds to adjust, no matter from what angle place the device. And then there is the Auto Focus that kicks in very quickly if the position of the projector is moved suddenly and maintains a sharp video projection.
The projector also offers Auto-Leveling which helps to level the projected screen on any uneven surface such as rocky camping grounds, soft beds, and more. With a minimum distance of just 0.8m, the Freestyle can produce a 30-inch projection and at a distance of 2.7m, you get a clear 100-inch projection.
For its audio capability, the Freestyle houses a 5W 360-degree speaker with support for adaptive sound, multiroom link, Bluetooth audio, and Dolby Digital Plus. The device runs on Smart TV OS powered by Tizen, along with support for apps such as Netflix, Amazon Prime, Apple TV, and YouTube. Other features include support for Bixby voice control and SmartThings, Mobile to TV – Mirroring, DLNA, App Casting, Sound Mirroring, WiFi Direct, Bluetooth 5.2, Anynet+ (HDMI-CEC), and more.
Verdict
For those looking for a good multimedia projector with a design that does not have any design limitations for viewing it at different angles, then take a look at the Samsung Freestyle portable projector. The device features a design that allows users to use it up to a 180-degree angle. In this way, you can watch it on a wall or even on the ceiling of your room. The Freestyle comes with auto-adjustment capabilities such as Auto Keystone, Auto Focus, and Auto-Leveling, which help to correct skewed images, produce sharper images and level the projected screen for the best viewing experience.
The projected screen comes with 1920 x 1080 as its resolution and has support for HDR10. You will also be able to view screen sizes from 30-inch and all the way to as big as 100-inch projection. Freestyle also comes with a 360-degree speaker with support for Bluetooth 5.2 and Dolby Digital Plus. The projector runs on Smart TV based on Tizen and with support for popular video streaming applications. The device also comes with a Smart Control with dedicated controls for popular applications and voice control. The device is also portable to carry around and can work with a portable battery with 50W/20V output.
