Portability, convenience, awesome video, and great sound output – just a few features you might be looking for in a portable projector. And here’s the truth – there are so many portable projectors in the market today making it difficult for people to make a solid decision.
That’s why we’ve prepared this in-depth review focusing on one of the biggest tech manufacturers – Samsung’s Freestyle projector.
We’ll look at its features, performance, and picture & sound quality. At the end of the article, we’ll give you our verdict on this projector. And that isn’t another typical “awesome” review article. We’ve included real users’ input to help you make a solid decision.
Let’s jump right in!
Quick Takes
Samsung the Freestyle has a rating of 3.8/5 stars on Amazon from 350+ reviewers which is “Good”. 52% of the reviewers gave the projector a solid 5-star rating indicating that the projector was easy to set up. They further indicated that the projector was easily portable, produced awesome sound, and has decent picture quality.
Image source: Samsung
Unfortunately, 18% of the reviewers gave this projector a 1-star rating indicating random restarts.
Pros and Cons
Pros
Cons
Samsung Freestyle Alternatives
| Projector | User’s needs | AAXA P6X is yet another outstanding portable projector – a close competitor of Samsung the Freestyle portable projector. It produces a lot of brightness considering its size – 1,100 lumens. AAXA P6X doubles Samsung Freestyle’s lumen production, giving it the upper hand. However, Samsung the Freestyle has a better resolution than the AAXA P6X. Read our full review of AAXA P6X portable projector here. |
| Anker Nebula Capsule | Built-in battery | The Anker Nebula Capsule projector is one of Samsung Freestyle’s closest competitors and is quite similar. While Samsung’s projector is great, Anker’s Nebula Capsule has a built-in battery, giving it an upper hand. Anker Nebula Capsule projector has a 5,200 mAh battery which should be more than enough to allow you to enjoy several episodes of your favorite series. Read our full review on Anker Nebula Capsule portable projector here. |
| AAXA P6X | Brightness | AAXA P6X is yet another outstanding portable projector – a close competitor of Samsung’s Freestyle portable projector. It produces a lot of brightness considering its size – 1,100 lumens. AAXA P6X doubles Samsung Freestyle’s lumen production, giving it the upper hand. However, Samsung the Freestyle has a better resolution than the AAXA P6X. Read our full review of AAXA P6X portable projector here. |
Samsung the Freestyle Projector Features
| Features | Specs |
| Projection technology | DLP |
| Brightness | 550 lumens |
| Contrast ratio | 300:1 |
| Resolution | 1920 x 1080 (native), 1280 x 720 |
| Aspect ratio | 16:9 only |
| Throw ratio | 1.2:1 |
| Lamp life | 20,000 hours |
| Built-in battery | N/A |
| Built-in speaker | 360° sound speaker |
| I/O ports (depending on the model) | HDMI, USB |
| Connectivity | WiFi, Bluetooth |
| Keystone correction | ✔ |
| 3D compatible | 𝙭 |
| HDR compatible | ✔ |
| Operating system | Samsung TV OS – Tizen |
| Accessories | Smart remote, user manual, power cable (USB-C), lens cap |
| Projector weight (depending on the model) | 1.80lbs, 2.30lbs, and 2.90lbs |
Design and Build
Samsung the Freestyle has a unique cylindrical design that blends with almost any decor. It is smaller than it looks in photos – you could easily mistake it for a toy or a tabletop smart speaker. But don’t let its size fool you – it packs serious power and features.
Its swiveling stand makes it stable and gives it an aesthetic look.
Samsung the Freestyle Swivel Stand – Image Source: Samsung
The stand further enables it to project images/videos on the ceiling, a projector screen, and the floor, e.g., when presenting something like building plans and you do not have a hard copy.
Samsung designed this projector with the main focus on portability – the projector has the following dimensions: 3.7’’ x 5.3’’ x 3.7’’ (9.4cm x 13.5cm x 9.4cm). The exterior of the projector has rubber-like material, which should protect it from dents, nicks, and scratches during transportation.
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Nothing is better than having a projector that does not produce noise which can be quite distracting. Samsung Freestyle projector is silent, similar to Kodak Luma 350 portable projector at 30 dB – you can hardly hear any noise from it.
In addition to silence, its 360° sound speaker produces good-quality sound. Of course, you cannot compare it to a soundbar’s quality, but it’s good considering its small size. In addition to having good sound quality, the projector also comes with good accessories.
When you buy this projector, Samsung will also give you a remote control, a charger (USB-C), a user manual, and a lens cap. The cap comes in handy when you want to transport the projector without scratching the screen.
It would have been better if Samsung could make the remote back-lit because you’ll use the projector in dark environments.
Samsung Freestyle projector has touch-sensitive controls, which you can use to control the projector in case the remote is not available.
Connectivity
You can also connect external storage to the projector via the HDMI port.
And since it is a smart projector, you can also connect to it wirelessly using Bluetooth and access the internet by connecting it to a WiFi network. You can even mirror sound from your phone or tablet to this projector.
We were, however, disappointed with its lack of an internal battery.
Built-in batteries play a significant role in making a projector portable. And since Samsung the Freestyle projector lacks a battery, its portability is quite limited. You can, however, use an external battery.
However, we think having a built-in battery could be more practical, especially when you are moving around with the projector.
Performance and Picture Quality
Now, Samsung Freestyle portable projector runs on the Samsung TV Tizen operating system. The UI is pretty good and easy to use. You can download several apps to the projector, e.g., Netflix, Prime Video, YouTube, Disney, etc.
The projector has a short throw distance and can project TV-like sized images ranging from 30’’ to 100’’.
Another good thing about using this projector is how it automatically focuses images depending on the screen size. In addition, it has keystone correction to keep images well aligned with the projector screen (or wall).
Pro tip: It would be best to acquire a projector screen when using projectors. It’ll help you take your entertainment to the next level because projector screens are professionally designed to absorb light from the projector and give you the best image display.
Consider reading our full guide on projector screens.
This projector was designed with portability as its main focus, meaning, it is limited on hardware. However, you can easily play games (that are not hardware-intensive), listen to music on YouTube comfortably, or even watch a movie.
Unfortunately, this projector has a low brightness output, one of its primary weaknesses. A low lumen output limits the projector’s usage to environmental conditions with controlled ambient light.
If you decide to use this projector in a bright room, you’ll not enjoy the experience because the images will appear washed out. Samsung Freestyle also has a pretty low contrast ratio. In addition, the projector supports a 16:9 aspect ratio only, which can, yet again, be quite inconvenient especially if you intend to watch an old movie.
FYI – old movies have an aspect ratio of 4:3.
In addition to producing low lumen output and contrast ratio, this projector has limited I/O ports. A single HDMI and USB port are insufficient, especially if you need to plug in several external storage.
The projector doesn’t have an AUX input or output port, which limits the type of external speakers you can use.
Our Verdict on Samsung the Freestyle Portable Projector
You’ve probably read this article because you want a portable projector and consider getting Samsung’s Freestyle projector. Its unique and compact body makes it easily portable and practical.
In addition, Samsung’s ingenious design for adding a rubber-like material to the projector’s body is highly beneficial. It helps prevent scratches, dents, and nicks on the projector’s body because you’ll most likely move around with it a lot.
Samsung Freestyle projector has a wonderful surround speaker that produces good-quality sound. You can enjoy TV-sized entertainment as the projector can project image sizes between 30’’ and 100’’. It also has a native resolution of 1920 x 1080i which is awesome.
Its primary downside is its low brightness output. It would be better if Samsung would increase this projector’s brightness – this move will make it usable even in environmental conditions with bright ambient light.
Bottom line:
This projector deserves a nod. As far as we can tell, buying this projector guarantees you easy portability, awesome sound quality, and decent display quality – which is practically everything you might be looking for in a portable projector.
Check out the best price from Amazon by clicking here!
