Watch all your content on the go with Samsung’s Freestyle projector

Small but mighty, it’s like having a 100-inch TV in your bag

Televisions are great gadgets for any living room, but they have several drawbacks. Other than being large, they're also heavy and difficult to move, usually relegating them to one spot in the house.

But if you want to watch your favorite films wherever you are, the best option is to get a portable projector, such as Samsung’s The Freestyle Smart Portable Projector. You’ll never have to worry about a screen that isn’t big enough for everyone to see.

Testing the Samsung The Freestyle Smart Portable Projector 

For any device that displays streaming content, the most important aspect is the video quality. A device must achieve the specifications highlighted by the manufacturer, and the BestReviews Testing Lab ran a series of evaluations to verify these claims.

The BestReviews Testing Lab strives to investigate every claim the brand/manufacturer makes about the product. For this article, the tester put the projector through its paces by comparing video and sound quality to other popular models.

What is the Samsung The Freestyle Smart Portable Projector?

The Freestyle, as the name implies, is a video projector that’s compact and easy to use. Its small size makes it handy for people who don’t have enough room for a fixed ceiling-mounted projector, or if they prefer to have a projector that’s suitable for watching content on the go. 

The projector has built-in Wi-Fi and Bluetooth, letting you connect it to the internet to watch content from your favorite streaming services such as Netflix, YouTube and Spotify. In addition to the remote controller, you can also use your voice for virtual assistants such as Samsung’s Bixby and Amazon’s Alexa. 

Inline Link: See how it compares to other products in its space — check out our reviews for the best portable projectors.

Samsung The Freestyle Smart Portable Projector price and where to buy

The base model The Freestyle is available on Amazon for $700. However, there are several accessories that enhance your viewing experience. You can add a battery base to the projector, which will cost you $900 for the package, or you can add a sturdy carrying case for a total of $730. 

How to use Samsung The Freestyle Smart Portable Projector

For the most part, the projector is used like any other. It comes with a power cable and connects to a wireless device through a built-in Wi-Fi connection. 

From there, you simply open the streaming app that you want to view content on, tap on the casting button and select the projector. Once set up, the projector has auto-leveling, auto-focus and auto-keystone technology that ensures the visuals are always perfect.

Samsung The Freestyle benefits

The Freestyle is more than capable of projecting a 100-inch display at a throwing distance of 8.8 feet. If you prefer a smaller projection, it displays a 65-inch equivalent at 5.6 feet and at the smallest, projects 30-inch visuals at 2.6 feet.

However, the projection resolution is only 1080p. While that’s fine for smaller to midsize displays, there will be slight video quality degradation at the maximum throwing distance. If video quality is of high importance to you, it's best to get a 4K projector.

Another notable aspect of The Freestyle is the audio. The gadget has a speaker that surrounds the entire projector, making it easy for anybody to clearly hear the sounds, no matter where they are. However, through the built-in Bluetooth functionality, it’s easy to connect wireless speakers to give the audio a boost. 

The Freestyle’s operating system is based on Google Android, giving you access to streaming applications and audio software through the easy-to-use menu. You must log into each service separately, such as Netflix or Spotify, which can take some time during the initial setup.  

Samsung The Freestyle drawbacks

Even though the 1080p video quality is excellent, The Freestyle is priced much higher than similar portable projectors. For example, the Anker Nebula is about half the price and doesn’t require an additional battery. The Freestyle must be connected to a power source through a USB cable such as a power bank, since it doesn’t have a dedicated battery.

The 360-degree sound might also not be as loud as some users would like. It’s enough for indoor viewing, but the projector struggles to keep up with outdoor scenarios where ambient sounds can diminish its loudness. The best solution is to connect a more powerful Bluetooth speaker.

A problem that most projectors suffer from is the noise generated by the fan that dissipates internal heat. The testing team found the fan to be loud, often interrupting quieter scenes in content, disturbing the ambience.  

Should you get Samsung The Freestyle?

Samsung’s The Freestyle is a solid projector if you want a no-frills option that gives you the freedom of projecting content whenever you want. The addition of the battery pack greatly extends your viewing time, and you can even customize the look by covering it with a colored protective sleeve.