A projector that wears many hats
Samsung has its hands in so many product categories it can be hard to keep track of them all, from mobile gadgets like phones, tablets, and watches, to less portable stuff like appliances and TVs. But while a TV may be happy to live on the wall, projectors manage to bridge that gap between big screens and easy portability. This year at CES 2022 we’re taking a look at Samsung’s efforts to push the boundaries of what a “TV” can be with its new Freestyle projector.
The Samsung Freestyle manages to pull off being a projector, smart speaker, and ambient lighting device while staying reasonably lightweight (830 grams) at the same time.
As a projector, the Freestyle tries to address some of the problems facing typical portable projectors (like low image quality) with its full HD resolution. Its stand cleverly enables it to rotate through 180 degrees, offering some interesting projection options. Samsung gives it features like full auto-keystone, auto-leveling, and autofocus to prevent image distortion irrespective of the surface you’re using — wall, ceiling, or floor. Plus, since it’s basically a projector version of a Samsung smart TV, you get access to a similar range of built-in apps.
Working as a speaker, the Freestyle has a dual passive radiator and a 360-degree spread, which Samsung says should help deliver a clean overall sound experience. There’s a built-in mic, too, so you can issue commands to voice assistants.
Despite its portability, the Freestyle lacks a built-in battery, so you’ll need to keep it connected to a power bank via the USB-C port if you want to use it away from an outlet. If you don’t want to bother with that, Samsung looks ready to launch its own battery base soon that should give you more power freedom with the device. Other add-ons include skins to change the projector’s color and even a screw-type socket adapter to turn the Freestyle into a lightbulb (you read that right).
A portable projector can be a great way to have a big-screen experience even spaces that otherwise might not fit a big TV, and Samsung’s Freestyle looks set to deliver. Samsung’s showing it off this week at CES 2022 and it’s already available for pre-order in the US at a hefty $900. Availability should expand to other regions in the coming months.
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