Expert review Samsung The Freestyle
Samsung The Freestyle
- You can easily take this smart, multi-functional, and light projector with you.
- Turn on the projector and enjoy a straight, sharp projection thanks to the automatic keystone correction and autofocus.
- On the Tizen smart platform, you can easily stream movies and series from Netflix, Disney+, and Videoland.
- The projector has a low light output of 230 ANSI lumens, causing projections to be less visible in illuminated rooms.
First impression of The Freestyle
When I unbox The Freestyle, I directly notice the compact and unique design. The projector looks like a white lamp with a black 'lens'. I also find a power cord and remote in the box. It's very easy to turn on the projector. I connect it with the power cord, put it down, an press the on/off button.
No complex settings
The projector automatically chooses the right settings during the automatic setup. I direct the projector to the wall, and the projector determines the right projection size with the automatic keystone correction. The projector also focuses the projection automatically. Useful, because you won't have to look for the right image settings yourself. Thanks to the tiltable design, you can also easily aim the projection at the ceiling, for example.
Bright colors in a dark room
The Freestyle projector has a low light output of 230 ANSI lumens. That's why I tested The Freestyle in an illuminated and a dark room. In the dark room, the bright green colors of the grass pop on the projection screen and all the details of the jungle are clearly visible. In the illuminated room, the projector looks a little duller and the image doesn't come out as well. This is why the projector is only suitable for dark rooms.
All the apps at my disposal
The Freestyle projector has the extensive Tizen smart platform. You can watch your favorite content on apps like Netflix, Disney+, and Amazon Prime with this. I can easily connect the projector to WiFi, scroll through the smart platform, and choose the apps that I want to download. I've downloaded my favorite apps in no time. I can easily switch between the apps with the remote. It's also possible to stream content from my smartphone to the projector, like YouTube.
360-degree speakers
Thanks to the 360-degree functionality of the speakers of The Freestyle, you can hear the sound anywhere around the projector. The sound is pretty good in my opinion, it's a good audio system for regular use like watching television. The sound is rich and clear, even though a bass is missing. If you really want to enjoy a movie, series, or concert with a realistic sound, I recommend you to connect a separate sound system. It's possible to connect The Freestyle wirelessly to a Bluetooth speaker.
A multi-functional projector
You probably don't expect it, but you can use The Freestyle as a compact and nicely designed light when you're not projecting a movie or series. With the Samsung Ambient Mode, you can project your own photos on the wall or the ceiling. For example, you can project a slideshow of your vacation on the wall of your living room. A plus of The Freestyle is that you can easily take it with you. The projector is compact and easily fits in my bag. Unfortunately, the projector doesn't have a built-in battery. If you want to use the projector without having to connect it to the socket, you can purchase an external battery. Via the micro HDMI input, you can easily connect a game console to the projector too.
Conclusion
You can easily take the Samsung The Freestyle with you thanks to the compact design. The automatic keystone correction and the tiltable design make it easy to project a proper image in different locations. The projector doesn't have a rechargeable battery, which is unfortunate if you want to take it on the go with you. You can solve this issue by connecting a suitable power bank. Thanks to the built-in smart platform with populair apps like Netflix and YouTube, the projector is all you need. Keep in mind that the projection comes out best in a completely dark room. If you don't mind spending a little more money on a compact projector that has various automatic conveniences and a smart platform, The Freestyle is a suitable projector for you.
