Samsung The Freestyle review

Finest Costs Immediately: Samsung Freestyle

Not Out there

Projector, media streamer, ambient mild supply – the Samsung Freestyle is all this stuff, and possibly just a few extra. We’ve seen transportable Pico-style projectors earlier than, however that is an virtually unrecognisable evolution.  
 
The lovable round beamer has an angled stand which lets you level at a wall or the ceiling. It may also be pushed off an non-compulsory battery pack, for wire-free use.    

So is that this the next-gen show machine you’ve been ready for? 

Design & Construct 

• Compact design like a stage mild
• White with non-compulsory skins
• Included distant management

The Freestyle, to present it it’s full identify, has the girth of a jumbo can of beans (17 x 10cm) and sits on a directional pedestal stand that enables it to be pointed ahead, backwards or straight up, 180 diploma type.

It is available in white as normal with Forest Inexperienced an possibility within the UK. Throughout the pond, US consumers should spend additional on a pores and skin to show the Freestyle Forest Inexperienced, Blossom Pink or Coyote Beige for $29.99.  

Steve Might / Foundry

Bodily controls are minimal. As soon as aimed, the projector’s auto-focus mechanism clicks in and its image snaps into focus. The Freestyle may also robotically keystone-correct skewed photos, inside purpose, to current an everyday widescreen body. 

There’s a mini HDMI port, plus USB for exterior energy provide use; the large thought is to make use of it wirelessly, linked through Bluetooth and Wi-Fi to your smartphone. 

The projector squirts audio by way of a hoop of perforations, to present one thing akin to 360 sound, whereas the bottom incorporates a full-width woofer. Audio energy output is rated at 5W. There’s a plastic cap supplied to guard the lens, which is surrounded by some touch-sensitive controls for quantity, microphone and energy. 

Steve Might / Foundry

See also  The Samsung Galaxy S24+ hits a real sweet spot of size, performance and features

Bundled is a tidy distant management, with menu navigation and Netflix, Prime Video, Disney+ and Samsung TV Plus scorching buttons. Dwelling calls up the primary UI.  

Specs & Options 

• Tizen OS built-in
• As much as 100in picture
• Amient Mode and extra

In relation to usability, the Freestyle is constructed across the acquainted interface of Samsung’s Tizen good platform as per the agency’s TVs such because the QN95A. With entry to a variety of streaming apps and catch-up TV providers. 

Supplied as normal are Disney+, Netflix, Prime Video, Samsung TV Plus, iPlayer, ITV hub, Apple TV, Now, YouTube, All4, My5, and Plex, however you may add extra by opening the Samsung app retailer. It took only a few minutes so as to add the UFC Struggle Go app to my go-to providers. 

There are rails of curated content material from the catch-up providers, plus channels from the Samsung TV Plus free-to-watch programme bouquet. There’s no TV tuner onboard, however with such a various collection of reside streaming apps readily available, you’ll hardly discover. 

It’s additionally appropriate with Samsung’s SmartThings app, and Apple AirPlay 2. There’s voice management through both Bixby or Amazon Alexa, through built-in far-field voice management micros.

Steve Might / Foundry

You want round 2.66m distance to solid a 100in display, or 1.59m to copy a 60in TV. The throw ratio is mounted at 1.21:1 and lamp life is claimed to cowl 20,000 hours. 

The projector may also be used purely for audio, streaming over Bluetooth, making this an over-specified good speaker (particulars on the audio high quality under). 

Whereas the Freestyle doesn’t have a built-in battery for true portability, it could run off the non-compulsory matching battery pack, or any exterior USB battery pack cells which are USB-PD and have a 50W/20V output or above. Examine our record of the very best laptop computer energy banks for some choices.

Should you’re extra into temper than films, then there’s Ambient Mode, which provides quite a lot of colored patterns and messages (‘Joyful New 12 months’, ‘Joyful Birthday’ and ‘Welcome’ for instance). Different niceties embrace a Sleep Timer and Distinction Enhancer. 

Efficiency

• Full HD decision
• LED at 550 nits
• Spectacular sound

Arguably a very powerful attribute of any small Pico projector is brightness. Fortunately, the Freestyle doesn’t fall at this primary hurdle. Mild output is rated at 550 lumens (aka nits) which isn’t dangerous for a tool this measurement.   

The Freestyle isn’t actually appropriate to be used in rooms with excessive ambient mild, however dim issues down a bit or watch after darkish and also you’ll be impressed.

Decision tops out at Full HD (1080p), and ostensibly there’s some help for HDR10 and HLG sources, however the concept this projector is HDR succesful is deceptive. This isn’t a efficiency product, it’s a life-style gadget. 

Steve Might / Foundry

The sunshine engine is LED, and is notable primarily for its stable reds and blues. Image modes comprise Dynamic, Commonplace, Film. Commonplace is the very best all-rounder, providing the very best mix of sharp imagery and color authenticity.   

There’s an inevitable constraint on the projector’s black degree efficiency, and in a totally darkish room, deep blacks are actually gray, and close to black element is misplaced. Brighter photos work higher. However steadiness that with the flexibility to create a giant image in nearly any room area, and this shortfall will appear a value value paying. 

Sonically, the Freestyle is spectacular – not less than when in comparison with extra standard projectors. That circle of dispersion delivers a properly balanced sound, with clear treble definition and considerable mid-range weight. At on a regular basis day quantity ranges, it simply drowns out working noise, which is just a little on the loud facet at 30dB. 

Worth 

The Samsung Freestyle sells for US$899.99/£999 (mannequin quantity SP-LSP3BLAXZA or SP-LSP3BLAXXU respectively). Australian consumers can choose one up for AUS$1,299 

You possibly can customise the Freestyle with a colored cowl. Select from Coyote Beige, Blossom Pink and Forest Inexperienced, for $/£29.99 askin. There’s additionally an IP55 rated carry case full with carabine clip, the VG-SCLA00G/XC, which might defend from mud and water whenever you’re out tenting and the like. It’s priced at $/£59.

You possibly can buy the Freestyle from Samsung in addition to retailers together with Argos, John Lewis, Currys, Very, Amazon, AO, Selfridges and extra.

Within the US, in addition to the official retailer, you will get it from BestBuy, Newegg and Amazon.

Verdict 

The Samsung Freestyle is a novel projection proposition that might very properly usher in a brand new class of show expertise. Its HD efficiency eclipses normal small-form Picomodels, and it’s unquestionably versatile. 

We predict it may be used just about anyplace. It’s an amazing big-screen answer for smaller rooms which are unsuitable for a big, everlasting TV  however conveniently have a wall able to be stuffed, and works simply as properly in a child’s bed room or open plan kitchen area. 

It’s even sufficiently small to park on a desk if you wish to carry an enormous information feed to a spare wall in your house workplace. 

Worth is more durable to evaluate, because it has no direct opponents. General although, we price the Freestyle a prime tier gizmo. 

Specs

• LED Pico projector with a DLP engine 
• 1920 x 1080p decision
• 100in at 2.66m
• Micro HDMI
• USB
• HDR help: HDR10, HLG
• Tizen Good Platform
• 104.2 x 172.8 x 95.2mm (wxhxd)       
• 800g