Can’t choose between a night in the bush or Netflix and chill? Samsung’s Freestyle Portable Projector gives you the best of both worlds.

Like me, your first memory of a projector might be that lucky day in Year 5 when your teacher decided it was time to reward your hard work for the year and rolled out the school’s only projector for a movie.

Since then, technology has advanced so far that carrying a lightweight portable projector with you on your travels, be it in your van while you lap Australia or in your carry-on luggage as you head off overseas, is no longer a distant dream but a reality. Check out The Freestyle Portable Projector from Samsung, the easiest way to watch movies on the big screen, on the go.

Set Up in an Instant

Setting up The Freestyle is quick and intuitive. After plugging it into a power source and switching it on, you’ll notice that the projector has autofocusing and keystoning features. This helps to adjust the projected image into a rectangle with a level horizon and focuses the image automatically.

The projector’s automated image straightening, scaling, leveling, and focus work very well when placed close to the wall surface, but when setting up at distances further away and at an angle to the projecting surface, some manual correction may be needed to finetune the final projection image.

Once you’ve connected The Freestyle to the internet, it has the ability to function as a Smart TV with streaming from apps like Netflix, YouTube, and Spotify pre-downloaded on the menu page.* Just log in to your subscriptions and you’re off and away!

 

Design

The Freestyle design is sleek and minimal. The inbuilt stand swivels the projector 180° giving you the ability to tilt and switch between the surfaces you want to project on.*   

On the side, you’ll find a USB-C input to power the projector, a mini HDMI input, and a switch to toggle the microphone on and off. When the microphone function is on, you can take advantage of the inbuilt voice assistant functionality to take control of the projector using your voice.*

The 5 Watt speaker is on the underside of the device and the premium 360° sound packs enough punch to fill a room either for a movie or a small gathering.*

You’ll also find holes for future base accessories that’ll allow more functionality, like a mount that allows you to screw The Freestyle into standard light sockets, opening up more creative ways to mount the projector.*

The unit has a great feel and a white finish which means it’ll visually fit on top of any desk or shelf but means it’s more prone to getting dirty if you’re using it outdoors or on the road. You could always grab yourself The Freestyle Case to keep it safe, or The Freestyle Skin if white’s not your colour!

 

The Big Screen Experience

The Freestyle Portable Projector can send out a projection up to 2.54 metres in Full 1080p HD so you can enjoy your favourite movie with a big screen experience and incredible picture quality.

The 550 lumens LED light source, though not the highest lumen count, is more than sufficient in all the conditions you’d use the projector.*

When setting up an outdoor cinema on the road, it’s best to wait for the sun to drop below the horizon to get the best picture quality, but in the home, the brightness was more than sufficient with small amounts of surrounding ambient light.*

The inbuilt stand rotates 180° giving you the freedom to transform almost any surface into a screen.* So whether you want to watch the latest episode of your favourite series on the ceiling as you lay back in bed or on the side of the van while you’re on the road, the possibilities are endless.

 

 

Before I got my hands on The Freestyle Portable Projector, my biggest intrigue was to see how the inbuilt 360° Sound would hold up. And I can say I was pleasantly surprised by the audio quality and how loud it was.*

What’s more, you have the option to connect the projector to two Bluetooth speakers or headphones adding yet another layer to your screening experience.*

Going Completely Mobile (Portability & Size)

The Freestyle is a lightweight unit weighing in at 800g with dimensions of 9.5 x 17.1 x 9.5 cm. The compact nature of the projector is definitely one of its best features.

As a photographer, I found that the projector fit nicely as an addition to my camera bag which I travel everywhere with, though you may have to find something to wrap the projector in or purchase the travel case if you want to chuck it in a regular backpack.

Going completely mobile with a portable battery pack is a game changer. Though most people these days might carry a little external battery to fill up their phone juice, there’s a good chance you’ll have to shell out a few more clams on top of the $1,299 AUD price tag to keep the projector charged.

Samsung has a list of compatible power banks, including the Freestyle Battery Base. This battery connects directly to the projector without the hassle of cords. If being able to travel with the battery in your carry-on luggage is a requirement, be sure to check that it is also airline approved.

Take Control

The remote control included is pocket-sized and can be charged using the same USB-C cable used to power the projector. Aside from the usual buttons it also has shortcut buttons to Samsung TV Plus, Netflix, Disney+, and Prime Video.*

You can also take control of the projector with your mobile phone with the SmartThings app.* Once you’ve downloaded the app, set up a Samsung account and register the projector to your phone to have complete control over The Freestyle Portable Projector. 

Hot tip! Use the phone over the remote whenever you need to type anything, like login information or webpage names. This will save you some serious time on the menu pages.

 

The Smart Experience

The Freestyle offers a bunch of the benefits of a Samsung Smart TV, opening up a world of content. With a long list of additional apps you can download, including all of the popular subscription-based streaming services for shows, sports, music, and even games, keeping occupied on the projector is a piece of cake.

To make life easier, you can also use the casting function straight from your phone or laptop to wirelessly play your content from the projector. The mini HDMI input also means your console or laptop directly to The Freestyle for those times you need the ease of controlling your projection with a mouse or trackpad.

Ambient Mode

Apart from the ability to use The Freestyle as a movie screen, there are various other modes available at your hands in Ambient Mode. From custom lighting effects ranging from ‘Happy Birthday’, trippy prism loops, to cinemagraphs of the star sky, you can create an atmosphere for every occasion.

One of my favourite modes was ‘Mono’ found under the My Album tab, which allows you to select images from a gallery on your phone and create a slideshow of all the snaps of your adventures.*

On the last day of our road trip through southwest WA, we chucked up some of the images from the day and relived them on the projector. Just download the SmartThings app on a compatible device to get your slideshow night cranking!

 

So, what movie are you watching first?

The Freestyle delivers on pretty much everything you’d want from a travel-friendly portable projector. Its ease of use coupled with the picture auto-adjustment features are impressive and allow you to tune into your movie within moments.

With external battery pack compatibility, 180° swivel stand, and inbuilt 360° sound, you have everything you need to use this projector almost anywhere you’d like. If you’re on a mission to add a piece of gear that has multiple applications to both your home and travel life, look no further.

*Disclaimers (The legal stuff)

1. Internet connection required. Data usage and subscription fees may apply.

2. Apps are subject to availability and can be removed at any time without notice.

3. Picture quality is dependent on environmental factors such as wall surface, room brightness, source quality and more. For best results, recommend projecting on a flat white or bright monotone wall in a dark room.

4. Audio quality and performance may vary depending on environmental characteristics (e.g. room size, product placement and ceiling height) and quality of source content.

5. The Freestyle Battery Base sold separately.

6. With compatible devices featuring Bluetooth v4.1 and above only.

7. Compatible device required for mirroring.

8. Requires SmartThings app download and installation on compatible devices.