Samsung The Freestyle review

Finest Costs As we speak: Samsung Freestyle

Not Out there

Projector, media streamer, ambient mild supply – the Samsung Freestyle is all these items, and doubtless a couple of extra. We’ve seen transportable Pico-style projectors earlier than, however that is an nearly unrecognisable evolution.  
 
The lovable round beamer has an angled stand which lets you level at a wall or the ceiling. It will also be pushed off an optionally available battery pack, for wire-free use.    

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

Design & Construct 

• Compact design like a stage mild
• White with optionally available skins
• Included distant management

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

It is available in white as customary with Forest Inexperienced an possibility within the UK. Throughout the pond, US patrons must 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 can even routinely keystone-correct skewed pictures, 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, related by way of Bluetooth and Wi-Fi to your smartphone. 

The projector squirts audio via 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

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

Specs & Options 

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

On the subject of 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 companies. 

Offered as customary are Disney+, Netflix, Prime Video, Samsung TV Plus, iPlayer, ITV hub, Apple TV, Now, YouTube, All4, My5, and Plex, however you’ll be able to add extra by opening the Samsung app retailer. It took only a few minutes so as to add the UFC Battle Cross app to my go-to companies. 

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

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

Steve Might / Foundry

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

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

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

For those who’re extra into temper than motion pictures, then there’s Ambient Mode, which affords a wide range of colored patterns and messages (‘Blissful New 12 months’, ‘Blissful Birthday’ and ‘Welcome’ for instance). Different niceties embody a Sleep Timer and Distinction Enhancer. 

Efficiency

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

Arguably an important attribute of any small Pico projector is brightness. Fortunately, the Freestyle doesn’t fall at this primary hurdle. Gentle output is rated at 550 lumens (aka nits) which isn’t unhealthy for a tool this dimension.   

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 assist for HDR10 and HLG sources, however the concept that this projector is HDR succesful is deceptive. This isn’t a efficiency product, it’s a way of life 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 one of the best all-rounder, providing one of the best mix of sharp imagery and color authenticity.   

There’s an inevitable constraint on the projector’s black stage efficiency, and in a completely darkish room, deep blacks are actually gray, and close to black element is misplaced. Brighter pictures work higher. However stability that with the flexibility to create a giant image in just about any room house, and this shortfall will appear a worth value paying. 

Sonically, the Freestyle is spectacular – at the least when in comparison with extra typical 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 a little bit on the loud aspect at 30dB. 

Worth 

The Samsung Freestyle sells for US$899.99/£999 (mannequin quantity SP-LSP3BLAXZA or SP-LSP3BLAXXU respectively). Australian patrons 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 may 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 may get it from BestBuy, Newegg and Amazon.

Verdict 

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

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

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

Worth is more durable to evaluate, because it has no direct opponents. Total although, we charge the Freestyle a high tier gizmo. 

Specs

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