Samsung’s Freestyle is a seriously fun portable projector
Samsung kicked off CES 2022 with a keynote address and one of the new products showcased during the show was a ridiculously fun portable projector we can’t help but want.
The Samsung Freestyle is a small 0.83kg portable projector designed to beam your content onto a wall or surface at home and on the go. The projector can display a 1080p image from 30 to 100-inches and it has tight integration with the brand’s Galaxy smartphones and Smart Things app.
You can tap a Galaxy phone, like the new Samsung Galaxy S21 FE, onto the Freestyle to play content often even without Wi-Fi. A large use case featured during the announcement was utilising the projector when camping and this certainly seems to make a lot of sense, especially as it can be powered by compatible USB-C PD battery packs.
Freestyle isn’t just limited to Samsung’s own phones and there’s support for other devices that work with Samsung’s Smart Things service.
Around the back there are HDMI and USB-C ports for connecting up devices, while the software is similar to that found on the brand’s TV sets. This means there will likely be strong app support.
One particularly neat trick is a selection of auto keystone and auto levelling features that automatically adjust the display size even if you’re projector it at a tricky angle.
The Freestyle isn’t purely about displaying 1080p video content though, during the show Samsung demoed the device in an ambient mode projecting fake windows onto the wall of a room, a presentation onto a desk and even art. It can also beam a light show of various colours, adding a bit of extra style to your room.
As someone who worked for years in an office without a window, being able to easily project even a virtual image of the outdoors onto a wall sounds very tempting. It also works as a smart speaker and can playback 360-degree audio.
Just like the functionality, the Freestyle is a fun device to look at. It comes in a variety of colours and has a stand that can spin 180-degrees to give you a lot more freedom with placement.
The Freestyle will go up for pre-order in the USA starting today (January 4) for $899, with further availability coming later on. Hopefully a UK release isn’t too far away.