Samsung The Freestyle Gen 2 review: New features bolster this projectors appeal

Portable projectors have gotten so much better, so much smaller, and much more affordable over the past few years. Samsung jumped into the space in 2022 by announcing The Freestyle Gen 1 at CES 2022. The company’s first outing, which we previewed, met with good reviews with some room for improvement. Now we have The Freestyle Gen 2 coming in for another round. Samsung changed a lot but didn’t change everything, but that is not a bad thing at all.

Estimated reading time: 12 minutes

The Freestyle Gen 2, by the way, I absolutely hate the word “THE” in this product name, it should just be called The Samsung Freestyle, but I digress and it’s not a gripe that affects the review. Despite the awkward name, The Freestyle Gen 2 does add a few features that make it a worthy upgrade over the Gen 1, though you wouldn’t think that by just looking at it. Let’s get right into the review!

The Quick Take

The Freestyle Gen 2 is almost an entirely different device from the Gen 1. Though the chassis remains mostly identical, it’s the software and capabilities that set it apart. The addition of the Gaming Hub, and the new Samsung UI are very nice additions.

The sound has been upgraded, and the brightness is better. The ease of setup is also perfect for the regular user, and the fact that the display snaps and focuses automatically is indispensable.

The key feature this year is the ability to use TWO of The Freestyle Gen 2 projectors to create one big widescreen display. Of course, this means you’ll need to dish out $1,600 total to do this, but it is very cool.

I can’t tell you to spend your hard-earned money on two of these for that widescreen experience, though it is worth it. But I can say that just one of these is a treat to use. The sound is great, brightness is good enough even in a bright room (depending on the content you’re playing). The speaker is really fantastic for such a small device.

Is it a full on replacement for something like the Samsung Premiere, well, of course not. But it is portable, easy to set up, has great sound, a very excellent picture, and is decently bright. That’s enough to make it a go to for people on the go, or even if you like to move around your house to watch in different places. I’d recommend The Freestyle Gen 2 and it is more affordable than the previous Gen 1.

Specifications

The Samsung The Freestyle Gen 2 has the following features and specifications:

• Screen Size: 30 – 100″
• Resolution: 1920 × 1080
• Light Source: LED
• Light Source Life: 30,000 hrs
• Brightness: 230 ANSI Lumen (Peak)
• Refresh Rate: 60Hz
• Color: Pur Color
• HDR: Yes
• HDR10+: Yes
• Film Mode: Yes
• HLG: Yes
• Contrast Ratio: 100,000:1
• Contrast Enhancer: Yes
• Picture Engine: Samsung Crystal Engine
• Picture Clarity: Yes
• Smart Calibration: Basic
• Sound Output (RMS): 5W
• Speaker Type: 360-Degrees
• Multiroom Link: Yes
• Bluetooth Audio: Yes
• Dual Audio Support (BT): Yes
• Dolby Decoder: MS12.2ch
• Adaptive Sound: Yes
• Buds Auto Switch: Yes
• Weight With Stand: 1.8 lbs
• Set Size with Stand (W × H × D)(inch): 4 × 6.8 × 3.7
• Power Supply: AC100-240V 50/60Hz
• Remote Control: SolarCell Model# TM2361E

What’s In The Box

• Samsung The Freestyle Projector
• Power Cable
• Lens Cap
• SolarCell Remote
• Manuals and Documentation

Design

The Freestyle Gen 2 design does not change much, if at all, from its older brother. It still has the same cylindrical design, same color, and same stand. It’s super light and portable, coming in at just under two pounds with the stand. With the stand, it measures 4″ in diameter, 6.8″ in height, and 3.7″ in depth. The dimensions are slightly larger than Gen 1 but not by much.

With those dimensions now known, the Freestyle Gen 2 is impressively compact, making it perfect for moving around. This is a fantastic way to bring your entertainment anywhere and without needing a separate Roku or Firestick since Samsung has its streaming interface built-in.

Starting with the “top”, the lens cap is opaque and part of one of the features of The Freestyle Gen 2, more later. The lens cap is held on with pressure points and is simple to take on and off, and it is easy to knock off accidentally as well. Under the lens cap is the lens and sensors for projection.

The aluminum cylindrical body has holes at the top and bottom to help ventilate the Freestyle Gen 2, it never got hot during our use. Warm, sure, but never too hot to handle. The stand has two adjustable screws to help pivot the projector, and there are 4 rubber feet on the bottom of the stand.

The only ports on the Freestyle Gen 2 are the USB-C port and Micro HDMI port, there is a mic switch that is used for Bixby or Alexa. I like that Samsung gives you the option to turn the mic OFF. There are small holes located around the unit, these are microphones, so don’t go poking at them.

The remote is Samsung’s white SolarCell Remote. These are getting better every year and can be charged using USB-C and ambient light through its solar panel. To give you an idea of size, the remote is 3/4 the height of the Freestyle Gen 2. It has the typical Samsung buttons, minimal and functional. There are Netflix, Disney+, Prime Video, and Samsung TV Plus shortcut buttons. I love the new Samsung remotes, they are simple to use, and no batteries is a plus.

Overall, not much changes in Gen 2, in terms of looks and design. The majority of the changes are inside or software related. Still, the size and portability of the Freestyle Gen 2 is what makes its design appealing.

Display

The Freestyle retains its FHD 1920 × 1080 resolution, and this year we get an ANSI lumen rating of 230 peak. The resolution is, to me, not an issue. I think FHD for a portable projector of this size is more than acceptable. The lumen rating is good, not fantastic, but good enough. It is bright enough to use in most moderately lit rooms. Direct sunlight is going to pose problems, but users looking to purchase The Freestyle Gen 2 are likely not going to use it in direct sunlight.

I had no difficulty using it in a moderately lit room with subtle outdoor lighting coming in from the windows. Dark content is harder to see, that is to be expected. But closing the blinds helps. This is really a projector intended to be used for a bedroom movie night or outdoors at night with beers and chips. The brightness levels are incredible for those scenarios.

Using our 100″ ALR projector screen yielded good results. But dare I say? The images pop on a plain white wall in a darker room better than on my screen. While you can get 100″ out of this display, I’d say the FHD plays better when you come down to a more reasonable 60-70″ size. Images are crisp, colors are vibrant, whites are great (depending on what color your wall is), and the black levels are nice.

Compatibility for HDR 10 and HDR 10+ are here, Gen 1 only had HDR 10 compatibility. It retains a near 1:1 ratio for display size, so you’ll need to place it around 104″ from the wall to project a 100″ display. Though I’m sure most users will not be measuring, but rather just moving it back and forth to find what works for them.

OK, probably the coolest feature of the new Freestyle Gen 2 is the ability to connect TWO of them to generate a wider and bigger display. This does require a few things, first you’ll need two Freestyles, Gen 2 only, and second you will need a Galaxy device with SmartThings.

You’ll also need a good amount of real estate on the wall to make this work optimally. In my opinion, this works best outdoors against the house wall. A few other things you’ll need to make this work are:

• Both The Freestyle Gen 2 projectors on the same Wi-Fi network
• Samsung Galaxy device on the same network
• SmartThings app installed and updated

Once you have everything you require, you simply set your projectors up apart from each other and facing the wall. Open the SmartThings app and choose one of the projectors, head into Smart Edge Blending, and the app walks you through the rest.

The results are impressive and it gives you a widescreen display that is enjoyable to use. Though I will note, it’s a simple task but it may take a few tries to get it just right. The app does walk you through the steps for setup, but in this case, you do need to line a few things up for optimal performance. It took me three or four tries to get a good result. Learning curves are a pain, that is a fact.

Overall, the display is fantastic for such a small projector. HDR10 and HDR 10+ capable, the Freestyle Gen 2 produces a vibrant and crisp picture that works even in moderately lit rooms.

Setup/Software

Samsung has made setup of its home theater products a breeze, and The Freestyle Gen 2 is not an exception. You can set up through the projector, or use your smartphone. I opted to set up using my Galaxy S22 Ultra and the Samsung SmartThings app. Doing it this way will connect your projector automatically to your Samsung account and you can opt to restore from saved devices.

Auto-Leveling keeps the screen horizontal and prevents distortions, even on a tilted surface. Auto Focus ensures a clear picture, and Auto Keystone measures all angles to project at the universal 16:9 ratio. This is really a great feature, this thing snaps the display right into place and autofocuses brilliantly.

As usual, Samsung’s Tizen OS is the core operating system on The Freestyle Gen 2 paired with its lovely Smart Hub interface. You can use the remote or the app to control The Freestyle Gen 2 and it is much easier to control a pair of Freestyles using the app, more on that later.

Gaming Hub is the big addition to The Freestyle Gen 2. Gaming Hub brings your streaming gaming services to this projector and with Bluetooth, you can pair your controller to The Freestyle Gen 2 and have a gaming night anywhere you want. Of course, the Micro HDMI option is still there if you want to connect a console.

The Gaming Hub makes it easy for gamers to access favorite titles from a recently expanded portfolio of nearly 3,000 games from streaming partners Xbox, NVIDIA GeForce NOW, Amazon Luna, Utomik, Antstream Arcade, and Blacknut – no console required.

The Freestyle Gen 2 also supports all your favorite streaming apps from Netflix and Apple TV, to Hulu, Disney+, Prime Video and more. The Freestyle also brings you Samsung TV Plus, with free access to hundreds of live TV channels and thousands of movies and shows on demand.

Overall, the setup is simple. Everything from software to actual physical setup is handled mostly by the projector. You only need to find the space where you want the projector. The software is mostly the same except for the addition of Gaming Hub. Gaming Hub is great for gamers who want to game on the go.

Performance

The Freestyle Gen 2 isn’t a powerhouse performing device like Samsung’s high-end TVs, but, it’s no slouch. It powers up fast and gets you into the interface within seconds. Moving through the interface and launching apps was quick and seamless.

Having Auto Keystone, Auto Leveling, and Auto Focus onboard is a time and frustration saver. Users will be delighted to not have to manual focus or level or adjust the picture. And the Freestyle Gen 2 handles it all with no issues. This even works on a tilted surface, which my kids thought was crazy cool.

Another fun and cool feature in performance is the ability to use an external battery to power the projector. Samsung also sells one separately, which fits perfectly on the Freestyle Gen 2.

Overall, the performance of The Freestyle Gen 2 is fantastic for its size and price. This is really a portable device and it performs impressively above its class.

Sound Quality

The Freestyle Gen 2 comes with a 360° 5W speaker with a built-in woofer, and frankly, I was not expecting much from this speaker. But I was surprised.

I’ve used a few portable projectors in my time, and never have I heard one that sounded this good. The low end on movies is actually decent. It’s not thin sounding and it holds up well when playing any content.

The volume goes to 100 and it is OK there, though I would bring it down to around 50 myself, old man, I guess. I would guess that most users will use The Freestyle in a smaller room in a more intimate gathering, and this speaker works perfectly. You could Bluetooth an external speaker if you wanted, and that also works great.

Overall, the sound quality was fantastic, for such a small device, I was impressed. Is it soundbar or full-size TV competitive? No, but you’d be a fool to expect such things.

Price/Value

Coming in at $799.99, Samsung brought the price down from the 1st Gen $999 pricing. This is a good thing. We thought that $999 was a bit much last time and that $799 was a more reasonable ask. The value here is in the fun you’ll have with this small and portable projector.

Wrap Up

FHD, 360° sound, Gaming Hub, the ability to connect two Freestyles for a bigger display, portability, and a snappy interface make the Freestyle Gen 2 a really fun device.

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