• 2 min read
Samsung’s $1,200 Freestyle+ bets on auto-fixing projections
Samsung has launched the Freestyle+ for $1,200, adding 3D Auto Keystone, wall color calibration, HDR10+, and USB-C battery support.
Image: ITzine
Samsung has started selling the Freestyle+ for $1,200, with the projector already listed on the company’s website and at some retailers. This time, the pitch is less about taking it anywhere and more about getting a usable image fast, even when the surface is far from ideal.
That price puts the Freestyle+ well above the regular second-generation Freestyle, which Samsung previously sold for $800 and which is now available on Amazon for about $798. At that level, Samsung is competing not just with its own lineup, but also with compact portable projectors from Xgimi and Anker Nebula.
The headline upgrade is 3D Auto Keystone. Samsung says the feature can automatically correct image geometry when projecting onto uneven surfaces, including angled walls, wrinkled curtains, or even the side wall of a tent. The projector can also fit the image to the available wall space and output a 1080p picture at up to 100 inches diagonally.
Samsung has also added Wall Calibration, which detects the color of the projection surface and adjusts brightness and tones so the image holds up better on colored walls or patterned wallpaper. Other additions include HDR10+ and autofocus based on the distance to the screen.
Audio is fairly straightforward, but not bare-bones: the unit includes a speaker with two passive radiators and support for 360-degree playback. For content, users can stream from Galaxy devices, while Apple users get AirPlay support. Samsung TV Plus and Gaming Hub are also built in, positioning the projector as a compact screen for both movies and games.
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There’s also an outdoor use case, with one catch: the Freestyle+ does not have a built-in battery, so it needs a cable while running. Samsung does, however, allow it to be powered by an external USB-C battery pack, which could make a difference for camping, a summer house, or a temporary outdoor setup.
In the compact projector segment, Samsung appears to be leaning hardest on automation rather than brightness or port count. The core promise is simple: put it down almost anywhere, and start watching.
Computing Editor
Tomas lives in the terminal. He covers chips, laptops, and operating systems with a focus on performance and efficiency. He reads kernel changelogs the way other people read fiction, and he's always on the hunt for the perfect mechanical keyboard switch. If it processes data, Tomas has an opinion on it.
via ITzine
