Samsung has begun taking pre-orders for its second-generation Freestyle portable projector, the successor to the model it launched at the beginning of last year. On paper, The Freestyle Gen 2 bears a lot of resemblance to last year's model, it even looks almost identical, but it's got a trick up its sleeve that gamers are sure to appreciate.
Starting with the basics, The Freestyle Gen 2 is as versatile as its predecessor thanks to its compact stature, built-in stand and ability to project an image up to 100 inches on any surface. The second generation model also brings back the adorable design of the original, which is cylindrical main body housing the lens and internals and a podium-style base that can be easily angled to point at a wall, or pointed upwards towards a ceiling.
It is a little light on ports, with the only option to connect a media streamer or console being the micro HDMI socket, although that connector does support ARC for hooking up external sound devices if you so wish. You can also connect wireless speakers via Bluetooth, which also comes in handy for the projector's special feature.
Samsung makes up for the lack of HDMI availability by including the full Tizen operating system on The Freestyle, the same system found on its TVs. That means you'll get practically every streaming app you'll need (Netflix, Disney Plus, Amazon Prime Video, and so on), but it doesn't stop there. New for the 2023 model is game streaming, with the Xbox app allowing for big-screen console gaming without the need to hook up an Xbox. This comes as part of the Samsung Gaming Hub which also includes Amazon Luna, NVIDIA GeForce Now, Utomik, Anstream Arcade and Blacknut.
Moving onto the specs of the projector, it features a 1920 x 1080 resolution (full HD) and support for HDR in the HDR10+ and HLG formats. It's using an LED light source, with a claimed 30,000-hour life span, with that light source providing a peak brightness of 230 ANSI lumens. Samsung is also bringing back the built-in speaker capable of 360-degree sound from last year's model; that's not to say it delivers immersive 3D audio, but that the sound is dispersed in a way that's more spacious than its compact footprint may suggest.
The Freestyle Gen 2 is available to pre-order in the United States right now for $799.99, and you even get a free waterproof carrying case as a pre-order bonus. No news has been shared of a UK or Australian release quite yet, however, it should cost around £630 / AU$1250 in those respective markets.
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Read our full Samsung The Freestyle review
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As well as our overall picks for the best projectors