Advertiser Disclosure

Samsung The Freestyle 2nd Gen Smart Portable Projector Review: Charming, clever, and best for casual nights

John Carter Doe

8.5

Good

Here's what you need to know

The super-quick version

Samsung's Freestyle 2nd Gen is probably the easiest portable projector you can just toss in a bag. Its auto-setup for the picture? It’s fantastic. The stand that swivels 180 degrees makes pointing it anywhere a total non-issue. And the smart TV features, including the Gaming Hub, are actually things you'll use. But, and this is important, it's not super bright. The speaker is just okay, and you have to plug it in—there's no battery built-in. It's perfect for a movie night in a dark room or if you bring a big power bank camping. Just don't expect it to replace your main TV.

Here's what you need to know

The best parts

Getting it set up is ridiculously easy. Seriously. It handles focus, squaring up the image, and leveling all by itself. You just point it. That cradle stand is a game-changer. You can aim it at a wall or even straight up at the ceiling without any hassle. The smart TV part feels quick and familiar, and get this—the Samsung Gaming Hub lets you stream games from services like Xbox Cloud Gaming or GeForce NOW. No console needed. There’s also this cool party trick where you can use two of them to make one giant, wide picture. If you're renting, live in a small apartment or dorm, or want to do movie nights in the backyard after the sun goes down, it's honestly a joy to use.

Now, let's talk about the trade-offs, because there are a few. It’s a 1080p projector and the brightness is... modest. You really need a dark room. Any daylight or bright lights will wash out the picture pretty fast. The built-in speaker is handy, sure, but a separate Bluetooth speaker is going to sound way better, especially if you're outside. And remember what I said about the battery? There isn't one. To use it away from an outlet, you'll need a pretty beefy USB-C power bank. It's also not meant for super-serious, competitive gaming because of some input lag. And one last thing—and this is true for a lot of projectors—sometimes specific apps like Netflix can be finicky. It's a good idea to just double-check what's currently supported before you buy one.