The Samsung Freestyle 2 projector is on sale for $341 off if you buy it at Walmart, making the brand new value $459 over Labor Day weekend.
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ZDNET’s key takeaways
- The Samsung Freestyle 2 is a strong projector obtainable for $800.
- Sharp picture high quality, an inside battery, and the power to play video games with out a console make this projector ultraportable.
- The second-generation function upgrades are geared towards gaming, which is probably not related for all customers.
There is a saying that goes one thing like, “Do not repair what is not damaged.” I firmly consider in that — particularly in the case of tech merchandise and their sometimes-pointless updates.
That stated, after experiencing the just lately upgraded technology of the Samsung Freestyle 2, this transportable projector might have taken the cake for the best tech gadget I’ve examined up to now yr.
Overview: Samsung The Freestyle: A well-rounded projector, inside and out
There aren’t many vital variations between the unique mannequin and the second-generation projector, however listed below are a number of price noting. Good Edge Mixing allows you to use two Freestyle projectors to make one huge picture with help for widescreen content material at a facet ratio of as much as 29.3:9, there is a photo voltaic distant as an alternative of a battery-operated one, and also you get extra reminiscence for sooner efficiency. Essentially the most notable distinction, nonetheless, is the Samsung Gaming Hub.
Whereas I am no gamer, my husband is an informal one, so I put him to the take a look at to do that function out. What’s cool in regards to the Samsung Gaming Hub is you do not want a bodily console to play a sport, however simply the Freestyle 2, web entry, and a sport controller.
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You may subscribe to cloud streaming like Xbox Cloud Gaming, GeForce Now, Luna, and others, however there are additionally free video games you may play proper off the bat.
My husband was in a position to play Rocket League with a free membership to GeForce Now, and different free video games like Fortnite have been additionally obtainable. The general gaming expertise will rely in your Wi-Fi connection, however the graphics have been crystal clear, and the Freestyle 2 loaded the video games quick with nearly no glitches.
It was a novel expertise to have the ability to play video games exterior or forged them to our ceiling whereas mendacity down with out being tied to at least one particular room or a specific gaming console.
Gaming apart, the Samsung Freestyle 2 is a high quality projector. It’s tremendous simple to arrange and get going — all you want is a Wi-Fi connection. You additionally needn’t lug an extension twine round since its transportable battery simply connects to the system, letting you utilize it nearly anyplace (which was good for our yard).
It comes preloaded with many streaming companies like Netflix, Disney+, Hulu, Prime Video, and extra, so you may check in to your accounts shortly and begin streaming.
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The sound impressed me probably the most: It comes from the built-in, 5W 360-degree speaker, and for such a small speaker, it packs a punch. Throughout a really windy outside nighttime film streaming, we might hear the sound clear and loud, virtually as if we have been indoors and the sound was surrounding us.
The Samsung Freestyle 2 impressed me with each picture high quality, the power to autofocus — whether or not it was projecting onto a slanted ceiling or a projector display — and the general expertise of setup and streaming. To me, expertise ought to make issues faster and extra accessible, and this system does simply that — particularly with its portability facet.
ZDNET’s shopping for recommendation
If you happen to’re a gamer and wish to play quite a lot of titles with out a console, the Samsung Freestyle 2 is a superb possibility that permits you to play video games whereas tenting, open air, or actually wherever.
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If, nonetheless, you are shopping for a Samsung Freestyle for the film expertise, the first-generation’s specs are comparable sufficient to this new model and means that you can save a number of hundred bucks whereas nonetheless getting a prime projector. No matter mannequin you select, if you happen to’re searching for a conveyable or outside projector, that is, for my part, one of the best one available on the market.
Whereas many gross sales occasions function offers for a selected size of time, offers are on a limited-time foundation, making them topic to run out anytime. ZDNET stays dedicated to discovering, sharing, and updating one of the best presents that will help you maximize your financial savings so you may really feel as assured in your purchases as we really feel in our suggestions. Our ZDNET staff of consultants continually displays the offers we function to maintain our tales up-to-date. If you happen to missed out on this deal, don’t be concerned — we’re at all times sourcing new financial savings alternatives at ZDNET.com.
