The original Freestyle projector Samsung unveiled a year ago at CES was one of the show's highlights. Samsung unveiled a refreshed model at CES 2023, and once again, its compact and portable form factor has remained one of its best features. Here's our hands-on experience with The Freestyle 2023 projector.
You may have noticed that we're not calling this device “The Freestyle 2.” That is because the 2023 model is more of a refresh of the existing model than a true Gen 2 product upgrade. The external design hasn't changed much (or at all), but there are a few key additions to Samsung's compact portable projector this year.
The Freestyle 2023 now supports Samsung's Gaming Hub
One of the biggest omissions on the original projector was Gaming Hub, which felt like a bit of a missed opportunity. Thankfully, Samsung's cloud-based gaming service is supported by the refreshed 2023 model, which gives the portable projector a whole new dimension.
The second significant addition to the upgraded model is what Samsung calls “Smart Edge Blending.” Through this feature, users can use two Freestyle 2023 projectors together to produce a super ultra-wide 21:9 image or a stacked 16:15 projection.
The Freestyle 2023 also received some hardware upgrades, or at least more memory, which will come in handy when using advanced features such as Gaming Hub. On the other hand, this could also mean that the original model released in 2022 may never receive support for Samsung's cloud gaming platform. We'll keep you posted if we find out more on this matter.
It's unclear if Samsung addressed the concerns of durability and build quality through the refreshed 2023 Freestyle, but the new features make for a worthy refresh, and they certainly add more value to the concept as a whole. Check out our hands-on video below for a better look at the new Freestyle's capabilities, and stick around for more news from CES 2023.
