Here’s something I didn’t expect to be impressed by at CES 2026: a projector that works on curtains. Not well on curtains—that would be unrealistic—but at all. Samsung’s new Freestyle+ doesn’t care if you point it at a corner, a textured wall, or that off-white ceiling you’ve been meaning to repaint. It just figures it out.
The company unveiled the portable projector ahead of this year’s Las Vegas tech showcase, and while “AI-powered” has become the tech industry’s favorite phrase to slap on anything with a processor, this one actually uses it for something useful: making projection less finicky.
Point, Place, Watch (No Setup Manual Required)
Most projectors are divas. Move them an inch? Blur city. Aim at anything that isn’t perfectly flat and white? Good luck. The Freestyle+ takes a different approach with what Samsung calls AI OptiScreen—a suite of features that automatically adjusts the image based on where you’ve plopped the thing down.
Think of it like autocorrect for your viewing surface. The 3D Auto Keystone feature fixes distortion even when you’re projecting onto uneven surfaces. Pointed it at the corner where your bedroom walls meet? The software corrects the trapezoidal nightmare that would normally result. There’s also Real-time Focus that continuously adjusts as the projector moves or rotates, so you don’t get that soft, blurry look that screams “I set this up in thirty seconds.”
Screen Fit matches the image to a compatible projector screen if you’re using one, while Wall Calibration analyzes the color and pattern of whatever surface you’re using and compensates accordingly. It’s the kind of tech that’s most impressive when you don’t notice it working—which, honestly, is the best kind of tech.
The Freestyle+ also integrates Samsung’s Vision AI Companion platform, which combines the company’s Bixby assistant with third-party AI services. The idea is more natural interaction with on-screen content, though how much you’ll actually talk to your projector remains to be seen.
Twice the Brightness, Same Backpack-Friendly Size
At 430 ISO Lumens, the Freestyle+ puts out nearly double the brightness of its predecessor. That won’t compete with your living room TV in broad daylight, but it’s enough for “everyday living environments”—Samsung’s diplomatic way of saying “rooms where you haven’t drawn the blackout curtains.”
The cylindrical design remains compact enough to toss in a bag, and the 180-degree rotating hinge means you can project onto walls, floors, or ceilings without needing extra mounting hardware. No tripod, no adhesive hooks, no asking your partner if drilling into the rental is “really that big a deal.”
Fair warning: at 430 lumens, you’re still not throwing a crisp image onto your sun-drenched patio at noon. But for evening viewing in a bedroom, kitchen, or hotel room? That’s the sweet spot.
Everything’s Built In (Including the Speakers)
Here’s where the “portable” part starts making more sense. The Freestyle+ has Samsung TV Plus, access to streaming services, and Samsung Gaming Hub baked right in. No external devices required. You’re not daisy-chaining a Roku and a Bluetooth speaker just to watch something in your backyard.
The built-in 360-degree speaker is tuned to deliver what Samsung describes as “richer, fuller audio”—which in projector-speak usually means “not tinny garbage.” If you want more oomph, Q-Symphony lets it sync with compatible Samsung soundbars for layered audio. Not essential, but nice if you’re already in Samsung’s hardware ecosystem.
What This Actually Means for Normal Humans
Portable projectors have always occupied this weird category of “cool idea, annoying execution.” You’d schlep one to a friend’s place for movie night, spend twenty minutes fiddling with keystone adjustments and focus, and by the time you got it working, everyone’s already scrolling their phones.
The Freestyle+ is betting that AI can eliminate that friction. Just point and play. If the tech works as advertised—and Samsung will be demonstrating it at CES from January 6-9—it could make portable projection feel less like a hobby and more like a legitimate alternative to mounting yet another TV.
The projector will roll out globally in the first half of 2026. Samsung hasn’t announced pricing yet, but the original Freestyle launched around $900. Expect this one to creep higher given the AI upgrades and doubled brightness.
The question isn’t whether the tech is clever—it clearly is. It’s whether people actually want to carry their screen with them, or if we’ve already hit peak display saturation. I’m genuinely curious which way that lands.
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