Samsung’s Freestyle+ Lands in the US at $1,199.99, a 50% Price Jump

Samsung’s newest portable projector went on sale in the United States this month for $1,199.99, a price that reverses four years of the Freestyle line getting cheaper with every new model. The Freestyle+ leans on a suite of AI tools, 3D Auto Keystone, real time autofocus, and a wall calibration sensor, to fix a picture on almost any surface without a single manual adjustment.

That automation answers complaints reviewers have made since the original Freestyle arrived at CES 2022. But the fix comes at a cost that jumps well past what Samsung charged for the last two versions, and the device still needs an outlet, a USB-C battery pack, or an optional battery base to leave the living room.

Point It, Place It, and Let the Software Handle the Rest

The Freestyle+ is built around what Samsung calls AI OptiScreen, a set of tools designed to remove the guesswork from setting up a projector on an uneven wall, a slanted ceiling, or a rumpled bedsheet.

The suite breaks down into four distinct jobs, each aimed at a specific setup headache owners have complained about for years:

• 3D Auto Keystone – calculates depth and perspective instantly, straightening the image even on corners, curtains, or angled walls without any manual dial-turning.
• Real-Time Focus – keeps the picture sharp as the projector moves or rotates, a task a Samsung representative told CNN Underscored now takes about 0.2 seconds, down from roughly two seconds on earlier models.
• Screen Fit – automatically resizes the image to match a dedicated projector screen accessory when one is attached.
• Wall Calibration – scans the color and pattern of the projection surface and adjusts brightness and tone so painted or patterned walls do not wash out the picture.

An obstacle avoidance function rounds out the package, shrinking and repositioning the image if something like a light switch or a picture frame sits in the beam’s path. The projector still tops out at a Full HD image up to 100 inches, runs Samsung’s Smart Hub software for Netflix and Disney+, and adds Gaming Hub for cloud titles alongside Apple AirPlay 2.

A Price Curve That Finally Bent Upward

Samsung’s pricing on this product line had been heading in one direction until now. The original Freestyle launched at $899 in January 2022. The second generation undercut it by $100 less than a year and a half later. The Freestyle+ erases that discount and then some.

Run the math and the Freestyle+ costs 50 percent more than the 2nd Gen it replaces, and roughly a third more than the original 2022 model ever did. Brightness climbed alongside it. Samsung and outlets covering the CES 2026 reveal described the jump as nearly double the 2nd Gen’s output, a spec bump the company aimed squarely at the projector’s most persistent complaint.

The Complaints Samsung Spent Four Years Fixing

Reviewers were not shy about the original Freestyle’s shortcomings. Coverage of the 2nd Gen’s 2023 debut, published by TechHive, recapped reviewer criticism of the original’s dim output and auto-keystone and focus systems that were “often way off the mark.”

Samsung’s own framing of the Freestyle+ leans directly into that history. Hun Lee, an executive vice president in Samsung’s visual display business, said the new model was built to “adapt naturally to how people live and move between spaces.”

Hands-on testing at CES 2026 suggested the fixes hold up outside a lab. CNN Underscored’s Henry T. Casey watched the projector correct itself on the spot.

I was immediately captivated.

Casey wrote that after watching the Freestyle+ form a clean rectangle on flowing curtains and sharp wall corners while resizing itself within seconds, a scenario that would have defeated the original model’s auto-keystone system entirely.

Still No Battery Inside

For three straight generations, Samsung has left one thing out of the box: a battery. The Freestyle+ needs a wall outlet, a compatible USB-C battery pack, or Samsung’s separate battery base accessory to run anywhere without a cord.

That gap has real cost attached to it. Forbes’ CES 2026 coverage noted the Freestyle+ still lacks an internal battery and can only be paired with outside power banks to add portability. It is the same workaround owners have used since 2022.

The rest of the outdoor power category has moved faster. At the same CES 2026 show, Jackery showed off an autonomous solar-charging robot for outdoor gear, evidence that battery makers are racing toward self-sufficient power while Samsung’s own flagship portable projector still asks buyers to bring their own.

Every Projector Maker Is Chasing the Same Trick

Samsung is not alone in betting that AI-driven setup sells projectors. Anker’s Soundcore brand builds the same idea into its Nebula X1 Pro, a 4K triple-laser projector that automates focus, keystone correction and wall color adjustment with a single click, no manual dials involved.

The comparison only goes so far. The Nebula X1 Pro is a much bigger, 4K machine that has stayed close to its $4,999 list price since launch, more than four times what Samsung charges for the Full HD Freestyle+. But the direction is the same across the category. Setup automation that used to separate budget projectors from premium ones is becoming standard at every price tier, and Samsung’s jump into that automation is arguably catching up to where rivals already stood.

Europe’s Wait Continues Past Samsung’s Own Deadline

Samsung teased the Freestyle+ ahead of CES 2026 and promised a phased global rollout within the first half of the year. The US launch, the first market to get a confirmed price, arrived after that window had already closed.

History suggests a European launch trails the US by weeks, not months. Samsung’s original Freestyle launched in the UK on February 16, 2022, just over three weeks after its US debut on January 23.

Price is the bigger unknown. When that first Freestyle reached British shelves, it carried a considerable markup over its US price, retailing at £999 against a US tag that converted to roughly £650 at the time. If that pattern repeats, a European Freestyle+ could land well above a straight currency conversion of $1,199.99, though Samsung has not announced a date or figure for any market outside the US.

Samsung’s CES 2026 booth was not a one-projector show, either. The company used the same event to unveil a 130-inch Micro RGB television, part of a broader push to pair its screens with more AI-driven automation across the board.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does the Samsung Freestyle+ come with a battery?

No. None of the three Freestyle generations has included one. Samsung’s optional battery base for the standard Freestyle line sold for around $190 as of 2023, and the Freestyle+ can also run off a compatible USB-C battery pack or a dedicated optional battery base sold separately.

How is 3D Auto Keystone different from older auto-keystone features?

Older keystone correction on the original Freestyle mainly handled flat, evenly angled walls. 3D Auto Keystone calculates depth and perspective across uneven or non-flat surfaces, including corners, curtains and slanted ceilings, correcting distortion that older single-axis systems could not read.

What voice assistants work with the Freestyle+?

The projector’s Vision AI Companion routes voice commands through both Samsung’s own Bixby and Google’s Gemini assistant, letting owners pick whichever assistant they already use on their phone or smart speakers.

What resolution does the Freestyle+ actually project?

It projects at Full HD, 1920 by 1080 pixels, up to a 100-inch image. It does not support 4K, unlike pricier rivals such as Anker’s Nebula X1 Pro line.

Can two Freestyle+ units combine into one larger picture?

Earlier Freestyle generations offered a feature called Smart Edge Blending, letting two projectors sync into a single image up to 160 inches wide. Samsung’s Freestyle+ announcements have not confirmed whether that feature carries over to the new model.

Does the Freestyle+ support cloud gaming without a console?

Yes, through Samsung’s Gaming Hub. The 2nd Gen model that came before it supported cloud services including Xbox Cloud Gaming and NVIDIA GeForce Now; Samsung has not published an updated service list specific to the Freestyle+.