The Samsung Freestyle (2nd Gen) projector just hit an all-time low price, but for how long?

In January, Samsung unveiled its newest Freestyle projector, The Freestyle+ (3rd Gen). The only problem is that it probably won't be released until later this year. That's a long time if you're currently on the lookout for a projector to kit out your home cinema.

If that's the case, we'd recommend snapping up the 2nd Gen model of The Freestyle projector for just $499.99 at Best Buy.

We've only been hands-on with the The Freestyle 2nd Gen, but it's similarly specced to the original The Freestyle which we rated four stars.

With $300 off the list price, this is the best projector bargain we've seen in a while.

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Samsung The Freestyle (2nd Gen): was $799.99 now $499.99 at Best Buy

We're pretty big fans of the Freestyle line of projectors. With a cute but practical design that delivers bright, sharp, and colourful pictures, there's little not to love. The 3rd Gen, named the Freestyle+, is on its way, which is why we're being treated to this hefty discount on the 2nd Gen. Sounds like it's time to make those home cinema dreams a reality.

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We haven't fully tested Samsung's The Freestyle 2nd Gen model, but our expert testers enjoyed the four-star original The Freestyle and, in terms of spec, it's pretty close with a few extra surprises.

The 2nd Gen has the same cute design as its predecessor – and is something Samsung is continuing with newly-unveiled The Freestyle+. But, how does it perform?

With the 2nd Gen, you get an LED light source with a claimed 30,000-hour life span, and a peak brightness of 230 ANSI lumens. Plus, it offers a 1080p resolution, alongside support for HDR10+ and HLG. The built-in speaker is capable of 360-degree sound akin to the original, and Samsung’s extremely clever auto keystone feature is also on board.

While physical connectivity options are limited to micro HDMI (although the connector does support HDMI ARC), The Freestyle excels in what it offers in terms of simplicity and portability, with smart features and new gaming abilities all built-in.

And even simpler is Samsung's Tizen OS, which can be found on its TVs, which gives you easy access to multiple streaming services, including Netflix, Prime Video and Disney+, all of which are reached via dedicated hot keys on the remote.

If you're into gaming, the 2nd Gen model does have a feature that the OG doesn't: access to Samsung's Gaming Hub, meaning you can play Xbox games directly through it using an Xbox Game Pass subscription.

Visually, it was hard to get a clear impression of the 2nd Gen in the bright exhibition space, but our expert tester reached this verdict: "There appeared to be decent detail to the picture, with solid enough colours and good definition and detail on faces and clothing. One of the areas we criticised the original for was the below-par black levels, but it was impossible to really get an idea of this in an exhibition environment."

While The Freestyle+ will almost double the brightness of the 2nd Gen, reaching a claimed brightness of 430 ISO lumens, it'll undoubtedly come in at a price point more like the 2nd Gen when it first launched (although we don't know the exact price).

For now, the 2nd Gen drops to a seriously competitive price, just $499.99 at Best Buy. And if you fancy saving $300 today while securing a decent projector for movie nights in, then it's a great time to buy.

More

Read our hands-on with Samsung The Freestyle 2nd Gen

Or, check out our full Samsung The Freestyle review

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