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While the idea of a huge screen is very appealing, not all of us have room for that at home, and certainly it may not be viable if we prefer portability. That’s why highly mobile, compact, durable, and smart portable projectors are so appealing. They have the big screen wow factor of fixed location projectors, but are far more flexible in terms of screen sizes and placement. From small room to the big wide open spaces of a campsite, portable projectors give you a big screen format wherever you are, and offer an excellent alternative.

We wanted to go over some pointers and highlights now that Samsung released the Freestyle portable projector, and namely how the BenQ GV30 stacks up as Samsung Freestyle alternative. We’ll be evaluating the major aspects that make a good portable projectors, primarily projection angle, brightness, battery life, built-in speaker quality, and compatibility with streaming apps. 

Quite an easy one for the BenQ GV31 with its free angle rotation, which allows for very flexible and free-feeling adjustment. The GV30 rotates easily to project on a wall or ceiling without requiring any accessories, stacks of magazine, props, or anything else. It has a wobble-free sturdy base that allows you to confidently change the projection angle.

While the Samsung Freestyle has a creative design, it’s not as well suited to flexible projection angles. To change projection direction from onto a wall or your ceiling to a top down fashion, you will need to purchase a separate accessory for the Freestyle, which is adds up to overall cost and isn’t very convenient.  Overall, for family use and larger groups, the GV31 is a clear winner, but if you enjoy the look of the Freestyle and don’t mind having a fixed projection angle, then it may be for you. The Freestyle also has smart features that tie into Samsung accounts, and if you have one of those then it could be a good choice. 

For starters, the Samsung Freestyle does have an advantage in sheer resolution, as it’s 1080p, while the GV31 is 1080p too.  Also, the two portable projectors use similar technology, but the GV31 has the advantage in light output power. BenQ has extensively tested and verified the GV31, and uses the standard ANSI lumen measurement. The GV30 outputs 300 ANSI lumens. By comparison, Samsung Freestyle 2nd Gen is 250 ANSI lumens. So, the GV31 has the advantage. You can look at this article for an explanation of brightness units.

Both projectors employ digital light processing or DLP technology, with an LED light source. The difference in lumen output is usually the result of LED power and lens quality. 

Here we have a clear win for the BenQ GV31, simply because the Samsung Freestyle doesn’t have a battery. But you can buy one from Samsung if you really want to. The GV31 includes a 4800mAh battery that’s good for almost three hours of viewing. The Freestyle out of the box uses a power adapter, and thus relies on a power outlet. By our definition, that’s not real portability. To be truly portable, a projector (or any device) needs to be self-powered and free from the need to connect to an external power source. The GV31 also includes a classy carry case, which Samsung do not provide with the Freestyle. Again, it appears as though Samsung designed the Freestyle as more of a compact home projector than a true portable projector, which the GV31 definitely is.

Good thing we said speaker in the singular, because the Samsung Freestyle indeed only has one. Samsung describe it as a 360-degree speaker when the Freestyle is in a hanging placement, as opposed to standing on a surface.  This speaker provides acceptable audio considering the device size. By comparison, the BenQ GV31, which isn’t much bigger, has true 2.1-channel audio. That’s two 4W speakers and a powerful 8W subwoofer. The design of the GV31 allows for a 270-degree sound arc that creates a more immersive, three dimensional audio effect.  

The BenQ GV31 uses Android TV as its OS, so any app that works on your Android phone or tablet works on the GV31, including streaming apps obviously. The GV31 was made for easy interconnectivity with Android devices. You can easily share or project content from your Android smart devices. 

Samsung’s Freestyle unsurprisingly uses the Tizen OS found on Samsung TVs. That’s because we assume Samsung intends for the Freestyle to be part of its ecosystem for easy pairing with Samsung home devices, mostly TVs, but also Samsung phones and tablets. Again, that’s fine if you’re already invested in the Samsung sphere. Otherwise, the GV31 offers more universal compatibility and wider access to apps thanks to the use of Android as its foundation. 

All told, we must conclude the Freestyle, while a very attractive device in terms of design, is entirely meant for home use alongside other Samsung products. By comparison, the BenQ GV30 was explicitly designed for “view anywhere” versatility regardless of brand loyalty or other devices.  . If you’re looking for a reliable and capable portable projector, we believe the conclusion makes itself here. The GV31 is therefore a very capable Samsung Freestyle alternative.

Take a look at a quick comparison table for additional clarity:

If you’re interested in our GV30 portable projector but want something smaller in size and budget, then GV11 is right for you. The cuddly GV11 is a member of the same family as GV30, and they share a unique round design that gives them wide angle projection and makes viewing content on any surface easy, including your ceiling. That’s ultimate relaxation right there. Enjoy your laid-back movie time with the BenQ GV series of portable projectors with even more choice.