I’ve been writing about the Samsung’s Frame TV since it was first released in 2017, so when I got the all-new 2024 model in for review I had high expectations. And they were all largely met. This is a TV that looks fantastic out the box, and is unexpectedly great for gaming. But it’s in art mode that the Frame really shines (as you’d expect), nearly enough to completely ignore the niggling issues I have with the TV (of which there are a couple).
The Frame: specs
Price: $999.99
Screen size: 43-inch
Resolution: 3,840×2,160
HDR: HDR10+, HDR 10 HLG
Refresh Rate: 120Hz
Ports: 2 USB; 1 HDMI 2.1; 3 HDMI 2.0
ATSC 3.0 tuner: Yes
Audio: 40W
Smart TV Software: Tizen
Weight (without stand): 49.3 pounds
It’s a really good TV, but in a super competative market, you can get a TV with a better spec sheet for the same money. But this is our top pick of the best Frame TVs for a reason, and if you like art – and photography in particular – the Samsung Frame TV is still the best option of all the art TVs out there.
Design & build
I love that the Samsung Frame comes with both a wall mount and a stand – the two ways that you’d want to view the Frame. For me, it shines brightest plush up against the wall. And it really is plush – just like an art frame. And because the TV is so thin, when the Samsung is in art mode, it genuinely does look like a big art frame.
And with the connect box, that connects to the TV through one discreet wire, there’s not loads of wires and mess emanating from the TV – yet more ways to pass as a frame. It’s clever, it looks great, and it works well.
I don’t love that the Frame does not come with a standard, well, frame! You have to buy the clip-on frame separately, and though (again) it works well and looks great, at this price point, I would like to have at least a standard clip-on frame included. As it is, I ordered the subtle gold frame for this review, and thought it looked awesome against my light green walls.
I was slightly hesitant about drilling holes in my wall and mounting the TV, but with the clear instructions that you get, it was actually quite easy. Definitely get another pair of hands to help you out though!
Features: TV
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The Samsung Frame TV is both a TV and a display for art. Let’s look at its TV credentials. Within the Samsung line-up, and starting at the most affordable model, there’s the Q60D, the Q70D, The Frame, the Q80D, the QN85D and finally the QN90D. As far as specs go, it’s most like the Q70D, but is roughly $200 more expensive (I’ll be using the 55-inch model for all comparisons). More on the price later.
The picture quality when watching films in SDR (standard dynamic range) is great. The colours are punchy, and the image is crisp. However, in HDR (high dynamic range) it’s not as impactful, as the TV isn’t the brightest. The Frame is an edge-lit TV, which means contrast isn’t as good as a full array local dimming TV, but I wouldn’t say it was glaringly obvious when watching dark scenes of movies.
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However, for the price, you can get a TV that offers better performance in HDR, with full array local dimming and better colour saturation. So, if you just want an excellent 55-inch, 4K TV, and have $1,499 to spend, this would not be the first TV I’d suggest you buy. In fact, the Samsung QN85D (mini-LED) is slightly cheaper, and performs better than the Frame, image-wise. Or if you wanted to go outside the Samsung family, the TCL QM851G offers better picture quality and at $1,499 $899 for the 65-inch model, is a far better value proposition. Of course, if you were to want the best budget TV option, I just bought the Amazon Fire TV Omni, and for $419 for the 55-inch model, it’s the best budget TV out there.
Features: art
That’s all well and good, but let’s be serious – no one is buying the Frame TV just for using it as a TV! The Frame is a lifestyle TV that looks stylish and stunning with or without its clip-on frames, and shines when you wall-mount it and view art and photography on it. It’s a QLED TV, or a Quantum dot LED TV, which offers a quantum dot layer giving a wide range of colours, and with its anti-glare, matte display, it shows art like no other TV out there.
It’s very easy to select your own art and photography, and for $4.99 per month or $49.90 per year (£3.99 and £39.99 for the UK), you get the Samsung art store, containing some 14,000 pieces of art to choose from. However, it’s worth noting that you can shop around and pick the Samsung art collection as a whole from retailers like Etsy, for roughly $10 (though I have not verified that this is 100% legit, at the time of writing).
The art mode is both the Frame’s unique selling point and one of its biggest negatives. When you select a landscape piece of art that fits the 16:9 ratio, it’s an absolute joy. But here’s the rub – what piece of art fits 16:9 perfectly?! I love art, and I like to enjoy every inch of whatever painting I’m looking at. It bothers me when I can see that the tree top of Van Gogh’s Starry Night has been clipped off to fit the image to the Frame’s dimensions. And if I want to see a masterpiece in portrait? Well, I’m going to have to deal with a lot of white space on the TV.
That’s why I think the Frame TV is really best when showing photography, which can be more generous when zooming in to fill the screen.
User interface
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I found the user interface of the Frame to be excellent. Having two controllers was a bit of a head-scratcher for a few minutes, but navigating through the TV, and then the art-side of things on the Frame was easy, intuitive and fun even.
I also really liked the clear sectioning of the art in the art store, though it take me a little while to easily locate my personal art. Once I had, it was easy to readjust what art I wanted shown on the TV, and when (ie, how often the art changed).
Price
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This is the second criticism of the Frame TV. In a highly competitive market, it’s pretty expensive. If you were just judging the TV aspect of the Frame to the asking price, it’s straight-up crazy. There is no reason to be spending the retail price of $1,499 for a 55-inch TV with these specs (though currently, Samsung has $500 off, and it’s $999). And as stated, the TCL QM851G offers better picture quality and with common sales that take its price from $1,499 to $899 – for the 65-inch model – is a better option.
But this is an art TV, and you’ll want it as an art display. It does that well, but is that feature worth the asking price? For me, yes, if you get it in a sale.
Should I buy the Frame TV?
A lot of art lovers will love the Samsung Frame TV. Some, like me, will love it, with caveats. When the image you view fits the Frame’s dimensions, it’s a joy to watch, and with its slim build and excellent design, not to mention an array of awesome clip-on frames to choose from, it will look stunning in any home.
But it is too expensive if you’re getting it just for the TV (and you’re paying retail price). And due to the myriad different sizes that art comes in, your favourite masterpiece probably won’t fit the 16:9 display perfectly. If you can stomach that and can get it in a sale, it is still an exceptional TV that’s a lot of fun to have.
