These “lifestyle screens” target a certain type of consumer
Not everyone loves to have a TV dominate their main living space. They can be distracting by drawing attention away from a carefully curated room. Samsung has solved this problem by developing “The Frame” QLED TV. The company considers The Frame a “lifestyle screen” — a TV that can turn into an art piece as soon as it is powered down. For the consumer who wants to easily hide their TV while still enjoying the benefits of a modern 4K TV, The Frame is your answer.
Samsung has refreshed its popular Frame TV for 2024, offering some exciting new features. When comparing the old Frame with the new Frame, there are a few key differences to consider.
New Frame vs. old Frame
Many people are excited for the newly refreshed version of The Frame, but how do the two TVs compare side by side?
Samsung The Frame (new 2024 model) specs
The Frame has customizable bezels to match your viewing area.
Product specifications
Display Type: QLED | Screen Size: 43” to 75” | Resolution: 4K | Refresh Rate: 120 Hz | Connectivity: 4 HDMI, 2 USB, Ethernet, Wi-Fi
Samsung’s new version of The Frame is a QLED 4K TV that offers all of the goodies you’ve come to expect from modern TVs: 4K resolution, a high refresh rate of 120 Hz and HDR capabilities all powered by Samsung’s new processor, the NQ4 AI Gen2.
What makes this TV unique is its art-mode capabilities. Unlike conventional televisions that stay as unappealing black screens when not in use, The Frame turns into a work of art, seamlessly integrating into your living area. When powered off, its matte screen showcases customizable artwork, photos or personal snapshots, effectively disguising itself as a framed painting or picture on your wall.
Improving on the old Frame model, the new Frame has introduced Pantone Art Validated Colors to further enhance the art experience. It also has a new dynamic refresh rate. When enabled in Art Mode, The Frame can now reduce the refresh rate to 60 Hz, saving energy while not losing picture quality (note that this feature is only available on the 55-inch and up versions). One last new feature for 2024 is a brightness sensor, which adjusts the screen according to the amount of light in a room.
Samsung The Frame (old model) specs
The Frame’s Art Mode displays fine art while not in use.
Product specifications
Display Type: QLED | Screen Size: 32” to 85” | Resolution: 4K | Refresh Rate: 120 Hz | Connectivity: 4 HDMI, 12 USB, Ethernet, Wi-Fi
Save for a few key features, the old Frame is more or less the same TV. While lacking some of the new 2024 features like Pantone Art Validated Colors, the variable refresh rate while in Art Mode and a brightness sensor, it still has all the features that made this TV the bestselling lifestyle screen.
The old Frame as well as the new Frame includes a motion sensor that can detect people walking by while in Art Mode. This helps save energy by only displaying art when people are in the room. It also features a matte display, making The Frame reflection-free at all times of day, enhancing displayed artwork.
New Frame vs. old Frame: What they do well
Samsung’s Art Store has over 2,500 pieces of art to choose from.
These lifestyle screens serve a specific purpose: seamlessly fitting into a living space. Thus, they offer specific benefits.
New Frame benefits
- Hide in plain sight: With its matte screen, motion sensors and Art Mode, the new Frame TV can seemingly fit into any living space.
- Art streaming: The new Frame features a new art streaming feature, streaming up to 20 pieces of content per month.
- Endless customization: The Frame’s bezels are customizable and can be purchased on Samsung’s web store.
- Matte screen: The Frame’s matte screen is impressive and performed well in our testing, effectively blocking glares.
- Energy efficiency: The new Frame uses a new dynamic refresh rate when enabled with Art Mode, saving energy.
Old Frame benefits
- Art features: The Frame really does look like a painting in Art Mode.
- Samsung Art Store: There are over 2,500 pieces of artwork to buy and display.
- Motion sensor: While in Art Mode, The Frame can turn on and off based on motion.
- QLED features: When not in Art Mode, The Frame still serves as a good modern 4K TV.
- One Connect Box: The Frame features a slimmed-down version of the One Connect Box, providing even more customization and seamlessness.
What they could improve
While both versions of The Frame have a lot of positives, the TVs aren’t perfect, especially if you want to use them as a daily driver.
New Frame drawbacks
- Lacking 4K screen: While the Art Mode is very impressive, the normal TV model lacks the extra splash we’ve come to expect from high-end 4K TVs.
- Motion handling: We noticed The Frame wasn’t too adept at handling high-motion content.
Old Frame drawbacks
- Muted colors: Fine details get muted when used as a normal TV.
- Audio quality: Like most modern 4K TVs, the built-in audio is lackluster.
Testing
Picture quality
To gauge the picture quality of the new and old Frame TVs, we evaluated them on aspects such as saturation, brightness, sharpness, color accuracy, anti-glare and performance across different viewing angles (including 45 degrees, 90 degrees and 135 degrees from both sides).
Gaming performance
We assessed the new Frame’s capabilities using a PS5 running Fortnite at maximum settings. Our evaluation focused on the TV’s motion-handling abilities as well as its input lag.
New Frame vs. old Frame functionality
Both versions of The Frame offer a lot of the same functionality, but they do have some key differences, especially regarding the art features.
Gaming performance comparison
Both of these TVs offer similar gaming performance, but the new Frame’s refreshed processor may give it the edge. They both have a 120 Hz variable refresh rate, meaning motion blur is mostly minimal, offering a tear-free gaming experience. While testing the new Frame, we thought the gaming performance was adequate. The motion blur was OK — quick panning was slightly off but nothing too bad. Ultimately you aren’t buying this TV for high-end gaming features.
Design and build comparison
Both the new and old Frame TVs boast a unique design, featuring a matte display and custom bezels that seamlessly integrate into your home decor. Equipped with a slim-fit wall mount, these TVs are a breeze to install and adjust. With the inclusion of One Invisible Connection technology, unsightly wires vanish, thanks to a single cable connection to the accompanying slim One Connect Box.
The Frame offers interchangeable magnetic bezels, available in various options sold separately by Samsung. This allows you to effortlessly match your frames to your style or mood. Installing these bezels is easy — they can simply be snapped on. During testing, we thought it was very quick and simple to change them in and out.
Brightness and motion-sensor technology
During our testing, we were struck by the new Frame’s impressive built-in brightness and motion sensors. These sensors detect nearby people, automatically activating the screen to showcase artwork. This feature enhances The Frame’s ambiance, creating a personalized art gallery experience. Additionally, The Frame offers a Sleep After setting, enabling you to schedule the TV to power off and conserve energy if no motion is detected in the room after a specified period.
The old Frame has the same motion sensor but does not include the new model’s brightness sensor.
Pricing
The new version of The Frame, which ranges in size from 43 to 75 inches, starts at $999 and can be purchased from Best Buy. The old version of The Frame, which ranges in size from 32 to 85 inches, starts at $599 and can also be purchased at Best Buy.
How do they compare to other TVs we tested?
The art capabilities of The Frame set it apart from other 4K TVs. We were thoroughly impressed by its technology and its ability to integrate into any viewing area. It’s an excellent choice for those seeking high-quality artwork for their homes without all that goes into the acquisition of fine art. It can also tastefully display family photos, custom signs and so much more. If you’re a creative mind looking for something unique to display in your home, The Frame goes a long way in achieving that purpose.
However, when it comes to traditional TV functions, The Frame falls short compared to other 4K models. While its display is satisfactory, we believe it doesn’t rival the dedicated screens of OLED and QLED models, such as the Samsung S95D OLED and the Samsung QN90D QLED.
Bottom line: Should you get the new Frame or the old Frame?
While these TVs are more or less the same, we give a slight edge to the new Frame. It has a newer processor and the variable refresh rate and brightness sensors are good enough features to pick it over the old Frame
Prices listed reflect time and date of publication and are subject to change.
Check out our Daily Deals for the best products at the best prices and sign up here to receive the BestReviews weekly newsletter full of shopping inspo and sales.
Copyright 2024 BestReviews, a Nexstar company. All rights reserved.