Most modern TVs look beautiful when they’re on, but when you turn them off you’re in for a problem: they go from some of the most visually stunning content ever created, to boring black rectangles that cling to your living room. What should a viewer do?
Samsung’s The Frame gets around this problem with an ingenious solution: when not watching, the TV can display classic works of art. It essentially becomes a blank canvas for whatever you want to decorate your lounge with, be it the Mona Lisa, a Cézanne, a Picasso, Van Gogh’s Sunflowers or something completely different. You might even forget it’s a TV at all.
A piece of art
The Art Mode is the most eye-catching feature of Samsung’s The Frame. It’s just unlike anything else on the market: the TV is nice and slim, sitting almost flush against the wall, just like a picture would. You can also easily change the TV’s color and style with customizable borders (sold separately), designed to look like the borders of a picture frame. Mount it on your wall, activate Art Mode and your guests will have a hard time distinguishing it from an ordinary piece of art hanging on the wall.
The edges are interchangeable and snap in place with magnets. So if you change your interior, you can adjust the edge of your TV.
But because you can change what it shows, it’s much more versatile than a regular picture hanging on the wall. Tired of the Mona Lisa? Go for something more modern. The Art Store has over 2,000 pieces to choose from (Art Store subscription required to access the full selection) so you can build your own personal collection.
And it’s smart. A built-in motion sensor detects when someone enters the room and automatically activates Art Mode. Leave the room and it will switch itself off to standby, saving energy. The brightness sensor adjusts the display to the lighting conditions, so that you always see your artwork as clearly as possible. And you can even display your own photos and arrange everything on display using a variety of mounting options, making this the most versatile wall display available.
Fits into your life
Of course, The Frame is first and foremost a TV. And what a television. Its unique design makes it fit seamlessly into your lifestyle without dominating the space like some TVs. The 5-meter One Near-Invisible Cable handles all your connections, which means, for example, that only one cable runs to the TV. Plug your set-top boxes and game consoles into the One Connect Box in a multimedia unit and you have all other cables out of sight.
Don’t want to mount it on the wall? Use the height-adjustable stand to get the perfect viewing angle or to make room for a soundbar. There’s also a free-standing Studio Stand (sold separately) to really make it look like a canvas in an art gallery. And an auto-rotating wall mount or auto-rotating stand (both sold separately) means you can position it vertically for portrait viewing.
Perfect picture
But it’s in TV mode where The Frame really shines. QLED 4K technology, powered by Quantum Dot, brings everything you watch to life with more detail and realism, for a picture that looks as impressive on day one as it does ten years later. Samsung is so confident it will stand the test of time that it offers a 10-year screen burn-in guarantee (as long as you register within 90 days of purchase) – how’s that for your peace of mind?
At the heart of The Frame is Samsung’s Quantum Processor 4K. This processor uses AI to automatically adjust brightness and upscale image resolution to 4K Ultra HD, while the smart audio adapts to what’s on screen and even compensates for background noise in your room.
The EyeComfort mode adjusts the brightness to the ambient light, so that the image is always pleasant to the eye. So whether you’re watching in bright sunlight or cinema-style pitch black, you’re getting the best possible viewing experience.
Smart gaming
The Frame runs on Samsung’s Tizen user interface, which puts a world of smart entertainment at your fingertips, with all major streaming services available right out of the box. It also has some other neat tricks up its sleeve, such as the ability to mirror content from your mobile to your TV (internet connection and compatible smartphone required) and split-screen viewing with MultiView.
It’s also great for gamers. Gaming Hub lets you play the latest Xbox games without a console. All you need is an Xbox Game Pass subscription, a compatible controller, and an internet connection. The latest games look their best thanks to Motion Xcelerator Turbo Plus, which delivers 120 Hz refresh rates and low input lag (Motion Xcelerator Turbo Plus & VRR available from 55 inches and above). And AMD FreeSync Premium Pro and VRR provide super-smooth, stutter-free HDR gaming (FreeSync Premium Pro available from 55″ and above).
Sounds delicious
Some TVs omit the audio, but Samsung knows sound is half the experience. The Frame features Surround Sound powered by Dolby Atmos, which adds height audio channels for added immersion. Object Tracking Sound means the 3D audio moves with the on-screen action, so a frantic sequence of actions will sound very different from a quiet beach scene (OTS Lite available with 50″ and 43″ The Frame).
Samsung Q-Symphony allows the TV speakers to work in conjunction with a compatible soundbar to play audio from both devices at the same time, meaning additional speakers at work and an enhanced audio experience for the viewer.
There are great deals on The Frame right now. If you recycle your old TV you can get £200 off The Frame. And there’s a free rand worth up to £129 with every purchase of The Frame. See Samsung.com (opens in new tab) for more details.