I get asked about all sorts of things in our house. Furniture, mattresses, linens, paint, floors, countertops, but one thing I get asked about a lot is our Samsung Frame TVs. I bought the first one two years ago mainly because our house is so small. I didn’t want a big ugly TV taking up wall space in our living room that I’d see from all angles in our dining/living/kitchen space. When we built the addition I wanted another Frame TV in our bedroom. Honestly, we probably don’t need it. We rarely watch TV in bed. It was sort of an impulse purchase when I was in a newborn-phase sleep deprived fog. That said, it looks great and maybe eventually we’ll use it more. So is the Samsung Frame TV worth the hype? Here’s my review.
What is the Samsung Frame TV?
Essentially it’s a TV with the option to add a frame in a variety of color options. You can also display artwork on the TV, either from Samsung’s free image gallery, by uploading your own or you can purchase images to display on the Samsung app (there’s also an Etsy shop that sells artwork for the Frame TV). Does it look exactly like a framed piece of artwork? Sort of. Up close, it’s pretty obvious it’s a TV. But if you don’t want to have a big black TV screen be the focal point of your room, it’s a great option. We’ve had numerous people ask where we bought prints from that were displayed on the TV because they thought it was artwork.
How do you mount it?
The Samsung Frame TV comes with a no gap wall mount. It can still be tilted or sit flush to the wall. There’s only one clear connector cord that comes out of the back of the TV, so hiding it is pretty easy. The cord carries the power and HDMI connections, but it connects to a larger black box. That can be trickier to hide. We have media stands under both TVs so it’s easy to tuck away, but if you wanted to put it in the wall behind the TV it’s pretty big. The remote and TV work fine with the box hidden so you can hide it in the wall or even in a different room and and just snake the cord through.
Does it come with the frame?
The TV doesn’t actually come with the frame, and that would probably be one of my only “cons.” It’s not a cheap TV, and the frame is another $100+. The TV is definitely cheaper now than when we purchased, the 50 inch is under $1200 without the frame and if you get the 43 inch it’s under $900. The nice thing about buying the frame separately is it’s incredibly easy to change it up if you want. The frame is actually metal and snaps on like a magnet. We have the beige, which matches the other picture frames we have throughout the house. You can also get black, white, brown or new premium options (but they’ll cost you more).
how is the picture and sound quality?
The picture quality is amazing. It’s incredibly sharp and even without added speakers the sound is impressive too. I’m not much of a tech person, so probably not the best authority on this, but comparing it with the picture on the Samsung TV we have in our basement that’s not a Frame TV, it’s just as good if not better. If you want the absolute best in picture quality this isn’t it, but I have no complaints.
does art mode use a lot of electricity?
Having your TV look like artwork is great, but not if it burns out your TV and wastes electricity. The Samsung Frame has you covered. Art Mode uses around 30% of the power that streaming a movie would, so it’s not as eco-friendly as having the TV off, but it’s a great option to have especially when you have people over (whenever we get to do that again). You can also use Samsung’s various Art Mode settings to have the Frame TV display turn on/off based on motion sensors (so it’s on when you’re in the room and off when you’re not).
So Is The Frame TV Worth It?
If you want something that looks great with your decor and can transform the look and feel of a space I think the Samsung Frame TV is absolutely worth it. In addition to looking great, the Samsung Frame TV is a smart TV, so you can download and customize apps including Apple TV which means you don’t need any other devices hooked up. Are you investing a little bit in form over function, yes. Can you get a TV with equivalent picture and sounds quality for less? Yes. If you want a TV that doesn’t look like a TV, with a sleek design and simple cable connection the Samsung Frame TV is the way to go!
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I always valued your opinion and I’ve been going back and forth about the Samsung Frame TV. I love that it looks aesthetic pleasing but not sure if the quality is good. Glad to hear it is!!
http://www.rdsobsessions.com
It’s definitely worth it in my opinion 🙂
super helpful review! thank you so for sharing this and going into such detail. we have been contemplating getting the frame when it is time to replace our current tv and honestly this was so helpful!
xo Laura Leigh
https://louellareese.com
So glad it was helpful! Thanks Laura.
I’ve been going back and forth for a while now. The price kept putting me off though but now that the prices are lower I may get it in a few months. I’ve always hated the look of TVs especially in the bedroom so I might replace my bedroom first!
I have the frame TV and really like it. I will clarify that in addition to the small clear cable there’s also a larger grey power cord that comes out of the TV that you have to figure out how to hide as well.
Hi Meghan. Maybe you have an older model? My TVs don’t have a large power cord coming out of the TV. The clear cord is the power and cable cord which goes to the black box. That box has a large cord.
Your blog is so helpful – we just bought one for our first home! Two questions: 1) how do you hide the clear wire well? Ours comes straight down the middle of the TV, so I struggle to have something obscure it in our mantel without being obvious 2) Do you use certain settings to reduce the “glow” in art mode? Thanks!
We snaked the clear wire through the wall to hide it. Craig did the settings in Art Mode so I need to ask him but ours does have a little bit of a glow too. I think you have to adjust the actual TV settings but not sure.
We have the 2020 43″ frame in our family room. We have to say it’s fitted in beautifully and would recommend it to anyone who would like a tv in their room but not make it the center piece.
We chased the interconnecting cable it to wall so it’s completely hidden. To mount the TV was very easy.
Like some others who have commented we have issues with the glow in art mode. We bought it because it’s sold as adapting to the surrounding environment – like a real piece of art. It doesn’t go fully dark when the ambient light fades. Close but not dark enough.
Also the motion sensor is not the best either regardless of setting. I tried the Samsung support for help but I have to say you will receive no help.
Thank goodness for the community of Frame owners who help each other out.
The Frame TV is a good buy if you can get one in the sales. Just beware of its frustrating limitations…
I would like to buy Samsung Frame TV for my bedroom and kitchen sometimes bathroom and art mode. I think brilliant frame tv and look at these different pictures from Samsung Frame TV.
Is the frame tv too bright to keep on at night if it’s in a bedroom? How often does the art have to change?