frame tv review Archives

We just purchased our very first TV upon buying our second home. We spent a chilly November weekend perusing Best Buy during their pre-Black-Friday sale. I can’t believe Black Friday is now happening a month before Black Friday? But the timing worked out for us, having moved the first weekend of November. After staring at bright digital screens, some of which were so clear they looked fake, we decided to go with Samsung’s 65″ Frame TV. I am so happy we did! Today I share with you my Samsung Frame TV Review.

Our first five years of marriage were spent without ever owning a TV. Even in my youth, I hardly used one. My sister hogged the programs and loved the telly more than I. Of course, I acquiesced, preferring the privacy of my room and the company of books over a tussle.

I find myself now, at the age of 32 years old, unable to use a remote, let alone navigate today’s insane amount of options. After two months of owning a TV, I have relegated all control over to my husband, who better navigates digital devices anyway. But, I have found myself sitting down to relax and watch more often with the new TV around. While a problem for some, it’s actually a relief for me, as I need to spend more time relaxing in the New Year. Currently, I am obsessed with Ted Lasso, and will likely be devastated when season 2 ends.

I really love our TV, and thought I would answer a few FAQs in this Samsung Frame TV Review.

Why the Samsung Frame TV?

I actually had my sights on the Samsung Frame TV for a while. We have the same model hanging in the waiting room of my dental office, and the framed imagery really makes a statement when the TV is not in use. It’s a truly beautiful digital device, an approval that’s difficult to garner from me.

Additionally, in comparison to some of the QLED models, I find that the Samsung Frame TV is more similar to the screens I grew up with. Perhaps it’s my lack of exposure to screens, but the new QLED models have contrasts so high that the images appear ‘doctored’. It’s like the difference between a hyper-edited photograph and an original. Quite off-putting, if you ask me.

Is the picture quality good?

It’s great! Like I mentioned above, the QLED models have higher resolution and contrasts. A friend who happens to be a CG modeler prefers the QLED options, because you can see his line of work more clearly. However, the Samsung Frame TV has that clarity without being overdone. Meaning, it doesn’t look fake. I don’t know about you, but I prefer reality in my life. The imagery is a middle ground between better technology, and what I am familiar with. I much prefer it.

Does it actually look like a framed piece of artwork?

Yes. The TV adjusts based on the lighting in the room. The bezel really does look like a frame. And the art work can be surrounded by a mat that looks matte enough to appear paper-like from far away. Of course, it IS still a screen. Despite the matte appearance, observing the Samsung Frame TV at a close distance couldn’t fool anyone.

How do you choose your art?

There are many display options for the Samsung Frame TV. You can choose from a handful of complimentary art works in the Samsung Art Store. You can also reinvent your space when you subscribe to their Art Gallery, which features over 1,400 art pieces! Lastly, you can upload your own photographs using their App. You can display multiple photographs at a time, just like you would in a family photo frame.

How do you manage the wires?

The Frame TV comes with a single ‘invisible wire’. Essentially, it’s a thin, clear cable that blends in really well with the wall. You can hardly see it running down the TV in the store, but it is there. Silver linings in the fact that there is only one. For us, the invisible wire is hidden in the wall behind the TV. We were fortunate enough to move into a home where everything was pre-prepped for internal wiring. A blessing for me, since I find cables maddening. But even if it was exposed and running down to the media console, it would not be very noticeable. Samsung did a great job with emphasizing esthetics in the design of this model. For that, I am grateful.

Where do you plug in other wires?

There is a one connect box for the Samsung TV. We plug all other wires to that. We have video games and Sonos 5 speakers. You can also plug in a roku, apple TV, or whatever else you use. We hide our one connect box in our media console.

Can you tell us more about the bezel?

The Samsung Frame TV is just as the name implies: a framed TV. The frame is called a bezel. There are multiple bezel options, in both traditional and modern styles. My two favorites are the Modern White and the Modern Teak bezels. However, the TV does not come with a free bezel. It is an additional purchase.

Is the Bezel necessary?

Absolutely not! We actually did not buy the Frame TV bezel. Costing an additional $200, we decided to save our money at the time. I mean, we did just purchase a house! Without the bezel, there is a black thin edge around the TV. It looks as if there was a a Modern Black bezel around it. I think it functions just fine and looks equally great without the bezel. In my personal opinion, the bezel is a flimsy piece that adds little to the edges of the TV. I think it would be great to change the edges to a different color choice, but at $200, I am not sure the price is justifiable.

What is the correct size for my living room?

For many years, we have used a projector for our movie nights. We chose a projector because of its great price point and large image. The image via the projector was equivalent to a 110″ screen TV. Alas, we’ve sized down to a smaller home which also meant we sized down our TV too.

The width of our living room wall is a mere 8 feet wide so there is no way our projected images would fit. We purchased a 65″ Samsung Frame TV and it sits perfectly above our Ikea Bestia Media Console. Our Bemz-Upholstered Restoration Hardware Cloud Look-Alike (see the project here) sits about 10 feet away from the TV. At such a distance, the TV feels like the perfect size.

I always recommend professional installation. We bought our TV at Best Buy and spent the $200 we saved on the Bezel paying for their Total Tech Membership. The membership includes delivery and installation of all Best Buy products for ‘free’. The membership paid for the installation itself, and Best Buy has a Geek Squad or uses a third party for all services. We were able to deliver and install the TV in two days!

The membership lasts for a year, and includes discounts on Best Buy items as well. We figured, with a new home, we could spend the next year buying the tech we want and have it installed without hassle. I would highly recommend the Total Tech Membership if you plan to do a lot of home upgrades!

What are some downsides to the TV?

This wouldn’t Samsung Frame TV review if I did not address the downsides. My dad gets irked that the screen is non-tiltable, but that doesn’t bother me. It is mounted flush on the wall, which isolates our viewing time to the living room only. However, I think that separation of television from other activities (such as eating and sleeping) is part of a healthy lifestyle. I try to follow the basic rules of feng shui as best I can.

Some folks also have a gripe with the Frame aspect of the TV. The argument is that it would use up more electricity. A majority of the time, we have our TV off. The artwork is only up when guests are around or when I photograph my space. There is also a function that turns off the TV when it doesn’t sense motion in the room. Once motion is sensed in the room, the artwork appears on the screen again. You can always choose that setting if you wish to see artwork when you are in the room.

Does it ever go on sale?

It does! Like I said at the beginning of this post, we bought ours from Best Buy during a Black Friday sale. We got it at $500 off. That means we got it at 25% off, reducing the price from $2,000 to $1,500.

Is it worth it?

I do think that the Samsung Frame TV was a great purchase. This is coming from someone who didn’t watch a lot of TV before. I find myself enjoying TV shows a bit more. With it around, I find myself spending more time relaxing with my husband and cat.

Plus, I think it looks great in our space. Aesthetics is very important to me. I love how this TV fits in our space without over-powering it or making it look messy. The optional artwork is also great for when guests are around, and the lack of cables are a real game-changer.

One can always look at it this way: instead of having to pay for artwork as home decor and a TV, you get both at one price. And let me tell you, artwork is pricey!

I hope this Samsung Frame TV review has been helpful for you. If you have other questions, feel free to ask!