Samsung Electronics’ latest edition of The Frame TV doesn’t come close to matching the specs found on its high-end Neo QLED and brand new QD-OLED TVs, but then again, it isn’t supposed to.
Rather, it fills a unique spot in the company’s TV lineup: As the premier model of its Lifestyle TV collection, it’s designed to blend into its surroundings when not being used by displaying framed works of art, so as not to disrupt the vibe and decor of the living room.
The Frame has proven to be a big hit over the years, winning over a large audience that cares less about the TV specs and more about how well it can disguise itself. That’s something it does very well, and with the 2022 edition, Samsung is promising a big update that will enhance its ability to remain innocuous.
The 2022 The Frame is the first to feature a matte, anti-glare screen that is supposed to reduce the effect of ambient light and create a clearer image. While that doesn’t sound as radical as the introduction of a quantum dot filter to The Frame a few years ago, early reviews suggest it will have a very big impact.
Even before this update, The Frame already boasted a gallery-worth aesthetic with its large collection of artworks to choose from and its swappable coloured bezels. With the matte display though, it’s designed to maximise light-scattering surface irregularities in order to reduce the glare caused by ambient light, Samsung said.
And by all accounts, it works really well. The initial reaction from Tom’s Guide was that “side-by-side with The Frame TV 2021, The Frame TV 2022 looks like a totally different TV - and a totally better one.”
Other reviews were just as effusive, with The Verge pointing out “that matte screen is the star of the show”.
TechRadar said it had a chance to compare the 2021 The Frame with the 2022 version and said the difference was “striking”.
“Hung at exactly the same height on a wall, under ordinary floodlights, the matte finish makes itself known,” it said. “View the 2021 model at an angle and it was easy to see reflections across the glass, just as you’d see on any window or television set you’ve turned off. By contrast, the new model has exactly no reflection.”
In other words, the matte anti-glare displays looks to be a significant upgrade to The Frame, one that may even pique the interest of people who already own one of the earlier models.
We should note The Frame doesn’t come close to matching the specs of some of Samsung’s high-end TVs this year. It’s a bog standard QLED 4K TV and it lacks the advanced processing capabilities of its most capable 8K and 4K Neo QLED TVs. It doesn’t have Mini-LEDs or local dimming either, and many other features that make those TVs stand out are missing. The audio quality is nothing to write home about, either. Interesting, though, The Frame 2022 does support 4K gaming at 120Hz.
In any case, people don’t buy The Frame for the best possible movie watching experience. It’s all about the aesthetic. The Frame is a ‘good enough’ TV in many ways, but when it comes to looks, it’s way, way classier than anything else on the market. While some other TVs, such as LG’s OLEDs, also have an art mode, no one is going to mistake them for a framed piece of art. But with Samsung’s 2022 The Frame reproducing art more realistically than ever before, there's a much bigger chance that may actually happen.
Samsung’s The Frame 2022 is available to pre-order, starting at $999 for the 43-inch model, rising to $4,299 for the largest 85-inch version. It’s also available in 50-, 55-, 65- and 75-inch sizes.
Image credits: The Verge
