Samsung The Frame Review (QN55LS03BAFXZA)

The Frame is Samsung’s latest flagship in the lifestyle TV range and represents the industry’s most unique experiments: a range of TV sets that straddle the line between traditional TV and works of art.

It’s designed for those who want to marvel at and consume Earth’s greatest paintings and photographs while immersing in digital entertainment in 4K resolution. Its appeal doesn’t end at delivering the latest TV content to your living room, it transforms your walls into a Louvre-worthy gallery with endless access to artworks from all seasons.

Our review unit is the QN55LS03BAFXZA model, the latest iteration of The Frame. It is built around a QLED panel with a signature matt finish and comes with all the smart functionality of its more conventional siblings. Keep in mind, the bezels are sold separately, so you’ll need to budget accordingly.

Prices & Availability

Since it’s being sold under the assumption of a TV and painting, The Frame ought to be available in as about as many sizes as paintings. Sure, Samsung offers a whooping seven different versions of The Frame.

• Samsung 32″ Class The Frame QLED HDR Smart TV (QN32LS03CB)
• Samsung 43″ Class The Frame QLED 4K Smart TV (QN43LS03BAFXZA)
• Samsung 50″ Class The Frame QLED 4K Smart TV (QN50LS03BAFXZA)
• Samsung 55″ Class The Frame QLED 4K Smart TV (QN55LS03BAFXZA)
• Samsung 65″ Class The Frame QLED 4K Smart TV (QN65LS03BAFXZA)
• Samsung 75″ Class The Frame QLED 4K Smart TV (QN75LS03BAFXZA)
• Samsung 85″ Class The Frame QLED 4K Smart TV (QN85LS03BAFXZA)

Because the 55- through 85-inch models share the same hardware and function, we would expect them to deliver the same performance as the 55-inch model (QN55LS03BAFXZA) in this review. On the other hand, the smaller sets have a few variations, such as fewer speakers and don’t have 4K/120Hz support; and the 32-inch set maxes out at 1920 x 1080 (or 1080p) resolution, but the operating system, interface, and general viewing experience should be the same across all screen sizes.

Design & Build

• Customisable bezel
• One Connect box
• Solar powered remote

Samsung’s dedication to making The Frame adorn the looks of a painting is thoroughly manifested in its design. While most companies are shifting towards frameless screens, Samsung takes an opposite approach by maintaining those bezels (nearly a half-inch on all sides).

The bezel on our review unit is the default black, but you can choose from several other colors and styles, to better blend with your art preferences and pre-existing art collection, and you can change them out any time. Each of the additional magnetic bezels will add an extra $199.99 to the price, however.

Otherwise, The Frame is like any other flat screen TV, measuring ‎13.7 x 75 x 44.2 inches and weighing 100.1 pounds – just about a standard TV size, but roughly 45% slimmer than last year’s versions. The back panel is flat, with uniform depth to ensure the set hangs flush to the wall. A Slim-Fit wall mount is included in the box.

All connectivity on The Frame is handled by a separate One Connect Box, which is around the size of a traditional set-top box. It’s on the Connect Box that you’ll route all your aerial connection and external sources, as well as power. A single clear cable sends all signals from the function junction to the panel itself.

On the One Connect Box, you have four HDMI inputs, one of which is eARC enabled, and another 4K 120Hz capable. Other ports include a digital optical audio output, Ethernet, and a common interface slot. You have a choice of two tuners, one terrestrial and the other satellite.

The Frame ships with two remote controls, A standard black zapper, and a white version of Samsung’s solar-powered Bluetooth controller.

Specs & Features

• Tizen OS
• Art Store
• Voice assistants

The smart operations of The Frame QN55LS03BAFXZA is Samsung’s Tizen operating system. This portal has been around on even the previous versions of The Frame and pretty much all of the company’s Smart TVs, and it offers a wide array of streaming services, including Disney+, Prime Video, Netflix, AppleTV+, and many others.

In there, you also have a SmartThings dashboard, which will sync with any compatible smart home devices you might have. Also, a sidebar offers easy access to the Search, Art, Game, and Media sub-menus.

• Screen size: 55 inches
• Model: QN65LS03BAF
• Resolution: 3,840 x 2,160
• HDR: HDR10, HDR10+, HLG
• Refresh Rate: 120 Hz
• Ports: 4 HDMI, 2 USB
• Audio: 40W
• Smart TV Software: Tizen
• Size (without stand): 27.9 x 48.7 x 1 inches (HWD)
• Weight (without stand): 37.3 lbs

When you launch Art mode, you get access to a selection of complimentary digital artworks, and there’s the option to subscribe to the Samsung Art Store for $5.99/£3.99 monthly to unlock 1,000 more. If you opt not to subscribe, you can use your JPEGs, loaded via USB or sent from your smartphone.

On the new version of Tizen OS, there’s a Game Hub that gives access to streaming game services, which is joined by a pop-up interface that renders relevant gaming info, such as Game image mode and input lag. In Game Mode, The Frame averages 10.5ms (1080p/60fps) and 13.8ms with Game Motion Plus selected, the latter allowing for better image processing to sharpen things up.

Picture & Sound Quality

• 4K matt QLED panel
• Good brightness
• Dolby Atmos support

The Frame utilizes a 4K QLED panel (although the 32in model is only Full HD), so you’re at least assured of a high level of color vibrancy, and that’s exactly what you’re getting, in addition to the old-fashioned, time-tested renditions of visual art. The panel delivers rich, true-to-life QLED hues, and is incredibly sharp.

Motion handling effortlessly enhances clarity, and the matte-style screen which is now standard across the entire Samsung lifestyle range works brilliantly when displaying digital artwork. It does create the illusion of a canvas, and combats glare well, which makes the TV very tolerant of placement. Also working in its art-inspired favor is the high brightness, which makes The Frame a good choice for a bright room and daylight viewing.

The latest Frame TV is now a QLED set that at the very least a match for Samsung offers in the upper end of its mid-range lineup. As we’ve come to expect from Samsung QLED technology, you’re now assured of rich colors on The Frame TV, with Samsung using a Dual LED backlight system and bringing together two color temperatures to produce the best possible image out of its Quantum Dot filter array.

While it won’t match the OLEDs of this world, QLEDs still deliver black levels that are deep and believable, with excellent performance emanating from the backlight ensuring no one spot on the display appears washed out with light leak.

The Quantum Processor 4K is impressive too, handling motion with aplomb and pushing 4K content that’s pin-sharp. The real showstopper is how the screen handles lower-resolution content. Standard definition content might appear a little staggered, but it remains watchable, and 1080p content scales incredibly well and looks rich and punch on the Samsung QN55LS03BAFXZA TV.

For HDR support, The Frame TV includes HLG and HDR10+, but as with some other Samsung sets, the lack of Dolby Vision is a major drawback as it is increasingly becoming the HDR standard, it is now even supported by the Xbox Series X. Still, The Frame TV’s HDR performance is impressive it closely matches the Sony A80J OLED, with a particular vibrant pop to highlights in HDR10+. The Frame TV also supports other modes, including Intelligent Mode which is designed to offer the best image quality based on the content being viewed as well as enhance audio based on the content as well.

Talking of sound, the Samsung QN55LS03BAFXZA’s 40W output has power when it comes to volume, but there is a characteristic lack of bass when it comes to giving any sense of the cinematic depth of content. It’s a problem The Frame TV shares with all other flatscreen TVs, so prepare to invest in an external soundbar or speaker system if you’re looking to be completely immersed in what you’re viewing.

Bottom Line

The Samsung Frame TV isn’t for everyone. It is a thing of beauty, displaying artwork and photos when powered down is a big plus for anyone who loves art, but for the rest of the people, it might come across as overcomplicating things.

This applies to customizable bezels as well. While some will appreciate the fact that you can match them to the room the TV is going to be in, some may see it as adding unnecessary clutter. Samsung’s focus on room aesthetics is unique, and I think with The Frame TV they’ve done a splendid job, although you won’t quite get the full effect unless the TV is mounted on a wall. 

Away from design and artwork, the Frame TV offers genuinely great image quality, especially compared to its predecessors. But you’re paying a premium for design here, rather than the absolute heights of image and sound quality that a similar price tag might get you elsewhere, even with Samsung’s non-Frame range.

If you’re not fully immersed in the business of artwork, there are great alternatives out there that can be had for around the same price but offer solid image quality, superb sound, and other incremental performance enhancements. Both the LG OLED Evo C2 (OLED65C2PUA) and the Samsung OLED S95B (QN65S95BAFXZA) are such excellent 65-inch alternatives to consider.

Otherwise, Samsung The Frame (QN55LS03BAFXZA) remains a fantastic choice for anyone looking for a TV with extra features to improve the look of the room it is placed in.

Last update on 2024-05-17 at 19:08 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API