Table of Contents
- Design and highlights
- First impressions and installation
- Screen and sound
- interface/navigation
- Conclusion and value for money
- Technical specifications
call the line Samsung The Frame “work of art” has already become a cliché. with the model The Frame 2021, we have a palpable example of technological innovation aligned with design, without leaving aside the pillar of sustainability. In the last few weeks we were able to test the beautiful smart TV, which is being launched in Spain and we tell you everything here in this review.
Design and highlights
A The Frame 2021 It's a smart TV with display QLED 4K (LS03A), arriving in our country in versions of 43, 50, 55, 65 and 75 inches. The model tested by us is the 55-inch, which weighs just over 17 kg and has a refresh rate of 120Hz. The line has a 10-year warranty against burn-in effect and the QLED technology that, to remember, is that of the famous quantum dots, with 100% color volume.
Everything is connected directly to the system One Connect, hub that has a single plug for the TV, with a power cable that comes out of the box itself. The very thin wire can be easily hidden, making it even more impressive when we consider that all connections, plus the power supply, pass with zero delay to the The Frame. On One Connect we have 4 HDMI inputs (one of them eARC), 2 USB-A, 1 ethernet port, optical audio output and an RF input for TV signal.
A TV differential is the much talked about Art Mode, which transforms it into a portal to the main art galleries around the world. There are 20 free images and more than 1.200 available in the store, with purchase separately (via individual purchase or a subscription plan). The TV also comes with a remote control. SolarCell, without batteries/removable batteries, with USB-C port on the base. The name of the control, as you can imagine, is due to the energy recharge being done by the ambient light in the room.
To suit the proposed frame, it is even thinner than the previous version, with only 3 centimeters thick. In addition to Art Mode, it also features the Ambient Mode 4.0, with textures and animations to camouflage it in any room. In addition The Frame 2021 It sits perfectly flush to the wall. Even though we haven't tested it as a frame, just look at it in profile and you'll see that the completely straight back design allows for easy fitting.
First impressions and installation
In terms of initial setup and TV set-up, our first impressions with the The Frame 2021 were good. The model tested by us came with a light wood frame (or rather, plastic with magnets, with an imitation wood finish) to camouflage the smart TV to the room. By far, what impresses the most is the One Connect box, quite discreet when judging by all the proposed power. Placing it on the rack, a single wire passes through the back and it is responsible for doing all the “magic”.
Taking the TV out of the packaging (we recommend two people, after all, it weighs almost 20kg), we have an almost perfectly straight piece, being very simple to lay it down holding the edges, to attach the feet. The fitting was easy and requires a little “knack” until the lock is secured. As usual in Samsung smart TVs, there are two brackets on each side, dispensing screws. In the case of The Frame 2021, the uncurved look of the stand reinforces the understated tone of the device.
The edges, accessories sold separately, are light and have a very simple fit. The long box was sent for our testing, where we found the four sections along with four fasteners to attach to the back of each corner. It's not difficult to distinguish top/bottom and left/right, so it took a matter of seconds to couple them to our The Frame 2021. Up close, you can see the characteristic texture of plastic, however, among other framed paintings it can blend in well – and deceive the untrained eye.
When connecting a The Frame for the first time, the remote should work without pairing, so you can start the setup. But it was not our case, as the remote was not recognized by the TV. To resolve this issue, it was necessary to try manual pairing by holding the Home, Play/Pause and Back buttons.
We contacted the consultancy, who explained that this is an exclusive error of this unit, which is a previous version of the final model that will be manufactured, also called “golden sample”. But the company claims that end consumers won't have that kind of problem.
Furthermore, it is to be assumed that whoever buys one of these beautiful TVs, with the stylish proposal of The Frame 2021, you already have a charger/adapter of the kind, but I admit that an additional one with a USB-A and USB-C tip to suddenly connect to One Connect would be useful. Not knowing the charge of the controller before even turning on the TV is a big problem. It's nice to have a "sustainable" control option, but relying on battery power has become a concern we wouldn't want to have when thinking about watching TV. As he didn't let us down when talking about charge, we chose to believe in the effectiveness of the rear with light charging.
Speaking of light, the The Frame 2021 brings a motion sensor in the lower right corner, capable of detecting the presence of someone in the room. If you activate the auto-off function, for example, Art Mode is active as long as the device recognizes movements close to the TV – and it also turns on when someone gets close. The “Turn Off After” has a configurable time limit and adjustable range, depending on the installation space to judge the desired ideal.
Screen and sound
Vivid colors, high contrast ratio, great response time and convincing blacks. With HDR (high dynamic range) images, we see the quantum dots in action and the The Frame 2021 has our “seal of approval”. 4K videos on YouTube were rich in color, while UHD movies on streaming services were so pleasurable that they increased the longing for movie screens. Even in a brightly lit room, the brightness of the screen did not disappoint.
Preset profiles satisfy those who take their TV out of the box and want faithful picture quality delivery. We say that whether in games or movies, this is something you don't have to worry about, as it hits the nail on the head. Anyone who wants to dive into the settings and customize it accordingly can too. In games, the gamer mode delivered what was expected, and it was a great pleasure to play the Xbox Series X at its quintessential 120Hz in 4K.
Another possible concern that we can estimate from the artistic proposal is the burn-in effect, given that it will have a “rest screen” most of the time. The QLED display promises to be the counterpoint, ensuring that it lasts for a long time – and we remind you that the 10-year warranty against this, by the manufacturer, reinforces the idea.
The only slightly negative point of the TV is the reflection, depending on the viewing angle. On the left side of where it was installed, we have a window and, at the right end of the sofa (opposite side, which receives the reflection of sunlight) visibility was compromised. Local dimming, high-end processing, and other aspects of today's premium smart TVs are missing here, an understandable sacrifice for the design, which isn't necessarily a downside, but something to consider when talking about the design. The Frame 2021.
When it comes to audio, the The Frame 2021 fits comfortably into today's mid-range standard. Nothing to impress, nothing to disappoint. Having the mighty sound of a Echo Show 10 fresh in memory, we already expected that the TV's bass wouldn't be a big deal, but the volume and lack of distortion (especially with mids/trebles) manage to fulfill their role.
interface/navigation
The system Tizen had its interface updated, with a difference from the gamer menu on TVs like The Frame 2021. For those used to customization, shortcuts and more specific settings, there's almost nothing new. By default, for example, the TV comes with quick access to a layout to mirror the mobile screen and open a video from the internet, in the “workout” setting, for those who want to work out at home.
A slight “choke” that we only noticed with the use of the smart TV in the routine was that the Art Mode cannot be simply deactivated. When you press the TV off button on the remote, it displays the configured artwork. When holding the button, it is turned off, and this is immutable. Depriving the user of this option, of turning off the TV like any other line from Samsung itself (just pressing the button, not holding it for about 3 seconds), is a slight slip, even more so if the buyer eventually wants to treat The Frame 2021 as a regular TV, installing it later on the rack.
Controlling the TV through voice assistants is nothing new for anyone. Except for the lighter remote control and (we assume) a better microphone quality, which picked up commands well even from a distance of one meter, with conversational voice, The Frame 2021 brings more of the same. She has Google Assistant, Alexa e Bixby integrated, allowing you to choose your favorite.
In our tests, no moment was an outlier. Alexa's slip-ups about opening apps still happen, compared to what we had on some Samsungs from last year. Unfortunately, the television still doesn't support hands free commands, with wake words without needing the remote. treating the The Frame both as a smart center (the TV as a control center) and in addition to the connected home system (the TV as another gadget), everything went as expected. Linking an Amazon account soon integrated it with other devices such as the Echo Dot, expanding the notion of the connected home.
Talking about the gamer bar, even if the console is turned off, the gamer mode menu appears as a popup. So, if you turn off the console and the TV, when you turn it back on, this menu appears superimposed on the standard Tizen menu, making you wait a few seconds until it disappears - and forcing you to press "Back", for both menus to be hidden, needing to one more click on “Home” to finally make the selection. It's a rather annoying navigational glitch that we hope will be fixed with system software updates.
Conclusion and value for money
With a unique design and specifications that add to the line's original proposal, the The Frame 2021 arrives in Spain in 43″, 50″, 55″, 65″ and 75″ versions, with prices ranging from R$5.999,00 to R$11.999,00.
Showing what it came from Samsung did a good job of improving what went well in the The Frame: a TV designed to be more than a content hub, reaching the status of a work of art that you proudly display in the living room. It also has its own target audience, as the subscription model for digital artworks and the single purchase of frames already denounce that it is a product destined for the premium market.
An attention to those who install the TV is precisely to think about a lit environment, taking into account the reflection of the screen and the viewing angle. At night, the light emitted by the screen doesn't fool anyone, while during the day it can be configured for a decent setup.
On the other hand, whoever is interested in the best picture quality – and not so much in this “work of art” concept – it is worth taking a look at the new Neo QLED and Micro LED models launched by Samsung, which are superior in image and sound. And last year's sweetheart, Q80T is also worth considering in this context, with great image and sound.
You can find The Frame 2021 in the main retailers in Spain:
- The Frame 2021 43 inches for R$5.999 at Magazine Luiza
- The Frame 2021 50 inches for R$ 6.699 at Americanas
- The Frame 2021 55 inches for R$7.449 at Magazine Luiza
- The Frame 2021 65 inches for R$ 11.999 at Americanas
Technical specifications
| Line | The Frame |
| Sizes | 43 ″, 50 ″, 55 ″, 65 ″ |
| panel technology | QLED |
| panel resolution | 4K UHD |
| connections and inputs | 3 x HDMI Inputs; 2 x USB Inputs; 1 x RF input for open and cable TV; 1 x Optical digital audio output; Ethernet (LAN) Wi-Fi Bluetooth (BT4.2) Anynet + (HDMI-CEC) |
| Processor | How much 4K |
| image resources | Quantum HDR HDR10 + Movie Mode Art Mode AdaptivePicture Game mode Screen mirroring |
| screen frequency | 120Hz |
| audio resources | Audio Bluetooth Dolby Digital Plus Q Symphony Multiroom Link |
| speaker type | 2 channels, |
| Control | Single Remote Control with built-in microphone |
| Operational system | Tizen |
| Voice commands | Yes |
| Virtual Assistants | Alexa, Google Assistant and Bixby |
| 43 ″: R $ 5.999 in Luiza Magazine 50″: R$ 6.699 at Americanas 55 ″: R $ 7.449 in Luiza Magazine 65″: R$ 11.999 at Americanas |
