Hisense
The Samsung Frame TV has officially started a trend: video displays that double as showcases for artwork. Featuring a non-reflective matte display for TV shows, sports and movies, the Frame displays a beautiful picture with accurate and true-to-life colors, stunning details and smooth action. And when you’re not watching TV, the Frame displays famous artwork – or your own. That means you can decorate your living space in a way that suits your personality, taste and decor.
The Frame is a favorite of CBS Essentials readers, and for good reason. But for the first time, there are alternatives to the Frame that offer equally compelling features. Let’s take a closer look at three of your current matte-screen smart TV options.
What is the best art TV?
Let’s take a closer look at Samsung’s Frame TV, the Hisense Class S7 CanvasTV, and the TCL NXTFrame TV – your best options in the currently extremely popular Art TV category.
Samsung’s 2024 Frame TV
Samsung
Display type: QLED (anti-reflective matte finish) | resolution: 4K (3,840 x 2,160 pixels) | Refresh rate: 120Hz | Operating system: Tizen | HDR support: Quantum HDR, HDR10+, HDR10, HLG | Speakers: 2.0.2 channels, 40 watts with Dolby Atmos | Primarily Ports: 4x HDMI, 1x Ethernet, 2x USB, 1x digital audio output, 1x Ex-Link | Motion detection: Yes | Interchangeable bezels: Yes | Art Service Subscription Fee: $5.99 per month or $49.99 per year (Samsung Art Store)
Available sizes: 43 inches ($900), 50 inches ($1,100), 55 inches ($1,300), 65 inches ($2,000), 75 inches ($3,000), 85 inches ($4,300)
All sizes of the 2024 edition Frame TV are now Pantone Validated. This means the artwork displayed looks even more authentic – just like a real painting, just as the artist intended. And thanks to its thin (just 1 inch thick) design, the Frame Smart TV really does look like a picture frame hanging on any wall. It uses its QLED display to display video in 4K resolution with HDR support and Quantum Dot technology, so it can accurately display more than 1 billion colors.
When watching any program, you’ll enjoy 100% color volume that takes full advantage of the power of Samsung’s Quantum Processor 4K. Whatever you’re watching – TV shows, movies, documentaries, or sports – everything will display stunning, bright, and accurate colors. The matte finish of the display virtually eliminates all unwanted glare.
Samsung now offers a curated selection of 20 artworks each month for Frame owners to display for free, but if you subscribe to Samsung’s Art Store ($5.99 per month), you now get access to more than 2,500 artworks from world-famous museums and galleries.
And thanks to the Frame’s wide viewing angle, you’ll have a clear view no matter where you sit in the room. You can buy a magnetically attachable bezel to make the Frame TV look like it’s in a traditional picture frame. Choose the bezel design (between $200 and $300 each) that matches the decor of any room. A company called Deco TV Frames also offers bezels for the Frame TV on Amazon.
Be sure to read our thorough review of the 2024 Samsung Frame TV for more information about this popular art TV, as well as a list of Seven things we love and three things we hate.
Hisense 2024 Class S7 CanvasTV
Hisense
Display type: QLED (anti-reflective matte finish) | resolution: 4K (3,840 x 2,160 pixels) | Refresh rate: 144Hz | Operating system: Google TV | HDR support: Dolby Vision, HDR10+, HDR10, HLG | Speakers: 2.0.2 channels, 36 watts with DTS Virtual X | Primarily Ports: 1x HDMI eARC, 3x HDMI, 1x LAN, 1x USB | Motion detection: Yes | Interchangeable bezels: Yes | Art Service Subscription Fee: $0
Available sizes: 55 inches ($1,000), 65 inches ($1,300)
In line with the company’s main goal of offering cutting-edge smart TVs at a fraction of the prices its competitors charge for similar technology, Hisense has unveiled its answer to Samsung’s Frame smart TV. It’s called the CanvasTV, and it’s now available in 55- or 65-inch screen sizes. It’s also cheaper than the Frame, but in some ways it offers more robust features (like a faster refresh rate).
Just like the Frame, the CanvasTV offers a display with an anti-glare matte finish. It’s also just 1.4 inches thick and comes with a wall mount that allows the TV to be mounted flush against the wall. Unlike the Frame, the CanvasTV comes with a teak bezel that further enhances the look of a picture frame, but this is interchangeable with other bezel options that come in a variety of colors and styles (each sold separately).
Another difference from the Frame is that CanvasTV offers a 144Hz refresh rate (not 120Hz) and uses the company’s Motion Rate 480 technology, so any action-oriented content displayed on the screen, whether movies, sporting events or video games, looks incredibly smooth with no pixelation or tearing. Plus, the screen can produce more than a billion colors.
CanvasTV runs on the Google TV operating system, so you can intuitively access any video streaming services you’re subscribed to. And when it comes to displaying artwork, Hisense offers a free content library. Plus, you can display your own digital photos in slideshow format. For sound, CanvasTV has built-in speakers that provide 2.0.2-channel virtual surround sound for a more immersive experience.
One feature we really like is that the TV automatically adjusts its brightness and color temperature based on the ambient lighting in the room. This lets you enjoy more consistent picture quality without having to fiddle with any controls. Using the built-in sensor, the TV turns off when no one is in the room, but turns right back on to showcase artwork when it detects motion.
TCL 2024 NXTFrame TV
TCL
Display type: QLED Pro (anti-reflective matte finish) | resolution: 4K (3,840 x 2,160 pixels) | Refresh rate: 120Hz (up to 144Hz) | Operating system: GoogleTV | HDR support: Dolby Vision IQ, HDR10+, HDR10, HLG, HDR Ultra | Speakers: 40 watts with Dolby Atmos, DTS:X | Primarily Ports: 3 x HDMI, 1 x HDMI eARC, 2 x USB, composite video, Ethernet, optical audio | Interchangeable bezels: Yes | Art Service Subscription Fee: $0
Available sizes: 55 inches ($1,500), 65 inches ($2,000), 75 inches ($2,500), 85 inches ($3,500)
The TCL NXTFrame comes in a few popular sizes, including a massive 85-inch version that can become the centerpiece of a home theater system.
This art TV has two bezels – one in modern white and the other in a light wood finish. The 4K resolution smart TV has a 120Hz refresh rate that can be increased to 144Hz when gaming. Like all the art TVs featured in this review, this one uses quantum dot technology to display more than a billion colors. And thanks to support for Dolby Vision IQ, HDR10+, HDR10, and HLG, all the content you watch will be detailed and with vibrant and accurate colors.
The TV itself is about 1.1 inches thick, so when hung on the wall it resembles a painting. And the matte, anti-glare screen makes artwork look very realistic. And TCL provides a curated art library with customizable matte options for free. There’s also a built-in personal photo gallery mode so you can showcase your favorite pictures in slideshow format.
No matter what’s on the screen, be it a video, art or a video game, the TV’s AiPQ Pro processor optimizes color, contrast, clarity and motion to ensure stunning picture quality. An internal speaker system supports Dolby Atmos sound with an enhanced dialogue mode.
Like the Hisense CanvasTV, it runs the Google TV operating system and comes with a voice remote. If you don’t want to mount the NXTFrame TV on the wall, an optional table mount and movable stand are available.
Which art television is the best?
Focus on where you plan to hang the TV, what features it offers, and what frames are available for it. Next, consider what you watch most often. For example, if you watch action movies and sports, or enjoy playing video games, a higher refresh rate will make action-packed content smoother and less or no blurring.
Whether you choose a Samsung, Hisense or TCL Art TV, you can be confident that you’re getting a high-quality Smart TV that will transform your living space into a customizable art gallery. All Art TVs tick all the boxes for the features you expect from a Smart TV – from picture and sound quality to compatibility with video streaming and gaming services and access to a voice remote.
If you are looking for a TV, read our coverage of best TVs for 2024The best 55 inch TVs of 2024The best 65 inch TVs of 2024The Best 75-inch TVs (and larger) of 2024The best TVs for video gamers and the best TVs for watching sports. We also have a curated collection of best home projectors for 2024 and the best TV soundbars for 2024. All of our current technology coverage, which is constantly updated, is at your fingertips.
