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Samsung Frame 2022 vs. 2021: How the Matte Screen Changes Everything

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Samsung Frame 2022 vs. 2021: How the Matte Screen Changes Everything

Samsung has long been at the forefront of coming up with unique and existing ideas for their televisions. Case in point, “The Frame,” is a Samsung smart TV that is designed to look like an art exhibit when it’s not in use. That makes it ideal for hanging on walls in any room in a house (or office) without feeling like it’s just another black box taking up space. 

When Samsung released The Frame in 2017, it was something that, design-wise, felt well ahead of time. Unfortunately, subsequent updates saw the company continuing to battle complaints about the original semi-glossy finish leading to strong amounts of glare and aggravating buyers.

Fast forward to 2022, and Samsung has not only looked to resolve the problem but also added a few niceties to help make The Frame even more attractive as a television option. 

Let’s get into the 2021 and 2022 versions of Samsung’s The Frame!

Samsung Frame 2022 vs. 2021: 5 Must-Know Facts

  • The 2022 Samsung Frame, or “The Frame” as it’s more commonly known, added a matte screen to help reduce glare, which was a major complaint of the 2021 (and previous) model. 
  • When not in use, The Frame acts as artwork hanging on your wall, showing off a number of famous paintings or your own photos. 
  • Additional art options can be downloaded directly from the television through the Tizen operating system
  • The Frame is hung flush against a wall, giving it an even stronger resemblance to a piece of art. 
  • Switching between television shows or movies and art is a pretty easy switch done by just turning on Art Mode. It’s essentially one click away. 

Samsung Frame 2021 vs. Samsung Frame 2022: A Side-by-Side Comparison

Customize Your View
2021
$987.95
  • Art Mode allows you to show works of art when not watching TV
  • Quantum Processor 4K transforms all of your content to 4K
  • Billions of colors with Quantum Dot 100% Color Volume
  • It comes in different bezel styles and colors
  • Built-in Alexa
  • Supports HDR and multi-view
We earn a commission if you make a purchase, at no additional cost to you.
03/11/2024 11:27 pm GMT
2022
LED Panel TypeQLEDQLED
Matte Screen?NoYes
Resolution4K4K
Sizes43, 50, 55, 65, 75, 85-inch 32, 43, 50, 55, 65, 75, 85-inch
Exchangeable FrameYesYes
Smart TV SetupTizen (tiled viewed at bottom of the screen)Tizen (updated) full-screen smart menu
Thickness1” Thick1” Thick
HDMI InputsFourFour
VRR?NoYes
Infographic Samsung Frame 2021 vs Samsung Frame 2022

Samsung Frame 2021 vs. Samsung Frame 2022: What’s the Difference? 

What is The Frame? 

When it comes to “The or “Samsung Frame,” it’s helpful to define what it is, first and foremost. Considered a “lifestyle TV” by Samsung, this is not a TV you buy for its best-in-class screen or outstanding sound, but because it disappears on your wall when not in use.

All you have to do is switch on “Art Mode” when it’s hanging, and the artwork of your choosing will display as if you have an actual picture on the wall. It hangs flush against the wall, only adding to the appearance that this is anything but a normal TV. 

When Samsung first introduced The, it was released with a semi-glossy display that quickly led to complaints over too much glare. That’s a disappointing “feature” to discover after purchasing a TV that costs, at a minimum, $600. So, Samsung made a big change from 2021 into 2022, and hopefully, concerns over screen glare are a thing of the past. 

Best Design
SAMSUNG 55-Inch The Frame
$1,388.95
  • Warranty: 1 year (extended)
  • Can be hung flush against the wall
  • Thin bezels ensure that you can see more of the screen
  • Very little light reflection in both day and night
  • Art Mode
We earn a commission if you make a purchase, at no additional cost to you.
03/10/2024 01:03 pm GMT
Customize Your View
SAMSUNG 55-Inch Class Frame Series
$987.95
  • Art Mode allows you to show works of art when not watching TV
  • Quantum Processor 4K transforms all of your content to 4K
  • Billions of colors with Quantum Dot 100% Color Volume
  • It comes in different bezel styles and colors
  • Built-in Alexa
  • Supports HDR and multi-view
We earn a commission if you make a purchase, at no additional cost to you.
03/11/2024 11:27 pm GMT

Matte Changes Everything

Fixing the best pain point of the 2021 Frame model was Samsung’s biggest priority, and with that, the 2022 model introduces a different screen coating.

The introduction of a matte finish makes an immediate difference with the screen and reduces a previous mirror-like reflection that was the result of the semi-glossy screen on the 2021 (and earlier) models. 

Viewing the 2021 model at any angle and you’d be hard-pressed to ignore reflections off the screen. Imagine that you are looking at a television that’s turned off but near a window. There’s always a reflection that is easy to see, right? That’s the experience you had (or have) with the 2021 model and, because it was so noticeable, it prompted this year’s update from Samsung. 

Neo QLED vs OLED
Samsung’s The Frame model is a fully functional smart TV that masks as a framed piece of art when not in use.

Introducing Matte Display

Fortunately, Samsung’s action to reduce the glare and introduce a matte finish helps better deliver on the promise that The can behave as a wall painting when not in use. For anyone who has ever been to an art museum or has a picture in their home knows that when you bounce light off a canvas, there is little to zero reflection. 

To be more specific, Samsung calls it “anti-reflection with matte display” and notes that you can say “goodbye to washout” with improved clarity, color, and contrast. 

The bottom line is that this matter change makes your hard-earned money that much more well-spent, especially if you are willing to fork out a few additional bucks for some additional art options from the Samsung gallery store available through The.

What’s more, the matte display is outstanding at avoiding fingerprints and smudges, so you don’t have to worry about a young child touching a “picture” and smudging it all up. 

Smart Menu

Samsung’s Tizen menu has long been thought to be something of a copycat that took inspiration from LG’s webOS interface with a bottom row of scrollable app icons. Thankfully, in 2022, The Frame’s smart interface is much more navigation friendly. For any

Customize Your View
The
$987.95
  • Art Mode allows you to show works of art when not watching TV
  • Quantum Processor 4K transforms all of your content to 4K
  • Billions of colors with Quantum Dot 100% Color Volume
  • It comes in different bezel styles and colors
  • Built-in Alexa
  • Supports HDR and multi-view
We earn a commission if you make a purchase, at no additional cost to you.
03/11/2024 11:27 pm GMT
owners, you’ll find an older menu system that has a row of tiles at the bottom where you can scroll through any of the apps you have downloaded. 

For 2022 and hopefully beyond, the new smart menu experience enables more of a full-screen interface that is absolutely welcome. Instead of the bottom row of tiles, you’ll now find a better overview of the apps you have downloaded, any devices you have connected as well as recommended content based on what you have previously watched.

Additionally, for The Frame owners, on the left-hand side of the Tizen menu is where you will find access to the Art Store where you can download more “prints.” 

Price

One thing that thankfully remained the same between model years is the price, as the change in the panel didn’t lead to a price increase for The. At retail, Samsung still offers the following options and prices: 

32” $599.99
43”$799.99
50” $899.99
55” $1,499.99
65”$1,999.99
75”$2,999.99
85”$4,299.99

If you want to take advantage of some additional options that can help The more naturally pass itself off as a piece of art, you can upgrade The to some additional colors. The options include Platinum, Vivid Lemon, Natural Pink, Beige, Brown, or White for an additional $99.99. 

Other Differences in 2022

Outside of the obvious change to the matte screen and some updates to the Tizen interface, that’s pretty much the only major change to The between 2021 and 2022.

There is still 4K HDR picture quality with QLED panels and a 60Hz refresh rate. The difference between years didn’t impact the number of HDMI or USB ports, as those are still capped at four and two, respectively. The same goes for the built-in voice assistants with both Samsung’s own Bixby voice assistance and Amazon Alexa enabled out of the box with additional support for Google’s Voice Assistant. 

Bluetooth did improve year-over-year as the 2022 model improves to Bluetooth 5.2 against the 2021 model and Bluetooth 4.2.

Speaking of Tizen, the updates are reflective of an upgrade to Tizen 7.0, whereas the 2021 Frame model offered Tizen 6.0. 

The 2022 model added a small update to its remote as well by increasing the number of shortcuts to different streaming services from three to four. The 2021 remote included shortcuts for Netflix, Prime Video, and Samsung TV Plus. In 2022, the remote now offers shorts for Netflix, Samsung TV Plus, Prime Video, and Disney+. 

Samsung Frame 2022 vs. Samsung Frame 2021: Which One Should You Use? 

There’s really only one answer to the question of which model year you should look at. The matte screen changes to the model make it undoubtedly the model worth purchasing.

Unless you can find an absolute steal of a deal on the 2021 model, you should only consider the upgraded model with all of its screen benefits. Realistically, even if you found a great deal on the 2021 model, as a long-term investment, wait until you can find a great deal on the 2022 model and then make your purchase.

If you’re still trying to choose between Samsung The Frame 2022 and the previous year’s model, this expert comparison will help.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the Samsung Frame?

Samsung’s “The Frame” television is a QLED HDR smart TV that looks like a piece of art thanks to its bezel. When not in use, the television shows works of art on its display so it doubles as part of the interior design of your home and not just another black box television.

Does Samsung's The Frame really look like artwork?

It absolutely does. Samsung’s ability to reproduce famous artwork is really promising and it shows with The Frame. You can even download other famous works of art on your own and display them. 

How does it plug into a power outlet if it's flush with the wall?

Samsung includes a “slim-fit wall mount” that limits cable clutter by allowing only one connection cable through what it calls its “Slim One Connect” box to be visible when in use. 

Can you use your own pictures to display as artwork?

Yes! Samsung made it quick and easy to utilize your own photos as “art” on The Frame in place of using more professional artwork. 

How many different images can be stored in The Frame?

All totaled, Samsung allows room for up to 1,200 images that can be uploaded either through a compatible smartphone or via a USB flash drive.

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