Art TVs: Blending Creativity and Technology

Art TVs are a unique blend of technology and art, but they come with trade-offs. They are not as bright or as vivid as regular TVs, and their black levels are not as deep. However, they are designed to look like pieces of art when they are turned off, making them a focal point in any room. Samsung was the first to introduce art TVs in 2017 with The Frame. Now, there are more options available, including the Hisense CanvasTV and the TCL Nxtvision. These TVs are edge-lit, which means they have a slimmer profile and can be mounted close to the wall, making them look more like picture frames. The matte finish on art TVs helps to reduce reflections, making them less distracting in bright rooms. However, this also means that they are not as bright as regular TVs. The Samsung Frame Pro is the brightest of the bunch, but it is also the most expensive. All of the art TVs come with magnetic bezels that look like picture frames, adding to the artwork look. However, the bezels for the Samsung models are an additional purchase, which can be frustrating. When it comes to displaying art, the Samsung models do the best job. However, the Frame Pro is too bright in low-light situations, ruining the illusion. The Hisense CanvasTV also does a good job, especially considering it is hundreds of dollars less than The Frame. When it comes to watching TV, the art TVs are not as good as regular TVs. They do not have local dimming controls, which means that bright areas onscreen cause dark areas to be raised. The matte coating also contributes to raised black levels, making dark movies and TV shows lose most of their shadow detail. The Samsung Frame Pro has the best color accuracy, but it is still not as good as regular TVs. The Hisense and TCL TVs have issues with blues, yellows, oranges, and browns. It is important to switch from the default picture modes to get the most accurate image. The Hisense and TCL TVs use Google OS, which is easy to navigate and responds quickly to button presses. The Samsung Tizen OS, on the other hand, is frustrating to get around and has annoying default settings. In the end, art TVs are a compromise. They are successful at displaying artwork and pretending they aren't TVs, but they don't perform as well when they are trying to be TVs. If you prioritize art and occasional TV watching, the Samsung The Frame or the Hisense CanvasTV are the best options.