Originally published by Mashable
Samsung said what many of us were thinking withthe release of The Frame in 2017: TVs are kind of ugly when they’re just idly taking up wall space in a carefully-styled room. As much as we’d all love for Jeremiah fromQueer Eyeto personally install aremote-controlled TV-hiding tapestryin our home, the best art TVs are an alternative to that black plastic void we once accepted as non-negotiable living room decor.
Now that the other big TV brands have created their own art TVs, there’s a lot more to consider: backlight differences, frame design, the cost of art gallery subscriptions. So, should you still just buy The Frame? Or should you opt for the best Frame dupe instead? Keep scrolling to find out which art TV we recommend in 2026.
Amazon Ember Artline
These are the tech, tools, and products — from laptops to e-readers, from earbuds to robovacs, and more — that Mashable ranks best in class.
Mashable 101 Fan Fave:Vote for your favorite creatortoday!
What’s different about an art TV?
Any old smart TV can play a 10-hour-long YouTube slideshow of famous paintings. True art TVs have a few unique characteristics that separate them from the average flatscreen:
- A flush mount:Art TVs come with a special mount that allows them to hang flat against the wall, just like a framed photo or print. From the side, you won’t see any metal arms holding the TV up.
A flush mount:Art TVs come with a special mount that allows them to hang flat against the wall, just like a framed photo or print. From the side, you won’t see any metal arms holding the TV up.
- A matte display:The original versions of the world’s famous paintings aren’t displayed behind traditional shiny glass — if they were, you’d be able to see your own reflection better than the artwork. The Frame brought elite glare-free displays to the TV category to better replicate the authentic museum experience. The best art TVs use anti-glare coating so you can enjoy TV, games, and artwork even in bright sunlight.
A matte display:The original versions of the world’s famous paintings aren’t displayed behind traditional shiny glass — if they were, you’d be able to see your own reflection better than the artwork. The Frame brought elite glare-free displays to the TV category to better replicate the authentic museum experience. The best art TVs use anti-glare coating so you can enjoy TV, games, and artwork even in bright sunlight.
- Interchangeable bezels:The decorative picture frame-esque border is the other half of the “not a TV” illusion. Different art TVs use different frame colors, but all have the option to swap the traditional black outline for a white or wood-like finish.
Interchangeable bezels:The decorative picture frame-esque border is the other half of the “not a TV” illusion. Different art TVs use different frame colors, but all have the option to swap the traditional black outline for a white or wood-like finish.
So while theHisense Déco TVthat I tested and loved has a pretty curved white frame, it doesn’t meet any of the above criteria — it’s more of anartsyTV than an art TV by the books, though you may still want to consider it as an alternative to The Frame. If you’re looking for a small bedroom TV that won’t clash with your decor, I highly recommend the QLED Déco TV. We’ll call it an honorable mention for this list.
LG and TCL are dropping new art TVs soon
Competition between the best frame TVs is about to stiffen up in the second half of 2026. Preorders opened for the pricey OLEDLG W6 Wallpaper TVand the full-arraymini-LED LG Gallery TV with Frameat the end of April, so release dates should be coming any time now. TCL has also confirmed that apro version of the NXTVISION TVis on the way. I’ll update this guide accordingly as each model becomes available for purchase.
Best balance of color, brightness, and budget
Generally brighter than the Hisense Canvas
Samsung Art Store gallery is unparalleled
Anti-glare matte coating is phenomenal in bright rooms
Lays VERY flat against the wall
All frames but the black one are $200 extra
Expensive for meh contrast
Some people like the old 2024 remote better
Samsung’s The Frame will be an easy choice for anyone who would simply feel most comfortable investing in the OG. The Frameisquite a bit more expensive than its beloved dupe, the Hisense Canvas, in every size. But the Frame’s best-in-class anti-glare display and higher peak brightness will fare better than the Canvas if your framed TV is going to be in a room that gets heavy direct sunlight.
Yes, it’s mildly annoying that access to the Samsung Art Store requires an extra subscription. But the gallery is massive, featuring a curated array of masterpieces from famous museums and even Art Basel, plusgorgeous digital Disney-themed artwork. If you can see yourself using Art Mode more than watching TV, or being serious about switching up the aesthetic vibe on a regular basis, the premium Samsung experience will probably be more satisfying than what Hisense offers.
Well, Ihaveto mention the classic art TV in this list — its massive popularity says a lot about how well Samsung has perfected the design over the years.
Compared tothe 2024 and 2025 models(which are also great, and often on sale), the 2026 The Frame TV (LS03HE) has a faster processor, a more realistic matte display, and richer color accuracy through Pantone Validation. It also furthers the framed art fantasy with AI-infused Art Mode, which intelligently tweaks picture quality for an even realer in-person museum feel.
Aside from the Hisense Canvas,The Frame Prois the other immediate comparison that comes to mind. The Frame Pro is generally more vibrant, offering nearly 1,000 more nits of peak brightness thanks to a strip of mini LEDs along the bottom of the screen. But that’s the thing: The Frame Pro’s mini-LED lighting isn’t full-array local dimming. You’re not getting the precise contrast that you would when thousands of tiny LEDs are arranged in zones across the entire screen. Since Samsung ironically doesn’t include a nice frame (past the standard black one) with The Frame models for free, the Frame Pro feels unnecessarily steep when it’s all said and done.
If you’re trying to decide between The Frame and The Frame Pro, my advice would be to save a bit of money and go with the standard Frame — or wait for themini-LED LG Gallery TV with Frameto release (it’s already available to preorder). If you need an art TV smaller than 55 inches, the2025 Frame TVcomes in 43 and 50 inches.
Size options: 55 through 85 inches
Smart TV platform: Tizen TV
Refresh rate: Up to 120Hz
Free access to full art gallery
Incredible value for the price when on sale
Same refresh rate as The Frame Pro
Comes with teak frame
Ambient light sensor accurately adjusts to lighting in the room
Not bright enough to take advantage of Dolby Vision
Contrast isn’t great
Occasional slow app load times
The Hisense CanvasTV is a beloved affordable art TV for those who don’t want to near the $1,000 point — you can go as big as 65 inches and still pay less than $900 if it’s on sale (it often is). Not that a ton of hardcore gamers who strictly play graphics-heavy games would be in the market for a lifestyle TV over an OLED, but the 144Hz refresh rate does make the Canvas a zippier choice for gaming than The Frame or the Ember Artline.
It’s also a great choice if you’re looking for the best art TV without a subscription (the Amazon Ember Artline also has a free art mode). Why should you have to pay to take advantage of your art TV’s most important feature?
The most well-known dupe for The Frame, the Hisense Canvas’ value is hard to pass up if budget is a consideration at all.
The Canvas is known to be every so slightly dimmer than The Frame, but its ambient light sensor still does a fabulous job at adapting the display’s brightness and tone to naturally match the lighting in the room. Casual TV watchers probably won’t care about the small vibrancy difference as long as their TV is doing its job of looking like a real frame on the wall. The teak frame is the default that comes with the TV, saving you another $200 over Samsung if you’re adamant about avoiding the all-black look.
Hisense’s Art Mode offers subscription-free access to more than 1,000 works of art (some famous, some not so famous), plus some GIF-like immersive screensavers. The smaller gallery won’t be a huge deal if you’ll be displaying your own photos like a true picture frame, and transferring those to the TV is super easy.
Size options: 50 through 85 inches
Smart TV platform: Google TV
Refresh rate: Up to 144Hz
Amazon Ember Artline
Best assortment of free frames
10 frame color options, and one of your choice is free
Neutralizes glare very well
All 2,000+ pieces in gallery are free
Dedicated brightness setting for Ambient Experience by itself
Cool AI “Match the Room” feature
Not thin enough to lay completely flat against the wall
Surprisingly low refresh rate
Contrast isn’t good for watching in dark rooms
Art selection is spotty
TheAmazon Ember Artlineis the art TV for the crew who’sverypartial to the Fire TV layout. The Ember Artline frame also comes in 10 colors, and the one of your choice is already included in the price. (Samsung and Hisense aren’t so generous.) If you’re more hyped on the aesthetic possibilities of a fig-colored or gold frame than you are about the sit-down cinematic or gaming experience, you’ll be content with Amazon’s lifestyle TV.
Beingso late to the art TV party, the Amazon Ember Artline had to dosomethingdifferent to stand out. So, Amazon decided to remedy one glaring complaint that many shoppers have with Samsung: that you have to pay $200 extra for the white or wood-look frames that everyone associates with art TVs, which feels wrong for a TV literally called The Frame. While Samsung locks you into black (and Hisense locks you into teak), you can choose from one of 10 Ember Artline colors, including unique ones like fig (purple-ish burgundy), midnight blue, and pale gold.
Amazon’s art gallery is also free. You’re free to choose a piece of art on your own or display your own photos, or let the “Match the Room” feature suggest something. Just upload a few pictures of your space and the AI-powered tool will make recommendations that mesh with the surrounding colors and decor style. Plus, for the price, the Ember Artline’s reflection handling is top-notch.
Then again, “for the price,” the Ember Artline has a few weak spots that the cheaper Hisense Canvas doesn’t. (The 55-inch and 65-inch CanvasTVs can almost always be found on sale for several hundred dollars less than their Amazon counterparts.) The Ember Artline’s refresh rate maxes out at 60Hz, and its contrast is subpar. Perhaps the biggest letdown is that the Ember Artline doesn’t actually lie completely flush against the wall. You may not notice the inch that it sticks out if you never see the TV from a side angle, but it’s definitely a miss for the framed wall art illusion.
Size options: 55 and 65 inches
Smart TV platform: Fire TV
TCL QM6K mini LED review: An impressive TV between the super cheap and super expensive
AI audiobooks are invading Libby. Here’s how I avoid them.
Sony hands TV business to TCL. What it means for you.
If dark scenes are too dark on your TV, play around with these settings
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Sony have a frame TV?
Surprisingly, Sony doesn’t currently have a dedicated art TV, and the company recently announced it willtransition its TV business line to TCL. However, both the Sony Bravia 7 and Bravia 9 models can essentially be turned into art TVs with the Sony x Leon SpeakersStudioFrame: A wood-look bezel with a built-in motion sensor and light sensor.
Like a traditional lifestyle TV, the StudioFrame gives the TV the ability to activate Art Mode when sitting idly (Sony has its own art gallery app). The StudioFrame can be retrofitted to existing Bravia XR70 and XR90 mini-LED TVs. It starts at $895 and comes in four colors.
Leah Stodart is a Philadelphia-based Senior Shopping Reporter at Mashable where she covers and tests essential home tech like vacuums, TVs, beauty devices, and eco-friendly hacks. Her ever-evolving experience in these categories helps her make thoughtful recommendations for how to spend your money during shopping holidays like Black Friday, which Leah has been covering for Mashable since 2017.
As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases at no extra cost to you.