Compare: Samsung The Frame 2025 (LS03F) vs LG QNED80A6A (VA)

Samsung The Frame 2025 is a TV like no other – and even though competition has emerged, it still does it best. The matte display, flush with the wall, and a single thin cable thanks to the One Connect module make the device resemble a painting more than any other screen. The Art Store app still offers the best art scans on the market (even if they are subscription-based), and with interchangeable frames, we can match the TV to the interior almost like furniture. As for the picture itself, because after all, we are talking about an ordinary TV, there are no significant changes, but also no disappointments compared to last year's LS03D model. The Frame still offers high native contrast and solid brightness at 600 nits, which combined with the matte coating provides very comfortable use during the day. The colours aren't as vibrant as those on glossy screens, but against competitive matte designs – they perform the best. A new feature is the 144 Hz refresh rate, although in practice, it will mainly benefit PC gamers. And indeed – in terms of features for gamers, The Frame has almost everything: low input lag, variable refresh rate (VRR) support, automatic game mode (ALLM), Game Bar, and a one-of-a-kind motion smoother designed for games. Unfortunately, not everything is as perfect as it might seem. Why? Well, because the HGiG mode, which suddenly disappeared from the latest version of the Tizen system, is missing. And Samsung really should respond here, as it is a key element for many gamers when choosing a screen. And we fully understand that. Even though LS03F The Frame 2025 doesn't bring major revolutions, it remains a unique TV that, besides its appearance, offers a quite solid picture and expanded gaming features. It's just a pity that year after year we also get new compromises.

[UPDATE] We have updated our tests of Samsung TVs from the 2025 model year due to the release of software version 1131, which restored the crucial HGiG feature for gamers.

Looking at the QNED80A in the VA version as a whole, we are dealing with a television that has a very specific character. It's a piece of equipment that movie lovers seeking savings will appreciate, as long as... they accept certain shortcomings. We get really solid blacks and contrast here, but we pay for it with narrow viewing angles. There's no denying it: this is a TV for those who have their favourite spot in the middle of the couch. Of course, you can feel some budget cuts here – the 60Hz panel or edge dimming, which sometimes struggles with difficult scenes, are elements that remind you that this isn't the highest tier of televisions. However, LG cleverly makes up for these hardware shortcomings with excellent software. It's quite surprising how well this TV handles pulling out details in HDR or upscaling lower quality cable materials – the processor does a great job here, making the picture look more expensive than it is in reality. If we add to that the great WebOS system and gaming features that, despite the lack of 120Hz, manage to deliver, we get a very successful screen for home cinema. It requires some understanding, but in return, it rewards you with a really vibrant image at an affordable price.

The year 2025 is shaping up to be quite interesting when it comes to lifestyle televisions. Why? Because Samsung has prepared two versions of the iconic model The Frame – one standard and the other with the addition of "Pro". In this review, we take a look at the version without "Pro", which – as we will soon see – makes a significant difference. The standard model LS03F lacks any local dimming technology, unlike its more expensive sibling. This is important as it affects not only the overall picture quality but primarily how this television handles black levels.

The VA panel used in The Frame 2025 has a high native contrast – and this obviously works in its favour. In the tested movie scenes, details in the dark areas of the image were well visible, nothing blended together, and there was no uniform black/light blob. For the average viewer, this will be perfectly sufficient. But of course, not everything is ideal. The lack of local dimming means that the black levels on this television are not perfectly deep – they resemble a dark navy blue rather than pitch black. Additionally, in our tested unit, we noticed slight blooming on the right side of the screen, but this may simply be the "character" of the unit rather than a rule. Theoretically, one could try to improve the perception of black by backlighting the screen – for example, with an LED strip – but in the case of The Frame, that’s rather impossible, as this television is meant to sit flush against the wall like a piece of art. So to achieve better blacks visible to our eyes, we are forced to watch LS03F with the lights on. Such is the charm of this technology.

The model we tested, with a diagonal of 55 inches, is equipped with a VA-type panel. Here’s the great news: this is a huge advantage over the IPS version if you care about deep blacks and a vivid image. Our measurements showed that in typical movie scenes, the native contrast is really solid, exceeding values around 6000:1. In practice, this means that black is black, not grey, which works very well for occasional evening viewing and is not irritating. However, there are moments when our measuring devices indicated contrast levels over 20 000:1. Where does such a leap come from? The LG QNED80A is equipped with a Local Dimming system. However, this is an edge-lit system. This means that the TV can dim vertical strips of backlighting where the image is supposed to be dark. In theory, this sounds great and indeed allows for "better numbers" in tables than in a classic LCD screen. Unfortunately, practice can be brutal. The use of edge dimming is a double-edged sword that can disrupt the viewing experience in challenging scenes. An ideal example is the scene with the helicopter in the film Sicario 2. When there is a lot of black on the screen and small, bright points, the dimming system starts to operate very aggressively and... not very precisely. You can clearly see how entire vertical strips of the screen brighten and dim, trying to keep up with the object. Instead of deep blacks, we then see blooming, which simply looks bad and strongly distracts from the plot. Although the dimming system improves measurable contrast, in everyday use – especially with the lights off – its aggressive operation can be annoying. Often, a better option may be to... turn off this feature or set it to minimum, to enjoy stable, natural blacks from the VA panel itself.

The Frame LS03F is a television that can surprise with its brightness. The maximum luminance reaches around 650 nits, which already looks solid on paper. But as we know – lab tests are one thing, and real film scenes are quite another story. When watching HDR materials in natural conditions, The Frame 2025 maintains very good results. In most film scenes, peak brightness stayed at around 550–650 nits. This is enough to feel the difference between standard picture and that in HDR quality – bright highlights, reflections on water, or moonlight look distinct and impressive.

It's also worth noting that the LS03F is a QLED television, which translates to solid colour saturation. The coverage of the DCI-P3 colour space reaches about 92%, allowing for vibrant, intense colours in HDR content. It's not at the level of top premium models, but for a lifestyle screen – the result truly deserves recognition.

Let's talk now about how this TV shines. If you’re expecting dazzling light effects, we need to cool your enthusiasm. The LG QNED80A is a moderately bright television. Our measurements in most film scenes indicated values around 350-400 nits. That’s not enough to speak of a full, cinematic HDR experience and the feeling of that famous “high dynamic range” that flagship products offer. However, brightness is not everything. Although the QNED80A is not a “light monster,” it makes up for it in another key category: colours. This is where PFS technology comes into play, which LG marketers hide under the name QNED/NanoCell. With this trick, the TV offers a significantly wider colour palette than classic LCD constructions. In our tests, the coverage of the cinematic DCI-P3 palette reached a solid 93-94%. What does that mean for you? That even at lower brightness, when watching films in HDR, the colours will be vibrant, deep, and properly saturated. The image is not washed out but juicy, which is a significant advantage in this price range.

When it comes to picture quality right out of the box, even in Filmmaker mode, which is supposed to be the closest to reference, there were some issues. In both HD and 4K HDR content, we noticed clear deviations in white balance. The picture was heavily skewed towards red and blue, giving the screen a distinctive pinkish hue. This effect was most noticeable in bright scenes – for example, in shots with a lot of white, where neutral light should naturally dominate. In such moments, the screen clearly took on pink tones, which is also evident in the attached comparative photo. As for brightness characteristics – it wasn't as bad as one might expect given such colour inaccuracies. Analysis of the gamma curve and EOTF showed a slight brightening of the image compared to the reference, but not enough to drastically spoil the viewing experience.

It might seem that since the QNED80A is one model, it should offer the same picture regardless of the version. However, practice shows something completely different. Analyzing the variant with the VA panel in the best factory setting – that is, in Filmmaker Mode – we noticed a specific characteristic. This TV "out of the box" delivers a picture with a clear dominance of red and a deficiency of blue. Overall, it is very warm, almost hot. Many users might describe it as an "overly cinematic" picture, leaning towards sepia. Additionally, there is the issue of gamma curve – the TV has a tendency to slightly and artificially brighten scenes (gamma is too low), which causes the picture to lose some of its plasticity. The good news is that these are not panel errors, but merely software issues. As always in our tests, we performed professional calibration, which completely eliminated these drawbacks, restoring natural white balance and correct saturation.

After calibration, the movie mode gained a completely new quality. The issue of the pink tint, which was previously clearly visible, especially in bright scenes, has been effectively eliminated. Colours started to look significantly more natural, and the white balance no longer dominated the rest of the image. It was no longer the same oversaturated "picture from a box" – everything took on coherence and a cinematic character. Additionally, the tendency of the TV to slightly brighten scenes, previously visible in the EOTF curve analysis, has been partially corrected. Of course, within the limits of what the design allows without local dimming – it's difficult to speak of perfect brightness management here. Nevertheless, the final effect was definitely closer to what one might expect from a mode named Filmmaker.

Was it worth spending time on calibration? Definitely yes. We managed to tame the initial, overly warm white balance and, most importantly, correct the gamma curve. The television stopped artificially brightening scenes, resulting in a deeper image. The biggest gains are visible in SDR content, such as when watching regular television, YouTube, or playing games without HDR. Here, the QNED80A shows its class – colour reproduction errors (DeltaE) fell below a value of 2. In technical terms, this means the errors are essentially invisible to the human eye. The image in everyday use has simply become very attractive, natural, and correct. The difficulties start with HDR content. Although we managed to improve the white balance, the EOTF curve (responsible for brightness at various levels) shows that the television still "interprets" the image in its own way. This results from the nature of the edge-lit backlighting with local dimming and the fact that LG gives the calibrator very little control over this parameter. In short: the television struggles to hide its hardware shortcomings, sometimes ignoring our commands. Nevertheless, the final image is significantly more accurate and pleasant to view than the factory settings, even if it still lacks a bit compared to studio perfection.

In terms of the smoothness of tonal transitions, the LS03F maintains a high standard – just like last year's models. The television didn’t have any issues during testing of more challenging film scenes, where visible transitions between shades can easily occur. The colour gradation performs very well here – both in lighter and darker parts of the image. We did not observe the typical banding effect or any other disturbances that could be noticeable while watching films. If we were to nitpick, in the most demanding scenes – with subtle transitions and delicate gradients – minor imperfections can be seen. But only if you get really close to the screen and start analysing the image from an unintended distance.

We've also got excellent news for those sensitive to digital artifacts. Regardless of which version of the panel you get, the LG QNED80A excels at gradation, or the smooth blending of colours. In this price range, it's common to see ugly, separated bands instead of a smooth transition (e.g., from bright sky blue to navy). Here, this problem hardly exists. In our tests, both in very bright parts of the image (like sunsets) and in challenging, dark shades of grey, the picture remained uniform and natural. We didn't notice the annoying effect of "banding" or distinct lines connecting colours.

LS03F is equipped with an NQ4 processor, which is responsible for improving image quality – especially in lower-quality materials. In practice, it works surprisingly well, particularly when it comes to older content and recordings with lower resolution. Activating the "noise reduction" feature delivers noticeable results. The television effectively smooths tonal transitions and removes digital noise that can appear in darker areas of the image. Compared to previous generations, there is a clear improvement – earlier, this feature often smoothed everything too much, including details that it shouldn't have removed. In this year’s model, the smoothing still occurs, but it happens in a much more acceptable way. Textures of materials, skin, or fabric details are not as heavily muted as before – the image retains more naturalness. However, this does not change the fact that film grain is still removed by the television, which may not appeal to everyone. On the other hand, it's no longer such an aggressive intervention as in previous models. It's also worth mentioning that the LS03F may struggle with very weak signals – for example, from VHS tapes or low-resolution video. In such cases, we noticed slight clipping of the image at the edges – the so-called overscan. This can lead to situations where a small part of the image (e.g., subtitles at the bottom edge) gets cut off.

In this category, the QNED80A turns out to be a true "dark horse". It's a fantastic, affordable television for those who often watch lower quality content – for example, from traditional cable TV. The processor used here handles upscaling incredibly well, enhancing low resolutions to native 4K. The image after processing is natural, smooth, and most importantly – it is not overly jagged or artificially sharpened. In the menu, we also find a dedicated option for smoothing tonal transitions in low-quality content. This feature works really effectively, eliminating the annoying "banding" of colours during heavy video compression. However, we must remain vigilant. Remember, we are not dealing with the top-tier processor known from flagship OLED models. In more challenging scenes, the system might struggle and introduce minor artefacts or distortions. Nevertheless, it's definitely worth giving this feature a chance, because in the majority of cases, the quality improvement is visible to the naked eye.

The new feature in The Frame for 2025 is a 144 Hz refresh rate display. Yes – in a television primarily associated with displaying works of art, you can now not only watch Van Gogh, but also comfortably play on a console or follow fast-paced sporting events. This is a significant step towards greater versatility. In the case of Samsung movies, as usual in models with a 120 Hz display and above, it allows you to adjust motion fluidity according to your preferences. You can set a more cinematic reproduction that maintains frame rate or opt for complete image smoothing. The range of options is broad, allowing you to tailor the effect to your tastes – regardless of whether the screening is meant to look like classic cinema or a performance on a modern theatre panel.

*this part of the test refers to the model LS03FAU in sizes 55 and 65 inches, which is equipped with a 144Hz display; the sizes 43 and 50 inches have 60Hz displays, and consequently perform much worse in terms of motion fluidity.

We move on to a topic that may be crucial for many. Unfortunately, here we must point out the biggest "Achilles' heel" of the QNED80A model. This television is equipped with a panel that has a native refresh rate of 60Hz. There’s no denying it – at this price, we were hoping for more as we know that Chinese manufacturers can offer 120Hz screens for similar money. Due to this parameter, dynamic scenes in sports or fast-paced games are not the strongest point of this screen. Fortunately, LG has equipped the television with a proven smoothing system called TruMotion. It works quite well with film material (24 frames). We suggest playing around with the De-Judder slider – from our experience, setting it in the range of 2-4 provides the best compromise: motion becomes smoother, yet still looks natural, without the artificial "television theatre" effect.

As we mentioned earlier – while The Frame is likely to display images and works of art most of the time, Samsung realised that a Van Gogh enthusiast could equally well be an avid gamer. And it must be said that The Frame 2025 has almost everything it needs to become a full-fledged gaming TV.

Onboard, we find support for ALLM (Auto Low Latency Mode) and Variable Refresh Rate (VRR) thanks to the implementation of one HDMI 2.1 port. The television handles lower resolutions at higher refresh rates with ease and has an extensive Game Bar – already known from other Samsung models – which allows for quick viewing and changing of the most important gaming-related settings. And for that, it scores extra points with us. The proprietary motion smoothing technology, Auto Motion Plus Game, also deserves special mention, which – it’s worth emphasising – works without increasing input lag. Samsung remains the only manufacturer that has managed to implement this feature in a virtually unnoticed way in terms of delays. The result? Much better smoothness in games, especially those that struggle to maintain stable 60 frames. This solution can significantly improve gameplay comfort in more demanding titles – particularly on consoles that don’t always maintain full fluidity, especially in AAA games.

As for the downsides – the lack of Dolby Vision is already regarded as standard in Samsung televisions, so there’s not much to critique here. However, the problem is something completely different. In the latest version of the Tizen system, the HGiG option has disappeared. Literally – it’s gone. This is a significant hindrance when configuring consoles for the correct HDR content display in games. It's hard to understand why such a decision was made, but one thing is certain – ~~this should be fixed as soon as possible.~~ ~~We are talking about a brand that has set standards for years when it comes to gaming on TVs. If HGiG returns – and we hope it will –~~ The Frame LS03F can confidently aspire to the title of a true gaming television. Not just as a wall decoration but as equipment that truly provides joy in gaming.

[UPDATE] We have updated our tests of Samsung televisions from the 2025 model year due to the release of software version 1131, which restored the key gaming feature, HGiG.

Since we've already established that the QNED80A is a 60Hz TV, we must say it straight: we won't be gaming here at 120 frames per second at any resolution. Does this disqualify the device in the eyes of gamers? Not necessarily, especially for those "casual" players. LG decided to sweeten this technical limitation by packing in quite a few useful features. We have support for VRR (Variable Refresh Rate) in the range of 48-60Hz and an automatic game mode ALLM, which instantly reduces input lag upon detecting a console. We manage all of this via a very convenient, purple Game Optimizer menu (Player Panel), which has become LG's hallmark. The manufacturer deserves big points for consistency regarding HDR. Although the TV does not support Dolby Vision in games on Xbox consoles, LG adds a well-implemented HGiG standard. Thanks to this, even on a screen with moderate brightness, playing in HDR is clear, and the details in shadows and highlights are accurately rendered, rather than being "clipped".

When it comes to input lag, Samsung maintains a very high standard. The LS03F, like most of this year's models from the brand, achieves a score of 8 ms for 4K content, which is practically a benchmark value. This result allows you to play even the most dynamic titles without delays and with complete responsiveness. Well done!

At the end of the gaming section, let's take a look at how quickly the TV responds to our commands. The input lag measured by us in the QNED80A model is approximately 15 ms (at 60Hz signal). These may not be values that will revolutionise the market or amaze professional e-sports players fighting for every millisecond. However, for the typical console gamer, this result is more than sufficient. During gameplay testing, we did not experience any annoying "float" of the reticle or delay between pressing the button on the controller and the reaction on the screen. The entertainment is smooth and comfortable, and that is the most important thing in home gaming.

Collaboration of The Frame 2025 with a computer poses no major issues. Let's start with gaming, as this is where this model shows its strengths – support for 144 Hz signal, low input lag, and compatibility with G-Sync technology (for NVIDIA cards) make it hard not to consider it a full-fledged gaming monitor. It’s one of the more interesting "gaming with PC" televisions available on the market in this class.

When it comes to everyday work, the situation looks just as good. The Frame easily handles chroma 4:4:4, which translates to good font readability and overall user comfort. We only noticed slight issues with dimming very thin lines and dark details on a light background – this effect may occur, particularly when working with small interface elements. In practice, however, with a 55-inch screen and standard office working distances, it will be hard to realistically notice this problem. Nonetheless, it's worth keeping this in mind if the television is to serve as a monitor not only for entertainment but also for precise graphic or text work.

Is the QNED80A suitable for connecting a computer? For the version with a VA panel, the answer is: absolutely. If you plan to use this TV as a massive monitor for work, you won’t be disappointed. The readability of the fonts is very high – text is sharp, clear, and doesn’t strain the eyes, which isn’t always a given with large screens. Added to that is the low input lag we mentioned earlier. This makes mouse work precise, and you won’t feel that characteristic “floating” of the cursor. Of course, due to the 60Hz refresh rate, it’s not the ideal gear for e-sports players on PC, but for text work, browsing the web, or occasional strategy gaming, it will perform brilliantly.

As one could expect from a VA panel, the viewing angles on The Frame 2025 are at best mediocre. The image loses saturation and contrast when viewed off-axis. It's a shame, because we're talking about a model that displays digital artworks in standby mode – and it's precisely in such moments that wide viewing angles would make the most sense, enhancing the feeling of interacting with a real piece of art rather than just its screen imitation.

Perhaps in the future, manufacturers will decide to introduce special coatings or modified versions of VA panels that improve this aspect – as it would have real significance not only in terms of functionality but also aesthetics for lifestyle televisions.

Deciding on the VA panel version, you need to be aware of a certain compromise. You get great blacks and contrast, but you pay for it with narrow viewing angles. This is a typical feature of this technology, and the QNED80A is no exception. If you sit perfectly straight in front of the screen, the picture will be brilliant. However, simply moving to the side of the sofa or stepping away to the kitchenette will reveal image degradation. Colours begin to lose their saturation, becoming washed out, and the deep black that we praised starts to grey. Therefore, this variant of the television is best suited for those who have their favourite spot in the middle of the sofa and rarely watch TV in a large group spread out across the living room.

One of the most distinctive features of The Frame is its matte display – and it must be said that Samsung has really perfected this aspect. From our experience, it's one of the best solutions for reducing reflections, especially direct ones. If reflections on the screen can be irritating, it will be hard to find a better screen in this budget than the matte panel used in Samsung TVs. Of course, this comes with a certain compromise. In very bright sunlight, colours may appear slightly faded, and the image loses a bit of depth. However, this is something we consciously accept when opting for a matte screen – you win some, you lose some. In practice, the colours and contrast on Samsung's matte screen still outperform those on Chinese models such as TCL NXT Vision or Hisense Canvas TV. If effective reduction of reflections is a priority and you want to use the TV also as a “digital artwork” in bright rooms, it’s hard to make a better choice.

The Frame achieves around 600 nits of brightness, which, combined with the matte coating, ensures that the TV performs well in well-lit daytime conditions. It may not be at the level of flagship models, but in everyday use – in a living room with plenty of light – it handles it without any problems.

How does the QNED80A perform when we don’t have the curtains drawn? Let’s be clear: it’s not the brightest TV on the market, so if your living room resembles a glasshouse at noon, this screen may struggle against the intense sunlight. For extremely challenging lighting conditions, we would suggest looking for something with higher brightness (e.g. Mini LED). However, the TV excels in another way – the type of coating used on the panel. The manufacturer has opted for a satin finish (semi-matte). This is a great decision. Unlike glossy coatings that act like mirrors, this coating effectively dampens and diffuses light reflections. As a result, in typical, moderate lighting conditions, a lamp beside it or a window to the side won’t be distracting, and the viewing experience will remain enjoyable.

Classic TV Features

In terms of classic features, The Frame doesn’t stand out in any significant way compared to its competitors. There’s no option for USB recording or PiP (picture in picture), which may be disappointing for some users. On the other hand, the TV allows simultaneous use of speakers and headphones, which can be useful – especially for older users. The EPG, or electronic programme guide, is quite readable, and despite the absence of traditional buttons on the remote, we managed to launch even the teletext. In everyday use, the basic functions work smoothly and without major complaints.

Smart System – Tizen and Apps

The Frame 2025 runs on the Tizen system, which has been regarded as one of the most refined Smart TV solutions on the market for years. It’s a system designed for devices that are more than just a television – and it has been designed with this spirit in mind. Tizen offers full integration with external devices – supporting both Apple AirPlay and Miracast. Thanks to the SmartThings app, it’s possible to control not only the television but also other devices within the smart home framework. Since last year, Samsung has also been developing its own voice assistant with support for the Polish language, which significantly facilitates operation. However, the greatest strength of the Smart system in The Frame remains the Art Gallery app. Although access to it is paid (via subscription), it offers the best art scans on the market – we’re talking about scans, not just ordinary photos. This makes the effect of a digital painting hanging on the wall appear significantly better than in any other lifestyle TV.

Smart TV System and WebOS

A major plus for LG TVs – even those in the lower or mid-price range – is that the manufacturer does not treat them "shabbily" regarding software. The QNED80A runs on the latest version of the WebOS system, which performed excellently during our tests. The interface operated smoothly, responded quickly to commands, and most importantly – was very intuitive. Much of the credit goes to the famous Magic Remote control, which acts like a computer mouse – we control the cursor on the screen with wrist movements. However, there’s a surprise in store for you. In the 2025 model, the controller underwent quite a drastic transformation. It has been minimised and slimmed down. Modern users are likely to appreciate this change, as the remote fits nicely in the hand and looks more "premium". However, traditionalists may feel disappointed – miniaturisation has come at a cost, including the removal of the classic numerical keypad, which may make quickly selecting channels more difficult.

Classic Functions and Multimedia

When it comes to so-called classic functions, the QNED80A does not attempt to be a revolutionary device. It is simply solid equipment that does what it was designed to do. There are no hidden "gizmos" here, but we also didn’t feel like anything was missing. The traditional Teletext works flawlessly, and the wireless connectivity modules (like Bluetooth and Wi-Fi) are stable and quickly pair with external devices, such as headphones or a soundbar. In this regard, the TV doesn’t throw any obstacles in our way – it functions as we expect, not standing out in any particular way from the competition, but also not giving us any reasons to complain.

During testing, we didn't notice any major issues with playing files from a USB memory stick. The television handled both video materials and photos well. Of course, there are some exceptions – for example, the lack of support for the HEIC format (used by Apple devices) – but it's hard to consider this surprising. On the positive side, it fully supports high-resolution photos – the television displays high megapixel files without any problems, which can be significant for those wanting to treat The Frame as a digital photo frame as well. However, during testing, we noticed a limitation regarding subtitles – the television only correctly handled files in .txt format. It's worth keeping this in mind and ensuring that downloaded subtitles for films are saved in this format; otherwise, they may simply not display.

How does the QNED80A perform as a home multimedia centre? After connecting an external drive or USB stick, the television effortlessly recognises and plays the vast majority of popular video and audio formats. One can confidently say that in everyday use, you will rarely encounter a file that refuses to play. However, we must point out a certain catch resulting from the software architecture. WebOS is a closed system. What does this mean for you? It means that if the built-in player cannot handle some exotic format, we do not have a "lifebuoy." We cannot just go to the store and download an external application like VLC that "plays everything," as is the case with Android or Google TV. The specific shortcomings we managed to identify mainly concern graphic files. The television does not support the HEIC format, which is a standard in Apple devices (iPhone/iPad). Photos with very high resolution (in the range of 20-28 Mpix) also proved problematic – when trying to open them, the system often faltered. It is worth keeping this in mind if you plan to view holiday photos directly from the drive.

For such a slim television, the sound is quite decent. It’s full, adequate for everyday viewing, but lacks much excitement – typical of flat designs. There's not much bass, although at times it can be heard. The speakers in a 2.0.2 configuration have a total power of 40 W. (in the 55+ inch version) Unfortunately, the television does not support DTS format, so for movies with that sound, you'll need to rely on external equipment, like a home theatre system. You can connect a soundbar, and thanks to the Q-Symphony feature, the television plays along with it. Samsung also offers visually matching models for The Frame like S700D or S800D, but they are sold separately. (This shouldn’t really surprise anyone😉).

When it comes to audio, the LG QNED80A doesn't try to enchant us. It simply performs like... a typical flat-screen TV. The built-in speaker system with a total power of 20W isn't the strongest aspect of this set. If you're expecting a cinematic punch or depth known from pricier models equipped with subwoofers, you'll feel a bit shortchanged. There's simply a lack of bass here, and the sound is quite flat. However, we must give this model credit in one aspect: clarity of transmission. When scenes based on conversations appear on the screen, the QNED80A handles it quite well. Dialogues are clear, separated, and – importantly – undistorted. There’s no crackling effect at higher volumes. It's sufficient for everyday TV, but for films, we definitely recommend purchasing at least a basic soundbar.

Samsung The Frame 2025 (LS03F) vs LG QNED80A6A (VA)

Advantages

Disadvantages

Our verdict

TV appearance

Where to buy

Contrast and black detail

HDR effect quality

Factory color reproduction

Color reproduction after calibration

Smoothness of tonal transitions

Image scaling and smoothness of tonal transitions

Blur and motion smoothness

Console compatibility and gaming features

Input lag

Compatibility with PC

Viewing angles

Daytime performance

Panel details

TV features

Classic features:

Smart features:

Classic TV Features

Smart System – Tizen and Apps

Smart TV System and WebOS

Classic Functions and Multimedia

Apps

Playing files from USB

Sound

Sound Quality Test

Acoustic Measurements