Samsung The Frame LS03D vs SONY BRAVIA 3

Samsung The Frame LS03D really does well with brightness. Results at the level of 700 nits make bright elements on the screen look impressive and detailed, whether they illuminate the entire screen or appear as tiny points of light on a dark background. In more demanding scenes, like the fourth sequence from the film Sicario 2, the blacks perform moderately, but we have already discussed this in the section on contrast. However, when it comes to brightness – this television definitely holds its own. An additional advantage is the quantum dot coating, which is QLED technology. Thanks to this, the coverage of the colour palette has been improved, although The Frame does not stand out in this regard compared to the competition.

Bravia 3 does not hide the fact that it belongs to a group of TVs that are rather modest in terms of brightness. Our measurements showed around 370 nits, which is a value balancing on the brink where any HDR effect can still be discussed. For some, this is an acceptable level, while for others it is more typical for SDR materials, where spectacular flashes or vivid contrasts are not expected. The impression is that this is not a TV for those focused on the highest image quality in demanding film content. However, this does not mean that there are no advantages to be found here. Compared to its predecessor, the X75WL, the Bravia 3 has gained an additional PFS filter, which works similarly to solutions known from QLED technology. Thanks to this, the DCI-P3 color gamut has been significantly expanded, reaching over 91 percent, which in practice results in more saturated colours and a more pleasing texture of the image. As a result, even everyday content looks a bit more vibrant, and films and series can surprise with their colourful presentation, despite limitations in brightness itself.

Samsung offers several picture modes in its televisions, but without a doubt, Filmmaker Mode is the one that should provide the most natural representation of content. Unfortunately, as often happens with mass production, the differences between individual units can be quite significant, and our tested model did not escape a few issues.

In the case of SDR content, the white balance leaned heavily towards red, with a slight boost in blue. This effect was particularly noticeable in comparison photos – for example, in a photograph of a boy whose face was unnaturally flushed. The gamma, or brightness characteristic, also did not perform perfectly – the image was slightly brightened, which robbed it of depth.

In 4K HDR content, the white balance was once again dominated by red, this time combined with green. Meanwhile, blue clearly lost intensity, which could easily be seen on the Color Checker palette, where the colours began to "escape" in the wrong direction. The EOTF curve, responsible for brightness in HDR content, showed that the television tended to overly brighten the image, particularly in the darkest elements of scenes.

Overall, while it did not look terrible, it definitely required correction. Fortunately, Samsung offers extensive calibration options, which provides a chance for a significant improvement in picture quality. Therefore, we proceeded with professional calibration to unlock the full potential of this television.

We primarily tested the Sony Bravia 3 in movie mode, which immediately turned out to be the best choice among the factory settings. It's not a perfect picture, but compared to the eco mode that the TV suggests straight out of the box, the difference is evident and definitely better. In movie mode, there is a noticeable issue: the picture seems too warm, which is due to the lack of blue colour in the white balance. Nevertheless, in SDR content, the final effect can still be considered quite decent and satisfactory for everyday viewing. Much more serious errors arise in HDR materials. The Color Checker analysis showed significant deviations, and poor brightness management, combined with limited colour gamut coverage, further exposes the shortcomings of the picture in this mode. All of this makes HDR on the Bravia 3 look unconvincing and can ruin the impression left by the otherwise quite decent SDR content settings. Fortunately, it’s not a hopeless situation. Various errors can be somewhat mitigated, and some can even be completely corrected through professional calibration. That's why we decided to check how the TV would perform after such adjustments.

After professional calibration, the Filmmaker Mode showcases its full potential. The white balance in HD content is exemplary – errors at the level of 0.5 indicate almost perfect accuracy in colour reproduction. The image now appears natural, and the colours are exactly as they should be. In 4K HDR content, the effect is not quite as perfect, but it still maintains a really high standard. The colours are vibrant, well-saturated, and the overall image quality is impressive.

So where does the problem lie, given our praise for the colour reproduction? Unfortunately, the entire experience is disrupted by the brightness characteristics. The gamma in HD content looks decent, but in 4K HDR, it’s not as good. The EOTF curve shows that the television excessively brightens certain parts of the image, which is a result of design limitations. The lack of local dimming means that the television is unable to accurately control the differences between the brightest and darkest areas of the screen. This is a barrier that simply cannot be overcome in this model.

Nonetheless, after calibration, Samsung The Frame LS03D offers excellent colour reproduction, particularly in HD content, and the overall look is significantly better than before the settings were adjusted.

Calibration allowed us to extract significantly more from ChooseTV 3 than we could have expected at the beginning. First and foremost, it managed to address the deficiency of blue, which previously caused a noticeable warming of the image. After a slight adjustment in white balance, most errors in the Color Checker measurements for SDR content practically disappeared. The whites took on a natural tone, and brightness management in gamma stabilised to an almost ideal level, not exceeding the threshold of what the human eye can perceive. So it is safe to say that in SDR content, after a few adjustments in the settings, ChooseTV 3 performs really well. It fares much worse, although still definitely better than before calibration, when it comes to HDR content. The white balance has been brought in line, but the limitations of the IPS panel are insurmountable. The lack of local dimming means that even the smallest elements can be overexposed, which is immediately noticeable. Colour-wise, the effect has also improved, although it is far from perfect – many errors still exceed the threshold of four, and even five delta E units, remaining visible to the human eye. It was already clear earlier that ChooseTV 3 is not a television designed to impress with HDR quality. Nevertheless, it is pleasing that in SDR content, after calibration, the picture can look really great and in this category, the television pleasantly surprised us.

It's time to check how Samsung The Frame LS03D copes with older, lower-quality materials. We already know that the smoothness of tonal transitions is at a very high level, so we were curious to see how the TV would handle smoothing them out.

The noise reduction feature in the “Standard” setting does its job well – tonal transitions are noticeably smoothed out, and the image doesn’t lose too much detail. However, it’s worth noting that this effect also smooths out film grain, so its usage will be a matter of individual preference.

When it comes to image scaling, the TV performed really well too. The tested image came out solid – the model was accurately represented, with clear details. The branches in the background, although slightly frayed in places, generally look natural and do not stand out as a flaw.

Bravia 3 brings something more to the Sony television family than just a shared name. It stands out primarily for its ability to enhance the quality of weaker materials thanks to the processor used. Of course, we won’t find the advanced XR chip known from more expensive models here, but nonetheless, it must be said that the image in lower resolution looked surprisingly good. The scaling worked effectively, and most areas of the screen were free from the typical excessive edge roughness found in budget constructions.

Also worthy of attention is the function that improves the smoothness of tonal transitions. In high setting, it works really well, effectively masking gradation imperfections without significant loss of detail. It does happen that the algorithm overzealously smooths elements that should remain sharp – for example, faces – however, in the overall assessment, the effect is beneficial. The best results were achieved precisely at the highest setting, and this is the option we could recommend to those watching lower-quality content.

To start off, it’s worth noting that the model we tested in the 55-inch size, along with the 65, 75, and 85-inch versions, is equipped with a 120 Hz panel. Unfortunately, the 43 and 50-inch variants of this series only offer 60 Hz panels, which is worth considering when making a purchase. In terms of improving motion fluidity, the TV offers a feature called “Image Clarity.” This is a classic motion smoother that gives users the ability to adjust using two sliders:

Blur Reduction – this controls image sharpening during dynamic scenes. The higher the value, the less blurring occurs during fast camera moves or moving objects. However, setting it too aggressively can make the image look unnatural and resemble a “soap opera.”

Judder Reduction – this slider affects the smoothness of frame playback, especially in materials with lower frame rates, such as movies (24 fps). Higher settings can smooth out motion but can also lead to excessive “plasticity” of the image.

Both sliders operate on a scale from 0 to 10, allowing for precise adjustment of the effect to personal preferences. It’s a good idea to experiment with the settings to find the perfect balance between fluidity and a natural look for the image. We recommend setting them as shown in the picture.

Motion smoothness has never been a strong point of televisions equipped with 60 Hz panels, and the Bravia 3 is no exception. Nevertheless, Sony has included something that may appeal to those more sensitive to the way images are displayed. I'm talking about the proprietary motion smoother, Motion Flow, which gives the user plenty of adjustment options. With it, one can make the image smoother, almost theatrical, or stick to a more cinematic style with characteristic judder that many people simply associate with a filmic atmosphere. These functions work with content at lower frame rates, such as films and series recorded at 24 or 30 frames per second, which is the material we deal with on a daily basis. This is precisely where the motion smoother proves to be one of the most important features in everyday TV usage, and here, the Bravia 3 performs really decently.

The Frame LS03D in the 2024 version is equipped with four HDMI ports, but only one supports the 2.1 standard with a bandwidth of 40 Gb/s. This is important information if we plan to connect more than one device that requires a 4K@120 Hz signal – for example, two consoles or a console and a gaming PC.

In terms of features for gamers, The Frame truly has a lot to boast about. We have ALLM (Auto Low Latency Mode), VRR (Variable Refresh Rate) and HGiG. It’s worth mentioning that HGiG has been very well implemented here, which is particularly important as the television does not support Dolby Vision in games (which is only available on Xbox consoles). In this case, HGiG turns out to be a better standard for gaming.

Samsung hasn't forgotten about features that enhance the gaming experience. Game Bar is an expanded panel for gamers that allows quick adjustment of screen settings without having to dig through the television menu. We can even change the aspect ratio from 16:9 to the panoramic 21:9, which can be a significant advantage for some gamers.

However, Samsung's biggest ace up its sleeve is the Game Motion Plus feature. This is a special smoother dedicated to games that adds additional frames of animation without significantly affecting input lag. The effect is really noticeable – the image seems much smoother, which will be particularly appreciated by fans of dynamic titles.

In summary – Samsung The Frame LS03D is a television that offers a solid set of features for gamers. Although the limitation to one HDMI 2.1 port may be a downside, the rest of the solutions make gaming on this television a truly enjoyable experience.

Bravia 3 is not gear for e-sports enthusiasts or fans of late-night marathons with a controller in hand. The lack of 120 Hz refresh rate and HDMI 2.1 ports shuts down the conversation before it even gets started. This is a TV for casual gamers who, after work, will fire up FIFA or racing games, not for someone who measures every frame in a spreadsheet. Nonetheless, Sony has thrown in a few nice additions so it’s not completely sparse. ALLM works as it should, automatically switching the TV to game mode (low latency). We even find a simple Game Bar here, which is clear and intuitive. However, the biggest curiosity here is the PlayStation Portal app. Thanks to this, you can launch PS5 games wirelessly and see them right on the TV screen. It sounds great, but it only takes a few minutes to feel significant lag. In our opinion, it's more of a showcase of capabilities than something that can be used day-to-day. If someone really wants to game, it's better to plug the console in with an HDMI cable and forget about wireless issues.