Katarzyna Petru
Another competitor has appeared in the TV market for the popular Samsung The Frame – this time from the brand iFFALCON. If you are hearing this name for the first time, it's not surprising. It is a sub-brand of TCL, one of the largest TV manufacturers in the world, which specialises in more budget-friendly but still well-equipped devices.
The new model is called iFFALCON Mural and is an attempt to respond to the recently fashionable "gallery TV", that is, televisions styled as pictures. It's about equipment that doesn't look like a classic television, but more like a photo frame. It is meant to hang flat on the wall and, when you are not watching a film or series, display digital works of art. Sounds familiar? Because that's exactly what Samsung The Frame does – but for much more money.
Design like a painting, art like from a gallery
iFFALCON Mural is designed to operate very similarly. When you are not watching television, you can activate the "picture" mode, which displays classic works of art (available in the art store), generative art created by AI, or simply your own photos. This visual element is crucial for all such models – they are meant to look aesthetic, without ruining the interior with a large black screen.
Interestingly, although Mural is a budget device, its specifications do not suggest that at all.
What's inside? A lot for such a price
The television is equipped with a QLED 4K UHD panel that covers as much as 93% of the DCI-P3 colour space. It also features a 144 Hz refresh rate and supports AMD FreeSync Premium, meaning it's suitable not just for watching art but also for dynamic gaming. In comparison, the basic The Frame only has 120 Hz, while the Mini-LED model (The Frame Pro) is a considerably larger expense.
iFFALCON has also not skimped on HDR formats – Dolby Vision IQ, HDR10+, HDR10, HLG, and HGIG are all onboard. It’s worth adding that Samsung – even in its more expensive models – still does not support Dolby Vision.
The system is Google TV, so access to Netflix, YouTube, HBO, or Disney+ is standard. As for sound, it’s impressive as well – we have Dolby Atmos and DTS:X, which is really solid for this price range.
The price that makes a difference
And here we come to the key point. Mural TV is significantly cheaper than The Frame. In the USA, the prices are as follows:
55 inches – 565 dollars (~£447)
65 inches – 749 dollars (~£592)
75 inches – 1,129 dollars (~£892)
In comparison, Samsung The Frame in the 65-inch version costs 1,499 dollars (~£1,184). The difference is clear – iFFALCON offers equipment nearly half the price, and in some aspects even better.
But not everything is so beautiful…
It is worth noting that Samsung still has the best digital art store on the market. The company has signed exclusive agreements with many world galleries, which allows it to offer works that you won't find anywhere else. This could be an argument for those who buy such a television more for its decorative function than its technological one.
Meanwhile, on the market there is also the Hisense S7N Canvas TV – also a 'picture' type television, but significantly more expensive than the Mural. The 55-inch version costs £899 (approximately $1210), so iFFALCON again comes out better in terms of price.
So do we have a competitor to The Frame, or not?
iFFALCON Mural is an interesting alternative to The Frame – cheaper, and in some aspects even better. It's aimed at those looking for a television styled as a picture, but who do not want to pay over the odds for a brand. Of course, if you primarily care about access to the greatest works of art, Samsung is still the leader. But if you are looking for a good panel, support for all modern formats, and decent design at a good price – iFFALCON could be just the ticket.
Source: hdtvtest.co.uk
