Samsung The Frame 2025 is a television unlike any other – and although competition has emerged for it, it still does it best. The matte panel, flush mounting with the wall, and a single thin cable thanks to the One Connect module make the device resemble a picture more than any other screen. The Art Store app continues to offer the best scans of artworks on the market (even if they are subscription-based), and with interchangeable frames, we can adapt the TV to the interior almost like a piece of furniture. As for the picture itself, since we are also talking about an ordinary television, there are no major changes, but there are also no disappointments compared to last year’s model LS03D. The Frame still offers high native contrast and solid brightness at 600 nits, which combined with the matte finish provides very comfortable daytime use. The colours are not as vibrant as in glossy screens, but against the backdrop of competitive matte constructions, they perform the best. A novelty is the 144 Hz refresh rate, although in practice, mainly PC gamers will benefit from it. Indeed, in terms of gaming features, The Frame has nearly everything: low input lag, variable refresh rate (VRR) support, automatic game mode (ALLM), Game Bar, and a unique motion smoother designed for games. Unfortunately, not everything is as perfect as it might seem. Why? Because the HGiG mode is missing, which has suddenly disappeared from the latest version of the Tizen system. Samsung really should respond to this, as for many gamers it is a key element in choosing a screen. And we fully understand that. Even though LS03F The Frame 2025 does not bring greater revolutions, it is still a unique television that, apart from its appearance, offers quite solid picture quality and extensive gaming features. It’s a pity that year after year we also receive new compromises.
The debut of the Haier brand in the European television market with the K85F model feels hurried, and after thorough testing, it seems almost unfinished. Analyzing this product leads us to a fundamental conclusion: its biggest problem is not the quality of the panel used. This, considering the price segment, is simply average, with the typical advantages of VA technology in the form of high contrast and equally typical disadvantages, such as poor viewing angles. What truly disqualifies this model as a home entertainment centre is the glaring lack of engineering refinement and, above all, software development. The list of shortcomings is long and starts from the very first contact with the device. Sloppy assembly, which could have been avoided during quality control, a poorly optimised and badly translated Google TV system, or annoying issues with basic functions like pairing the remote – all contribute to the picture of a product that seems to have been released to market without due diligence. The catastrophic image quality in HDR mode, resulting not only from low brightness but also from a complete lack of intelligent adaptation to the signal, only adds to this disappointing picture. However, it turns out that this model has a surprising second face. One needs to look at it not through the lens of a home television, but rather as a large and inexpensive display for special tasks. Then its shortcomings become less important, and unexpected advantages come to the fore: a fantastically working media player with USB, remarkable font readability from a PC, and access to a vast application database. In this role – as a screen in a conference room, hotel lobby, or simple advertising player – the Haier K85F performs surprisingly well. For the typical user looking for a reliable and simply well-functioning television for the living room in 2025, however, the Haier K85F is a proposal that is incredibly difficult to recommend with a clear conscience. It is a product full of contradictions, which fails in its primary, intended function on too many fronts.