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

Samsung The Frame 2025 is a television unlike any other – and even though competition has emerged, it still does it best. The matte display, flush mounting 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 continues to offer the best art scans on the market (even if they are subscription-based), and with interchangeable frames, we can adapt the TV to our interior almost like a piece of furniture. As for the picture itself, because we are also talking about an ordinary television, there are no significant changes, but also no disappointments compared to last year's LS03D model. The Frame still offers a 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 competing matte constructions – they perform the best. A novelty is the 144 Hz refresh rate, although in practice, mainly PC gamers will benefit from it. And indeed – in terms of gaming features, The Frame has almost everything: low input lag, variable refresh rate (VRR) support, auto low latency mode (ALLM), Game Bar, and a unique motion smoother designed for games. Unfortunately, not everything is as perfect as it might seem. Why? Well, because the HGiG mode is missing, which suddenly disappeared from the latest version of the Tizen system. And Samsung really should respond here because for many gamers, it’s a crucial aspect of choosing a screen. And we fully understand that. Even though LS03F The Frame 2025 does not bring significant revolutions, it remains a unique television that, aside from its appearance, offers a quite solid picture and extensive gaming features. It’s just a shame that year after year we also get new compromises.

[UPDATE] We have updated our tests of Samsung televisions from the 2025 range due to the release of software version 1131, which restored the crucial HGiG function 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 is equipment that film lovers who enjoy evening screenings will appreciate, provided they... accept certain shortcomings. We get really solid blacks and contrast here, but we pay for it with narrow viewing angles. There’s no point in hiding it: this is a television for those who have their favourite spot in the middle of the sofa. Of course, you can feel some budget cuts here – the 60Hz panel and edge dimming, which sometimes struggles in challenging scenes, are elements that remind you this is not the top tier of televisions. However, LG cleverly compensates for these hardware deficiencies with excellent software. It is quite surprising how well this television manages to extract details in HDR or upscale lower quality material from cable – the processor does a great job here, making the picture appear more expensive than it actually is. If we add to this the excellent WebOS system and gaming features, which, despite the lack of 120Hz, perform admirably, we get a very successful screen for home cinema. It requires a certain understanding, but in return, it rewards you with a truly vibrant image at an affordable price.

The year 2025 promises 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 shall see shortly – is quite significant. The standard model LS03F lacks any local dimming technology, unlike its more expensive sibling. This is important because 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 to its advantage. In the tested film scenes, details in the dark areas of the image were well visible, nothing blended together, and there was no formation of a uniform black/white blob. For the average viewer, this will be more than sufficient. But of course, not everything is perfect. The absence of local dimming means that the black levels on this television are not perfectly deep – they resemble dark navy rather than tar. Additionally, in our tested unit, we noticed slight blooming in the right part of the screen, but this could simply be the “quirk of the specimen” 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, this is rather impossible, as this television is meant to sit flush against the wall like a picture. So to achieve a better black visible to our eyes, we are forced to watch the LS03F with the lights on. That’s the charm of this technology.

The model we tested, with a 55-inch diagonal, is equipped with a VA panel. And here we have great news: this is a huge advantage over the IPS version if you care about deep blacks and a vivid picture. 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 truly black, not grey, which works very well for occasional evening viewing and is not annoying. Interestingly, there were moments when our measurement devices indicated contrast levels of over 20,000:1. Where does such a jump come from? The LG QNED80A is equipped with a Local Dimming system. However, this is an edge-lit setup. This means that the television can dim vertical backlight strips where the image is supposed to be dark. In theory, this sounds great and indeed allows for better numbers in graphs than with a classic LCD screen. Unfortunately, practice can be brutal. The use of edge dimming is a double-edged sword that can spoil the film viewing experience in challenging scenes. An ideal example is the helicopter scene in the film Sicario 2. When there is a lot of black on the screen and small, bright points, the dimming system starts to work 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 a glow (blooming), which simply looks bad and detracts significant attention from the plot. Although the dimming system improves measurable contrast, in everyday use – especially with the lights off – its aggressive operation can be irritating. Often, a better solution may turn out to be... turning off this feature or setting it to minimum, to enjoy a stable, natural black of 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 impressive on paper. But as we know, laboratory tests are one thing, and real film scenes are quite another. When watching HDR materials in natural conditions, The Frame 2025 maintains very good results. In most film scenes, the peak brightness remained at around 550–650 nits. This is a sufficient value to feel the difference between standard picture quality and that of HDR – bright highlights, reflections on water, or moonlight are presented clearly and spectacularly.

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

Let's now talk about how this television shines. If you are expecting dazzling light effects, we need to temper your enthusiasm. The LG QNED80A is a moderately bright television. Our measurements in most movie scenes indicated values around 350-400 nits. This is not enough to speak of a full, cinematic HDR experience and the sense of that famous "high dynamism" offered by flagship products. However, brightness is not everything. Although the QNED80A is not a "light monster," it makes up for it in another crucial category: colours. This is where PFS technology comes into play, which LG marketers disguise under the name QNED/NanoCell. Thanks to this approach, the television offers a much wider colour palette than classic LCD designs. In our tests, coverage of the cinematic DCI-P3 palette reached a solid 93-94%. What does this mean for you? That even with lower brightness, when watching movies in HDR, colours will be vivid, deep, and appropriately saturated. The image is not washed out but rather juicy, which is a significant advantage in this price range.

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

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

After calibration, the movie mode has gained a completely new quality. The issue of the pink tint, which had been clearly visible before, especially in bright scenes, has been effectively eliminated. Colours now look much more natural, and the white balance no longer dominates the rest of the image. It is no longer the same exaggerated "box picture" – everything now has coherence and a cinematic character. Additionally, the tendency of the television to slightly brighten scenes, previously visible in the EOTF curve analysis, has been partially corrected. Of course, this is within the limits of what the design allows without local dimming – one cannot speak of perfect brightness management here. Nevertheless, the final effect was definitely closer to what one might expect from a mode called Filmmaker.

Was it worth spending time on calibration? Definitely yes. We managed to tame the initial, too warm white balance and, most importantly, correct the gamma curve. The television stopped artificially brightening scenes, which gave the image depth. The greatest improvement is noticeable in SDR content, that is, while watching regular television, YouTube, or playing games without HDR. Here the QNED80A shows its class – colour reproduction errors (DeltaE) have dropped below a value of 2. In technical terms, this means that the errors are virtually unnoticeable to the human eye. The image in everyday use has simply become very attractive, natural, and correct. The difficulties begin with HDR content. Although we managed to improve the white balance, the EOTF curve graph (responsible for brightness at various levels) shows that the television still "interprets" the image in its own way. This stems from the nature of the edge-lit backlight 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 behold than with factory settings, even if it falls a bit short of studio perfection.

In terms of the smoothness of tonal transitions, the LS03F maintains a high standard – just like last year’s models. The television did not encounter any issues when testing more challenging film scenes, where noticeable transitions between shades of colour can easily occur. The colour gradation is very good here – both in the lighter and darker areas of the image. We did not observe the typical banding effect or other disturbances that could be distracting while watching films. If we were to nitpick, in the most demanding scenes – with subtle transitions and delicate gradients – minor imperfections can be detected. But only if one approaches the screen very closely and begins to analyse the image from a distance not intended by the manufacturer.

We also have excellent news for those sensitive to digital artifacts. Regardless of which version of the panel you encounter, the LG QNED80A excels at gradation, meaning smooth colour transitions. In this price range, it is often the case that instead of a smooth transition (e.g., from light sky blue to navy), we see ugly, separated bands. Here, this problem is practically non-existent. In our tests, both in very bright areas of the image (like sunsets) and in challenging dark grey shades, the picture remained uniform and natural. We did not notice the irritating effect of "banding" or distinct lines connecting colours.

LS03F has been equipped with the NQ4 processor, which is responsible for improving image quality – particularly in lower quality materials. In practice, this works surprisingly well, especially when it comes to older content and recordings with lower resolution. Activating the "noise reduction" function yields noticeable effects. The TV 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 advancement – previously, this function often smoothed everything too much, including details that it shouldn't remove. In this year's model, smoothing still occurs, but in a much more acceptable manner. Textures of materials, skin, and fabric details are no longer subdued as strongly as before – the image retains more naturalness. However, this does not change the fact that film grain is still removed by the TV, which may not appeal to everyone. On the other hand, it is no longer as aggressive an intervention as in previous models. It is also worth mentioning that the LS03F may struggle with very weak signals – for example, from VHS tape recordings or low-resolution video. In such cases, we noticed slight clipping of the image at the edges – so-called overscan. This can lead to a situation where a small part of the image (e.g., subtitles at the bottom edge) gets cut off.

In this category, the QNED80A proves to be a true "dark horse." It is an excellent, affordable television for those who frequently watch lower-quality content – for example, traditional cable TV. The processor used here handles upscaling, that is, enhancing low resolution to native 4K, exceptionally well. The image after processing is natural, smooth, and, most importantly, 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 annoying "banding" of colours under heavy video compression. However, we must remain vigilant. Remember that we are not dealing with a top-tier processor known from flagship OLED models. In more challenging scenes, the system may struggle and introduce minor artefacts or distortions. Nonetheless, it is definitely worth giving this feature a chance, as in most cases the quality improvement is visibly apparent.

The new feature in The Frame for 2025 is a display with a refresh rate of 144 Hz. Yes – in a television that is mainly associated with displaying works of art, you can now not only watch Van Gogh but also comfortably play on a console or follow dynamic sports events. This is a definite step towards greater versatility. In the case of Samsung films, as usual in models with a display rate of 120 Hz and above, it allows you to adjust motion smoothness according to your preferences. You can set a more cinematic reproduction while maintaining frame rate or opt for full motion smoothing. The range of options is broad, allowing you to tailor the effect to your own taste – whether the viewing experience is meant to resemble classic cinema or a show on a modern theatre screen.

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

We move on to a matter that may be decisive for many. Unfortunately, here we must point out the biggest "Achilles' heel" of the QNED80A model. This television is equipped with a panel featuring a native refresh rate of 60Hz. There is no denying it – at this price, we expected more as we know that Chinese manufacturers can offer 120Hz screens for a similar price. Due to this parameter, dynamic scenes in sports or fast-paced games are not the strongest aspect of this display. Fortunately, LG has equipped the television with a proven motion smoothing system called TruMotion. It works quite effectively 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: the motion becomes smoother, yet still looks natural, without the artificial "television theatre" effect.

As we mentioned earlier – although The Frame likely displays images and artworks most of the time, Samsung has recognised that a Van Gogh enthusiast could just as easily be a passionate gamer. And it must be admitted that The Frame 2025 has almost everything to become a fully-fledged gaming television.

On board, we find support for ALLM (automatic game 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 without any issues and features an extensive Game Bar – already known from other Samsung models – which allows for quick preview and change of the most important gaming-related settings. For this, it earns extra points from us. It is also worth highlighting the custom motion smoothening technology, Auto Motion Plus Game, which – and it is worth emphasising – works without increasing input lag. Samsung remains the only manufacturer that has managed to implement this feature in a practically unnoticeable manner regarding delays. The result? Much better fluidity in games, especially those that struggle to maintain a stable 60 frames. This solution can genuinely improve the gaming experience in more demanding titles – particularly on consoles that do not always manage 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 nothing to specifically complain about here. However, the issue is something entirely different. In the latest version of the Tizen system, the HGiG option has disappeared. Literally – it is gone. This is a significant hindrance when configuring consoles for proper HDR content display in games. It is 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 televisions. If HGiG returns – and we hope it will –~~ The Frame LS03F can confidently aspire to the title of a genuine gaming television. Not just as a wall decoration, but as equipment that truly provides enjoyment 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 HGiG function crucial for gamers.

Now that we have established that the QNED80A is a television with a 60Hz panel, we must say it plainly: we will not be playing here at 120 frames per second at any resolution. Does this disqualify the equipment in the eyes of gamers? Not necessarily, especially those "casual" ones. LG has decided to sweeten this technical limitation by packing quite a few useful functions inside. We have support for VRR (variable refresh rate) in the range of 48-60Hz and automatic game mode ALLM, which instantly reduces input lag upon detection of a console. All of this is managed from a very convenient, purple Game Optimizer menu, which has already become LG's hallmark. A big plus goes to the manufacturer for consistency regarding HDR. Although the television does not support Dolby Vision in games on Xbox consoles, LG adds a well-implemented HGiG standard. Thanks to this, even on a moderately bright screen, playing in HDR is clear, and the details in shadows and highlights are accurately reproduced, rather than "cut off".

In terms of input lag, Samsung maintains a high level – and a very high one at that. 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 reference value. This result allows for gaming even in the most dynamic titles without delays and with full responsiveness. Well done!

At the end of the gaming section, let's take a look at how quickly the television responds to our commands. The input lag we measured in the QNED80A model is around 15 ms (at a 60Hz signal). While these may not be values that will revolutionise the market or impress professional e-sports players fighting for every millisecond, they are perfectly sufficient for the average console gamer. During tests in games, we did not notice any irritating "screen tearing" of the crosshair or delay between pressing a button on the controller and the response on the screen. The entertainment is smooth and comfortable, which is the most important thing in home gaming.

The collaboration of The Frame 2025 with a computer is not a significant problem. Let's start with gaming, as this is where this model demonstrates its strengths – support for 144 Hz signal, low input lag, and compatibility with G-Sync technology (for NVIDIA cards) make it hard not to regard it as a fully-fledged gaming monitor. It is one of the more interesting "PC gaming" televisions available on the market in this category.

When it comes to everyday work, the situation looks equally good. The Frame handles chroma 4:4:4 without any issues, resulting in good font readability and overall user comfort. We only noticed minor problems with dimming very thin lines and dark details on a light background – this effect may occur especially when working with small interface elements. However, in practice, with a 55-inch diagonal screen and standard office working distance, it will be difficult to realistically notice this problem. Nonetheless, it is worth keeping this in mind if the television is to serve as a monitor not only for entertainment but also for precise work with graphics or text.

Is the QNED80A suitable for connecting to a computer? In the case of the version with a VA panel, the answer is: absolutely. If you plan to use this television as a massive monitor for work, you will not be disappointed. The readability of the fonts is at a very high level – the text is sharp, clear and does not strain the eyes, which is not always a given with large screens. Additionally, there is the low input lag we mentioned earlier. This makes mouse work precise and you do not feel the characteristic "floating" of the cursor. Of course, due to the 60Hz refresh rate, it is not the ideal equipment for e-sports players gaming on PC, but for working with text, browsing the web, or occasional strategy gaming, it will perform excellently.

As could be expected from a VA panel, the viewing angles on The Frame 2025 are at best mediocre. The image loses saturation and contrast when moved off-axis. It's a pity because we are talking about a model that displays digital artworks in standby mode – and it is precisely in such moments that wide viewing angles would make the most sense, enhancing the experience of engaging with a real image 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 – because for lifestyle televisions, it would have real significance not only in terms of functionality but also aesthetics.

By opting for the VA panel version, you must be aware of a certain compromise. You get something for something – we enjoy great blacks and contrast, but we 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 in front of the screen – the picture will be razor sharp. However, it is enough to shift to the side of the sofa or step away to the kitchenette to notice a degradation in the image. Colours begin to lose saturation, becoming washed out, and the deep black that we praised starts to grey. Therefore, this variant of the television is best suited for individuals who have their favourite spot in the middle of the sofa and rarely watch TV in a large gathering spread across the entire living room.

One of the most characteristic elements of The Frame is its matte display – and it must be said that Samsung has really refined this aspect. From our experience, it is one of the best solutions for suppressing light reflections, especially direct ones. If screen reflections can be irritating, it will be difficult to find a better display 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 washed out, and the image loses a bit of depth. However, it is something we consciously accept when choosing a matte screen – something for something. In practice, the colours and contrast on Samsung's matte screen are still better than on Chinese designs such as the TCL NXT Vision or Hisense Canvas TV. If effective suppression of reflections and the desire to use the television also as a "digital picture" in bright rooms is a priority, then there is hardly a better choice.

The Frame achieves around 600 nits of brightness, which combined with the matte finish allows the television to perform well in brightly 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 put it bluntly: it is not the brightest television on the market, so if your living room resembles a glass greenhouse at noon, this screen may struggle to cut through the intense sunlight. For extremely challenging lighting conditions, we would suggest looking for something with higher brightness (e.g. Mini LED). However, the television defends itself with something else – the type of coating applied to the panel. The manufacturer opted for a satin finish (semi-matte) here. This is a great decision. Unlike glossy coatings that act like mirrors, this coating effectively suppresses and diffuses reflections of light. As a result, in typical, moderate lighting conditions, a standing lamp next to it or a window to the side will not be distracting, and the viewing experience will remain pleasant.

Classic Television Features

In terms of classic features, The Frame does not stand out particularly from the competition. There are no options for recording to USB or PiP (picture-in-picture) functionality, which may be disappointing for some users. On the other hand, the television allows for 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 lack of conventional buttons on the remote, we were able to access teletext. In everyday use, the basic functions operate smoothly and without significant complaints.

Smart System – Tizen and Applications

The Frame 2025 runs on the Tizen system, which has long been regarded as one of the most refined Smart TV solutions on the market. This system is designed with the idea that devices are more than just a television – and it has been constructed with that spirit in mind. Tizen offers full integration with external devices – supporting both Apple AirPlay and Miracast. With the SmartThings app, it is 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 application. Although access to it is paid (in the form of a subscription), it offers the best scans of works of art available on the market – referring to scans, not ordinary photographs. As a result, the effect of a digital painting hanging on the wall is markedly better than in any other lifestyle television.

Smart TV System and WebOS

A significant advantage of LG televisions – even those in the lower or mid-price range – is that the manufacturer does not neglect them in terms of software. The QNED80A operates under the latest version of the WebOS system, which performed excellently during our tests. The interface was smooth, reacted quickly to commands, and most importantly – was very intuitive. Much of the credit goes to the famous Magic Remote controller, which functions like a computer mouse – we control the on-screen cursor with wrist movements. However, here you will encounter a surprise. In the 2025 model year, the controller underwent quite a drastic transformation. It has been minimised and slimmed down. Modern users will likely appreciate this change, as the remote fits well in the hand and looks more "premium". However, traditionalists may feel disappointed – the miniaturisation has come at a cost, including the removal of the classic numerical keypad, which may make it difficult to quickly switch channels.

Classic Functions and Multimedia

When it comes to so-called classic functions, the QNED80A does not strive to be a revolutionary device. It is simply a solid piece of equipment that does what it was designed for. There are no hidden "gimmicks" here, but we also did not find anything lacking. The traditional Teletext works flawlessly, and the wireless connectivity modules (such as Bluetooth and Wi-Fi) are stable and pair quickly with external devices, such as headphones or a soundbar. In this regard, the television simply does not throw any obstacles in the way – it works as we expect, not standing out in any particular way against the competition, but also not giving us any reasons to complain.

During testing, we did not 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, a lack of support for the HEIC format (used by Apple devices) – but it is difficult to consider this surprising. One positive aspect is the full support for high-resolution photos – the television displays files with a high number of megapixels without any problems, which may be particularly significant for those looking to treat The Frame as a digital frame as well. However, during testing, we noticed a limitation regarding subtitles – the television only correctly handled files in .txt format. It is worth keeping this in mind and ensuring that the 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 easily recognises and plays the vast majority of popular video and audio formats. One can confidently say that in daily use, you will rarely encounter a file that refuses to cooperate. However, we must draw attention to a certain catch arising from the software architecture. WebOS is a closed system. What does this mean for you? That if the built-in player struggles with an exotic format, we do not have a "lifeline". We cannot 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 catch mainly pertain to graphic files. The television does not support the HEIC format, which is standard on Apple devices (iPhone/iPad). Photographs with very high resolution (in the range of 20-28 Mpix) also proved problematic – when attempting to open them, the system often capitulated. 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 good. It is full, sufficient for everyday viewing, but without much excitement – typical for flat constructions. There is little bass, although at times it can be heard. The speakers in a 2.0.2 arrangement have a total power of 40 W (in the 55+ inch version). Unfortunately, the television does not support the DTS format, so for films with that sound, one has to rely on external equipment, such as a home cinema. A soundbar can be connected, and thanks to the Q-Symphony feature, the television plays along with it. Samsung also offers visually matched models for The Frame like S700D or S800D, but they are sold separately. (This shouldn’t surprise anyone😉).

In terms of audio, the LG QNED80A does not try to enchant us. It simply sounds like... a typical flat TV. The installed speaker system with a total power of 20W may not be the strongest point of this design. If you expect a cinematic punch or depth, known from more expensive models equipped with subwoofers, you will feel a sense of disappointment. There is simply a lack of bass here, and the sound is rather flat. However, we must give this model credit in one aspect: the clarity of the transmission. When scenes based on conversations appear on the screen, the QNED80A performs quite adequately. The dialogues are clear, separated, and – importantly – undistorted. There is no crackling effect at higher volumes. It is sufficient for everyday television, but for movies, 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 Television Features

Smart System – Tizen and Applications

Smart TV System and WebOS

Classic Functions and Multimedia

Apps

Playing files from USB

Sound

Sound Quality Test

Acoustic Measurements