Katarzyna Petru
A new competitor has appeared in the TV market for the popular Samsung The Frame – this time from the iFFALCON brand. If you're hearing this name for the first time, it's no surprise. It's a sub-brand of TCL, one of the largest TV manufacturers in the world, which specializes 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, TVs styled like paintings. It is about a device that does not look like a classic television but more like a picture frame. It is designed to hang flat on the wall and, when you are not watching a movie or series, display digital works of art. Sound familiar? Because that’s exactly what Samsung The Frame does – but for a significantly higher price.
Design like a painting, art like from a gallery
iFFALCON Mural is designed to work very similarly. When you're not watching TV, you can switch to "art 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? Quite a lot for such a price
The television is equipped with a QLED 4K UHD panel, covering as much as 93% of the DCI-P3 color space. It also has a refresh rate of 144 Hz and supports AMD FreeSync Premium, which means it is suitable not only for watching art but also for dynamic gaming. In comparison, the basic The Frame has only 120 Hz, and the model with Mini-LED (that is, The Frame Pro) is already a significantly larger expense.
iFFALCON did not skimp on HDR formats either – Dolby Vision IQ, HDR10+, HDR10, HLG, and HGIG are on board. It is worth noting that Samsung – even in more expensive models – still does not support Dolby Vision.
The system is Google TV, so access to Netflix, YouTube, HBO, or Disney+ is standard. Sound-wise, it is also impressive – we have Dolby Atmos and DTS:X, which is really solid for this price range.
Price That Makes a Difference
And here we come to a key point. Mural TV is significantly cheaper than The Frame.
In comparison, Samsung The Frame in the 65-inch version costs $1,499 The difference is clear – iFFALCON offers equipment that is almost 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 contracts with many global galleries, which allows it to offer works that you won't find anywhere else. And this could be an argument for those who purchase such a TV more for its decorative function than its technological one.
Meanwhile, there is also the Hisense S7N Canvas TV on the market – also a "picture" type TV, but significantly more expensive than the Mural. The 55-inch version costs 899 pounds (about 1210 dollars), so iFFALCON again comes out better in terms of pricing.
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 a proposition for those who are looking for a television styled like a painting but don’t want to overpay for the brand. Of course, if you mainly 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 a perfect choice.
Source: hdtvtest.co.uk
