Do they support PS5 gaming -Samsung Frame TV 2021 vs 2020 ? The 2021 model has slightly better response times, and its backlight flickers at a much higher frequency, resulting in less image duplication in fast-moving content. Although both TVs support HDMI 2.1, only the 2021 model supports 4k @ 120Hz with HDR on the PS5. They perform similarly for the most part; however, the 2020 model has a much higher contrast ratio and a better color gamut.
What are the key differences – Samsung Frame TV 2021 vs 2020?
Stand
2021 model
The feet aren’t reversible, but they’re height-adjustable so that you can fit in a soundbar or a flat console like the Xbox Series S without obstructing the screen. They lift the TV by about 3.5 inches. They’re very sturdy, and the TV doesn’t wobble much. You can also mount the TV on a studio stand, like a painting on an easel, although the stand is sold separately.
Footprint of the 55 inch stand: 35.2″ x 9″.
2020 model
The stand is thinner and has a more industrial design than the sleek, cylinder-shaped stand on the Frame 2019. It provides decent support, but the TV still wobbles when nudged.
Footprint of the 55″ stand: 39.8″ x 8.4″.
Design
The Samsung The Frame’s design is very similar to its predecessor, the Samsung The Frame 2020. It still features the One Connect box so that there’s only a single cable leading to the TV, but the TV itself is much thinner than the 2020 model, and the feet have been slightly redesigned to allow for height adjustment. The picture shown is with the feet at their lowest position. The borders are customizable. The TV comes with black ones, and you can change them to beige, brown, or white, although you have to purchase them separately and install them yourself.
Border
The borders are slightly thicker than other 2021 Samsung QLED TVs but are still very thin. You can customize the bezels so that they fit in better with your existing decor. However, you have to purchase the white, beige, or brown ones separately, and you have to install them yourself.
Thickness
2021 model
The Samsung The Frame TV is much thinner than the 2020 model, which is great because if you use the included no-gap wall mount, it doesn’t protrude as much from the wall, making the TV look more like a piece of art.
2020 model
The Frame 2020 has a boxy side profile that’s intended to look like the frame of real artwork. When using the included no-gap wall mount, it sits flush to the wall and doesn’t stick out much.
Viewing angle
2021 model
As is expected of most VA panel TVs, this TV has sub-par viewing angles. It’s better than the Samsung The Frame 2020, but the image still looks inaccurate when viewed from the side, so it’s not ideal for a wide seating arrangement. The 43 and 50 inch models are advertised to have worse viewing angles, but we’re not sure by how much.
2020 model
Like most VA panel TVs, the Frame 2020 has poor viewing angles. As a result, images look washed out when viewed from the side, making it less ideal for wide seating areas.
HDR – Samsung Frame TV 2021 vs 2020
The HDR brightness is okay. It’s not quite as bright as the Samsung The Frame 2020, but unlike its predecessor, it’s more consistent as there’s no dimming in the 2% windows. It’s bright enough to bring out some highlights, but not for a true cinematic HDR experience.
We measured the HDR brightness in the ‘Movie HDR’ Picture Mode with Contrast and Brightness set to max, Color Tone set to ‘Warm 2’, and all other processing disabled. We reached 633 cd/m² in the 10% window using the ‘Dynamic HDR’ Picture Mode, with Contrast and Brightness at max, and Contrast Enhancer set to ‘High’.
The EOTF follows the target curve well in dark scenes, but bright scenes are over brightened, and the roll-off near the TV’s peak brightness isn’t at all smooth. If you find HDR content too dim, set Contrast Enhancer to ‘High’ and ST.2084 to max. These settings result in a much brighter image, as you can see in this EOTF plot.
Color gamut
The Samsung The Frame has a very good color gamut. It has excellent coverage of the DCI P3 color space used by most current HDR content. Coverage of the wider Rec. 2020 color space is mediocre, but it can display a wide color gamut. Sadly, the TV’s tone mapping is worse than the Samsung The Frame 2020, especially in the reds, which have a noticeably pink tint.
Response time
The response time is great, resulting in very little blur behind fast-moving objects. It’s very similar to the Samsung The Frame 2020, but there’s less image duplication because its backlight flickers at a much higher frequency than its predecessor. Unfortunately, like most VA panels, dark scenes have a significantly slower response time and more overshoot, resulting in a longer trail behind dark objects, commonly known as black smear.
What are the Similarities – Samsung Frame TV 2021 vs 2020?
Build
The Samsung The Frame TV’s build quality is excellent. It feels well-built overall, and it doesn’t flex or wobble much. However, it requires a lot of force to push the plastic piece covering the One Connect port on the TV inwards enough to plug the cable. Also, the borders seem to scratch easily, and they feel loose as if they might fall off. That said, these might be issues that are only present on our unit. If you have this TV and experienced the same issues, let us know in the discussions.
Image quality
The Samsung The Frame has outstanding contrast, resulting in deep blacks when you’re in a dark room, as expected for a VA panel. Sadly, there’s no local dimming feature to improve contrast. Contrast can vary between individual units, but these results are about what we expect from any VA panel on the market.
Brightness – Samsung Frame TV 2021 vs 2020
The Samsung The Frame TV has impressive SDR brightness. It’s very similar to the Samsung The Frame 2020, but small highlights aren’t dimmed unnecessarily by the TV’s CE dimming (also known as Frame dimming). It’s bright enough to overcome glare in most viewing environments, as long as there’s no direct sunlight on it.
We measured the SDR brightness after calibration in the ‘Movie’ Picture Mode with the Color Tone set to ‘Warm 2’ and Brightness set to max.
If you want a brighter image and don’t mind losing a bit of image accuracy, set the Picture Mode to ‘Dynamic’ and Brightness to max. We reached 590 cd/m² in the 10% window with these settings.
Diming
The Samsung Frame 2020 doesn’t have a local dimming feature. The videos are for reference only, so you can see how backlight on this display performs and compare it to a similar product with local dimming.
Interface
Like all Samsung TVs, the Frame 2020 runs on Tizen OS. It’s easy to use and runs very smoothly. We didn’t encounter any overscan bugs, which we had observed on other Samsung TVs, likely because the TV was already set to 16:9 aspect ratio by default.
Resolution
The Samsung The Frame TV supports most common resolutions. Except for 1440p @ 120Hz, chroma 4:4:4 is displayed properly in any other supported resolution, which is essential for clear text when using the TV as a PC monitor.
Audio
The Frame 2020 has a mediocre frequency response. It’s reasonably well-balanced overall and the bass has a good amount of punch; however, there’s not enough bass extension to produce any rumble or thump. It gets loud enough for large or noisy rooms, but there are quite a bit of compression artifacts at max volume.
Alternate – Samsung Frame TV 2021 vs 2020
65-inch Sony X90J HDR TV
If you’ve just finished reading our glowing review of the Sony A90J OLED TV and found yourself sighing because such a TV is well beyond the scope of your budget, we have some really good news. Sony’s supposedly “mid-tier” X90J offers impeccable picture quality for about 50% less money than the A90J.
Granted, it’s not quite as stunning as the A90J, but that’s not surprising given its price of just $1,400. What is surprising is just how close the X90J gets, given that it must rely on a conventional, backlit panel to achieve it.
The key to the X90J’s excellent contrast and color can be found in Sony’s latest image processing chip, the Cognitive Processor XR, and its full-array local dimming (FALD) backlight. Between these two elements, the display can produce extremely dark blacks. Sony’s control over backlighting is, according to Digital Trends senior editor Caleb Denison, “the best in the business.”
But there’s more to the X90J than just a great image. It’s also packed full of the latest technologies. Dolby Vision, Dolby Atmos, HDR10, and HLG are all natively supported. Apple AirPlay 2, Apple HomeKit, and Google Chromecast are all built-in. With two HDMI 2.1 ports, you get gaming at 4K at 120Hz, HDMI eARC, and auto low-latency mode (ALLM). Sony says it will also add variable refresh rate (VRR) in an upcoming firmware update, which will make the X9oJ an impressive gaming monitor.
Audio is equally impressive, with support for Dolby Atmos and DTS, and Sony’s built-in speaker system can do a passable job of simulating overhead height speakers if you don’t have a soundbar or A/V receiver.
The new Google TV software, which is built on Android TV, controls the show, and its performance is snappy and satisfying. There are thousands of apps to choose from, including virtually every major streaming service we can think of. Plus, you get a voice remote with direct access to Google Assistant for a multitude of voice commands that go well beyond controlling the TV’s functions. Don’t want to press a button? The TV’s built-in far-field mics can also listen for you to say, “OK Google.”
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