Oh how far we have come from the days of big box TVs and CRTs that took up so much room against a wall in your room!

© iStock.com/Robert Daly

Today, with flat-panel TVs and slim bezels, TVs look very different, and that couldn’t be more true for models like the Samsung Frame TV and the LG Gallery televisions. What helps differentiate these models from the rest of the “black” boxes that can hang on your wall today is that they offer dual functionality. 

Instead of “just” being a television, Samsung’s “The Frame” and LG’s Gallery lineup can each turn into a work of art when not in use. In other words, instead of just being “off” as a traditional television would be when not in use, these models have an always-on display that showcases artwork or, in Samsung’s case, photos of your choosing.

So, which one of these two television lineups is the right one for you? Let’s take a look and help answer that question. 

  • Samsung’s The Frame model (or Samsung Frame) is one model of television whereas LG offers both the LG G1 and G2. Previously, an LG GX model was available, but it was replaced by the LG G1 after being discontinued. Samsung offers its Frame television in a variety of sizes whereas the LG Gallery only comes in three sizes, regardless of the model.Samsung uses its own proprietary Tizen operating system whereas LG uses webOS, the latter of which just underwent a fairly significant upgrade. Only the Samsung model offers a matte screen to help prevent screen glare though LG panels are pretty good at being anti-reflective. Samsung uses QLED which is a glorified version of OLED, while LG uses OLED and OLED Evo for its television panels.

Availability 

First and foremost, it’s important to remember the Samsung Frame TV is a single television model best known as Samsung Frame or “The Frame.”

On the other hand, LG Gallery is a name associated with three different model televisions in LG’s lineup that include the Gallery technology. Those models, the LG G1, G2, and GX, all sit among LG’s best televisions, so it’s not quite a direct one-to-one comparison with Samsung.

Given that, it’s easy to make more of a direct comparison against one particular LG model rather than all of them. 

Panels

If you’re looking at both the Samsung Frame and its most direct competitor with the LG G1 based on price, the primary focus is going to be on the television panel itself.

Samsung, for its part, uses a QLED panel, which is something of a glorified LED panel. Samsung likes to say it uses quantum dot technology, which is a fancy name for panels that are not OLED.

None of this is to say that QLED is a worse panel when compared to OLED. On the contrary, it offers an excellent picture that adds strong contrast but can’t quite compare to the deeper blacks of OLED. 

QLED

When it comes to brightness, QLED has a strong advantage because it uses separate backlights that can individually have their brightness increased during manufacturing. On the other hand, OLED relies on each pixel, creating its own light which still enables excellent brightness, but not quite up to QLED levels.

This won’t be much of an issue in a dark room where even good brightness is sufficient, but for a television that is placed near a window or in a well-lit room, it’s worthy of strong consideration. 

OLED

When you start to factor in other considerations like response time, input lag, color gamut, and more, OLED starts to pull ahead. OLED, in particular, gives QLED a run for its money on response time, which is especially important for gaming.

The same goes for viewing angles which, in this particular comparison, tend to favor the Samsung Frame because of its matte technology. OLED and QLED tend to be pretty even on the viewing angles, but the matte panel on the Samsung Frame really stands out here. This really comes to life when the TV is off and in “art mode” where it provides excellent viewing angles for looking at the on-screen pictures. 

Size Options

When it comes to screen size options, this is another area where the discussion really favors Samsung. For its part, Samsung has made The Frame available in six different sizes, ranging from 43 to 85 inches, whereas the LG1 is only available in 55, 65, and 77-inch sizes.

With Samsung having double the available sizes, you have more opportunities to pick the right television for any room in your home. On top of that, Samsung also offers seven different bezel options for the Frame including brick red, modern white, and modern beige, whereas the LG G1 is primarily available with a black bezel, regardless of which size you purchase. 

Operating System

It might not seem to be the most important part of the discussion, but the right operating system matters when you purchase a TV. Both Samsung and LG run on their own smart TV systems, with Samsung creating its Tizen system from scratch and LG purchasing webOS some years ago.

Both systems have received recent updates leading to more navigation-friendly interfaces and extra options for personalized content recommendations. For its part, Samsung recently updated Tizen to move away from LG’s app bar at the bottom of the screen and instead emphasize app navigation using a larger portion of the screen. 

Art Mode

The crux of any discussion between these two types of televisions, whether it’s the LG Gallery (G1 or G2) or Samsung’s The Frame is the ability to showcase art when not in use. Samsung’s Art mode is pretty much as described, and when the television is off, it will show off photos or art from Samsung’s art store. 

The Frame comes with a selection of default art or you can connect to Samsung’s Art Store through the Tizen interface and purchase additional art selections. Additionally, you can also showcase your own photos, up to 1,200 different photos, in fact, through a USB drive. Thanks to the matte display (new on the 2022 model) and anti-reflection technology of the QLED panel, art looks absolutely fantastic on The Frame. 

LG’s Gallery design also allows your television to hang flush against the wall and showcase works of art when not in use. It’s just as fun of an addition to any room and makes for a great interior design choice as well as a television when you’re ready to watch.

Where LG falls down is that you cannot add your own photos or artwork to the television like Samsung. It’s a big omission on LG’s part, so whatever artwork options come with the television are all you have to showcase on a wall. Barring a software update from LG that adds more choices, what you see is what you get. 

The answer to the question of which one is a better value really depends on what you want out of this television. 

Samsung Frame

Overall, as a choice for displaying artwork in your home, the Samsung Frame is undoubtedly a better choice. Not only do you get a variety of size options but you also can choose from different color bezels, which only adds to the interior design possibilities.

Samsung also allows you to upload your own photos via a USB stick, which only serves as another strong checkmark in favor of The Frame. Samsung’s QLED technology might not be overall as strong as LG’s OLED, but that’s not to say it’s bad either. Solid colors and deep blacks plus Samsung’s Quantum 4K processors deliver excellent color and contrast. Add that in with the matte display and anti-reflection technology, and it’s a fantastic choice for most buyers. 

There’s no denying that, overall, the LG G1 is the better overall television. OLED panel technology is still outpacing QLED, and that’s especially true when you look at things like movies, sports, or gaming.

  • HANDPICKED BY AMAZON: They did the research so you don’t have to.ART MODE: Enjoy your personal art exhibit when you’re not watching TV; Just switch on Art Mode; When the TV’s off, The Frame becomes a display of your art collection, thanks to the built-in motion…QLED 4K TV W/ 100% COLOR VOLUME: Bask in a billion shades of brilliant color at 100% Color Volume; Quantum Dot technology brings you a gorgeous picture by transforming light into vivid color that…ANTI-REFLECTION W/ MATTE DISPLAY: Now what’s on your screen can look as good in the morning as it does at night with the lights on; Anti-Reflection and the Matte Display Film limits light distraction…SLIM-FIT WALL MOUNT INCLUDED: Hang The Frame flush against the wall to look like the real thing with the Slim Fit Wall Mount; Even more, limit the cable clutter to just One Invisible Connection cable…

The alphaA9 Gen4 AI processor on the LG G1 is incredible at optimizing the picture and sound of the room you are in. It accounts for brightness, depth of sound, and contrast and adjusts accordingly, all behind the scenes so you never have to lift a finger. Throw in both Dolby Vision and Dolby Atmos, and it’s easy to see why LG is considered one of the best television displays in the world, albeit with a price point to match. 

And the Best Value is…?

The Samsung Frame is undoubtedly the better overall value when compared to any of the available LG Gallery models like the LG G1 and G2.

  • OLED EVO: The next innovation in OLED brings a brighter, punchier viewing experience with our latest, next-gen panel. TV Dimensions with Stand (WxHxD)-56.9 x 35 x 11.2 inches. Audio Codec-AC4,…GALLERY DESIGN: Your content becomes art with a TV that mounts flush to the wall without a shadow, just like a picture frame. It’s the perfect statement piece with an unbelievably thin bezel and no…OLED DISPLAY: Watch your content come to life in over 8 million pixels. Each pixel turns on and off independently so you’ll see your content with perfect black, over a billion rich colors and infinite…α9 GEN 4 AI PROCESSOR: Picture and sound adjustment happen automatically with our best processor. The a9 Gen4 AI Processor 4K uses deep-learning algorithms to detect scenes and genres to make your…HANDS FREE VOICE CONTROL: Hands-Free Voice Control lets you control your TV with your voice by simply saying “Hi, LG.”

Not only do you have more bezel options to choose from, but also more television sizes, almost all of which are lower priced than comparable LG models. If you sacrifice the better OLED panel technology for the Samsung, you still walk away with the ability to add your own photos, anti-reflection matte screen technology, and a television that sits nearly flush against the wall.