TVs have rapidly evolved from bulky black boxes to stunning displays so sleek and elegant that they pass for framed artwork. Welcome to the exciting new category of art TVs.
As more buyers seek both interior design appeal and best-in-class viewing for their living spaces, manufacturers now offer televisions engineered specifically to resemble paintings, prints, or gallery canvases.
In this comprehensive guide, we‘ll explore everything needed to choose your ideal art television model based on display qualities, smart features, sizes, prices, and overall room integration.
Why Art TVs Are So Popular
High-performing digital canvases that disappear into your décor – what’s not to love? Beyond looking fantastic when mounted, art televisions deliver measurable benefits that explain their surging buyer popularity.
Market Growth & Forecast
- 18% CAGR forecast for global art TV market from 2022-2026 ^1
- Over $2.9 billion in art TV sales by 2027 predicted ^2
Benefits of Art TV Ownership
- Seamless aesthetic – Sleek, bezel-less designs blend beautifully
- Dual function – Artworks & entertainment hub in one
- Elevates room ambiance – Promotes harmony in layout and mood
- Adds personalized flair – Display cherished memories in art mode
Make no mistake, the thin, minimalist, and customizable sets leading today‘s art TV charge deliver exceptional performance too.
Stunning OLED and QLED panels, 120Hz gaming specs, built-in streaming platforms, and smart integrations abound.
How to Choose: Key Buying Considerations
From display specifications to sizing, frames, and smart functionality, multiple factors influence which art television best matches your space and needs.
A) Display Panel Technology
The visual appeal and capabilities of any art TV undeniably tie back to its underlying display panel construction.
As you evaluate options, keep these core panel types and their performance differences top of mind:
Display Panel Type Comparison
| LED | QLED | OLED | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Backlight | Full array or edge lit | Quantum dot LED | Self-illuminating pixels |
| Contrast | Very good | Excellent | Exceptional |
| Brightness | Excellent | Extremely high | Very good |
| Viewing Angle | Good | Very wide | Extremely wide |
| Price Point | Budget to moderate | Moderate to high | Luxury |
For art TV purposes, both QLED and OLED models make fantastic options given their stellar contrast for deep blacks and accurate color reproduction.
OLED reigns supreme in those areas but does cost more. LED TV technology still has advanced significantly in its own right over the years, so discount quality options don‘t exist across any main panel types.
B) Resolution
When dealing with a television engineered to double as a digital picture frame or art installation, resolution directly relates to how true to life your paintings, drawings, photos appear.
While shoppers have previously gravitated towards Full HD (1920 x 1080p) resolution, 4K TVs (3640 x 2160p) now dominate the market for good reason. Their higher pixel density equates to remarkably realistic and nuanced on-screen visuals.
Enabling technology like HDR (high dynamic range) further expands detail, contrast, and vibrance. For art TVs, opting for 4K resolution or higher ensures your displayed works impress even at close inspection where fine aspects become more evident.
Key Resolution Takeaways:
- Choose a minimum of 4K resolution – Delivers noticeably crisper images
- HDR further boosts picture depth – Go for HDR10, HDR10+, or Dolby Vision compatibility
- 8K inches forward, slowly – Mostly found only in premium price tier still
C) Refresh Rate
Responsiveness and how smoothly visuals render during playback depends on a TV‘s supported refresh rate. Measured in hertz (Hz), higher numbers mean faster screen refreshing for reduced motion blur.
For art TV purposes, a 120Hz rate makes fast-paced sports, action films, and video games shine beautifully without lag. Since art modes mainly display static images though, even 60Hz suffices if not gaming or streaming lots of live TV.
D) Optimal Size
The ideal art TV size stems directly from your room dimensions, seating/viewing layout, and wall space allotted.
Measure your planned placement area carefully. Then use a recommended general size-to-distance viewing chart to identify what‘s right for your zone.
Recommended TV Size by Viewing Distance
| Size | Minimum View Distance | Ideal View Distance |
|---|---|---|
| 32" | 3 ft | 4.5 ft |
| 43-49” | 4 ft | 6 ft |
| 55” | 5 ft | 7.5 ft |
| 65” | 6 ft | 9 ft |
| 75-85” | 8 ft | 10+ ft |
Positioned too far and a small screen won’t stand out. Going oversized can feel uncomfortably close though. Use the above distances loosely to decide what art TV form factor best fits your area.
E) Frames & Bezels
Minimal bezels and customizable frame options turn art TVs into convincing framed items versus tech devices.
Look for trimless borders under 0.5 inches where possible. Many art TVs also now support attachable frames in various colors and finishes to perfectly complement your room style.
Sizing flexibility and easy frame changes make it simple to tweak their look indefinitely too.
F) Smart Functions
While artfully showcasing paintings or shots ranks as the main event, art TVs shouldn’t slack on offering robust streaming and connectivity either.
Prioritize these smart and convenience aspects as well before deciding:
- Streaming apps – Netflix, Prime Video, Disney+, etc
- Voice control – Alexa, Google Assistant compatibility
- Gaming connectivity – HDMI 2.1, VRR, ALLM
- Audio options – Bluetooth, WiSA support
- Smart home control
Finding advanced options bundled helps justify costs associated with thin-bezel art television designs.
Direct Model Comparisons
Now that you know what display and feature sets to examine for art TVs, how do a few top options stack up?
Here we pit the Samsung Frame and LG Gallery OLED head-to-head along with the budget-friendly Hisense A6H.
Flagship Art TV Model Comparison
| | Samsung
The Frame | LG Gallery
4K OLED | Hisense
A6H Series |
|-|——————————|—————————|——————————–|————————–|
| Screen Type | QLED | OLED | LED |
| Resolution | 4K | 4K | 4K |
|Refresh Rate| 60/120Hz| 120Hz | 60Hz |
|HDR Support | HDR10/HDR10+ | Dolby Vision
HDR 10/HLG | HDR10/HLG |
|Smart Platform | Tizen OS | webOS | Android TV |
| Voice Assistant | Bixby, Alexa,
Google Assistant | LG ThinQ AI | Google Assistant
Alexa |
| Sizes Available | 32” – 85”| 55”, 65”, 77” | 50”, 55”, 65” |
| Price Range | $$-$$$ | $$$ | $ |
Both Samsung and LG art TVs here tout gorgeous QLED and OLED panels respectively, translating to exceptional contrast and color for vibrant images. The Hisense offers excellent value given specs and pricing.
For sizes, only Samsung‘s Frame line currently scales from small spaces to ultra large expanses. Smart ecosystems and voice control differ but remain robust across the board.
Let intended placement, size limits, and budget guide which excels as “the one” for your particular room.
Which TV Tech Reigns Supreme?
In head-to-head evaluations, OLED and QLED TVs trade blows on contrast and viewing angles but similarly yield stellar results. Here’s a more technical display technology showdown:
OLED vs QLED Comparison
|| OLED | QLED |
|-|————-|————-|
| Pixel Dimming Control | Self-illuminating pixels switch ON/OFF independently for precision contrast | Relies on LED backlights/quantum dots so less granular control |
| Black Levels | Spectacular, unmatched inky black tones thanks to pixel-level dimming finesse | Very good blacks but backlights limit total darkness possible |
|Light Output | Very good brightness, improved greatly in newest generations | Extremely impressive brightness potential thanks to quantum dots |
|Color Range & Accuracy | Stunning, produces gorgeously saturated and realistic colors | Similarly wide, accurate spectrum with quantum dots expanding range |
|Viewing Angle | Extraordinarily wide without color shifting | Significantly enhanced over older LCD TVs but still trails OLEDs slightly |
| Price Point | More expensive for largest premium sizes | Typically more budget-friendly for equivalent screen dimensions |
| Burn-In Risk | Prone to possible burn-in with static elements over many years | Not impacted by burn-in thanks to LED backlights |
Verdict? Both OLED and QLED art TV technologies impress. If your budget allows, OLED often justifies a pricing premium. But art modes predominantly showcase still images, meaning risks for long term burn-in do persist with OLED. Well-built QLED art televisions like Samsung’s Frame series deliver outstanding mixed usage too.
Art TV Model Breakdown & Reviews
Beyond base specs and features, how do real-world user experiences with the most popular art TVs available in 2023 stack up?
Here we spotlight and review top options across varied design approaches, price points, and display technologies.
Samsung The Frame TV – Best for Customization
- Pros
- QLED picture quality remains excellent
- Extremely customizable frames & bezel
- Great upscaling and motion handling
- 120Hz refresh rate across all sizes
- Cons
- Limited viewing angles compared to OLED
- Easel & floor stand sold separately
- Occasional software glitches reported
With changeable bezels available in multiple materials like wood tones, granite, or fabric and an ambient art mode powered by AI, Samsung sets the bar for art TV flexibility and performance.
LG Objet TV – Most Stylish & Advances OLED Art TV
- Pros
- Stunning OLED contrast & clarity
- Easel stand included for tabletop placement
- Line art pattern conceals wall mount
- Dolby Vision & 120hz gaming specs
- Cons
- 77" model costs over $6,000
- Permanent easel mount only
- Stand blocks some inputs
With ornate fabric covers and the ability to roll upwards out of view into its frames, LG’s posh objet TV oozes high-tech style. Vivid OLED imaging aptly showcases paintings and photography too while streaming equally impresses. Be prepared to pay for design advances however.
Hisense A6H – Top Budget Art TV
- Pros
- Art mode included
- Streamlined bezel
- Built-in Google Assistant
- Excellent price-to-performance ratio
- Cons
- No OLED contrast/HDR prowess
- Audio lacks bass
- Android TV bugs occasionally
As the most affordable art series television here, the Hisense A6H packs a pleasing, minimalist style that disguises its budget price. Stills and motion clarity can’t match premium labels, but the overall blend of art mode functionality, smarts, and 4K resolution outshines cost.
The Future: What’s Next for Art TVs
Today’s art TV offerings already blend beautiful aesthetic, rich functionality, and innovative technology. Where does the category go from here?
We expect even thinner, more invisible profiles along with display advancements like:
- Rollable/Expandable – Televisions that dynamically retract out of sight or unfurl to desired sizes
- Transparent – Virtually invisible panels when not in use
- MicroLED – For even better brightness without burn-in risks
- 8K Resolution – Sharper detail that pushes realism to the next level
Beyond shiny new hardware, existing art TV manufacturers aim to build out dedicated art platform content too.
Samsung’s Art Store proves the appeal of curated galleries tailored to ever-changing consumer tastes. More artists and genres featured will further boost art mode capabilities going forward.
Software smarts should progress as well, allowing art TVs to cycle displayed images/paintings based on AI mood detection, room occupancy, seasons, and more.
The line between technology and traditional art continues to wonderfully blur!
Transform Your Space with an Art TV Design Masterpiece
Still torn between exact models or on whether purchasing an art television makes sense long term?
Consider these final benefits before deciding:
- Showstopper aesthetic – Elevates room decor beautifully
- Entertainment powerhouse – Stream and game with the best
- Conversation starter – Amazes guests
- Reduces device clutter – Out of sight when off
- Personal touches – Cherish memories displayed
For most buyers, those perks quickly overshadow any premium pricing associated with their thinner, sleeker profiles and customizability.
Just remember that stellar imaging ranks equally important as the minimalist, frame-like finish. Whether you choose the sublime clarity of an OLED art panel or consistent performance of QLED models like Samsung’s The Frame, choosing a television that directly doubles as movable art is guaranteed to decorate as impressively as the most stunning canvas.
