Samsung Frame vs LG Gallery TV: Which Art TV to Buy (2026)
By Claire Whitmore. Last updated October 23, 2026.
Disclosure: some links on this page are affiliate links, including Amazon links. If you buy through them we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. It doesn’t change what we recommend. Details are in our affiliate disclosure.
For nearly a decade, Samsung’s The Frame had the art TV category to itself. In 2026 LG entered with the Gallery TV, its first television designed from the ground up to display art, and Amazon, Hisense and TCL now sell art TVs too. If you want a television that disappears into your decor as a framed painting, the Samsung Frame versus LG Gallery decision is the big one.
This guide answers one question: should you buy a Samsung Frame or an LG Gallery TV? We drew on Wirecutter’s June 2026 art TV testing, WIRED’s review of the 2026 Frame Pro, and a detailed spec comparison from Frame TV Artist, an art-TV blog. Wirecutter hadn’t yet tested the LG Gallery when its guide published, so LG details here come from LG’s announced specs as compiled by Frame TV Artist and Wirecutter. Where sources disagree, we say so. We haven’t tested these TVs ourselves.
The short answer: the Samsung Frame remains the safer, more polished choice, with more sizes, the best art store, a flusher mount and better cable management. Wirecutter calls it the art TV to beat. The LG Gallery is worth a look if you want free art with no subscription, Dolby Vision and Google TV, and you only need 55 or 65 inches.
Our picks at a glance
| Samsung The Frame (2026) | Samsung The Frame Pro (2026) | LG Gallery TV | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sizes | 32–98 in (smaller sizes are carryovers) | 55, 65, 75, 85 in | 55, 65 in |
| Approx. 55-in price | $998 (Wirecutter listing) | $1,098–1,200 (Wirecutter listings) | ~$1,299 (Frame TV Artist) |
| Backlight | Edge-lit, no local dimming (Wirecutter) | Edge-lit with local dimming (Wirecutter) | Mini LED (LG/Frame TV Artist) |
| Art library | Samsung Art Store, $4.99/month; ~30 free works monthly | Same | LG Gallery+ included |
| Dolby Vision | No | No | Yes (Frame TV Artist) |
| Smart platform | Tizen | Tizen | Google TV |
| Mount | Slim wall mount included | Slim mount; Wireless One Connect box | VESA mount sold separately (Frame TV Artist) |
Picture quality
Wirecutter measured the 2026 Frame at about 300 nits in SDR and over 500 nits in HDR, with 100% SDR color gamut coverage and about 94% of DCI-P3 thanks to quantum dots. Its edge lighting and lack of local dimming mean high black levels, about 0.1 nits even in Filmmaker Mode, so it isn’t ideal for movie nights in a dark room. The Frame Pro is far brighter, at 924 nits peak in Wirecutter’s measurements, and it’s the only art TV Wirecutter found with local dimming, though its blacks still looked bright.
LG built the Gallery TV on a Mini LED (QNED) backlight, which in principle offers better contrast than edge lighting. Wirecutter describes it as a 60 Hz QNED TV with Mini LED backlighting and says it plans to test it. Until independent measurements arrive, treat LG’s contrast advantage as promising but unproven. Note too that sources describe the Frame Pro’s backlight differently: Frame TV Artist calls it Neo QLED Mini LED, while Wirecutter says it’s edge-lit with local dimming.
The art experience
This is where Samsung shines. Wirecutter found Samsung’s art store vastly better than its competitors’, with almost 2,300 artists and more than 3,500 works, partners including the Met, MFA Boston and the Art Institute of Chicago, and active curation. It thinks the subscription is justified. Wirecutter quotes it at $50 a year, while WIRED and Frame TV Artist cite $4.99 a month, with about 30 free works rotating monthly. Crucially, Wirecutter found both Frame models get much dimmer in art mode than any other art TV it tested, which makes them pass more convincingly as real paintings.
LG’s advantage is cost. Frame TV Artist reports LG’s Gallery+ library of 5,000-plus works is included at no monthly charge, with partners including the National Gallery, MoMA and Magnum Photos, and it estimates that saves roughly $300 over five years versus a Samsung subscription.
Design and installation
Wirecutter calls The Frame “a ninja” on the wall. It’s slim and light (just over 30 pounds at 55 inches), with an included slim-fit mount and snap-on feet. Its magnetic bezels come in two 2026 colors, Modern Teak and Modern White, and many older bezels are compatible. The Frame Pro adds Samsung’s Wireless One Connect box, which houses the ports and transmits wirelessly up to 30 feet, so only a power cord runs to the TV. Wirecutter measured 36 ms of input lag through that box, though, triple the standard Frame’s 12.5 ms.
Frame TV Artist reports that the LG Gallery ships with a white magnetic frame, with other colors sold separately, and requires a separately purchased VESA mount. Its cables connect directly at the back, which makes a clean look harder. Samsung’s bezel ecosystem, including third-party Deco TV Frames, is far broader.
Smart features
LG’s Gallery runs Google TV, which has the broadest app store and works naturally in Google Home households. Samsung runs Tizen. Frame TV Artist finds Samsung’s SmartThings stronger for art-mode automation: motion-sensor wake, schedules, and syncing albums across several Frame TVs. It says LG’s Gallery Mode starts after three minutes of inactivity, adjustable to 10, 20 or 30 minutes, and has no motion sensor.
Which should you buy?
1. Samsung The Frame (2026): best for most people
Best for: most art TV buyers.
Wirecutter’s top art TV pick, with the most convincing art mode, the best art store, quantum-dot color, a 144 Hz refresh rate, four HDMI 2.1 ports and the widest size range.
Weak blacks for dark-room movies, no Dolby Vision, and most 2026 sizes have connections on the TV itself, so you’ll need in-wall cable runs for the cleanest look.
Pros
- Best art store
- Most sizes
- Flush mount included
Cons
- Art subscription
- Mediocre blacks
2. Samsung The Frame Pro (2026): best for bright rooms
Best for: bright living rooms and clean installs.
Wirecutter’s upgrade pick: the brightest art TV it tested, with local dimming and the Wireless One Connect box. WIRED calls it “pricey but worth it,” praising its new anti-glare coating and picture quality.
Input lag through the wireless box (Wirecutter), and it starts at 55 inches.
Pros
- Very bright
- Near-cable-free install
Cons
- Input lag
- Pricier
3. LG Gallery TV: best for no-subscription art
Best for: Google TV households and anyone avoiding subscriptions.
Mini LED backlighting, Dolby Vision, Google TV and an included art library, per Frame TV Artist. Wirecutter has it on its list to test.
Only 55 and 65 inches, a separately bought VESA mount, a narrower bezel range, and no independent lab results yet.
Pros
- Free art library
- Dolby Vision
- Google TV
Cons
- Two sizes
- Mount extra
- Untested by Wirecutter
4. Amazon Ember Artline: the budget alternative
Best for: budget buyers.
Wirecutter’s budget pick: a free art store with more than 2,000 works, a free bezel, Dolby Vision and Fire TV. WIRED notes the 65-inch costs about $1,100.
Dimmer, with a 60 Hz panel, and Wirecutter found its art mode doesn’t get dim enough for a dark room.
Pros
- Free art
- Lower price
Cons
- Dimmer picture
- Less convincing art mode
Tips for a convincing art TV
- Mount at gallery height and center the TV on the wall or over furniture.
- Run cables in-wall, or choose the Frame Pro’s wireless box.
- Pick a bezel that matches your decor’s wood or metal tones.
- Let the TV’s ambient sensor manage art-mode brightness.
- Choose art that suits the room’s palette, rotating seasonally.
Total cost of ownership
Look beyond the sticker price. A Samsung Frame’s art subscription adds up over years if you use it, though you can rely on the free rotating works and your own photos instead. Frame TV Artist estimates LG’s included art library saves roughly $300 over five years versus a Samsung subscription. Add bezels: Samsung’s are sold separately, priced at $150 apiece by Wirecutter and $199 for standard bezels by WIRED. Add a VESA mount for the LG, which Frame TV Artist says isn’t included, and in-wall cable work for either TV if you want the cleanest look.
Room by room
Bright living rooms: the Frame Pro’s brightness and anti-glare coating are a strong advantage. Bedrooms and kitchens: only The Frame comes in smaller sizes, from 32 to 50 inches. Dark media rooms: an art TV may not be the best choice at all; Wirecutter steers movie lovers to conventional LCD and OLED TVs.
How we researched this guide
We don’t run a test lab, so we built this guide from independent testing by Wirecutter, whose reviewer is ISF-certified and tested every current art TV line available in spring 2026, WIRED’s Frame Pro review, and Frame TV Artist’s spec comparison, which we treat as secondary because LG’s TV hadn’t been independently lab-tested at the time. Where they measured something, we report their numbers and credit them by name. Where sources disagreed, or a claim came only from a manufacturer, we say so. We also weighed long-term ownership factors that matter to luxury buyers: warranty terms, build quality, ease of care and how a product fits into a well-designed home. Prices quoted are as listed by reviewers or retailers at the time of their writing and will change, so check current listings before you buy.
FAQ
Is the LG Gallery better than the Samsung Frame?
Not yet proven. Samsung leads on art mode, sizes and installation; LG offers free art, Dolby Vision and Google TV.
Does the Samsung Frame need a subscription?
For the full art store, yes. Samsung offers about 30 free works a month.
Which art TV is brightest?
The Frame Pro, at 924 nits peak in Wirecutter’s testing.
Is an art TV good for movies?
Wirecutter says art TVs generally aren’t ideal for dark-room movie nights because of weaker blacks.
What sizes does the LG Gallery come in?
55 and 65 inches.
The bottom line
Samsung’s Frame is still the art TV to beat for most buyers. Choose the LG Gallery if a free art library, Dolby Vision and Google TV matter more than size options and a polished install, and wait for independent tests if you can. See our Frame and art TVs guide and Is the Samsung Frame worth it? for more.
