In just a few short years, Samsung has brought its much-praised QLED panel technology to the masses, making it a compelling alternative to the more-expensive OLED HDTVs that often dominate today’s high-end TV market. 

Most consumers already know that Samsung’s QLED panels can provide some of the best picture quality out there. Still, the Korean tech giant has always kept an eye on that delicate intersection of where function and aesthetics meet. 

If you take a gander at Samsung’s 50-inch The Frame QLED HDTV—now on sale at Walmart and Best Buy for about $1,100—you immediately know that design and style have been taken to another level. 

The Frame has no problem functioning as a 4K smart TV when needed, but when not in use, it becomes a chic photo frame that blends into your room’s decor. The set’s Art Mode showcases a beautiful work of art when you’re not watching TV, and with its built-in motion sensor, you’ll be able to see your favorite artistic selections whenever you enter the room. 

Yes, apparently, you can still make a modern design statement while you binge-watch your favorite Netflix and Disney+ shows and movies. 

Samsung’s highly regarded quantum-dot technology enables you to experience images bursting with a dazzling range of more than 1 billion colors, each upscaled to incredible clarity driven by an intelligent 4K processor.

Tapping into one of QLED’s top strengths, this set’s high light output works incredibly well with HDR, and you’ll surely enjoy the accurate colors and solid video processing, which will be a boon for hardcore gamers and lovers of intense action films.

The Frame does employ Samsung Smart TV, which can be a mixed bag for some. Much like its Korean archrival LG’s webOS platform, it has a pleasant stripped-down interface, but it really lacks the real punch that is needed for today’s data-heavy streaming TV world. 

Yes, it offers access to popular run-of-the-mill apps like Netflix, Amazon and Hulu, but a more robust platform like Android TV or Roku will give you much more bang for your buck. The ever-expanding capabilities of Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant, however, give this TV a boost, as their voice-activated control supports seamless multimedia handling. 

The Frame boasts a 20W speaker system that’s right on the border of what you might consider is enough for you. It’s more than passable for everyday TV-watching, but if you do desire a more immersive, bass-driven experience, that can be taken care of relatively easily by purchasing a decent soundbar. 

Ethen Kim Lieser is a Minneapolis-based Science and Tech Editor who has held posts at Google, The Korea Herald, Lincoln Journal Star, AsianWeek and Arirang TV. Follow or contact him on LinkedIn.