Samsung Frame TV vs Hisense Canvas TV: Which is Better? I Put Both to the Test

The first thing I noticed was the overall “canvas” illusion of the display. The Hi-Matte coating diffuses reflections into a soft haze, so I wasn’t catching window panes or lamp shapes across people’s foreheads. But the major downfall? Glare. Bright sun doesn’t bounce off the TV like Samsung’s—and it can flatten contrast if you’re sitting off-axis.

To that end, what sets the Hisense apart is its display format. It supports Dolby Vision, which basically gives the TV more precise instructions on how bright and colorful each scene should be. When I hit play on a Dolby Vision title in Netflix or Apple TV+, the highlights looked more controlled—less “blown out,” more detail in bright areas—than on Samsung, which doesn’t support Dolby Vision. The trade-off? This model is edge-lit (light comes in from the sides instead of a full grid behind the screen). That means dark scenes will look a bit gray, and bright sparkles won’t dazzle the way they do on Samsung’s QLED tech. And again, it’s more prone to absorbing the light from the sun's glare.

As for streaming, it runs on Google TV, which is basically Chromecast with an upgrade. The home screen is app-first—Netflix, Hulu, Disney+, Prime, YouTube all laid out in one grid—and the Live tab pulls together over 800 free channels from Pluto, Tubi and more. It looks like a traditional TV guide, so you can scroll and land on something random without logging in. Plus, Chromecast is built in, so casting from your phone is as easy as two taps. Google Photos integration will also work for anyone who wants to turn their camera roll into a slideshow gallery when guests come over.

That said, Art Mode is very much the “value” angle here. Out of the box, you get a library of classic artwork and photography you don’t have to pay for. It feels simple and personal: You curate your own wall. The included wood-look frame and flush mount also make it look finished right away, so you don’t have to nickel-and-dime yourself with accessories just to get the gallery effect. But the major downside is that Hisense only sells one basic frame option (a wood-look bezel) and offers fewer size choices overall (55, 65, 75 and 85 inches). It’s clean and straightforward, but if you’re craving different colors or ornate styles, you’ll be out of luck. The art library itself is relatively small too—more of a classic collection (Monet, Klimt, da Vinci) than a museum-level catalog. If you want rotating exhibitions or niche collections, you’ll be curating them yourself.

The Frame earns its name the second you mount it. Samsung’s matte coating is one of the best in the industry; it kills glare so completely that art looks like paper instead of a screen. Ambient sensors adjust brightness to match the room, so a painting never glows like a backlit poster at night. Compared to the Hisense, the display is more consistent with an actual canvas in a bright room.

That’s because under the hood, The Frame is a QLED TV—Quantum Dot technology gives it richer, more saturated colors than a standard LED. And if you spring for the new Pro version, it’s paired with Mini-LED backlighting, which means thousands of tiny bulbs sit directly behind the panel instead of just a few on the edges. The result: higher peak brightness, more precise highlights, and punchier color in daylight. It’s still not OLED—blacks aren’t pitch-black, and you can sometimes see a faint halo around bright objects—but the QLED + Mini-LED combo is why both art and video look so crisp.

Streaming is also a different vibe from Hisense. Instead of Google TV’s app-first layout, Samsung runs on its own system, Tizen. The home screen feels like a streaming buffet—rows of trending shows and recommendations laid out across your apps. Every major service is there (Netflix, Hulu, Disney+, Apple TV+, Prime), but the standout is Samsung TV Plus: 300+ free live channels that load instantly, no logins required. It’s perfect for background TV. And while Hisense leans into Google casting, Samsung leans into Apple: it has AirPlay 2 built in, so sharing photos or your entire iPhone screen takes seconds.

Art Mode is Samsung’s real differentiator. Unlike Hisense’s small, free library of classics, Samsung’s Art Store is a subscription with thousands of works from museums and galleries around the world—MoMA, the Art Institute of Chicago, National Geographic, even themed Disney and Star Wars collections. The catalog updates regularly, so your TV doubles as a revolving exhibition and even nudges you toward new artists, the way Spotify suggests songs. Yes, it costs extra, but it’s what makes The Frame feel curated and premium.

And then there are the frames themselves. While Hisense gives you a single wood-look option in the box, Samsung offers dozens of customizable bezels sold separately. You can pick flat “Modern” styles in White, Teak or Sand Gold, or go with “Beveled” moldings if you want something more traditional. There’s even a thriving third-party market—ornate wood, brushed metal, you name it. And unlike Hisense’s limited lineup, The Frame comes in a wide range of sizes from 32 inches all the way up to 85, so you can fit one in a studio apartment, a bedroom or a full-scale living room wall.