Samsung now has 3 different versions of its TV that transforms into a piece of minimalist artwork
- Samsung's 43-inch version of the Frame TV set is now available for $1300.
- The 43-inch set is the cheapest iteration of the Frame TV, a television set that doubles as piece of modern artwork.
Samsung's latest shape-shifting television set is now available for purchase online: a sleek, 43-inch 4K TV that doubles as a piece of minimalist artwork.
The 43-inch iteration of The Frame television set is the smallest- and cheapest - that the company has offered yet, making the promise of svelte hardware slightly more affordable for the average consumer.
Samsung debuted its Frame TV earlier this year with two models: the 65-inch set and the slightly smaller 55 incher. The Frame's allure lies in its ability to transform your wallspace into a work of art; a motion sensor picks up when you're in the room and instantly converts the screen into a pre-selected art piece that brightens and dims in relation to the room's lighting.
There's 100 free artwork options in Samsung's online art collection (think: clean architectural backdrops, technicolor still lifes, and a series of surrealist Nigerian sketches), but if none of these are to your liking, you can choose to pay $5 per month on an artwork-based subscription model that provides access to an ever-growing assortment of curated art. Otherwise, you can purchase single selections of digital artwork, all of which will run you about $20 a piece. Additionally, The Frame TV is equipped with all the bells and whistles of your standard modern TV set: sharp, 4K resolution and ports for HDMI, USB, and Ethernet.
Samsung has set up a clever business model for the set, offering a line of customizable accessories to trick out the TV in accordance with your tastes. In addition to a modish freestanding set stand which will run you about $599 for the 65-inch version, you can choose from a selection of woodsy bezels that clip onto the TV's sides and are available in either walnut, oak, or white.
At $1,300, it's still a luxury item, but it's less than half the cost of Samsung's pricey 65-inch predecessor, making the option to gussy up your TV set just a tad more affordable. True, the Frame TV won't fool everyone into thinking it's a traditional piece of artwork - it still has that sheeny veneer of an LCD screen masquerading as fine art - but it's undoubedtly an improvement on the darkened flatscreen occupying your living room.