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Samsung smart TV vs. Roku TV: Which is better?

  • Display art in your home

    Samsung The Frame LS03B

    The Samsung The Frame TV offers streaming options and can integrate with other smart home devices. It also can turn into a picture frame, displaying artwork in your home.

    Pros

    • Art Mode shows artwork
    • QLED 4K offer 100% color volume
    • Tizen platform built in
    Cons

    • Needs to be mounted for full effect
    • Pricey

  • Roku Smart TV

    Cost-effective option

    Roku Smart TV 55″ Plus Series

    $428 $500 Save $72

    The Roku Smart TV is a TV that doesn’t require a separate Roku device as it has the Roku operating system built into it. It offers 4K QLED resolution and automatic brightness. It’s easy to stream, game, and more on.

    Pros

    • Roku OS built-in
    • Roku Backdrops turns screen into art
    • 4K QLED resolution
    Cons

    • Lack blue eye reduction
    • Shows more reflection than The Frame


There are many people who want to buy a new TV and have it come ready to multitask with various functions. Whether you want your TV to control devices in your smart home, work with a voice remote, or be ideal for both streaming and gaming, there are specific TVs that you’ll want to consider when making the final purchase.



If you’re planning on using your TV for streaming, you want a smart TV to avoid having to purchase a separate device like an Apple TV 4K, Amazon Fire Stick, or a Roku. If you’re already buying a new TV, you might as well buy one with the capability built in. This opens up a world of possibilities in terms of content for you to view, both free and paid. Two of the most popular options in terms of smart TVs are Roku TVs and Samsung TVs.

Related

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While OLED TVs stand out in one their own respect, QLED models still deserve some kudos of their own.

Both have their own operating systems, meaning the processors, interfaces, and features are all different. But, they can both do a lot of the same things. Not sure which one might be best for your situation? I’ve compared a Roku smart TV side-by-side to a Samsung smart TV to help you make a pick.


Note: I’ve chosen to compare the Samsung The Frame 55-inch LS03B TV with the Roku 55-inch Smart TV to match up with enough of the same features.

See our process

How we test and review products at Pocket-lint

We don’t do arm-chair research. We buy and test our own products, and we only publish buyer’s guides with products we’ve actually reviewed.

Price, availability, and specs

One is way more expensive than the other

Samsung The Frame (3)

Samsung 

  • Samsung The Frame LS03B Roku Smart TV 55″ Plus Series
    Connectivity Technology Bluetooth 5.2 Wi-Fi, Bluetooth
    Refresh Rate 120 Hz 60 Hz
    Resolution 4K. UHD 4K
    HDR? Yes Yes
    Ports USB, HDMI (4x), One Connect, Lan, Cable USB-A, HDMI (3x), LAN,
    Weight 38.1 pounds 30 pounds
    Screen sizes (inches) 55 55


When comparing the price of Samsung smart TVs and Roku smart TVs, they do vary. Some Samsung smart TVs are not as expensive as The Frame, which is the one that I’ve highlighted. But some are even more expensive, depending on resolution and size. Size will be the big determining factor for price for any TV, so if you’re going to opt for a 75-inch TV, it’s definitely going to cost way more than a 32-inch TV. In my comparison here, the Roku Smart TV is about $1,000 cheaper than the Samsung The Frame TV, despite having a lot of the same features.

Read our review

Samsung The Frame initial review: As the artist intended?

A sophisticated way to integrate a TV into your room.

Both of these kinds of TVs are readily available at outlets like Amazon, Best Buy, Walmart, Target, B&H Photo, and other retailers. You might be able to find price differences if you shop around and find a sale. But overall, the pricing can be similar between all the stores for each TV. I compared two 55-inch TVs that each had 4K QLED resolution to show off similarities.

The designs are similar with some big discrepancies

The biggest difference is the display

Samsung The Frame TV

Samsung 


When you’re ranking smart TVs, it often comes down to a few differences in the design (minus the size) that people focus on. Resolution is one of them, and you’re able to get 4K and 8K options of both. QLED displays are popular for both as well, so you’re getting crystal-clear imaging and clarity no matter which one you choose. The Samsung The Frame TV is a virtually flat TV that is easy to mount and the mount is included when you buy it. It’s actually more difficult to have on a stand and sit up on a ledge or piece of furniture. Because of its main feature, it is made to be mounted, like a picture frame is meant to be hung on a wall. It allows you to customize the bezel around it to best match the home decor you have.

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Because the TV is meant to be mounted, the ports are not easy to access. That’s why Samsung includes the One Connect box, which is a separate box that connects to the TV via a very thin cord. This allows you to look at the TV like it’s meant to look: like a picture frame without cords dangling from it. The Roku TV does have access to the ports on the side and there’s nothing wrong with that. It is easy to mount but also looks just fine on a stand, which is included. Each of these TVs have multiple HDMI ports and a USB-A port.


What really separates them is the anti-reflective matte display on The Frame. It is made specifically to avoid having any glare show up on the TV, day or night, so if you are using it in Art Mode, it will showcase the art more. It also does showcase the content that you’re watching more. The Roku TV does not have an anti-glare design, so you run the risk of being washed out while watching something. If you are mounting or placing the TV in a room that gets a lot of sun, this is an important feature to note.

Software differs but there are some similarities

You’ll be able to stream well from either

roku smart tv 1-2

Roku


If you haven’t used either a Samsung TV or a Roku TV or Roku streaming device before, they vary a bit in their layouts. The Roku TV has Roku OS powering it, so your interface looks a lot like it would if you were using a Roku streaming device. Roku has an easy-to-navigate interface, as apps that are automatically downloaded onto the platform are there when you turn it on. You’re easily able to organize them to put the ones that you want the most first and so on. Downloading new apps is simple as you can just search for them in the search bar on the left. On a Roku TV, unlike a Roku streaming device, you’re able to toggle between inputs to bring up whatever you’ve plugged into your HDMI ports. There is also menus for gaming consoles, Live TV, and a cable box that are preset to the menu.

The Samsung TV OS is not as easy to maneuver through as the Roku TV, in terms of getting to the apps. But it is easier to toggle between what is connected to the HDMI ports.


The Live TV guide brings you to a channel guide for the Live channels that are available through The Roku Channel. You can also access this through The Roku Channel app. Samsung TV has a similar feature for live channels that bring you through Samsung TV Plus to watch them. Both The Roku Channel and Samsung TV Plus are free live channels with your TVs. The Samsung TV runs on the Tizen operating system, which is laid out differently but offers some of the same overall features. There are pre-installed apps that cover a lot of the major streaming services that you might have to download anyway.

The Samsung TV operating system has options for gaming, media, and, on The Frame, art. Something that you will notice on both of the TVs is they both feature ads on the menus as you scroll through the content. While the Roku TV ads may be larger, there are more ads on a Samsung TV as you scroll. The Samsung TV OS is not as easy to maneuver through as the Roku TV, in terms of getting to the apps. But it is easier to toggle between what is connected to the HDMI ports. Most Samsung TVs can be operated by voice remotes, which come included. Newer Roku TVs come with voice remotes.


One key feature for the Samsung TV is that it can connect to other smart home devices in your home that have Samsung SmartThings connectivity. So, you’re able to turn on your TV with your voice if you have a Samsung smart speaker or you can change the channel through your hub. The Roku TV is eligible to be turned on and off via the Roku app, which makes it okay if you happen to lose the small Roku remote.

Performances are both impressive

Both can actually handle the main feature of The Frame

Roku backdrops on a TV above a piece of furniture

Roku

The Samsung The Frame TV is known not only for its anti-glare display but also for its ability to turn into Art Mode to display artwork. Art Mode offers thousands of paintings, portraits, drawings, and more from a rotating but curated list, which includes partnerships with some of the most well-recognized museums in the world. If you have a subscription, you have full access to swap out the artwork as often as you want.


This is actually a feature that is going to be available on more Samsung TVs going forward.

Art Mode can be used to showcase the TV in your room and make it more than just a dormant device when you aren’t watching something. It lets you turn it into a more functional part of the room, in terms of decor.

Roku recently just adapted this for its own TVs with a feature called Roku Backdrops and, while it doesn’t have the library that Samsung offers, it does allow you to turn your Roku TV into artwork. For both kinds of TVs, you can upload your own photographs as well to set them as the background, turning these into much larger smart picture frames.

Roku streaming devices don’t currently offer the Roku Backdrops feature, as of October 2024.

Related

6 tricks I use to make my Samsung Frame TV actually look like art

My smart TV displays more than just the latest hit show.

If you’re buying a new Roku TV or a Samsung The Frame TV, you’ll get a computer with a fast processor. While these aren’t the fastest TVs, and they don’t have integrated AI chips (yet), they’re still very capable.


Which one is right for you?

There are some factors to help decide

samsung the frame choosing a painting

Both Samsung TVs and Roku TVs are top options when it comes to smart televisions. They have differing interfaces in terms of the operating systems, but both provide you with very similar features. Depending on the type of Samsung TV you purchase, you may get options like Art Mode with The Frame. Depending on the Roku TV you get, you could be able to turn your backdrop into artwork, too.

While Samsung TVs can be much more expensive than Roku TVs, if you are comparing The Frame to a Roku TV, The Frame’s display is a different factor. If you’re planning on putting your TV in a sunny room, it’s worth considering the substantial bump in price if it’s within your budget. If you also want to have the TV as a focal point of the room, The Frame mounts better and is flatter than a Roku TV.


Depending on what you need, if the higher-end features are more important to you, The Frame could be the right choice. But if you’re looking for a capable smart TV that you can stream on easily, the Roku TV is a more budget-friendly option.

Samsung The Frame LS03B Series

Editor’s Choice

Samsung The Frame LS03B

The Samsung The Frame TV has an anti-glare display that makes it look crystal clear.

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