CES 2026 Changed What a TV Is
CES has always rewarded spectacle. Bigger panels. Brighter demos. Louder promises.
CES 2026 shifted the conversation.
This year, the most talked about TVs were the ones that knew how to disappear.
Art TVs moved from niche luxury to mainstream desire, and two brands stood at the center of that evolution. Samsung returned with the latest evolution of The Frame, a product that has shaped the category for years. Amazon arrived with Ember Artline, its first serious attempt at turning a television into décor.
This comparison matters because it defines where art TVs are heading next. One brand represents refinement through experience. The other represents disruption through value and intelligence.
If you are deciding which art TV deserves space on your wall, this is the showdown that matters.
At a Glance
Amazon Ember Artline
- 4K QLED panel with Dolby Vision and HDR10+
- Matte anti glare finish
- OmniSense ambient mode with AI powered art selection
- Over 2,000 artworks included at no extra cost
- Ten interchangeable bezels included
- Fire TV with hands free Alexa+
- Lower starting price with no art subscription
Image Credits: The Seattle Times
Samsung The Frame
- 4K QLED panel with HDR10+
- Matte display optimized for Art Mode
- Samsung Art Store with curated museum collections
- Custom bezels sold separately
- Tizen OS with Samsung Vision AI
- Higher price plus optional art subscription
Image Credits: Engadget
On paper, both promise elegance. In real life, they deliver that promise in very different ways.
Design Philosophy
Two Very Different Ideas of an Art TV
Amazon Ember Artline
Ember Artline treats the wall as a living space, not a gallery. The design stays intentionally neutral. The matte panel absorbs reflections and the thin profile avoids visual weight. The TV responds to presence, light, and movement using built in sensors rather than manual switching.
Image Credits: CNET
The standout decision is flexibility. Ten snap on bezels arrive in the box. Wood finishes, metallic tones, soft colors. The TV can change personality without extra purchases or permanent decisions. Swapping frames feels casual, closer to rearranging furniture than upgrading hardware.
Ember Artline prioritizes adaptability. The TV adjusts to the room and the people inside it.
Samsung The Frame
The Frame approaches the wall as a curated display. The proportions feel intentional. The flush mount hugs the wall tightly, reinforcing the illusion of framed artwork. The matte screen finish gives art a canvas like presence, even in bright rooms.
Image Credits: Samsung
Customization exists through bezel options, but the experience feels more deliberate. Choosing a frame feels like selecting a permanent fixture. The emphasis stays on polish and consistency.
The Frame prioritizes permanence. The TV becomes a focal object designed to be admired.
Display and Picture Quality
When Art Meets HDR
Amazon Ember Artline
Amazon uses a QLED panel that supports Dolby Vision and HDR10+, a meaningful advantage for streaming and cinematic content. Brightness feels confident without overwhelming art mode visuals. Colors lean vibrant, which helps both digital artwork and modern TV content.
Image Credits: CNN
The matte coating plays a critical role. Reflections fade away, giving paintings and photography a textured, print like look. When video content starts, the display shifts seamlessly into entertainment mode without feeling compromised.
Ember Artline balances art and video with minimal trade offs.
Samsung The Frame
The standard Frame uses a QLED panel with HDR10+ support. Brightness works well in sunlit rooms, especially for art mode. The matte finish continues to be one of the best in the category for reflection control.
Picture performance varies by model. The standard Frame favors consistency over contrast. The Frame Pro raises the bar significantly with mini LED backlighting, deeper blacks, and stronger highlights.
Image Credits: Samsung
Samsung prioritizes art presentation first, then scales picture quality based on how much you are willing to spend.
Art Mode Experience
Living Canvas vs Curated Gallery
Amazon Ember Artline
Art mode on Ember Artline feels dynamic. OmniSense sensors detect presence and adjust behavior automatically. Walk into the room and artwork appears. Leave and the display powers down.
The art library includes more than 2,000 pieces at no extra cost, along with seamless Amazon Photos integration. A standout feature uses AI to analyze your room and recommend artwork that complements your décor.
Image Credits: Amazon
Art feels personal, responsive, and low effort.
Samsung The Frame
Samsung’s Art Mode remains one of the most polished experiences available. The Samsung Art Store delivers curated collections from museums, galleries, and artists around the world.
The presentation feels refined and editorial. The trade off comes in cost. Full access requires a monthly subscription, and artwork refreshes follow a curated schedule.
Image Credits: Samsung
Art on The Frame feels intentional and gallery driven.
Frames and Customization
What Your Wall Actually Sees
Amazon makes a bold move by including ten bezels in the box. Magnetic attachment makes swapping frames fast and frustration free. The variety encourages experimentation.
Samsung sells bezels separately. The options feel premium, but the cost adds up quickly. The experience favors long term commitment rather than frequent change.
Customization favors Amazon. Curation favors Samsung.
Smart TV Brains
Fire TV and Alexa+ vs Tizen and Vision AI
Amazon Ember Artline
Fire TV receives a major update in 2026. Navigation feels faster and cleaner. App access remains deep, and Alexa+ adds conversational voice control that works without a remote.
Smart home integration centers around Alexa, making Ember Artline a natural fit for Amazon households.
Samsung The Frame
Tizen OS continues to evolve with Samsung Vision AI features like visual search, live translation, and generative wallpapers. SmartThings integration makes The Frame a control hub for connected homes.
Apple users benefit from AirPlay and HomeKit support.
Samsung offers broader ecosystem compatibility. Amazon offers tighter Alexa integration.
Audio and Setup
Living With the TV After Installation
Ember Artline includes basic stereo speakers that handle casual viewing. Most buyers will want a soundbar. The wall mount delivers a clean, gap free look, though a stand is not included.
The Frame includes stronger built in speakers, especially on larger sizes. The Slim Fit mount creates one of the cleanest wall installations available. The Frame Pro adds wireless connectivity that reduces visible cables even further.
Samsung delivers a more complete out of the box setup. Amazon keeps the focus on visual experience.
Price and Value
What You Pay and What Keeps Costing You
Amazon Ember Artline starts at $899 for the 55-inch model and is expected around $1,100 for the 65-inch upon launch in spring 2026. That price includes ten interchangeable bezels and access to more than 2,000 artworks without requiring an additional subscription.
Samsung The Frame ranges roughly from $899 (43″) up to $1,799 (65″) at MSRP, with optional bezels and a separate monthly art subscription if you choose full Art Store access. The Frame Pro models extend higher in price for larger sizes and added picture performance.
Amazon’s pricing undercuts Samsung at many sizes, especially when bezel and art access costs are factored in. Samsung’s lineup offers more size variety and premium tiers, but costs add up faster once accessories and subscriptions enter the picture.
Who Each TV Is For
Choose Amazon Ember Artline if
- You want strong picture quality with Dolby Vision
- You prefer flexibility and personalization
- You want art without subscriptions
- You already use Alexa and Amazon services
Choose Samsung The Frame if
- You value museum level curation
- You want a refined, gallery style presentation
- You use SmartThings or Apple ecosystems
- You want access to larger sizes and Pro hardware tiers
Final Verdict
Which Art TV Wins CES 2026
Amazon Ember Artline enters the art TV space with confidence. It delivers strong picture quality, smart art features, and unmatched value. The included frames and free artwork remove friction and make experimentation easy. For most buyers, Ember Artline offers the most compelling balance of design, intelligence, and cost.
Samsung The Frame remains the benchmark for art focused televisions. The experience feels refined, intentional, and premium. With the Frame Pro, Samsung pushes image quality further than any traditional art TV. The cost reflects that ambition.
CES 2026 proves that art TVs are no longer a novelty. They are a category.
Amazon defines the smartest value play.
Samsung defines the most polished experience.
The right choice depends on whether your wall needs adaptability or authority.