A 100″ ultra short throw (UST) laser projector with an ambient light rejecting screen can cost less than an 85″ Samsung Frame TV, and it fills far more wall. So why would anyone buy a Frame? This guide compares the two for a living room that doubles as a place to show art, and explains where each one wins.

How each one works

The Frame is a matte QLED TV that shows art when you are not watching. A UST projector sits a few inches from the wall and throws a large image upward onto a screen. Because the light bounces off the screen toward your eyes, the screen type matters as much as the projector.

A plain white wall works in a dark room. In a bright room, buyers usually add an ALR (ambient light rejecting) screen, which is designed to reflect the projector's light to the viewer while dimming light from windows and lamps.

Side-by-side comparison

Price ranges move quickly. ALR screens for 100″ UST setups have been listed from roughly $400 to $1,000 in retail listings we found, before the projector itself, while 85″ Frame models have sold anywhere from about $2,800 to $3,500 on sale. Check current prices before you decide.

Where the Frame wins

• It is art all day. The panel is matte and the Art Mode motion sensor turns the display off when the room is empty. See our Art Mode electricity and burn-in guide.
• Bright rooms. A projector image is only as bright as the light it can reflect. A TV makes its own light.
• It looks finished. Pick a bezel to match your room; our bezel buying guide covers the options.
• Less fuss. No lamp-style alignment or screen tension to fix.

Where a projector wins

• Size per dollar. Going from 65″ to 100″ costs much less with light than with glass.
• Movie nights. A large screen in a dark room is hard to beat.
• The screen can disappear. Motorized and retractable screens roll away when not in use, which is a real advantage if you want a bare wall.

Is a projector good for displaying art?

Honestly, it is weaker than a Frame. Art looks best when blacks stay black, and a projected image in a lit room tends to look washed out in dark areas. Dark, moody paintings suffer most. Bright, high-key art, pastel abstracts, and landscapes hold up better. If you do project art, keep the room dim and use images with plenty of mid-tones. Our guide to Frame TVs in dark rooms explains how contrast affects art on a self-lit panel.

Which should you buy?

• Sunny living room, art on display most of the day: Frame TV.
• Basement or dedicated media room: projector, and consider a Frame in another room.
• Open-plan home: Frame TV, since you cannot control the light.
• You want both: a Frame for daily art and a retractable screen with a UST projector for movie nights. Check the cost against a single large Frame before committing.

If the price of a new Frame is the barrier, look at last year's model in our LS03F clearance guide. Other art-first TVs are compared in our art TV buying guide.

Art prompts that suit either display

Generate at 3840×2160 so the image is sharp on a 100″ screen. Try "flat, edge-to-edge impressionist garden in soft mid-tone greens and cream, no frame, no border, high-key lighting" for projection, or a deep chiaroscuro still life for a Frame in a dim room.

Frequently asked questions

Can a projector replace a Frame TV? For movies, yes. For daily art in a lit room, not well.

Do I need an ALR screen with a UST projector? A standard white wall works in a dark room, but an ALR screen is usually recommended if the room has any light.

Does a projector get burn-in? Laser projectors do not burn in like OLED panels, but a laser light source does age with hours of use.