Finding a white TV can be a bit like chasing the white whale in Moby Dick: you know they're out there somewhere, but finding them turned out to be a lifelong task.
In our quest to track them down for readers, we only found two models available in 2022: the 32-inch LG 620LM32BPUA and the Samsung The Frame, which only qualifies because you can swap out the bezels on the TV for a completely white one. prune.
Both are good TVs for their purposes: LG's 32-inch TV is just a 720p model that works best in a kitchen or kid's room, while Samsung's The Frame is a designer screen that aims to blend into place to stand out. That said, while they all have their niche, none really fill the role of a real home theater screen in the living room.
So why, of the dozens of new TVs introduced each year, are there only two white TVs? We needed to get to the bottom of this, so we went straight to the source and asked our contacts at LG, Sony and Samsung to explain why more options weren't available.
The real reason you don't watch many white TVs
The answer to why there aren't more of these albino bezel displays is pretty simple: it goes against everything these companies work for year after year.
“White has been popular in some applications, for example small TVs for kitchen use. We currently offer a white TV with a 32-inch FHD screen size,” says Tim Alessi, Senior Director of New Products at LG Electronics. “However, for larger screens used in living rooms or home theater applications, white is not desirable for a couple. of reasons »
"A lot of effort is made to minimize the visible bezel so that the viewer sees 'all images' for a more immersive viewing experience. Using white would negate these efforts by making any visible bezel too prominent."
Tim Alessi, LG Electronics“First, a lot of effort is put into minimizing the visible frame so that the viewer sees 'every frame' for the most immersive viewing experience. Using white would negate these efforts by making any visible bezels too prominent. The other reason is that darker or metallic finishes have a more premium look that most people prefer on a big screen TV.
The latter is obviously subjective, as some of our readers have directly ordered white TVs; however, there's no arguing that a white bezel would make it stand out more when watching a TV show or movie.
When we asked Sony about this, we got a similar response.
"White generally contrasts with onscreen content, leading to a less immersive experience," a Sony representative told us via email. "Also, from a design standpoint, we think black provides a more upscale look and feel."
Long story short? TVs with white frames are really not conducive to the home theater experience.
Samsung has a white TV... if you're willing to pay more for it
The only TV that could play the role of a true living room screen is Samsung's The Frame.
Launched a few years ago to appease the more aesthetic crowd, The Frame is part of Samsung's Designer TV series, which also includes The Serif and The Sero.
By default, The Frame comes with a black bezel, but its secret weapon is that the bezel can be swapped out for something else, including the all-white border. Each of the available versions can be purchased separately for €99 / £99 (around AU$140), while the entry-level 50-inch model of the TV retails for €1,199 / £999 / AU$1,699.
It's a lot more expensive than other 4-inch 50K HDR QLED TVs, but it's a price most people are willing to pay.
"The breadth of the Samsung TV lineup shows that we listen to our customers, innovating our products to meet their needs and passions," a Samsung representative told TechRadar by email. "That can mean designing TVs that include our gaming hub for gamers, a better home screen for streamers, or in this case, TVs that maximize design and décor versatility. That's the level of customization you've done of The Frame and The Serif such a huge success". with consumers.
In some ways, it may seem unfair that you have to pay more for a white trim on a TV, but for now, Samsung is the only manufacturer that satisfies consumers' desires for a white TV, and therefore can charge a little more expensive. for this.
Don't worry, glasses will soon be a thing of the past.
Much like the word 'seek', white TVs aren't going to happen, at least not anytime soon. But that might not be a bad thing, since most manufacturers make almost frameless TVs. Each of the three manufacturers above have TVs with extremely thin bezels in their lineups. Samsung has the bezel-less QLED Q950TS 8K TV that debuted in 2020 and the Samsung QN900A that debuted in 2021, while LG recently reduced the bezel on its new OLED TVs from 6mm to 4mm.
Reducing bezels or eliminating them altogether are areas of great interest to manufacturers; aside from image quality and performance, this is probably where they spend the most time in the design process.
What this tells us, essentially, is that we won't have to worry about the color of our glasses for much longer. Yes, these TVs will still come with metal or black mounts, but people who mount them on the wall will have a consistent look without worrying about whether the TV will match the decor in the rest of the room.
So, to all you interior designers out there: don't worry, your release is coming.
- Looking for the TV with the best picture performance? Check out our guide to the best TVs