PSA · Samsung Frame · October 2026
PSA: THE 2026 SAMSUNG FRAME HAS NO ONE CONNECT BOX
We just mounted one. Opened the carton, went looking for the One Connect box, and it wasn't there. That's not a missing part. Samsung moved every port onto the back of the TV, and if you're planning a Frame install, it changes how the wires get hidden.
What Changed
Since the beginning, the Frame's trick was the One Connect box: a separate box that held every input. Your cable box, console and soundbar plugged into the box, and one thin cable ran from the box to the TV. Hide the box in a cabinet or behind the wall and the TV looked like a picture.
The standard 2026 Frame doesn't have one. Samsung announced it on April 2, 2026:
“The Frame in 2026 will have its connections built-in, while maintaining its slim profile thanks to the included Slim Fit Wall Mount… And, new back stoppers make it simple to connect and disconnect cables, without having to take the TV off the wall.”Samsung Electronics America, 2026 The Frame announcement
The headline on that announcement says it plainly: “The Frame simplifies set-up with built-in connections and easy port access.” Samsung's product page for the 2026 Frame says the design houses “all ports and connections within the TV itself.”
The Frame Pro is different. It keeps a box, but a wireless one, so it can sit up to 30 feet away with no cable running to the TV.
| Model | Model code | Where the ports are |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 Frame | LS03HE | On the back of the TV. No box. |
| 2026 Frame Pro | LS03HW | Wireless One Connect box, up to 30 ft away |
| 2025 Frame Pro | LS03FW | Wireless One Connect box |
| 2025 Frame | LS03F | Wired One Connect box + thin cable |
| 2024 Frame | LS03D | Wired One Connect box + thin cable |
Older Frames are still on store shelves, often on sale, and they still come with the wired box. The model code on the carton is the only way to know which one you're getting.
What The Back Looks Like Now
Here's Samsung's own image of the 2026 Frame's connection panel. The ports sit in a recessed bay on the back of the TV, facing sideways, so the cables lie along the back instead of sticking straight out into the wall.
What's on the panel:
- 4 HDMI inputs. HDMI 3 is the eARC port, so that's where a soundbar or receiver goes.
- 2 USB-A, optical audio out, Ethernet (LAN), EX-Link (a Samsung service port) and the antenna input.
And here's Samsung's what's-in-the-box list for the 55″. TV, stand, Slim Fit Wall Mount, remote, power cable, manual. That's it. No box.
Look Familiar? It's The LG Gallery Layout
The first thing we thought when we turned this TV around: this is how LG's Gallery TVs are built.
LG's G-series OLEDs (the “Gallery Design” sets) have never used a breakout box. Their ports live in a recessed section on the back so the TV can hang almost flat on the flush mount LG puts in the box, and the cables drop straight into the wall behind the screen. Some of the G-series ports even face sideways, out toward the edge, the same as the new Frame.
Samsung has landed on the same answer:
| LG Gallery (G-series) | 2026 Samsung Frame | |
|---|---|---|
| Breakout box | None | None |
| Ports | Recessed area on the back | Recessed bay on the back, side-facing |
| Flush mount | Included | Slim Fit Wall Mount, included |
| Where cables go | Into the wall behind the TV | Into the wall behind the TV |
If you've had one of our LG Gallery installs, the 2026 Frame goes up the same way. The wiring plan is nearly identical.
The PSA: Why This Changes Your Install
None of this is bad. For a lot of people it's better. But the old Frame advice on YouTube and Reddit is all about where to hide the box, and none of it applies anymore. Here's what's different.
1. Every cable now goes to the TV
Before, the only thing that had to reach the TV was one thin cable. Now every HDMI, the Ethernet and the antenna plug into the back of the screen, plus power. If your cable box, PlayStation or receiver lives in a cabinet under the TV, each one needs its own HDMI run inside the wall from the cabinet up to the TV.
That's normal work for us. It's the same job as any wall-mounted TV. It just isn't the one-thin-cable job Frame owners are used to, so plan it before the TV goes up.
2. Streaming only? It's the easiest Frame ever
If you watch everything through the built-in apps, the 2026 Frame needs one cable: power. No box to hide, no thin cable to fish through the wall. Put a recessed outlet behind the TV and nothing shows at all.
3. Plan the HDMI ports before mounting
The soundbar goes on HDMI 3 (eARC). Decide which device gets which port before the TV is flush on the wall, and label the cables. It saves a trip back behind the screen. (If you're fuzzy on eARC, we explained it in ARC vs eARC vs HDMI-CEC.)
4. The new flip-out legs
This is our favorite change. Samsung added flip-out legs near the bottom of the TV (it calls them “back stoppers”). Pull the bottom of the TV out from the wall, flip them out, and they hold the TV there while you reach the ports. No taking the TV off the mount.
For years, our version of this was a pillow. To reach the back of a flush TV, we'd tilt the bottom out and wedge a couch cushion or a chunk of the foam packing from the TV's own box behind it to hold it open.
Samsung finally built that into the TV. If you have an older Frame or an LG Gallery and need to get at the ports, the foam from the box still works. Keep a piece of it.
5. The power outlet matters more
The power cord now joins a bundle of cables behind the screen. A recessed outlet behind the TV keeps the plug from pushing the TV off the wall, which is the whole point of a Frame.
Getting a 2026 Frame? We mount it flush, run the HDMI in the wall and set up the ports before it goes up — from $100 by TV size, in-wall concealment $60, hidden outlet behind the TV $250, with a lifetime install warranty anywhere in the Chicago area — book an install.
Want The Box? Get The Frame Pro
If you really want your gear out of sight across the room, Samsung's answer for 2026 is the Frame Pro (LS03HW). Its Wireless One Connect box holds the inputs and sends the picture to the TV with no cable between them.
The fine print from Samsung, worth knowing before you plan it:
- Both the TV and the box need their own power. Two outlets, one at the TV and one at the box.
- Up to 30 feet, in the same space as the TV. Samsung says it may not connect through walls or from inside a metal cabinet.
- New for 2026, the Pro's Micro HDMI port on the TV supports eARC for a soundbar.
Which One Should You Get?
| Your setup | Our pick |
|---|---|
| Streaming apps only | 2026 Frame. One power cord, cleanest install a Frame has ever had. |
| Soundbar right under the TV | 2026 Frame. One short HDMI to the eARC port. |
| Cable box, console, receiver in a cabinet below | 2026 Frame with in-wall HDMI runs, or the Frame Pro. |
| Gear across the room or in a closet | Frame Pro, if it's in the same room and not in a metal cabinet. |
Samsung's launch prices for the 2026 Frame: 55″ $1,199.99, 65″ $1,499.99, 75″ $1,999.99, 85″ $2,999.99 and 98″ $4,499.99. The Frame Pro runs $1,499.99 to $3,999.99 for 55″ to 85″. Retail prices move constantly, so check before you buy.
The Short Version
- The 2026 Samsung Frame (LS03HE) has no One Connect box. The ports are on the back of the TV.
- The 2026 Frame Pro (LS03HW) keeps a box, but it's wireless.
- Older Frames (LS03F, LS03D) still have the wired box. Check the model code.
- It's the same idea as LG's Gallery TVs: recessed ports on the back, flush mount, cables into the wall.
- Every cable now runs to the TV. Plan in-wall HDMI if your gear is in a cabinet.
- Streaming only? The TV needs just power.
- New flip-out legs hold the TV off the wall so you can reach the ports. (We used a pillow.)
Common Questions
Does the 2026 Samsung Frame come with a One Connect box?
No. The standard 2026 Frame (model code LS03HE) has its connections built into the back of the TV. Samsung's what's-in-the-box list for it is the TV, stand, Slim Fit Wall Mount, SolarCell remote, power cable and manual. There is no One Connect box. The 2026 Frame Pro (LS03HW) still uses a box, but it is a wireless one.
Where are the ports on the 2026 Samsung Frame?
In a recessed bay on the back of the TV, facing sideways. Samsung lists four HDMI inputs (HDMI 3 is the eARC port), two USB-A ports, optical audio out, Ethernet, EX-Link and the antenna input. Every cable you use now plugs into the TV itself, not into a separate box.
How do I tell if a Samsung Frame has a One Connect box?
Read the model code. LS03HE is the 2026 Frame with built-in ports and no box. LS03HW is the 2026 Frame Pro with the Wireless One Connect box. Older Frames, such as the 2025 LS03F and the 2024 LS03D, ship with the wired One Connect box and its thin cable. Older models are often still on store shelves at a discount, so check the box before you plan the install.
Can I still hide the cables on a 2026 Samsung Frame?
Yes, but you plan it differently. With the old box, one thin cable ran from the TV to wherever the box was hidden. On the 2026 Frame, every HDMI, Ethernet and antenna cable runs to the TV, so they go in the wall behind the screen alongside the power. If you only stream with the built-in apps, the TV needs nothing but power, and a recessed outlet behind it gives you a completely clean wall.
Is the 2026 Samsung Frame like the LG Gallery TVs?
The idea is very similar. LG's Gallery Design G-series OLEDs keep their ports in a recessed section on the back so the TV can hang almost flat on its included flush mount, with the cables going into the wall behind it. The 2026 Frame does the same thing: ports in a recessed bay on the back, an included flush mount, and no external box.
How do you plug cables into a Frame TV that is flush on the wall?
Samsung added flip-out legs, which it calls back stoppers, near the bottom of the 2026 Frame. You pull the bottom of the TV away from the wall and the legs hold it there while you reach the ports, so you do not have to take the TV off the mount. Before this, installers propped the TV out with a pillow or a block of the foam packing from the box.
Sources
- Samsung Electronics America, “Samsung Elevates 2026 The Frame Lineup…”, April 2, 2026
- Samsung US, The Frame LS03HE product page and The Frame Pro LS03HW product page
- Samsung Canada, 55″ LS03HE specifications
- Tom's Guide, LG G5 OLED TV review (Gallery Design port layout)
- Product images © Samsung Electronics, shown for identification and commentary.
Got A New Frame Coming?
We've mounted Frames with the box, without the box, and LG's Gallery TVs that never had one. Flush to the wall, wires in the wall, anywhere in the Chicago area. Published prices, a lifetime install warranty, no surprises.
BOOK YOUR INSTALL →