Samsung introduced The Terrace in 2020 as a television designed specifically for outdoor entertainment. Unlike conventional indoor TVs, this model has a weather-resistant enclosure, a high-brightness QLED display and an anti-reflective coating that helps keep the picture visible in daylight. It is intended for installation on terraces, patios and covered porches, where it can be used without the protection required by an ordinary television. However, The Terrace is not completely weatherproof and is best installed under a roof or awning, preferably in a partially shaded location.
What IP55 and IP56 Mean
Samsung The Terrace has an IP55 protection rating, while its TM2095A remote control is rated IP56. These ratings describe how well the devices resist dust and water. The first digit, 5, means that the equipment is protected against dust, although some particles may enter the enclosure. The second digit indicates water resistance: level 5 protects against water jets from any direction, while level 6 provides protection against more powerful water jets.
For the television, IP55 means that it can withstand low-pressure water jets, including exposure to rain under specified test conditions. The remote control has a higher water-protection rating and can withstand powerful water jets, but IP56 does not mean that it can be submerged in water. Neither rating makes the equipment completely waterproof.
The Terrace also differs from an ordinary television in its construction. Its enclosure is designed for outdoor use, with materials selected to withstand sunlight and temperature changes, while protective measures help reduce the risk of moisture damaging internal electronics. Nevertheless, the TV should be installed under cover and protected from prolonged exposure to rain and severe weather. Its permitted operating temperature also depends on the regional version. For example, Samsung’s 2020 Australian documentation specifies an operating range of -10°C to +50°C. Owners should follow the temperature limits and installation instructions supplied for their particular model.
Models
The first-generation Samsung The Terrace was released in 2020 in three screen sizes: 55, 65 and 75 inches. The international model numbers are 55LST7T, 65LST7T and 75LST7T, while the corresponding US versions use the designations QN55LST7TAFXZA, QN65LST7TAFXZA and QN75LST7TAFXZA.
| Screen size | International model | US model |
|---|---|---|
| 55 inches | 55LST7T | QN55LST7TAFXZA |
| 65 inches | 65LST7T | QN65LST7TAFXZA |
| 75 inches | 75LST7T | QN75LST7TAFXZA |
Sales began in the United States and Canada in May 2020, with other markets following later that year. Samsung designed the series primarily for partially shaded outdoor locations, rather than areas where the screen is exposed to direct sunlight throughout the day.
Brightness
High brightness is one of the main reasons for choosing The Terrace over a conventional indoor television. Samsung specifies brightness of more than 2,000 nits, depending on the measurement conditions. A nit is one candela per square meter (cd/m²), and it measures how much light a display produces. For comparison, a typical computer monitor operates at approximately 350–400 nits, which is usually sufficient for indoor use but can be difficult to see in bright outdoor conditions.
Samsung achieves this brightness through a powerful LED backlight combined with QLED technology. The anti-reflective coating also helps reduce reflections from the surrounding environment, making the picture easier to see during the day. These features are particularly useful on a covered terrace, where daylight can still be quite strong even without direct sunlight reaching the screen.
However, high brightness does not make The Terrace a full-sun television. Samsung specifies installation in partial shade, and direct sunlight can still produce strong reflections and make the picture difficult to see. For the best viewing experience, the TV should be positioned under a roof or awning, away from direct sunlight.
Display
The 2020 Samsung The Terrace uses a 4K QLED display with a VA panel, Quantum Dot technology and a native refresh rate of 120 Hz. Its resolution is 3,840 × 2,160 pixels, providing the same level of detail as Samsung’s premium indoor 4K televisions of that period. Quantum Dot technology expands the color reproduction capabilities of the display, while the VA panel provides good native contrast.
The television uses Direct Full Array 16X backlighting, with LEDs positioned behind the LCD panel rather than only along its edges. Samsung’s 16X designation is a technology classification and should not be interpreted as the number of local-dimming zones. The TV also uses Ultimate UHD Dimming Pro to process contrast and improve the appearance of dark and bright areas in the picture.
Other picture technologies include Quantum HDR 32X, Quantum Processor 4K and Motion Rate 240. The latter is Samsung’s motion-performance designation, while the actual native refresh rate of the panel is 120 Hz. The anti-reflective coating is particularly important for this model because it helps reduce glare in outdoor lighting conditions.
Other Specifications
The Terrace runs Samsung’s Tizen 5.5 operating system and includes the Smart Hub platform, which provides access to streaming applications and other smart TV features. It supports Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, SmartThings and voice assistants, including Bixby, Google Assistant and Amazon Alexa, although availability and functionality may vary by country. The TV also supports screen mirroring, DLNA and Samsung’s usual collection of smart TV functions.
One of its less common features is the built-in HDBaseT receiver. This allows compatible HDBaseT equipment to transmit video and other signals to the television over a single cable, which can be useful when the TV is installed some distance from the source equipment. In terms of audio, however, The Terrace is relatively modest. It has two speakers with a combined output of 20 W, which may not be sufficient for a large outdoor area. Samsung therefore offered a dedicated outdoor soundbar, the HW-LST70T, designed to complement the television.
Full Specifications
| Specification | Samsung The Terrace |
|---|---|
| Display | |
| Screen sizes | 55, 65, 75 inches |
| Resolution | 3,840 × 2,160 |
| Display technology | QLED |
| Panel type | VA |
| Color technology | Quantum Dot |
| Backlighting | Direct Full Array 16X |
| Dimming technology | Ultimate UHD Dimming Pro |
| Video | |
| Native refresh rate | 120 Hz |
| Motion Rate | 240 |
| HDR | Quantum HDR 32X |
| Picture processor | Quantum Processor 4K |
| Color volume | 100% Color Volume with Quantum Dot |
| Anti-reflective coating | Yes |
| Audio | |
| Speaker configuration | 2.0 CH |
| Sound output | 20 W |
| Dolby | Dolby Digital Plus |
| Woofer | No |
| Object Tracking Sound | No |
| Smart Features | |
| Operating system | Tizen 5.5 |
| Wi-Fi | Yes |
| Bluetooth | Yes |
| Smart Hub | Yes |
| Bixby | Yes |
| Google Assistant | Supported, availability varies |
| Amazon Alexa | Supported, availability varies |
| Ambient Mode | Yes |
| Game Mode | Yes |
| AI Upscaling | Yes |
| SmartThings | Yes |
| Digital Clean View | Yes |
| ConnectShare | Yes |
| Anynet+ (HDMI-CEC) | Yes |
| Inputs and Outputs | |
| HDMI | 3 |
| USB | 1 |
| Ethernet | Yes |
| RF input | Yes |
| Satellite input | Market dependent |
| Digital Audio Out (Optical) | Yes |
| Audio Return Channel | Yes |
| HDBaseT | Yes |
| One Connect | No |
| System | |
| Digital broadcasting | ATSC/ClearQAM (US), DVB (Europe) |
| Analog tuner | Yes |
| Outdoor Protection | |
| TV protection rating | IP55 |
| Remote protection rating | IP56 |
| Accessories | |
| Remote control | TM2095A |
| Compatible outdoor soundbar | HW-LST70T |
Price Compared to the Q90T
At launch in 2020, the 65-inch Samsung The Terrace had a suggested retail price of approximately $4,999. The 65-inch Samsung Q90T, one of the company’s premium indoor QLED televisions from the same year, cost approximately $2,500. This meant that The Terrace was roughly $2,500 more expensive, despite having broadly comparable 4K display technology.
The price difference was mainly related to the outdoor construction, weather protection, high brightness and specialized design rather than a fundamental difference in picture resolution. A conventional QLED television may offer a similar viewing experience indoors, but it is not designed to withstand the conditions found on an outdoor terrace or patio.
Other manufacturers, including SunBriteTV, also offer televisions designed for outdoor installation. When comparing these models, it is worth looking beyond brightness and screen size. Operating temperature, dust and water protection, permitted sunlight exposure and warranty conditions are particularly important because outdoor televisions are exposed to conditions that ordinary indoor models are not designed to handle.
Samsung The Terrace is therefore a specialized television for people who want to watch TV outdoors without installing a conventional indoor model. Its high brightness, QLED display and IP55 protection make it suitable for covered and partially shaded locations. However, it should not be treated as a television that can be left completely exposed to all weather conditions.
