Pros
- Colourful performance (in the right mode)
- Slick Alexa integration
- Well stocked for apps
- Fire TV Ambient Experience
Cons
- Feet not the most accommodating for placement
- HDR performance could use more finesse
- Rough upscaling with 480p content
- Competition is cheaper
There’s a reason why there haven’t been any Fire TVs on this list until now, and that’s because they’ve not really passed the muster. But the Amazon Fire TV Omni QLED is one of the first we can give a recommendation too.
That’s not to say that it is perfect, as it comes with a few flaws. However, it’s an ambitious performer for its price and puts in a generally enjoyable performance across the board.
The design is smart with its thin, sliver bezel trim, though we’re not fans of the feet placement, at least for the 65-inch version. They’re set at the edges and it means you’ll need a wide surface to position the TV on. Not everyone will have the space to accommodate this model.
The Fire TV interface has its good and weak points. The amount of choice and options it provides in terms of apps is excellent, but the content is much too weighted towards Amazon’s own Prime Video and Freevee. If you subscribe to other streaming services, Amazon doesn’t make it too easy to find what else is available in our experience.
Alexa voice control is reliable as we’ve to expect, supported with the Voice Remote and hands-free interaction if you choose to interact in that manner. The Fire TV Ambient Experience makes this more a lifestyle TV, and if you’re ensconced within the Amazon ecosystem, it’s a handy way to keep track of things through the customisable widgets.
In terms of its picture performance, the Fire TV Omni QLED features surprising support for Dolby Vision IQ and HDR10+ Adaptive, two HDR supports we don’t often see at this price. The image quality could be more consistent in our opinion, HDR10/HDR10+ is not the most colourful; while Dolby Vision content is but suffers from raised blacks.
Upscaling and motion is solid enough, although we wouldn’t watch any 480p content on this screen. It’s not the brightest for HDR content, we measured it a peak of 529 nits, which is just bright enough to give a sense of HDR.
The sound system is crisp almost to a fault, but it can provide a good amount of space to films and TV shows. Like the picture quality, some sound modes fair better than others, but a soundbar will remedy that with a better sound.
Reviewer: Kob Monney
Full Review: Amazon Fire TV Omni QLED
