While it doesn’t make the list of the best TVs we’ve tested, the Amazon Fire TV Omni QLED is a solid option if you want a smart TV for less. Especially if you already enjoy the Fire OS smart TV interface.
And starting today, there are now more options than ever to get your hands on this affordable QLED TV: Amazon has announced three new sizes of the Fire TV Omni QLED are available for purchase from Amazon and Best Buy. The new sizes are 43-inch, 50-inch and 55-inch displays and are set to retail for $499, $529 and $599, respectively.
These TVs also all come with Fire TV Ambient Experience, a Fire TV feature that turns your TV into an always-on smart home device that displays artwork, photos and widgets when you’re not watching the latest shows and movies.
That effectively makes these new Fire TV Omni QLED TVs an alternative to Samsung The Frame QLED TV with a sub-$500 sticker price.
The Omni QLED is easy on both the eyes and the wallet
While the Fire TV QLED isn’t quite as aesthetically pleasing as The Frame’s elegant design, it is relatively sleek, with thin bezels on three of the four sides. The bottom bezel — and Fire TV logo — are definitely noticeable, as is the presence senor, so the Fire TV Omni QLED definitely won’t blend into your wall the way The Frame can but for just $499, you may not care.
In terms of specs, the smaller Fire TV Omni QLED displays still come with a 4K QLED display that provides generally good picture performance but it's worth noting that the 43-inch display does not get full array local dimming, so performance may dip compared to larger sizes. All sizes support multiple HDR formats, including Dolby Vision IQ, HDR10+ Adaptive and HLG.
And of course, you get the popular Fire TV interface with hands-free Alexa voice control. That means that you can use the Fire TV Omni QLED to control your smart home devices, and even make video calls with a compatible webcam (sold separately). That gives you an incredibly versatile TV at an affordable price.
So if you’re looking to upgrade your TV or add a smart TV to one of your rooms, the new Fire TV Omni QLED TVs are a great option. But if you don’t need all the Alexa capabilities you should also check out the Hisense U6H TV. Our TV and AV Editor Nick Pino says it’s the one TV he would buy if he only had $500.