Amazon thinks TVs aren’t doing enough when you’re not watching, and the new Fire TV Omni QLED series aims to fix that. It can do everything a powerful voice assistant can do. Plus, it can be an always-on (or almost-on) screen that doubles as a very large picture frame, as well as widgets that keep you up-to-date on things like weather and upcoming events. It shows.
Oh, and you can use it to watch TV shows, movies, and play games – just like a regular TV. QLED display technology produces a decent picture.
Good smart home hub with OK image quality
The Fire TV Omni QLED displays a decent picture for a 4K TV at that price. But it integrates Alexa better than other TVs, making it a driving force for managing smart homes.
Amazon’s voice assistant is now on TVs running Fire TV OS, as well as non-powered TV models like LG and Samsung. But none have the deep Alexa integration that Amazon’s TVs can offer, resulting in a more seamless voice control experience. , easier and faster than using the remote control. You can turn on your TV, start a show, rewind, pause, and adjust the volume.
Alexa on Fire TV Omni QLED does more than just control your TV. You can manage your smart light bulbs, check your smart security devices, and change the temperature of your smart thermostat. If you live in a connected home, your TV screen becomes the hub of everything. And Alexa works even when the screen isn’t on, so you can queue up songs or use other features of your virtual assistant whenever you want.
Other Fire TVs can do all of this, but Omni QLED makes the experience smoother.The innovation in Fire TV Omni QLED is what Amazon calls the Ambient Experience. This feature turns your TV into an always-on display. When you’re not watching TV, it displays photos, art, and other images, such as giant picture frames and screen savers. You can control how long images are displayed, choose which images to display, choose from your library, or use your personal photos. If you like the idea of Samsung’s The Frame TV, you’ll also love Fire TV’s Ambient Experience.
You can also choose from several widgets to display information in ambient mode. These include a calendar view, suggestions for things to watch, and sticky notes that let you post notes on your screen instead of leaving them on the fridge or counter. Stay up-to-date with life.
You can set Ambient Experience to turn on the screen only when it senses people in the room. This helps save energy, but it also feels creepy.When you walk into a room, the TV automatically turns on and you can’t help but feel like you’re being watched. Luckily, you can turn off the ambient experience if you don’t feel the need to run your TV that hard.
Given Amazon’s experience making smart speakers, it’s no surprise that the Fire TV Omni QLED delivers decent sound to your TV. Despite having only two channels, the dialogue was clear and there was a bit of bass. When listening to music, it sounded as good as the Echo. However, the TV does not support Dolby Atmos and does not have a virtual surround sound mode. A good soundbar would be a welcome addition to your setup.
Fire TV Omni QLED has the technology you need for a mid-range 4K TV. A QLED screen with full-array backlighting and local dimming zones, and one input that supports the latest standard, HDMI 2.1. In theory, it should produce sharp images with good contrast and vibrant colors.
But reality has a very average image. Colors often look monotonous. It had more contrast and deeper blacks than a non-tech TV, but dark areas overwhelmed the light in many scenes. For example, while watching The Lord of the Rings: Ring of Power, the TV switched to Dolby Vision IQ mode, so the background was washed out and the greens were drab, but the reds were vibrant. The TV produced good contrast on his 4K Blu-ray version of “Blade Runner 2049,” although some colors seemed oversaturated.
There are a lot of tweaks you can make in the settings to overcome these issues, but I haven’t been able to tweak the image to be what it should be.
Other TVs in this price range, such as the Hisense U7H, offer a much better picture.The U7H also offers a 120Hz refresh rate, while the Omni QLED only supports 60Hz.
Focus on Amazon services and products
All Fire TVs center around Amazon Prime Video content, so this isn’t a complaint unique to the Omni QLED. displayed more prominently than Also, you don’t have much control over what you see on your home screen. If you are not a Prime member, your TV will be significantly less functional and useful.
The Fire TV Omni QLED is available in 65 inches for $800 or 75 inches for $1,100 (we tested the 65-inch model). If you want the features it offers but don’t have the space to see a screen that big, you’re out of luck. ($1,050), with the U7H ranging from 55 inches ($570) to 85 inches ($1,800).
 |
 |
|
|---|---|---|
| size |
65 inch and 75 inch |
55, 65, 75, 85 inches |
| Dimensions (for 65-inch model) |
57.1 x 33.4 x 3.2 inches |
57.0 x 33.1 x 3.5 inches |
| Weight (for 65″ model) |
45.4 pounds |
43 pounds |
| panel type |
QLED liquid crystal |
ULED liquid crystal |
| input |
HDMI x 4 (HDMI 2.1 x 1 with eARC), USB x 1, Wi-Fi, Ethernet, coaxial antenna |
4x HDMI (2x up to 4K @ 120Hz, 2x up to 4K @ 60Hz), 2x USB, Wi-Fi, Ethernet, Coaxial Antenna |
| output |
Optical digital audio, 3.5mm AUX, Bluetooth |
Optical digital audio, 3.5mm AUX, Bluetooth |
| HDR |
Dolby Vision IQ, HDR10+ adaptive, HDR10, HLG |
Dolby Vision HDR, HDR10+ Adaptive, HDR10, HLG |
| audio |
2.0 channel |
2.0 channel |
| price |
$800 |
$798 |
By creating its own line of Fire TVs, Amazon has the ability to innovate thanks to its deep integration with Alexa. The Fire TV Omni QLED also shows that a TV can be more than just a display. Voice Control is easy, fast, and has the potential to change the way you interact with your TV. Ambient experiences may fill your life with more images and information.
When it comes to picture quality, the Omni QLED can’t compete with other TVs in its price range (such as the Hisense U7H), but it has comparable technology. But if you’re looking for more than a TV, Omni QLED shows you the potential to make the biggest screen in your home the center of your smart life.
