Amazon's take on the Samsung The Frame art TV finally has a release date. The budget art television ships on April 22 starting at $900 in the US and Canada.

It's part of a slew of TV-related announcements from the retail giant. Also announced today was a new version of the Fire TV Stick HD and updates for its Fire TV operating system.

The new Ember Artline TV comes in two sizes: 55 and 65 inches. You can preorder the new TV starting today (April 15).

What is the Ember Artline

The Ember Artline features a matte 4K QLED display that, like The Frame, can act as artwork when you're not watching shows or movies. Instead of Tizen, however, the Artline comes with the new Fire TV operating system that received an overhaul this past February, as well as access to Alexa+.

Amazon is including more than 2,000 pieces of art for free, though, if you're really interested in adding a few fine art pieces to your home, you could access them via the new Fire TV Stick HD without necessarily owning an Amazon TV.

There are also 60 "exclusive" motion video pieces of landscape and wildlife scenes.

Additionally, the TV comes with an AI-powered "Match the Room" feature that lets you upload images of your space. The AI tool will then suggest artwork based on the colors, style and "recurring themes" in your room.

You can also display personal photos using the Artline's gallery. You can also use Alexa+ to prompt photo slideshows and types of images on the TV.

Finally, Amazon announced that its entire smart TV lineup is being rebranded as Amazon Ember. It ranges from simple HDTVs with Fire TV to 4K sets and Ember QLED displays.

The new Ember Artline sets start shipping on April 22 for US and Canadian customers, and those in the UK and Germany can preorder now for a May 7 shipping date.

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Folks who use one of Amazon’s Fire TV-enabled devices are waking up to dozens of new, free streaming channels thanks to a Roku brand partnership. Users of Amazon’s streaming platform don’t need to sign up for anything to start watching — they’re readily accessible to anyone who uses Fire TV.

While a relatively minor development in the grand scheme of things, it’s the latest step in what seems to be a revitalization effort for Amazon’s streaming platform in 2026. The new channels are refreshingly easy to access, too.

Where to find The Roku Channel on Fire TV

As mentioned, Fire TV-users don’t need to buy or subscribe to anything in order to start watching these free channels. According to TechRadar, around 50 new channels are now available via the newly added Live Guide tab.

From the Fire TV home screen, select the Live Guide button (marked by a small TV icon) to access live channels. This will whisk you away to Fire TV’s main hub for free, live streaming apps, which now includes The Roku Channel.

If you’re unable to find the Live Guide option, you likely need to update your Fire TV software. To check for an update, simply bring up the settings menu, navigate to My Fire TV and locate the Check for Updates button.

Is Fire TV getting better in 2026?

As a TV-reviewer, I’ve had lukewarm feelings about Fire TV for as long as it’s been a regular feature in streaming devices and smart TVs. This is mostly because I’ve found the interface to be cluttered and the navigational experience to be cumbersome.

In fact, when an otherwise-great TV is built around Amazon’s smart platform, I usually frame its inclusion as a caveat. Such is the case with the Hisense U65QF, one of the best budget-friendly Mini-LED TVs you can buy. The U65QF is brighter than just about everything in its class, but unless you’re an avid Alexa user, you might feel the same way that I do about Fire TV.

This year, I’m getting the impression that Amazon is determined to revitalize Fire TV. If it’s successful, Fire TV devices — and TVs that leverage the software, like the U65QF — could see their stock rise.

At CES 2026, the brand tossed its hat into the lifestyle-TV ring with the announcement of the Amazon Ember Artline, an affordable, gallery-inspired TV that competes with Samsung’s The Frame. Along with the Ember’s debut, Amazon promised a full refresh of the Fire TV platform — including a reported 20-30% speed boost and changes to the user interface.

Seeing as how overall speed and usability have been my primary pain points with Fire TV in the past, this update (set to go live in February) could be a game-changer.

When taken as a whole, these developments — the upcoming Fire TV refresh, the launch of a new lifestyle TV and the latest The Roku Channel rollout — signal that Amazon is serious about boosting its reputation among streamers and smart TV owners in the coming months.

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• Hisense TV lineup 2026: new RGB Mini-LED TVs and a huge Micro-LED upgrade
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If your Fire TV or Fire TV Stick feels sluggish lately, you're not alone. Navigation lags, apps take forever to load, and buffering circles appear constantly. Before you blame your internet connection or buy a new device, the problem is likely your Fire TV's own software and accumulated clutter.

Over time, temporary files build up, apps run in the background hogging memory, and unnecessary tracking features consume system resources. A few quick settings changes can improve performance without requiring a factory reset or technical expertise.

Here are five practical Fire TV settings adjustments that make the biggest difference in speed and responsiveness.

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• 7 tips and tricks to make your Fire TV even better
• 5 free ways to upgrade your smart TV right now

Not wanting to be left out of the cavalcade of CES 2026 TV news, Amazon has just announced a new lifestyle screen — called the Ember Artline — as well as several updates to its Fire TV platform that promise faster performance and easier search functionality.

As a potential rival to Samsung’s popular The Frame series, the Ember Artline will come in two sizes (55 and 65 inches), support Dolby Vision — something that Samsung TVs currently don’t have — and include your choice of one of 10 adjustable color frames.

The Amazon Ember Artline will go on sale in four countries (the U.S., Canada, Germany and the UK) starting later this spring. The updated Fire TV OS will be available via a software update on select devices starting in February.

Watch out Samsung, Amazon has entered the chat

The obvious comparison for the Amazon Ember Artline is Samsung’s The Frame series, but it has a few unique features that it’s bringing to the table.

For example, at launch the Ember Artline will have six more bezel options than the Frame (Walnut, Ash, Teak, Black Oak, Matte White, Midnight Blue, Fig, Pale Gold, Graphite and Silver) and integration with Amazon Photos and Alexa+.

In terms of specs, Amazon says the TV will support both Dolby Vision and HDR10+ (The Frame is limited to the latter) and uses a matte 4K screen.

Most importantly, in my opinion, the Amazon Ember Artline will be available starting at $899 for the aforementioned 55-inch version. That’s $200 less than Samsung’s 2025 The Frame.

Fire TV will get a speed boost for 2026

On the OS side of things, Amazon says Fire TV will see both a speed boost and a refreshed UI starting in February.

When it hits, you’ll be able to press and hold the Home button on your remote to bring up a quick list with your most-used settings and pin up to 20 apps on the home screen.

Amazon claims it’s seeing a “20–30% gains” in speed compared to the current OS, which it says is due to optimized coding.

To complement the on-screen experience, you’ll soon be able to use the Fire TV app on your phone or tablet to add content to your Watch List and find new recommendations — and you’ll see them update on the TV.

The new UI and all of the accompanying features will roll out first on the Fire TV Stick 4K Plus, Fire TV Stick 4K Max (2nd Gen) and Fire TV Omni Mini-LED Series here in the US before rolling out to more devices and territories later in the year.

Hopefully, we'll have a chance to check out all of Amazon's new releases here at CES 2026, but if not, at least we won't have to wait long to test them for ourselves at home.

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• Samsung's new Micro RGB TV lineup will go toe-to-toe with LG at CES 2026
• Micro RGB vs OLED TVs: What’s the difference?
• CES 2026 Preview: 6 biggest trends to watch

I wasn’t expecting the new Amazon Omni QLED (2025) ($849, as tested) to be one of the best TVs, but I had high hopes.

The main draw of the Omni QLED is its Fire TV operating system, which offers newly integrated Alexa+ features that enhance the experience. It’s also equipped with the full suite of HDR formats, so you should always get the best coverage in dynamic color and contrast. (You’ll see why you don’t in a minute.)

Sadly, those features can’t make up for the Omni’s shortcomings, such as its subpar performance and specs that pale in comparison to its main rivals, the TCL QM6K and Hisense U65QF. Add that to its launch price of $849 for the 65-inch model, and it’s clear the Omni QLED is a middling offering in a crowded TV market.

Fire TV Omni QLED Series TV review: Price and release date

Amazon announced the refreshed Fire TV Omni QLED model at its Device & Services Event held on September 30, and the TV went on sale in early November. It sits in the middle tier of Amazon’s TV lineup, coming in just below the Omni Mini-LED Series, which debuted last year, and above the 4-series LED set.

Here are the current prices for the Amazon Omni Series:

• Fire TV Omni QLED Series (50-inch): $479
• Fire TV Omni QLED Series (55-inch): $589
• Fire TV Omni QLED Series (65-inch): $849
• Fire TV Omni QLED Series (75-inch): $1,199

As you can see from the prices above, the Omni QLED is priced at a premium for what’s being offered, especially in the 65-inch configuration. These prices will undoubtedly drop even more following Black Friday and Cyber Monday, but the launch price is significantly higher than we expected.

It would make more sense if the 65-inch Omni QLED were at least $100 less, making it far more attractive for buyers looking to save on a relatively good set with built-in bespoke AI capabilities — but, for now, the price is what it is.

Fire TV Omni QLED Series TV review: Design

Unlike competing sets, the Omni QLED opts for full-array local dimming (FALD) backlighting rather than Mini-LEDs, which would give it slightly improved brightness and contrast. It’s a bit of a letdown, most especially seeing as Roku added Mini-LEDs to its 2025 Plus Series, which already puts the new Amazon TV well behind the competition.

However, it is a thin TV, especially when compared to Mini-LED rivals. The 55-inch model is just 3.3 inches deep without the stand, and weighs only around 33 pounds. It comes with two triangle legs similar to some Mini-LED and QLED models. I’d prefer a pedestal stand, particularly given the price, as this design makes it easy to place on any surface, but the legs are par for the course. Admittedly, they do stand out with a brushed-silver finish, which gives them a more premium look.

Mirroring other TVs in 2025, the Omni QLED also has a standby mode with widgets, similar to the Samsung QN90F and TCL QM9K. Essentially, the TV turns on when you walk near it and displays various details, like the weather and news reports. It’s a handy function that I really enjoy, but some users might not like seeing the TV turn on constantly. (Thankfully, this can be turned off if you never want to use it.)

Fire TV Omni QLED Series TV review: Ports

One misstep Amazon made when designing the Omni QLED is its port selection: it only offers one HDMI 2.1 port, and it’s the only eARC-compatible option. The other three ports are 2.0, so they’re not the newer standard.

While the single HDMI 2.1 port supports ALLM and VRR, two specs gamers look for in a new TV, it only has a refresh rate of 60Hz, so it feels odd that it’s so heavily limited.

In addition to the aforementioned HDMI ports, the Omni comes equipped with an Ethernet port, USB port, digital audio output, and RF port for an antenna. Sadly, there’s no ATSC 3.0 tuner for Next-Gen TV.

Fire TV Omni QLED Series TV review: Performance

The Fire TV Omni QLED has two major drawbacks based on our testing: minimal brightness and poor color accuracy, both of which show in its performance across a variety of different shows and movies.

Color was a big letdown. “Superman” looked particularly dull and devoid of its colorful expression. It’s evident right from the beginning, with Superman’s blood-red cape and blue outfit missing that pop of immersion.

The Omni QLED also doesn’t sport a high color coverage (denoted by its UHDA-P3 gamut score down below), which means HDR content won’t look as dynamic and realistic as superior sets. “Frieren,” for example, was missing the detailed color presented in the backdrops, and “Mononoke” didn’t have the same visual flair I’m used to seeing.

This Amazon TV doesn’t handle contrast very well, either. While this is expected, given it’s a backlit QLED, I was hoping for better contrast control given the price. Shadows look washed-out and flat, especially in darker content like “Weapons” and “Task.” There’s also a major lack of detail when presenting these darker scenes, with textures in the darker areas missing finer points.

The Omni QLED wasn't the best in motion handling, which is probably due to its 60Hz refresh rate. Faster content, like Superman whipping around at Mach speed mid-air, showed subtle blurring. That means this is probably not the TV you want to watch Thursday Night Football on.

Lastly, the Omni QLED’s poor anti-glare mitigation (owed largely to its minimal brightness metrics) means that you’ll struggle to make out details in rooms with lots of ambient lighting from a nearby window or overhead lights.

How we test TVs

We follow a standard testing protocol for every TV we review at Tom’s Guide. Our benchmarks include a series of technical and subject tests designed to rate the set’s performance.

For our technical tests, we use a Jeti spectraval 1501-HiRes spectroradiometer, a Klein K10-A colorimeter, a Murideo 8K-SIX-G Metal pattern generator, and Portrait Displays’ Calman TV-calibration software to take measurements. We also use a Leo Bodnar 4K Input Lag Tester for determining the TV’s gaming prowess.

Subjective tests vary based on the reviewer, but usually feature anecdotes from a diverse selection of movies, TV shows, and other content reflecting the types of things you may actually want to watch on the TV.

Fire TV Omni QLED Series TV review: Test results

Compared to budget Mini-LED TVs tested in our labs, including the Hisense U65QF, TCL QM6K, and Roku Pro Series, the new Amazon Fire TV Omni QLED Series doesn’t quite hold up.

Overall, the Omni QLED is unremarkable against its biggest competitors. Cheaper Mini-LED TVs outclass Amazon’s new QLED, especially when it comes to brightness and color accuracy.

Delta-E is how we measure a TV’s color accuracy, with the lower the number being better. The Amazon Omni QLED got a score of 6.9 in our labs, which is one of the highest Delta-E scores we’ve seen all year, meaning the colors you see on the screen won’t match the colors the director intended.

Although the Omni QLED offers high standard brightness, especially against the TCL QM6K, it simply can’t hold a candle to other competitors in HDR. Plus, it has very poor anti-glare performance from my testing, even with dimming zones set to high.

Fire TV Omni QLED Series TV review: Audio

As expected, the Omni QLED Series doesn’t have the most robust speaker system. It’s a common complaint on most TVs, and it’s especially true on this set, given its barebones 2.0 speaker system.

The speaker output will vary depending on the size of the screen: The 55-inch offers just 20W of output, and the 65-inch is 24W, so it’s not the most bombastic speaker system by any means.

What makes things even worse for the Omni QLED is that it doesn’t support Dolby Atmos, meaning that even if you did get one of the best soundbars, you wouldn’t get the most out of it.

Fire TV Omni QLED Series TV review: Interface and apps

The Omni QLED runs on Fire TV, which has a slew of benefits, including tons of free content and access to the best streaming services. I’m personally not a fan of the interface, given that it’s a bit confusing to navigate and cluttered compared to major competitors, like Roku and Google TV. However, this set does make a case for itself with its new Alexa+ enhancements.

There’s a lot you can do with Alexa+ now, particularly when it comes to search functionality and discovery. You can ask it to find movies with simple descriptions (like “that movie where the three friends lose their friend in Vegas" to pull up “The Hangover”) or even search for specific scenes within a movie or show on Prime Video.

These may sound like parlor tricks, but Alexa+ makes it much easier to find what you’re looking for in your favorite shows and movies, and can extend that functionality for the first time to live sports and local food recommendations.

Additionally, you can also use Alexa+to create background wallpapers, a common feature on many other TV interfaces these days. Still, it seems a bit more interactive on the Omni QLED, especially when used in tandem with its Ambient Experience.

Fire TV Omni QLED Series TV review: Remote

I have no major complaints against the Fire TV remote. It’s small and lightweight, which is what I love most about it. The remote reminds me a lot of Samsung’s, which I enjoy. You also have quick access buttons to a variety of streaming apps, making it super easy to dive into your favorite shows and movies with just a click.

I’d love it if more brands copied Samsung’s approach with solar charging, or at least Roku’s with USB-C power. But, otherwise, I think the Fire TV remote is fine for most people and has quick access to a good variety of necessary apps for those who want them.

Fire TV Omni QLED Series TV review: Verdict

I was excited to dive into the Fire TV Omni QLED, but it leaves a lot to be desired. The Omni QLED does employ some interesting functionality built on Alexa Plus, but it doesn’t make up for this set’s mediocre performance and test results.

Making matters worse, the Omni is up against several inexpensive alternatives like the TCL QM6K and Hisense U6QF. Both are fantastic budget TVs with a string of amazing features that set them apart from this QLED, putting it to shame with stellar specs for gamers and better performance for nearly $200 less.

At its current price of $849 for its 65-inch model, the Fire TV Omni QLED doesn’t make a strong enough case for itself — it skimps on Dolby Atmos, spits out subpar metrics, and isn’t a robust platform for gamers. Even if pricing gets slashed this Black Friday, you’re better off buying another TV at a cheaper price.

Amazon just upgraded Alexa Plus with a new long-awaited feature that lets you instantly jump to your favorite movie scenes — all via a simple phrase.

Called "find a scene," the new feature makes it easier for you to jump to your most prized movie moments without fast-forwarding. Alexa Plus uses enhanced visual understanding to find the specific scene in Prime Video, even if you don't state the movie title in your query.

The new feature is now available to Alexa Plus subscribers and currently only works on Fire TV devices with Prime Video content. Several other updates to Alexa Plus also make it easier to find content recommendations across your favorite services.

How Alexa Plus scene-jumping works

Ever wanted to show a friend your favorite scene from a particular film? Now, you can simply state a movie scene into the microphone, and Alexa Plus takes care of the rest. Some of the examples Amazon gives in its blog post include:

• “Jump to the card scene in Love Actually”
• “Jump to the scene in Red One where Santa flies over the city”
• “Jump to the scene where Deloris Jordan says ‘a shoe is just a shoe until my son steps into it’”
• “Jump to the scene when John McClane says ‘come out to the coast, we’ll get together, have a few laughs’”
• “Jump to the scene where Joshua asks, ‘shall we play a game?’”
• “Jump to the Ozdust ballroom scene in Wicked with Glinda”
• “Jump to the scene in Mamma Mia where Sophie sings ‘Honey Honey’”
• “Jump to the boulder chase scene in Raiders of the Lost Ark”

Using sophisticated artificial intelligence, Alexa Plus identifies the specific movie moment and jumps to it without needing to fast-forward. Alexa Plus captures a variety of elements from a particular movie, such as captions and visuals, and analyzes them to gain a broader understanding of the plot and sequencing.

Amazon claims the new feature is a combination of Anthropic Claude and Amazon Nova, combining "a variety of large language models." For the feature to work, the movie in question must be included with a Prime Membership or a video you purchased/rented through Prime Video.

It's unclear if the feature will be extended beyond Prime Video. Tom's Guide has reached out for clarification, but it will most likely remain an exclusive feature for Prime Video content only.

Amazon has also upgraded Alexa Plus with additional discovery features, making it even easier for you to find new content. Alexa Plus uses contextual awareness for even better suggestions, so you can say, "Hey Alexa, find us more action movies like the one we watched last weekend," and it takes care of the rest.

You can even find out more about specific actors and actresses, so you'll never be confused about what movie or show you might know them from ever again. The same applies to sports stars and events, with Alexa Plus now offering you scores from your favorite teams and stats across services like DirecTV, Sling TV, Prime Video, and more.

Which devices support the new Alexa Plus features?

Currently, only a handful of Amazon products can leverage Alexa Plus. Amazon has a handy list of devices with Alexa Plus compatibility, and of these, only those under the Fire TVs section can leverage the new feature. Such devices include the newest addition to the Fire TV Stick lineup, the Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K Select, the popular Fire TV Stick 4K Max, the Hisense U6QF Mini-LED TV, and select Panasonic models.

You'll need an Alexa Plus subscription and a Prime Video subscription if you're not already an Amazon Prime subscriber. Separately, Alexa Plus costs $19/month, and Prime Video costs $8/month, or you can pay $14/month for the complete Amazon Prime package. Currently, Alexa Plus is free because it is in early access, but it will become paywalled after January 2026.

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2025 has been an exciting year for OLED TVs. Not only did we see an interesting new iteration on the technology in the form of LG’s fourth-generation OLED panel, we’ve also been blessed with a wide selection of OLED TVs to choose from. With OLED TVs being cheaper than ever, you’re more likely to find one that works for you.

All of this was true before Panasonic stealth-launched a 77-inch OLED TV just a few short weeks ago. The Panasonic Z8BA is the newest addition to the brand’s relatively slim TV catalogue, sitting just below the flagship Panasonic Z95B.

But while the Z95B comes in 55-, 65- and 77-inch sizes — all of which are outfitted with LG’s stunning fourth-generation OLED display — the recently debuted Z8BA only comes in a 77-inch version, and it doesn’t get to reap the benefits of LG’s newer, brighter panel. I was hoping it would be one of the best OLED TVs of the year, but instead, I’m ready to point you in the direction of its rivals. Here's why.

Panasonic Z8BA: performance compared

The Z8BA isn’t a bad TV by any stretch of the imagination. As an OLED TV, you’re getting a certain standard of performance that you simply can’t tap into with a traditional LED display.

This includes perfect black levels, pixel-level dimming (which eliminates light bloom) and wider viewing angles than what you’ll get with even the best Mini-LED TVs on shelves. (That last benefit is especially nice to have at the 77-inch size point.)

And, if we compare some of the Z8BA’s performance metrics to its closest competitors — the LG C5 and the Samsung S90F — you can see just how fierce a rival it actually is.

The S90F and its quantum dot-enhanced display leads the charge when it comes to overall color volume, but this chart tells the story of a trio of OLED TVs that, for the most part, are very similar.

A different story takes shape when you consider the fact that the Panasonic Z8BA is currently $2,499 and not on sale. Meanwhile, the 77-inch version of the Samsung S90F is just $1,998 at Amazon. The 77-inch LG C5 is $1,996 at Amazon, too, so both are about $500 less than the Z8BA.

There's always the chance that the Z8BA could crash in price once the holiday shopping season really kicks off in just under two weeks, but it's also likely that the mid-range OLEDs from LG and Samsung drop further in price, too.

Even if you set aside the current gap in price between the Z8BA and its closest competitors, there's another reason why some people might want to steer clear of the Z8BA: its built-in smart platform.

The Panasonic Z8BA is a Fire TV

Unfortunately, the Z8BA arrives with my least-favorite smart platform built right into the whole experience. Amazon Fire TV might be a great choice for a certain type of user, but I am not one of them.

It's worth mentioning that Fire TV offers a useful backdrop for folks whose homes are already outfitted with an array of Alexa-backed devices. There's an entire dashboard dedicated to smart home management, and it's hard to deny the usefulness of these features if you're already well-versed in Alexa-speak.

For me, though, it all comes down to the crowded, somewhat-confusing layout of Fire TV. I'm not that much more of a fan of LG's webOS or Samsung's Tizen OS, but I nevertheless prefer them over Fire TV.

For all of these reasons, I recommend that those in the market for a 77-inch OLED TV turn their attention to the 77-inch LG C5. It's not only one of the best-value OLED TVs at this size point, it's also the most versatile.

The Samsung S90F is an excellent pick, too. As mentioned, it's right around the same exact price as the 77-inch C5, and its quantum-dot display allows for brighter, purer color. This goes a long way while watching HDR movies and playing HDR games.

The C5 comes with Dolby Vision support, however, while the S90F does not. For what it's worth, I also find the user experience to be breezier with the C5 and LG's webOS-based software.

If the Z8BA has thoroughly piqued your interest, I highly recommend waiting a few more weeks to see how Black Friday and Cyber Monday affect its sale price. If I was a betting person, I'd surely put down a few bucks on the Z8BA getting a bit of a discount during the sales event.

If it doesn't, well, there's always the 77-inch C5 OLED or the Samsung S90F to fill that space above the mantle.

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• 7 hidden Roku tricks everyone needs to know
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In recent years, Amazon has crashed the affordable TV market with its own lineup of 4K TVs. These budget-friendly sets emphasize streaming and smart home integration over high-level performance.

Essentially, Amazon wants shoppers considering an affordable Roku TV to choose one of its Alexa-ready Fire TVs instead. And it has seen plenty of success.

That said, after having put the latest 2025 Amazon Fire TV Omni TV through our rigorous lab tests, I'm a little worried. If you’re in the market for the newest Fire TV Omni, you should probably wait a few weeks to seal the deal. Here’s why.

The Fire TV Omni's price will probably crash during Black Friday

Amazon is listing the 65-inch version of the Amazon Fire TV Omni QLED for $849. There are no discounts attached to this listing — $849 is its full price.

If you're a certified Fire TV fan and you're absolutely, positively committed to buying Amazon's newest QLED right now, then far be it from me to get in the way. However, if you can hold off for a few weeks, you might be setting yourself up for some serious savings.

During Black Friday and Cyber Monday sales events, Amazon slashes prices on a slew of new TVs. Typically, this includes many of the TVs in its own lineup, be them lower-end Fire TVs or more advanced sets like the Omni series.

If I were a betting person, I'd put down a considerable amount of cash on the newest Fire TV Omni crashing in price once Black Friday rolls around. Having covered TV sales for over a decade, I know how to spot a future deal candidate. More importantly, having seen the test result for the Omni, I'd go so far as to say that its current price is too rich for what this TV's got going on under the hood.

At its current price, the Omni isn't as value-packed as the competition

I was shocked to learn that the newest Omni opts for a basic QLED display with full-array local dimming instead of smaller, potentially brighter Mini-LEDs.

Don't get me wrong: I'd rather see a standard backlight with local dimming than be saddled with the sort of less-capable, edge-lit displays you might find on a dirt-cheap TV. But without Mini-LEDs, you've already lost a step to the competition.

To illustrate this, let's take a look at how the all-new Omni stacks up against a pair of budget-friendly Mini-LED TVs: the newest Roku Pro Series and the TCL QM6K.

Not only is the Omni dimmer on average compared to these two rival sets, but its out-of-the-box color accuracy (represented here by Delta-E) is worse than these TVs, too.

You might decide that the Fire TV interface and Omni's Alexa integration is the real draw, but if this is the case, I highly recommend waiting until Black Friday to see if the Omni does what I suspect it'll do: plummet in price. Then and only then will its value more closely align with its price.

Right now, the Google TV-powered, 65-inch TCL QM6K is just $599 at Best Buy, which is a full $250 lower than the 65-inch Omni. But my personal recommendation for folks looking to simplify streaming and secure Mini-LEDs is the Roku Pro Series. Currently, the 65-inch Roku Pro Series is $798 at Best Buy.

Not only is the discounted Roku Pro Series about $50 cheaper than the full-price Amazon Fire TV Omni, but there's a very good chance that the Pro Series will also crash in price on or around Black Friday. Keep an eye on it, if you're open to using a Roku TV instead of a Fire TV.

We'll be posting our full review of the newest Fire TV Omni in the coming weeks. From where I'm sitting, however, it's shaping up to be a TV whose value is wholly dependent on sale price. Keep that in mind if you're on the cusp of buying it.

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• 7 hidden Roku tricks everyone needs to know
• 5 Roku tips to instantly improve your TV experience

Your dollar may not go as far these days, but the Hisense U65QF is a clear exception. Though this is the lowest-end model in the company’s ULED line of Mini-LED TVs, it marks not only a substantial upgrade over last year’s model, but also one that trounces its competitors soundly, particularly when on sale.

What makes it such a winner? Well, its good color and terrific brightness don’t leave you wanting much in the picture department and it comes with two HDMI 2.1 ports that deliver up to 144Hz playback when connected to a gaming PC.

What missteps it makes are mostly around the edges: limited viewing angles, light bloom, and Amazon’s hokey Fire TV operating system powering it. These hamper the U65QF a little, but not enough to keep it from being one of the best budget TVs you can currently buy.

Hisense U65QF review: Pricing and availability

The U65QF is Hisense’s entry-level ULED Mini-LED TV, with the midrange U75QG and the upper-midrange U8QG above it. The TV comes in a variety of sizes to slot into any living room, though all of the models are (relatively) wallet friendly:

• Hisense 55U65QF (55-inch): $799 | Sale: $449
• Hisense 65U65QF (65-inch): $999 | Sale: $569
• Hisense 75U65QF (75-inch): $1,299 | Sale: $799
• Hisense 85U65QF (85-inch): $1,999 | Sale: $999
• Hisense 100U65QF (100-inch): $3,499 | Sale: $1,899

You will almost always be able to find the U65QF for sale online, either at Best Buy or Amazon, for closer to the sales price than the MSRP, and it wouldn’t be surprising to see it drop even more during the holiday season.

We evaluated the 65-inch model for our review. All sizes boast the same software and feature set and will probably perform similarly, though because each one has a different number of dimming zones, there is likely some variation in brightness among the models.

Hisense U65QF review: Design

The U65QF, which measures 56.9 x 33 x 3 inches and weighs 45 pounds without its stand, has no standout design elements on either its front or back, aside from the de rigueur gray bar at the bottom that measures just under half an inch and sports the Hisense logo on the far left side.

Directly under the center of that bottom edge is a hardware button you can push for instant access to inputs, volume, channel, and power functions.

The stand consists of two straight feet that easily screw into the bottom of the set near the corners. If you would rather mount the TV on a wall, you can use the 400x400 VESA holes on the real panel.

Hisense U65QF review: Ports

The power cable connects to the right side of the U65QF’s rear panel, and all the other ports are found on the left. Three face directly out the back: Ethernet, S/PDIF optical audio out, and one powered USB port (0.5 amp). The others angle out the left edge. These comprise a headphone jack, AV IN, a coaxial cable connector, and a second powered USB port (up to 1 amp), in addition to the four HDMI ports.

Of these, only two support HDMI 2.1 and the full speed of the screen’s 144Hz refresh rate; the others, including one with ARC for connecting a soundbar, are limited to 60Hz. This isn’t exactly uncommon among TVs, but it’s always nice when all the ports support the higher speeds and broader feature set of HDMI 2.1 to support more devices and better future-proof the set. (With HDMI 2.2 on the horizon, though, this may not be a problem for long.)

Hisense U65QF review: How we test

We follow a standard testing protocol for every TV we review at Tom’s Guide. Our benchmarks include a series of technical and subjective tests designed to rate the set’s performance. For our technical tests, we set the TV to Filmmaker Mode (usually the most accurate out of the box) and take measurements using a Jeti spectraval 1501-HiRes spectroradiometer, a Klein K10-A colorimeter, a Murideo 8K-SIX-G Metal pattern generator, and Portrait Displays’s Calman TV-calibration software. We also use a Leo Bodnar 4K Video Signal Lag Tester for determining the TV’s gaming prowess.

Subjective tests vary based on the reviewer but usually include anecdotes from a diverse selection of movies, TV shows, and other content reflecting the types of things you may actually want to watch on the TV. For a more detailed look at what we do and how we do it, check out our “How we test TVs” page.

Hisense U65QF review: Performance and test results

What ultimately matters most, however, is the quality of the picture on the screen, and on that front, the U65QF rates an unequivocal “not bad.”

In cycling through my current roster of recent test movies, I couldn’t find anything that wasn’t at least watchable — and most of the titles were better than that. The one that came closest to stumbling was Ryan Coogler’s tense vampire film “Sinners”: Loaded with dark scenes and a predominantly Black cast, it can be difficult to watch in a room with even average amount of lighting if the TV isn’t bright enough to punch through the glare. But although glare and reflections on the screen were noticeable with the U65QF, they weren’t bad enough to be disruptive.

More conventionally lit and brighter movies had no trouble at all.“A Minecraft Movie,” “Barbie,” “Dune: Part Two,” “Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse,” and “Wicked” all appeared thoroughly satisfactory. “Deadpool & Wolverine” mostly looked fine as well, though there was a bit of visible bloom around the lead characters leading up to the big confrontation near the end; I noticed bloom at other times during my testing period, too, and there was a little ghosting during faster action scenes, but these instances were generally tolerable.

More distracting for me were the limited viewing angles. Stray just a bit away from the center and the picture starts losing detail and color definition more quickly than with many other sets I’ve seen. The more you’re able to cluster viewers toward the center, the better the U65QF is likely to look for everyone.

Our test results confirmed the overall quality of the U65QF’s picture. In terms of brightness, it did support Hisense’s claims, at least in HDR: In Filmmaker Mode, the most accurate, the set managed 946 nits on 10% of the screen and 1041 on 25%. With SDR content, the TV hit only 526 nits (on 10% of the screen), though that makes sense with a mode intended to mimic Hollywood accuracy. Vivid mode, designed to maximize visual impact, saw 956 nits in SDR.

The U65QF is just as accomplished with color. Its Delta-E (a value representing the difference in color between the source and the screen, with lower numbers being better), was an outstanding 1.83, and it covered 99.45% of the Rec. 709 color gamut. Its 95.65% coverage of the UHDA-P3 gamut is solid for a set this price; its 71.26% coverage of the wider Rec. 2020 gamut is similarly par for the course. Because the U65QF supports all major HDR formats (Dolby Vision, HDR10, HDR10+, and HLG), you’ll have no shortage of ways to experience the picture quality for yourself.

It’s worth mentioning that the U65QF’s picture performance represents a major upswing both from last year’s Hisense U6N (with more than a 64% increase in brightness, for example) and other competitors such as the LG QNED80T and the TCL QM6K. We saw similar jumps in performance with the Hisense U75QG, so the company is keeping the improvements in the family, and they’re stark enough that you may very well want them part of yours, too.

Hisense U65QF review: Audio

Superior audio quality is rare on TVs, and it’s even harder to find in low-end models — including the U65QF. It’s nice that this TV has support for Dolby Atmos. But in playing multiple types of content, from movies and music to video games, I found the sound passable, but not a lot more than that.

On my soprano test track, which climaxes in a clarion B-flat, the sound took on a noticeable metallic shrillness at the highest volume levels. There was also obvious distortion in the bass output on The Knife’s “Silent Shout,” which hurt what was otherwise mediocre low-end presence to begin with.

I didn’t encounter any serious problems while watching aurally textured action movies, dialogue-heavy scenes, or simpler TV shows, so as long as you temper your ears’ expectations, the U65QF should do fine. If you want anything more, you’d be better off adding one of Tom’s Guide’s best soundbars to your entertainment setup.

Hisense U65QF review: Gaming

Using our Leo Bodnar 4K Video Signal Lag Tester, I measured the U65QF’s lag at 13.2ms. We consider anything below one frame (about 16ms) good, so this TV easily meets that target — a common one for lower-price TVs. Last year’s U6N got lower, as do Hisense’s higher-end ULED sets, but there’s still not much to complain about.

The native 144Hz panel ensures smooth animation, and HDMI 2.1 features like Variable Refresh Rate (VRR) and Auto Low-Latency mode (ALLM) sweeten the pot, as does support for AMD FreeSync Premium. I encountered no hiccups playing Indiana Jones and the Great Circle on the U65QF.

Hisense U65QF review: Smart features

As recently as last year, Hisense was loading all of its TVs with the top-notch Google TV operating system. Unfortunately, the U65QF doesn’t have it. Instead, it uses the Amazon Fire TV OS, which is a huge step down.

Uglier (from the sprawling top-center banner on down), less powerful, more difficult to navigate and customize, and heavily linked to Amazon’s content ecosystem, it gives the TV a cheaper, chunkier feel in most situations. It takes longer to do anything else that isn’t watching or searching Amazon content. At least Alexa is integrated, so you can easily search by voice, though you’ll need to use the remote control, as there is no on-board far-field microphone.

For streaming content, there’s support for Apple AirPlay for casting from Apple devices, though not Google Cast if Android is your mobile OS of choice. The built-in tuner is only ATSC 1.0, so over-the-air 4K streaming is out of the question.

Hisense U65QF review: Remote

The U65QF uses a standard-issue Fire TV remote: small, simple, and Amazon-forward. There’s a bright blue Alexa button at the top, and shortcut keys for Prime Video and Amazon Music (in addition to Netflix and Disney+) at the bottom.

There are no other surprises. The remote is not a looker, but the tiny pops of color against the black plastic are nice, its curved back gives it an ergonomic feel in the hand, and it does its basic job with a minimum of fuss.

Hisense U65QF review: Verdict

There’s no doubt about it: Given its performance, the Hisense U65QF is an affordable powerhouse of a TV. For a sub-$600 price, you wouldn’t expect a flawless picture all the time, and the U65QF’s is not that. But, it performs unusually well, which is something everyone should appreciate — no matter how much money they have to spend.

The biggest problem is Amazon’s Fire TV OS, which is tedious and cumbersome to use, especially compared with Google TV, which is used on the higher-end models (and even graced last year’s U6N). Hisense has prioritized value in nearly every other area with this TV; the operating system can’t help but feel like a letdown.

But that’s about it. And if you can live with it, you’ll find that your TV dollars go much further with the Hisense U65QF than with most other sets currently on the market.

Amazon's Fall Hardware Event has come and gone, and there are a lot of new products on the way. So many, in fact, that it can be hard to keep track of what was announced. We attended the event and got a chance to go hands on with all of the new devices, most of which support new AI features via Alexa+.

There's a sleek new Kindle Scribe Colorsoft that makes it feel like you're writing on paper, Fire TVs that let you go straight to your favorite movie scene using just your voice and new Ring doorbells and security cameras that can help you find a lost pet. Here's the top 5 products announced at the Amazon event.

Kindle Scribe: Thinner than an iPhone Air

One of the big new announcements for fans of e-readers was the reveal of the third generation of Kindle Scribes. Amazon announced three new variations of the 11-inch devices: the base Kindle Scribe, the Kindle Scribe with Frontlight and the Kindle Scribe Colorsoft. The latter device is also the first Kindle with writing capabilities that features a color screen.

What's really impressive about these new tablets is that each is only 5.4mm thick, making it thinner than the new iPhone Air. The third generation of Kindle Scribes are also 40% faster, and when writing on the Scribe, they offer reduced latency of under 12 milliseconds.

There’s also a host of new features, including Quick Notes and Kindle Workspace, which also allows users to import and export files with both OneDrive and Google Drive. On top of that, the Kindle Scribe features two new reading-based features: Story So Far and Ask This Book. The former offers a recap of the plot so far when you select a book, while the latter allows you to ask questions about characters, plot lines and story arcs without revealing any spoilers.

The Kindle Scribe with Frontlight and the Colorsoft versions will release later this year for $550 and $630. Meanwhile, the base model will be available early next year for $430.

New Amazon Fire TVs and Fire Sticks

Amazon also revealed its new series of Amazon TVs. There's the Amazon Fire TV Omni series, which starts at $480. Then there’s the Fire TV 4 Series, which starts at $330. Each TV comes in a variety of different sizes, and is stated to be 30% faster than older models, while also coming with new features like Dialogue Boost and Omnisense. The latter feature is certainly handy, as it allows the TV to turn on when you enter a room, and then turn off when you leave.

If you already have one of the best TVs and aren’t looking to change, then Amazon also revealed the new Fire TV Stick 4K Select, which will retail for $40 at launch. This new stick is the first to launch with the new Vega operating system instead of Android. Amazon claims the new stick is faster, while also supporting 4K and HDR10+.

With Alexa+ integrated into the new Fire TVs and Fire TV Stick, you can pull up your favorite scene from a movie using your voice and it will go right to it — even if you can't even remember the name of the movie. For example, you can say "Show me when Olaf sang 'In Summer'" and your Fire TV will fire up "Frozen" and play that exact scene.

New Echo Dot Max and Echo Studio (now with home theater mode)

For those looking to upgrade their smart speakers, Amazon announced several upgrades for its Echo Dot series. This includes the new Echo Dot Max, which retails for $99 and supports Alexa+. The new Echo Dot Max offers improved audio output with three times the bass compared to the previous Echo Dot. On top of that, the new speaker also features a higher quality fabric, a better microphone array and an updated design that moves the speaker controls and LED to the front of the device.

If you're looking for something with a bit more power, Amazon also announced the new $219 Echo Studio, which features the same updated design. However, the Studio is smaller than the previous model while also offering support for spatial audio and Dolby Atmos. Amazon has also confirmed that users can link up to five Echo Studio or Echo Dot Max devices alongside Amazon Fire Sticks to create surround sound thanks to the new Alexa Home Theater feature.

Echo 8 and Echo 11 get a sleeker design and Alexa+ smarts

Amazon also used the event to showcase the newest Echo Show smart displays, namely the 8-inch Echo Show 8 and the 11-inch Echo Show 11. The new models boast slimmer displays set on top of an oblong speaker that’s wrapped in a knit fabric. Both smart displays come with a 13MP front camera that features a wide-angle view that allows the display to better detect people entering the room.

The Echo Show 8 and Echo Show 11 also feature some upgrades for the Show UI that make it easier to control multiple devices at once. You can also do a lot with Alexa+. For example, during a demo we saw how easy it is to pull up photos related to a certain theme (such as camping trips). You can also put your family to-do list in one place and Alexa+ can help with things like booking tickets, finding that handyman or making that restaurant reservation for you.

The Echo Show 11 costs $219 and features a 1080p display. Meanwhile, the smaller Echo Show 8 costs $179 and has a 720p display.

New Ring and Blink cameras offer improved home security (and peace of find for your dog)

Ring revealed a new line of 4k video devices that pair with the company's Retinal Vision technology for improved video quality. It also announced new features, including AI facial recognition capabilities, Alexa Plus-powered doorbell greetings and a Search Party feature that helps to locate lost dogs in your neighborhood. You just upload a photo of your dog and Ring takes it from there.

The new devices include the new $249 Ring Wired Doorbell Pro 4K, the $199 Outdoor Cam Pro 4K, the $249 Spotlight Cam Pro 4K and the $279 Floodlight Cam Pro 4K. For those not looking for 4K resolution, Ring also announced the $179 Ring Wired Doorbell and the $59 Indoor Cam Plus with 2K video. Just keep in mind that these are all wired devices.

Meanwhile, Blink used the event to reveal its new device: the $99 Blink Arc Camera. This new device features two cameras, with the feeds from both being stitched together to create a full 180-degree view. On top of that, Blink also showcased the new Blink Outdoor 2K Plus and the Blink Mini 2K Plus. Both of these new cameras feature 2K video resolution, upgraded audio with color night vision and a two-way talking system.

Outlook

Overall, Amazon’s event showcased a lot of new hardware coming this year, as well as some devices that are coming next year. We can’t wait to test out some of these new devices ourselves to see if they deliver on all the AI promises. Let us know what you’re most excited about in the comments.

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Amazon's Fall Hardware event has given us our first look at the new Fire TV Omni QLED Series, which boosts performance by 40% with an all-new processor.

The new Mini-LED set will come in five sizes, ranging from 50 inches to 75 inches. As a counter to Roku, Amazon is also offering the new flagship Omni QLED at a starting price of $479. New 4-Series and 2-Series TVs are also coming to market with major improvements.

Amazon also announced a new $40 Fire TV 4K Select, a compact streaming device that will leverage a new operating system (OS) called Vega.

Preorders for its new TVs and 4K Select start right now on Amazon, with shipments kicking off next month.

Amazon launches new Fire TV lineup

Amazon's new Fire TV lineup is led by the flagship Omni QLED Series, which offers serious performance improvements by adding a new processor and doubling the local dimming zones. Amazon claims these enhancements allow the Mini-LED TV to have 40% faster responsiveness and 60% better brightness.

We'll have to get the flagship Fire TV Omni QLED in our lab for testing to verify these claims, but the performance boosts on paper sound intriguing. Amazon is also touting an Omnisense technology sensor that reads when you walk into the room, similar to TCL's QM9K concept.

Amazon is also launching refreshed models of the 2-Series and 4-Series displays, which will range between 32-inch and 55-inch. Amazon is touting a new quad-core processor that gives these smaller screens some extra juice with up to 30% faster navigation. They'll also be kitted with ultra-slim bezels so the content on-screen looks and feels far more immersive.

The new Fire TV lineup is up for pre-order starting right now on Amazon. The flagship Omni QLED starts at just $479, while the 2-Series and 4-Series models start at $159. Shipments will begin sometime in October.

Amazon Fire TV 4K Select

If the new Fire TV screens weren't enough, Amazon also announced a new 4K streaming stick to rival Roku. The $40 device is equipped with a new OS called Vega, which Amazon says gives the device its super-fast speeds.

As with all options among the best Fire TV devices, the Fire TV 4K Select is equipped with access to the best streaming services and even cloud gaming platforms. You'll be able to dive right into Luna, Xbox Game Pass, or GeForce Now straight from your streaming stick.

Alexa+ lands on Fire TV devices

Even more exciting is the adoption of Alexa+ across its entire range. This includes the aforementioned Fire TV lineup, as well, netting you all the best of Amazon's AI workhorse on Fire TV devices.

Amazon is also introducing several new features to Alexa+ for its inclusion on Fire TV screens and sticks. These include search functionality across Prime Video movies and shows, asking for the live sports scores of your favorite teams, or getting real-time updates from your doorbell camera.

You'll soon be able to discover all kinds of exciting things about your favorite shows and movies. Want to know where Taylor Kitsch and the squad are at any given moment in "The Terminal List: Dark Wolf?" Just ask Alexa+ where the series was filmed, or even something more direct about Taylor Kitsch himself, and the AI chatbot will answer it all.

It all starts with a simple question, and Alexa+ does all the rest. You can finally have direct conversations with Alexa+ through your Fire TV devices, making content curation and smart home functionality that much simpler.

Just like its TVs, the Fire TV 4K Select is up for preorder right now for $39 on Amazon and will ship on October 15. Alexa Plus upgrades will be available on all the new Amazon devices when they launch in October.

More from Tom's Guide

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After a year-long absence, Amazon resumed its annual Devices & Services event, where it revealed its latest hardware, including new Echo smart speakers and smart displays, a host of Ring video doorbells and cameras with 4K resolution, a new color Kindle Scribe, and more.

Not only that, but Amazon also introduced updates and improvements to Alexa+, the company's AI-augmented voice assistant. While the event itself was not livestreamed, Tom's Guide was in attendance to bring you all of the latest news as it's announced. Here's a recap of everything that we saw.

Time and how to watch

As mentioned, Amazon does not typically livestream its events, so the only way to hear about what it's announcing is to follow along with our live blog, so bookmark this page!

The event itself will kick off at 10 a.m. ET / 7 a.m. PT / 3 p.m. BST on Tuesday, September 30. It's being held at Spring Studios in Tribeca, in New York.

Biggest announcements

• Smart speakers and displays: Amazon launched two new Echo smart speakers, the Echo Dot Max and the Echo Studio, as well as two smart displays, the Echo Show 8 (a refresh) and the Echo Show 11.
• Fire TV: A leak last week hinted that Amazon is looking to replace the Android-based OS on its devices with a new operating system, which would also herald new streaming sticks. And it did — the company released refreshed versions of its 2-Series, 4-Series, and Omni TVs, and introduced a new 4K streaming stick for $39.
• Kindle Scribe Colorsoft: This new eInk device now has a thinner profile and a color display, which looked pretty amazing in person.
• Ring doorbells and cameras: Ring's entire lineup was seemingly refreshed, with new 2K and 4K models, as well as Alexa+ enabled features such as smarter responses to visitors and Search Party, which will help you find your lost dog.
• Blink: Amazon's budget camera brand also has a 2K version of its best-selling outdoor camera, and is also coming out with the Blink Arc, which combines two cameras to deliver a 180-degree panoramic video.

LIVE: Latest updates

Welcome to our Amazon event live blog!

Come one, come all — Amazon is getting ready to unleash some brand new devices at an exclusive event happening today in Tribeca, New York. Unlike some other high-profile tech launches, this one won't be livestreamed.

However, the Tom's Guide team have secured our invites and will be there to check out firsthand what Amazon is going to reveal. We'll keep this live blog going all day, so you'll get the latest build-up and up-to-the-minute information on what new products are arriving.

More Alexa+ news?

We would be very surprised if Amazon didn’t say anything about Alexa+ at tomorrow’s event. We haven’t heard much since the AI-powered assistant was announced in February, except that it was being released to early adopters.

We’ve been using it since the late spring — I spent two weeks trying Alexa+ when it first came out, and my colleague Amanda Caswell has also used Alexa+ in her home to see how well it worked with her family..

Now that Alexa+ has had a few months to be road tested, we think that Amazon will roll it out more fully to all users.

Alexa+ ads...

While we're on the topic of Alexa+, I've got my fingers crossed that ads on Alexa+ is something Amazon won’t announce.

Back in August, CEO Andy Jassy broached the possibility that Alexa+ might start delivering ads. We haven’t seen this yet, though Alexa+ is still in its testing phase.

But as we start introducing more smart tech into our homes, we shouldn't be surprised if we see extra adverts as a result. Samsung has already confirmed it's going to start posting adverts to the screens on its smart fridges.

New Echo devices

This prediction seems pretty obvious. As we’ve noted, it’s been a few years since Amazon has released a new Echo device, so we think its lineup of smart speakers and displays is due for a refresh.

While there’s nothing wrong with the best Echo speakers, we think Amazon would want to unveil new devices to go along with a refreshed Alexa+. One possibility is that the new smart speakers will have updated processors to allow for more on-device AI features. That way, they can respond faster to requests.

Fire TV devices seem likely

Just last week, we saw a leak that Amazon is going to replace the Android-based OS on its Fire TV devices with a new operating system called Vega OS. If that’s the case, Amazon might also use today's event to reveal new Fire TV devices.

Like Amazon’s smart speakers, the company’s streaming sticks are also a couple of years old — the Fire TV Stick 4K was released in 2023, and the third-gen Fire TV Cube came out in 2022.

Smart glasses?

Now, this would be really something. Amazon has had Echo Frames smart glasses for a while, but they’ve lacked a camera and have really fallen behind rival Meta and all of its smart glasses. And now Meta has announced the Ray-Ban Display, it behooves Amazon to respond in kind.

Indeed, reports have found that Amazon is working on some smart glasses to compete with Meta. Now that Alexa+ is far more capable, it makes more sense than before.

A Kindle Scribe color edition could be revealed

Amazon announced four new Kindle e-readers last year, including the Colorsoft Signature Edition, the first Kindle to support a color display. It would make sense that Panos Panay continues the Kindle momentum at today's event.

Rumors suggest we could see a color version of Amazon's Kindle Scribe. The second-generation version was released last year, but kept the monochrome screen.

And if you look at the invite for today's event (pictured below), you'll see the Kindle logo in color with a few words in the top-right corner. Those words include “stroke of a pen” which makes me think this Scribe rumor is absoloutely on the money.

What about a smaller Kindle?

Last month, a Redditor spotted what looked like a prototype of a smaller Kindle, allegedly called the "Kindle Petit Color".

The Redditor, Successful_Bear4855, writing in Portuguese, shared a couple of images and suggested this device will have a better screen than the Kindle Colorsoft and would be released in November. If true, then I'd almost certainly expect it to be revealed at today's event.

The Kindle ColorSoft is among the best Kindle e-readers, but has been hard to recommend because of its much higher price. So this could either be a smaller and more pocketable version or a stripped-back edition that compromises on some features to keep the price down.

Decoding Amazon's event invite

Even though Amazon won't be livestreaming this event, the company has sent us a nicely cryptic invite to the event in New York today. We've already examined one quarter of the invite on the bottom right — probably a new Kindle Scribe. But what about the rest of the image?

Top left is likely a reference to a new Amazon Echo speaker, which could be a standard Echo or possibly an updated Echo Studio? We haven't seen a new one since 2023.

Top right is obviously Alexa's iconic blue ring inside a very faint circle. That could be simply a nod to Alexa+ (which I think will make up a lot of the keynote) or, possibly, a nod towards Ring cameras. In June, owners of Ring cameras and doorbells got access to a new AI-powered feature called Video Descriptions. So I wonder if a new lineup of Ring cameras with even more AI power is on the docket for today's event?

Finally, the bottom left looks like a TV screen. Which could mean a couple of things. Most likely, we're getting some new Fire TV devices, but there are also strong rumors Vega OS will be revealed today. Whether this becomes a de facto alternative to Roku OS in the years to come remains to be seen.

Vega OS seems almost certain

Let's stick with Vega OS for just a second here. It seems pretty certain we'll hear about it today and I remember covering its existence myself all the way back in 2023.

If you've not kept up with it (and I admit, I haven't) Vega is a Linux-based OS that Amazon built to replace Fire OS — a fork of open source Android. It's already in use on devices like the Echo Show 5 and Echo Smart Hub displays, but making the jump to TVs (or Fire tablets) hasn't yet happened.

In April 2025, LowPass reported that Amazon will release its “first TV streaming device powered by its still-unannounced Vega OS later this year.” Why has it taken so long? Well, since Vega OS requires all new apps to be written in a web-forward format, Amazon has been busy “courting major publishers" to bring their apps on board.

At present, Google and Roku both have their own TV-based operating systems that compete with Amazon's current Fire TV. Vega could be the opening salvo in a brand new battle for the best TV platform out there. Fingers crossed, we hear more about this long-awaited development today.

The only Kindle I want from Amazon will probably never happen

If you're happy to indulge me for just a second, then let me tell you about the one Kindle that I really, really loved.

Many years ago (2016, actually), I picked up a Kindle Oasis e-reader, and it's become one of my favorite-ever devices. Impossibly thin and light with a great screen, a one-handed wedge-type design, physical buttons and a charging cover that snaps on and off beautifully.

It was a great product. And Amazon killed it back in 2024. Probably because it cost twice as much as the Paperwhite and people just didn't buy it.

Will we ever see another Kindle Oasis? I highly doubt it (and I've been wanting one for years), but even if Amazon just pulled an Apple and refreshed it with a new color and a USB-C port like the AirPods Max, I'd be happy.

It'll probably never happen, but that doesn't stop me wishing for it.

Something we probably won't see or hear about

Although I expect Alexa+ to be the headline act of today's event, I also hope Amazon takes a laser focus to its new tool rather than the scattershot approach it usually favors. Do you remember way back in 2019 (and if you don't, I don't blame you) when Amazon started putting Alexa in basically everything?

Case in point: the Amazon Smart Oven pictured above. Which itself followed on from an Alexa-enabled microwave the year before. We already have a plethora of AI-enabled devices and the last thing Amazon needs to do is crowd the market with more.

I don't think we're going to hear about an Amazon Smart Oven 2 at today's event, but I'll be waiting to understand how Alexa+ is going to make interacting with Amazon devices more accurate and useful. We've just learned today that Google could be working on a way to use AI in the smart home to filter notifications more effectively. Amazon may want to take note.

We have arrived!

The doors are just about to open and we are at the event ready to find out what Amazon has in store for its devices and services. We won't be able to get into for another 20 minutes, but as soon as we do, we'll bring you any news as it happens.

Checking in

We're checking into the Amazon event, and we're excited to see what Amazon has up its sleeve for new devices and perhaps even Alexa Plus.

Is it time for some Echo Buds?

It's been a while since Amazon unleashed its Echo Buds, with the most recent iteration having been released in 2023. Based on the two-year cycle we've seen from the company, 2025 seems like the perfect time to put a new pair out. While we can't say for sure whether Amazon will or won't announce the headphones today, we're hopeful the company does and they include some type of Alexa+ integration.

What has you the most excited?

It's time for you to have your say! Vote in the poll above and let us know which of the rumored Amazon devices you're most excited for!

We're hungry... For announcements!

And some pretty decent food being served at the event!

And we are ready

We've taken our seats in the auditorium and we are ready for whatever Amazon has to show off.

Counting down... And Panos Panay

We're just about 10 minutes away from Amazon's event kicking off, and we're counting down the minutes until we learn more about what Amazon has up its sleeve.

Amazon's executives are arriving now, with Panos Panay walking in as we speak.

Check it out!

As mentioned, we're here, and if you want a glimpse into what's happening at the event, our Global Editor in Chief, Mark Spoonauer, posted a quick video of people filing in, which you can see above.

And here we go!

We're starting off with a video, where a voice highlights Amazon's ethos around Alexa+. "We believe technology should fade into the background...it should all be invisible."

"It's just a simple moment, backed by something magical."

Then Panos Panay takes the stage.

The distraction of phones

"I want to talk about the dinner table...My family tries to have dinner as many times as possible... When we get together, it's a big deal," Panos says.

"And we're trying to have dinner without our phones...One or two extra questions..let me search it up."

You know this feeling? That moment is powerful for a lot of reasons.

Something happens when we pull out our phones - we gets texts, notifications...

Technology may have helped you in one way, but it hurt you in another."

"With Alexa+, there's now a shift of balance at the table."

Panay says that Alexa+ and ambient AI allows family members to still remain present in the moment, while still being able to get answers for things.

Ring up first

"Ring reimagined what the doorbell can be."

A few months ago, Ring video descriptions gives a glimpse of how AI can improve how you can search for video from your home security cameras, Panos says. He uses an example of when he and his son were watching a football game, and the Ring camera recorded "two people jumping on the couch."

Jamie Siminoff, the founder of Ring, who rejoined the company earlier this year, then takes the stage.

Ring RetinalVision

Siminoff announces Ring Retinal Vision - a multistep process that combine video with AI to deliver more powerful and effective devices.

Retinal Tuning - allows you to customize the clarity of the cameras based on its location. AI analyzes your camera for up to two weeks, and then fine-tunes the camera's sensitivity to deliver the best picture.

The first two products announced:

Ring Wired Doorbell Plus 2K ($179.

Indoor Cam Plus 2K ($59)

4K cameras - Finally

Doug then announces a new suite of video doorbells and cameras that have 4K quality - a first for Ring, and a feature that brings it up to par with many of its competitors. The highlight is probably the Ring Wired Doorbell Pro 4K ($249), though he also mentions that there will be Power-Over-Ethernet too.

Alexa+ Greetings

Ring's new 2K and 4K doorbells will soon feature Alexa+ Greetings , which uses AI to recognize familiar faces and deliver customized greetings. In addition, if someone unfamiliar approaches the door, it will ask questions so that you get the best idea of who's knocking. No more solicitors?

This feature will roll out in December. Hopefully it won't deter carolers.

Search Party

Now this is cool - Search Party is new features that helps reuinite lost dogs with their families.

If your dog does missing, you add it to the Ring camera, and then that alert will be sent to other Ring owners near you, so they can see what your pup looks like, and they can then look at their videos to see if he walked

Will roll out in November, and then lost cats and other pets will be added.

Now on to Blink

Amy Wiedemann takes the stage, and shares an anecdote about a family whose house burned down - they were alerted not by a smoke alarm, but a Blink camera that detected the fire.

Now on to the hardware:

Blink Outdoor 2K+ ($89) This looks like an update to our favorite budget outdoor security camera

Blink Mini 2K+ ($49)- This indoor device is its most advanced compact camera yet, Wiedemann says.

Blink Arc: $99 A new dual-lens camera that gives you a 180-degree panorama of your backyard. Stitches two video feeds into one. "No more switching between two camera feeds." This looks pretty innovative.

All three cameras are available for preorder today.

Fire TV time

Amazon is refreshing its Fire TV lineup, with new versions of the Omni, as well as 2- and 4-series.

Omni - Starting at $479, with a 60% brighter screen, 40% faster processor, and OmniSense presence sensor, which will turn the TV when you walk into the room. The TVs will also get Dialogue Boost, which makes it easier to hear what people are saying. The 2-series will start at $159, and the 4-Series will start at $329.

In addition, it's launching a new Fire TV Stick 4K Select for $39.

What's more, all of these devices will use the new Linux-based VegaOS operating system. You shouldn't see a difference between it and the FireOS, though. Developers can use C++ to write apps.

All devices are available for preorder starting today.

Alexa+ on Fire TVs

Early Access Alexa+ users are using it twice as much as those with the old Alexa. You can ask for things like "show me shows with chaotic bosses," and you might get recommendations like "30 Rock."

Alexa+ is also better at finding you live sports across services, and can even give you recaps of games. Even better, thanks to a partnership with MLB.TV, Alexa+ will show you highlights from the game, too.

We now get a request about Clayton Kershaw, complete with highlights from the pitcher's outings.

Amazon has also indexed a ton of sports movies on Amazon Prime, so you can simply say "Show me the scene where Roy Hobbs hits the home run," and it'll jump right to the scene where the ball knocks out the lights. However, it only works with Prime Video.

A color Kindle Scribe

Panos comes back to introduce new Kindles.

We start with a sizzle reel for the Kindle Scribe Colorsoft- an 11-inch paperwhite display, which looks pretty cool.

Panay holds it up in front of everyone - it's just 5.4mm thick, 400 grams, so it's super-light. The stylus looks like it attaches magnetically to the side. Panay seems real jazzed about this.

"When you're writing, it feels like you're writing on paper."

The Scribe is 40% faster, with latency under 12ms when you're writing.

Next, he holds up the Colorsoft version, and it looks amazing. "This brings real-world colors, and doesn't blast your eyes." The model he's holding also has a reddish case,

"This is a product I can't wait for you to use.."

Some new Kindle Scribe tricks and pricing

More on the Kindle Scribe Colorsoft and its interconnectivity.

Quick Notes - a new digital scratchpad app. A new Workspace tab lets you better organize all your notes.

Now you can import and export from Microsoft OneDrive and Google Drive, and sent notes and documents to Alexa+.

AI-powered notebook search: You can use Alexa+ to search through all your notes and notebooks to better find what it is you're looking for.

Two new Kindle features: Using a new beta feature, AI will give you a recap of what happened, in case you put down a book and then picked it up some time later. Ask This Book will let you ask questions about characters, plot lines, and themes. And no spoilers!

The Kindle Colorsoft won't be cheap: $629!

All new Echo devices, built for Alexa+

Amazon is launching four new Echo devices, tailored for Alexa+

The Echo and Echo Dot use a new 3D-knit fabric, and now the volume controls are much more prominent. A light ring encircles the controls.Panos hands off the Echo Dot to a journalist in the front row so they can touch it.

Echos now use new AZ3 and AZ3 Pro chips, which have AI processing built right in. They also have OmniSense built in, which helps give Alexa+ better contextual awareness by getting information from a variety of sensors.

Echo Dot Max: $99 Two drivers (older Dots have just one) for triple the sound.

Echo Studio: $219 Most advanced and best-sounding Echo. Three full-range drivers, designed for spatial audio and Dolby Atmos. It's much smaller than the very old Echo Studio, which looked like a subwoofer.

Echo Show 8 ($179) -

Echo Show 11 ($219) -

13MP camera on both devices. Each has a more rounded backside than previous Echo Shows, designed so that the sound is better at filling a room.

Alexa Home Theater

Alexa+ works with the largest collection of services for the smart home. For example, you can use Alexa+ to more easily create smart home routines, but just using your voice. As a result, it's also leading to a 2x jump in smart home adoption.

Now, Amazon is announcing Alexa Home Theater - now, you can use new Alexa smart speakers to create an ad-hoc surround-sound system. This seems pretty neat, though you could probably get a decent 5.1 system for about the same as three Echo Studios and two Echo Dot Maxes.

Alexa+ in all new devices

Panos comes back on the stage to wrap things up, and announces that Alexa+ will come out of the box with all the new devices announced today.

Now, we're heading to the hands-on section, so stay tuned for all of our posts!

All the new hardware announced at the event

Amazon announced a significant number of products in a very short period. It's hard to keep track of everything, especially with no livestream to watch yourself. Don't worry, though, because we've compiled a list of all the new hardware available, which you will find right here:

• Ring Wired Doorbell Pro ($249.99)
• Wired Doorbell Plus ($179.99)
• Outdoor Cam Pro ($199.99)
• Outdoor Cam Pro (299.98 PoE)
• Spotlight Cam Pro ($249.99)
• Spotlight Cam Pro ($349.98 PoE)
• Floodlight Cam Pro ($279.99)
• Indoor Cam Plus ($59.99)
• Wired Doorbell Elite ($499.99)
• Blink Outdoor 2K+ ($89.99)
• Blink Mini 2K+ ($49.99)
• Blink Arc ($99.99)
• Fire TV Stick 4K Select ($39.99)
• Omni QLED Series (starts at $479.99)
• Omni 4-Series (starts at $329.99)
• Omni 2-Series (starts at $159.99)
• Kindle Scribe ($499.99)
• Kindle Scribe Colorsoft ($629.99)
• Kindle Scribe without a front light ($429.99)
• Echo Dot Max ($99.99)
• Echo Studio ($219.99)
• Echo Show 8 ($179.99)
• Echo Show 11 ($219.99)

Want to know more about Ring?

Amazon announced several new features and details about its upcoming Ring devices. A lot. Thankfully, we've broken it all down in one easy-to-read piece so you can figure out which (if any) of Amazon's new devices are for you.

• Ring announces 4K doorbell with Alexa+ AI greetings and new Search Party feature for pets

Color Scribe looks fantastic

Look at how nice that screen is! Amazon has created what could be one of the best Kindle devices with this new release.

Obviously, we'll need to review it to make a proper judgment call, but it seems promising from our brief time with it.

What happens when Alexa+ helps a busy family?

We've had some time to test Alexa+ and our AI Editor, Amanda Caswell, put it to the test in her home with all of her kids to see if it could help tame some of the chaos.

Based on Amazon's presentation, the features sound incredible, and it turns out, they really are quite impressive, even from the perspective of someone who's seen it all when it comes to AI.

• I upgraded to Alexa+ for my busy family — here’s what it did surprisingly well

Amazon needs to sell a lot of these to pay its $2.5 billion fine

Amazon has been saddled with a massive fine for allegedly misleading customers into continuing its Prime service. As such, Amazon will want its new devices to be quite popular to recoup that cost (not that Amazon is hurting for money). It seems to be off to a good start, as overall impressions from the floor seem pretty positive.

More info on the Echo Dot Max and Echo Studio

If you're intrigued by what Amazon is doing with the Echo devices, you're not alone. Here's a full rundown of the company's plans:

• Amazon unveils new Echo Dot Max and Studio speakers with Atmos and Alexa+ support

Now that event is wrapping up, have some fun!

Give our Amazon devices-themed crossword a puzzle a try and see how well you know Amazon's hardware and software.

And that's a wrap!

Here's a recap of everything Amazon announced at its giant event (between software and hardware, there was a ton).

• Alexa+
• Ring Search Party
• New immersive features to watch the NBA on Prime
• Build your own home theater with Echo
• Ring Wired Doorbell Pro ($249.99)
• Wired Doorbell Plus ($179.99)
• Outdoor Cam Pro ($199.99)
• Outdoor Cam Pro (299.98 PoE)
• Spotlight Cam Pro ($249.99)
• Spotlight Cam Pro ($349.98 PoE)
• Floodlight Cam Pro ($279.99)
• Indoor Cam Plus ($59.99)
• Wired Doorbell Elite ($499.99)
• Blink Outdoor 2K+ ($89.99)
• Blink Mini 2K+ ($49.99)
• Blink Arc ($99.99)
• Fire TV Stick 4K Select ($39.99)
• Omni QLED Series (starts at $479.99)
• Omni 4-Series (starts at $329.99)
• Omni 2-Series (starts at $159.99)
• Kindle Scribe ($499.99)
• Kindle Scribe Colorsoft ($629.99)
• Kindle Scribe without a front light ($429.99)
• Echo Dot Max ($99.99)
• Echo Studio ($219.99)
• Echo Show 8 ($179.99)
• Echo Show 11 ($219.99)

5 bits of new Amazon hardware coming your way

Amazon's fall hardware event revealed that a bunch of cool new products are on the way, and if you want the lowdown on what's happening be sure to check out of list of the 5 coolest new devices that are coming.

We're talking brand new Amazon Fire TVs, plus new Fire sticks, a color version of the Kindle Scribe, brand new Echo speaker, upgraded Echo Show smart displays alongside upgraded Ring doorbells and Blink cameras.

We've got the details on every single one of those new devices, so check out our list of the 5 biggest hardware reveals from the Amazon event to find out more.

What, no smart glasses?

After the event, Tom's Guide sat down with Daniel Rausch, Amazon's vice president of Alexa+ and Echo, to ask him about the latest improvements to Alexa+ and Amazon's new smart speakers. We also asked him if Amazon was working on the next generation of Echo Frames smart glasses to compete with the likes of the meta Ray-Ban Display. Check out our interview to see what he said.

Amazon could be replacing Android on Fire TV devices with the custom "Vega OS" as soon as next week. The new system is apparently Linux-based and set to launch before the end of 2025.

According to The Verge, Amazon is going to announce Vega OS during its Devices & Services event, which will take place on September 30 in New York. The retail giant announced the event last week, but has remained pretty tight-lipped about what it plans to showcase next Tuesday.

The reveal was spotted in a since-altered job listing that confirms both the existence of Vega OS and its potential release window.

"The Prime Video Fire TV organization is seeking an engineering leader that will help in building a Vega OS product that will delight customers worldwide. With the app launching in 2025, you will get to shape the future of this product as well as the culture of the team," the job listing reportedly read.

Amazon apparently edited the job listing after being contacted about Vega OS, and declined to comment on the post.

What's happening with Vega OS?

Amazon has been attempting to move on from Android for a while. Several reports form 2023 claimed that Amazon was building its own OS, codenamed Vega, with tests being done on Fire TV streaming sticks as well as the 3rd generation Echo Show 5.

Earlier this year, it was reported that Amazon is "courting major publishers" to bring their apps onboard Vega.

The Verge's report claims that Vega will only be available on new Fire TV devices, so Amazon won't be completely divorced from the forked version of Android in FireOS just yet. Allegedly, Amazon is also going to let TV manufacturers continue making Android-based Fire TVs for some time as well.

A Reuters report from August said that Amazon is revamping its Fire Tablet lineup by fully embracing Android in its tablets. However, it was also reported that some "lower-priced tablet" might utilize Vega OS.

A split lineup of Android and Vega devices seem counterintuitive to Amazon's plans but LowPass claimed that Amazon is struggling to get developers excited about Vega OS, as it's another system for them to create apps.

Despite reports that next week's event will be "low-key," it seems likely it could be where we see Vega OS for the first time.

More from Tom's Guide

• Amazon settles Prime lawsuit with FTC for $2.5 billion — here's how much subscribers will get
• Amazon Fire TV Cube vs. Fire TV Stick vs. Fire TV Stick 4K vs 4K Max: What should you buy?
• The best Amazon Fire tablets: our top picks

Amazon's Fire TV Sticks have become the go-to option for streaming soccer in the past few years, with the majority of top streaming services and cable-cutters available on the platform. To take full advantage, a VPN is a must-have with it providing access to Premier League, La Liga and Serie A streams from anywhere in the world.

But, in recent years, they have also been at the centre of controversy with people sourcing illegal streams of sporting events through the notorious 'dodgy sticks'. Users have been using VPNs on their jailbroken Fire TV sticks to enhance privacy and internet security when streaming soccer matches that they wouldn't normally have access to.

But, how can you use a VPN safely to watch soccer on your Fire TV Stick? And what is your best option to stream as many games as possible this season? Read on an we show you our favorite VPN to stream soccer in 2025/26.

Why do I need a VPN on my Amazon Fire TV Stick for 2025/26?

The 2025/26 season promises to be another enthralling campaign for soccer fans, with the Premier League, Champions League, and La Liga all returning over the next few weeks. But, if you want to catch every moment on your Fire TV Stick, you might need more than just a subscription — you'll need a VPN.

Why? Because when you're abroad, the soccer streams you enjoy back home might be blocked in the country you're visiting. For example, Australian and Ukrainian residents have exclusive access to all 380 Premier League games this season via Stan Sport (AU$32/month) and Setanta ($2.63/month), but U.K. and U.S. fans don't have the same liberties. That is where a VPN comes in—masking your location so your Fire TV Stick thinks you're still at home, unlocking apps and streams from the Amazon app store that would otherwise be unavailable.

What VPN should I buy for my Fire TV Stick? NordVPN and SurfShark are our recommendations for sports fans away on business or vacation. Here's why:

Why are people using a VPN to watch soccer on illegal Fire TV Sticks

As alluded to earlier, the so-called 'dodgy sticks' have seen a huge spike in recent years among those looking to watch soccer in the cheapest fashion. Price hikes across streaming services have forced people to the point where they consider free illegal streaming an optimal solution.

Typically, people buy a standard Fire TV Stick from Amazon, then jailbreak it to install IPTV services that provide free soccer streams from around the world. These modified sticks are either sold through unofficial channels or kept for personal use.

In the U.K., getting caught in possession could mean receiving a cease-and-desist notice, followed by police involvement and a hefty fine if you persist. Meanwhile, distribution could lead to jail time.

This is exactly why people are using VPNs. Services like NordVPN or SurfShark can mask online activity and avoid detection from authorities, allowing them to watch streams they wouldn't usually have access to on their Fire TV Stick.

Note: At Future, we do not support or condone the malicious use of jailbreaking Fire TV Sticks for illegal streaming.

More from Tom's Guide

• Best Fire Stick VPNs
• The best VPN in 2025: our top 5 picks
• Premier League Streaming Guide 2025/26

We test and review VPN services in the context of legal recreational uses. For example:1. Accessing a service from another country (subject to the terms and conditions of that service).2. Protecting your online security and strengthening your online privacy when abroad.We do not support or condone the illegal or malicious use of VPN services. Consuming pirated content that is paid-for is neither endorsed nor approved by Future Publishing.

Panasonic isn’t always the first name that pops to mind when you think about high-end OLED TVs, but that might be changing. Last year’s Panasonic Z95A showed that the company still had it when it came to making dynamic TVs, and this year’s Z95B proves that last year was no fluke.

The Z95B stands up right alongside the current top performers from the likes of LG, Samsung, and Sony in terms of power, features, and price, and makes an excellent case for itself in every area. It’s packed with features designed to improve picture and sound performance, and it succeeds at doing so time and time again.

To the extent there are problems at all, Panasonic’s dim tuning of its most accurate picture modes might be a turn-off for some and require a bit of extra time and care to get the picture looking its best and brightest all the time. Also, the Amazon Fire OS interface is old-fashioned and clunky. These are inconveniences you may not appreciate if you’re shelling out nearly $3,400 for a TV.

But if you can put up with them, the Panasonic Z95B is both one of the best OLEDs and one of the best TVs you can buy period.

Panasonic Z95B OLED review: Pricing and availability

As Panasonic’s flagship OLED set in 2025, the Z95B stands at the top of the company’s TV offerings and replaces last year’s Z95A. Whereas that earlier model was available only in a 65-inch size, the Z95B can be purchased in any of three:

• Panasonic 55Z95BP (55-inch): $2,599 | $2,399 on sale
• Panasonic 65Z95BP (65-inch): $3,399.99 | $3,099 on sale
• Panasonic 77Z95BP (77-inch): $4,699 | No sale price yet

These are premium prices, yes, but right in step with the top-of-the-line sets from other manufacturers. The LG G5, for example, also has a list price of $3,399.99, and can be found on sale for $2,899.99.

Although we evaluated the 65-inch model of the Z95B, all sizes have similar components and use the same technologies, so we believe you can expect similar performance across the product line.

Panasonic Z95B OLED review: Design

Most high-end OLED TVs today pride themselves on their thinness. Panasonic, however, has taken its OLEDs in a different direction. This 57-by-35.9-inch TV is, like the LG G5, much thicker (about 2.2 inches, from the front of the svelte glass screen to the back of the rear panel), and the whole thing weighs 53 pounds. It looks nice and stylish, though, with dark-gray fabric covering the top and side edges and the 2.3-inch bottom bezel, on which the power light is visible in the lower-left corner.

A hardware button in that same area lets you instantly access Power, Inputs, Volume, and Channel functionality with a single touch.

You do, of course, have the choice of using the 300x300mm VESA holes on the rear panel to mount the TV on the wall. But if you prefer to go the entertainment center route, the stand included with the Z95B bears some additional mention. In addition to the large metal support foot (measuring just past 15 inches in diameter) and the cable channel built into its back, it allows the TV to rotate.

Just gently push the left or the right side of the screen to either reach the ports (see below) or adjust the screen to be viewable straight on from anywhere in the room. This is a terrific feature and something we haven’t seen on major TVs since… well, since the Z95A.

Panasonic Z95B OLED review: Ports

The power cable plugs into the Z95B’s rear panel on the right, and the rest of the ports are in a depression on the left that is easily hidden behind a snap-on plastic panel. Panasonic has positioned nearly all of the input ports (four HDMI, one with eARC, and two USB) to face out the left edge and all the more “permanent” ones (S/PDIF optical audio out, Ethernet, IR blaster, coaxial cable, headphone, and one USB port) to face downward on the back.

Of the HDMI ports, only two support the newer HDMI 2.1 standard that allows for refresh rates at up to 144Hz on connected devices as well as support for features like Auto Low-Latency Mode (ALLM); the others default to HDMI 2.0, which is limited to 60Hz.

Although some companies (Sony being a major one) do restrict the number of HDMI 2.1 ports, many are maxing them out to help better future-proof their sets. (Though with the even speedier HDMI 2.2 on the horizon, how much this matters at this point in time remains to be seen.)

Panasonic Z95B OLED review: How we test

We follow a standard testing protocol for every TV we review at Tom’s Guide. Our benchmarks include a series of technical and subjective tests designed to rate the set’s performance. For our technical tests, we set the TV to Filmmaker Mode (usually the most accurate out of the box) and take measurements using a Jeti spectraval 1501-HiRese spectroradiometer, a Klein K10-A colorimeter, a Murideo 8K-SIX-G Metal pattern generator, and Portrait Displays’s Calman TV-calibration software. We also use a Leo Bodnar 4K Input Lag Tester for determining the Tv’s gaming prowess.

Subjective tests vary based on the reviewer but usually include anecdotes from a diverse selection of movies, TV shows, and other content reflecting the types of things you may actually want to watch on the TV. For a more detailed look at what we do and how we do it, check out our “How we test TVs” page.

Panasonic Z95B OLED review: Performance and test results

Panasonic touts a number of innovations that set its flagship OLED apart from the pack, including what it calls a Primary RGB Tandem OLED panel that uses a four-layered cell (red, green, and two “deep blue”) to improve brightness and color gamut performance, and an improved ThermalFlow cooling system that draws in air from the bottom of the set and expels it straight out the top. Those specifics are hard to measure, but there’s no denying that the resulting picture looks wonderful almost all of the time.

* As tested with changed brightness limitation setting. See review for more information.

The picture looked gloriously crisp in Filmmaker Mode (usually the most accurate, as it’s designed to replicate Hollywood creators’ intent) no matter what I watched, and colors popped quite a bit in movies where that’s particularly important, whether in animation-heavy titles such as “A Minecraft Movie” and “Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse” or live-action fare like “Barbie” and “Wicked.”

“Deadpool & Wolverine” and “Dune: Part Two” played well, too, with the action scenes exciting, and the latter also benefitting from the OLED screen by delivering an appealing grittiness that precisely characterized the barren wastes of Arakis. Ryan Coogler’s hit vampire film “Sinners” looked appropriately harsh and moody, too, if occasionally a bit dark.

Other things I watched, such as YouTube videos, also seemed to be dimmer than I expected. Changing to other picture modes (primarily Normal, this set’s version of Standard, and Dynamic) did help correct this, but not as much as I expected.

What caused this issue? Two things. First, like many higher-end TVs (such as the Sony Bravia 8 II), the Z95B has its best picture modes (Filmmaker, Cinema, and True Cinema) tuned quite dim. But unlike those sets and, for that matter, the Z95A and almost everything else, the Z95B has been designed so its modes limit brightness to 1,000 nits unless the source is specifically mastered higher.

When I asked my Panasonic contact about this, he explained that this change was implemented “to improve the overall gradation and accuracy for [video content]…below 1,000 nits.”

This tracks with the brightness results I saw: 103 nits with SDR content and 983 nits with HDR, all at Filmmaker Mode’s default settings. But when I used Calman to remove the 1,000-nit restriction, its brightness zoomed to a first-class 2,263 nits — only a tick behind the G5.

This is extraordinarily unusual — if not unique — to see in a major TV, and not something that will benefit everyone. If you don’t watch things mastered above 1,000 nits (and you very well might not even know), it’s all going to look quite a bit darker on the Z95B. You can increase the Luminance level in the picture settings to regain that brightness, or you can switch to Dynamic mode (which I do not endorse doing, but its brightness is opened all the way up), but just be aware that, if you don’t, you may not be seeing everything this TV can do.

It can do a lot, too, especially with color. The Z95B’s measured Delta-E (the value that represents the difference in color between the image source and what appears on the screen, with lower numbers being better) is a deliriously good 1.36. That’s exceeded (and only very little) by a few of the higher-end sets out there, such as the LG C5 and the Samsung S90F and S95F. (The Z95A’s still-excellent 2.33 can’t compete.)

And the Z95B covered considerably more of the Rec. 2020 color gamut than the Z95A (81.42% versus 74.44%), which is also more than the LG C5 OLED, but not the G5 or the Samsung or Sony sets.

The Z95B covered just a tick more of the UHDA-P3 gamut than the Z95A (all of this generation’s sets are hitting upwards of 99% anyway), and we measured slightly less coverage of the Rec. 709 (SDR) gamut (96.8% versus 99.99%), but color performance offered next to nothing to complain about.

Further bolstering HDR performance on the Z95B is the fact that the set supports all four major formats (Dolby Vision, HDR10, HDR10+, and HLG). And like all OLED TVs, the Z95B delivers strong uniformity of color and picture quality from any viewing angle, though the rotating stand largely ameliorates that problem anyway.

Panasonic Z95B OLED review: Audio

Even the best TVs are rarely known for their superlative sound quality; the best I’ve heard have been the higher-end Sony TVs that turn the screen itself into the speaker, and even those could never be mistaken for a real home audio system. But the complex setup in the Z95B gives that solution a run for its money.

It combines a large number of speakers in multiple locations (the bottom of the TV, the dies, and upward-firing as opposed to the typical downward-firing) with a subwoofer, ultimately delivering audio that sounds impressively above average.

It doesn’t matter what you’re listening to, either: Traditional dialogue scenes, Gatling-gun-intense action-movie sound effects, pure music (neither the bass nor treble reminded me of attending a live concert, but the sound for both was fairly accurate, appropriately rich, and crystal clear), or a combination of the above all are a delight. True audiophiles will probably still want to pick up one of the best soundbars on the market, but if that’s not you, you won’t feel like you’re missing much.

To its credit, Panasonic has also implemented some of the best sound positioning I have ever heard from a TV with the use of its 360° Soundscape Pro technology. By activating Sound Focus option in the TV’s menus, you can implement any of four configurations for your specific space, audience, and content, and aim the sound anywhere in the room you want it. There’s four main modes here: Pinpoint (all of the sound at one place), Area (all of the sound everywhere), Spot (some sound everywhere, all of the sound somewhere), and Ambient. You make these adjustments with the volume on, so you can hear the sound move as you alter the positioning, making it even easier to get it exactly right.

It’s a fun, fascinating feature that works exactly as advertised, though I must admit, I tended to keep it off — the Z95B’s audio doesn’t need a whole lot of help. Every other TV maker: Take notes.

Panasonic Z95B OLED review: Gaming

Using my Leo Bodnar 4K Input Lag Tester, I measured the Z95B’s input lag at 12.7ms. That’s below the 16ms threshold of a single frame, and thus more than sufficient for most gamers’ needs, though LG’s and Samsung’s sets do get in the low-9ms range, giving them an ever-so-slight edge.

In playing through Indiana Jones and the Great Circle, I noticed no lack of responsiveness and the animation was smooth whether in stealth or full-out fistfight moments. If you want to hook up a PC with a discrete graphics card, you will also be thrilled with support for Nvidia G-Sync and AMD FreeSync Premium.

Though the Game Control Board (Panasonic’s name for the pop-up in-game menu) offers access to all the same settings and information as the menus from other manufacturers (including the picture and sound modes, ALLM and VRR status, and more), it is a bit more distracting. It dims at least a third of the screen and fills it with round, colorful icons that took me out of the game just enough.

A somewhat more subdued, cohesive design would be an improvement.

Panasonic Z95B OLED review: Smart features

It’s rare these days to find many TVs not manufactured by Amazon that use that company’s smart interface, but the Z95B does. This strikes me as one of its biggest missteps. Though it resembles other interfaces, it has some notable limitations.

The home screen surfaces Amazon Prime content heavily (perhaps exclusively) in its top carousel. Aside from the “Continue watching” bar, there are not many clear, useful elements situated in the upper part of the screen. And although it’s easy to change your Amazon profile or add a new one, browse your Prime Video purchases, or search the service’s catalog, doing anything else always takes a few more clicks than it feels like it should.

Adding the HBO Max and Paramount+ apps to the app bar proved a shockingly byzantine procedure, making installing the app and placing it on the bar two entirely separate actions — something rare these days. It’s an unfriendly approach I could do without.

And even though the TV is clearly tied in to my Amazon account and should know my viewing preferences, its suggestions were curiously off-point. I’m a bit old for “Peppa Pig” and “Paw Patrol,” for example, and I’m not sure what I’ve watched to give the system the impression I would want to watch either ”One Night in Idaho: The College Murders” or “Heads of State.” (That both are Prime Video exclusives is, I’m sure, entirely coincidental.) This made me miss the broader-ranging power of Google TV or the lean-and-mean ease of LG’s webOS.

At least the remote’s voice search function worked well and quickly, presenting my results with a minimum of fuss. Apple AirPlay is supported for streaming from mobile devices and, increasingly unusually for TVs these days, there is an ATSC 3.0 tuner for watching the widest variety of over-the-air broadcasts (including in 4K). And the Z95B can use Alexa to tie in to your pre-existing smart home ecosystem.

Panasonic Z95B OLED review: Remote

The Z95B’s remote reflects the current industry trend toward smaller, simpler designs, in line with what we’ve seen from LG, Samsung, and Sony. It’s less of a flat-candy-bar shape, though, with a rounded underside that makes it somewhat more ergonomic.

There is a microphone button at the top, followed by a control wheel, and then a restrained selection of other keys designed for pain-free navigation on on-screen menus. There are only four dedicated shortcut keys: Amazon Prime Video (of course), Amazon Music, Netflix, and Disney+.

My only real issue with the remote is that it’s a bit slow interacting with the TV. I experienced lag constantly when changing the volume or pausing a YouTube video, and though it wasn’t bad enough to disturb my viewing, it was more noticeable than I’m used to.

Panasonic Z95B OLED review: Verdict

The Z95B proves that Panasonic can play in the top tier of luxury OLED TVs and not miss a beat. With performance and features that, in most cases, match what you get from the best sets on the market, and a few flourishes you won’t find anywhere else (its design, its ear-pleasing audio system), it gets just about everything right.

The only real things it gets wrong are that brightness issue and its strange choice in smart platforms. Intentionally limiting a set’s capabilities, particularly when it’s one of the brightest you can buy, is a gutsy move, to be sure. But it’s one that won’t appeal to everyone and that may have an immediate, negative impact on certain types of video unless you crank up the brightness or change modes. And you could correctly niggle about there only being two HDMI 2.1 ports or the clunky Amazon Fire OS.

On any pricy, high-end TV, those details do matter, and they matter just enough to keep the Panasonic Z95B from being the new king of OLEDs. But they can’t stop it from being an outstanding set and one that — minor frustrations aside — earns its hefty asking price.

Fire TV casts a wide net in terms of devices. Not only is it among some of the best streaming devices, but it's also baked into some of the best OLED TVs, as well.

Whether you're running Amazon's Fire TV interface on an actual display, such as the Panasonic Z95A OLED, or a streaming stick, like the Fire TV HD, these tricks will help you get the most out of your device. These include everything from audio adjustments to privacy changes.

Check out the full list below and keep an eye out as we may update this page over time to include even more helpful settings.

Tailor home screen apps to your liking

No one wants a cluttered home screen to deal with, and it's much better when you can quickly jump into the apps and services you love the most. That's why rearranging the apps on the home screen is always recommended.

To pin these most-used apps, head to the "Apps and Games" section, which is located to the left of the settings tab. You'll know you're in the right place when you see all available apps and the App Store under your existing pinned lineup. Click into this section to continue.

Once there, and hovering over a particular app you want to move, click the button with three lines on your remote (often called the "hamburger button"). You'll have the option to move and remove apps, or select "options" and "more info," if needed. You only have six apps to pin to the home screen, so choose your favorite among the best streaming services to make the most of your selections.

You can also add live TV channels into the mix if you're so inclined. To do this, go to Settings -> "Live TV" -> "Manage Channels," then add the ones you watch the most to your Favorite Channels section.

Customize screensavers with special widgets

Amazon's Fire TV has some incredible screensavers that breathe life into your TV even when you're not watching content, which can often be improved with AI.

But beyond art, the Fire TV screensaver can also show you a variety of important information and be adjusted to suit your needs. To set these up, go to Settings -> Display & Sounds -> Ambient Experience -> Ambient Preferences. Here's the full list of various settings you can select for your Fire TV screensaver:

• Widget Size
• Widget at Start
• Border
• Background Image
• Change Background
• Background Rotation Speed
• Background Shuffle
• Clock
• Weather

Restart device with remote

Sometimes issues happen and you may not have an immediate fix. You may not be able to navigate to the settings, open an app, or your Fire TV stick is acting slow, which may require a reboot. But what if you can't even get to the settings to do this?

Fortunately, Fire TV has a handy way of restarting the device and it starts with your remote. You'll have to press and hold both the select button, which is located in the center of the navigation ring, and the Play/Pause button for five seconds or so.

Also, important to note that if you need to re-pair your remote for any reason, just hold the home button down for ten seconds to reset the connection.

Turn off navigation sounds

One irritating setting Fire TV has right out of the box is navigation sounds. Luckily, it's an easy fix to turn them off. Just head to Display & Audio -> Audio, then select Navigation Sounds and turn them off.

While there, you may want to turn on "Volume Leveler" located in the Advanced Audio settings. This synchronizes audio so it generally stays at the same level across apps. It's a handy settings that ensures you're not reaching for the remote to change the volume when switching between apps.

Turn off Amazon Privacy settings

As we've reported before, a new feature is cropping up on smart TVs and it's best to avoid it at all costs. Simply put, Automatic Content Recognition (ACR) captures a ton of your user data to sell to third parties.

That's why turning off Amazon's privacy settings is crucial the moment you set it up. To find these settings, go to Preferences -> Privacy Settings, then turn off "Device Usage Data," "Collect App Usage Data," and "Interest-based ads."

Turning off all of these settings will keep your data more private and secure, but it won't completely shield you from data collection, unfortunately. If you want even better protections, I recommend setting up one of the best VPNs for additional levels of support.

Set up virtual remote with phone

We've all lost the remote once or twice. It's a fact of life when watching our favorite content on the couch. In the past, you'd have to scrounge around through the cushions in a desperate search to find the remote if you ever needed to lower the volume or change to the next TV show. But nowadays all you need is your smartphone.

To set up your phone as a Fire TV virtual remote, you'll have to first download the Amazon Fire TV app on either iOS or Android. Your phone or tablet must be connected to the same Wi-Fi network as your Fire TV, but once installed it should recognize the device automatically.

Whether the remote has dead batteries or it's simply lost in the couch again, the Fire TV virtual remote has you covered. Just don't lose your phone!

Turn off auto-play for home screen content

Another unnecessary setting that can be annoying on Fire TV is auto-playing videos and sounds on the home screen. They kick on within seconds and bombard you with unnecessary audio and information that you really don't need to see or hear.

To rid you of these debilitating home screen annoyances, head to Settings -> Preferences -> Featured Content, then shut off both settings in this section. These should be listed as "Allow Video Autoplay" and "Allow Audio Autoplay."

That should make the home screen a bit less cumbersome to navigate and far less of a noisy nuisance to boot.

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Amazon has been quietly working on ditching the Android-based software its Fire TV streaming devices run on in favor of its own OS, and a new report claims the replacement will launch later this year.

As first reported in 2023, Amazon is cooking up a Linux-based OS, codenamed Vega, to eventually replace Fire OS, a fork of open source Android that sits inside the likes of the Fire TV Stick 4K Max, Fire Tablet series and Echo Show speakers.

Now, LowPass, which has a great track record with insider Amazon information, reports that Amazon will release its “first TV streaming device powered by its still-unannounced Vega OS later this year.” The launch is a bit delayed, as the company initially aimed for a late 2024 rollout, according to sources familiar with Amazon's plans. Since Vega OS requires all new apps to be written in a web-forward format for the platform, Amazon has been “courting major publishers" to bring their apps on board.

Though Amazon still hasn't officially announced Vega OS, we've already seen it roll out to three existing products: the Echo Show 5, Echo Hub, and Echo Spot. But smart speakers are relatively simple devices compared to a TV or streaming stick, and whether Amazon would push forward with the transition at all came into question in February after Amazon revealed it's bringing an updated version of Fire OS to this year's smart TVs.

That led to some speculating Amazon could be abandoning Vega entirely, but it appears it's charging full steam ahead. This latest report cites job listings referencing the still-in-development software as well as apps that have been built by major publishers for this new platform.

What does this mean for sideloading apps?

However Amazon ends up handling the rollout of Vega OS, it marks a serious blow for sideloading apps on Fire TV devices. Sideloading is a handy option to download and run apps not available through the Fire TV app store.

For example, before Peacock was available on Fire TVs, sideloading was the only way to access the app. Sideloading is also popular among users who'd prefer to customize their streaming experience with third-party apps like Kodi or IPTV emulators.

Even if sideloading still works with Vega OS, by design it'll be limited to apps specifically made for Vega OS. That cuts down on its utility significantly, as even if some major app makers do jump on board, the selection will pale in comparison to the robust Android ecosystem.

As Amazon gets ready to roll out its first Fire TV powered by the new Vega OS later this year, it's clear the company walks a fine line between maintaining its market dominance and risking the loyalty of its most devoted users.

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Despite being ranked among the best streaming devices, Fire TV is one of the most convoluted interfaces to use. I'd know, because I've tried practically all of them, and if I had to rank them, Fire TV would probably be at the very bottom of the list.

It's unfortunate, because it's not like the devices themselves or even the TVs that come loaded with it are bad in and of themselves. For example, last year's Panasonic Z95A OLED TV was one of my favorite new displays, but the major downside was...you guessed it, the Fire TV interface.

There's loads of complaints to find across the internet, ranging from lackluster navigation to sluggish controls. It's commonly home to more updates even than Microsoft's Windows platform (and that's saying something).

And don't even get me started on the ads. Fire TV can often feel like a billboard more than a TV interface, making it incredibly frustrating to use. And it's bound to get even more frustrating thanks to a new update (imagine that).

But I've think I've found the perfect fix for the system and it all starts with Alexa Plus.

Here's what Amazon needs to fix about Fire TV

Amazon, I hope you're listening: Fire TV is host to a multitude of issues, but that doesn't mean it can't be improved.

One major problem is that Fire TVs constantly need to be updated, and some of them, like the most recent release, rescind the ability to hide certain apps such as Amazon's pre-installed Live Shopping and Fire TV Channels.

For a system with so many problems, you'd think consistent updates would be the key to major improvement. Unfortunately, these updates can lead to a heavy load on the system, turning the interface into a sluggish mess over time.

It doesn't help that the Fire TV homepage is a mess all its own. While you can customize the featured apps to include the best streaming services that fit your preferences, you're still only allowed up to six options, and everything else below your apps carousel is Prime Video content.

That leads me into my next major issue with Fire TV: intrusive ads. The interface itself is so cluttered it can be pretty tough to know what's an advertisement for a Prime Video show and what's something you're actively watching. Plus, more than half the screen is taken up by a new product release or Prime Video content that Amazon is trying to sell its users.

It doesn't have to be this way, though. All one needs to do is look to some of the best Google TVs or Roku's own interface to see how to better stack the interface and use ads in a less intrusive manner. I mean, even Roku doesn't use up half the screen for a massive ad placement, and it's among the worst culprits in the TV interface ad race.

These issues and many more are what make me wish for some major improvements on the system, and I think Alexa Plus, which was just announced only several days ago, is the answer.

How Alexa Plus could turn things around for Fire TV

This is going to sound crazy, but I think with its AI integration, Alexa Plus might actually fix some of the worst problems with Fire TV.

Take navigation, for example. Alexa Plus could use ACR to see what your favorite TV shows and movies based off the streaming platforms you use on a consistent bass. It could potentially even recognize what day that new episode drops and pull that specific app or the new episode directly to the top of your home screen, so you can jump right into it the moment you flick on your TV or Fire TV device.

And while ads aren't popular, they aren't going away anytime soon. Amazon could leverage Alexa Plus to better service specific ads for Fire TV users that suits their needs and interests, rather than Prime Video content and other unnecessary ads with no actual benefit.

This would include the major money-saving concept among the five new exciting AI features on Alexa Plus, like showing ads for tickets sales with discounted prices or other assorted products. Just think of Prime Day and other major sales events as one-stop-shopping sprees all on your TV. And you barely have to lift a figure.

Constant software updates irking you? Maybe Alexa Plus could pick and choose the right updates for specific users depending on their overall Fire TV usage. Say goodbye to pesky random updates right when you want to watch The White Lotus.

Alexa Plus on Fire TV: Outlook

The big downside right now is that many of the best Fire TV devices and even Panasonic's newer TVs aren't yet among gadgets with support for Alexa Plus, which is a real shame. I'm still championing the a reality where your smart TV is the center of your smart home, and with the awesome features available with Alexa Plus, I think Fire TV could no sooner become the best ecosystem for it.

There's a lot Amazon could do to rectify its Fire TV system and, I'm hoping, Alexa Plus is the key to turning the ship around. With some intensive tweaking on its underlying interface and an Alexa Plus integration, Amazon's Fire TV devices could be some of the best to buy in 2025. We'll just have to wait and see.

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If you had asked me a few years ago if we'd still be buying 1080p streaming sticks in 2024, I'd have immediately said no. For a while, it seemed as though 4K streaming sticks were getting cheaper and cheaper; however, those price cuts seem to have leveled out a little, still leaving some room for ultra-cheap 1080p models for those who really don't care to spend more than they have to.

The new Amazon Fire TV Stick HD is built to put the best streaming services front and center, but that's more or less it. It offers Amazon's Fire TV interface and an Alexa-capable remote – but limits its resolution to not even match many of the cheapest TVs on the market.

At this price, does that really matter? Or does the Amazon Fire TV Stick HD do enough to make it a no-brainer for those who just care about turning their dumb screens into smart TVs? Check out the rest of my review to see where it ranks among the best streaming devices.

Amazon Fire TV Stick HD review: Price and availability

The Amazon Fire TV Stick HD first went on sale in the fall of 2024, and is available from Amazon and some other retailers at a list price of $34.99. As usual, however, you can bet that Amazon will routinely discount the device. At the time of this writing, it was offered as a Black Friday deal for only $17.99. Its list price makes it only $15 cheaper than the Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K, which is $49.99.

Its price is more or less on par with the competition. The Google Chromecast with Google TV is available in an HD version for only $29.99, which is the same price as the also 1080p Roku Express.

Amazon Fire TV Stick HD review: Design

Amazon isn't reinventing the wheel for the Fire TV Stick HD, and, in fact, many aspects of its design are due for an upgrade but don't get them. The basic stick is rectangular and squared off, built from a relatively cheap black plastic. That's not really a huge deal, as it's small enough to be mostly hidden behind your TV, out of sight. What is a little frustrating in 2024, though, is the fact that the device has a MicroUSB port for power. Amazon does include a cable in the box that, again, you'll likely never have to replace. But still, it's 2024, and the vast majority of other consumer products have moved to USB-C. There's really no excuse for Amazon not to have done the same.

MicroUSB aside, Amazon has included a decent selection of accessories in the box. There's the device itself, along with a USB-A to MicroUSB cable and a USB-A power adapter. There's also an HDMI dongle that you can use if the HDMI port on your TV isn't as accessible as you would like. For example, if it's a rear-facing port that you don't want the Fire TV Stick HD to extend out from.

There's also the remote, which is kind of the main event for this generation of the Fire TV Stick HD. That's because the remote is an Alexa Voice Remote, unlike the non-Alexa-enabled remote found with previous generation models. The Alexa voice remote means that you can not only control the TV with the regular software buttons but also through voice controls – plus, you can use the remote to control smart home devices and access information from the web. Alexa is generally pretty helpful at bringing up content that you request with your voice, so it's nice to see this support here.

The remote also has other handy features like quick access buttons for Prime Video, Netflix, Disney Plus, and Peacock. A programmable button might have been nice too, though. For example, I probably use Hulu more than Peacock and would have programmed Hulu access instead. But it's still a good selection of controls and hits four of the most used services.

Amazon Fire TV Stick HD review: Interface

Setting up the Fire TV Stick HD is a simple affair. Over the years, all of the major streaming device manufacturers have gotten a lot better at the setup process, and thankfully they all allow you to use your phone instead of having to hunt around on an on-screen keyboard and directional controls on the remote. To set up the Fire TV Stick HD, all I had to do was download the Fire TV app, hit the add new device button, and follow the on-screen instructions. That part of the process only took around two minutes, though after that, the device had to install an update, which took around 10 minutes. After everything was installed, I was guided through ads for Apple TV+, Amazon Luna, and Amazon Kids+, but it was easy to skip through those. Finally, I was prompted to select which streaming services I wanted to install.

After initially setting up the Fire TV Stick HD, you'll likely want to download and log in to your favorite streaming services. Even after you do so, however, you'll find that those services and the content within them aren't really publicized much in the Fire TV interface. On the one hand, this makes sense; Amazon wants to highlight Prime Video. On the other hand, however, it's a little frustrating to have an entire TV interface feel like an advertisement for Amazon's streaming service. It doesn't feel like Apple does the same with Apple TV Plus on tvOS.

That said, Fire TV isn't necessarily difficult to navigate. There's a slider of content at the top, followed by a menu row with access to your most-used apps. Under that, you'll find suggestions for content you might want to watch, most of which will be Prime Video titles.

Amazon Fire TV Stick HD review: Performance

The Amazon Fire TV Stick HD doesn't have the powerful internals that you can find in some other modern Fire TV Stick models. While the Fire TV Stick 4K Max has a 2.0GHz quad-core processor, the Fire TV Stick HD sticks to a 1.7GHz chip.

That's not to mention the fact that it steps down from Wi-Fi 6E support to only Wi-Fi 5, meaning that things may not load as quickly as they otherwise would. That would be frustrating for anyone with a reasonably modern WiFi router. For example, I have a WiFi 6E router that can't take advantage of everything it has to offer with the Fire TV Stick HD.

The sluggish performance on paper translated to real-life use too. The device regularly stuttered and lagged as I navigated through menus, and it took quite a while to load most apps. It wasn't completely unbearable, and it never froze for more than a second or two at a time, but for a completely new streamer, it certainly wasn't the best experience.

Time (in seconds) to load apps

• Netflix: 21 seconds
• YouTube: 5 seconds
• Disney Plus: 12 seconds
• Max: 13 seconds
• Sling: 23 seconds

These numbers aren't great. Who wants to wait 20 seconds for Netflix to load, or even more for a service like Sling? YouTube loaded relatively quickly, though, which was nice to see – but generally, expect to have to wait a little for most services.

Amazon Fire TV Stick HD review: Audio and video support

One major question you might have is whether to buy this model or the 4K model. Honestly, the answer is simple: if you have a 4K TV or plan on getting one soon, buy the 4K model. A 1080p resolution isn't as bad as it might sound, and many modern TVs offer good enough upscaling technology to ensure that the image is still relatively crisp. However, it's not as crisp as it could be with native 4K support.

Apart from resolution, one major downside to the Fire TV Stick HD is its limited HDR support. Unlike other Fire TV Stick devices, this one does not support Dolby Vision. Thankfully, it does still support HDR10 and HDR10 Plus, but if you were hoping to take advantage of Dolby Vision with the Fire TV Stick HD, you'll be disappointed.

Thankfully, the device does support modern audio formats. It can pass through Dolby Atmos audio, allowing you to take full advantage of your Dolby Atmos system.

Amazon Fire TV Stick HD review: Search

One of the best things about the Fire TV has always been how it uses Alexa. With Alexa, you can search for content based on titles, content featuring a particular actor, and so on.

Asking Alexa to find “Ryan Gosling movies” resulted in content from different platforms showing up, including "The Gray Man" from Netflix and "The Fall Guy" on Peacock. When I asked it to “play Drive to Survive,” it immediately pulled up the page for the show on Netflix, allowing me to tap the button to keep watching.

Alexa also works as it does on other devices. You can use it to control smart home devices that you have set up and even find out information from the web. When I asked it to find Indian restaurants near me, it brought up a number of locations, including their Yelp ratings and how far away they are. It worked well, and I like that Alexa offers visual components even when the prompt is unrelated to watching content.

Amazon Fire TV Stick HD review: Remote

The better remote with the Fire TV Stick HD makes a reasonable difference. It may not feel all that premium, but it works well, and the buttons are clicky enough. On top of that, it's pretty easy to navigate. It has software controls along the top row with playback controls right under that. Then you get volume controls and a button to quickly access Prime Video Channels, which is the live TV service built into the device.

The big upgrade for this version, however, is the Alexa support. There's a microphone button all the way at the top of the remote, which you can hold down for Alexa commands. It worked well and is a super helpful addition to the Fire TV Stick HD.

The remote works through Bluetooth instead of infrared, which is handy considering the fact that the Fire TV Stick HD might be hidden behind your TV and not in the line of sight for infrared to work properly. Most people will find it easy to get used to using the remote.

Amazon Fire TV Stick HD review: Verdict

The Amazon Fire TV Stick HD isn't a low-quality product, but most who want to stick within the Amazon ecosystem should go for the Fire TV Stick 4K instead. If you have a 4K TV that supports Dolby Vision, then it's a no-brainer. Upscaling tech is getting better and better, but you still can't beat native 4K support – and Dolby Vision support alone would make the higher-end Fire TV Stick worth going. As an added bonus, if you buy the higher-end device, you'll get faster performance.

If you're not necessarily set on sticking within Amazon's ecosystem, it might be worth going for the Chromecast with Google TV HD instead. It's five dollars cheaper, performed a little faster in our tests, and has a generally better interface that doesn't shove Google's own content down your throat at every turn. Among the best streaming devices, though, we still prefer the Roku Streaming Stick 4K or the Roku Express, as they have even cleaner interfaces.

That said, if you want to stick to Amazon and don't have a 4K TV or don't plan on getting one soon, the Amazon Fire TV Stick HD is perfectly fine. It's a little slow, and the interface isn't great, but you'll get used to both of those things.

While the best gaming TVs are aplenty these days from the likes of LG, Samsung, and Sony, not all of these displays offer the most robust system to handle everything the newly unveiled PS5 Pro has to offer. 

That’s because everything from audio, input latency, gaming features, and even display technology make or break a TV. As we mention countless times in our reviews and roundups, even some of the best TVs don’t always come equipped with the most sound speaker systems or high enough brightness to tick every box. 

But one in particular from a brand that’s largely been absent from the US market is among the few that offers all the best features on a design that’s seemingly built for the new PS5 system. From its gorgeous MLA Gen 2 panel to its incredible sound system that boasts 160W of output power, the Panasonic Z95A OLED TV is the choice to go with. 

It’s definitely on the more expensive side (it’s Panasonic’s flagship TV, rember), but that’s the cost you pay for the best seat in the house for all things PlayStation. And with several high profile experiences on the near horizon, including Grand Theft Auto 6 and Death Stranding 2, the Panasonic Z95A is the only choice to go with. 

A panel and sound system unlike any other

Panasonic's return to the US is met with utter style and glee, bringing with it one of the best OLED TVs to launch yet this year with a slew of amazing features that it make it stand tall against the competition. In our testing, it even beat out the Samsung flagship this year, with the Panasonic Z95A vs Samsung S95D being an eye-opener in how far Panasonic has come. 

What makes the Z95A stand out is its MLA Gen 2 panel. It gives the Z95A some serious power, noted in its high brightness output of 2012 nits and 292 nits in both HDR and SDR content, respectively. 

Making it even more ideal for gaming though is its incredible 160W speakers, a monster of a sound system that is the first of its kind in an OLED TV. In was built in partnership with Technics and provides a slew of additional features, like 360 Soundscape Pro that lets you tune and customize the cone of the TV sound to best suit your home entertainment environment. 

You can even change the sound profile to a specific genre, like FPS or RPG, for a more immersive experience depending on the type of game you're playing. A Survival Horror option would round this out quite nicely, especially in the face of the new Silent Hill 2 Remake, but at least you won't have to shell out for one of the best soundbars on top of an OLED TV and PS5 Pro. 

One thing to note is that the Panasonic Z95A does come with a rather high input latency of 12.6ms, which isn't ideal. We like to see that number under 10ms, but I feel this is a worthwhile sacrifice to make as you really won't such a well-rounded system like this. 

Just look at Sony's models, which often come with incredibly high input latency of 16ms, and you're left wondering why anyone would ever pair the PS5 Pro with a Sony display. If you are looking to upgrade your TV for the PS5 Pro, I recommend not turning to its creator — a bit of irony, to be sure. 

All the right gaming sweet spots

Panasonic isn't alone in creating epic gaming TVs — many of the best Samsung TVs and best LG TVs come equipped with a robust gaming center and dedicated menu for instant support across a wide range of uses cases. These menus make it light years easier to customize and tailor your gaming experience in a myriad of ways, like bumping the refresh rate or turning on VRR. 

Panasonic did well in capturing a similar approach to its own game control board, giving users additional functionality and picture controls for a totally streamlined and almost perfect experience. Further enhancements using its Control Board include Dark Visibility, letting you lighten up shadows and darker areas, HDR tonemapping for further tweaks on HDR, and input lag, which should be set to fast. 

There's even a handy information tab so you can get the full rundown on what type of devices are connected and what settings they're currently using. This is great for better understanding the platform you're using and can determine if you're actually playing games in 4K/120Hz or not. 

While Panasonic's system is nowhere near as well-optimized or brimming with cloud-based experiences like alternatives, namely Samsung who wants to be the TV for gamers, there is more than enough control here for PS5 Pro users and beyond. 

Not a console gamer? The Z95A would even work well for those using the best gaming PCs, giving them up to 144Hz speeds and several other features to play with. 

Worthy alternatives 

Tallying it all up, the PS5 Pro (with both a vertical stand and disc drive) plus the Panasonic Z95A OLED TV would come out to a meteoric $4,000. That's not ideal for every gamer looking to eek out the best visuals on the block, and is why I wouldn't just call the Panasonic Z95A the best and only choice for the PS5 Pro.

There are a veritable slew of awesome gaming TVs out there ripe for the picking, like the LG C4 OLED or even the Samsung S90C OLED TV. These, of course, are similar to the Panasonic model in being OLED displays but also relatively expensive, with the C4 coming in at $1,699 for its 65-inch model and the Samsung sitting at $1,499 for the same configuration.

Those TVs may not bring all of the same features to the table, but they will offer you the best possible image quality and features on the block. 

But something even less expensive might be more in the cards for those already strapped after dropping a whopping $699 for the PS5 Pro — plus more if you bought a disk drive and stand to go along with it.

Enter Hisense and TCL, two of the best TV makers bringing some value picks to the market. Don't expect to find any OLED TVs among their designs, as these models will be Mini-LED options with powerful backlighting. You're sacrificing deeper and richer blacks for price, but most of the same gaming features will remain all built out on a more affordable design, like the Hisense U8N Mini-LED TV, available for just $999 for its 55-inch model. 

Many of these can be found at much lower rates, as well, and offer the best bang for you buck — especially for the PS5 Pro, which won't realistically require anything over 120Hz. You could always opt for the 2024 TCL QM8 Mini-LED TV, as TCL just updated its designs with further enhancements, calling them QD-Mini-LED models. 

Hisense came out victorious in our QM8 vs U8N feature, but either will be expert picks for those looking to save on a well-rounded TV upgrade for the PS5 Pro. 

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The TV OS landscape is changing and Google is at the forefront. Its smart platform, Google TV, can be found in many of the best smart TVs , and its grip on the market is getting tighter. According to a recent blog post by the tech conglomerate, Google now claims that it's corralled 270 million active monthly users.

In the face of major competitors like Roku, Samsung's Tizen, LG’s webOS, and Amazon's Fire TV, Google is seemingly on a fast track to ultimate dominance. While it doesn’t make its own TVs, Google’s interface has nevertheless found a home in some of the best TVs from Sony, Hisense, and TCL — not to mention in a slew of streaming devices. 

But can its reign be squashed? With newer TV interfaces on the rise (like the recently announced Whale TV OS) and popular players holding strong (like Roku), Google TV’s star power is being challenged. So far, it hasn't faded.

Let’s see how it currently stacks against the competition. 

Google TV vs Roku and Samsung’s Tizen

In February, Samsung announced as much as 22.7% control over the OLED TV market. Samsung challenged major players like LG and Sony on its way to claiming 1.01 million units sold through 2023.

This would mark 18 consecutive years of its continued success as leader in the global TV sector, giving Samsung's smart TV interface, Tizen, quite the push into millions of users' homes. 

It’s unclear exactly how many users it currently has, as Samsung is typically tight-lipped about such numbers. The last reported data is from a blog post dated 2022 that claims “around 200 million people from 197 countries are using Samsung smart TVs powered by Tizen.” Since then, we can infer that the number has gone up significantly, given Samsung’s track record in sales. 

In July of this year, Samsung put out a similar blog post that noted 270 million Samsung smart TVs running Tizen OS, but it’s unclear if this pertains to active users. Clearly, Tizen is neck and neck with Google TV, and that stems largely from Google’s business strategy of delivering not just TV-based interfaces, but of set-top boxes, too. 

Recently, both Google and Roku announced new additions to their streaming lineup in the Google TV Streamer and Roku Ultra (2024). These devices will pad the numbers of the brands' ever-growing userbase. Roku is even serving up its own in-house TVs to rival TCL and Hisense, like the recently released Pro Series Mini-LED TV.

In February, Roku announced that it had surpassed 80 million active accounts. The brand has lost big to both Samsung and Google in recent years, with Google gaining significant ground in 2021, when it added its own 80 million active accounts. Roku hasn’t exactly helped itself, either, with data breaches affecting thousands of its users earlier this year.

The race between Roku vs Google TV is a close one. For all of its faults, Roku enjoys a loyal customer base, which helped it rake in almost $3B in revenue last year, per Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman. Google might be at the top of its game, but it’s not the only one reaching for the stratosphere.

Other major players on the rise against Google TV 

As maker of some of the best OLED TVs, LG  and its webOS ecosystem are the perfect foil for Samsung’s Tizen and Google TV. LG mostly keeps mum about its active monthly users, but in a Q1 2024 blog post, it announced that webOS powers as many as 200 million LG TVs globally. 

In January, LG announced a solid policy on keeping its webOS interface fresh for years to come. This so-called Re:New program aims to keep several of the best LG TVs regularly upgraded with newer features. The program focuses primarily on TVs dating back four years, and many of the best and latest upgrades can only be found on newer displays among the LG 2024 TV lineup. 

And then there’s Amazon’s Fire TV. Like Google TV and Roku, Fire TV can be found across a wide swath of devices and displays. In a surprising turn of events, Panasonic  recently returned to the US TV market, and its interface of choice is Fire TV. This makes Panasonic OLEDs the first to leverage Fire TV. The flagship Panasonic Z95A OLED TV, for instance, is a brilliant new addition to the market, and could add fuel to the competitive fire. Currently, all we know is that Fire TV claims more than 50 million users, and this was last reported in 2021. 

A 2024 report from Statista asserts that Fire TV had as many as 69.7 million users in 2022 (against Apple TV’s mere 26.7 million). To be clear, Apple does not disclose these numbers, and it’s hard to know how accurate they are without any official data. However, this alone should highlight the sheer breadth of Google’s dominance in the world of TV interfaces.

Meanwhile, newer players like the aforementioned Whale TV could prove to be a wrinkle in Google’s plan. Thus far, the Linux-based interface — previously Zeasn — is only available on Sharp, Philips, and Vestel TVs, which are primarily available in regions outside of the US. According to StreamTV Insider, it “currently powers 41.1 million monthly active TVs.”

Google is in an advantageous position right now. Its wide availability, along with the launch of its brand new Google TV Streamer device (which we rated quite highly in our review), makes it a tough challenger to overcome.

Samsung and LG seem the closest to toppling Google, but who knows? Perhaps one day, Fire TV (or even Roku) will be seen as the David to its Goliath.

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Amazon is bringing some big changes to its Fire TV interface that will make those annoying video ads far less of a nuisance. 

According to CordCutterNews, the new platform redesign will see these types of advertisements moved to a smaller mini-player that takes up less screen real estate in tandem with automatic playback being shut off. 

Amazon first introduced the video ads in late 2023, which auto-played the moment you turned on your Fire TV. This has obviously caused a stir with users and Amazon is taking steps to amend the situation. 

It’s a welcome first for TV interfaces as Fire TV competitors like Roku aim to only ramp up their advertising. The latter even confirmed in April that video ads will grace the Roku home screen in due time, so expect the problem of intrusive ads to only worsen before it improves. 

Video ads begone

Amazon is taking new steps in keeping its Fire TV interface as seen on some of the best streaming devices and assorted TVs as clean as possible. Following an update in December 2023 that introduced video ads to the platform, Amazon is now rewriting the ways these ads are shipped to customers. 

For starters, where once the video ad would take up a demonstrably large part of the screen, making it difficult for users to navigate to their intended content and even see the apps they use on a daily basis, Fire TV video ads will now play in a smaller window instead. 

Additionally, Amazon Fire TV 2-Series users and beyond can expect the interface to feature video ads that won’t auto-play the moment you turn on your TV or streaming device. You’ll even be able to skip video ads with a handy new shortcut setting for the remote, making Fire TV that much more user-friendly for those who aren’t too keen on intrusive promotions. 

Amazon’s new Fire TV interface will also make it more fluid and easier for you to access all of the best streaming services before the ads start playing. This goes against the norm on similar interfaces, like Google TV, which typically auto-plays its video ads the moment you select featured content. 

If you’re hoping that video ads might soon go away, you’re in for a rude awakening as they’re only just getting started. While other options in the space, namely LG’s webOS, gives you ways of turning off ads, Roku and others like it have plans to plaster the home screen with even more ads in the long run. 

These new changes are set to roll out on all Fire TVs released since 2016 in the next few days. As of right now, for those looking for the best way to rid themselves of the ever-growing TV interface advertisement debacle, Apple TV 4K is your best bet. 

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Update: Walmart announced in a press release Tuesday morning that it is officially purchasing Vizio for $2.3B. 

Walmart’s potential aggressive push into the TV industry made headlines earlier this week as reports suggested the massive retailer could be in talks of buying Vizio for $2B.

It’s not so farfetched as it might seem from the outside looking in. Walmart, no stranger to TV designs as witnessed in its relatively lackluster Onn brand, has quite the incentive to deliver TVs at an affordable price point as the market could prove lucrative if approached correctly.

On the other hand, while teaming up with Vizio is certainly a gamble — quite the expensive one at that — the optics seem more so focused on other areas where Walmart can leverage the Vizio branding for other purposes, most notable of all being advertising. Walmart’s ads business has ballooned over the past year, with Inside Intelligence claiming it saw over $3B in 2023 alone.

Is Vizio’s buyout a natural foil to Amazon Fire TV and Roku, or could it be just another way to bleed Walmart mindshare and its products into homes worldwide? There’s some good and some potentially bad aspects behind Walmart’s supposed $2B deal, so let’s break down how it could shake up the TV industry and if it will ultimately be rewarding for consumers — or a total nightmare.

Walmart’s $2B Vizio deal — the good 

Walmart’s Onn brand TVs, which typically retail for around $100 to $500, aren’t exactly the most ideal displays on the market. Although cheap, these TVs have arguably the lowest quality and performance baked in, with little to show for other necessities like audio and gaming enhancements.

Data sets provided in our own review of a 50-in 4K Roku Onn TV prove an incredibly lackluster narrative across its color volume (96.7% sRGB), gaming potential (32.1ms input lag), and contrast levels. At least its pricing matches with the value, but even then there’s better TVs out there to buy at its price point — Vizio TVs included.

While not quite at the level of either Hisense or TCL, Vizio still provides some remarkable sets at incredible price points. And the firm is continuously improving upon its underlying operating system (OS), as seen with the speed boost update it garnered this past December.

With a $2B cash injection, Vizio could leverage that capital for some serious gains. Vizio’s R&D could cook up major rival TV models against not just both Amazon Fire TV and Roku, as mentioned in the initial report published via the Wall Street Journal, but also maybe even Hisense and TCL as well.

Although there was only one series of it, Vizio’s OLED TV went relatively under the radar due in large part to its name. There's no guarantee we'd ever see another Vizio-branded OLED, however a potential $2B check could make it a reality.

Right now, there’s really no indication as to where Walmart might take the Vizio brand in terms of its display innovation, but hopefully Walmart uses the brand to prop up its own TV sales with some really interesting new models. 

Though, then again, maybe it’s not so sunshine and rainbows after all.

Walmart’s $2B Vizio deal — the bad

In the more negative camp, which to many seems to be the most prime reality, Walmart’s potential $2B investment into Vizio is just another commercial ploy, one to prop up its ever-thriving Connect ads business. This not only pertains to both shoppable ads as seen on the TV at home and in stores, but likewise for the potentially far more lucrative data corralled within Vizio’s consumer base.

Called Retail Media Networks (RMNs), retailer ads businesses have thrived over the past several years as seen in mega corporations like Google and Apple. Walmart’s Connect obviously can’t hit the same heights as presented by these two names, nor even that of Amazon’s incredible dominance in this sector either, but retail media is a potential goldmine for Walmart — a goldmine that Coresight Research claims could be a $60B opportunity in 2024.

Walmart’s ads business has been growing by the billions over the past few years, with 2023 raking in over $3B and 2024 looking to capture $4B and more, according to Statista. Through Vizio, Walmart could leverage the platform to sell even more ads across TV screens that could potentially even rival small sectors within its own conventional retail business.

That’s not even accounting for the other untapped goldmine in the equation: data monetization. Vizio currently wields an 18M strong user base, making it a platform ripe for monetization — a business sector that Coresight Research claims could net $1M-$5M per every $1B earned in revenue.

In other words, if Walmart were granted the keys to Vizio’s kingdom, it could mean a whole lot more ads served to its millions of users. And, on top of that, said users’ data will most assuredly be leveraged to service these ads and better process the kinds of products Walmart puts at the forefront of its retail business.

But, with all of that being said, who’s to say the deal even goes through?

Walmart’s $2B Vizio deal — it may not even happen

The purported $2B deal that sees Walmart eyeing Vizio might not even come to fruition. The deal — if it's ever publicly acknowledged by both companies — all comes down to Vizio CEO William Wang, an executive wielding majority voting rights within the business and also founded the TV manufacturer back in 2002.

If the deal is finalized with Walmart as its new owner, it’s unclear what his role would be going forward. Additionally, Walmart might not be the only shark out there battling the tides of the TV industry seas.

Best Buy, too, has its own TV brand, called Insignia. Similar to Walmart, these TVs aren’t exactly the most ideal displays on the market, but through Vizio, it could bring about some serious change with the right capital injection. Best Buy scooping up Vizio and rebranding its own internal TVs with even better internals might give it a sweet push for 2024, especially given Best Buy’s commitment to value offerings — not unlike Walmart itself.

It all remains to be seen, and who knows? Maybe Vizio doesn’t even sell and remains its own entity entirely. We’ll just have to wait and see where this TV industry is headed as 2024 blazes on.

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Amazon has just unveiled a new way for Fire Stick users to personalize their TV and at-home display experience.

The company has updated its Fire TV Stick to include a new feature under its Fire TV Ambient Experience, allowing users to turn their displays into creative works of art — all born from their own imaginations (with some help from AI).

Called AI Art, the new feature leverages both Alexa and Titan Image Generator for streamlined artistic prompts led by the user, who can craft up to four images per prompt with a simple “Alexa, create a background of a starship leaving Earth.”

Users can try out the new art feature today following an update and accessing Amazon’s Ambient Experience.

Picasso on the big screen

Amazon is bringing user-inputted AI art creations to its Fire TV Stick platform with a new update geared toward making its Ambient Experience even more personalized. The feature will only be available on Fire TV Stick 4K Max and Fire TV Omni QLED series.

Via Amazon’s Ambient Experience, users can now create incredible imagery wherever their TV or Fire Stick is placed, all with a simple voice command. After giving Alexa a specific prompt, ie “create a magic rainbow in water colors,” the AI Art engine will literally draw and materialize your imaginative machination right before your eyes.

Users can choose from a wide range of style options, including Cubist, pencil, oil painting, pixel art, and more. AI Art allows users to build up to four different images for each prompt and they can use that image as their Fire TV background or even save it in their Amazon Photos account.

The new feature uses an updated iteration of the Titan Image Generator, Amazon’s AI program that, as the company itself explains, “incorporates 25 years of artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) innovation.”

Amazon’s AI Art preview goes live today for U.S. customers and can be accessed via the Ambient Experience. Fire TV Stick users can easily access the new mode by holding down the Alexa button and speaking into the remote with their own prompt, ie “Alexa, create a background of flamingos under a cherry tree.”

Following several on-screen image options, users can then choose and modify amongst these varied images and can give a thumbs up or thumbs down depending on their taste in the created image. Users can even build an entire AI Art collection as Fire TV backgrounds, so your bland TV can turn into a whole new world of imagination.

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Update: This article has been updated to include information regarding Panasonic's plan to not return to the US market. 

Panasonic might not be the most well-known brand when it comes to enticing TV offerings, but its new 2024 lineup may sway consumers with Fire TV built directly into the display.

The company is partnering with Amazon to bring the world’s first OLED TVs with a built-in Fire Stick to market, allowing users to instantly access their favorite content directly on the TV.

Both Amazon and Panasonic announced the agreement in separate press releases highlighting the two flagship OLEDs, Z95A and Z93A, as the first set of OLED displays with Fire TV integration.

Neither company has alluded to pricing or availability just yet, but the OLEDs pack some serious firepower in terms of specs, leveraging 3D surround sound, Dolby Vision IQTM Precision, and a 144Hz refresh rate.

Igniting Panasonic TVs for the future

The first OLED TVs to sport Fire TV built-in will be Panasonic’s Z95A and Z93A, the firm’s two flagship OLED offerings of 2024. They’ll be leveraging a new HCX Pro AI Processor MK II chip in tandem with two new panels on both TVs, the Master OLED Ultimate on the Z95A and the Master OLED Pro Cinema on the Z93A.

The Z95A will be available in 65-in and 55-in, while the Z93A will only be available in 77-in. They will be the world’s first OLEDs not only to sport Fire TV built in, but also leverage a 144Hz refresh rate with a load of additional gaming-centric features for cinematic play on the big screen.

Amazon Fire TV built-in on both OLEDs offers Fire TV Ambient, which turns the TV into an art piece when turned off, and full Alexa integration for far-field voice controls. Plus, both TVs will have Apple AirPlay and Apple Home support for users who don’t want to be locked into using Amazon's tools.

Beyond just using Fire TV built in, both OLEDs will also come equipped with some features seen on Panasonic’s proprietary OS, main among them being Penta Tuner, which allows user to access alternative broadcasts like cable, antenna, and satellite TV offerings. And, with home network and internet access, the TVs can be placed practically anywhere without the need of an antenna socket.

The partnership between Amazon and Panasonic will see even more TVs come to market in the future leveraging Fire TV, though there isn’t any additional information on what these TVs will look like and when to expect them.

It’s also unclear if these new OLED TVs will be available in the US, as an Amazon representative tells Digital Trends that they will be offered “to customers around the world” and additional details on pricing and availability will be announced “soon.”

Update: In an email correspondence with Tom's Guide, a Panasonic representative writes, "...please note that as of the time of writing, Panasonic has no plan to return to selling TVs in the US market."

Blazing fast specs for gaming

The Z95A and Z93A don’t leave gamers out of the equation, either. Both OLED TVs have a 144Hz refresh rate via HDMI 2.1 and VRR. Several additional gaming-based enhancements, like Dolby Vision Gaming support up to 144Hz and a True Game Mode for perfected white balance and color accuracy, should help gamers remain immersed in the action on-screen.

They shouldn't be lacking in the sound department either as Technics Audio (a Panasonic offshoot) aided in the development of the OLEDs’ 360 Soundscape Pro speaker system, which packs in a set of multidirectional speakers offering 3D surround sound thanks to Dolby Atmos support.

The Panasonic Z95A and Z93A OLEDs also support Dolby Vision IQ Precision Detail, a feature that is intended to dynamically adjust light settings across the display for optimal viewing. The Z95A specifically will have an advanced Micro Lens Array (MLA) screen, first introduced on Panasonic’s 2023 OLEDs, that will sport higher brightness potentials, as well.

Neither Amazon nor Panasonic stated when the displays would hit shelves and what pricing might look like, but will be interesting to see how these new OLEDs will fare in the market and if they can live up to the hype. 

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Amazon is reportedly developing a new operating system to power its ever-growing hardware portfolio. At present, the company uses its Fire OS, a fork of open source Android that sits inside the likes of the Fire TV Stick 4K Max, Fire Tablet series and Echo Show speakers. But that could be about to change. 

Various sources are claiming Amazon is building its own OS codenamed "Vega" that'll help it move away from Android for its upcoming products. A report in LowPass, claims it's in the advanced stages of development, while Zatznotfunny suggests it's already here. In the former case, Amazon is testing it on Fire TV streaming sticks while the latter has seen it running on a 3rd generation Echo Show 5.

What we do know is that Vega OS will be a “more web-forward application model” and take its foundation directly from Linux rather than forking from Android (which itself is Linux-based).

On the Echo Show example, the on-screen information clearly shows the software being reset with naming and numbering reset to generic ‘OS 1.1’. And a further clue is the fact the OS 1.1 Echo Show no longer runs Netflix.

The reason for this (pretty big) change for Amazon? We’re not entirely sure but we can make some educated guesses. LowPass cites industry insiders claiming Amazon’s plan is to reach “hundreds of millions of eyeballs on a wide range of inexpensive devices” and, from there, “monetize those eyeballs with ads and services”.

While using open source Android for years has allowed Amazon a level of customization without jeopardising Android app compatibility, it does come with some drawbacks. Notably, the fact that Amazon’s reliance on the Android Open Source Project means it can’t keep up with Google’s in-house Android advancements. 

That can be a problem when the two companies compete in hardware spaces like the best smart displays and the best Android tablets. For example, the Fire OS 7 version powering many current Amazon devices is based on Android 9 from 2018. Whereas the Google Pixel Tablet has come right out the gate on Android 14.

And if Amazon plans to extend into more hardware categories (the report mentioned in-car entertainment systems) then having a new OS built from the ground up could give Amazon far more flexibility when to implement the aforementioned monetization ideas.

Meanwhile, it seems like Amazon has also instructed app developers to switch to using Meta’s React Native as the framework for building apps for its hardware — doing so also enables those apps to work on a wide range of operating systems that include iOS and Android.

What’s more, because of its history as a mobile OS, Android’s code comes with a lot of baggage that’s not needed for running on low-cost smart home hardware. The result is a decrease in performance that wouldn’t be the case with a freshly-built “web-first” OS.

Last, but not least, moving away from Android would allow Amazon to untangle itself even further from dealings with Google and could lead to the retailer forging new and more profitable partnerships with other hardware vendors.

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Amazon is making big upgrades to its Fire TV Stick models. During the Amazon devices event on Sept. 20, the company revealed the new Fire TV Stick 4K (2023) and Fire TV Stick 4K Max (2023), both of which are available for pre-order now.

Daniel Rausch, the VP of Alexa and Fire TV, called the new Fire TV Stick 4K Max "the best Fire TV stick we’ve ever made." It's getting impressive upgrades which include a 2Ghz quad-core processor, WiFi 6E, 16 GB of storage and support for Dolby Vision, HDR10, HDR10 Plus, and Dolby Atmos. It costs $59.999.

The standard Fire TV Stick 4K (2023) has an upgraded processor that's 30 percent more powerful than the previous model. It offers Wi-Fi 6 and "vivid" 4K streaming at $49.99. 

Amazon also announced a new Fire TV Soundbar that is compatible with all existing Fire TV streaming devices and televisions, priced at $119.99. Purchase of any of these devices comes with six months of the streaming service MGM Plus.

In addition to the device launches, Amazon is also making significant enhancements to the Fire TV search and interface experiences. The company is looking to help Fire TV users find movies and TV shows more quickly and easily. The improved search function relies on an AI-boosted Alexa to make recommendations based on the individual's profile and viewing history.

The Fire TV home screen will also introduce a new "continue watching" row that includes major providers like Max, Disney, Hulu, Prime Video and more. So now, Fire TV users don't have to open a bunch of different apps to see everything they're in the middle of watching. 

These interface changes will begin rolling out to U.S. customers later this year.

Fire TV Stick 4K (2023) vs. Fire TV Stick 4K Max (2023)

The two new models of the Fire TV Stick 4K and 4K Max are fairly similar, which is why only $10 separates them. 

The biggest difference is the more powerful processor in the Fire TV Stick 4K Max (2023) as well as the support for WiFi 6E. As Rausch noted in the presentation, the 4K Max will offer lower latency, faster speeds and less interference from other devices. 

Both new Fire TV Stick models are available for pre-order now and shipping starting September 27.

On stage at a private Amazon event held at the company's new headquarters, Vice President of Alexa & Fire TV Daniel Rausch introduced a new two-channel soundbar. Dubbed the Amazon Fire TV Soundbar, it will offer simple pairing with Amazon Fire TVs and Fire TV Sticks as well as Bluetooth audio. 

Rausch didn't go deep into details on the soundbar but did give us its rough size (a mere 24 inches in length) and said that it was developed to work seamlessly with Amazon Fire TV devices.

In terms of price, the soundbar will be available for $119 and should be available to purchase starting on September 20 after the event. 

Analysis: Big on value but low on specs?

We don't want to knock an audio product before we've had a chance to properly hear it in action, but Amazon seems to be targeting the budget end of the audio market with the new Fire TV Soundbar. 

Unfortunately, the Fire TV Soundbar doesn't come with a separate subwoofer and, while it supports DTS Virtual:X and Dolby Audio, there are no upfiring speakers for Dolby Atmos. 

Again, this is just a $119 soundbar so it's unfair to demand that every spec is supported, but it's worth highlighting the factors that give it the reduced cost.

Looking for one of the best soundbars that doesn't break the bank? Check out the Yamaha YAS-209 that can routinely be found for under $300. 

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Right now, the Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K Max is one of the best streaming devices we’ve tested. But you may want to hold off from buying one.

A new FCC filing spotted by Janko Roettgers on Mastodon (h/t AFTVnews) suggests that a new Amazon Fire TV stick has passed through FCC approval. But in fact, it’s not just one streaming stick but two streaming sticks, with one seemingly being a variant of the other.  

Unfortunately, there’s nothing in the FCC ID that specifically states that this is a Fire TV stick, but there’s a lot that we can use to infer that these are new streaming sticks. First, they are registered to Amazon.com Services LLC, so it’s clearly an Amazon device. Second, both listings — one is model number M3N6RA and the other is model number K3R6AT — are listed as digital media receivers. 

That means they are almost certainly Fire TV streaming devices and given the information we have available in the filings (diagrams, written exhibits, etc.) it seems unlikely that one of these is a successor to the Fire TV Cube, which just got a new version last year. Especially since these two new streaming devices are listed as variants of each other. 

Amazon could be consolidating its Fire TV streaming stick lineup

Currently, Amazon offers five Fire TV streaming devices: Fire TV Stick Lite, Fire TV Stick, Fire TV Stick 4K, Fire TV Stick 4K Max and the Fire TV Cube. As previously discussed, these two new streaming sticks are variants of each other and therefore neither is likely to be a new Fire TV Cube.

That leaves us with four Fire TV streaming devices possibly getting an upgrade. And given that one of these possible new streaming devices can support Wi-Fi 6 (M3N6RA) and the other can support Wi-Fi 6E (K3R6AT), it seems likely that one is a higher tier model than the other. Unfortunately, the FCC filing only focuses on signal transmission, so other potential features are still a mystery at this time.

But I think based on this and the current pricing of Amazon Fire TV streaming devices, that Amazon is likely going to consolidate its streaming stick lineup. Right now, every Fire TV streaming stick is on sale except the Fire TV Stick 4K. And the Fire TV Stick 4K Max is currently over 50% off at Amazon for just $26.99, something that has been the case for weeks. 

To me, that screams that Amazon is killing off the Fire TV Stick 4K Max. Especially since the Fire TV Stick 4K is still full price and no other devices are close in terms of discount — the next closest is the Fire TV Stick at 38% off. 

My expectation is that Amazon consolidates the Fire TV Stick Lite and Fire TV Stick into one entry-level device. The only notable differences between the two are the remote and that the Fire TV Stick gets Dolby Atmos support. So it would make sense to kill off the Lite and just have a Fire TV Stick HD that handles 1080p Full HD content, Dolby Atmos support and Wi-Fi 6.

Similarly, there aren’t a ton of differences between the Fire TV Stick 4K and the Fire TV Stick 4K Max, but the Max is better across the board. It has more RAM, more CPU power and Wi-Fi 6 support. My expectation is that the “Max” branding will disappear entirely once Amazon sells through its stock with the current sale and then offers a single, brand new Fire TV 4K stick that has all the Max features plus Wi-Fi 6E support. 

This would leave Amazon with two new offerings — Fire TV Stick HD and Fire TV Stick 4K. Not coincidentally, Amazon’s biggest competitor Google offers two Google TV Chromecast streaming devices — Chromecast with Google TV HD and Chromecast with Google TV 4K. Amazon choosing to match this and go toe-to-toe with Google makes a ton of sense. 

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The Amazon Fire TV 2-Series is Amazon’s cheapest Fire TV offering, and it can get even cheaper if you’re a Prime member. The TV costs just $249 for the 40-inch model we tested, but Prime members can currently get it for just $189.

Unfortunately, that’s about where the positives end for the 2-Series. Admittedly, its spec sheet was never going to be impressive at the price point, but this may be the worst display we’ve ever tested due to its limited peak brightness and native 60Hz refresh rate. It’s certainly the worst brightness of any display we’ve tested and in our real-world testing that we did testing beyond our technical tests it lived up to its low expectations.

But, again, it’s a $249 TV that will almost certainly drop down even lower in price. It was never going to make our list of the best TVs you can buy. The question is, at its value, can it even make the cut for the best budget TVs out there? Read on to see if it made the cut.

Amazon Fire TV 2-Series review: Pricing and availability

The Amazon Fire TV 2-Series is available from Amazon in two sizes, with different resolutions. The full lineup is:

• HD32N200A: $199.99
• HD40N200A: $249.99

However, if you have a Prime membership, you can get both models at a cheaper price:

• HD32N200A: $129.99 (w/ Prime membership)
• HD40N200A: $189.99 (w/ Prime membership)

The unit we tested was the 40-inch mode (HD40N200A). This is a 1080p Full HD TV — there are no 4K resolution models in the 2-Series lineup. The other model is a 32-inch 720p HD TV that comes with the same features, just at a lower resolution.

Amazon Fire TV 2-Series review: Design

Amazon didn’t exactly reinvent the wheel with the Fire TV 2-Series design, but that’s okay. While there is nothing particularly impressive about the design, there’s nothing truly negative about it either. You won’t be able to get the 3.4-inch deep TV flush with the wall, but at least it can be wall-mounted thanks to 200x10mm VESA mounting holes on the rear of the TV.

At 11.7mm, the bezel around the display isn’t exactly thin either, but it’s not distracting by any means. You certainly won’t be complaining about it. The only thing you may complain about is the translucent IR receiver at the bottom of the TV, which is noticeable thanks to the white light it emits when the TV is turned off. However, you can easily disable this by going to Settings, then Preferences and then finally Standby LED.

Returning to the rear of the TV, there is a central pillar that includes the power cable, the VESA mounting holes and the 2-Series ports. The power cable extends from the bottom-right of this pillar (if you’re facing the rear of the TV) and the ports are along the left side. The selection of ports is decent: digital optical audio out, ethernet, USB 2.0, coaxial cable for live TV, 3 HDMI 1.4 ports (the bottom one has ARC support), IR emitter and a headphone jack.

So, unfortunately, that means there’s no eARC support and no HDMI 2.1 ports (let alone 2.0) but given this is a 1080p full HD TV for $249, neither of those things should be a surprise. You wouldn’t even be able to reap the benefits of HDMI 2.1 on this TV anyway.

Finally, at the bottom, you have the TV stand. On the 2-Series, Amazon has opted for two, wide V-shaped legs, oriented perpendicular to the TV itself. This isn’t my preferred choice — a centered TV stand allows you to set up your TV on more surfaces — but it’s a common option among the TVs out there and offers decent stability.

Amazon Fire TV 2-Series review: Performance

The performance of the Amazon Fire TV 2-Series was not great. In fact, at best it was middling and at worst it was downright bad.

Granted, this is a 1080p TV with a 60Hz refresh rate, so we weren’t expecting that the 2-Series was going to compete with the LG C3 OLED TV. I wasn’t even expecting it to compete with the old LG 4K TV I have in my living room. But I’m not sure it even competes with my LG 1080p TV from 2013.

The biggest reason why is that the brightness on this TV is truly awful — in order to watch Marvel’s Secret Invasion I had to turn the lights off in my office. Remember the Game of Thrones episode “The Longest Night?” Even with Max adding HDR support for its shows, it was still incredibly dark. No chance of watching that episode with the lights on.

If the scene was brightly lit though? Then the 2-Series didn’t seem so bad. Watching Top Gun: Maverick wasn’t a problem at all, given much of the movie takes place in the clear light of day. Similarly, close-ups of faces come out fairly well, though once the camera zooms back out you lose much of the detail due to the lack of 4K resolution.

My recommendation: if you get this TV, change the Brightness setting to 100 (the 2-Series comes out of the box with it already cranked up to 90) and change the picture to Movie Bright. Standard gives the picture some slightly bluer tones that I didn’t prefer to the warmer Movie Bright setting.

Amazon Fire TV 2-Series review: Test results

In addition to our subjective in-home testing, we also run all TVs through a series of technical tests designed to determine their capabilities on a more detailed level. We perform these with an X-Rite i1 Pro spectrophotometer, a SpectraCal VideoForge Pro pattern generator, and Portrait Displays’ Calman calibration software.

And the results were … well, there’s no sugarcoating it — they were bad. In fact, they were among the worst we’ve ever seen. The Amazon Fire TV 2-Series did beat out the Sony Bravia X75K 55-inch in SDR brightness, producing 294 nits peak brightness in a 10% window compared to the Sony’s meager 266 nits. It also beat many OLED TVs in this metric, but OLEDs are less bright by design, as they can turn off individual pixels completely.

Plus once you get to HDR brightness, the 2-Series gets blown out of the water, even by the Sony X75K. The brightness actually is worse in HDR than SDR on the 2-Series, topping out at just 282 nits peak brightness in a 10% window with standard HDR engaged. The Sony X75K manages 347 nits peak brightness in that same test. Not great either, but noticeably better than what we saw on the 2-Series.

In fact, it’s tough to see why Amazon even included HDR support on the 2-Series given it doesn’t particularly help. At least the Sony gets a brightness boost from the feature, even though its color gamut scores were worse than even the 2-Series …though, not by much. 

In HDR mode, the 2-Series manages to cover just 79.7% of the UHDA-P3 color gamut, a figure that only bests the Sony X75K. For reference, no other TV we’ve tested managed to cover less than 90% of the same spectrum, so that’s a serious drop-off. And the color gamut scores were even worse in SDR, with the 2-Series covering just 93.86% of the Rec. 709 color gamut. That may seem like a lot, but relative to the other TVs we’ve tested, it’s the worst performance we’ve ever seen.

Again, I get that this is a budget TV. I truly do. But the brightness being this bad is still a huge issue that was impossible for us to overlook.

Amazon Fire TV 2-Series review: Audio

TVs rarely have amazing audio, with most requiring you to get one of the best soundbars if you want your sound to have any depth. And the Amazon Fire TV 2-Series is no different. 

That being said, it could be worse. The two 8W speakers are decently loud, though you’ll need to turn them up a bit to get there. The biggest issue is that it doesn’t offer much more than volume — there’s no low end to speak of whatsoever.

The good news is that Amazon at least gives you some options to upgrade your sound on the 2-Series. You have a digital optical output and an HDMI with ARC support for connecting out to a stereo system or soundbar. You can also connect to a pair of headphones via the headphone jack or Bluetooth 5.0 connectivity.

Amazon Fire TV 2-Series review: Gaming

Gamers are likely to be disappointed by the Amazon Fire TV 2-Series. There are no bells and whistles like variable refresh rate, Nvidia G-Sync, etc. Testing showed that the performance was poor too. The Leo Bodnar 4K Lag Tester, which measures the time between when an image is sent from the source and when it appears on the screen, measured a lag time of 38.3ms — no other TV we’ve tested came close to that number as most scored below 20ms.

So unless you have a game console lying around, we don’t advocate hooking up your Xbox Series X or PS5 to the 2-Series. I was fine playing Jedi: Fallen Order on my Xbox One S, but given we try not to recommend anything above 10ms as a great gaming experience, I certainly cannot recommend the 2-Series.

That said, the 2-Series does have one party trick: Thanks to Amazon Luna, you can play games directly on the TV with no console needed. I was able to play Assassin’s Creed Origins through the cloud by connecting my Luna and Ubisoft accounts and connecting an Xbox One Wireless controller via Bluetooth. You need a Prime or Luna membership to do this, and you have to already own Ubisoft games or have a Ubisoft Plus membership to play them via the cloud gaming service, but it’s still a cool trick for any TV to have, let alone a $249 one.

Amazon Fire TV 2-Series review: Smart TV interface

The Amazon Fire TV 2-Series is powered by Amazon’s Fire TV OS, which has some advantages and disadvantages. As mentioned above, it can let you stream games directly to your TV thanks to Amazon Luna, but it also has a wide variety of apps available for shows and movies as well. Between YouTube TV, Max, Prime Video, Disney Plus and more, I had no issue getting all my favorite streaming services set up on the Fire TV 2-Series.

But Amazon is obsessed with getting you to consume Amazon content, and it’s particularly annoying when it comes to the smart TV interface. There’s a recently watched row right underneath the main carousel so you can conveniently pick back up with your recently watched content. Well, as long as it's Amazon content.

Top Gun: Maverick? I can pull that back up on Prime Video with ease. Game of Thrones? It’s as if the Fire TV didn’t know I had the Max app installed. Primo on Freevee, Amazon’s free ad-supported TV streaming service? I can pick up where I left off with no problem. But if I want to go back to Disney Plus and resume watching Secret Invasion I’ll need to go and find it in my Recently used apps.

Amazon Fire TV 2-Series review: Remote

Thankfully though, at least for Disney Plus, Netflix, Hulu (and of course Prime Video), I don’t need to go searching through the Fire TV OS interface to find the apps. That’s because they each have dedicated buttons on the Fire TV Alexa Voice Remote.

The Alexa Voice Remote is great when it works. I was able to use my voice to pull up TV shows, movies and apps, though again, it works best when accessing Amazon’s own content. When I asked to play Top Gun: Maverick while on the Home screen, Alexa played it in Prime Video exactly where I had left off. When I asked to play Game of Thrones on Max, Alexa opened the Max app but didn’t do anything beyond that.

The remote is relatively compact, with no number pad. But you get volume and channel control, a TV button that takes you right to Live TV (in my case, it took me to Tubi). It isn’t fully loaded like the LG Magic Remote, but it gets the job done and is probably one of the highlights of the Fire TV 2-Series.

Amazon Fire TV 2-Series review: Verdict

The Amazon Fire TV 2-Series is clearly an affordable TV at its low price point and, because of that, some of its flaws can be forgiven. Its affordable price, Fire TV OS and the Alexa Voice Remote can often leave you satisfied despite the lackluster 1080p resolution. But it just cannot make up for the LED display’s terrible brightness — and the HDR support on the 2-Series may as well not even exist. 

Unless you truly need a TV for less than $250, you’re best avoiding the Amazon Fire TV 2-Series. For just $100-$150 more, you could get 4K resolution and far superior brightness with the TCL 5-Series Google TV (S546), which is our best value TV, or the Hisense U6H, which is our best cheap TV. Despite their higher price points, they are significantly better values.

Amazon has confirmed plans to bring a collection of free TV channels to its Fire TV platform this summer. 

Appropriately called Fire TV Channels, this new service was announced during the company’s NewFronts presentation earlier this week. A video featuring beloved television personality Martha Stewart has also been released to promote the news. 

Fire TV Channels will compete with similar offerings from rivals such as Roku, and there will be channels covering a range of topics including news, sports, travel, cooking and music. There will also be channels dedicated to classic TV shows. Amazon has confirmed partnership deals with NHL, PGA golf, TMZ, ABC News and Xbox to deliver content for these free channels. 

The channels will be available to watch on all Fire TV streaming sticks as well as on any Smart TV with the streaming OS built-in. Naturally, these channels will be ad-supported, and as noted, will begin rolling out over the summer. Exactly how many channels there will be on day one is currently unconfirmed. 

Once launched, Fire TV users will easily be able to access these channels via the “Free” tab that is instantly visible on the home screen of all Fire TV devices. Amazon has also confirmed that within this tab there will be category-specific menus that will allow users to quickly find the content that appeals most to them which should help avoid the need for tedious channel-hopping.

“With Fire TV Channels, we’re delivering a simple, category-based experience that makes it easy to discover what you want to watch while constantly expanding content offerings,” said Charlotte Maines, director of Fire TV advertising, monetization, and engagement.

Amazon does already offer Fire TV users access to a selection of free ad-supported TV (FAST) and it notes that engagement in this content has risen 300% over the past six months. So, it’s no surprise that the tech titan is looking to grow the availability of free ad-supported content on the Fire TV platform and bring them all together in an easy-to-navigate hub. 

There’s growing competition in the FAST space. Roku already offers a selection of free-to-access channels on its streaming platform, and last month Google TV revamped its Live tab and added over 800 free channels. Don’t be surprised if some of the best streaming services also take note and also begin offering even more free ad-supported content in the near future. 

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This Chromecast vs Fire Stick face-off looks to help you settle a big annoying problem: there are too many sub-$55 streaming devices (and that's not even counting the best Roku devices).

Google's finally cleaned up its lineup, removing the older Chromecasts that didn't have remotes, and now offers just two models: the Chromecast with Google TV 4K and the newer Chromecast with Google TV HD. Both are among the best streaming devices.

Amazon offers a quartet of budget streaming sticks: the Amazon Fire TV 4K Max is its highest-end Stick (and the only $55 streaming stick), which has some differences from the older Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K ($49). Don't need 4K? The Amazon Fire TV Stick ($39) and Amazon Fire TV Stick Lite ($29) are less expensive.

But that's six devices, which have a lot of differences. So, let's unpack how the 4K models and the HD models differ, and the overall differences across both platforms, to help figure out which is right for you.

Chromecast vs Fire Stick: 4K models

Price: The Chromecast with Google TV 4K ($49), Fire TV Stick 4K ($49) and Fire TV Stick 4K Max ($54) are similarly priced, and the Max offers a few extra perks for that additional $5. 

Picture quality: All three produce 4K UHD video at up to 60 frames per second. Each also has Dolby Vision, HDR10 and HDR10+ support, so your video quality can look as the creator intended (or as close as your TV set allows).

Audio quality: The 4K Chromecast and Fire TV Sticks all support Dolby Atmos and multi-channel (up to 7.1) audio. Both sounded good in my testing.

Performance: The Chromecast with Google TV 4K, Fire TV Stick 4K and Fire TV Stick 4K Max all proved snappy and fast enough during our testing. When we broke out the stopwatch, though, we did see some differences. While the Fire TV Stick 4K Max and Chromecast 4K loaded Netflix and Disney Plus in 9 seconds, the Fire TV Stick 4K took 4.5 seconds longer, and the loading animation stuttered a little. 

Similarly, we saw close load times for Netflix on the Chromecast (1.58 seconds) and Fire TV Stick 4K Max (1.38 seconds), while the Fire TV Stick 4K took 20 seconds.

Remote: Mostly the same, with slight differences, the 4K Fire TV Sticks and Chromecast remotes offer everything you'll need — but each has a different perk. Amazon's best feature is that it has distinct fast forward, rewind and pause/play buttons. It also has a Live TV button to jump to your guide. The Chromecast remote doesn't have those buttons, but it does have an HDMI input switch button. 

Verdict: These 4K streaming devices are far more alike than dissimilar in these categories. That said, we recommend the Chromecast with Google TV 4K over either of Amazon's 4K sticks, because it beats the Fire Stick 4K on performance and the 4K Max on price (by that narrow $5 margin). That said, Amazon often puts both of its Fire Sticks on sale, which Google does not.

Chromecast vs Fire Stick: HD models

Price: The Chromecast with Google TV HD ($29) and Fire TV Stick Lite ($29) are both $10 cheaper than the standard Fire TV Stick ($39).

Picture quality: All three produce 1080p video at up to 60 frames per second. And while that's sub-4K, each does allow their Full HD video to look as good as it can, with the same Dolby Vision, HDR10 and HDR10+ support their 4K counterparts get.

Audio quality: The HD Chromecast and Fire TV Stick both support Dolby Atmos and multi-channel (up to 7.1) audio. The Fire TV Stick Lite doesn't offer Atmos — which offers a more dimensional sound — only HDMI passthrough of Dolby-encoded audio. That said, all produced good-sounding content in our testing.

Performance: These HD streaming devices all delivered similar-enough speed when navigating and opening apps. Both had hiccups here and there, but everything was OK at the least. Thus, one fear of buying a cheap streaming device can be erased. The much-more expensive models are often faster, but these HD streamers are pretty much the same. The Fire TV Stick Lite and Fire TV Stick even share the same 1.7 GHz quad-core processor. 

Load times for Netflix (18 seconds), Apple TV Plus (instantly) and Sling TV (20 seconds) were identical for the Chromecast and Fire TV Stick Lite (which isn't slower than its $10 more expensive big brother). One exception happened with HBO Max, which loaded in 21 seconds on the Chromecast and 10 seconds on the Fire TV Stick Lite.

Remote: This is where we get annoyed with Amazon. The $29 Chromecast with Google TV and the $39 Fire TV Stick come with remotes with TV controls for volume and power. This is great because it helps you stop juggling remotes. The $29 Fire TV Stick Lite doesn't have that button. Also, neither Fire TV remote has the Chromecast remote's button for input switching.

Verdict: Again, advantage Chromecast. The Chromecast with Google TV HD may have had one stumble while loading HBO Max more slowly, but its performance is similar enough, as are its support for audio and video standards. It wins, of course, because it doesn't charge you $10 extra for valuable remote buttons and Dolby Atmos.

Chromecast vs Fire Stick: Interface

Neither the Fire TV OS home screen nor the Chromecast's home screen is what we'd call perfect. They're both capable, and they both are good at bringing content from live TV services such as Sling and YouTube TV onto the home screen. 

That said, the Chromecast's Continue Watching row has proven buggy and inconsistent, and the home screen does have some paid ads (but so does Roku). 

That said, the Fire TV interface has practically every kind of ad and sponsored content you could think of. Car ads, ads promoting the fact that you can buy everything for Halloween on Amazon and — of course — ads for shows on Prime Video and Amazon's Freevee service. 

Verdict: Push. Your mileage may vary here.

Chromecast vs Fire Stick: Apps and special features

When it comes to actual apps for streaming services, the thing that matters the most (aside from price), the Chromecasts and Fire Sticks aren't missing any of the best streaming services.

Those with smart homes, however, will think differently — as the voice assistant you prefer (if you have a preference) will likely dictate your chgoice. The Chromecasts have Google Assistant, and the Fire Sticks all have Alexa in their remotes. 

Anything you can control via the Google Home app can be controlled with the Chromecast with Google TV, so you can check your cameras from your couch and even adjust the thermostat. Similarly, if Alexa can control your smart home devices, you can do so through your Fire Stick remote.

We do want to give a nod to the Fire TV Stick 4K Max's use of picture-in-picture for connected smart home cameras. While you can stream video from the best video doorbells and best home security cameras to Chromecast-enabled TVs, you can't yet do PIP, but the Chromecasts may be getting that in Android 13.

Tinkerers, of course, will love the Fire TV platform, as they can side-load apps such as Kodi. That said, this likely isn't a huge part of the market, instead the pro-sumer crowd.

Winner: The Fire TV Stick 4K Max, by a live camera's hair

Chromecast vs Fire Stick: Which should you buy?

So, let's break down who these six streaming devices are for:

Chromecast with Google TV 4K: You want to watch 4K content.

Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K Max: You want to check your connected cameras from your couch without stopping your stream.

Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K: If you want to side-load apps and don't mind slightly longer load times.

Chromecast with Google TV HD: For folks who don't have a 4K TV, or care about 4K content.

Amazon Fire TV Stick: If you don't need 4K and you don't mind paying $10 more for Alexa and side-loading.

Amazon Fire TV Stick Lite: If you don't need Dolby Atmos and prefer the Fire TV OS experience.

But as you've pieced together through this Chromecast vs Fire Stick face-off, we prefer the Chromecast experience over the Fire TV Stick's. And that's not just because Amazon slings more ads on its home screen. Google's remotes offer valuable buttons Amazon's don't, and Chromecasts aren't not lacking on A/V standards or performance.

Amazon Fire TV Sticks almost feel like they run the world with just how many there are, far more than there are among Google Chromecast models and Apple TVs. Against Roku, Fire TV Sticks are almost neck and neck with just sheer number, but quality is another thing entirely. 

When it comes to understanding the vast ecosystem that sees the Amazon Fire TV Cube vs the Amazon Fire TV Stick vs the Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K vs the Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K Max, you'll have to consider price and needs. If your TV doesn't support 4K resolution, then a Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K isn't ideal and nor is a Fire TV Cube if you're trying to save money. 

That's where we come in to help guide your buying necessities. As far as it goes right now, the best choice among Fire TV Stick 4K Max, which nets the best specs on a relatively affordable price point — and you're not sacrificing valuable space around your entertainment setup. Still, while the 4K Max might be the best overall choice, there are alternative options to enjoy, like the $140 Amazon Fire TV Cube. 

Of course, you don't need all of that power, especially if you already have a valiant enough smart TV with something like Google TV or even Fire TV built-in. But if you do have something that's a bit older or maybe you'd like to swap out your existing interface with the Fire TV brand, then choosing the right model among the best Fire TV Sticks is worth looking into. 

While the Fire TV devices are great, especially for Amazon Prime power users, Roku and Google TV also offer a lot of the same features and apps. So make sure to check out our Roku vs. Amazon Fire TV Stick face-off and our Chromecast vs Fire Stick face-off to see how these platforms compare. There's also Apple TV devices that work well for users already invested in the Apple ecosystem.

But if you're settled on getting a Fire TV device, we've got you covered. Here's how the Amazon Fire Cube vs. Fire Stick (in all of its configurations) shakes out:

Amazon Fire TV Cube vs Fire TV Stick: Size and design

One of the biggest differences among these Fire TV devices is how they look (at least between the Sticks and Cube). The Fire TV Stick is the tiniest of the bunch: a small black rectangle measuring 3.3 x 1.0 inches — and the Fire TV Stick Lite is just a little larger, at 3.4 x 1.2 inches. 

The Fire TV Stick 4K and 4K Max have the same general design, but a bit bigger, at 4.25 x 1.18 x 0.55 inches. To master Amazon's cheapest Fire TV streamer, check out our guide for how to use the Fire Stick.

As the name suggests, the Fire TV Cube features a boxy appearance measured at 3.4 x 3.4 x 3.0-inch that isn't quite a cube. Some models, like the Cube, require constant connection to a wall outlet while the Fire TV Max (and similar dongle Fire TV accessories) are powered through your TV's USB ports.

While all five products are relatively small, it's worth considering how much space you have around your TV. If you have lots of room or a large entertainment system, a Fire TV Cube will fit just fine; if not, one of the dongles will have to suffice. These are typically better anyway, given how they are well-hidden and still sport most of the same functionality. 

Finally, only the Fire TV Cube supports Ethernet connections out of the box. While previous models required you to use an adapter, the 2022 Fire TV Cube puts that port right on the back. 

You can buy an Ethernet adapter for either the Fire TV Stick or the Fire TV Stick 4K, but it's a bit of a daisy chain. Just keep that in mind if your Wi-Fi isn't strong enough for 4K streaming (about 25 Mbps down).

Amazon Fire TV Cube vs Fire TV Stick: 4K and HDR

Simply put: The Fire TV Cube, Fire TV Stick 4K and 4K Max support 4K resolutions and HDR protocols. The Fire TV Stick does not. If you have a TV that maxes out at 1080p, the standard Fire TV Stick is fine; otherwise, you'll definitely want one of the other two devices.

Both the Fire TV Stick 4K, 4K Max and the Fire TV Cube support 4K resolution and the HDR 10 and Dolby Vision protocols, which provide a much richer color gamut. Previously, this functionality was available only in the Fire TV Stick 4K, but a newer version of the Fire TV Cube has corrected the oversight.

The new Fire TV Cube 3rd Gen, however, adds Super Resolution upscaling, sharpening HD content to 4K. We're curious how will this works.

Amazon Fire TV Cube vs Fire TV Stick: Alexa integration

Like just about every Amazon gadget on the market lately, all three Fire TV Sticks feature full Alexa integration. This means that you can check the weather, manage your shopping list, look up sports scores, research traffic conditions and create impromptu playlists using only your voice. All five Fire TV models come with voice remotes, so you can start using Alexa as soon as the setup is complete.

However, the Fire TV Cube handles these features just a little bit better than its dongle counterparts. That's because in addition to being a streaming device, the Fire TV Cube is also a full-fledged Alexa speaker. That means that you can speak to it and give it commands without having to hold down a button on the remote.

Furthermore — and this is a bigger deal for people with smart-home gadgetry — that means that the Fire TV Cube can also control your lights, thermostats and other IoT devices right out of the box. The Fire TV Stick and Fire TV Stick 4K can also do this, but you have to first connect them with an Amazon Echo speaker.

Briefly, then: If you want an Alexa-enabled speaker and a streaming device, but have neither, the Fire TV Cube is your simplest solution. If you already have an Echo speaker, or don't want one, one of the Fire TV Stick variants will be fine.

Amazon Fire TV Cube vs Fire TV Stick: Remote controls

If you want a fancy remote control, you're going to have to pay extra for it. The standard Amazon Fire TV Stick comes with a voice remote, but that's about the most innovative thing about it. (Old-timers may remember that when it first came out, the Fire TV Stick didn't have a microphone at all.) Otherwise, all it's got is the standard array of d-pad, confirm, play/pause, rewind, fast-forward, home, back and options buttons.

The Fire TV Stick Max, though, has an extra button on its remote: Live TV. This button jumps you straight to that section of the Fire TV OS, which integrates with Sling TV and other services.

Amazon now offers an even better remote, so check out our Alexa Voice Remote Pro review for the full scoop.

The Fire TV Stick Lite remote drops the TV controls for power and volume, so you might not want that device if you're trying to cut down on clutter.

Both the Fire TV Stick 4K and the Fire TV Cube come with Amazon's upgraded Alexa remote. (Don't let the name confuse you; you can still use Alexa features with the regular voice remote.) This remote features four important buttons missing from the basic voice remote: power, volume up, volume down and mute. The Alexa remote syncs automatically with your TV, and you can use it to control the whole TV set — not just the Fire TV player.

While you could buy the Alexa remote for $30 on its own, considering that the Fire TV Stick costs $40 and the Fire TV Stick 4K $50, it's a much smarter idea to just buy the 4K stick if the remote is a big deal to you. In my own tests, I found it pretty useful.

Amazon Fire TV Cube vs Fire TV Stick: Price and value

As stated above, the Amazon Fire TV Stick Lite is the cheapest of the bunch at $30, followed by the $40 Fire TV Stick, the Fire TV Stick 4K at $50 and the Fire TV Cube at $139. And at $55, the Fire TV Stick 4K Max is asking for a little more than the 4K.

To put it bluntly, there is almost no reason why anyone should invest in the Fire TV Stick, when the 4K variant is only $10 more and comes with a much better remote control. Not only will you be future-proofing your purchase, but you'll also have a better peripheral right off the bat. And if performance and app open times matter to you, get the Fire TV Stick 4K Max.

The Fire TV Cube, on the other hand, is a bit expensive. This makes sense, though, as it's not just a Fire TV device — it's also a full-fledged Alexa speaker. If you don't have a smart speaker in your den, or want your very own digital assistant built into a versatile streaming box, the Fire TV Cube makes sense. 

In the battle of Fire Stick 4K vs. Fire Stick vs. Fire TV Cube, the $50 Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K represents the sensible midpoint that should work best for most viewers. It has the best balance of price and functionality.

Editor's note: Amazon has unveiled new Fire TV Stick 4K and Fire TV Stick 4K Max models, shipping fall 2023.

Amazon's new Fire TV Stick 4K Max (2nd gen) is very much like the popular Fire TV Stick 4K ... just a bit more to the max. And since everyone's always shopping for new streaming devices, it's a good time to see how Amazon's top streaming sticks stack up.

And while the older stick used to have an inferior remote, they've reached parity there. You'll still find a neat set of perks once we drill down in this Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K Max vs Fire TV Stick 4K face-off. One difference between the two Fire Sticks is that only one is on our list of the best streaming devices. But which one is it? Let's find out.

When we wrote our Fire TV Stick 4K review, we never saw performance as a flaw in the streaming stick. But over time, as that model stood still and other competitors got faster, it wasn't hard to see that Amazon's UHD streaming device could use a little more speed — which is where our experience for our Fire TV Stick 4K Max review comes in handy.

For more detail up and down the line, check out our Amazon Fire TV Cube vs. Fire TV Stick vs. Fire TV Stick 4K vs 4K Max face-off.

Let's see how they stack up:

How do the Fire TV Stick 4K Max and 4K specs compare?

Which is better value, the 4K Max or the regular 4K?

Normally, the Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K Max (2nd gen) costs $59.99, or $10 more than the $49 Fire TV Stick 4K. As we'll explain throughout this piece, you get small perks in exchange for that extra cash. If the difference in pricing is closer to the $10 price of their regular MSRP, we'd give this category to Fire TV Stick 4K Max. At this very moment, the Fire TV Stick 4K is the better deal. But that could change whenever Amazon's sales adjust.

Winner: Draw (depends on the day)

Comparing audio and video on the 4K Max vs 4K

The Fire TV Stick 4K Max and Fire Stick 4K are exactly identical when it comes to the sound and picture of the shows and movies you'll watch. And because of that we expect many to just pick the cheaper option.

Both sticks stream at 4K UHD at 60 fps, and both support the high-end video quality Dolby Vision, HDR 10 and HDR10+ formats, which should ensure stronger and bolder colors.

The story stays the same on audio output. Both 4K Fire TV sticks support the Dolby Atmos sound standard, which looks to give you a spatial audio experience where the sounds of the shows you listen to are supposed to surround you.

To that end, both Fire TV Sticks support 7.1 surround sound speaker setups, 2-channel stereo and 5.1 channel-audio via HDMI audio pass through.

Winner: Tie

Is the Fire TV Stick 4K Max faster than the 4K?

Okay, here's where the differences kick in. And while Amazon claims that Fire TV Stick 4K Max (2nd gen) is their "most powerful" streaming device yet, you won't see that much of a difference in every department. The new Fire TV Stick 4K Max's new processor is one of the ways it improves, with a quad-core 2.0GHz and 850MHz GPU (the normal Fire TV Stick 4K's got a 1.7GHz quad-core CPU). 

That said, the Fire TV Stick 4K Max offers snappier menu navigation and faster app load times, something we've always had an issue with when it comes to Amazon devices. 

To try and test them in similar situations, we tried loadings apps from a fresh, restarted state. Disney Plus loaded in 8.87 seconds on the Fire TV Stick 4K Max, shedding 34% of the Fire TV Stick 4K's 13.47-second load time. My stopwatch wasn't exactly necessary for this test, as the animated "Disney+" logo stuttered on the Fire TV Stick 4K, and not on Fire TV Stick 4K Max. Similarly, Netflix loaded in 1.38 seconds on the Fire TV Stick 4K Max and 20 seconds to load on the Fire TV Stick 4K.

The YouTube app was a different story. The Fire TV Stick 4K Max loaded the program in 5.64 seconds, only a little more than a second faster than the 6.91 time from the normal 4K stick.

Actually watching content is a dead-heat, as I saw when I timed how long it took to start the Black Widow movie on the Disney Plus app. The retro comics of the Marvel Studios logo appeared 8.89 seconds in on the 4K Max, and at 8.41 seconds on the Fire TV 4K, and since those times are so especially close, I'm willing to chalk this one up to a difference in how fast my fingers can tap my stopwatch.

Amazon's also upgraded the wireless modem in the Fire TV Stick 4K Max to support Wi-Fi 6 / 802.11a/b/g/n/ac/ax. To see the differences, you'll need a Wi-Fi 6 router (which doesn't feel like a must-have yet, though it's something we will probably get sooner or later). 

Winner: Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K Max

How do the apps and software compare on the 4K Max vs 4K?

No matter which Fire TV device you buy, you get the same apps and interface (one which Amazon modified recently, but only with a slightly newer look, as everything is more or less the same, features-wise). 

That means both the Fire TV Stick 4K Max vs Fire TV Stick 4K have the same 12,700+ apps. 

That includes the best streaming services, such as HBO Max, Netflix and Hulu, as well as Disney Plus, Plex, Paramount Plus and more. 

Both devices also have the same version of the Fire TV OS.

Winner: Draw

What are the design differences between the 4K Max and 4K?

There's no way to tell which stick is which, as both are the exact same size (99 mm x 30 mm x 14 mm housing), shape (rectangular with rounded edges) and color (black).

Winner: Tie

What extra features does the 4K Max have over the 4K?

One new feature stands between the Fire TV Stick 4K Max and its slightly more affordable sibling — and it's not a boon to the 'streaming' that we think about when we're talking about the best streaming devices. 

The Fire TV Stick 4K Max lets you check your connected home security camera feeds around your home with Live View Picture-in-Picture feature (formerly exclusive to the Fire TV Cube). 

Another smart home feature (which isn't available yet, but is coming soon) for the Fire TV Stick 4K Max is the ability to wirelessly connect to the best Alexa speakers for "immersive audio" (Amazon's words).

Winner: Fire TV Stick 4K Max

Fire TV Stick 4K Max vs 4K: How do the remotes differ?

Originally, there was a fair bit of difference between the Fire TV 4K remotes. The original version of this article cited a Live TV button and branded app buttons as exclusive to the 4K Max remote.

That's not the case anymore. Both remotes have those buttons, along with the blue Alexa button, TV volume and power buttons and all the rest.

If they haven't tried it yet, cord cutters should look at the Live TV button (right under the Fast Forward), which jumps you to the Live TV Guide (which you can connect to your live TV service of choice under Settings > Live TV > Sync Sources > select your source). 

But as much as we don't like to give out ties, that's what we have here. They're the same remote.

Winner: Tie.

Should you buy the Fire TV Stick 4K or 4K Max?

This scorecard shows that the difference between the Fire TV Stick 4K Max vs Fire TV Stick 4K is, in academic terms, an A vs an A+. The original Fire TV Stick 4K is still pretty damn good, but the 4K Max is just a bit better in a few ways. 

The Fire TV Stick 4K Max has the speed advantage (though it's not as grand as we'd hoped), and a couple of new special features for the smart home. And if the price difference between the two is only $5, we'd say go with the Fire TV Stick 4K Max.

But if Amazon drops the Fire TV Stick 4K to a much lower price and widens the gap between them, you may want to just go with the Fire TV Stick 4K. When it comes to actually streaming shows and movies, it's just as good as its counterpart (unless you have a Wi-Fi 6 router). 

And for those who are debating upgrading? Well, we're not sure if smart home camera and speaker support and bit more speed seem like they're worth $55, when you already have a similar (and good) streaming stick. The choice is yours.

Hisense is making its first Amazon Fire TV screen — and it comes with several gamer-friendly features. Bearing more than a passing resemblance to the earlier Hisense U6H, and appropriately dubbed the Hisense U6HF, it combines a 4K HDR TV with Amazon’s smart TV platform in an affordable package.

At launch, the ULED TV will only be available in a single 50-inch screen size, but will offer some relatively premium specs including Dolby Vision HDR and HDMI 2.1 ports for just $529. 

In addition to the Dolby format and HDMI ports, Hisense says the U6HF will also offer a ‘Game Mode Plus’ setting that “decreases input lag, increases response time and reduces frame-rate issues on next-generation game consoles”. 

The bad news, however, is that the TV is limited to a native 60 Hz refresh rate and can only reach a peak brightness of around 600 nits — a significant deal less than other 4K HDR TVs that often reach or exceed the recommended 1,000 nits required for prime HDR playback. 

While Hisense’s model will look to set itself apart from the competition with its appealing new game mode feature, it’s not the only manufacturer out there producing Amazon Fire TVs — Insignia and Toshiba (under the ownership of Hisense, ironically) also make them, as does Amazon itself with its Omni Series TV.  

Whether gamers will adopt the new Amazon Fire TV model en masse remains questionable, as most would likely rather buy a native 120 Hz TV that supports 4K at 120 frames per second, but the lower sticker price certainly could appeal to Nintendo Switch gamers heading back to school in September.

As for the original Hisense U6H that made its debut earlier this year at CES, it appears that will continue to be available, with Google TV as its smart platform, at retailers like Best Buy — though, at the time this story was published it’s retailing at a more-expensive $699 for a 55-inch screen. 

At a lower price with similar-if-not-identical specs, the Hisense U6HF looks like it could be a good alternative to what’s already on the market from Insignia, Toshiba and, er, Hisense, but we’ll have to put it through its paces ourselves before we can give it a final verdict and see whether it deserves a place in our list of the best TVs under $1,000.

Amazon is getting ahead of its retail rivals with some excellent early Presidents Day sales. Ahead of a weekend when almost the entire country will be glued to their televisions to watch the Super Bowl the online retailer has discounted its most premium streaming device.  

Right now you can get the Amazon Fire TV Cube for $69 at Amazon. That’s a massive $50 off its usual retail price of $119. This discount brings the streaming device down to its lowest ever price as it's $10 cheaper than even the biggest saving we saw during the Black Friday and Cyber Monday sale period. This certainly makes it one of the strongest deals we’ve seen so far in 2022. 

The Amazon Fire TV Cube ranks as one of the best streaming devices you can buy, giving you instant access to all the best streaming services including Netflix, Disney Plus, HBO Max and, of course, Prime Video. Amazon’s Alexa voice assistant is built-in, so you can select your favorite shows/movies without even needing to lift a finger. 

In our Amazon Fire TV Cube review, we were seriously impressed by the device's speedy performance, gorgeous 4K HDR picture quality and user-friendly interface. We awarded the device an Editor’s Choice seal, and have regularly recommended it at a more expensive price point. At this all-time low, it’s a bargain. 

The Amazon Fire TV Cube isn’t just usefully as a streaming device, it can also double as a smart speaker. You can use it as the central hub for controlling all your smart home devices. This function means you’re essentially getting two products in one, a streaming device and a smart speaker. Not bad for just shy of $70. 

If you want an even cheaper alternative the Amazon Fire TV Stick Lite is currently down to just $20. However, the budget streaming stick is limited to Full HD streaming and doesn’t offer TV controls. We’d recommend stretching your budget a little further and opting for the Amazon Fire TV Cube or Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K. 

Amazon has dabbled in the smart TV game for a few years now, letting TV manufacturers use the same software found on some of the best streaming devices, like the Fire TV Stick 4K Max and Fire TV Cube to power value priced smart TVs. But the Amazon Fire TV Omni series represents a pretty dramatic change to that formula, as the first Amazon-powered smart TV to carry the Amazon brand instead of another manufacturer, as well as the first of likely many Fire TV models with built-in far field microphones for hands-free voice control. 

Amazon's smart TV software has always been at its best when showcasing built-in Alexa functionality, but the Amazon Fire TV Omni series takes this to a new level, enhancing that capability and pairing it with a better looking TV than any Fire TV we've seen before. It's not a perfect product, but our Amazon Fire TV Omni review explores the many ways Amazon tries to make its new Fire TV the best Fire TV.

Amazon Fire TV Omni review: News and updates

Despite launching in 2021, the Amazon Fire TV Omni is still going strong years later. It's gotten a number of software updates to improve start-up speed, but its interface still has far too many ads for our liking. There's now an upgraded model available called the Amazon Fire TV Omni QLED that offers slightly better performance, but the older Omni model is still the better value of the two.

Amazon Fire TV Omni review: Price and release date

Amazon released two new Fire TV model lines under the Amazon brand this year, the Omni and the 4-Series Fire TV. Of the two, the Omni is the more premium version, offering a higher-end design and boasting built-in features (like hands-free Alexa) that the 4-Series does not.

Our review centered around the 65-inch Fire TV Omni, which sells for $829 through Amazon and Best Buy.

• 43-inch (B08T6DZ81T) - $409
• 50-inch (B08T6F8YBH) - $509.99
• 55-inch (B08P3QVFMK) - $559.99
• 65-inch (B08T6J1HG8) - $829.99
• 75-inch (B08T6JZTH4) - $1,099.99

Of these several model sizes, most of the features are identical. The Fire TV software is the same as any other Fire TV, but the TV does have additional hardware to offer support for features like hands-free Alexa control.

The one key difference between the different screen size options is the addition of Dolby Vision HDR content, which is only supported on the 65 and 75-inch models. But, since none of the Amazon Fire TV Omni models have local dimming, the actual impact of this format support is limited.

With the caveat that not all models have Dolby Vision, our general impressions of the 65-inch model we tested should apply equally to any screen size in the Omni model line.

Amazon Fire TV Omni review: Design

By most measures the new Amazon Fire TV Omni series is the best looking Fire TV yet. The design improves upon past Fire TV models with a more streamlined chassis and silver-toned highlights that look a lot better than the boxy black plastic that featured on Fire TVs past. Much narrower bezels, metal trim, and sturdy metal feet mark this as a far more premium product. 

The back of the chassis is basic matte black plastic, as expected, but instead of the usual boxy design favored by many cheap TVs, Omni takes a sleeker approach, with rounded edges and rounded tapered edges. We've come a long way from the 2017 Westinghouse Amazon Fire TV, with its plasticy construction and chunky design.

Measuring 57.1 x 33.3 x 2.9 inches and at 42.5 pounds, it's easily assembled and mounted by two people. If you want to hang it on the wall, the TV will accept any 400 millimeter x 200 millimeter VESA hardware, including those found in our list of the best TV mounts.

Most other details will be discussed elsewhere in this review, but one stood out for its design as much as the functionality. Just below the display is a small bar, which includes a hardware switch, that deactivates the built-in far field microphones that the TV uses for room-listening Alexa interaction. The switch is easy to access, and easy to switch back and forth, but it's a little hard to tell what's on and what's off. Thankfully, there's also an easy to see LED indicator that glows red when the mics are disabled.

Amazon Fire TV Omni review: Ports

The Omni series is outfitted with three HDMI 2.0 ports and a single HDMI 2.1 port with eARC. There's an Ethernet port to complement the built-in 802.11ac Wi-Fi, and a single USB port. The TV also boasts a coaxial connection for antenna and cable, a 3.5 millimeter audio jack for speakers or headphones, and an optical digital audio output for connecting older sound equipment.

There's also a connection for an included IR emitter. This unusual feature lets you use the TV's built-in Alexa capabilities to control other devices in your home entertainment setup, with the TV using the IR emitter to control any hardware that would normally require a standard remote control. In some ways, it’s similar to some of the best universal remotes.

Amazon Fire TV Omni review: Performance

The biggest promise of the Fire TV Omni is in performance. The 65-inch screen is bigger than most Fire TVs, and offers support for HDR formats like HDR10 and Dolby Vision. And, given the higher price tag and more stylish design, it's entirely reasonable to think that the Omni would outperform other Fire-powered smart TVs.

Unfortunately, that was only partly true. During my time with the TV, I couldn't help but feel that the set was held back by the relatively basic LCD panel and direct LED backlight.

Watching The Tomorrow War, Chris Pratt's time-displaced soldier looked good in action scenes, with decent motion handling preventing most of the obvious judder or smearing you might see on a cheaper set. The 4K panel handled the basics of resolution and color fairly well, and the CGI aliens look properly detailed in all their toothy glory.

HDR content offers a good differential between dark and bright, though some dark scenes lose a little bit of detail in shadowy scenes. One scene inside a dark alien ship provided a good showcase for the TV's HDR capabilities. Handheld flashlights lit up as blazing bright points of light, and as they swept across the dark, alien ship interiors the HDR managed to preserve the illumination of the flashlight beams without losing the depth of the darker environment. It wasn't perfect, and the shadowy portions of the scene often lost some detail into a mass of undifferentiated darks, but it was about as good as you can get from direct LED backlighting without any discrete dimming zones.

Looking at single-color test screens the Omni offered surprisingly decent viewing angles, with noticeable color shifting beyond 45 degrees from center, but not drastic. Tones remain recognizable, if a little washed out, but even out at steep angles content should be pretty watchable.

The TV also handled color fairly well. Watching scenes from CGI-animated kids shows Lost in Oz, the bright palette of colors seemed vibrant and varied. Reds and pinks looked a bit oversaturated, but otherwise, the color reproduction looked fine to the unaided eye. Contrast leaves a bit to be desired, and the brightness may need some adjustment, but the overall result is inoffensive.

Bright single-color test screens do show some slight vignetting on the corners of the screen, and back light isn't perfectly consistent, but you'll only notice it in certain circumstances. When viewing normal content, with varied backgrounds and moving objects and people on screen, it's not noticeable at all.

Switching between standard and movie mode did offer noticeable improvement in picture quality, switching to a different color temperature and offering more lifelike skin tones without significantly sacrificing the range of color available.

As expected, the TV offers decent 4K gaming support at up to 60 Hz, but no higher, since the TV uses a 60Hz panel. The TV does support HDR10 and Dolby Vision for gaming, and supports 10-bit color at 24, 50 and 60 Hz refresh rates.

Automatic switching to game mode was simple and seamless. Play testing with Assassin's Creed Valhalla, I was pleased to see decent color quality in everything from sundrenched Viking villages to abstracted glowing interfaces, and HDR content seemed to display properly with a healthy mix of bright glow and deep shadows.

Amazon Fire TV Omni review: Test results

Our lab testing detailed the good and bad of the Fire TV Omni, and while the TV isn't bad to look at, it's hardly the best you can get for the money. It's (mostly) a step up from our previous favorite Amazon smart TV, the Toshiba C350 Fire TV, thanks to hands-free control and a slick new design, but it's a closer match up than it probably should be given the nearly $300 price difference between the two. And compared with competitors like the Vizio M-Series Quantum MQ6 and the TCL 5-Series Roku TV (S535), it's clear that Amazon's first Fire TV still has room for improvement.

The Amazon Omni offered middling color gamut performance, reproducing 96% of the Rec 709 color space. While that is an improvement over the Toshiba C350 Fire TV (95%), it's still a far cry from the TCL 5-Series Roku TV (99.8%) and the Vizio M-Series Quantum MQ6 (99.96%). It's also worth noting that these less expensive competitors offer one other thing that the Omni does not: QLED. Quantum dot enhancement delivers better color and brightness, and it's almost become a standard feature in this price range, but there are no QLED options in the Fire TV family.

Color accuracy tests told a similar story. The Omni's Delta-E average of 4.4 isn't great (closer to zero is better) – it's more common in the bargain-priced models we usually see Fire TV running on. But compared to the competition, it's another point against the Omni. The TCL 5-Series Roku TV (1.76) and the Vizio MQ6 (1.68) both fall into the pretty great category with excellent out-of-the-box accuracy, and even the Toshiba C350 Fire TV did better (1.67).

The one area where the Omni managed to hold its own was brightness. With a measured peak brightness of 494 nits, it surpassed both QLED competitors like the TCL 5-Series (391 nits) and the Vizio M-Series MQ6 (299 nits), as well as the previous top Fire TV, the Toshiba C350 (227 nits).

Gaming was another matter. When tested with a 4K Leo Bodnar signal lag tester, the Omni had a lag time of 9.8 milliseconds. That's an excellent result, and one that puts it alongside the Vizio M-Series Quantum MQ6 (10ms) and the Toshiba C350 Fire TV (9.7ms).

Amazon Fire TV Omni review: Audio

For being Amazon's top-of-the-line Fire TV, the Omni has surprisingly pedestrian audio. With a pair of 8-watt speakers providing stereo sound, the TV offers reasonably loud volume levels, but when set to the levels that are likely to be used for casual TV watching, the TV struggles with bass – bass comes through nicely above 20% volume, but any quieter and the low-end drops out completely, throwing off the mix. 

Whether we were watching the opening raid in Michael B. Jordan's Without Remorse or the crazy land of Oz in Lost in Oz, the Omni did provide decent clarity of dialogue and sound effects. At mid-range volumes (between 30 and 60%), the TV does produce a solid mix of bass and treble, and even manages to avoid some of the distortion we commonly hear at higher volumes. The stereo speakers also provide decent right/left separation.

However, if you want fuller, richer sound than the TV's 8-watt speakers can produce, you'll do well to get one of the best soundbars to level up the audio. The Omni's built-in speakers are good, but not great, on their own.

Amazon Fire TV Omni review: Smart features

Compared to other affordable smart TV platforms, Amazon Fire TV is one of the smartest you can get. That starts with built-in Alexa, complete with far field microphones built into the TV that listen to the room the same way an Amazon Alexa speaker does.

A physical switch lets you turn the microphones off if the idea of your TV listening to all of your conversations makes your privacy radar sound an alarm. But that's not the only way to enjoy voice control, since the remote offers a built-in microphone with simple press-to-talk access for Alexa control.

In our testing, Alexa was quick and responsive, whether I used the room-listening microphones or the mic-enabled remote control. Finding and playing content was simple, with the ability to search for shows by title or genre, or to search for everything done by a certain actor or director.

Control of basic TV functions, from power and volume control to turning on closed captions or opening specific apps, was all smooth and functioned without the sort of irritating repetition that used to plague many voice interaction features. With all of the polish that Amazon has given Alexa over the last several years, the Omni boasts one of the most usable voice control features I've tested.

The growing list of Alexa skills and smart home capabilities is also quite impressive. You can control a huge number of smart home devices with spoken commands, and you can use the TV's included IR blaster to also control non-smart devices like Blu Ray players and cable boxes.

Future smart features include functions like Zoom calling when a compatible USB camera is plugged in. Other promised features will include the Alexa Shortcut Panel, which will let you select common Alexa skills using the directional pad of the remote, instead of voice command, and Alexa Home Theater, which will use Echo speakers to pair wirelessly through the Alexa app to create a multi-channel surround sound setup. (However, it bears repeating, these are forthcoming smart features we could not test during our evaluation, though we'll revisit them when the opportunity comes up.)

The recently-revamped Amazon Fire TV interface is a little cleaner and more easily navigated than in the past. With multiple rows of content suggestions organized by recently used apps, recommendations of free and premium content, movies and shows on Amazon owned services like Prime Video and IMDb TV. But it does this without relegating other apps and services to the lower (and less-visible) parts of the menu, instead focusing on offering what the user wants to see from their own preferred apps. Amazon still gets a prominent place in the mix, but it's better tuned in to the reality of users that may be subscribed to several streaming services. Overall it's an improved interface, and it offers a lot more than Fire TV seemed to in previous iterations.

The app store is also greatly improved, with more highlights right at the outset, including both free and paid streaming services, sports apps, cable replacement services, new releases and Alexa-enabled services. It also has a small selection of recommended games, for those few people who care about running games on their smart TV.

Outside of those highlights, the app browsing experience is much better than it used to be, with a tile-based interface that offers little thumbnail images to give you a sense of what the app is about. It's not perfect, and the app selection still has more than the usual number of low quality apps with questionable value, but finding what you want should be easier than ever before.

Amazon Fire TV Omni review: Remote control

The remote that comes with the Fire TV Omni will look extremely familiar to anyone who's used a Fire TV product in the past, with the fairly simple design dominated by a ring-shaped directional pad, some basic media control buttons, volume control and a few additional buttons you won't find on the remotes of Fire TV devices like the Cube.

Volume control is joined by channel up and down buttons, and a live TV button lets you jump right to your antenna or cable channel guide. It also has buttons for muting audio, accessing settings menus and even picture-in-a-picture. The remote has four dedicated app buttons for Amazon Prime Video, Netflix, Disney Plus, and Hulu.

A dedicated button up top lets you activate Alexa and speak directly into the mic enabled remote control if you are not using the TV's built-in far-field mics.

Amazon Fire TV Omni review: Verdict

The Amazon Fire TV Omni is clearly a play to deliver a more premium Fire TV experience, from the improved design to the introduction of currently-exclusive features, like hands-free Alexa, and the promise of being the first to roll out upcoming features, like video calling. And it makes sense, this is Amazon's first Fire TV to get designed in-house and bear the Amazon brand name. It's also the most expensive Fire TV yet.

But the more luxe look and refreshed interface run headlong into the reality of the hardware. With a middling display and speakers, the more premium Fire TV Omni doesn't deliver a better experience where it counts most: In viewing TV and movies. Instead, it offers a better version of what came before, a great platform for Alexa fans and Amazon Prime Video diehards, but a smart TV experience that still finds itself falling behind other affordable offerings.

At this price, other smart TVs deliver better picture, thanks to QLED displays and backlights with local dimming. The editor's choice TCL 6-Series Roku TV easily outpaces it, but even the step down TCL 5-Series Roku TV (S535) delivers better value at a better price. And, unfortunately, the Omni isn't even the best Fire TV on the market. The more affordable Toshiba C350 Fire TV may not have room-listening mics for Alexa use, but it delivers better picture performance than the Omni, while still providing all of the other perks of Fire TV.

The Amazon Fire TV Omni is a good TV, but it's not a great TV. It will sell well, thanks to aggressive promotion from Amazon and Best Buy, likely with big sales discounts this holiday season, and it will put the first Amazon-made smart TV into homes across the country and globe. But if Amazon really wants a standout smart TV to showcase Fire TV and all its capabilities, I hope the next generation Omni is better than this one.

Editor's note: Amazon has unveiled new Fire TV Stick 4K and Fire TV Stick 4K Max models, shipping fall 2023.

The Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K Max is here, and I wish it were just the new Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K. Don't get me wrong: it's a good streaming device. In fact, it's my favorite Fire TV device Amazon's ever made, and it's going on our best streaming devices list. 

That said, its main upgrade is in performance, and we're not sure how many need a faster Fire TV Stick. As this Fire TV Stick 4K Max review will show, our testing revealed that you won't always see the difference in the new processor. But when you do, you might be pretty happy it's there. 

• The best streaming services, ranked
• Amazon Fire TV Cube vs. Fire TV Stick vs. Fire TV Stick 4K: What should you buy?

We've got a number of minor differences to examine when it comes to the Fire TV Stick 4K Max. It's still packed into the same familiar black dongle, but now its remote has a few new buttons (including one that's great for cord-cutters). 

So if you're wondering if this is a must-have upgrade, or one to wait on (or skip), let's break down how it compares to the field. And if you want a full comparison, you can also check out our Fire TV Stick 4K Max vs Fire TV Stick 4K guide.

Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K Max specs

Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K Max review: Price and availability

The Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K Max costs $55, a mere $5 higher than the $50 Fire TV Stick 4K, which is often put on sale well below that price. Its main competitors are also $50: the Chromecast with Google TV and the upcoming Roku Streaming Stick 4K, which we expect to test soon.

The Fire TV Stick 4K Max came out on October 7, 2021.

Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K Max review: Design

The Fire TV Stick 4K Max looks exactly like the normal Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K. A matte-black dongle measuring 4.25 x 1.18 x 0.55 inches, with and HDMI port to plug right into the back of your TV, where it will likely hide, in that little nook for HDMI cords and streamers. If your TV setup doesn't have the space for such a connection, Amazon includes a flexible HDMI adapter in the box in. Similarly, the Chromecast with Google TV and Roku Streaming Stick 4K (both $50) sit behind your TV.

You power the Fire TV Stick 4K Max via the microUSB port on the side of the device. That cable stick out from the top or bottom side of the stick, depending on how your TV's HDMI port is oriented. If it sticks out from the top, as it does mine, you should plan to put the Fire TV Stick 4K Max in the top-most HDMI port, so that the USB cable isn't getting in the way of the below ports (reverse these instructions if your Fire TV Stick 4K Max's USB port is on the bottom side when plugged in).

Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K Max review: Interface

Just like every Fire TV device before it, the Fire TV Stick 4K Max features an interface that revolves around the Amazon ecosystem. Amazon Prime, of course, is key to maximizing the Fire TV Stick 4K Max, as you probably know by now, and the menus will not stop suggesting things from Prime Video (and the Amazon-owned IMDb TV) to watch. But that's the name of the game at this point. 

The recently redesigned Fire TV interface is splashier than ever, and now breaks itself out into three main tabs. Home has recommended apps and content, Find is where you search and Live is a home to the best cable TV alternative apps, such as Hulu and YouTube TV. To get the most out of the OS, check out our setup and mastery guide on learning how to use the Fire Stick.

You'll also see a lot of ads, with the rows of sponsored content that show up every four to eight rows in the home screen and the splashy banners at the top of the screen. And while ads are seemingly the status-quo for nearly all streaming devices (save for the super-pricey Apple TV 4K), the Fire TV world seems to have many more. Yes, Chromecast with Google TV is suggesting content everywhere, and Roku's ads are in its sidebar and screen savers, but neither feels as omnipresent.

Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K Max review: Performance

The Max in the Fire TV Stick 4K Max is about its performance and speed, which I noticed, though not by that much. The changes happen under the plastic shell of a hood, with a new quad-core 1.8GHz MT8696 processor and a 750MHz GPU (upgraded from the quad-core 1.7GHz processor and 650MHz GPU in the Fire TV Stick). Amazon's also added Wi-Fi 6, 802.11a/b/g/n/ac/ax support, though I didn't have a Wi-Fi 6 router to test it with (if you do, expect improved streaming speeds).

Apps, movies and shows all launch pretty quickly on the Fire TV Stick Max 4K in my testing, especially when you're moving from app to app, and back and forth. I saw the most notable differences against the regular Fire TV Stick 4K when I'd reboot it and other streaming sticks. 

From a restarted state, Disney Plus loaded in 8.87 seconds on the Fire TV Stick 4K Max, notably shorter than the Fire TV Stick 4K's 13.47-second time. I didn't even need my stopwatch to see the difference, as the "Disney+"  logo stuttered in its animation on the Fire TV Stick 4K, but loaded smoothly on the Fire TV Stick 4K Max. The Chromecast with Google TV loaded the app in 9.07 seconds.

Similarly, Netflix loaded in 1.38 seconds on the Fire TV Stick 4K Max (and 1.58 seconds on the Chromecast with Google TV), but it took 20 seconds to load on the Fire TV Stick 4K.

Those time differences disappeared when I loaded up the Black Widow movie in the Disney Plus app. All three sticks loaded it in around 8-9 seconds. 

Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K Max review: Audio and video

The Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K Max produces excellent picture and sound, which I noticed as I rewatched Midsommar, a movie as beautifully shot as its story is traumatizing. All of the colors of Dani's flower dress, and its many petals, rendered strong and crisp on my LG 55-inch OLED TV.

This is owed in part to the Fire TV Stick 4K Max offering the same high-quality video and audio standards as the Fire TV Stick 4K. That's HDR10, HDR10+ and Dolby Vision for rich visuals, and Dolby Atmos for immersive sound, with support for 7.1 surround sound, 2-channel stereo and up to 5.1 via HDMI audio pass through. The Chromecast with Google TV has those same video standards, as well as Dolby Atmos, Dolby Digital and Dolby Digital Plus.

The Roku Streaming Stick 4K doesn't have Atmos, but it does support multiple audio standards over HDMI (digital stereo, DTS Digital Surround and Dolby-encoded audio via pass-through).

Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K Max review: Search

Amazon's search works well, except for the odd times that Alexa gets too pushy. Amazon combs through more than 100 different services when you search, and so when I entered "Vin Diesel" it presented me with rows of titles that made sense, starting with Vin Diesel movies from my subscriptions (he's been in a handful of movies on Disney Plus). The next row, "Movies and TV" shows titles from all other services. 

But when I started to hunt for Fast & Furious movies, I was a little annoyed. At the search prompt window, the text on screen says you can type in your query or search by holding down the Alexa button on your remote. I'd only recommend the former, as the latter would automatically take me to the search result it thought was most correct: Netflix's Fast & Furious Spy Racers, an animated series about "teen driver Tony Toretto" and his friends. I tried this again to make sure I'd not made a mistake. It kept throwing me to that app, foregoing the search results screen I'd see when I typed that "Fast & Furious" query in. 

When I tried Alexa-based searching again, this time with the word "Halloween" (to see how many of the Michael Myers movies are streaming online), it gave me the regular results window, as it should have. One oddity, which we found in our Fire TV Stick 4K review, is that Alexa thinks "4K movies" means "four k movies," something we wish the digital assistant could translate properly, especially since 4K is in this device's name.

Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K Max review: Remote

The Amazon Alexa Voice Remote is pretty standard at first blush. A circular directional pad with a select button in the middle, menu buttons for Home, Back and Options, TV power and volume buttons and navigation via fast forward, rewind and play/pause buttons. Oh, and the blue Alexa button, which allows you to open and control applications, by clicking down and speaking the name of an application, or asking Alexa to rewind or fast forward.

Annoyingly, the Fire TV 4K Max remote's been infected with the branded app button disease (Roku may have been patient zero) that always more like advertisements for brands than helpful tools for customers. The buttons are dedicated to Prime Video (of course), Disney Plus, Netflix and Hulu. We'd love them to be programmable, like you find in the two buttons in the higher-end Roku Ultra, but this just seems to be the industry standard for streaming devices priced around $50.

Cord-cutters shouldn't overlook the Live TV button, even though it just defaults to the free linear programming on the IMDB app. Digging around in the Settings, I found that I could connect my Sling TV account's channels to the Live TV grid of channels (Settings > Live TV > Sync Sources > select your source), and then I could simply hide the IMDB channels (Settings > Live TV > Manage Channels), and turn the Live TV button into a Sling button. 

That said, Roku remotes have a Sling TV button, which cuts through the need to us Amazon's interface. I'd prefer that, as the IMDB channels didn't seem to offer me much, sort of the same freebies you find in Pluto TV.

Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K Max review: Content and apps

The Amazon Fire TV platform has been nearly flawless when it comes to having every app available, only hiccuping notably for the first year of Peacock. But now that Comcast's streaming service is in Amazon's streaming app library it's hard to argue with the support. Amazon doesn't publish how many apps there are in its store, but the site 42matters claims there are more than 12,700 apps at this point.

Those with smart-home cameras will also be happy to hear that there's a new Live View Picture-in-Picture mode so you can check what's going on with your video doorbell or home security camera without stopping the movie or show you're watching. I was not able to test this feature, as I don't have any such cameras. The Chromecast with Google TV has an option to watch your Nest Cam feed on your TV, but not in picture-in-picture.

The Fire TV Stick's library includes all of the best streaming services and the best cable TV alternative apps are there, and that's including YouTube TV (which is currently knocked out of the Roku store, and only found hidden away in the YouTube app). Beyond that, you've also got Plex, Spotify and many more.

Amazon's even added gaming support from its Luna platform. We will update this review with the user experience on the Fire TV Stick Max in the coming weeks.

If you're heavily invested in the Amazon ecosystem, the Fire TV Stick 4K Max will be all the more valuable. All of your Amazon subscriptions, Amazon Channels, Amazon Music content and purchased films and shows are all easily found in the device.

Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K Max review: Bottom line

If you're considering the Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K Max, you're likely aware that it's not just a streaming device, but a portal into the Amazon ecosystem. While I wish it wasn't pushing that world so hard, it doesn't stop you from being able to use the Fire TV Stick 4K Max to actually watch things.

Is live TV integration enough to spend $5 more when you could get the less ad-heavy Chromecast with Google TV for $50? We've yet to test the upcoming $50 Roku Streaming Stick 4K, but we expect it to be a great competitor, especially since its interface is cleaner and less bogged down with ads. 

As this Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K Max review has shown, the performance improvements in the new Fire stick are either slight or profound. But for those who appreciate everything about the Fire TV Stick, but just wish it were a little bit faster? It's time to take your streaming to the Max.

Amazon has been making waves in the TV world this last week, announcing two new model lines of smart TVs that use the Fire TV platform and (in a first for the retailer) bear the Amazon name. With the new Amazon Fire TV 4-Series and Omni Series TVs available for sale now, it's a big change in how Amazon approaches the smart TV category.

With more premium pricing and an expended feature set, the latest Amazon Fire TVs look better than ever, and do more than just serve up Amazon's streaming services and ads for Amazon products. But it's also a big change to more premium products, a pivot from the budget-shopper segment the company pursued so aggressively in recent years. It could signal a bigger shake up for the TV world, too.

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A brief history of Amazon Fire TV

Amazon has been in the streaming game since early 2014, when they first announced the first-generation Fire TV streaming stick. It was the first of many, and Amazon's growing family of Fire TV streaming devices has grown to include new options, competitive features like live TV playback and ever more sophisticated voice control with Alexa.

Amazon TVs launched in 2017, and were essentially cheap full HD and 4K models with the streaming hardware built-in. Coming from manufacturers like Element, Westinghouse, Toshiba and Best Buy's store brand Insignia, these first few years of Amazon Fire TV Edition smart TVs were poorly named – seriously, I have spent far too many nights pondering the best way to parse things when talking about "Fire TV Edition TVs" – but they were also cheap to buy, often selling for the lowest price of any 4K smart TV.

In 2019, after reviewing several of those early models, I had seen enough. Those first few years of Amazon Fire TV Edition smart TVs weren't great. So I staged an intervention. Actually, I wrote an op-ed complaining about the fact that Amazon's software was plenty usable (aside from a penchant for heavy-handed advertising), and that the entire Fire TV lineup was hurting from the lousy hardware these TVs used.

I had a list of complaints, but one particular bit of advice was to get better hardware manufacturers. I actually said "If I were Amazon, I would be begging TCL to make the next Fire Edition TV."

Did Amazon just follow my Fire TV advice?

Well, it only took a couple of years, but it seems like Amazon is finally following some of my advice. It has added HDR support. It has stepped up the quality of sets from Insignia and Toshiba. (Check out Toshiba Fire TV vs Insignia Fire TV: Which sub-$500 smart TV wins? to see the latest models compared side-by-side.) The Fire TV interface has gotten a much-needed update, and has made some policy changes around advertising that may actually temper the retail giant's tendency toward aggressive ads. 

And, at long last, Amazon is coming out with its own, Amazon-branded TVs, with better construction and improved features. Not only that, but if rumors are to be believed, some of these sets are actually being manufactured by TCL – the biggest suggestion I made to Amazon back then. 

When I reached out to TCL to get a comment about the new TVs, they couldn't tell me much. "It is common for TCL to provide both components and assembly for our branded TV competitors," said one TCL representative. As to whether they were making some of Amazon's new Fire TVs, they couldn't say, but did say that "our business operates with confidentiality agreements that prohibit us from revealing those brand names." Take that as you will.

A big change for Amazon...

Regardless of who is making the new sets, Amazon has taken some important steps toward making Fire TV a serious player in the smart TV space.

New smart features integrated Amazon-owned products like Ring video doorbell cameras and Alexa skills for all sorts of smart home devices. These are big gaps to fill if Amazon wants to be competitive against the recently revamped Google TV, which has rapidly become one of the best smart TV operating systems out there.

With the improved hardware comes higher prices, which is a two-way street when it comes to tech products. Obviously, there is a strong contingent of shoppers who want lower prices, no matter what the product offers. But for most shoppers, price is a pretty clear indicator of product quality. And that's not just a matter of priming and anchoring, there's a clear correlation between the price band a TV falls into and the level of features, performance and construction you can expect from a TV.

The new prices on Amazon's Omni TVs in particular reflect a growing confidence in Fire TV as a brand, and in the public's estimation of Fire-powered TVs. Whether the new Fire TV 4-Series and Omni Series models help cement that confidence in the minds of the buying public has yet to be seen. But I, for one, am glad to see Amazon stepping up its smart TV game.

... and a bigger change for smart TVs

An ascendant Amazon-powered smart TV line from the online shopping giant wouldn't just be a way for Amazon to make more money. It would also pose a real challenge to competitors, particularly Google and Roku, who have had leading positions for third-party TV software.

Amazon has always taken a piece of this pie, thanks almost entirely to the extreme affordability of its Fire TVs, which are frequently the headliners among steeply discounted TVs during sales like Black Friday and Amazon Prime Day. Sure, Fire TV has some solid smart features, but that hasn't always been the primary selling point for these TVs. The bargain-bin pricing is what makes Fire TVs top sellers, not the feature set.

But the new models have fleshed things out with far-field microphones for hands-free voice control, and deeper integration with Amazon-owned smart home brands, like Ring, will put the new Fire TVs more firmly at the center of the connected home. Voice activated Zoom calls and USB webcam support will also compete directly with similar Google Duo functions offered on Google TV models. Fire TVs are finally digging into the smarter side of smart TVs, which goes beyond simple streaming.

Coming from the company that truly brought voice-based products to the mainstream, this is a gauntlet thrown. And it couldn't have come at a better time. If Amazon suddenly has a real competitor to the best Roku TVs, or the latest Google TV models, then the smart TV market just got a lot more interesting.

Amazon's new Fire TVs are here, and the rumors are true: Amazon is making its own smart TVs, dubbed the Fire TV Omni Series and 4-Series. The new TVs bring Amazon Fire Smart TVs in house pairing the Alexa powered sets with hands-free voice control and a slew of new features

The Omni Series TV is the higher-end line, starting $409 for the the 43-inch model and going up to $1,099 for 75 inches. It includes perks like Dolby Vision (65 and 75 inch), always-on mics for hands-free Alexa and two-way video calling support (later this year). The lower-end Amazon Fire TV 4-Series ranges from $369 for 43 inches up to just 55 inches at $519.

Here's everything we know about the new Omni Series and 4-Series Fire TVs so far. 

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Amazon Fire TV Omni: Amazon's new flagship TVs

The highlight of the new announcements is the Amazon Fire TV Omni series, the first Fire TVs to carry the Amazon brand rather than another TV manufacturer.

As the new flagships for Amazon-powered smart TVs, the Fire TV Omni series updates the Fire smart TV experience with some new Alexa-centric features, like hands-free voice control, multi-room sounds through Alexa smart speakers and integrated functions for streaming services like Netflix and TikTok.

The Fire TV Omni series will be available in sizes ranging from 43 inches up to 75 inches, with the offerings split down the middle, with 43, 50, and 55-inch models available at more budget-friendly prices, and the Omni 65 and 75-inch models selling for a little more, but featuring Dolby Vision HDR, which the smaller sets won't have.

One new feature, called Alexa Home Theater, lets you pair the TV wirelessly with connected Amazon Echo devices, using the Amazon smart speakers for immersive sound, complete with Dolby Atmos. (We have yet to see whether that means you'll need to crowd multiple smart speakers into your home theater for a better sound experience, or whether it's designed to be used only with a single smart speaker in the room.)

Amazon is also touting multi-room audio, letting you pull up music on the TV and continue listening through your Amazon smart speaker in another room, a carryover feature already offered on Amazon's Echo devices, but now added to the TV.

Other new smart features include a live view picture-in-picture, which works with Ring video doorbells to show the feed from your doorbell camera without interrupting your show. And if you have additional smart cameras in your home, the Fire TV interface will now have a whole row on the home screen dedicated to your live feeds, making it easy to check out what's going on around the house.

Staying in touch with family and friends will also be easier, with Alexa Calling built into the TV. Zoom video calls can now be initiated by voice command, and a webcam plugged into the TV. Amazon says that this future will be available later this year, but only on the Fire TV Omni series.

The Amazon Fire TV Omni will be sold through both Amazon and Best Buy, with full retail availability starting October 27th. The full Fire TV Omni series is available for pre-order now through Amazon.

Amazon Fire TV 4 Series sticks to the basics

The Amazon-branded smart TVs don't stop there. While the new Omni line is clearly the flagship of the new Amazon-made Fire TV family, Amazon is also making its own budget-friendly Fire TVs, called the Fire TV 4 Series.

These non-Omni Fire TVs hew much closer to the standard Fire TV template – low prices, basic 4K picture with plenty of smarts for streaming, both from Amazon services like Prime Video and IMDBtv, as well as the usual streaming giants, like Netflix and Disney+.

The sets feature an Alexa-enabled voice remote, with voice control for the TV and access to the massive collection of Alexa skills for use with other smart devices. 

The sets feature a trio of HDMI connections, including one with eARC, and offer basic HDR support for formats like HDR10 and HLG.

Selling in 43, 50 and 55-inch sizes, the Amazon-made Fire TV 4-Series are available for pre-order now, to be shipped October 27th.

More Fire TVs from Pioneer and Toshiba

Even with the debut of Amazon-made Fire TV models, the retail giant is still working with other companies to make affordable Fire TV models. The Amazon Fire TV 4 Series will also have sets made by Pioneer and Toshiba.

Pioneer – long absent from the TV space – will be making Fire TV 4 Series models in 43 and 50-inch sizes, selling through Amazon and Best Buy. 

The Fire TVs will feature HDR10 and Dolby Vision support, offer multi-room music capability and support surround-sound with DTS Virtual X audio. An Alexa-enabled voice remote gives you voice control, but no room-listening microphones.

The Pioneer 43-inch model will begin selling this month, with the 50-inch model to begin selling in early November.

Toshiba is also making new Amazon smart TVs, continuing the excellent Best Buy-produced models we saw this year in our Toshiba C350 Fire TV Edition review.

Available in larger size formats of 55, 65 and 75 inches, the Toshiba models will feature a 4-microphone array for hands-free Alexa voice control, and the TV will offer improved HDR support with local dimming and improved motion processing.

The Toshiba Fire TV prices have not yet been announced, but won't begin selling until spring of 2022.

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Amazon Fire TVs are among the most popular around, but why? When you want cheap TVs, there are so many options to choose from, and not all of them good. If you've looked at our list of the best TVs under $500, or even just browsed the highlights of any recent weekend sale, you've definitely seen Fire TVs, and probably wondered if they're even worth buying when they sell for so little.

The good news is that Amazon smart TVs tend to be better than most TVs in the same price bracket, and as long as you make sure you're getting a 4K model, you can rest assured that both Insignia and Toshiba Fire TVs are a good value, with or without those stunningly low prices.

But which is better, the Insignia Fire TV, or the Toshiba Fire TV? We've reviewed both, which you can find in our Insignia 4K Ultra HD Fire TV Edition NS-55DF710NA21 review and Toshiba C350 Fire TV (2021 model) review.

Let's dig into the details of each and find out which is the better Fire TV bargain.

A note about names: The Insignia model from our Insignia 4K Ultra HD Fire TV Edition NS-55DF710NA21 review was recently renamed the Insignia F30 Series Fire TV Edition, so we've updated the review to reflect that and will use the new name throughout this comparison. 

Toshiba Fire TV vs Insignia Fire TV: Specs

Toshiba Fire TV vs Insignia Fire TV: Price and size options

When it comes to affordable TVs, price and size may be the biggest factors in anyone's buying decision. There's no point in looking at the more premium TVs when you have a budget of $500, but you also don't want to wind up looking like Michael Scott with his tiny little TV.

Thankfully, both the Insignia and Toshiba Fire TV edition models offer a good mix of prices and sizes. These are some of the most affordable 4K TVs on the market, and you won't have to settle for a small screen size to get those savings.

Let's start with the Insignia, which is sold in sizes ranging from a compact 43 inches (about the smallest you'll ever want to go for a 4K screen) up to an impressive 70 inches. The 55-inch model sells for less than $500, and even the biggest 70-incher sells for $619.

• 43-inch (model NS-43DF710NA21) - $289.99
• 50-inch (model NS-50DF710NA21) - $389.99
• 55-inch (model NS-55DF710NA21) - $419.99
• 65-inch (model NS-65DF710NA21) - $549.99
• 70-inch (model NS-70DF710NA21) - $619.99

The Toshiba C350 is also quite affordable, with similarly low prices that make it a mainstay of our best TVs under $500 page. Available in 43, 50 and 55-inch sizes, the most expensive model is just $469 through Best Buy, despite its recommended retail price of $519.

• 43 inch (model 43C350KU) - $349.99
• 50 inch (model 50C350KU) - $439.99
• 55 inch (model 55C350KU) - $469.99

I say "recommended retail price" because I've rarely seen either brand of Fire TV sold for full price. They are always being discounted a little bit, but they make a big splash whenever there's a big sale, such as Black Friday, or Amazon Prime Day, with sale prices dropping to the lowest of the year so that retailers can grab headlines with 4K TVs selling for crazy low prices.

And that's where the Fire TVs really shine. As inexpensive TVs, they're always a decent affordable option. But as loss-leaders, subsidized by retail giants like Amazon and Best Buy (Fire TV is Amazon's smart TV platform, and Insignia is Best Buy's store brand), they can be bought for a song anytime there's a sales event, and that makes them some of the most popular TVs around.

But you'll notice one big difference between the Insignia and Toshiba models listed here: There are more size options for the Insignia than the Toshiba, which tops out at 55 inches. The Insignia also tends to be a little cheaper, at least when looking at normal, non-event sales prices.

What is Amazon Fire TV?

So what exactly is Amazon Fire TV? It's Amazon's answer to streaming platforms like Roku, built around Amazon's Alexa and Amazon-owned services like Prime Video, IMDB TV, Twitch, while also supporting third-party apps, like Netflix, Hulu, Disney+ and many, many more.

It's the same software used on other Fire TV devices, like those seen in our Amazon Fire TV Stick review or Amazon Fire TV Cube review, two of the best streaming devices you can get. Fire TV Edition smart TVs put this Amazon-powered software into a smart TV instead of a separate streaming device. The result is a pretty decent set of smart TV features, packed into some of the most affordable 4K TVs on the market. 

Toshiba Fire TV vs Insignia Fire TV: Design

Whether it's the Insignia F30 model or the Toshiba C350, both are inexpensive TVs that use basic plastic construction. Affordable TVs aren't known for their sleek stylings or premium materials, and most cheap TVs have the same generic looking black plastic construction.

However, the Toshiba C350 adds a stylish touch to the otherwise basic design, accenting the basic black chassis  with a strip of silver plastic along the bottom of the panel and silver plastic feet. Boomerang-shaped feet also give the Toshiba a more stylish look that the Insignia, but that may not matter to most shoppers.

Both models work with standard VESA mounting brackets – the Insignia works with a 200 x 200 millimeter mount, and the Toshiba uses a 200 x 300 millimeter pattern – so either will work with the products on our best TV mounts list.

When it comes to port selection, the Toshiba again has a slight edge, offering 4 HDMI ports to the Insignia's 3 ports. Both TVs offer USB ports, coaxial connections for antenna and cable, and composite video inputs. Both include an HDMI ARC connection for connecting a soundbar, but neither one has the newer HDMI 2.1 connection (or required feature support) you might want to get the most out of a new game console.

Toshiba Fire TV vs Insignia Fire TV: Display

Both the Insignia and Toshiba Fire TV models work under the same basic philosophy: Good enough. It's not an uncommon approach to cheaper TVs, but if you're expecting something impressive just because it bears the Amazon name, you'll be a bit disappointed.

The Insignia suffers from limited color reproduction, producing just 96.68% of the Rec 709 color spectrum, and offering a Delta-E score of 2.7, indicating decent color accuracy. The Toshiba wasn't much better, producing 95.0% of the color spectrum, but surprising us with a 1.7 Delta-E rating, meaning that it has noticeably better accuracy than the Insignia.

In terms of test results, that's sort of a wash. Both are accurate enough that you won't be constantly irritated by bad color, but the limited gamut on both will leave the resulting picture still feeling a bit lackluster.

The Insignia was plagued with motion blurring until we turned off all the video processing that comes enabled by default, and even then, it still had bad viewing angles – moving too far from the center of the screen introduced some unwanted color shifting. The Toshiba also had noticeable issues with limited viewing angles, and inconsistent backlighting.

And without local dimming, some content just looked flat on the basic TVs. The Toshiba C350 boasts support for Dolby Vision (the Insignia does not), but neither Fire TV really offers the sort of contrast or backlight control that are needed for effective HDR performance.

Toshiba Fire TV vs Insignia Fire TV: Gaming

One area where we saw some unexpected performance differences between the two Fire TV brands was in gaming. With 60Hz panels and only nominal HDR support, neither one is going to deliver superb picture quality, but both are ideally priced as an inexpensive 4K gaming TV. (Check out the best 4K gaming TVs for more.)

The Insignia failed to impress us for gaming, with a decidedly slow 36.4 milliseconds of lag time in our lab tests. The Toshiba C350, on the other hand, impressed us with it's low lag time of just 10.7 milliseconds, easily clearing the 20-millisecond cut off that we have for acceptable gaming performance.

If you want an inexpensive 4K TV for enjoying your game console, the Toshiba C350 is actually a great choice, and it's one of the few that won't cost more than a new PS5 or Xbox Series X. 

Toshiba Fire TV vs Insignia Fire TV: Audio

If there's one area that consistently disappoints on budget-friendly TVs, it's audio. Getting great sound from the narrow confines of a TV chassis is a sophisticated and expensive process, and TV manufacturers generally reserve better audio for more premium TVs. That certainly is the case with the two Fire TVs we're comparing here.

The Toshiba C350 has 7- and 8-watt speakers (7 watts on the 43-inch model and 8 watts on to 50 and 55-inch sets). The Insignia F30 models offer only slightly better, with a similarly weak set of 10-watt speakers.

Instead of multichannel sound, both Fire TVs offer basic two-channel stereo – you can get better audio with one of the best soundbars. And that's actually what we recommend. Both TVs offer good enough picture quality, but the sound is lackluster enough that even an inexpensive soundbar will offer better sound.

Toshiba Fire TV vs Insignia Fire TV: Which one wins?

When you get right down to it, the Toshiba C350 Fire TV may be the better of the two Amazon-powered smart TVs. It has a more stylish design, better port selection, and better performance for both shows and gaming. 

But don't write off the Insignia Fire TVs, either. With lower prices, larger screen size options and fairly similar performance (outside of gaming), Best Buy's store brand is also a great Fire TV.

But the real conclusion here is that you should definitely consider a Fire TV – of either brand – whenever you want to find a decent 4K TV with solid smart features and an affordable price. These budget-friendly smart TVs may not lead the pack in performance or premium features, but they deliver a solid modern TV experience for much less than most of the big names. And when a big sale strikes, and you're unsure of whether to get a discounted Fire TV, you know you'll be pretty satisfied with either model.

The holiday weekend is fast approaching, which means 4th of July sales are getting better by the hour. Amazon, for instance, has one of the best sales of the moment. 

Currently at Amazon, buy any Amazon Fire TV from $119 and get a free Echo Dot via coupon code "FTVEDOT21". That's one of the best TV deals we've seen this year. You'll have to manually add the TV and Echo Dot to your cart and then enter the coupon code during the final checkout page. The deal is valid with the 3rd-gen Echo Dot only. Best Buy offers the same discount.

• shop all Fire TVs at Amazon
• shop all Fire TVs at Best Buy

Not sure which Fire TV to get? Amazon has the Insignia 55-inch 4K Fire TV is on sale for $399.99, which is $100 off its regular price. This is the 2021 model and it features HDR10 support, DTS Studio Sound, three HDMI ports, and access to hundreds of apps like Prime Video, Disney Plus, and Netflix. (Don't forget to add the Echo Dot to your cart and use coupon "FTVEDOT21" at the final checkout stage). 

Meanwhile, if you want the biggest Fire TV possible, Best Buy has the Insignia 70-inch F30 4K Fire TV on sale for $649.99. Again, you'll get a free Echo Dot with your TV purchase, so you'll save $50 on the TV and $40 on the Echo Dot. (Best Buy automatically adds the Echo Dot to your cart). 

This promo ends July 23 at 2:59 am ET at both Amazon and Best Buy. 

Sling TV has just told users that it's getting a big overhaul — and soon. This new look will give users a more customized experience that also looks better, and Amazon Fire TV is going to be where it comes first.

The news will hit individual users directly via a message that shows up when they boot up the Sling TV app on their Fire TV devices. You'll see a small sliver of a navigation screen with a message that starts with "We've been listening!" as if to say "you've been complaining, and we're finally sprucing things up." And this is just the kind of thing Sling needs to keep its rank as one of the best streaming services.

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This need for a change matches what we said in our Sling TV review: "Perhaps because it's been in the live TV streaming market for some time, Sling doesn't seem to have made updates to its interface to keep up with competitors. Fellow low-cost live TV service Philo is much slicker. The big guns, YouTube TV and Hulu With Live TV, both boast deep, rich experiences."

Sling's message continues "A simple, beautiful, more personalized TV experience is on the way. The all-new Sling app will be available on your device soon."

But how long will other devices (say, Roku devices or the Apple TV) have to wait? At the bottom of the message, it states "The new Sling app ... will be available on all devices later this year." When companies say "later this year," they often really mean "by the end of the year," as we saw when the new Fire TV interface took months to come to half of those streaming devices.

This is an interesting way to roll the new Sling app out, giving Fire TV users preferential treatment. The streaming platform wars have heated up as of late, and this gives the 50 million monthly active users on the platform something they don't get that often: something that Roku users don't have. Right now, Fire TV is still missing the Peacock streaming service, which we assume will be corrected by July's 2021 Olympics. 

And while Roku has practically every app, Roku and Google's current spat took the YouTube TV app out of the Roku directory. Google responded by putting YouTube TV in the Roku YouTube app, and we haven't heard the last of this mini-war yet.

The latest Amazon Fire TV update took a while to roll out, and I don't think the wait was worth it. While it does offer one new feature that some households will probably love, it's ultimately just another update that keeps Amazon in the back of the pack when it comes to streaming device interfaces. 

This may be a case of too long of a wait leading to higher expectations, so let's back up for some context. In September 2020, Amazon announced it was updating the Fire TV user interface for a "new Fire TV experience," that redesigned the layout of the OS. And Amazon did not lie when it said the updates would come "later" that year: it arrived in December 2020. Except not all Fire TV devices got it. 

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At first, only the Fire TV Stick 2020 and Fire TV Stick Lite got the update. Then, this past March, the Amazon’s Fire TV Cube (both 1st and 2nd gen) and the Fire TV Stick 4K finally got in on the fun. 

Which is why I'm only now seeing this update, as it so slowly rolled out into my den.

But, first, let's start off with what I actually like about the update.

Amazon Fire TV update: What's better

The big news is that you can have different Fire TV user profiles. This is good for customized recommendations, and getting to see just your apps. For houses that have multiple Fire TV devices, this also makes it easier for everyone to be on the same Amazon account (to share Prime Video access), while just getting their own experience. Just because I downloaded Peacock for WWE doesn't mean the rest of my household needs to have Peacock in their row of the top 5 apps (more on that later) on their home screen.

Also, some apps now have preview rows, where you can see a row of suggested shows related to that program. Unsurprisingly, some apps have more content here than others. Netflix, Disney Plus and Hulu only have one row, while Prime Video and IMDbTV (owned by Amazon) have multiple rows of content. This is keeping with the Fire TV way, where there's simply more of everything Amazon-owned. 

What's still wrong (and what got worse)

The Fire TV OS is still mostly a funnel for Amazon content. The top of the home screen is still a banner for channels you can subscribe to on Prime Video Channels, movies you can rent through Prime Video and shows on Prime Video that you may have zero interest in. A rare exception, it seems, was made for the HBO Max app's Game of Thrones Iron Anniversary stream. 

Also, the top-of-screen navigation tabs are gone, with Amazon moving that content to Home, Find, Live tabs in the middle of the screen, and a Settings gear on the right, next to an Apps button. I kinda wish that the Apps icon (a box with three boxes inside) were more obvious, as you only know what it is if you hover over it. When I showed it to my dad, he couldn't guess what it was.

The home screen still includes more advertisements below the top half of the screen, possibly because Amazon knows it's trained people to ignore the content on that half. Scrolling down, I find a Sponsored row, promoting Discovery+ via Prime Video Channels, and when I hover over that — I see and hear an ad in the top right corner.

The "Free to me - Amazon Channels" and "Popular TV on Prime Video Channels" rows are a bit irksome, but I'm used to it with Amazon at this stage. The former is arguably neat because it helps you find value in what you already pay for, but the latter is filled with stuff I don't care about (no, I'm not interested in Star Trek: Lower Decks, an animated series, and can The Walking Dead end already). 

A few rows further down, more sponsored content! This time, it's Apps & Games! And this cadence repeats itself, like the Instagram Stories carousel. A bunch of your stuff, then something from Amazon, and so on.

This is bad. Maybe some people love to live the Amazon life, but just because you bought a device from a company doesn't mean you want to be force-fed primarily things from their ecosystem. Apple, which is constantly criticized for its walled gardens, does a pretty good job about making the tvOS interface clean and free of ads.

Amazon, be more like Roku

Amazon doesn't have to look that far to see what it should be doing. 

Roku's upcoming OS 10 update (which will hopefully arrive sooner, rather than later) is delivering something called Instant Resume. When you launch an app, you'll go right back to where you were last time. Not many channels support this out of the gate (a batch of 15+, Roku notes, including AT&T TV, FOX News Channel, Fubo, Plex and STARZ), but hopefully more will follow. 

Something like this would make it seem like Amazon is truly intent on making the streaming experience better. Otherwise, it just seems like Amazon is finding more ways to deliver its own stuff. And when Amazon's hits are few and far between — we need The Boys season 3, but we will have to wait a while — it's hard to think about a streaming life lived solely inside Amazon's walls.

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Firefox will soon be a thing of the past on Amazon’s Fire TV and Echo Show devices. Mozilla announced that it’s ending Fire TV support for its browser on April 30, three years after it arrived on Amazon’s streaming devices.

You’ll still be able to use Firefox if you have it installed, but it will no longer receive security updates. As Mozilla is delisting it from the Amazon Appstore, you also won’t be able to perform a fresh install of Firefox, including if you’d previously uninstalled it.

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Mozilla didn’t state a reason for it ditching Firefox on the Fire TV and Echo Show product lines, though it may sadden users who preferred an alternative to Amazon’s Silk browser. As it stands, after April 30 Silk will be the only browser app that the Fire TV and Echo Show devices will support.

Both Firefox and Silk arrived on Fire TV in late 2017, seemingly in response to Google pulling support for the Echo Show’s YouTube app. The two browsers thus offered a workaround that would let users stream videos from the Google-owned platform, even without the dedicated app.

YouTube later returned to Fire TV in the form of the YouTube TV app, which may have contributed to a fall in browser usage — why use a workaround when the real thing is available again?

Granted, there’s still no YouTube app for the Echo Show range, so a browser is still necessary if you want to watch YouTube videos on your Amazon smart display. If you want to brave the lack of security updates, you can still install Firefox on your Echo Show before April 30, though otherwise you’ll need to use Silk to stream any YouTube content.

Tech-savvy Fire TV owners could also try installing Firefox’s Android TV version, using the APK from APK Mirror.

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Like countless other Black Friday shoppers last year, I found myself entranced by an unexpected, killer bargain. The price was right, and a mere handful of clicks later I was now the proud owner of a new Samsung 4K TV. 

While there was nothing technically wrong with my existing TV — a seven-year-old Toshiba 1080p set — I was nonetheless quite excited to make the leap to 4K content and better color. But this change would also mean replacing my trusty Apple TV HD, which had performed its duties admirably (and without incident) for the better part of a decade. However, because of its 1080p limitation, I’d need a new box in order to get the most out of my TV. 

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I considered buying the Apple TV 4K, but it left me with a dilemma: With a new Apple TV seemingly always right around the corner, the thought of paying full price for streaming hardware nearly five years old gave me serious pause. I’d tried to remain patient, but now a new 4K TV was on my doorstep. A temporary solution was in order, and after digging in the closet, I dredged up a forgotten gift: An Amazon Fire TV Cube (one of Tom's Guide's picks for the best streaming device).

Thus began my month-long experiment switching to Fire TV. Surely this brand-new Amazon 4K streaming box would manage to tide me over until Apple released new hardware, right? Maybe I’d even like the Fire TV better after giving it a fair shot and stick with it. Little did I expect to be missing my ancient Apple TV in a matter of hours.

I ran into problems right from the start. Certain apps crashed or were painfully slow to load. The remote often had a long delay after clicks. It was strange to see a modern streaming device struggling fresh out of the box. My main cable-replacement for cord cutting, Sling, was almost unusable on the Fire TV. I know Amazon isn’t responsible for developing every app, but across the board I found responsiveness was far below what I’d been accustomed to with the Apple TV — despite that hardware being a half-decade older.

Amazon really wants you to use Alexa

Even the simple act of setting up the Fire TV Remote left me annoyed. For years my Apple remote had controlled the volume for my entire living room without so much as a second thought. However, Amazon’s box wouldn’t allow me to set up the remote’s IR blaster to control my Sony AV receiver volume without having Alexa turned on at all times. This seemed to be a clear nudge toward enabling Amazon’s smart assistant, which I had no desire to do.

What’s wrong with Alexa, you ask? Or why not just use Samsung's smart TV features? Well, admittedly that comes down to personal preference: I’m not a fan of putting smart devices all over my home. There have been a number of well-publicized security issues around smart TV updates and microphones; for my own privacy and peace of mind, I decided early on that any new smart TV would remain unplugged from the internet. I prefer watching my TV without feeling like it’s watching me back.

When I did try Samsung’s operating system, like with the Fire TV, I found it missing a handful of critical apps I’d become very accustomed to having around. For example, the app I use for watching my favorite NBA team was nowhere to be found. Now I’d need to watch games on my laptop instead of enjoying them on my fancy new flatscreen — not ideal after dropping $800 on a cutting-edge television.

And as if to personally spite me, soon enough I encountered an old episode of South Park where Cartman collects voice assistants. The word “Alexa” is uttered dozens and dozens of times — and every single instance triggered my Fire TV’s voice commands, temporarily lowering the volume and interrupting the show. I’d entered my own version of hell.

Taking another bite of the Apple

Yet even more than the security benefits and bountiful app store, going without an Apple TV made one thing crystal clear: It had wormed its way deep into the heart of my home entertainment ecosystem. As someone who works on a MacBook and uses an iPhone, Samsung and Amazon couldn’t compete with certain aspects of the integrated Apple experience. Between the ease of AirPlay, or the effortlessly way I could summon LastPass passwords using my phone to log into apps, tvOS had always fit smoothly into its role in my living room.

None of this is to suggest the Apple TV is perfect. The much-maligned Siri Remote remains an enigma, compromised by strange design choices and a lack of tactile control. Any future remote update would benefit from borrowing Amazon’s button layout, especially its volume button placement, mute button and useful circular center wheel. And considering its price, there’s no reason for Apple to skip out on critical features like an optical audio output in its next generation.

But after a month with the Bezos box, I found myself longing for my old streaming life back. I’d set out to upgrade to 4K picture quality and deeper blacks when watching Netflix, not reinvent my TV experience. 

Ultimately, I ended up doing what I’d been trying to avoid all along: I went online and bought an Apple TV 4K. Despite it being a ridiculously overpriced and outdated piece of hardware compared to other options, I couldn’t have been happier to plug it in and put the Fire TV back in the closet. At the end of the day, all that mattered was that “it just works.”

Pour one out for Amazon Fire TV's old, elegant Alexa voice remote. Amazon is copying the worst thing about Roku's remote by adding four preset buttons for streaming services. They're brightly colored and don't appear to be programmable, which means if you don't subscribe to those four services, the buttons are totally useless.

Amazon revealed the new Alexa voice remote (3rd gen) on Wednesday. The product description enthuses, "Get to your favorite content quickly with preset app buttons for Netflix, Prime Video, Disney+, and Hulu." Three of those presets also exist on Roku's voice remote, though it swaps in Sling for Prime Video.

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The new Alexa Voice remote also adds a guide button that takes you to a cable-like grid of live programming. The remote will start shipping with Fire TV Stick (3rd gen) devices and can also be purchased separately for $29.99 on Amazon. The remote is compatible with Fire TV Stick (2nd and 3rd Gen), Fire TV Stick 4K, Fire TV Stick Lite, and Fire TV Cube (1st and 2nd Gen). It does not work with Fire TV Edition smart TVs.

The Prime Video button makes sense, since Amazon wants to keep users in-house as much as possible. But why add presets to its competitors? The answer can only be: $$$. A Bloomberg report revealed that Roku charges Netflix and other streamers for the real estate on its remote: "At $1 per customer for each button, the cost can quickly add up to millions of dollars in monthly fees."

Think of the presets more like advertising space, tiny billboards that send users straight to streaming services. And since Roku and Amazon are the No. 1 and 2 streaming device makers in the U.S., that's a lot of billboards in homes. Even the most recent iteration of the Chromecast With Google TV has a remote with Netflix and YouTube buttons (Google owns the latter, but the former is surely making them some money).

Again, if you don't happen to subscribe to all (or any) of those services, the buttons are entirely useless. If Amazon and Roku only cared about user experience, they could have designed their remotes with four blank, programmable buttons so that users could create shortcuts to their favorite apps. 

(Note: The Roku Ultra comes with a remote that does have two programmable buttons.)

The Fire TV's previous remote was so simple and elegant that adding branded presets makes it feel cluttered and garish. And does Amazon really need more money by selling remote space? On the other hand, using a preset is a quick way to escape the all-Amazon-all-the-time vibe of the Fire TV interface. So, your mileage may vary.

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A free Amazon Fire TV News app is rolling out to devices starting today, delivering live and on-demand local news to 88 major U.S. cities. As Amazon pushes against platform king Roku's dominance in the streaming device market, this could be a way to make Fire TV more competitive.

As detailed in Amazon's announcement, the dozens of channels include "popular local stations from news distributors such as ABC Owned Television Stations and CBSN," in locations including Detroit, New Orleans, Orlando, Phoenix and Salt Lake City. It follows a 2020 rollout that had other large markets, such as Chicago, Dallas, Los Angeles, New York and Philadelphia.

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The Fire TV news app will have a tab for local news, and it will automatically add your nearest stations based on your closest metropolitan area. Of course, there is also an Alexa integration: users can say "Alexa, play local news" to their Alexa Voice Remote or Fire TV Cube to see what's going on in their area right now.

Currently, Roku provides free news through a series of services available in the Roku Channel. Those include national news apps like CBS News as well as Local Now (both of which are free on Fire TV). 

That said, Amazon providing a dedicated section for news (and surfacing it all more prominently with the new dedicated news app) might make it easier for people to find this programming on Amazon than on Roku, which keeps things silo'd off for you to find when you're hunting — if you decide to look, that is. 

Here is the full list of cities that Amazon is serving local news to now:

• Atlanta, GA
• Austin, TX
• Bakersfield, CA
• Baltimore, MD
• Beaumont, TX
• Billings, MT
• Boise, ID
• Boston, MA
• Buffalo, NY
• Butte-Bozeman, MT
• Charlotte, NC
• Chicago, IL
• Cincinnati, OH
• Cleveland, OH
• College Station, TX
• Colorado Springs, CO
• Columbia, SC
• Columbus, OH
• Corpus Christi, TX
• Dallas, TX
• Davenport, IA
• Dayton, OH
• Denver, CO
• Des Moines, IA
• Detroit, MI
• Fayetteville, AR
• Fresno, CA
• Fort Myers, FL
• Grand Rapids, MI
• Great Falls, MT
• Green Bay, WI
• Greensboro, NC
• Harrisburg, PA
• Hartford, CT
• Helena, MT
• Houston, TX
• Huntsville, AL
• Indianapolis, IN
• Jacksonville, FL
• Knoxville, TN
• Lafayette, LA
• Lansing-Jackson, MI
• Las Vegas, NV
• Lexington, KY
• Little Rock, AR
• Los Angeles, CA
• Louisville, KY
• Macon, GA
• Memphis, TN
• Miami, FL
• Midland, TX
• Minneapolis, MN
• Missoula, MT
• Moosic, PA
• Nashville, TN
• New Orleans, LA
• New York, NY
• Norfolk, VA
• Omaha, NE
• Orlando, FL
• Philadelphia, PA
• Phoenix, AZ
• Pittsburgh, CA
• Portland, ME
• Portland, OR
• Raleigh, NC
• Richmond, VA
• Sacramento, CA
• Salt Lake City, UT
• San Angelo, TX
• San Antonio, TX
• San Diego, CA
• San Francisco, CA
• Santa Barbara, CA
• Seattle, WA
• Spokane, WA
• St. Louis, MI
• Tallahassee, FL
• Tampa, FL
• Temple, TX
• Toledo, OH
• Tucson, AZ
• Tulsa, OK
• Tyler, TX
• Waco, TX
• Washington, D.C.
• West Palm Beach, FL

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This month, the Amazon Fire TV Stick (and Cube, too) will finally fill the gap on one of its most curiously missing applications. That's Vudu, the movies and TV streaming app formerly owned by Walmart which was sold to NBCUniversal's Fandango in 2020. 

With its arrival, Vudu opens up another way to buy and rent digital movies and TV shows on Amazon. Vudu's library of more than 150,000 movies and shows includes more than 10,000 free titles as well. 

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The Vudu app may not be available on your Fire TV device at the moment, as the app is having one of those staggered rollouts. Check back later this month if you don't see it when searching Vudu.

When we checked how Roku and Fire TV stacked up on missing apps, Vudu was one of the two notable missing services on the latter. Fire TV still lacks Peacock (which launched nationwide in July 2020). Peacock's lack of a Fire TV app will be more glaring in the coming months, as the WWE Network disappears in the US as its content gets vaccumed up into Peacock.

While Vudu isn't one of the titans of the video on demand streaming services market, it did experience "double-digit growth in new accounts in 2020 year over year," according to the press release announcing its arrival.

The free movies and shows Vudu offers will help Fire TV owners get more choices for what to watch without paying. Plus, anyone who ever bought something on Vudu on a different device will now get those purchases unlocked.

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Editor's note: Amazon has unveiled new Fire TV Stick 4K and Fire TV Stick 4K Max models, shipping fall 2023.

As 4K HDR devices go, the $50 Fire TV Stick 4K impresses with its balance of functionality, price and performance, which make it a popular purchase when it goes on sale. Even though it's not the most comprehensive device on the market, (or the cheapest, or the most powerful), those used to some of the standard frustrations with Amazon products can get a rock-solid streaming player at a relatively affordable price.

I wasn't that impressed with the Amazon Fire TV Stick when it came out in 2014. I thought the device was underpowered, unfocused and relied too heavily on the Amazon ecosystem. In the age of 4K HDR streaming devices from Roku and Google, the Fire TV Stick was in dire need of a refresh.

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And that's exactly what we see in this Fire TV Stick 4K review. This version of the Fire TV Stick is a surprisingly large black dongle, which hooks into your TV and provides 4K HDR streaming content (and promotes Amazon's own programming). 

While the device still all but requires you to have an Amazon Prime account for full functionality (and an Echo speaker doesn't hurt, either), the updated Stick has much more to offer than its predecessor.

The Fire TV Stick 4K is still waiting on the updated Fire TV interface, which arrived to the Fire TV Stick 2020 and Fire TV Stick Lite late last year.

Note also that Amazon has now launched the Fire TV Stick 4K Max. We've got a full Fire TV Stick 4K Max review, plus a Fire TV Stick 4K Max vs Fire TV Stick 4K comparison, to help you decide which is right for you.

Fire TV Stick 4K review: Price and availability

Frequently put on sale, the Fire TV Stick 4K is typically $50, and is sold in practically all electronics stores, both online and brick and mortar.  

We haven't heard any signs of a new Fire TV Stick 4K, and while 8K TVs may be a big thing this winter, there doesn't seem to be much 8K content you can stream right now. 

The Fire TV Stick 4K came out in October 2018.

Fire TV Stick 4K review: Design

The Fire TV Stick 4K qualifies as a dongle, but just barely; at 4.0 x 1.2 inches, the black rectangular box is certainly the largest one I've ever seen. It fit just fine in our office test TV, and there's a flexible HDMI adapter in the box in case your setup isn't as big. Similarly, the $50 Chromecast with Google TV sits behind your TV, being an unobtrusive streamer. Check out our Chromecast vs Fire Stick face off to see how the devices compare.

But I do wonder if it's going to stick out past the sides of some older television sets. The only port is a micro USB input, for power.

Still, I'll take a large dongle over a cumbersome box or a noncommittal, tiny attachment. My only real complaint is that the Fire TV Stick 4K fails to address one of the biggest problems with the original Fire TV Stick; it doesn't draw enough power from a TV USB port to function. 

Instead, you have to keep it plugged into a wall socket. I'm not sure why Amazon insists on this inconvenient setup when products like the Roku Streaming Stick+ have eliminated the need for a separate adapter.

Fire TV Stick 4K review: Interface

From the moment that you boot it up, it's clear that the Fire TV Stick 4K is an Amazon device. You log into your Amazon account to use it, whereupon a helpful animated video explains that you'll need Amazon Prime to get the most out of your gadget — and did you know Amazon Prime could also net you free two-day shipping, better prices and your very own unicorn? 

From there, the Fire TV Stick deposits you at the home screen, where the first things you'll see are recommended Amazon TV Shows and recommended Amazon Movies. The Fire TV Stick 4K is not subtle about its allegiances. Check out our setup and mastery guide to learn how to use the Fire Stick.

As with Amazon's other streaming gadgets, just about every screen puts Amazon content front and center — and if you don't have an Amazon Prime account, you'll have to either invest in one or become very good at ignoring about three-fourths of what you see on the menus.

You navigate the device with six tabs at the top. To be fair, the Home screen gives you two whole rows of your own apps before it starts pushing Amazon content. Your Videos may also have content you purchased elsewhere, if you consolidated your Movies Anywhere account. From there, Movies and TV Shows showcase a wide variety of both Prime and à la carte Amazon content. Apps helps you find new programs and Settings is self-explanatory.

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The overwhelming focus on Amazon content has the secondary effect of making a lot of these tabs feel superfluous. If you simply scroll down on your Home screen, you'll find a lot of the same recommendations as if you were to tab over to Movies or TV Shows. There are also sponsored ads on all of the screens, which always rubs me the wrong way — even paying $50 for a streaming player and $119 per year for a Prime subscription is not enough to earn you a little ad-free online space.

Fire TV Stick 4K review: Search

Amazon trawls more than 100 different services when you search (either by entering text from a remote control or by using your voice). Interestingly, it works only with apps you have installed. Usually, Amazon will prioritize content from its own store, then give you alternatives like Netflix, Hulu and CBS All Access once you select "more ways to watch." 

It's a decent-enough process, if you already have a lot of apps installed. But if you're looking for the best place to watch a movie or TV show, and you're not averse to downloading a new app, Amazon's search features can feel surprisingly limited.

On the other hand, the voice search is good at parsing what you say — unless you ask for 4K content. I searched for shows like Star Trek and actors like Patrick Stewart with pretty good results overall. But as soon as I asked for "4K movies," the Fire TV Stick 4K searched for movies with "Four K." in the title. Clearly, there is still some room for improvement here.

Fire TV Stick 4K review: Remote

If Amazon's search still has a ways to go, its remote is better than it's ever been. Like before, you'll get a small, sleek black rectangle with a d-pad, a bunch of navigation buttons and a voice-search microphone. However, this time around, you also get buttons that control the TV itself, such as power, volume control and mute. 

This allows you to manipulate your Fire TV Stick 4K without ever having to pick up a second remote control. Setup is trivial, too; just point your Fire TV Stick remote control at the TV, and it syncs on its own.

Amazon now offers an even better remote, so check out our Alexa Voice Remote Pro review for the full scoop.

Amazon has made much of the fact that the remote is Alexa-enabled," which means that you can tap into Amazon's voice-powered digital assistant with it. You can ask your Fire TV Stick 4K about sports, weather, traffic, smart-home devices or even food delivery, and it will respond just as an Alexa-enabled Echo speaker would. It's worth noting, though, that every other Amazon Fire device has the same Alexa functionality.

What is relatively novel, though, is that you can now control certain apps with Alexa voice commands. Not every app allows this, but heavy hitters like Netflix, Hulu and HBO do — as do Amazon Video and Amazon Music, naturally. I'm not sure that telling Alexa to play or pause a show, or jump ahead by 2 minutes, is any easier than just hitting a button — especially since you need to hit the mic button anyway, unless you have the system linked with an Echo speaker — but the option is nice to have.

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Fire TV Stick 4K review: Content and apps

Amazon streaming gadgets have been on the market for quite a few years now; you can tell from its massive app library. While Amazon doesn't provide an exact figure, there are more than 5,000 available.

Raw numbers don't always tell much, but you'll be able to get pretty much every app you want. Amazon Video is there, of course, but you'll also find Netflix, Hulu, Vudu, Sling TV, Spotify, Pandora, Plex, CBS All Access and just about every stand-alone cable or network app you can think of.

The most notable exception is Peacock TV. Fire TV recently added HBO Max (as of Nov. 17, 2020). As Fire TV users remember from when Google and Amazon's spats kept their streaming apps off each others devices, these unfortunate situations — where everyone loses — eventually end. It just stinks right now. Roku's gained Peacock TV but lacks HBO Max, while the Chromecast with Google TV offers both.

One attractive thing about the Fire TV Stick 4K for Amazon aficionados is that all of your Amazon content comes along for the ride. You can watch all of your purchased movies and TV shows, listen to Amazon Music, control your smart-home devices through Alexa and even have the system read you Kindle books. (It's a little creepy to have a TV read you bedtime stories, but I suppose it's no worse than the text-to-speech function on the Kindle itself.)

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One area where the Fire TV Stick 4K still falls down, though, is in games. Back when the Fire TV debuted, gaming was one of the system's big focuses. Since then, though, few big studios have bothered with it, leaving the doors open for lots of outright shovelware and second-rate free-to-play titles that felt dated on iOS and Android devices years ago. That said, if you've never played Shovel Knight, you should absolutely pick that one up.

Fire TV Stick 4K review: Performance

Ultimately, the Fire TV Stick 4K isn't  here to look pretty or win a UI design competition; it exists to stream 4K HDR content. And it does so absolutely beautifully.

Testing 4K HDR content from both Amazon Video and YouTube, the Fire TV Stick 4K routinely reached full UHD resolutions within 30 seconds — and sometimes displayed videos in 4K HDR right from the get-go. For services that don't offer 4K content, the Fire TV Stick 4K can reach 1080p resolutions in just a few seconds.

As always, I would caution readers that this is often dependent on your wireless speed and setup. Our office Wi-Fi is theoretically very fast — more than 100 Mbps down — but doesn't play nicely with streaming gadgets because of our firewall. If you have wireless speeds in excess of 25 Mbps, though, you should theoretically get similar results to ours.

Navigating menus was also snappy and quick on Amazon's updated streaming stick — a pleasant contrast to the original Fire TV Stick.

Fire TV Stick 4K review: Bottom line

Some of my least-favorite things about the Fire TV Stick are still present in the Fire TV Stick 4K. It requires a separate power cable; its search could be better; and it pushes Amazon content way too hard.

But Amazon has also corrected a lot of the biggest sticking points with the original Fire TV Stick. Navigation is quick and breezy; Alexa integration is better than ever; and, most important, the device plays 4K HDR content for $20 less than the Google Chromecast Ultra, $10 less than the Roku Streaming Stick+, and only $10 more than the shrug-worthy Roku Premiere.

With lots of content to play and more than enough power to process high resolutions and wide color gamuts, the Fire TV Stick 4K is an easy recommendation. It's not quite as good as the Roku Streaming Stick+, which has a better app lineup and a more intuitive interface — but for dyed-in-the-wool Amazon fans who've fully embraced the Amazon Prime lifestyle, the trade-offs are probably worthwhile.

Credit: Amazon

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