New Amazon TVs bring smart features at low prices

With the sets starting at £249.99, Amazon is clear in its aim to make its TVs, and its smart TV ecosystem, as accessible as possible.  

It has launched three series of TVs in the UK, and you can find out about each below. 

Amazon is also running an introductory offer which takes up to 37% off the RRP, for a limited time. 

Price: from £249.99
Sizes: 32-inch (HD), 40-inch (FHD)
Pre-order: from today
Shipping: April 12 

This is the entry-level series of sets, which give you smart features at low prices. Amazon is clear with this series – it’s all about value. 

It does mean there are compromises to be had, and there’s no 4K resolution support here.  

You have two screen sizes to choose from. The 32-inch set coming with a HD resolution (High Definition, 720p), while the larger 40-inch 2 Series has a FHD (Full High Definition, 1080p) resolution. 

There’s support for HDR10 (High Dynamic Range), HLG (Hybrid Log Gamma) and Dolby Digital Audio, providing better clarity in picture and sound, and you’ll also get an Alexa voice remote in the box. 

This remote allows you to speak commands into the remote (such as “turn the volume down” and “open Netflix”) for a quicker user experience. 

In terms of design, the 2 Series is relatively standard with a black plastic frame proving to be more functional than stylish – but at this price point that’s not a huge surprise. 

You do get a selection of connectivity and ports however, with two HDMI 1.4 ports, one Ethernet port, wi-fi, one USB port, one digital optical audio port and Bluetooth, allowing you to connect a set of wireless headphones for a personal listening experience. 

Price: from £429.99
Sizes: 43-inch, 50-inch, 55-inch
Pre-order: from today
Shipping: April 12 

Already Amazon’s best-selling TV series in the US and Canada, the Fire TV 4 Series blends a higher price point (versus the 2 Series) with 4K UHD (Ultra High Definition) displays, smart home functionality and more screen technology to further enhance the visuals. 

Available in 43- (£429.99), 50- (£499.99) and 55-inch (£549.99) models, the Fire TV 4 Series feature HDR10, HLG and Dolby Digital Plus to improve the visuals on-screen. Amazon’s Alexa voice remote is also included here. 

As for ports, you get three HDMI 2.0, one HDMI 2.1, one Ethernet and one USB, while the styling is similar to that of the 2 series, with black, slender plastic bezels. 

Price: from £549.99
Sizes: 43-inch, 50-inch, 55-inch, 65-inch
Pre-order: from today
Shipping: April 12 (65-inch model), June 1 (all other sizes) 

Amazon’s new, range-topping Omni Series brings a host of premium TV features into sets which undercut the likes of Samsung, LG and Sony.  

The 4K QLED display is the best quality screen Amazon has put in any of its TVs and should provide a high level of clarity and colour for viewers. You also get the widest choice of screen sizes, with four on offer: 43- (£549.99), 50- (£649.99), 55- (£749.99) and 65-inch (£999.99). 

There’s yet more advancement in the screen processing area, with support for HDR10+, HLG, HDR10+ Adaptive and Dolby Vision IQ – the latter of which is the first time Amazon has included Dolby’s tech in its televisions. 

Amazon says this provides its “best viewing experience”, but we’ll reserve judgement for our review. 

The big inclusion in the Omni QLED Series is something Amazon is calling Ambient Experience. In short, it enables the TVs to be used as smart displays when you’re not watching anything.  

Walk into the room, and the TV’s presence sensor (located on a bar under the bottom bezel) will detect your movement and wake the screen.  

You can choose what the TV shows when it wakes. There’s a library of over 1,700 famous artworks, which can turn the display into a piece of art, or have it display a series of Alexa widgets to keep you up to date with what’s happening. 

Widgets include weather, diary entries, notes, smart home controls and content recommendations. 

The Omni QLED Series is also aware of when it’s night-time and won’t illuminate if you sneak downstairs for a late-night snack, plus you can long-press the power button on the remote to turn off the set if you have guests round and don’t want the screen to be a distraction. 

You can turn off the Ambient Experience however, if you’d rather not have your TV lighting up every time you enter the room. 

An ambient light senor is also included, allowing the TV to automatically adjust the picture quality and brightness to react to the lighting environment it’s in. If the sun suddenly pours through your window and onto the screen, it can adjust itself to ensure you’re still able to see the content – no need to leap off the sofa to draw the curtains. 

Amazon claims its interface is so intuitive, both adults and children can use it without the need for a manual, or to look things up online – something we’ll put to the test during our review in the future.

And no top-tier Amazon device would be complete without the inclusion of its voice assistant Alexa. This allows you to interact with the Omni QLED Series just the same as any Amazon Echo smart speaker you may have in your home already.  

Just say “Alexa” followed by your command or query, and the assistant will pop-up on screen and ready a response. This hands-free control also allows you to perform functions on the TV, from adjusting the volume and changing the channel, to asking it to play the next episode of a show you’re watching. 

If you don’t like the idea of your TV listening out for the ‘Alexa’ wake word, there’s a physical mute switch on the underside of the bezel allowing you to turn off its microphone.