These days, just about everyone has heard of or purchased one of the best streaming devices to consume Netflix, Prime Video, or HBO Max. But I'd argue that streaming media's most valuable asset is actually one of the best Fire TV Edition TVs. Right now, we think the best Fire TV Edition set is the Amazon Fire TV 4-Series because it's one of the newest and most attractive options available. However, there are several great choices on the market, so let's take a look at what's out right now.
What are the best built-in Fire TVs?
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Late in the year, Amazon announced its first "Amazon-built" TV sets with the Amazon Fire TV 4-Series and the Amazon Fire TV Omni Series. The Fire TV 4-Series offers pretty much all of the features that you could want from one of the best smart TVs while being powered by Amazon's excellent interface. The 4-Series comes in three different sizes and delivers 4K UHD video while also providing HDR10 and HLG support.
As expected, Amazon includes an Amazon Voice Remote, complete with Alexa, which will come in handy since you won't be able to activate Alexa hands-free. It's definitely the more affordable option of the two, but the 4-Series still looks great despite relying on an LED panel instead of an OLED or QLED display. Thankfully, Amazon thought ahead for its users and included a total of three HDMI 2.0 ports and a single HDMI 2.1 eARC port so that you can connect all of your devices and peripherals.
The only other catch, besides using an LED panel, is that the Amazon Fire TV 4-Series is only available in three different sizes. If you want something larger than 55-inches, you might want to check out Amazon's Omni Series.
If you take all of the features of the Amazon Fire TV 4-Series and pack them into a slightly different frame with more options, then you'll get the Omni Series. This was announced at the same time as Amazon is attempting to offer its own line of TV sets instead of solely relying on licensing the rights to other TV makers.
With the Omni Series, you'll enjoy plenty of size options ranging from 43-inches and going all the way up to 75-inches. These TV sets provide 4K UHD playback, Amazon's Fire TV interface, and Dolby Vision HDR support, no matter which size you pick. There are also four HDMI ports, including one HDMI eARC 2.1, making this a perfect option for gamers who don't want high refresh rates.
Amazon's Omni Series also provides a hands-free Alexa experience, which can really come in handy when your hands are full, and you need to turn on the lights. Plus, Amazon has also added two-way video calling using Alexa, which you won't find on any other Fire TV Edition. Aside from the decision to skip OLED panels, the biggest gripe you might have is that Dolby Vision support is limited to only the 65-inch and 75-inch models.
One of the newest additions to the lineup of built-in Fire TV options is the Hisense U6HF. This new TV recently landed on Amazon as Hisense's first attempt at using the Fire TV interface as opposed to Android TV. As you would expect, the U6HF includes Amazon's excellent Alexa Voice Remote, complete with hands-free Alexa support and on-remote shortcuts to some of the best streaming services.
As for picture quality, Hisense is pulling out all of the stops as the U6HF uses a QLED panel, which offers some of the best color accuracy on the market. This TV also supports Dolby Vision HDR, HDR10, and HDR10+, so your favorite movies and TV shows will look better than ever. Hisense even went so far as to include a total of four HDMI ports, so you won't need to worry about running out of connections.
Unfortunately, the U6HF is currently only available in 50-inches, but the company has plans to release a 55-inch model later in 2022. And while Motion Rate 240 is integrated to cut down on blurriness from action scenes, the TV panel itself is limited to 60Hz. This should be fine for most, but gamers might want to look elsewhere.
Following in the footsteps of Toshiba, Insignia also released a new 4K UHD Fire TV Edition with the Insignia F30. However, if you put the F30 next to last year's model, it would be rather challenging to identify any differences. You're still getting the same Fire TV experience you would expect, along with 4K UHD picture quality. Insignia is also still including the Amazon Voice Remote with Alexa, but that's about it.
Limitations start as soon as you start looking into the different ports available since you're still limited to just three. This isn't a huge deal since Fire TV handles your streaming needs, but we would have liked to see some changes made, from the bezels around the edges to adding even just one more HDMI port.
On the bright side, the Insignia F30 features support for HDMI ARC and eARC, ensuring seamless integration with an external soundbar. Although DTS Studio Sound is an improvement over last year, you're still likely going to want to check out the best soundbars to get a better audio experience.
If you want the ultimate Amazon Fire TV built-in television, look no further than the all-new Amazon Fire TV Omni QLED Series. Not only are you getting a stunning 4K UHD quality, but this TV also supports quite a few different HDR formats. These include the likes of HDR10+ Adaptive, Dolby Vision IQ, and even HDR10+ Gaming.
In the box, Amazon also includes the excellent Alexa Voice Remote, but there are built-in microphones to provide hands-free access to Alexa. As for port selection, Amazon didn't skimp there either, as the Omni QLED Series includes three HDMI 2.0 ports, one HDMI 2.1 eARC port, an Ethernet jack, and a USB 2.0 port. This makes the Omni QLED perfect for gaming, or enjoying the latest movies as soon as they hit your favorite streaming service.
Over the past few years, we've seen the price of QLED TVs come down quite a bit, and that trend continues with the sub-$800 starting price of Amazon's offering. The only real downside here is that there are only two sizes available, 65-inches or 75-inches. We also wish Amazon would have included its updated Alexa Voice Remote Pro, but alas, you'll have to pick that up separately.
It was a matter of time, but Toshiba has released its new high-end Fire TV Edition models with the Toshiba C350 series. As a result, you're going to get the excellent Amazon Fire TV experience built-in without needing to take up those precious HDMI ports with a dongle. Toshiba also included the improved Voice Remote with Alexa, allowing you to make Alexa do all the heavy lifting for you.
In addition to providing 4K UHD quality, the Toshiba C350 series is also compatible with Dolby Vision HDR and HDR10 content. And those who are a bit concerned with the audio quality will enjoy the DTS Virtual: X support that aims to provide an enhanced audio experience compared to other Fire TV models.
The biggest downside to the Toshiba C350 series is that the company uses LED panels instead of OLED. This means your colors may not be quite as vibrant as some of the best TVs, but it should still do a great job. There's also the concern of only having three different sizes to choose from in this lineup, as Toshiba is only offering 43-inch, 50-inch, and 55-inch options.
Unlike the F30 Series, Insignia did make one major adjustment when it released the Insignia F20 Series. Last year's "ultra-budget" Fire TV Editions were limited to a 720p resolution, even if you moved up to a larger size. With the F20 Series, Insignia is upping the ante by making the move up to 1080p. This will not be as crisp as 4K, but it will be quite a substantial upgrade over the 720p resolution from last year.
Just as you'll find with both Insignia and Toshiba's options, the F20 Series also includes the Amazon Voice Remote equipped with Alexa. Beggars can't be choosers, but if we could choose, we would have liked to see a redesign to the design of the F20 Series. Slimmer bezels would also have been a welcome feature, and that awkward bump at the bottom of the TV that houses the IR blaster is not very aesthetically pleasing.
It's clear that Insignia went with an "if it ain't broke, don't fix it" approach to its 2021 Fire TV Edition lineup. And while it's great to see the improvement of the picture quality, there are a few other areas that we wished would have gotten some love.
If you're on a tighter budget, or if you're so particular that you require a 4K UHD picture, then you might be better off just getting a 720p HD Fire TV Edition TV. As with the other TVs on this list, you get the full-featured Fire TV operating system and an Alexa Voice Remote to control your smart TV.
The familiar Fire TV experience is easy to navigate with the remote traditionally, too, of course, and watching the latest episodes of Jack Ryan or the Marvelous Mrs. Maisel is so enjoyable on that HD screen. The remote also has quick use buttons for common streaming sites like Netflix, HBO, and Hulu. This is the perfect device for a bedroom, home office, or study, and it's priced to be the ideal gift for friends and family.
The best of Fire in your TV
Amazon is really hitting hard in the smart TV streaming space, and these latest Fire TV Editions from Amazon, Insignia, and Toshiba have raised the bar another notch. So our top choice on this list has to be the Amazon Fire TV 4-Series because it's the most attractive and affordable Fire TV-powered option available.
These Fire TV Edition TVs have almost all of the top specs you would look for in a mid-range smart TV like 4K UHD and available Dolby Vision, with the benefit of Amazon's intuitive Fire TV operating system built-in. Having Alexa available through the included voice remote is a huge bonus as well, as you can use this device like your smart home controller to monitor your Ring Doorbell, Blink cameras, or Ecobee thermostats. We also like that they come in sizes that are not absurdly large for most rooms and are affordably priced for 4K smart TVs.
Whichever Fire TV set you choose, you're going to get a great viewing experience with Alexa smarts built-in at a reasonable price. Choose wisely, and start enjoying all of that great content soon with your friends and family!
