The Amazon Fire TV is a great device for streaming content. It has a large selection of apps and games, and it’s easy to use. The best part is that it’s affordable, so you can afford to buy multiple devices for your family. ..
Selecting a Fire TV model is pretty much the same as picking up any other TV. You want the television to run on the Fire TV platform and satisfy your TV needs while providing a great viewing experience.
One of the most important things to consider while choosing a new Fire TV is its size. For the best experience, you should pick a size based on how far you’ll be sitting from it. We have a nifty guide for quickly determining the right TV size for you so you can get that factor squared away with ease.
TV resolution is also important, but in 2021, 4K is pretty much a no-brainer. 4K TVs are more affordable than ever, and you’ll have no problem finding high-resolution content. Even if you watch a lot of cable, DVDs, or broadcast TV, your Fire TV will upscale it for a good experience.
If you game a lot, it’s a good idea to pick a TV with low input lag, faster response time, and features like Auto Low Latency Mode (ALLM). These features will make sure gaming doesn’t feel like a chore on your television. Similarly, you want good HDR support, better image processing, and excellent picture quality while buying a TV for movies.
These are just some of the things you want to consider while picking up a new TV. We recommend going through our complete guide on buying a new TV to make sure you have all of your bases covered.
Now, let’s jump into our best Fire TV recommendations.
✓ Affordable✓ Support for hands-free Alexa✓ Dolby Vision support in 65 and 75-inch models
✗ Average picture quality✗ Doesn’t get bright enough for great HDR experience✗ No next-gen gaming features
While other Fire TVs talk to Alexa using their remote control, the Fire TV Omni features a far-field microphone array that enables Alexa voice control without the remote—even when the screen is off.
Even besides that, there is a lot to like in the Fire TV Omni, from its aggressive pricing to support for Dolby Vision HDR and eARC. However, Dolby Vision is limited to just the 65-inch and 75-inch models. The TV is also set to get Zoom app for video calling, Apple AirPlay 2, and the ability to pair the TV with Echo speakers for a home theater experience via future firmware updates.
The television doesn’t support next-generation gaming features, but it offers an incredibly low input lag, good response time, and ALLM. So the casual gamers will get a good experience.
Unfortunately, the Fire TV Omni has only a passable picture quality. The contrast ratio is poor, and it doesn’t get very bright for an excellent HDR performance. The TV also lacks full-array local dimming, which could have significantly improved black levels.
The Fire TV Omni is available in 43-inch, 50-inch, 55-inch, 65-inch, and 75-inch sizes.
✓ Excellent native contrast ratio✓ Reasonably priced✓ Very low input lag for gaming
✗ Narrow viewing angles✗ No support for HDR10+ or Dolby Vision✗ No advanced gaming features
Its Vertical Alignment (VA) panel provides an excellent contrast ratio that will make watching movies in a dark room a treat. The television also comes with HDR10 support but lacks Dolby Vision and HDR10+.
The Fire TV platform runs smoothly, and like the Omni, the 4-Series is also set to get Zoom app for video calling, Apple AirPlay 2, and the support for pairing with Echo speakers via future firmware updates.
There are four HDMI ports onboard, out of which one supports eARC. However, the Series-4 cannot pass through advanced audio formats like Dolby Atmos via TrueHD or DTS:X via DTS-HD.
In addition, while the TV has a very low input lag, it is missing advanced gaming features and has a slow response time. So if you plan to play a lot of games, you’re better off with our gaming pick.
You can buy the 43-inch and 50-inch models of the Fire TV 4-Series for under $500.
If you are looking for an inexpensive Fire TV, the 43-inch Insignia F30 is an excellent option. The television looks decent and has a good build quality for the price. In addition, you get a 4K 60Hz panel with a reasonable contrast ratio, so movies and TV shows will look great in a dark room.
✓ Great value for money✓ Upscaling works well✓ Good contrast ratio
✗ Narrow viewing angles✗ Underwhelming gaming experience
In addition, the television is good at upscaling lower-resolution content, so if you have DVDs lying around or watch a lot of cable TV, everything will look good. The F30 also has decent brightness for its price and includes HDR10 support.
In other features, there are three HDMI 2.0 ports onboard, out of which one supports ARC for audio passthrough to your soundbar.
Unfortunately, the TV has narrow viewing angles, and its average input lag makes it unsuitable for gaming enthusiasts. Also, as you can expect from a budget TV, no Dolby Vision or HDR10+ support is included. Still, for under $300, this cheap Fire TV is pretty great.
The Toshiba C350 is your best option for a gaming-focused Fire TV. It comes with a decent response time and a very low input lag for a fluid gaming experience. The TV also has ALLM, so when you play a game on a connected console, it will automatically enter Game Mode.
✓ Very low input lag during Game Mode✓ Support for Dolby Vision and eARC✓ Value for money
✗ No support for 4K@120fps gaming✗ No HDMI 2. 1 ports✗ Panel type varies between sizes
Support for Dolby Vision and HDR10 is also present, allowing you to enjoy high dynamic range games as well as movies. In addition, Toshiba has packed eARC for uncompressed audio passthrough to a connected soundbar or speaker system.
Moreover, the C350 is one of the few newer TVs with composite inputs, which will let you play older game consoles or use DVD players without any extra equipment.
Toshiba uses different panel types for different sizes of C350, so the TV’s contrast and viewing angles will vary. For example, the 50-inch model has a VA-type panel, so you get an excellent native contrast ratio but narrow viewing angles.
In contrast, the 55-inch model houses an IPS-type panel with a mediocre contrast ratio but great viewing angles. Unfortunately, we don’t know which panels are present in the 43-inch, 65-inch, and 75-inch models.
The TV doesn’t have a high refresh rate panel or an HDMI 2.1 port, so you are restricted to 4K@60fps gaming. If you want to enjoy 4K@120fps gaming, you are better off picking one of our best gaming TV recommendations, all of which have a native 120Hz panel and HDMI 2.1.
✓ Dolby Vision support in 65-inch and 75-inch models✓ eARC available✓ Affordable and well-built
✗ Inferior picture quality than similarly-priced non-Fire TVs✗ No next-gen gaming features
eARC support is also present, so if you like to attach a soundbar or speaker system to your TV, you’ll be able to passthrough Dolby Atmos, DTS:X, and other audio formats. In addition, the TV is set to get an Alexa Home Theater feature that will let you pair Echo speakers for a home theater-like experience.
