Why the QLED TV I recommend to most people in 2026 isn’t made by Samsung or Sony

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Amazon to release several new devices in late 2025, including Fire TV Omni QLED SeriesWhich I have been testing for more than a month. I use the 65-inch model of this smart TV as my family’s main television, and it’s a huge upgrade from my four-year-old LG TV.

Granted, that TV was an entry-level UN7000 with 4K resolution, so it wasn’t a QLED panel by any means. It cost me $500 in 2021, but today, you can get a much better 55-inch Omni QLED Series TV for $530.

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Although it’s a testament to how much more affordable televisions have become over the last four years, I’m not sure I would have bought the Fire TV instead of the LG — at least not until I tested it.

The Fire TV Omni QLED Series is the third Fire TV I’ve used; I have a 50 inch Series 4 Fire TV and a 43 inch Omni Series. I got both of these for $100 during Amazon Prime Day sales events, so they were relatively low-risk purchases at the time. I set up that Omni Series Fire TV in my bedroom, and it proved to be far superior to my old Westinghouse TV, but the latest Omni QLED Series is even more impressive.

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This Fire TV image delivers on the promises Amazon has made for its picture quality. The image is so clear and detailed that it outperforms low-quality video, boasting vibrant colors and HDR10+ adaptive support.

The QLED panel produces deep blacks and crisp whites along with realistic contrasts thanks to its full-array local dimming technology.

TVs have thin bezels of about a centimeter or less, making the display the main event at all times, whether in use or not. When it’s off, it displays Amazon’s ambient experience, artwork or your own images.

Making it even smarter, the Fire TV Omni QLED series also supports OmniSense, a new technology that uses sensors to wake the display when someone enters the room. Whether you choose to use it or not is up to you.

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The TV also supports Dolby Audio for better sound, but you can connect external speakers and soundbars via the digital audio port or Bluetooth. I’ve tested both separately and together with two HomePod minis and a Sonos Era 300 for the full audio experience, and I wasn’t disappointed in the slightest.

As part of the Omni series of Fire TV, this new smart TV also has Alexa+ built-in. You can use Alexa not only to control your TV and compatible smart devices, but also to ask it for much more than your usual virtual assistant.

Thanks to generative AI, you can ask Alexa+ to not only find a movie for you, but also to explain the theme, give you specific genre suggestions with one of the actors, and then ask it to create a recipe for a movie-time snack from whatever you have in your pantry. The functionality is similar to Google’s own TV operating system, except that it is powered by Gemini.

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I’ve actually found Alexa+ to be a bit more useful, as it works better with the various Alexa-supported smart home devices scattered throughout my outdoor yard and bedroom. This is an ecosystem play, so I highly recommend the Fire TV (and it’s Alexa smart) if you’re an existing user.

The only feature I wish this TV had was a way to locate the remote control, which is only available on the Alexa Voice Remote Pro, sold separately for $35. The TV comes with the Fire TV Alexa Voice Remote Enhanced, which you can also use to communicate with Alexa by pressing the microphone button; However, it does not allow you to locate it if it is lost.

ZDNET’s shopping advice

Normally available for $850 – It’s currently on sale for $750 – Latest 65-inch Omni QLED Series The ideal choice for buyers who want a midrange TV with a hands-free, generative AI virtual assistant that delivers a stunningly crisp picture and fast processing power.

The Fire TV Omni QLED Series features a quad-core processor, resulting in reliable response during navigation – it’s definitely the fastest Fire TV I’ve had at home, including streaming devices. After using the Omni QLED Series TV for over a month, I didn’t experience a single bug or glitch during navigation, unlike other smart TVs and streaming devices.