I just tested the Amazon Omni QLED TV for one week — and it’s not the TV you want to buy for the holidays
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.)
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.
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