I tried Amazon’s cheap new Fire TV – it’s a dream for Ring and Alexa fans
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FORGET TV sticks, dongles, and plug-in boxes.
Amazon's brand new Fire TVs have everything you need packed into the set itself - which is great for wire haters.
The retail giant has long led the way on the TV stick front but now it's going for the whole screen.
And with a cost of living crisis, Amazon is doing what it does best - cheap.
So what did we make of the Amazon Fire TV 43" 4-series 4K UHD smart TV?
Read on below to find out.
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Amazon Fire TV 4-series review
The actual design of the TV itself is nothing to shout about.
It's simple and what you would expect from any telly, with black borders, a Fire TV logo slapped on the bottom and plastic stands.
It doesn't scream premium and it doesn't give off a completely basic feel either - it's just ordinary, and that's fine.
Besides, what really matters is quality of the display itself.
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This is a 4K Ultra High Definition display and a test run of some 4K content on Netflix certainly delivers crisp, deep images.
I'm surprised at how bright the screen is too.
Navigating around the interface wasn't as smooth as I'd like it to be, it jitters ever so slightly.
There are four HDMI ports, plenty for anything you want to plug in like a PS5.
In terms of audio, I found the sound lacked oomph when I put on a movie, as can happen all too often with TVs these days.
Of course, no telly is complete without a remote and this features all the Amazon bells and whistles - as well as some rivals.
Amazon Fire TV 4-series: Features
Front and centre is Alexa, with a hard-to-miss button at the very top of the remote, enabling you to forget any other button altogether and use your voice.
Others include Prime Video - obviously - Netflix, Disney+ and Freeview Play.
Anyone who's already used a Fire TV stick before will find the interface instantly recognisable - and I'm pleased Amazon has stuck with familiar for ease.
There are loads of apps to enjoy too.
And if you're really looking to cut down on spending, you can get by without even using any of the paid streaming services.
Pluto TV and Freevee are both free providers with a growing list of great shows and movies to enjoy - Freevee is Amazon's free alternative to Prime that will be home to Neighbours later this year.
I also like that Amazon embraces rival content.
For example, when I searched for Harry Potter using Alexa it points me in the direction of Netflix and rightly states 'free to me' rather than trying to get me to buy it outright or rent it from the Amazon store.
Another useful part of the Fire TV and its wider integration with Amazon products is the ability to use your Ring doorbell and other cameras.
You can check the front door and even set the video to a small insert in the corner of your screen.
It was annoying that Alexa wouldn't open my video feed to the front door when I asked - even though the Fire TVs do support it.
Amazon Fire TV 4-series: Verdict
The hits the spot I would expect from Amazon's usual budget-conscious approach.
First impressions at the set itself may be vanilla but inside it packs plenty of content to keep any telly lover happy.
The display beams beautiful but the audio lets the side down.
It usually retails at £429.99 which I think is probably a bit too much for this standard of TV as there are bigger plays already offering alternatives around this price.
But the good news is that it's currently 33% cheaper, and will set you back a mere £289.99.
But if you love Amazon products like Alexa and Ring, this will complete your Amaz-ing family without breaking the bank.
Rating: 3.5/5
All prices in this article were correct at the time of writing, but may have since changed.
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Always do your own research before making any purchase.
- Amazon 43-inch Fire TV, £289.99 (save £140) -
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