Here’s Why You Shouldn’t Buy Amazon’s Cheapest 43in TV – And What Our Tech Expert Recommends Instead

It’s Prime Day and, as usual, all of Amazon’s own-brand products are on sale – including its range of Fire TVs. The Fire TV Series 2 32in makes a great bedroom TV and has been reduced to $100, which is its lowest-ever price. The 43in Fire TV Series 4, meanwhile, is down to a ludicrously low $240.

But if I wanted to save some serious money on a 43in telly, this isn’t the model I’d choose. In our review, our TV expert, Steve Withers, didn’t rate it.

While its color accuracy and general image quality were both fine, he found that it lacked the processing power to run Amazon’s own smart TV software without slowing down and feeling sluggish. Its support for HDR formats was limited, with no HDR10+ or Dolby Vision compatibility on the spec sheet.

The TV also lacks local dimming, which means HDR movies and TV shows will look a little flatter than with a better TV. Peak brightness was low, too, so it might not be the greatest TV to watch in a bright room. With a three-star review, not even a $100 discount could persuade me to buy one.

Buy the Amazon Omni QLED 50in or 55in models instead

The next model up the Amazon TV range, however – the Omni QLED – is an entirely different proposition. Packed with features, it includes support for the full range of HDR standards – HLG, HDR10, HDR10+ Adaptive, and Dolby Vision IQ – and the picture quality is a cut above, too.

Again, I’d advise avoiding the 43in model as that model doesn’t come with a zoned mini-LED backlight with full-array local dimming. Again, that will affect image quality while watching HDR films and TV, with a much “flatter”, less vibrant image.

The 50in and 55in models, however, are worth considering and the good news is that both models have also been reduced to their lowest price ever:

• The 50in Amazon Fire TV Omni QLED is $388, reduced from an average price of $414
• The 55in Amazon Fire TV Omni QLED is $416, reduced from an average price of $469

Those are impressively low prices for TVs with a mini LED backlight and full array local dimming and although we haven’t tested those models directly, we were very impressed with the 65in Omni QLED model. On that model, we measured peak brightness reaching 570cd/m² on a 10% window and decent color performance with the panel capable of reproducing 95% of the DCI-P3 color gamut. That’s the color space used in HDR10 material, so it’s definitely a cut above most cheap TVs.

With Alexa built-in and Amazon’s Fire TV software on board, you’ll also benefit from the same great range of streaming apps and ease of use that users of the company’s Fire TV sticks usually benefit from.

Either model makes a fine TV for budget-conscious consumers who don’t want to sacrifice image quality or smart features. They won’t compete with a pricier, older OLED set, but these are the TVs we’d recommend if you’re keen to cut costs while still enjoying the best in high-resolution content.