Amazon Hearth TV 4-Sequence first impressions
Amazon’s personal model Hearth TV fashions are spreading their wings, escaping the US and Canada the place they had been first launched and increasing to the UK and Germany. The 4-Sequence is Amazon’s best-selling mannequin, providing an built-in Hearth TV expertise for a super-connected sensible TV expertise out of the field.
We spent a while with the Hearth TV 4-Sequence at its European launch in London.
Amazon Hearth TV 4-Sequence
First impressions
The Hearth TV 4-Sequence is available in a variety of enticing sizes with enticing costs. It isn’t probably the most technically adept show, but it surely affords nice connectivity and loads of sensible options so you’ll be able to rapidly and simply stream your favorite content material.
- Good worth for cash
- Hearth TV person interface
- Construct a bit of low cost
- No Dolby Imaginative and prescient
Design and construct
- 43, 50, 55in sizes
- 3x HDMI 2.0, 1x HDMI eARC 2.1
The Hearth TV 4-Sequence does not fairly stretch to the premium construct of the Omni Sequence with its metallic end, as a substitute choosing a black end. There is a barely plasticky look to issues, however contemplating the low costs for these TVs, it is typical for this section of the market.
The stand comes within the type of two toes at both finish of the display screen, however we suspect that many lately will wall-mount this TV as a substitute for a extra seamless end. With that in thoughts the connections are nicely on the again of the TV, so you will not have seen cables hanging out the aspect.
When it comes to that connectivity, there are three HDMI 2.0 and one HDMI 2.1 with eARC which can permit for connection to audio units similar to a soundbar. There’s optical and Ethernet connections too, though Wi-Fi can also be out there to connect with your house community.
It isn’t the thinnest of TVs, but it surely fits the value level, whereas there is a vary of sizes that will likely be common: many will go for 55-inch as a important TV, however the 43 and 55-inch fashions will swimsuit smaller rooms.
We have not had the possibility to expertise the speaker efficiency on this TV.
Show high quality and efficiency
The Hearth TV 4-Sequence is a 4K TV, but it surely’s noticeably much less punchy than the Omni QLED TV that Amazon affords as its flagship. Certainly, the 4-Sequence has a peak brightness of 300 nit, which is not massively brilliant, however once more, that is not so unusual for a TV at this worth.
Whereas the LED panel will present the 4K decision so there’s loads of element, it additionally helps HDR10 and HLG – hybrid log gamma – so it is going to be in a position to ship a bit of extra punch when dealing with respectable content material. That ought to make the colors extra impactful, but it surely lacks Dolby Imaginative and prescient compatibility, one thing that the higher-positioned Omni does.
Throughout our time with the Hearth TV 4-Sequence we did not get the possibility to expertise a lot content material, so we won’t choose the efficiency of this show thus far. We’ll be updating with a full evaluation as quickly as we have had the possibility to present it a correct testing.
Content material and providers
- Hearth TV built-in
- Freeview Play (UK)
- Amazon Luna help
The large attraction to a TV like that is that Hearth TV is built-in all through it. There isn’t any must plug in a separate dongle and you do not have to struggle with outdated apps such as you may on a sensible TV. As an alternative, you are straight into Amazon’s TV person interface, supplying you with entry to all the main streaming providers. Hearth TV is a massively common expertise which many have encountered on Hearth TV Sticks and lengthening it natively to the entire TV is sensible.
That is joined by a terrestrial tuner and within the UK the place we noticed the 4-Sequence this affords Freeview Play entry. There isn’t any DVR entry, so you’ll be able to’t file any reside programming, however you’ll be able to return by way of the EPG to programmes you have missed, press play and the respective streaming service will open so you can begin watching that programme. It is customary Freeview Play performance, but it surely’s good that it is in place.
Past these providers, Amazon Luna has additionally launched within the UK and Germany, so the cloud gaming service can also be provided on the 4-Sequence in all areas that it is bought.
Alexa and that voice distant
- Alexa Voice Distant
- Alexa Expertise
To manage the Hearth TV 4-Sequence, it ships with an Alexa Voice Distant. This is not the identical as you may discover on the top-level Hearth TV Stick as a result of it is expanded to supply extra buttons, similar to all of the numbers that can assist you choose channels. But it surely does characteristic an Alexa button, so you’ll be able to seek for content material, with the TV returning all of your watching choices for the titles you ask for.
Alexa’s expertise lengthen past simply programming, as a result of you too can get the Hearth TV 4-Sequence to return info and the type of outcomes that you simply’d get from an Amazon Echo. There isn’t any handsfree possibility, nevertheless, not like the Hearth TV Omni QLED, which acts as a large Echo.
However simply with the ability to entry Alexa’s expertise by way of the Voice Distant means you may nonetheless be capable to flip the lights on and off or modify the heating, with out the necessity for one more Alexa gadget within the room.
First impressions
We did not have lengthy with the Hearth TV 4-Sequence so we’ve not had the possibility to completely assess its efficiency, however we’ll replace with a full evaluation as quickly as we’ve got the possibility. Having used the Hearth TV Stick for a few years, the attraction of a devoted TV with built-in Hearth TV providers has speedy attraction.
There are some downsides to this TV: the brightness won’t be up there with the most effective and you do not get full help for codecs like Dolby Imaginative and prescient – however at this worth, that is not unusual. The Amazon Hearth TV 4-Sequence is at present out there pre-order with deliveries from 12 April; there’s an introductory low cost that might prevent as much as £170 on the 55-inch mannequin.
