Amazon is currently selling its 55-inch Ember 4K Smart TV for just $279.99, a 39% discount off its original price of $459.99. That matches the lowest price ever seen, representing a excellent offer in the days leading up to October Prime Day next week. If you want a feature-rich 4K TV for under $300, this is the deal you want to take advantage of.
What the Amazon Ember 4K TV offers
This Amazon Ember TV (model 4K55N402) has a large 55-inch display with 3840×2160 ultra-high-definition 4K resolution, complete with HDR10, HDR10+ and HLG support, ensuring greater contrast and rendering of dark areas. You’ll notice the difference when watching compatible streaming content.
With direct LED backlighting and a 60Hz refresh rate, it’s ideal for well-lit rooms and enough for everyday TV, movie and gaming viewing. If you’re a serious gamer, you might want to opt for a more specialized model with 120Hz, 144Hz, or even 165Hz refresh. As for audio, the built-in speakers support Dolby Audio and are sufficient for standard fare. If you’re picky about audio, perhaps complement it with an Amazon Fire TV Soundbar Plus.
Between the quad-core processor and the updated Fire OS, Ember 4-Series offers a smoother experience, faster app launches, more responsive menus and interfaces, and shorter content loading times. It’s especially noticeable when streaming high-resolution content and cloud gaming. Fire OS offers access to platforms like Netflix, YouTube and Prime Video, as well as free ad-supported content. The Alexa voice remote control makes it easy to search for content, avoiding the need for on-screen keyboards.
An interesting additional feature is the Ambient TV mode, which can passively display photos and/or more than 2,000 free works of art. It is activated by environmental sensors that detect when people are in the room, at which point the TV becomes a decorative screen instead of a flat, black screen. But you’ll need to keep the TV in standby mode rather than turning it off when not in use.
Is this the right deal for you?
Reception for the Amazon Ember 4 Series 55-inch Smart TV is generally positive, with a rating of 4.2 across more than 1,800 reviews. Most of the praise is due to its overall value, simple setup, 4K image quality, vivid contrast, and easy-to-use interface. 55-inch 4K TVs typically only cost under $300 during big sales events, so now’s your chance.
This TV is best suited as an entry-level 4K option for avid streamers, casual gamers, and those who want the decorative atmosphere that Ambient TV mode offers. It is not the best option for users who have high gaming demands, for home theater enthusiasts who expect maximum brightness and superior black levels, or for demanding audiophiles. It’s also not a good option if you want to avoid the Fire TV ecosystem that is heavily integrated into the TV.
For more great deals worth noting, check out PCWorld’s roundup of the best tech deals from Prime Day in early October.
