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Amazon Omni Series TV review: A genuinely good mid-tier TV that can make Zoom calls
Wait, what? It's true: Plug in a compatible webcam for big-screen video-call goodness.
Would you buy a big TV just to make Zoom calls? I know, sounds crazy, but think of the advantages: You can actually see everyone on the call instead of squinting at them in tiny little windows. And if you're video-calling family, it's even better — imagine a giant-screen conversation like they have on the bridge of the starship Enterprise. (No, I did not just say your Uncle Chester looks like a Klingon.) Alas, most TVs don't do Zoom, but the Amazon Omni Series does — and it's just one reason you might want to consider it for your living room. Here's my review.
PROS: Very good image quality for a mid-tier TV; hands-free Alexa allows a wealth of voice commands; you can add a webcam for Zoom calls
CONS: Fire TV interface is confusing in places; Dolby Vision included only with 65- and 75-inch models.
VERDICT: One of the smartest TVs you can get, the Omni Series delivers a lovely picture and can serve as the hub of your Amazon-centric smart home.
Let's start with the TV itself. Like all screens that have Amazon's Fire TV interface baked in, the Omni Series not only streams all the major services — Netflix, Hulu, HBO, etc. — but also supports apps and games. (Check out some of the Jackbox party games; they're a blast.)
But here you also get hands-free Alexa, a feature I quickly grew to love. Without so much as touching the remote, you can tell the TV to turn itself on or off, raise the volume, play Atypical on Netflix (highly recommended), show your Ring doorbell video feed, dim the lights, start a Zoom call (more on that below) and much more.
Plus, you have the option to wirelessly pair any Echo speakers you might have, a pretty cool way to expand your sound system. The Omni Series supports Apple AirPlay as well, meaning you can easily mirror content from your Apple devices. That's a great option for, say, looking at vacation photos or sharing TikTok videos with an audience.
Of course, image quality is arguably the most important aspect of any TV, and I found the Omni Series to be sharp, bright and colorful. Does the picture rival that of pricier models from the likes of Samsung and LG? It does not. Will most users find it perfectly satisfactory, if not outright great? The proof is in the pudding: The TV earned a 4.5-star average rating from over 23,000 buyers.
My main complaint is with the Fire TV interface, which remains a mixed bag. It's not super-intuitive or easy to customize, but it's more versatile than Roku (see: apps and games) and great at fielding voice commands. I frequently found myself struggling to find the app I wanted — but then I remembered I could just ask Alexa to open it.
Amazon Fire TV Omni Series: How is it for Zoom calls?
Although Amazon says the TV should recognize "any compatible webcam," the recommended models are Logitech's C920, C922x and C310. I happened to have one of these on hand, and sure enough, when I plugged it in the TV immediately detected it. An onscreen message indicated relevant settings I might need to adjust, which I appreciated.
It was easy enough to install the Zoom app ("Alexa, install Zoom") and sign into my account, though it's no fun using the remote to navigate the onscreen keyboard. I recommend installing the Fire TV app on your phone; it affords a "real" keyboard, which makes entering credentials — such as Zoom meeting IDs and passwords — much less tedious.
And you'll need to do that whenever you want to join a meeting. However, if you connect your Zoom account to your calendar, and you've got meetings on that calendar, the Zoom app will import them. Now you can join one just by selecting it.
Here's the good news: A TV is indeed a great way to consume a Zoom meeting, for the simple reason that bigger is always better. However, note that I said "consume" — if you're an active meeting participant and you're sitting on a couch across from the TV, that puts you pretty far away from the camera. Others on the call won't be able to see you well, not unless you move much closer.
Indeed, consider the difference between sitting a foot away from a laptop camera and sitting maybe 10 feet from a webcam. This is fine if you just need to watch what's being presented. But if you're the presenter, or you want to make sure you're seen, this kind of setup is less than ideal.
Amazon Fire TV Omni Series: Worth buying?
There's a lot to like about this TV, which is available in 43-, 50-, 55-, 65- and 75-inch sizes. Worth noting: The 65- and 75-inch models add Dolby Vision to the mix, which promises even better picture quality — but I thought the 50-inch looked remarkably good even without that extra tech. Whatever size you end up with, hands-free Alexa is fantastic, and the Zoom option is definitely nice to have.
The most important thing to know about the Amazon Fire TV Omni Series is that the list price isn't the real price. That's because Amazon discounts the TV with extreme regularity. Thus, if you've decided to buy one, make sure you don't pay full price. I promise you there's a sale just around the corner.
Amazon's mid-tier Omni Series offers impressive bang for the buck, with features like hands-free Alexa and webcam support baked into the interface. But make sure to wait for a sale, because the company discounts these TVs on a regular basis.
