Amazon Enters Art TV Market with Ember Artline, Priced to Undercut Samsung
WIRED reviews the $899 to $1,099 Ember Artline, noting its strong aesthetic appeal and smart features, despite older QLED technology limiting contrast and gaming performance.
Amazon has launched the Ember Artline, a wall-mounted art television designed to integrate seamlessly into home interiors. Priced at $899 for the 55-inch model and $1,099 for the 65-inch version, the device is positioned as a budget-friendly alternative to the Samsung Frame Pro, which costs approximately $2,000 more. The television features a svelte design that mounts flush against the wall, with a thickness of 1.54 inches, and includes an anti-glare matte finish intended to enhance the realism of displayed artwork and streaming content.
The device distinguishes itself through several AI-driven features, including a "Match the Room" function that uses a photograph of the user’s space to generate artwork fitting the room’s colour scheme. It also offers over 2,000 free art images, including "moving artwork" where static elements such as water or mist animate slightly. Additionally, the Ember Artline is equipped with an "Omnisense" motion sensor designed to save power by turning off the display when the room is empty and waking it upon detection of presence, though testing indicated this feature functioned correctly approximately 90 per cent of the time.
Under the hood, the Ember Artline runs on Amazon Fire OS with Wi-Fi 6 support, a system described as easier to set up than competitors like Google TV. Connectivity options include one HDMI 2.1 port for eARC, three HDMI 2.0 ports, Ethernet, optical, and USB 2.0 ports. The unit weighs 60.2 pounds for the 65-inch model and 42.5 pounds for the 55-inch model, requiring standard mounting tools for installation. Users can also purchase additional bezel frames in ten colours for $75 to $85, significantly less than the $199 cost for Samsung’s equivalent accessories.
Despite its aesthetic focus, the television utilises older QLED technology, which results in lower contrast and a 60Hz refresh rate. Reviewers noted that while the matte finish improves the look of art, the screen struggles with accurate colour reproduction and tonal variation in video content, with skin tones and greens appearing washed out. This hardware limitation also impacts gaming performance, with input lag described as pronounced during testing of titles such as Forza Horizon 5, making it less suitable for high-performance gaming compared to higher refresh rate displays.
The Alexa+ voice assistant provides functionality for general queries, weather, and media searches, including complex requests for movies based on critic scores. However, it has limitations when searching for specific classic masterpieces. While the Ember Artline offers a compelling package for consumers prioritising decor integration and smart features over raw picture quality, it remains a step behind the Samsung Frame Pro in terms of display fidelity and texture realism.
