Amazon’s Ember Artline TV is Samsung’s new The Frame dupe: Where to pre-order

Amazon’s first true competitor to Samsung’s The Frame finally has a release date. Amazon Ember Artline, a 4K QLED TV that can display artwork, will be launched in the US on Wednesday, April 22, according to a company press release. Pre-orders are now open.

The Ember Artline comes in a 55-inch size ($899.99) and a 65-inch size ($1,099.99). Buyers can choose from 10 interchangeable frame colors.

Amazon originally introduced the Ember Artline at the Consumer Electronics Show in January, where it also announced that it would rebrand all of its smart TVs with the “Ember” moniker. (The Fire TV name will still apply to Amazon’s TV interface, streaming media players, and soundbars.) Amazon’s TV listing had been updated to reflect the new product line at the time of writing on Wednesday, April 15.

Ember Artline owners get access to a library of over 2,000 pieces of art for free, according to a press release:

There is no additional cost or registration required to access the thousands of free art pieces available on Amazon Ember Artline. Our collection spans art movements and includes Impressionist classics by Monet, Degas, and Renoir, as well as contemporary works of street art, murals, mixed media, and photography. Customers also have access to 60 exclusive motion video clips commissioned by filmmaker Sam Nuttmann, who traveled the world capturing landscape and wildlife.

If you’re not sure which pieces will look best on your wall, Ember Artline can give you suggestions using its AI-powered “Match the Room” feature. Just easily upload a few photos of your room by scanning the QR code with your phone. The TV will pull up artwork options based on the colors and decor style of your space, as well as any “recurring themes” in your existing wall art, Amazon says.

You can also have Ember Artline slideshows and collages of your personal snapshots by connecting them to your Amazon Photos account.

Notably, the Ember Artline is the only TV in Amazon’s lineup with a fine finish, making it look more like a work of art than a regular screen.

Billed as “Amazon’s first lifestyle TV,” the Ember Artline is now a more affordable alternative to Samsung’s The Frame, a popular premium 4K QLED TV that doubles as a work of art. Competing options like the Hisense CanvasTV and TCL NXTVISION TV cost $999.99 and $1,299.99, respectively, for 55-inch sizes. Samsung’s latest 55-inch The Frame also costs $1,299.99.

In 2022, Amazon updated its cheap Fire TV Omni QLED series (now the Ember QLED Series) with an “Ambient Experience” gallery feature that replicates The Frame’s Art Mode, allowing it to display art or photos. However, that model does not have a matte finish and a picture bezel – which means that the Ember Artline is the first proper Amazon The Dupe of the frame.

Despite the price, Ember Artline’s extensive and free library also makes it a compelling purchase. Frame holders get access to a rotating selection of only 30 pieces per month; Its full library of 5,000-plus pieces is unlocked with a Samsung Art Store subscription ($4.99 per month or $49.99 per year). Hisense CanvasTV is preloaded with around 1,000 pieces, while TCL NXTVISION TV has access to not only 350-plus works of art, but more than 100,000 pieces of art generated by AI.

Ember Artline includes access to over 2,000 free pieces of art.
Credit: Amazon

Based on the preview on its sheet, the only major issues with the Ember Artline seem to be its lack of Dolby Atmos support and its basic 60Hz refresh rate. With smooth refresh rates of 120Hz to 144Hz, its rivals are better for gamers and intense movies.

The Ember Artline comes with a custom wall mount, but if you’d like to support it on a console, you can purchase the legs for $19.99. Additional frames start at $74.99 each.