Hisense has launched its first Amazon Fire TV in North America, available in 50-inches now and with a larger 58-inch model to arrive soon. 

The Hisense Amazon Fire TV is an LCD TV with full array local dimming and starts at just $530, providing an affordable option to anyone interested in Amazon’s streaming offerings. 

Hisense is a fairly big name in the U.S., where it sells a range of Android TVs, Google TVs, Roku TVs and others that run its own Vidaa operating system. So Amazon Fire TV is another notch in its belt. 

Amazon’s VP of Entertainment Devices and Services, Daniel Rausch, said that Hisense and Fire TV have the shared goal of combining the best hardware and software to enable high-quality, innovative and affordable smart TV experiences. “As more brands turn to Fire TV, we are committed to delivering a smart TV package that is easy to adopt, efficient to develop with, and delights customers,” he said. 

Fire TV is a smart TV operating system that’s similar to Android TV and other platforms. It comes preloaded with apps such as Amazon Prime Video, Netflix, Disney+, HBO Max and YouTube, so viewers won’t be short of content options so long as they’re willing to subscribe to those services. In addition, Fire TVs also offer tight integration with Amazon Alexa, so users can control the TV with their voice. The Hisense Fire TV is said to come with a microphone-enabled remote control that allows viewers to switch channels, launch apps, search for content, play music, and control other compatible smart home devices using spoken commands or old-fashioned buttons if they prefer. 

The Hisense Fire TV is clearly targeted at the mid-range market with specs such as 4K resolution, a 60Hz LCD panel, FALD (with 32 local dimming zones on the 50-inch model), 600 nits peak brightness and support for high dynamic range formats such as Dolby Vision, HDR10+ and HDR10. In addition, the TV supports Auto Low-Latency Mode and Variable Refresh Rate for gaming at up to 60Hz over HDMI 2.0. Hisense said the TV will also offer a ‘Game Mode Plus’ setting that “decreases input lag, increases response time and reduces frame-rate issues on next-generation game consoles”. 

Amazon Fire TVs are also made by brands including Insignia and Toshiba. Alternatively, consumers can get access to Fire TV by purchasing one of the company’s many affordable media players or streaming dongles. 

Amazon said the 50-inch Hisense U6HF, to give it its official name, will go on sale next week on Amazon.com, with the 58-inch model slated to arrive in the autumn.