Amazon's Ember Artline TV is a new Samsung The Frame dupe: Where to preorder

Amazon's first true rival to Samsung's The Frame finally has a release date. The Amazon Ember Artline, a 4K QLED TV that can display artwork, will launch in the U.S. on Wednesday, April 22, according to a company press release. Preorders are now open.

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

Amazon originally unveiled the Ember Artline at the Consumer Electronics Show in January, where it also announced that it would be rebranding 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 listings had been updated to reflect the new branding by the time of writing on Wednesday, April 15.

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

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

If you're not sure which pieces will look best on your wall, the Ember Artline can offer suggestions using its AI-powered "Match the Room" feature. Simply upload a couple of pictures of your room by scanning a QR code with your phone. The TV will pull artwork options based on the colors and decor style of your space, as well as any "recurring themes" in your existing wall art, Amazon said.

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

Notably, the Ember Artline is the only TV in Amazon's lineup with a matte finish, which makes it more convincing as artwork than a traditional screen.

Billed as "Amazon's first lifestyle TV," the Ember Artline is now the most affordable alternative to Samsung's The Frame, a popular premium 4K QLED TV that doubles as artwork. Competing options like the Hisense CanvasTV and the TCL NXTVISION TV cost $999.99 and $1,299.99, respectively, in 55-inch sizes. Samsung's latest 55-inch The Frame also goes for $1,299.99.

In 2022, Amazon updated its cheaper Fire TV Omni QLED Series (now Ember QLED Series) with an "Ambient Experience" gallery feature that replicates The Frame's Art Mode, letting it display art or photos. However, that model lacks a matte finish and picture frame-like bezel — meaning the Ember Artline is Amazon's first proper The Frame dupe.

Price aside, the Ember Artline's extensive and completely free library also makes it a compelling buy. The Frame owners get access to a rotating selection of only 30 pieces per month; its full library of 5,000-plus pieces is locked behind a Samsung Art Store subscription ($4.99 per month or $49.99 per year). The Hisense CanvasTV is preloaded with around 1,000 pieces, while the TCL NXTVISION TV has access to only 350-plus artworks, but over 100,000 pieces of AI-generated art.

Based on a cursory glance at its spec sheet, the Ember Artline's only major downsides appear to be its lack of Dolby Atmos support and its basic 60Hz refresh rate. With smoother refresh rates of 120Hz to 144Hz, its rivals are better for gamers and hardcore movie buffs.

The Ember Artline comes with a custom wall mount, but if you'd rather prop it up on a console, you can buy legs for it for $19.99. Extra frames start at $74.99 apiece.