Tcl 5 series review

For the first time, TCL has released a 4K television line that gives consumers the choice between the Roku operating system or Google TV at the point of purchase, tcl 5 series review. The introduction of Google TV should have been something to celebrate, but at least in the case of the TCL 5-Series, the road was pretty bumpy. The 5-Series has a very thin bezel, simple base, and straightforward legs.

It all adds up to a serious bargain for the discerning shopper. Recommendations are independently chosen by Reviewed's editors. Purchases made through the links below may earn us and our publishing partners a commission. The TCL 5-Series is available in four different sizes. We received a inch model on loan from TCL for our review.

Tcl 5 series review

It uses Google TV, which is a user-friendly smart interface with an excellent selection of apps available to download through the Google Play Store. You also have access to Google Assistant through the built-in mic on the TV for hands-free voice control. There are a few more gaming features like variable refresh rate VRR support to reduce screen tearing, but it's still limited to HDMI 2. It's great for gaming thanks to its low input lag, quick response time, and variable refresh rate support. It's very good for watching movies in a dark room thanks as it displays deep blacks and has a full-array local dimming feature, but the local dimming feature isn't the best, and there's some blooming around bright areas of the screen. It's good for watching sports and decent for shows in a bright room, as it has good enough brightness to overcome some glare. However, it has a narrow viewing angle, so the image degrades when viewed from the side, making it a poor choice for a wide seating arrangement. It has decent reflection handling, and it gets bright enough to fight glare in most well-lit rooms. It displays p content like from cable boxes well, but it has trouble with p content if you watch standard definition TV shows or DVDs from an older source that doesn't upscale the image. It also has a narrow viewing angle, so the image appears washed out from the sides, so it's not ideal for a wide seating arrangement or if you like to move around with the TV on. The TCL 5 Series is good for watching sports in a bright room. Motion looks smooth thanks to the quick response time, and it performs well in bright rooms because it gets bright enough to fight glare and has decent reflection handling. Unfortunately, there's some dirty screen effect in the center, which is distracting when watching sports. It also has narrow viewing angles, so it's not a good choice for watching sports with a large group of friends as only people sitting directly in front will see a proper image. The TCL S is great for gaming.

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Our expert deal-hunting staff showcases the best price drops and discounts from reputable sellers daily. If you make a purchase using our links, CNET may earn a commission. Prices on both the and inch models have dropped to an all-time low. TVs have come a long way in recent years. And if a inch screen will overwhelm your space, you can also snag the inch model at a steal. That brings both sets to a new all-time low, but these deals won't last long, so we recommend you make your purchase soon if you want to nab one while it's on sale. The TCL 5-Series is a solid upgrade for your main entertainment space.

By focusing on delivering a solid, quantum-dot 4K picture at an affordable price, the TCL 5-Series is a great choice for anyone on a budget. Why you can trust Tom's Guide Our writers and editors spend hours analyzing and reviewing products, services, and apps to help find what's best for you. Find out more about how we test, analyze, and rate. To improve contrast within scenes, the TCL 5-Series also has full-array active local dimming so that it can subdue the backlight on one area of the screen while boosting another brighter area. All of this amounts to a very satisfying picture—and a hard-to-beat price. Editor's Note: While our rating and recommendation for the TCL 5-Series Roku TV remain unchanged from when it first ran in March of , we have updated the story to reflect changes in pricing and availability. The 5-Series is a mid-range model line for TCL. Furthermore, the 5-Series comes in a wide variety of sizes, so it will appeal to a wider range of shoppers.

Tcl 5 series review

Find out more about how we test. The TCL 5-Series S is a prime example of high-end technology trickling down from more expensive models to budget sets. If this is your first time hearing about quantum dots, they act like a filter between the LEDs and the screen to amplify color saturation. This improves overall contrast and vibrancy, especially when combined with a full array local dimming system. The 5-Series is far from perfect, though. If you avoid the latter option, the 5-Series lacks the necessary brightness to really make HDR content shine. This unfortunately makes movies and shows look comparatively dull.

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Apart from some slightly oversaturated reds and magentas, Movie picture mode looks stunning. This optimizes the display to provide a fast, snappy gaming experience. The Samsung does have a slightly faster response time making it better suited for sports and fast-moving games, although the TCL supports VRR, making it particularly attractive to gamers. It's zippy, easy-to-navigate, and offers a ton of streaming flexibility. Email us and we'll compare notes. However, the remote functions still work if you place a soundbar in front. Roku OS. HDMI 4. Blue Luminance. Google TV is nevertheless a breath of fresh air when compared to most of the competition. Sound Quality. Related content best-right-now The Best Soundbars of Optical: DTS 5.

It has a VA-type panel which can produce deep dark scenes, but doesn't support more advanced features such as local dimming to improve the performance further. It also supports HDR10 and Dolby Vision, and can produce great vivid colors but can't produce bright highlights.

There's some motion blur behind fast-moving objects when watching sports or playing games, but it's not that noticeable. Answer See Results. Fine details are hard to make out, and text is a bit blurry. TCL 5-Series. Composite In 1 adapter required, not incl. To try to better understand how long a TV should last, we're running TVs through an accelerated longevity test for the next two years. Both TVs have bad color accuracy and are tough to calibrate, although the 5 Series is even worse than the Q6. It has a superb contrast ratio and fantastic black uniformity, so dark scenes are displayed well, but there is blooming around bright objects. Advanced Options. The prices are roughly equivalent to TCL's Roku-based 5-Series TVs, though that comparable price is a bit complicated, as it comes as a combination of rising prices for the Roku model and retailer discounts on the new Google TV set. Color Temp Setting. Judder-Free 24p via 60i. A pink test screen faded out to white when viewed at any angles beyond 45 degrees, and the effect also crept in around the edges of the screen when we were sat too close to the QLED panel — even when centered in front of it. Whether you are watching blockbuster movies or playing video games, you will enjoy a stunning display with enhanced clarity and crisp colors. The inputs all face to the side and are easy to access when the TV is wall-mounted.