Tcl 50 Class 5-series 4k Uhd Dolby Vision Hdr Roku Smart Tv - 50s525 Review
TCL v-Series (S525) 4K HDR Television
MSRP $600.00
"A good basic Boob tube that falls just short of beingness corking."
Pros
- Great for gaming
- Decent dissimilarity
- Attractive pattern
- Roku app access
Cons
- Out-of-box picture needs work
- Frustrating picture presets
- Not peculiarly brilliant
My relationship with TCL TVs began ii years ago when I reviewed the visitor's 2018 half-dozen-Series Boob tube. That model put TCL on the map among TV enthusiasts who had previously never considered the make.
Today, TCL is the budget-friendly make to beat, with several models including the noteworthy Roku TVs that perform as well if not better than much more expensive competition. In fact, I think TCL can be thanked for a shift in the TV industry toward higher-performance televisions with lower prices.
Then where does the 2019 five-Series sit down in TCL'south lineup, and is it worth purchasing one with TCL's 2020 lineup probable due to hit store shelves in August? Afterwards all, a 65-inch model costs just $600, while the 55-inch variant is only $400. Those prices are tough to beat. Merely what can you lot wait from a TV at that price? Let'due south dig in.
Out of the box
The TCL five-Series is a much better-looking Tv set than I expected for the price. Information technology's pinnacle and side bezels are extremely sparse, the Tv's profile is likewise quite thin, and the Tv's "feet" are bonny as well, if not a little low-cal and cheap-feeling.
I'm not a fan of the circular button which sits adjacent to the TV's Roku logo, and the bottom border is a petty large, just on the whole, the TV looks similar it should toll more than information technology does.
Included with the Idiot box is an increasingly elusive blended video breakout cable, a set up of AAA batteries, and a Roku remote. This particular Roku remote does not have a built-in headphone jack nor is it a vocalisation remote, though private listening and voice control are bachelor through the Roku app for iOS and Android — we'll be talking well-nigh that app quite a bit in this review.
Features
The 5-Series isn't a high-terminate TV, at least not in cost. This Tv doesn't offering local dimming zones for its direct backlighting. This means the TV has much more uniform brightness across the screen than an border-lit TV would. But considering it can't dim any of those backlights, it could struggle to offering deep blacks, specially in scenes with bright objects on dark backgrounds.
Bated from the omission of local dimming, information technology isn't apparent that whatever corners were cutting. TCL doesn't speak to its video processing ofttimes, so in that location'southward no clear indication the 5-Serial has annihilation less capable inside than its half dozen-Series or 8-Series cousins.
The 5-Series, similar all TCL TVs, is a Roku TV, which means not simply exercise you get a Roku home screen filled with customizable input names and apps, Roku is as well the interface one uses to adjust any kind of setting. Typically I'm a fan of the Roku TV interface, merely non so much with this TV.
Setup
Before I go on, I want to be clear that I'thousand not assigning arraign to either TCL or Roku for the problems I'm about to betoken out. I feel it is an issue of partnership, and I promise these problems tin exist addressed in the future with a firmware update. Later all, that's the dazzler of smart TVs: You lot can update them.
It is difficult to become the best motion picture quality considering so much work needs to exist done.
In the past, my praise for the Roku Boob tube OS has been rooted in Roku's simplicity and ease-of-apply. It's an outgoing experience, even for folks who aren't technically-inclined. Unfortunately, information technology'due south a lack of simplicity around getting the best picture quality that has me concerned.
The first thing I tell folks to do when they go a new Goggle box is to become into the flick settings and change the Telly to movie (movie theatre, custom, etc.) mode, so adjust the backlight setting to accomplish the brightness they desire. The movie (or equivalent) picture preset reliably adopts a warmer, more accurate color temperature by default, and often eliminates motion smoothing, which can create the dreaded "lather opera effect."
In the case of the five-Serial, the TV will adopt a warm color temperature, but there's still some motion smoothing that needs to exist turned off. No big deal, it happens.
That moving-picture show preset is now active for whichever input you happened to be tuned to. Allow's say you were watching cable or satellite at the time; the motion-picture show preset is now engaged and presumably properly set up. Now the user has to go into every other input they are using, HDMI 2 for a game console, HDMI 3 for a Blu-ray player, for example, and select the pic manner for each of them.
That'south also true for streaming apps, which isn't readily credible to most users. Furthermore, it's not enough to just open up an app similar Netflix and pick film fashion, you must start streaming a evidence in club to suit the moving-picture show settings. Kind of a hassle, but forgivable.
But what if you accidentally picked a show or movie that'south presented in HDR (in Netflix's example, it would really be Dolby Vision). Y'all would at present be selecting one of three Dolby Vision picture modes: Dolby Vision Dark, Normal, or Bright. OK, fine, we can choice the Dolby Vision mode we like, simply what about SDR content — which is what most people sentinel, most of the time — on other apps, similar Amazon or Hulu? In guild to arrange to motion-picture show mode for apps playing SDR, yous have to go play some SDR content on ane of those apps.
Sound frustrating? I'm just getting started. We haven't talked about regular HDR10 mode, which is what you get with a lot of YouTube content and many Amazon shows. There are iii modes for HDR10 every bit well. So, if nosotros count them all upwards, there'south a total of seven unlike options between SDR, HDR, and Dolby Vision, and that doesn't include other picture modes like game or standard.
That's way too much work to notice the right picture preset. What's more than, the backlight settings between the dark, normal, and bright HDR modes (including Dolby Vision) are all maxed out, and yet something happens in the groundwork to burnish the screen.
There'due south likewise the matter of the color temperature and level of movement smoothing changing amidst Dolby Vision modes, which makes no sense to me, and the anomalous "micro contrast" setting, which does something to the contrast, but is unreliable and enigmatic. It likewise makes it seem like the Goggle box has local dimming when it doesn't.
For any of you who are lost right now, that'southward kind of my signal. The person who purchases this TV is going to set information technology up, turn it on, and may not touch any of the settings, which is a shame considering the out-of-box, low-power film preset is nowhere shut to the full capability of this TV and, frankly, doesn't look bang-up.
And if the buyer does dare venture into moving-picture show settings, it is difficult to get the best picture quality considering so much work needs to be washed. I merely don't see that happening with nearly people.
So, I suppose we should talk near that picture quality now.
Film quality
As I just explained, the out-of-box picture quality on the TCL 5-Series TV is non peachy. Information technology'due south non poor, but information technology is a niggling underwhelming. That's particularly perturbing when this TV is capable of fairly impressive pictures to the untrained center.
It's aces for gaming equally information technology has automobile depression-latency manner, low input lag, and a high refresh rate.
If one does bound through the hoops and optimized settings for a better pic, they volition be rewarded by what appear to exist very rich colors and impressive dissimilarity. That terminal bit came as a surprise to me. This TV's dissimilarity is remarkably good considering there's no local dimming, and since there are no dimming zones to control, there are no abrasive backlight fluctuations to deal with when watching in a darkened room.
Too, I was pleasantly surprised at the mitigation of halos around bright objects on black backgrounds. Fifty-fifty though the screen doesn't ever get pitch black, it gets night plenty to offer decent contrast.
So what does this all add upward to? A better-than-average Goggle box. It'south good. Non very good. Definitely not great. Merely a solid skilful. It'due south aces for gaming every bit it has auto low-latency mode, low input lag, and a high refresh rate. Information technology doesn't back up variable refresh rate, just that wouldn't exist expected here. For general TV watching, it is fine. Higher-quality content like 4K HDR fabric deserves better, though.
Hither's the thing: You can practice better for not much more money, and I think y'all should. I'm a fan of TCL, but I can't recommend this TV when the company's own 6-serial is so much better for just a little more money. As well, the Hisense H8G is a more impressive Tv set for just $100 more than at the 65-inch size.
Don't go me wrong. Lots of people will get this Television home and be only fine with information technology. There'due south cipher wrong with that. I just don't want folks getting this TV home and and so after learning there was something much more pleasant to expect at for just $100 more than. Regret is an ugly thing.
Our take
At $600, the TCL five-Series is a skillful value, with skillful film performance and a mostly friendly Roku Television receiver experience. Its out-of-box moving picture performance leaves something to be desired, and it can be difficult to optimize the picture settings for all content. One time it is adjusted, however, it can offer slightly better-than-average film quality which most viewers will enjoy.
Is there a better alternative?
Yes. The TCL 6-Serial (R625) and the Hisense H8G are both better TVs and cost merely slightly more. Information technology'south worth the upgrade in either instance. It's worth pointing out as well that the Hisense is an Android Goggle box, so with that option, you lose Roku.
How long will it terminal?
So far, I have not had any problems with longevity with regard to TCL TVs. Nonetheless, I just began testing them two years agone, and then it's hard to be confident in saying this Boob tube should last a long time from a hardware functionality standpoint. In terms of features, it's going to exist left backside very quickly.
Warranty
TCL provides a one-twelvemonth warranty covering parts and labor when the TV is used for non-commercial purchases. More than information is available at TCL's TV warranty page.
Should you buy information technology?
It's fine to buy this Television receiver if the price to size ratio is appealing. Otherwise, consider spending a little more money to get a lot more than film quality.
If yous're looking for a disbelieve, have a look at the best 4K Tv deals available.
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Source: https://www.digitaltrends.com/home-theater/tcl-5-series-s525-4k-hdr-tv-review/
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