4K Smart LED TV, 65" (65S425)

The picture is clear, setup was easy, and streaming runs smoothly. Looks sleek and works perfectly for everyday use. Definitely recommend.

Hello everyone, I'm sharing my experience with the TCL 50S425 50 Inch 4K Smart LED Roku TV. These days, it’s not exactly difficult to find a budget TV with a good picture for a reasonable price; the question is which one—there are so many options that it can be overwhelming. First, I’ll talk about what you can notice visually (after all, that's the main thing in a TV): the picture is bright and vibrant, no complaints here. Sure, the folks in the technical review section will look for pixel brightness, true black color, measure brightness, viewing angles, and so on, but in terms of feel, everything is just excellent. Yes, the viewing angles could be wider, but please tell me, do you really move around the room while watching TV? It supposedly has 120Hz support, but visually, that’s not noticeable. The built-in speakers lack bass, but again, that’s perfectly normal for built-in speakers and TVs in this class. Just keep that in mind. The TV could perhaps be a bit thinner, but again, for this price, that’s absolutely fine. I won’t describe the Roku operating system and ports. Navigation is simple and intuitive, and you can easily see the ports in the photos (HDMI). My verdict: The TCL 50S425 is an excellent budget 4K TV.

My son bought this TV about a year ago, the 55 inch size, and has really liked it. I recently needed a new TV for my bedroom so bought the 43 inch version. I have been using it for a couple months now and really like it. I use it strictly for streaming (don't have cable), and it was easy to set up. Wifi connection has been great, though every once in a while it will take about a minute to connect upon turning the TV on rather than its usual connection within seconds. It can use 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz wifi signals. I did have some issues at first with some backbleeding and spotty/pixelated dark or black scenes in shows and movies. My son had the same issue when he first got his TV, and after he messed with the picture settings on and off over several days, he corrected the issue. I wrote down his settings and changed mine to match and now the issue is resolved on my TV also. As a tip, these settings are not part of the initial setup of the TV which just has rather simplistic/basic settings. The user manual lays out how to access the "advanced" picture settings - you must be actively watching something, example a show on Netflix, hit the star button on remote and it will bring up several different TV settings, scroll down to picture settings, click on it, and then you will see the more indepth picture settings - backlight, brightness, contrast, color tint, etc., which you can adjust to your liking. In addition, there are a few different settings for sound you may want to check out. For example one option is to make the speaking dialog "pop" out over background noise or music. Speaking of the sound quality, it is okay. It's not bad but nothing outstanding either. My son bought a soundbar to use with his TV, but the built in speakers work just fine for my use. All in all, I'm very happy with this TV, and I feel it is very good quality for the price.

I bought this TV at the end of 2019, and now almost 6 years later its on its last legs. The audio has become like a vibrating tin-can, and the backlight has failed at the top of the screen causing a very dark picture. It was a great tv while it lasted, but after seeing other reviews about it dying after a few years, beware that if you are looking for a long term tv, this likely isn't the one for you. Meanwhile my 15 year old flatscreen is still going strong... If you don't mind replacing the tv after a few years, it's still a great device. Easy to set up and use with multiple streaming services ages game consoles. It's fast to start up and has kept up with all app updates like netflix or youtube just fine, and works without lag. The 55 inch screen perfect, and makes all content display beautifully (when its working unlike mine lol).

I'm a Sony guy and, given the right opportunity and place, would select an authentic OLED Sony screen to hang onto a wall. But currently I find myself marooned and cash-stressed in a one-room apartment. Necessity can be the mother of serendipitous surprises, such as the discovery of this 55-inch "overachiever" from TCL, going for one-tenth the price of my desired Sony. It comes with two tripod legs (which are all I require in my quiet, sedate setting), though it's light and thin enough (though thicker, of course than an OLED) for hanging on a wall. I'm happy to place my screen in front of the big dresser mirror, where it blocks from my view the strange freak I find staring at me each morning. I've found that 55-inches is enough to cover the entire width of the mirror and falls just 4-5 inches short of reaching the top. More importantly, without an A-B side-by-side comparison, this picture satisfies me as much as the Sony and Samsung sets I've owned since 2015--a year in which all makers' hi-def sets were given a huge boost because of the pervasive use of LED lighting (previously used to illuminate only the edges of the picture). Moreover, the AUDIO is the best I've heard from any TV set (If you're "bass-challenged," buy the subwoofer). Listening to the Lincoln Center Orchestra play the music of Miles Davis (on Youtube), I could hear and notate every note from the acoustic "walking" bass without need of plugging into a high-end stereo-system. You'll notice that this is a "4 Series"--or #55S45, meaning 55-inch 4K Hi-Def Set with HDR. If you're willing to spend $50 to $250 more, you may wish to look into TCL's 5 series (55S55) or 6 series (55S65). The latter will bring you some metal to complement the plastic in the picture frames of the 4 series. And with the 6 you'll have bragging rights to more sophisticated circuitry, giving you control over, say, black levels of one small portion of the screen (great for viewers who have OCD and enjoy endless fiddling). Also, "gamers" may be willing to pay more for a TV promising faster, more efficient processors. I remember the days when we argued vehemently about the best-sounding loudspeaker. Now, all the attention is not on sound (have you heard today's, uh, music?). Confession: last year I installed a 32" TCL with Roku in our kitchen. It was so good, I couldn't wait to use my treadmill (placed directly in front of the TV) on a daily basis. Besides cable I had access to Prime Video and Netflix--all of it accessible on the TCL twice as fast as the Sony and 5 times faster than the Samsung. After duping the American public into believing that 4K was so revolutionary we all needed to trash our existing TV sets, "Consumer Reports" has become more honest and even a bit apologetic. The only difference the naked eye will see, according to the latest claim, is not in the sharpness of 1080p vs. 4K resolution, but in the quality of "depth" in the picture (the part referenced by "HDR"). Conclusion: my research and personal experience tell me that this TCL 4-Series offers a fully competitive picture at an amazing price. Moreover, in addition to two sets of legs, you will receive a full-featured remote control (including batteries!) as well as older pin plug adapters (1 video 2 stereo) and an instruction manual. All you "might" need for optimal versatility is an HDMI cable. Most consumers by now are wise enough to know that a high-priced $40 cable will not provide a picture that's 4X better. Check out the prices of Amazon cables. I purchased a 20-footer for $10, and it performs as well as a $50 cable. (It arrived a day later than the TV.)

I can't believe how nice this tv is. First of all, I had no idea how much bigger a 43" tv is compared to a 32", which is the size of my other flatscreen. It's also not a smart tv. I have a Roku hooked up to that one. This tv has a beautiful picture and great sound quality. It responds quickly with the remote, and I also use the Roku app on my phone as a remote, which works just as flawlessly. I was disappointed to find, however, that in order to use my Bluetooth earbuds, I will have to purchase the Roku speakers and hook them up to the tv. I was hoping I could directly pair my earbuds with the tv, but I couldn't. That was a bummer, but not a deal-breaker. I also love that I don't have to go searching which port to click on for my blueray player or to get to antenna tv. They're added to the home screen with all the Roku channels, so all I have to do is scroll to whichever one I want and click on it. No second remote to scroll through HDMI ports and then hope I clicked the right one as with a non smart tv. I'm really happy with my purchase, and I wouldn't hesitate to get another one in the future. This tv has replaced an old-timey 27" tv that weighs 900 lbs (okay, maybe not THAT much, but it feels like it!), which I had hooked up to my old Wii console to get my Hulu and Amazon channels. It just wasn't cutting it. I was relieved to finally get that dinosaur out of the house. I have a camera that shoots in 4K, so I plan to test out how well this tv works when playing back my videos from the camera. I'll come back and post about it when I get around to doing that. Overall, this is a great tv at a great price. I highly recommend it.

Great TV for gaming PS4. Love the features. Let's begin, I paid full price blah blah blah not an ad. Anyway, this is a great TV for the price. By price I mean the picture quality only in that it's not as dark as way more expensive tvs. The resolution is great, no issues playing the PS4 in HDR. (you have to go into the settings and enable HDMI 2.0). Every review I read about this TV said it's a great second TV. That's exactly what this is. The best second TV. My GF and I got this for her room. At first she thought it was big but she really likes it even when I'm not here (or so she says lol). Features: it has a ton, stream all the YouTube and Netflix and such. But... My GF watches a lot of TV (off direct TV). This TV let's you choose what input to go to when you turn it on. This makes it easy for us to use the direct TV remote (I'm sure it would work for anything) to just press the power button and the tv goes to that input. It's different from making it turn on to the last channel or input. We could have been watching Netflix and turn it off and on and it'll go to the direct TV input. If I had this TV I would set it so everytime I turn it on its ready to play my ps4. Another feature I like about the remote is that if you press the Netflix, Hulu, Roku (don't use it), or Disney+ (don't have it) the tv turns on and goes directly to Netflix. Picture: I don't know... I'm not an expert. It just looks like the darks are less dark. That's all. Very bright TV. It's a 4k TV so it's 4k resolution. Seriously... It's the perfect second TV. Buying a TV for a bedroom? Get this one. Buying a TV for... the garage? Idk this is a great TV. Would I get it for my living room? No. Do I have it in my room? No. Not flexing, just being informative... My main console is the PS4 pro. The TV we bought is the 50 inch version. In my room I have a... Let's say 900 dollar TV. That TV is living room quality because I wanted to spend that much. If you're looking for anything under 500 because that's what you can afford. This is a the best TV for that in my opinion. This TV is easier to use than my other TV. I really like the dedicated buttons for Netflix and that it turns on straight to what I press. You cannot reprogram the buttons. The best reason I could find is something about marketing partnerships. Either way, great TV. Also!!! My GF likes to sleep when it's really dark. This TV has a square on the bottom that lights up when you press a button or when you turn it off. DON'T WORRY. There is a setting where you can turn it off. It's really bright if that's all that's on. Almost nightlight level. Just turn it off. Anything else... (rambling clearly shows I'm not a pro reviewer. Or does it...). Just a great TV. Don't notice any lag. My issue about dark parts is just that if I was playing a game and it's a dark tunnel, you can still see everything in the picture. It's just the darks are... very bright. Anyway. Great gaming TV. Great TV for the price category. Last thing, the "Cons" part: (dramatic music) When I took it out of the box it totally had that cheap plastic smell. It does go away. Remember the price but that the tv will still be great. Just had that smell. Still a 5 star product for me. Not really a con but plug in the power cord before you wall mount. Reaching the ports on one side is easier than plugging in the power cord on the other. The line on top of Netflix or streaming services... Yes, my TV does that sometimes. What am I talking about? Sometimes when I am watching Netflix, Hulu, or YouTube (the only streaming services I have tried. The TV has many more available just go to the home menu to select them) there's a small line across the top of the screen about an inch down from the edge of the screen. As best as I can describe since it's not doing it now and can't take a Pic, it freezes a previous scene in a very narrow line. My gf didn't notice at first. And it didn't really bother us. To be honest, I had already mounted it and was trying to stay calm. One solution I found online was to unplug it for 30 seconds. Of course I tried it and it still came back. It does happen way more seldom. I trust a future patch will solve it but in no way does it hurt my 5 star score. When we watch TV it's never there and when I play ps4 it's never there. So, I assume (OK I agree with the smarter people online) that it's probably a software issue that will get patched. Again... It doesn't affect the inputs. It won't be there when you play PS4 or watch TV. Just sometimes when you watch Netflix. Just try turning it off and pressing the Netflix button. It's still a great TV. The 4 stars in picture quality in my review is just about the dark colors. Still a 5 star tv. (owned it for 2 weeks so far) Edit: I added a picture of the "line" issue I talked about. Also, I thought of another question. If this tv was just within my budget, would I get something that may have a better picture but smaller screen?... No. I would choose this TV hands down.

I tell you what, I typically don’t do this type of thing, it takes a real effort to get me to the level of ‘pissed off’ that I am now with a consumer product. Because I would hate to see any of my friends or family fall into a trap the same as I have, I have decided to share my experiences with TCL USA and the brand TCL in general. As many did this past holiday season, I was wooed by the deals being thrown around with consumer electronics, big TV’s and low prices ‘tis the season’. TCL is doing a great job of buying the lower cost market as of late, they have been receiving good reviews, which may or may not be heavily curated, I can only share my experience. Historically I have only bought the big-name products, @samsung, @sony, and @sharp for the most part; that said TCL had a deal that was too good to pass so I decided to try the brand out, the specs were as good or better than the others what could go wrong. The TV arrived mid-December and once mounted was everything I had hoped for, deep blacks, matte screen, 4k HDR, etc. Then randomly April 23rd, the screen just went black, there was sound, but no picture. I contacted TCL support on the 24th, spent about 10 minutes troubleshooting and it was determined a fix was needed and they were sending parts to a local repair service. I was AMAZED that the parts were to the service and scheduled to repair the TV on the 28th, 4 days later, including a weekend; TCL was showing they stood behind the product and were providing excellent service. Sadly, the very next day April 29th, not 12 hours later the TV was out again!!! So, another call to TCL support, they did they standard troubleshooting and determined the TV was bad, but this time rather than sending parts they were going to replace the TV in total. Again, some of the best customer service I have experienced. Unfortunately, the replacement took a couple weeks to get here, but that is not their fault, it takes time to ship an item that size. The service scheduled a time to deliver and mount the TV, they missed that and one other appointment, but eventually got to me, not TCL’s doing as it is a service they use. The TV again was mounted and good to go, back to enjoying our main family room entertainment. Fast forward to June 18th, roughly 5 weeks into the 2nd TV and guess what, it goes out again, same issue. So, I call the TCL support team, who has been great, quick troubleshooting and yep, needs repair. I received a call the next day from the technician who had my parts! Again, wow, very fast, set an appointment for the next day a Saturday morning no less. Well unfortunately the TV parts they sent did not fix the issue so here we go again, TV #2 is also a lemon, back to TCL support. At this point I recall the adage, ‘fool me once, shame on you, fool me twice shame on me’ comes to mind, I let the support person know I need to speak with someone at TCL that can make this right once and for all as I will not continue to deal with this issue and the next TV they send needs to be a different series as clearly they have QC issues with the model I bought. I asked they have someone contact me. After playing phone tag with Daniel from TCL USA (not TCL support) yesterday he and I were able to connect today. Daniel said initially they were sending a new TV on his voicemail, I let him know that would not be acceptable if the plan was to send a 3rd of the same model that has proven to be incapable of working for more than a few weeks at a time. The only remedy that would be reasonable is to provide me a different model (series) than the one that keeps failing as clearly the one I have is a problem. Then Daniel’s tone changed and “what he meant to say” was they were going to refund me the purchase of the TV?!? Wait, I asked, you would rather solve your problems by washing your hands of a customer in need of support rather than make the issue right? Daniel explained that it is the policy of TCL USA to not provide a different series in replacement for failed units. I asked again that they would rather wash their hands of a customer than handle the problem with a reasonable resolution? Daniel clarified, he didn’t want me to “feel” like they were “washing their hands of me”, so I asked if he could explain to me why I should not feel like that, he answered with again he is sorry I feel this way. So I pressed Daniel, “I don’t want an apology, I want you to tell me why I shouldn’t feel as though TCL is ‘washing their hands of me’”, to which Daniel finally admitted that he could not explain why this is not exactly what they were doing. I continued with Daniel that given I made my purchase in December of last year, when all the deepest cuts to consumer electronics are available, the only way to replace with a reasonable facsimile of the TCL purchase would be to in essence double my investment as there are no ‘Cyber-Monday’ sales going on for any products currently. Again, I was placated and that he was sorry for the inconvenience and they look forward to making it right by me, which includes them sending people to come take the TV and in 7-10 business days I would receive a check for the purchase. I am sure the check they send will not include the $70 I spent on the additional warranty, which clearly, I didn’t need as TCL products by my personal experience only work a few weeks at a time anyway. So, in end I would say TCL customer service is spectacular, which is a good thing because the products I have had of theirs are anything but. Save yourself a lot of time and headache and buy from a known manufacturer, my 8-year-old 60” Sony, and 10-year-old 60” Sharp are still working perfectly, never a problem; lesson learned. TCL thanks for what I can only consider a life lesson going forward.