TCL 50S435 50” Smart TV Review
Last Updated on by King Iphy
TCL 4 Series TV is an entry-level TV model with basic features. The average features of this model are not surprising if you consider its price range. These features are expected of a TV of that caliber. The gaming performance is okay. Power consumption is 42W (79W max.). The volume buttons are on the right side/edge of the remote control. This could be fashionable for some people and discomfort for others. The color quality is certainly not the best in the market. You can also connect with an HDTV antenna to have access to local broadcasts TV channels.
It has the Roku TV smart platform that provides access to over 500,000 TV shows and movies. You can access the Options Menu on the TV by pressing the asterisk button on your remote. It would, however, be better to download the free Roku mobile app on a smartphone or tablet. The Roku mobile app works as a remote and allows you to access additional features like expert picture setting, private listening, voice search, and much more.
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Table of Contents Features |
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Design
The TCL 4 Series TV is slim, black, rectangular, with a simple design. If you don’t want a TV that is so large then, TCL 50″ Roku TV is right for you. It is thick but can still look good when mounted on a wall. You could mount it on the wall or set it up on a media console, or any other surface with its stand. When the legs are attached, it measures 44″ wide, 28″ tall, and 8″ deep. It wobbles a bit. Its lack of bulky bezels adds to its slim nature. The back panel is made of metal, while the input parts are made of plastic. The maximum thickness is 3.35”. The TV has a decent build quality.
Apart from the power cable connector, which is on the right side, all other ports are on the left side of the TV’s back.
Picture/View
The TCL 50S435 Roku TV delivers stunning Ultra HD for enhanced clarity and detail. This is combined with HDR technology that delivers bright and accurate colors for a lifelike viewing experience. It creates the perfect balance by increasing the intensity of contrast between white and black areas on the screen.
The HDR brightness is slightly better than that of SDR. The SDR peak brightness is sub-par. It doesn’t get enough brightness to combat glare in a well-lit room. It has an okay black and gray uniformity. It has a satisfactory color gamut for HDR content. It neither supports Dolby Vision nor other HDR content types. It lacks a local dimming feature. It has narrow viewing angles and isn’t great for wide sitting arrangements.
Sound
The TCL 4 Series TV has 2 built-in 8-watt speakers that deliver satisfactory volume levels, but there’s an absence of a menu for advanced audio settings. However, you can control the sound mode and volume mode. The default sound mode is okay, though you can adjust the settings for more bass, higher treble, and so on. For the volume modes, you could turn on leveling or enable night mode, which sets a benchmark for how high the volume can go.
The frequency response time is average. There isn’t much compression at its maximum volume when it gets loud. It has a decent distortion performance.
You can also opt for the Roku wireless speakers designed especially for Roku TVs, that is if want another dimension to your sound.
You can transform your smartphone into a Roku remote with voice control and enjoy the TV audio from the headphones connected to that smartphone.
Gaming
The HDR in ‘game’ mode is deficient despite its low input lag.
Recommendations
For SDR content
First, select the ‘TV Brightness’ range in the Options menu.
- Picture Mode: Movie
For Advanced Picture settings:
- Contrast: 90
- Brightness: 50
- Sharpness: 0
- Color: 45
- Tint (G/R): 0
- Color Temperature: Warm
For HDR content
The settings should be left to the default settings.
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Conclusion
Generally, the TCL 50S435SC 50” Roku TV offers spectacular picture quality and value for money. It is a decent TV for most uses. It’s best for watching movies in the dark because its VA panel has an awesome contrast ratio, though it lacks local dimming. It has a satisfactory reflection handling if you watch TV in a room with some light, but it doesn’t achieve enough brightness to fight lots of glare. Its low input lag is okay for gaming, but it has a slow response time which causes black smearing. The HDR content isn’t spectacular as it can’t get bright and fails to display a wide color gamut.