TCL 6 Series 55R635 (2020) Offers
Update: The 6 TCL 2020-series could soon be replaced by a new 8K model that TCL announced at CES 2021. The company did not say when to expect the new 648 R2021 models, but said that 8K resolution along with features is reportedly state-of-the-art such as full local dimming, quantum dot and, since last year, also the Mini LED. For now, the 2020 QLED TCL 6-Series (R635) is still the latest model, but we'll keep an eye on the R648 when it comes out later this year.
One minute review
- TCL 6-Series 55R635 (2020) (55-inch HDR) at Amazon for € 899.99
6 TCL 2020 Series Price and Release Date
The TCL 6-Series R635 became available starting in August 2020. Here in the US, it comes in three different sizes, including a 55-inch, 65-inch, and 75-inch model that costs $649, $899, and $1, respectively. . €399. What makes the Series 6 so unique is that despite its affordability, it has features you'd find on TVs costing twice as much, making it an incredible value. In terms of performance, this year's TCL 6 series is quite similar to Samsung's Q80T QLED TV and LG Nano 90, both of which use variations of quantum dots for better color accuracy, but the 6 series R635 costs between €300 and €650 cheaper than either option. and use the easy-to-navigate Roku TV.
Integrated
The TCL 6 series has a lot going for it in terms of design (see: this Mini-LED backlight), but it's also not a work of art like Samsung's The Frame is. It might sound like a shot, but the R635 6-series is big enough for an LED-LCD display and can't quite touch the ultra-slim profile of an OLED. While it's not incredibly slim, the TV's nearly frameless design is quite versatile. The TV feet can be pushed together to fit a smaller table or stand, or attached to the outside corners of the TV for added stability. Speaking of the legs, a nice addition this year is the ability to weave cables through the legs themselves, creating a less chaotic space without wires. Turn it around and you'll find a solid selection of ports. Among them, it has Ethernet, four HDMI 2.0b ports, one with eARC support, as well as an AV In port that takes your standard composite input (Red-White-Yellow RCA), USB, and optical audio input. Note, of course, that it's not the HDMI 2.1 ports that can carry 4K/120Hz or 8K signals, but 4K/60 or 1440p/120 is still entirely possible here. The remote that came with the TV is similar to the Roku remotes that came with earlier models, but it gets the job done. The only real change this time around is that there's now a button for Disney Plus, which is probably better for most people than the ESPN+ that existed before.
Smart TV (Roku TV)
As in previous years, the TCL 6-Series R635 uses Roku TV, an egalitarian smart TV platform with a fair and robust search function and most major streaming apps. The search bit is important, especially if you've used an Apple TV or Amazon Fire TV before, who would prefer you stream from their auxiliary streaming services to one of the third parties. Because Roku doesn't have any ties to a major streaming service aside from a vague agreement to include FandangoNow on the OS's home screen, it doesn't push you in a direction you don't want to go. Fortunately, Roku TV supports everything from Netflix, Hulu, Sling TV, and Amazon, to lesser-known channels like Pluto.tv, tubi, Crackle, and more. The only major app missing is HBO Max, but that's likely to be resolved as soon as the two companies come to an agreement in the coming months. If you're a cord-cutter, you'll love the free features section of the home page that showcases what's available for free on the various services and Roku's streaming service, The Roku Channel, which offers its own collection of completely free movies. They change the entrance and exit every few months. These are invaluable resources for cord-cutters who want to go cable-free, and a great alternative to channel hunting for people who still have a box. One nice surprise that TCL and Roku have built into the TV is that it supports Screencast, a useful feature that allows you to stream content from your mobile device to your TV. This is good if you have a group of friends and everyone wants to take turns showing their favorite YouTube clip, or if you want to use your TV as a digital photo frame when the family visits. In terms of smart assistants, the Roku TV uses the Roku Assistant, which is only really useful for finding shows and movies, but connects to Amazon Alexa and the Google Assistant if you want to control the TV from it. platforms. .
Performance
The area where you'll see the biggest improvement on the TCL 6 Series this year is in performance, including black levels, contrast, and the lack of haloing that you might have seen on previous models. This is all thanks to the new Mini LED backlight system that uses thousands of LEDs instead of hundreds to achieve near perfect black levels along with reflections. The only downside here, we note, is that peak brightness is actually a bit lower than other QLED TVs that don't use Mini LEDs, like the Samsung Q80T or Samsung Q90T, the Vizio P-Series Quantum X, or even TCL itself. 8. -Series that we measured last year at more than 1300 nits of maximum brightness. The result is that the Series 6 is closer to OLED in terms of brightness and contrast, but has the advantage of using quantum dots, like last year, which means you'll see a wide color gamut that looks amazing. To put the TCL 6 series through its paces, we tested tons of different content, from Night on Earth (available in Dolby Vision, no less) to local news to see how the TV upgraded HD content to fill the gap. '4K display. With 4K/HDR content always in short supply, the Series 6 still relies heavily on its AiPQ engine to convert HD content to 4K. To do this, it uses three algorithms, one for color, one for clarity, and one for contrast, and the results, so far, seem better than last year. For people who really want to tweak the TV's picture settings, TCL includes five preset picture settings, each of which can be further adjusted in the areas of color, contrast, and more. from afar I gravitated towards the Normal picture setting with most of the motion processing technology turned off due to introducing motion artifacts while watching movies like Spider-Man: Into the Spiderverse.
Ring
The sound of the TCL 6 series is perfectly acceptable. You won't hear the fine details of classical music or the wide soundstage of a 5.1 surround sound system, but you won't have to complain about the volume level either. In the frame you have two 8W speakers that focus on the mids and highs instead of the wall-shaking bass. That's slightly less than some other TVs that use 10W or even 20W drivers like the Sony X950H we reviewed a few months back, but whatever the Series 6 sounds like, we don't have much to complain about. The best thing to do with the money you save on your TV is to invest in a Dolby Atmos soundbar like the Vizio SB36512-F6, Sony HT-X8500, LG SL9YG, or Samsung HW-Q70R. Because the TCL 6 series has both Atmos and eARC passthrough, setup is incredibly simple and well worth the investment.Should you buy the TCL 6-Series R635 4K TV?
Buy it if...
You want a great 4K TV at an incredible priceThere's no getting around it, the TCL 6-Series R635 is incredible value and almost certainly the best TV you can buy for under $700. If you can't imagine spending over $1 million on a TV but still want a incredible performance, this is the TV you want. You're done with the transmission boxes and...