TCL 5-Series Google TV (S546) review: A killer QLED value
Our Verdict
The TCL 5-Series Google Tv (S546) improves on a value-priced favorite, adding premium smart features to an already first-class affordable Television receiver.
For
- QLED display with local dimming for splendid HDR performance
- Great color quality and polish motion
- Google Tv is a serious upgrade from Roku
- Affordably priced
Against
- Limited viewing angles
- Audio is good, but not dandy
Tom's Guide Verdict
The TCL 5-Series Google Tv (S546) improves on a value-priced favorite, calculation premium smart features to an already fantabulous affordable Idiot box.
Pros
- +
QLED display with local dimming for excellent HDR performance
- +
Slap-up color quality and shine motion
- +
Google TV is a serious upgrade from Roku
- +
Affordably priced
Cons
- -
Express viewing angles
- -
Audio is proficient, but not not bad
TCL 5-Series Google Boob tube (S546): Specs
Price: $649.99
Screen size: 55 inches
Resolution: 3840 x 2160
HDR: Dolby Vision, HDR10+, HDR10, HLG
Refresh rate: 60Hz
Ports: 3 HDMI (1 eARC)
Audio: 8W + 8W with Dolby Atmos
Smart Idiot box software: Google TV
Size: 48.3 x 28.i x 3.0 inches [w/o stand]
Weight: 34.4 pounds [westward/o stand]
The TCL 5-Serial Google TV (S546) is office of TCL'southward new line of Google-powered TVs, which utilize the new re-branded version of Android Idiot box. Even with multiple TCL models found on our list of the best TVs, the move to Google TV is an upgrade to an already good line of smart TVs. In short, it makes them keen, enabling them to compete with the nearly premium TVs on smart features, as well equally performance and build quality.
We initially suspected that the new Google-powered 5-Series would expect and perform very similar to the TCL 5-Serial Roku Tv set (S535) that we reviewed earlier this year, with past TCL Android models sporting identical hardware and features to their Roku equivalents. Instead, we've been treated to an updated smart TV that sees a number of improvements and design changes.
That's saying quite a fleck, since the TCL 5-Series Roku Television has held a solid position as one of the best TCL TVs you lot can get, and 1 of the best TVs under $1,000, largely due to the impressive QLED brandish. The addition of Google Tv brings with it a snappier interface, smoother navigation, and the most personal and customizable experience of any smart TV platform.
TCL 5-Series Google TV (S546): Pricing and availability
The TCL five-Series Google Goggle box is available in four sizes, ranging from 50 inches up to 75 inches. The prices are roughly equivalent to TCL's Roku-based five-Series TVs, though that comparable price is a fleck complicated, as it comes as a combination of rising prices for the 2020 Roku model and retailer discounts on the new Google Television set set. Regardless, at the moment, the price difference is extremely narrow – within $20, as of this writing.
- 50-inch (50S546) - $599.99
- 55-inch (55S546) - $649.99
- 65-inch (65S546) - $899.99
- 75-inch (75S546) - $1,299.99
All models feature the aforementioned QLED display and features described beneath, differing only in screen size and the number of discrete dimming zones backing the display – up to sixty zones of local dimming on the largest 75-inch model.
Because the different model sizes of the TCL 5-Serial Google Television (S546) are then similar, we're confident that our recommendations in this review apply to all screen sizes presently sold, non but the 55-inch model we tested.
TCL 5-Series Google Idiot box (S546): Blueprint
TCL's mid-range Telly designs aren't going to win whatever prizes, simply the bones black plastic construction does the job, providing a sturdy housing for a decent 4K smart Television. It may not expect flashy, or be the slimmest thing on the TV alley, but information technology gets the chore done.
The chassis includes holes for a 200 mm by 300 mm VESA bracket, meaning that it can be easily hung on the wall using whatsoever of the brackets on our listing of the best Boob tube mounts.
The 55-inch model that we reviewed measures 48.3 x 28.ane x 3.0 inches, and weighs 34.4 pounds. That's light enough that you can probably become this set up without assistance, but even for a 55-inch screen we recommend a 2nd pair of hands.
The set also features a ii-position stand, which lets you adjust the width of space between the included feet, choosing between 22.7 and 42.3 inches apart. The basic boomerang-shaped anxiety are made of stout plastic, and skip any extras, like built-in cable routing.
The biggest visual update from last year'south TCL 5-Series Roku TV (S535) is a pocket-sized, textile-covered sensor bar under the lesser bezel, centered just below the TCL logo. This tiny grey bar houses the set'due south far-field microphones, which enable Google Tv's easily-free voice controls through Google Assistant. Information technology too has an indicator light that turns on to let yous know that voice input has been triggered.
If you want to turn the microphones off, there's a physical switch on the back of the chiffonier, next to the power button. It'southward a chunky switch with articulate labels, which makes information technology satisfyingly obvious when it's switched on or off, so there's no defoliation almost whether you have the room-listening mics enabled.
TCL 5-Series Google Tv set (S546): Ports
On the right-hand side of the TV chassis you lot'll find the Television receiver'due south ports, set 6 or 7 inches in from the border of the brandish. There you'll find 3 HDMI ports (one with ARC), a single USB port, and a coax connection for antenna or cablevision. At that place's a blended AV port that requires an included adapter, and a digital optical audio port for connecting older sound equipment, as well equally a standard 3.5-millimeter jack for headphones or speakers.
The fix is also outfitted with 802.11ac Wi-Fi, for cable-gratuitous network connectivity, merely is curiously missing Bluetooth.
TCL v-Series Google TV (S546): Performance
Watching the 4K trailer from Spider-Man: No Manner Domicile, I was impressed by the color quality, which brought out the reds and blues in Spider-Man and Dr. Foreign's costumes — if perchance a tad oversaturated — and the flaring gold of Foreign's magic every bit he cast a spell. The TV's local dimming boosted the brightness of the glowing, mystical visuals while mostly preserving the deep shadows effectually the characters. It speaks well to the TV'southward HDR support. Information technology'south also one of the few smart TVs on the market to support both Dolby Vision and HDR10 Plus.
Clips of 4K nature videos showed vibrant blue skies and colorful plants and animals, with none of the banding that sometimes shows upwards on lower-quality displays, though we did notice some crushed blacks in some scenes. However, in a letterboxed movie clip, the confined above and beneath the picture looked suitably black, instead of the glowing grayness that sometimes plagues LCD TVs.
The but fourth dimension we defenseless more egregious problems with the picture was when we used test screens that are designed to highlight potential issues. A pinkish test screen faded out to white when viewed at any angles across 45 degrees, and the effect also crept in around the edges of the screen when we were sabbatum too shut to the QLED panel — fifty-fifty when centered in front end of information technology. Those viewing angles looked just as bad when we moved vertically (such as standing up from a couch). It was far less pronounced when watching bodily content, just the viewing angles practise leave a lot to be desired.
Firing up our Xbox Serial Ten, the TV offers 4K back up for games and content at 60Hz (likewise every bit 24Hz and 50Hz for movies and other content), merely not the higher 120Hz. It does, however, support variable refresh rates (VRR) between 48 and 60Hz, as well every bit auto depression latency manner, switching seamlessly to game mode once it detected that the connected console had turned on. A play test with Assassin'south Creed Valhalla looked great, with clear 4K resolution, shine motion, and detailed textures.
TCL five-Serial Google Television set (S546): Examination results
Though some cosmetic differences from the 2020 TCL v-Series Roku TV were a pleasant surprise, we were even more pleased to run across that performance had improved beyond the board, with the brandish offering improve color, brightness, and shorter lag times than the already excellent Roku model.
Color accurateness was nifty right out of the box, with a Delta-E average of i.3 every bit measured by our X-Rite spectrophotometer. Lower scores are better, and a 0 would exist a perfect score, just anything nether 2.0 is accurate plenty that the boilerplate person can't spot whatsoever inaccuracies in regular use. It'due south besides notably better than nosotros saw on whatever other Goggle box in this price range, beating out the Hisense U7G Android Television set (1.ix) and Toshiba C350 Burn TV (ane.six), and offering noticeably improve accuracy than the Sony Bravia X800H (3.vi). It'south also meliorate than last year'due south TCL Roku model (1.7), also as several premium models that cost much more than, merely all the same score college than 2.0 in the same tests.
Color reproduction was also impressive, with the S546 reproducing 99.97% of the Rec 709 color space – that's near as proficient equally you're going to get without upgrading to an OLED TV. While enough of TVs hit close to the 100% marker, this blows past competitors like the Toshiba C350 Fire TV (95.01%), and edges ahead of others, similar the Sony Bravia X800H (99.75%) and the Hisense U7G Android Idiot box (99.88%), though yous'd be difficult pressed to tell the deviation with the naked eye alone on those last ii. Information technology's besides a pocket-sized, but measurable comeback over the 2020 TCL v-Series Roku TV (99.85%), which was excellent in its own right.
The TCL 5-Serial Google TV also delivers better effulgence than the older Roku model, registering 466 nits when we tested information technology in its brightest way, compared to 391 nits. Notwithstanding, both are beaten by the Hisense U7G Android TV (621 nits), which leads in this mid-range price tier.
Gamers will love the 5-Series for its short lagtimes, which clocked in at 11.8 milliseconds, shorter than both the older TCL 5-Serial Roku TV (thirteen.1 ms) and the gaming-oriented Hisense U7G Android TV (17.2). That's not the fastest we've seen — the Sony Bravia X800H (xi.2) and the Toshiba C350 Fire TV (10.7) are both a hair faster — merely it'due south quick enough to be a smart selection for the most enervating gamers. Pair those times with the first-class feature support offered by the set and the TCL 5-Series Google Television receiver becomes a smashing option for demanding gamers.
TCL 5-Serial Google Tv set (S546): Audio
The Idiot box is outfitted with a pair of 8-watt speakers, offering passable stereo sound and decent volume. TVs in this price range aren't known for superb audio quality, and the 5-Serial Google TV is no exception. The TV offers surprisingly proficient low-end for non having a subwoofer congenital-in, though the treble tin can go lost in the mix at lower volumes.
Information technology also upgrades the sound back up from the 2020 v-Serial Roku Idiot box in the form of Dolby Atmos, though you'll need an Atmos-enabled soundbar to enjoy the more immersive sound format.
While it offers room-filling volume, the quality of sound drops off considerably when turned up higher than l%, with distorted bass and even audio that seemed to cutting in and out a chip. Once again, these bug are easily solved by adding one of the all-time soundbars.
TCL 5-Series Google Boob tube (S546): Smart Television
There's a stiff case to be made that Google TV is the best smart TV operating system on the market, offering a make clean, easily-navigated dwelling house screen, with useful content recommendations, like shooting fish in a barrel access to alive TV and the convenience of voice control through the remote's born mic or the Television set's integrated far-field microphones.
The home screen and menus of Google Goggle box look great, improving upon the already solid experience that Android x provided.
Information technology'southward besides snappy, offering noticeably quicker and smoother operations than other platforms, including the sometimes slow Roku TV software that many TCL smart TVs utilise.
Only the real care for is in the unique features Google Television brings to the table. Y'all can set up personal accounts for every member of the household, letting you savour personalized recommendations, add together shows to your own watchlist correct from your phone, and interact with dozens of smart abode devices from the condolement of your couch.
TCL 5-Series Google TV (S546): Remote control
TCL's Google Boob tube gets a very different-looking remote control to go with the new operating organization, ditching the familiar Roku accessory for a sleeker Google Goggle box model that offers a surprisingly rich number of features. Where smart TV remotes have often gone minimal, ditching buttons in favor of directional pads and keeping the remote face up uncluttered, Google Boob tube adds a few new buttons, but ties them to powerful features that I hope to see showing up on more smart TVs.
The usual buttons are all there, with controls for power, jumping back to the home screen, accessing settings, and adjusting or muting the volume. Just Google TV adds new features, with buttons for accessing your personal Watchlist, triggering Google Assistant for voice search and commands, jumping right to the programming guide for local channels and pulling upwards an on-screen keyboard.There'southward even a feature called the quick panel, which pulls upward recent and favorite apps and other information, letting you see your favorites without going back to the home screen. Plus there'south a button for the TCL Home app, giving yous an on-screen tool for managing different connected smart home devices.
Beneath all of these functional controls are iv dedicated app buttons, with one-printing admission to Netflix, YouTube, the TCL Channel (a new gratis streaming service on TCL TVs), and Amazon Prime Video.
The only issue we had with the remote was that our unit seemed to accept suffered some shipping damage or a manufacturing defect that kept the battery compartment from closing securely. I was generally fine during my hands-on testing, simply during lab tests it repeatedly fell off.
TCL 5-Serial Google Television (S546): Verdict
All in all, the TCL 5-Serial Google TV (S546) offers shoppers a real upgrade from the already-not bad TCL v-Series Roku TV (S535). The overall functioning is ameliorate, the support for HDR and audio formats is expanded, and Google Tv set offers a peachy smart Telly experience. And the price departure between the ii is negligible, making it easy to recommend the Google-powered model over the Roku TV version.
We're nearly excited to see the same Google Television receiver options on TCL's more than premium 6-Series model line, which upgrades the QLED brandish with a mini-LED backlight that delivers better brightness and improved contrast control. Given that nosotros named the TCL 6-Series Roku Tv set (R635) i of the best TVs of the twelvemonth, the Google TV version should make for an impressive Television set indeed.
But for the best smart TV feel in a TV under $i,000, it'southward hard to deny that the TCL 5-Series Google TV (S546) is a solid contender. That's thanks well-nigh entirely to the improvements that come up with Google's new Tv platform, which outshine the modest functioning improvements.
Source: https://www.tomsguide.com/reviews/tcl-5-series-google-tv-s546
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