TCL's awesome new Roku TVs are finally available—here's how to get them
The 2020 TCL 5-Series and 6-Series have arrived, and they're all about quantum dots
Credit:
TCL
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Here's some great news for fans of value-packed, budget-friendly TVs: TCL just unveiled two of its 2020 Roku TV series, the 5-Series and the 6-Series, and they're now available for purchase.
We loved TCL's 2019 offerings. The ultra-affordable TCL 4-Series wowed us with its price tag, the flagship TCL 8-Series dazzled us with its impressive mini-LED display tech, and the TCL 6-Series married performance and affordability with such finesse that it earned itself a spot on our list of the best TVs you can buy. We haven't yet had a chance to take TCL's newest 5- and 6-Series out for a test drive, but if they're anywhere near as impressive as last year's offerings, they're sure to be worthy of a spot on your shopping list.
The Roku TV remote—seen here with the 2019 TCL 8-Series—is one of the best remote controls going right now. It features big, responsive buttons and a microphone for voice control.
Both the 5- and the 6-Series are Roku TVs, so they come with our favorite smart platform built right into the TV's software—no need for an external streaming device. TVs in both series come with the easy-to-use, voice-enabled Roku remote (an underrated feature in a world full of clunky clickers, if you ask me).
The best Roku TVs combine the simplicity of the Roku smart platform with dependable performance, so we're hoping that the 5- and 6-Series put on an impressive show when we test and review them in the coming weeks.
Here's a look at how these two new TCL TV series stack up when it comes to features and price tags, as well as where you can pick one up for yourself.
The 2020 TCL 5-Series
This year, the TCL 5-Series Roku TV features quantum dots, but manages to do so at an impressively low cost. The TCL 5-Series pairs its quantum dots with full-array local dimming.
This year, for all intents and purposes, the 5-Series is taking over as TCL's base model, but it's doing so with some significant hardware upgrades. The most significant enhancement comes in the form of quantum dots, which typically improve a picture's color voluminosity and overall brightness. We can't say for sure how bright or colorful the 5-Series is until we test it ourselves, but we can say for sure that this is one of the most affordable QLED TVs we've seen to date.
Buy the 55-inch TCL 5-Series from Best Buy for $449.99
Here's a look at some of the 5-Series' key features:
- Resolution: 4K (3,840 x 2,160)
- Display: LED full-array local dimming
- HDR support: HDR10, HLG, Dolby Vision
- Dolby Atmos: No
- Native refresh rate: 60 Hz
- Smart platform: Yes (Roku)
- Color: DCI-P3/10-bit color space
On board the TCL 5-Series are HDMI ports that support Auto Low Latency Mode (ALLM), one HDMI port that supports eARC, and up to 80 local dimming zones depending on the model. While we appreciate the inclusion of ALLM, the all-new TCL 6-Series might be a better fit for gamers, and I'll explain why shortly.
This is how the 5-Series shakes out in terms of pricing:
- 50-inch (TCL 50S535), MSRP $400
- 55-inch (TCL 55S535), MSRP $450
- 65-inch (TCL 65S535), MSRP $630
- 75-inch (TCL 75S535), MSRP $1,100
We can't say much more about the TCL 5-Series until we take it for a spin in our test lab, but if you've read enough, you can—as of this morning—order any size in the series.
The 2020 TCL 6-Series
The 65-inch TCL 6-Series features the company's mini-LED display technology, which was previously only found on the 2019 TCL 8-Series. Like that TV, the 6-Series also features quantum dots.
Like last year's TCL 6-Series, the 2020 6-Series is TCL's mid-range offering. This year, however, the 6-Series has seen some significant hardware upgrades that bring it closer to last year's 8-Series in terms of horsepower.
Buy the 65-inch TCL 6-Series from Best Buy for $899.99
In addition to being a quantum dot TV, the all-new 6-Series features TCL's mini-LED technology, which was previously only available in the company's flagship 8-Series. This display tech offers smaller LEDs with much tighter contrast control. Although we loved how the mini-LEDs looked on last year's 8-Series, we don't expect that the 6-Series will look quite as good as TCL's 2019 flagship; the 2019 8-Series featured 1,000 LED zones and this year's 6-Series tops out at 240 zones. Nevertheless, it's exciting to see the technology trickling down to a more affordable TV series.
Here's a rundown of the TCL 6-Series' key features:
- Resolution: 4K (3,840 x 2,160)
- Display: Mini-LED, full-array local dimming
- HDR support: HDR10, HLG, Dolby Vision
- Dolby Atmos: Yes
- Native refresh rate: 120 Hz
- Smart platform: Yes (Roku)
- Color: DCI-P3/10-bit color space
- Other features: Variable Refresh Rate (VRR)
Gamers will be happy to note that the TCL 6-Series features a native refresh rate of 120 Hz, but there's even more reason to celebrate: The 6-Series supports Auto Low Latency Mode (ALLM) and offers something called THX Certified Game Mode, which promises low input lag and Variable Refresh Rate (VRR) support. It's hard to assess these features without having tested them out ourselves, but at a glance, the 6-Series looks to be a great pickup for folks who do a lot of gaming.
In terms of size options and prices, here's what we're looking at:
- 55-inch (TCL 55R635), MSRP $650
- 65-inch (TCL 65R635), MSRP $900
- 75-inch (TCL 75R635), MSRP $1,400
We'll be taking a closer look at the TCL 5-Series and 6-Series when we review them in the coming weeks, but if I was a betting person, I'd wager that both'll be in the running for our favorite value TV of 2020. Stay tuned.
Buy the 55-inch TCL 5-Series from Best Buy for $449.99 Buy the 65-inch TCL 6-Series from Best Buy for $899.99
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