Skip to main content
  1. Home
  2. Audio / Video
  3. News

TCL’s 2020 5- and 6-Series QLED televisions boost performance, not price

Jaron Schneider
By

TCL has upped its game yet again by adding considerable bumps in technology to its Roku-powered 5- and 6-Series televisions, all while keeping the prices approachable. Both television lines see noticeable improvements across the board, with the 5-Series seeing a jump in color accuracy and contrast thanks to the addition of QLED, and the 6-Series also getting a considerable boost to its picture quality via mini-LED technology, along with some serious gaming chops.

Both feature Dolby Vision, HDR10, and HLG support, as well as updated cosmetics including new stands and a thin bezel.

Recommended Videos

TCL also teased its forthcoming 8-series TVs, due later this year, likely not coincidentally timed to arrive along with next-gen gaming consoles, the Xbox Series X and Playstation 5. More on this at the end of the post.

Related

TCL 2020 6-Series

TCL

The 6-Series is TCL’s flagship 4K television line and the recipient of some serious performance upgrades over its predecessor. The line already uses Quantum Dot (QLED) technology, but the latest iteration adds to it thousands of “micrometer-class” mini-LED backlights for the first time. Mini-LED technology is what put TCL’s 8-series TVs on the map last year and is responsible for some top-tier contrast reproduction.

The mini-LED system in the 2020 6-Series utilizes 240 “Contrast Control” local dimming zones that the company promises will allow the television to bring the deep blacks that are so often sought after in high-end televisions. The company has also adopted a stance that might be familiar to you if you’ve been paying attention to Sony, saying it believes that the number of local dimming zones in a television isn’t as important as how well they are utilized.

1 of 3
A TCL 6-Se
tcl 2020 5 6 series tvs announced 75r635 detail 1
tcl 2020 5 6 series tvs announced 75r635 right

To go along with those high-end picture offerings, TCL has given the 6-Series line compatibility with both Dolby Atmos and Dolby Vision. The former is used to add immersive surround sound, a feature we do not typically expect from modern flatscreen televisions that generally do not have the physical space required for high-fidelity audio solutions, while the latter dramatically expands the color and contrast range thanks to dynamic metadata provided by Dolby for select content and optimized for the viewing experience.

TCL has dramatically improved the 6-Series for gamers by not only adding HDMI 2.1 features like variable refresh rate and auto low latency in what TCL calls “Auto Game Mode,” but also partnered with THX to certify the TVs for the needs of gaming. We’ve gone into great detail about what that partnership means for TCL, but suffice it to say that the company seems to be putting a healthy emphasis on gaming that should liven up the conversation around which television is best for the next generation of consoles. What TCL doesn’t publish are input lag or response times, so we will have to wait until we evaluate them to determine their viability for competitive gaming.

The TCL 6-Series is available in limited quantities immediately (with more coming later this year) in 55-inch, 65-inch, and 75-inch size options for $650, $900, and $1,400 respectively.

TCL 2020 5-Series

TCL

TCL’s 5-Series 4K televisions will make the jump to what was previously only 6-Series territory with QLED color technology. QLED is considered to be the best LED TVtTV for top-tier color reproduction and contrast, and TCL’s decision to offer it in what has largely been the company’s more affordable line should put its competitors on notice.

The 5-Series will also use the same “Contrast Control Zone” technology found in the 6-Series, albeit with fewer zones to allow for more affordable price points. The 5-Series features 80 local dimming zones, which power what TCL calls its TV’s “luminance engine” to provide even greater contrast reproduction for darker blacks and brighter highlights than in its previous models.

The 5-Series will support Dolby Vision and HDR Pro Pack, as well as feature the same auto low latency “Auto Game Mode” found in the 6-Series. TCL did not specify if the 5-Series would include variable refresh rate, which is promised in the 6-Series. Also like with the 6-Series, TCL did not include specifications for input lag or response time. Though it is probably best to go with the THX-certified 6-Series line over the more affordable 5-Series if you’re buying a television specifically for gaming from TCL, the 5-Series still looks to have many gamer-centric features.

1 of 5
The 75-inch TCL Class 5 Series QLED 4K TV with a colorful scene on the screen.
tcl 2020 5 6 series tvs announced 75s535 back
tcl 2020 5 6 series tvs announced 75s535 right
tcl 2020 5 6 series tvs announced 75s535 overhead
tcl 2020 5 6 series tvs announced 75s535 ports

The 5-Series also receives cosmetic upgrades, including a thin-bezel design and feet that hide the TV’s cable management system. Gone is the round Roku logo in the lower right, replaced instead with a much more understated logo and an overall thinner, sleeker base.

TCL’s 5-Series is priced remarkably low for this spec list and is available immediately, with the 50-inch, 55-inch, 65-inch, and 75-inch screens coming in at $400, $450, $630, and $1,100 respectively. Just over $1,000 for a 75-inch television powered by Roku and featuring QLED technology is impressive, and we expect it to continue the company’s tradition of low prices and high performance.

As teased earlier, TCL has indicated it intends to introduce it’s 8-series line later this year. The 8-series will be an 8K TV this year, blessed with mini-LED tech, but possibly also in a new form TCL called Vidrian earlier this year at CES, wherein pixels are embedded in a sheet of glass, reducing a few panel layers.

Should the 8-series make it’s debut as anticipated, it could be one of the most groundbreaking TVs we see in 2020. It will also likely be the most expensive TCL TV ever offered in the U.S., though we expect it to undercut Samsung, LG, and Sony by a fair margin.

Editors' Recommendations

Topics
Jaron Schneider
Jaron Schneider
Former Digital Trends Contributor
Jaron Schneider is a former award-winning commercial filmmaker and long-time digital imaging expert across the field of both…
TCL’s 6-series Roku TVs are now on sale, with more new sets to follow in 2020
tcl 2019 8 series 6 5 released details pricing q82x angled left hero

Back at CES 2019, TCL showed off its new TV models, including its first 8K TVs. Last month, the company announced the availability of the rest of the 2019 models. Now the brand new 6-series models are officially on sale, but you'll have to wait a bit longer for the 5-series and 8-series TVs. Here's all you need to know about the latest TCL TVs.
TCL 6-Series Roku TV
The 2019 4K 6-Series is now on sale and starts at under $600 for the 55-inch and $800 for the 65-inch models. It shares many of the same features as its 8-Series sibling, including a QLED display, AiPQ Engine processing, Dolby Vision and HDR10, Dolby Atmos, and a bezel-less design. Though it lacks the 8-Series' Quantum Contrast mini-LEDs, it still features a large number of local-dimming zones -- 100 of them in the 55-inch model and more in the 65-inch model. The 6-Series feature Roku Voice and compatibility with Google Assistant and Amazon Alexa.
TCL 8-Series Roku TV
TCL's new top-of-the-line TV is the 8-Series, which comes in two 4K sizes: The $1,999 65-inch 65Q825, and the $2,999 75-inch 75Q825. They'll both go on sale later this fall. The 8K models will start at 75 inches and go up from there, but you won't be able to get your hands on one until early in 2020, and the prices remain undisclosed.

But regardless of whether you buy a 4K or 8K 8-Series, the features are the same. With a "bezel-less" design that has a tiny frame width on three sides, the 8-Series supports HDR10 and Dolby Vision. It also uses QLED technology -- not the first TCL TV to do so, but it is the first QLED TCL model to be sold in North America. TCL claims these QLED displays will deliver 100% of the color volume in the DCI-P3 Hollywood reference color space. Of course, QLED displays are hardly new -- Samsung and Vizio use the same Quantum Dot technology in many of their TVs too. But not all QLED displays look alike, because of differences in contrast and image processing -- two areas where the 8-Series stands apart.

Read more
TCL drops the price of its 75-inch 6-Series 4K Roku TV to $1,500
TCL6-series-2019

March is traditionally one of the best times of year to pick up a new TV, thanks to deep discounts as new inventory rolls in. We've already seen big price drops from LG and Vizio, and now it's TCL's turn. The company has reduced its monster 75-inch 6-Series Roku TV to $1,500, which is $300 less than its regular price.  It's the lowest price yet for this particular model and an awesome deal on such a big screen. It's a limited-time deal and it ends on April 6 or when quantities run out.

But size isn't the only reason to grab this deal. The TCL 6-Series is an outstanding value even before any discounts are applied. When we reviewed the 55- and 65-inch models in 2018, we found lots of impressive features. We issued a score of 8/10 and gave it our Editors' Choice award. As a Roku TV, it already has a headstart on a lot of the competition, with a smart TV interface that is among the best we've ever used. Many smart TV makers offer up built-in streaming apps for services like Netflix, Hulu, and Amazon, but they often feel like afterthoughts, and not central to the TV experience. With Roku's TV OS, it's the opposite: The Roku channels take center stage, and all of the TV's other functions are neatly handled by the simple Roku remote. Add to this the availability of voice commands via the remote's mic button (and Alexa or Google Assistant if you prefer) and you have a nearly perfect user experience.

Read more
TCL’s fantastic P-Series Roku TV gets a huge price cut at Best Buy today
TCL P-Series TV unboxing and setup

Many eyes may currently be on recently released 2018 model TVs, but that doesn’t mean older models aren't worth adding to your living room. New TVs means lower prices on fantastic models from 2017. Today, for example, you'll find an insane deal on TCL’s fantastic 55-inch P605 P-Series Roku TV at Best Buy.

The P-Series was released in 2017 and saw some of the best reviews of any TV released that year, with a price-to-performance ratio that was nearly impossible to beat. While the company’s new 6-Series model might have taken the spotlight away a bit, the P-Series is still a great TV, even at full price. Today, however, the price is coming down by $100 to $500 at Best Buy locations throughout the U.S., as well as on the Best Buy website.

Read more