TCL unveils its latest Roku-powered 5-Series and 6-Series TVs

TCL — one of the biggest players in the smart TV space — today unveiled full details for the newest versions of its venerable Roku TVs. Updated are the 5-Series and 6-Series sets, and the scheme remains the same. The 5-Series looks to remain pretty damn good and super-affordable. The 6-Series will be smarter on the inside, more attractive on the outside, and a little more taxing on the wallet.

With those preliminaries out of the way, let’s just get to it.

The 6-Series again sports a trio of screen sizes at 55-, 65-, and 75-inches for model numbers 55R655, 65R655, and 75R655, respectively. We’re still looking at mini-LED backlit panels with 4K resolution and a native refresh rate of 120Hz. Variable refresh rate (VRR), however, can crank things up to 144Hz, placing the TCL 6-Series in rare company. Note, however, that only two of the HDMI ports are good for the full smash — two others are limited to 4K 60Hz. It’s worth noting that TCL made an interesting choice by assigning its eARC port to one of the 4K/60z HDMI inputs, rather than going the much more common route of tacking it onto one of the 4K/120Hz ports. This grants some users two ports on the TV for connecting a next-gen gaming console or high-end PC but complicates matters for anyone who might want to connect 4K/120Hz-capable devices to a high-end A/V receiver or soundbar first, then rely on the eARC port to pass through the high frame rate signal.

There’s also support for the full gamut of HDR specs, with HDR 10, HDR 10+, HLG, and Dolby Vision all on board. And for the nerdier among us, the 6-Series covers 100 percent of the DCI-P3 wide color standard.

The 6-Series also keeps the more stylish design, with a center pedestal instead of the angular feet on the far reaches of the 5-Series. That “Premium Center Mount” also allows for two height options, which is a nice touch if you need a little extra room to clear a soundbar.

The 5-Series comes in 50-, 55-, 65-, and 75-inch sizes (models 50S555, 55S555, 65S555, and 75S555). All the sets have 4K HDR resolution, as well as four HDMI ports, one of which is of the eARC variety.

“TCL has maintained its position as one of the top two TV brands in the U.S. because of our continued focus on the consumer and meeting their needs by offering premium products at a great value,” Chris Hamdorf, Senior Vice President of TCL, said in a press release. “The 6-Series has been our most highly-lauded model for delivering advanced features that TVs costing two or three times more would have and our new 2022 version is no different—innovative technology at incomparable value, thanks to the many advantages of being a vertically integrated company.”

Here’s how pricing breaks down for the new 6-Series models:

TCL 6-Series 2022

• 55-inch (55R655): $700
• 65-inch (65R655): $1,000
• 75-inch (75R655): $1,500

The 5-Series models start at $430 for the 55-inch and work up from there.

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