Late 2017 replace

If you need a 55-inch TV and do not wish to pay $1,500 for an OLED, the TCL P sequence is the one to get.

Merely put, no different TV provides this degree of image high quality for this low cost a worth. At simply $650, or $600 for the Greatest Purchase variant (see under), the TCL P prices a whole bunch lower than the 55-inch Sony XBR-X900E, for instance, however its image is simply pretty much as good — and in some ways, it is higher. It additionally earned a better picture-quality rating than the way more costly Samsung Q7 QLED TV.

You learn that proper. I reviewed the TCL 55P607 when it got here out in June, and have in contrast it to quite a few televisions since. It is higher than simply about all of them, regardless of how well-known their model names.

The secret is its full-array local dimming. It permits the display screen to dim and brighten in numerous areas independently, and TVs which have it nearly all the time carry out higher than TVs that do not. In fact, different features of picture high quality are vital too, however good native dimming types the premise of high contrast in LCD TVs, and distinction is king. It is the principle motive why OLED TVs look so good.

You will discover I mentioned “nearly all.” The largest exception, and the TCL P sequence’ largest competitor by way of picture high quality for the cash, is Vizio’s M series. It has primarily the identical degree of image high quality because the TCL, and its 55-inch dimension prices $700 proper now. I favored the M sequence a lot that I gave it Editors’ Selection award for 2017, over this TCL, for the straightforward undeniable fact that the Vizio is out there in a number of sizes, from 50 all the way in which as much as 75 inches.

Like I mentioned on the high, nevertheless, if you’d like a 55-inch set, get this TCL as an alternative of the Vizio. Past the truth that the TCL is cheaper, its Roku TV working system is way superior to what Vizio provides. Roku has dead-simple menus and hundreds of apps, together with probably the most 4K and HDR streaming apps you may get. It is also continually up to date, the most recent together with a new program guide for over-the-air antenna that makes the P sequence way more pleasant to cord cutters. The Vizio does not even have an over-the-air TV tuner.

In fact you can (and will!) add a $70 Roku Streaming Stick Plus to a Vizio and get many of the identical performance, however that would not be as elegant as built-in Roku, and it could improve the worth distinction even additional.

Briefly, each units are glorious, and each earned the identical total ranking, however at this dimension, TCL P is bigger than Vizio M.

Replace, Dec. eight: The textual content of this overview has been up to date all through, aside from the image high quality part, to mirror the most recent software program updates in addition to comparisons to different merchandise, mainly the Vizio M sequence. Its rankings stay the identical.

Two flavors of P, each in 55-inch solely

The P sequence is just obtainable within the 55-inch dimension I reviewed. 

TCL initially introduced it could ship 50- and 65-inch sizes too, however in August it canceled those plans. It hasn’t supplied an evidence past “shifting our focus from the remaining 2017 P sequence fashions (50- and 65-inch) to the next-generation P sequence portfolio,” in line with a spokesperson. Translation: Wait until 2018 for greater Ps.

In the meantime, one other 55-inch TCL P sequence Roku TV, mannequin 55P605, is out there solely from Greatest Purchase. It lacks the 607’s enhanced distant (see under), but it surely’s $50 cheaper and has in any other case an identical options and film high quality. So sure, it is an excellent higher cut price than the 55P607, so long as you do not care about that distant.

Shiny ft, Roku’s a deal with

It ain’t ugly by any means, however neither will the P sequence be recognized for its dashing beauty. Certain, the flexible chrome-colored legs present a modicum of panache, and the identical goes for the matching edges, however in any other case it is a ho-hum TV design: thick(er) cupboard, minimal shiny black plastic borders, TCL and Roku logos.

I am a fan of Roku TVs’ well-traveled menus, particularly their grouping of inputs (cable TV, PlayStation and so forth) on the principle house display screen, proper alongside Netflix and Hulu. You may select from a bunch of preset names and icons for related gadgets, or identify them no matter you need. You too can shuffle them across the display screen or take away them solely, and the identical goes for the apps: the whole lot is on the identical footing and simple to customise, type of like your telephone. I simply want a 3rd of the display screen wasn’t occupied by an advert.

Roku TVs have entry to all of the hundreds of apps discovered on Roku’s platform, which nonetheless provides better coverage than any competitor, sensible TV or in any other case. Netflix, Amazon, YouTube, Hulu, Plex, HBO Now, Showtime, Sling TV, PlayStation Vue, Vudu, Google Play Motion pictures and TV, Watch ESPN, Fox Sports activities Now, FX Now, Comedy Central, Starz, PBS Children… if there is a video app that is not iTunes, Roku nearly definitely has it. And due to Movies Anywhere, you’ll be able to even watch your iTunes-purchased TV reveals and flicks on this TV.

And if that app streams in 4K, HDR and/or Dolby Vision, the P sequence can ship these streams, too. I particularly just like the “4K highlight” app that surfaces particular person 4K and HDR (and Dolby Imaginative and prescient) TV reveals and flicks throughout a number of suppliers, though sadly Netflix is not one in every of them. I additionally just like the “4K content material obtainable” checklist on the app retailer, which reveals the entire 4K apps obtainable on Roku.

The entire Roku TVs I’ve examined reply rapidly and serve up movies with minimal delays. Search is the most effective within the enterprise total, and typically the interface is as pleasant and easy because it will get. For more information, try my overview of my favourite 4K Roku system, the Roku Streaming Stick Plus.

Triple-threat ‘enhanced’ distant

The clicker has only a few buttons, buying and selling direct entry to channels and “extensive” modes, for instance, for giant keys that zip ably across the menus. “Enhanced” in Roku parlance means the P607 will get three vital clicker extras: a headphone jack, a distant finder and the power to look along with your voice. 

The distant finder helps you to simply find a misplaced clicker, for instance from throughout the sofa cushions or a child’s toy field (true story). To make the distant emit a noise, you should utilize the management buttons on the rear of the TV. Once I tried it, the sound was lots loud. Thus far so good.

Roku’s voice perform isn’t almost as sturdy as Amazon Alexa, discovered on Fire Edition TVs for instance, but it surely labored fantastic for searches and, thanks to a different new software program replace, for app launching, switching inputs and tuning to an antenna channel. If the TV is off, a voice command like “launch Netflix” will flip it on and launch the app. 

Roku’s cross-platform search trawls greater than 300 totally different apps and channels, and once I used the distant for voice searches, its recognition was correct and fast. As all the time, I cherished Roku’s up-front presentation of comparability costs for pay-per-view TV episodes and flicks.

Sadly Roku’s signature distant characteristic, a headphone jack on the distant for personal listening, did not work flawlessly. The primary time I related headphones to the distant, it muted the TV’s audio as deliberate, and lip sync was fantastic (not fairly excellent, however adequate), however the audio broke up, rendering it unlistenable. Each different time I examined it, it labored effectively, nevertheless, so I am keen to chalk it up as a blip. Switching from a 5GHz community to 2.4GHz appeared to assist, however your mileage might differ.

In case you do not care about these distant extras, Greatest Purchase’s 55P605 is a bit cheaper. It comes with a regular distant — no headphone jack, distant finder or voice search. It additionally used infrared (IR) expertise so you need to intention it on the TV, whereas the improved distant’s radio frequency (RF) expertise permits you to level it anyplace.

Streaming options and antenna pause

Roku TV’s newest new characteristic known as “More Ways to Watch.” Its authentic implementation used computerized content material recognition (ACR) to recommend TV reveals from streaming sources based mostly on what’s enjoying by way of cable field, satellite tv for pc field, antenna or related video system, like a Blu-ray participant. Sadly these options take the type of popups, and they are often annoying. I switched them off (in Settings > Privateness > Good TV expertise).

The latest implementation of MWTW is voluntary. It solely works with TV from the over-the-air antenna, so it is ineffective for cable subscribers, however for antenna-savvy wire cutters it is fairly candy. If an antenna present listed within the new grid-style digital program information has a purple asterisk subsequent to it — and plenty of do — you’ll be able to hit the asterisk key on the distant and be proven methods to look at that episode, instantly and from the start, by way of a streaming service. 

I attempted it with “Sesame Avenue,” for instance, and was in a position to select from Spectrum’s app, HBO Now or HBO Go. Clicking Now launched the app and took me on to that present. Briefly, the over-the-air antenna information on Roku TV is now one other approach to browse what you’ll be able to stream. Here’s an in-depth look.