There is not any doubt about it, TCL’s P-Sequence was one of the best worth TV of 2017. 

It has its issues, particularly in relation to retaining native zones the evenly lit, however its readability, shade and skill to supply beautiful HDR pictures have been second to none in its class – and typically even in opposition to TVs that value two to 3 occasions as a lot.

Whereas we nonetheless love the P-Sequence, it is getting quite a bit more durable to search out in 2018. Some shops nonetheless carry it, however most have run out of inventory. The excellent news right here, nevertheless, is that since its launch final 12 months, TCL has launched two newer fashions – the TCL 6-Series R617, R615 – which can be even higher than the P-Sequence. TCL has upped the variety of distinction management zones from 72 to 96 on the 55-inch TCL 55R617, and it is improved video delay to solely about 17.7ms, making the 6-Sequence an important TV for gaming.

That stated, nevertheless, if you’ll find an important deal on the P-Sequence someplace on the market on the web, we advocate taking it – that is nonetheless a implausible TV, one 12 months later. That stated, if you wish to see what we thought in regards to the P-Sequence final 12 months, learn on. 

(Editor’s observe: TV names generally is a bit complicated. The TCL P605 gives the identical image efficiency because the P607, the one  distinction between them being the distant that comes with the TV. Additionally, the P605 is out there completely at Finest Purchase.)

Design

Should you’re unfamiliar with TCL’s gamut of televisions, the P-Sequence is roughly the middle-of-the-road mannequin. It focuses on image efficiency (that’s what the P stands for) however it neither holds rank on the high nor backside of TCL’s TV echelon. 

And that’s OK. Because it seems, the center is an excellent spot to be. 

The C-Sequence, which stands simply above the P-Sequence, gives a built-in soundbar and a up to date design for an additional $50, whereas the S-Sequence drops Dolby Imaginative and prescient from the equation for round $100 lower than the P-Sequence. The P-Sequence won’t have a ‘up to date’ design or a built-in soundbar, however it does help Dolby Imaginative and prescient, a vital part of HDR efficiency. Thus far, it’s not so unhealthy being the center little one.

The draw back, nevertheless, is that for now, TCL’s P-Sequence solely is available in one measurement: a formidable, however not overwhelming 55-inch mannequin. There will likely be a 50-inch and a 65-inch model someday down the highway however, in the meanwhile, all we’ve got is the stalwart, budget-conscious 55-inch display screen to sink our enamel into. 

The P-Sequence stands on two steel u-shaped legs which have rubber padding on the underside to stop slippage. They are often fitted comparatively rapidly, and the TV needs to be up and operating in a matter of minutes in case you have your entire cables sorted and able to be plugged in.

Talking of plugs and ports, the 55P607 helps three HDMI 2.zero ports with HDCP 2.2, one with HDMI ARC, one USB 2.zero port, a three.5mm Headphone Jack and Digital Optical-In, plus an AV In port that takes your customary composite (Pink-White-Yellow RCA) enter, nice for traditional gaming or older AV units.

It’s all housed inside a slim(ish) black shell that’s someplace in between the paper-thin OLED screens we’ve seen a lot of this 12 months and the older LED LCD screens of yesteryear. The bezel is clear however not distracting, a minimum of to us, however must you need one thing a bit sleeker there’s all the time the TCL C-Sequence to contemplate.

Design TL;DR: The P-Sequence is restricted in its measurement (it’s solely out there in a 55-inch model in the mean time), however in any other case it hits the nail on the top within the design division.

Sensible TV (Roku TV)

Beginning again in 2014 with a 1080p mannequin, TCL has adopted Roku as its main good TV supplier – which was an important choice contemplating how straightforward Roku’s platform is to make use of. 

The good TV model of Roku each seems and acts just like the platform used on streaming video units just like the Roku Extremely and Roku Premiere+: The House part comprises all of the apps in your library, whereas My Feed tracks films and TV exhibits you’re curious about and exhibits you the place they are often discovered. We’re additionally fairly large followers of Roku’s common search function that rifles via 300+ apps to search out films and TV exhibits and shows them with the most cost effective choice first.

General, Roku TV is easy, environment friendly and easy sufficient for most individuals to select up and use and not using a drawback.

New for platform in 2017 is the flexibility to label inputs (labeling one enter as Xbox or DVD Participant as an alternative of Enter 1, and so on…), some extra smartphone options and, for the primary time, Dolby Imaginative and prescient help. Dolby Imaginative and prescient permits you to get absolutely the most from the TV when it comes to efficiency and whereas monitoring down Dolby Imaginative and prescient content material is a little bit of a problem, Roku does job highlighting all of the out there content material in a brand new row within the 4K UHD Highlight app.   

Sensible TV TL;DR: Versatile as ever and more and more extra environment friendly and easy-to-use with every passing day, Roku TV makes an important TV even higher.

HD/SDR Efficiency

Whereas 4K/HDR is the star of the present right here, HD/SDR doesn’t look half unhealthy both. Vivid areas are brighter and darkish components darker due to TCL’s Distinction Management Zone expertise that individually illuminates and dims 72 sections of the display screen, and the identical tech that makes HDR look so wealthy and vibrant additionally helps make HD/SDR pictures actually shine.

Should you’re searching for demo content material to indicate off this new display screen, your finest guess is to stay to films and exhibits that emphasize brilliant colours over darker, subtler tones. It’s not that the TCL 55P607 can’t deal with night time scenes chock filled with inky blacks, it’s simply considerably higher at dealing with brighter sorts of content material. Cartoon films like Moana, The Lifetime of Pets and extra look luxurious on this display screen and its efficiency rivals a few of this 12 months’s finest and brightest panels just like the Samsung Q7F QLED TV and Sony Bravia XBR-X900E. 

It’s a barely totally different story once we discuss what darker content material seems like on TCL’s worth performer – these good inky blacks can flip to milky gray earlier than your eyes – however largely we got here away impressed with what it may do. 

Essentially the most disappointing second we had with the TV got here throughout the Recreation of Thrones Season 7 opener when the ominous darkish gray fog rolled in. What ought to’ve been an epic introduction to the season appeared grainy and pixelated. Issues cleared up by the following scene, however the slight faux-pas proved that TCL isn’t able to tackle OLED in black stage efficiency anytime quickly. 

HD/SDR Efficiency TL;DR: TCL’s P-Sequence nonetheless has a bit to do when it comes to upscaling and black stage efficiency, however general HD/SDR content material (particularly brilliant pictures) seems nice.

4K/HDR Efficiency

The star of the present right here is 4K/HDR. Arms down, the TCL 55P607 offers one of the best performance-per-dollar on this area than practically any TV in the marketplace as we speak. By way of 4K/HDR efficiency particularly, and by that we imply the results of feeding the TV a local 4K sign, the 55P607 rivals and in some instances surpases screens that value a whole bunch extra. 

Shocked what this TV is able to? So are we. However there are some sturdy technological benefits that TCL has packed into the display screen that profit from its inside . There’s, in fact, the Distinction Management Zone expertise that we talked about above that helps forestall areas of brilliant white from bleeding into darker areas, however there’s one other expertise referred to as Huge Colour Gamut that enhances visuals in an much more profound method.

Huge Colour Gamut (or WCG) is the driving drive behind the TV trying extra saturated – blues being bluer, greens being greener and so forth. TCL has a proprietary expertise referred to as NBP Photon that does this intelligently with out risking oversaturation. In apply, the outcomes are extraordinary and look above what a TV on this worth vary ought to produce. 

In fact, the tradeoff right here is that the 55P607 continues to be an LED LCD display screen that has all the identical issues that we’ve seen with the expertise over time: there’s a blooming impact the place brilliant areas bleed into areas that needs to be pitch black, and black ranges right here simply aren’t fairly pretty much as good as they have been again on plasma TVs or on newer OLED screens. 

These complaints are in the end minor, nevertheless, and except you’re searching for them, they received’t distract you from the attractive pictures this TV can produce.

4K/HDR Efficiency TL;DR: Loaded up with the most recent in display screen tech, TCL’s reasonably priced 55-incher is kind of the 4K performer. 

Sound

The TCL 55P607 is supplied with all the things it wants for decent-sounding audio proper out of the field: It has two downward-firing Eight-watt audio system that produce a sizeable quantity of noise – it’s sufficient to fill a small room like a bed room or lower via bigger to midsize rooms with out compromising too lots of the particulars.

By way of tonal stability, TCL has properly positioned an emphasis on the mids and highs somewhat than wall-shaking bass. Which means the TV performs properly in exhibits and flicks the place dialogue is crucial or outstanding sort of audio, however falls a bit brief on music or video games the place explosions reign supreme. 

Briefly, it’s not a whole slouch right here, however in case you’re searching for wall-shaking bass or all-around higher stability, you’ll must spend money on a soundbar.

That being stated, in case you’re used to utilizing a standard Roku gadget, one good function in regards to the 55P607’s distant contains a mute button subsequent to quantity up/down – a small function, we all know, however one which makes a world of distinction.

Sound TL;DR: TCL’s 55P607 gives good, balanced sound for the value. House cinema lovers may need to spend money on a soundbar, nevertheless.

Different panels to ponder

If we have been speaking a few mid-range, $2,000 tv, you’d be completely inundated with suggestions – the Sony Bravia X850E and Bravia X900E series are implausible this 12 months, and Samsung’s MU collection seems to supply big-screen thrills at a extra reasonably priced worth. 

However TCL’s 55P607 stands in a category of its personal. 

It seems nice, is available in a formidable display screen measurement that ought to match on high of most house leisure facilities and prices properly below $1,000.

The one factor that we’ve discovered to be near TCL’s P-Sequence can be the new-and-improved 2017 Vizio E-Sequence SmartCast XLED TVs. The 65-inch model, which helps 4K and HDR10, is available in at a still-affordable $899 – a mere $250 greater than what you’d pay for the TCL 55P607 for an additional 10 inches of display screen. 

In the end, nevertheless, all else even, we’d nonetheless go for TCL’s P-Sequence. 

Verdict

TV producers have lengthy sought the system to an important performing TV at a discount worth and, talking for the final seven years since LED LCD hit the mainstream, have by no means fairly achieved that good stability. Till now. For us, TCL’s P-Sequence 55P607 does simply that – it packs highly effective expertise below the hood, together with help for WCG and Dolby Imaginative and prescient, in an reasonably priced bundle that may solely get cheaper as soon as the seasonal gross sales begin in November.