Here we did experience a downside to handing setup over to Google Home: it rarely works perfectly. When it got to the Wi-Fi connection, for example, the TV announced it was connected. But the Google Home app said it had failed and we should try again. We had no choice – we had to keep using the app to get through the setup, so we had to do it again. Happily, the second time it worked and we could move on. On the operating system side of things, TCL TVs use the Google TV interface in 2023 (unlike some previous years where Android OS was the main OS system for TCL models in the UK). Settings can also be accessed from the remote, popping up a box with a few key settings (including Picture), but for the rest you have to press a second settings icon inside the first. Comparing the C735K with its successor is a similar story, with the 2022 model using the older IPQ 2.0 processor and offering inferior display brightness. Only the 98in C735K has local dimming and all models use less powerful pairs of 10W speakers. The C735K is still capable of 144Hz VRR, however, and has the same number of HDMI 2.1 ports (four), all of which support ALLM.

The combination of Mini LED through LCD with the quantum dot enhancement film delivers highly accurate colour performance, the best of any of the various technologies used by TCL, it says. It delivers 100% of the DCI-P3 colour space, or to put it another way, every colour that a cinema camera is capable of capturing. TCL’s main advantage in the TV market is its aggressive pricing. It manufactures televisions at a large scale and has passed on a lot of those savings to consumers in a bid to win over a worldwide audience. If you’re looking for a cheap television that offers a lot for the price, TCL will often be a good bet – often for very large-sized televisions too. Need I say with undue emphasis that this is very affordable indeed for a 4K QLED TV with a credible smart TV interface and some current-gen games console support? I’m tempted to suggest it’s almost too affordable… Design Other TCL sets, like the DP648 in the UK, use a much more basic Linux OS. Most new TCL TVs, though, come with the same Android OS – in an attempt to standardise across the board – which is a good all-rounder smart platform also used by Sony and Hisense. Much like TCL’s US side, TCL UK offers up a slew of budget TVs with different features at different price points. From 720p TVs to 4K Mini-LED sets that cost thousands, UK TCL TVs run the gamut as well.Out of the box, the TCL 55C735K delivers impressive picture quality. However, calibration options are available for those seeking enhanced accuracy and fine-tuned visuals. The TV provides various picture modes, including Standard, Movie, Sports, and Game, allowing you to choose the one that best suits your preferences. Additionally, advanced users can access the TV’s picture settings for manual calibration, such as brightness, contrast, color temperature, and more. Calibration tools, such as color bars and test patterns, can help achieve optimal image quality based on your viewing environment. Software Updates It ought to be clarified that this is a review of TCL 55C645K for the UK market, which differs from what you get on the continent, chiefly in terms of the interface. UK owners get Android TV while those not of these isles plug into Google TV as the smart interface.

Navigating the interface, or the fairly brief set-up menus, is a job for the comprehensive, logical and unremarkable-feeling remote control handset. Or you may prefer to use voice control – but here, again, is where things differ based on your location. UK viewers are prompted to add the TCL skill to your Alexa app (there’s ‘Works with’ Google interaction too), the Google TV model has Google Assistant built in, naturally. Picture Quality There is also a ‘TCL Channel’ with a dedicated button on the remote, leading through to 80+ live channels and quite the collection of on-demand content, a lot of B-level stuff but some goodies too, partly by including Plex inside the TCL content. Experience precision at its finest with TCL 55 Inch TVs. Our dedication to detail ensures that each image is a masterpiece of clarity, bringing out subtleties that were once hidden. Immerse yourself in content that's presented with astonishing realism and depth.When it comes to operating systems, TCL hedges its bets. One each of these three TVs runs Android TV, Google TV and Roku OS. Across all of them, you’ll get familiar features like VESA mounting, HDR, Dolby Audio, virtual assistant support, and more. TCL TVs may not be the best for gamers, largely opting out of supporting features like VRR or 120Hz, but this is often the case across brands at this price. High-end gaming features usually come with higher-end price tags, while TCL TVs will have no trouble with casual gaming, especially if you’re still playing on PS4 or Xbox One. Usually, we'd expect a brand to unveil all its plans for the coming year at CES 2021 (the biggest tech expo of the year). However, TCL runs on a slightly different release schedule than many TV brands, which can mean CES was a bit light on concrete information. It is, really, hyper-realistic. This suits a show like Formula 1: Drive to Survive well, with all those F1 primary colours – Ferrari’s red, Heineken’s green, McLaren’s, um, papaya…