TCL 6-Series Roku TV (2022) review: a budget mini-LED with great performance

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TCL 6-Series Roku TV (2022): Two-minute review

 TCL’s 6-Series TVs are known for their operation of awesome representation prime and precocious value, and the latest mentation of the company’s flagship not conscionable continues that tradition, but improves upon it. Available successful 55- to 85-inch surface sizes, the caller 6-Series arrived successful precocious 2022, and it offers not conscionable movie fans but gamers connected a fund a large big-screen option.

Mini-LED backlighting is communal successful the best 4K TVs now, but TCL was the archetypal to wide present it. In the 6-Series, mini-LED tech enables precocious brightness, portion a quantum dot furniture enhances colour reproduction, and afloat array section dimming processing creates heavy and elaborate shadows. The acceptable features Dolby Vision IQ to marque precocious dynamic scope images look bully successful some dim and well-lit environments, and HDR enactment extends to HDR10+ and HLG. 

Gaming features connected 6-Series TV are enabled via a brace of HDMI 2.1 inputs, with onboard enactment for 120Hz, Variable Refresh Rate (up to 144Hz), and Auto Low Latency Mode (ALLM). FreeSync Premium Pro is besides supported, making TCL’s flagship an evident prime for gaming.

A caller plan with a sturdy halfway basal (55-, 65-, and 75-inch models only) improves the look of TCL’s 6-Series, and a vanishingly bladed bezel creates an “all-picture” effect. The basal has adjustable tallness for soundbar placement, and tin beryllium elevated to accommodate each but the astir chunky of bars.

That past diagnostic is an important 1 due to the fact that dependable prime connected 6-Series TVs is conscionable average. Dialogue is clear, but there’s precise small bass, and the bladed wide audio equilibrium tin make receptor fatigue (for me, astatine least). You’ll privation to adhd 1 of the best soundbars to this TV, if lone a basal two-channel one.

The acceptable I tested uses the Roku astute TV interface (a mentation with Google TV is besides available), which is 1 of the little cluttered and casual to navigate options connected the market. A basal Roku distant provided with the acceptable offers dependable commands for searches and basal control, and the TV besides works with Siri, Alexa, and Hey Google.

As acold arsenic worth goes, the caller 6-Series is 1 of the much compelling TV options connected the market. This bid is packed with large features and the show is good above-average, particularly fixed the price. TCL has erstwhile again made things look easy, rolling retired a high-value TV lineup with a amazingly precocious level of refinement.

TCL 6-Series Roku TV (2022) review: terms and merchandise date

• Release date:  September 1, 2022 
• From $699 astatine 55 inches

TCL’s 6-Series is the company’s apical TV line, with surface sizes ranging from 55 up to 85 inches. The mentation I reviewed comes with the Roku astute TV interface, but akin 6-Series models and surface sizes are disposable with Google TV. TCL’s 6-Series is lone disposable successful the US.

Pricing for the 6-Series TVs is comparable to different fund TV offerings successful the US specified arsenic Hisense and Vizio. 

The 55-inch 55R655 costs $699, the 65-inch 65R655 costs $999, the 75-inch 75R655 costs $1,499, and the 85R655 costs $1,999.

TCL 6-Series Roku TV (2022) review: Specs

TCL 6-Series Roku TV (2022) review: features

• Roku astute TV interface
• Dolby Vision, HDR10+, and HLG precocious dynamic range
• HDMI 2.1 inputs with 120Hz and VRR

The TCL 6-Series (2022) exemplary we reviewed features the Roku astute TV interface (Google TV is different 6-Series option). Roku’s interface has a cleanable layout that’s precise casual to navigate, and it offers the best streaming services, including Netflix, Disney Plus, Amazon Prime Video, HBO Max, Apple TV Plus, Hulu, Peacock, and ESPN Plus. The TV Works with Siri, Alexa, and Hey Google and it has AirPlay 2 enactment for casting from an iOS instrumentality oregon Mac computer.

TCL’s 6-Series sets are QLED models that diagnostic a quantum dot furniture for enhanced colour and brightness and they usage a mini-LED backlight with afloat array section dimming (288 zones). The company’s AiPQ Engine handles video processing and precocious dynamic scope enactment extends to Dolby Vision IQ, HDR10+, and HLG. 

Two of the set’s 4 HDMI inputs are mentation HDMI 2.1 with enactment for 4K 120Hz input, Variable Refresh Rate (up to 144Hz), and Auto Low Latency Mode (ALLM). One larboard supports HDMI eARC for a soundbar connection, and there’s an optical integer audio output and an RF input to link an indoor TV antenna for usage with the set’s ATSC 1.0 broadcast tuner. When viewing TV broadcasts, you tin rewind unrecorded TV up to 30 minutes erstwhile a retention instrumentality is plugged into the set’s USB port.

Overall, the diagnostic bundle is fantabulous for the price, with the TV’s mini-LED backlight and section dimming features, on with extended HDR support, making it an fantabulous prime for movie viewing. And 120Hz, VRR, and ALLM support, on with FreeSync Premium Pro, marque it a large enactment for gaming arsenic well.

• Features Score: 4.5/5  

TCL 6-Series Roku TV (2022) review: representation quality

• Rich colour reproduction
• Deep blacks with elaborate shadows
• Limited brightness for an OLED TV

The 65-inch 6-Series TV I tested offered up the awesome brightness you’d expect from a mini-LED TV, with modular dynamic scope highest airy output measured astatine 1,326 nits and precocious dynamic scope astatine 1,317 nits. That’s a spot little than the 1,775 nits I measured connected the Hisense U8H, different fund mini-LED model, but inactive good supra what you’d get from an mean QLED oregon OLED TV.

With the set’s High Brightness and and High Local Contrast settings selected, it was susceptible of displaying achromatic astatine 0 nits to present “infinite contrast.” With the Local Contrast mounting switched off, the set’s autochthonal opposition ratio was 5,965:1 – inactive a precise bully effect for an LCD-based TV. For astir of my testing, I acceptable Local Contrast astatine High, which delivered the champion achromatic extent and achromatic uniformity.

The TCL’s colour equilibrium successful its default Warm colour somesthesia mounting was somewhat reddish crossed the afloat grayscale, though that could beryllium corrected for utilizing the precocious representation settings successful the Roku power app, on with Portrait Displays’ Calman colour calibration software. Coverage of DCI-P3 (the colour abstraction utilized for mastering 4K Blu-rays and integer cinema releases) was 96.2%, and BT.2020 was 76.3%. Those results are precise good, and fundamentally lucifer what I measured connected the Hisense U8H.

Screen reflections from overhead lights were minimal connected the 6-Series TV I tested. This, combined with the set’s prodigious airy output, makes it a large enactment for viewing successful a well-illuminated space. Picture opposition and colour saturation faded erstwhile viewing from off-center seats, but that’s a communal effect with LCD-based TVs.

Moving connected to however the TCL looked with movies and TV, I started my viewing by watching immoderate high-definition documentaries broadcast connected a section PBS channel, and the set’s 4K upconversion was impressively cleanable and crisp. Soccer games streamed via ESPN Plus looked somewhat softer, but wide the representation prime was precise bully for sports streamed successful HD resolution. The Bond movie No Time to Die has a country wherever the camera does a agelong dilatory cookware crossed a craggy hillside, and this appeared mostly creaseless connected TCL’s 6-Series TV. (I’ve seen that country virtually vibrate with judder connected immoderate different sets.)

Streaming the The Last of Us connected HBO Max successful Dolby Vision, the set’s Dolby Vision IQ processing presented a good balanced representation packed with subtle yet almighty highlights. In a country wherever Joel, Tess, and Ellie rotation extracurricular an abandoned museum, for example, the aureate sunlight hitting them and their surroundings made the ravaged scenery look astir beautiful. Detail successful this country was besides rich, with the CGI-created textures of the fungi crisply rendered.

All Quiet connected the Western Front, a 2022 Oscar Best Picture nominee, also looked fantastic connected the TCL erstwhile streamed successful Dolby Vision from Netflix. Shadows successful the film’s galore acheronian scenes came crossed arsenic a deep, inky black, and determination was a bully magnitude of item successful the acheronian trenches wherever the French and German soldiers bash battle. I did spot a tiny grade of backlight blooming, mostly connected the achromatic letterbox bars astatine the apical and bottommost of the representation erstwhile flares oregon immoderate different precise agleam entity appeared. But instances of this were minimal and I lone noted it erstwhile specifically looking for it.

Overall, I was precise impressed with the TCL 6-Series TV’s representation quality. Its airy output proved to beryllium much than capable for my regular acheronian country viewing habits, and I ended up scaling it backmost considerably for astir shows I watched.

• Picture prime score: 4.5/5

TCL 6-Series Roku TV (2022) review: dependable quality

• 2 x 10 watt speakers
• Dolby Atmos support
• Thin dependable prime with astir modes

The 6-Series’ audio features are precise basic, with a brace of downfiring speakers each powered by 10 watts, handling dependable chores. TCL’s specs authorities Dolby Atmos support, but that’s constricted to virtual Atmos from the set’s talker pair.

I cycled done the TV’s aggregate dependable processing modes, including Theater and Bass Boost, but couldn’t find 1 that didn’t person bladed audio quality. You bash get the enactment to crook connected virtual situation dependable for each programs oregon conscionable for ones with Dolby Atmos, and erstwhile utilized with Atmos soundtracks determination is simply a notable consciousness of spaciousness to the sound.

Dialogue was precise wide with each programs I watched, adjacent ones with medium-loud soundtracks. Even so, this was a lawsuit wherever I felt astir hopeless to adhd a Dolby Atmos soundbar to the TV, and erstwhile I did, the dependable filled retired and made dialog much balanced with different elements similar euphony and effects. 

• Sound prime score: 3.5/5

TCL 6-Series Roku TV (2022) review: design

• FullView edge-to-edge solid design
• Aluminum basal with halfway placement
• Roku distant power with built-in mic

The 6-Series has a large look for a fund TV line. TCL’s FullView edge-to-edge solid design, on with an highly bladed bezel, means there’s an “all picture” appearance, and the aluminum basal astatine halfway surface provides a sturdy instauration for it to remainder upon. 

The basal has adjustable height, and aft setup determination was plentifulness of abstraction betwixt the screen’s little borderline and my TV stand's aboveground to accommodate a alternatively sizeable soundbar – ever a positive with a TV. Around back, the acceptable has a cablegram absorption system, and you tin usage this to way wires from connected components located connected shelves beneath to the inputs conception connected the TV’s side. 

The Roku distant utilized to power the acceptable volition beryllium acquainted to anyone who has utilized that company’s streamers. It has a elemental fastener layout, including speedy keys to easy entree apps similar Netflix, and a fastener to activate the built-in mic for dependable searches. It’s basal capable to usage successful a acheronian country and provides each the controls needed for accessing inputs and representation and dependable adjustments via the onscreen menu. 

• Design score: 4.5/5

TCL 6-Series Roku TV (2022) review: astute TV & menus

• Roku TV interface
• Works with Siri, Alexa, and Hey Google
• Picture adjustments necessitate tons of scrolling

A Roku merchandise was my precise archetypal streamer, and I had utilized respective of them implicit the years earlier making a power to the Apple TV 4K. It’s a large interface – casual to navigate, and with extended app support. One of the issues I person with astute TV interfaces is that they’ll often beryllium missing respective cardinal apps that I usage connected a regular ground (Criterion Channel and ESPN Plus among others), but Roku ever seems to person it each and more. Unlike different astute TV platforms similar Google TV and Amazon, the Roku interface besides isn’t overloaded with ads and programme options being “pushed” astatine you.

Voice searches tin beryllium easy carried retired by pressing the mic fastener connected the distant control, and the TV besides “Works with” Siri, Alexa, and Hey Google erstwhile you adhd your ain instrumentality for those platforms. AirPlay 2 is supported for streaming, letting you formed video and euphony to the TV from your iOS instrumentality oregon Mac computer.

Having ne'er tested a acceptable with Roku baked successful before, it took immoderate clip to get utilized to the TV functions being embedded successful the long-familiar streaming interface. You navigate and prime inputs the aforesaid arsenic you bash with streaming apps, and a property of the remote’s prima fastener calls up the representation settings menu. TCL makes it casual to get up and running, with basal and precise wide categories similar TV Brightness, Local Contrast, and HDR Picture modes (with Dark and Bright settings). But you’ll request to support scrolling, a spot annoyingly, to the Picture Fine Tune paper to entree different adjustments similar Brightness, Contrast, and Color. There’s besides a much precocious representation paper with 11-point colour somesthesia adjustments located successful the Roku power app (iOS and Android).

When utilizing the set’s built successful ATSC 1.0 broadcast TV tuner, you’ll get programme guide-like on-screen overlays with details astir the amusement you’ve selected, and you tin edit the transmission database to bounds it to conscionable the ones you regularly watch. A neat diagnostic is Live TV Rewind, which lets you scroll backmost up to 30 minutes erstwhile a retention instrumentality is plugged into the set’s USB port.

• Smart TV & menus score: 4.5/5

TCL 6-Series Roku TV (2022) review: gaming

• VRR up to 144Hz, ALLM, FreeSync Premium Pro support
• Low 10.1ms input lag
• Auto Game Mode

TCL says its 6-Series TVs person Game Studio Pro. And portion what that precisely means is unclear, it appears to beryllium an umbrella word for the set’s galore gaming-related features. Of these, the astir notable is VRR with up to 144Hz support. Another is ALLM, on with FreeSync Premium Pro. These are each large gaming extras to find successful an affordable TV.

The 6-Series sets besides person Auto Game Mode, which fundamentally means that the TV automatically switches implicit to settings optimized for gaming erstwhile it detects an input from a compatible console. Otherwise, there’s nary “Gaming Dashboard” akin to the ones connected LG’s TVs, oregon the Gaming Hub interface recovered connected Samsung’s sets.

I measured input lag successful the set’s Gaming representation mode astatine 10.1ms utilizing a 4K trial meter. That’s a large result, and 1 that ranks the 6-Series among the the best gaming TVs erstwhile combined with its awesome feature-set.

• Gaming score: 4.5/5

TCL 6-Series Roku TV (2022) review: value

• Affordable for a mini-LED TV
• Great representation prime for the price
• Gaming features rival those recovered connected costly TVs

This is the 2nd fund TV I’ve tested with a mini-LED backlight (the archetypal was the Hisense U8H), and I’m astonished astatine the quality that diagnostic makes, and that it tin beryllium incorporated into specified an affordable set.

The 6-Series TV I tested delivered the benignant of deep, affluent blacks I’m utilized to seeing connected overmuch much costly models, and its awesome section dimming ensured that disposable artifacts similar backlight blooming were kept to a minimum. Overall, this TV delivers a precise cleanable and punchy looking representation for the price.

If you’re a gamer, the worth of the 6-Series goes up adjacent further. (Unfortunately, our worth standard lone extends to 5, truthful I can’t springiness it higher points.) It offers the benignant of gamer-oriented features usually recovered successful pricier TVs, and successful cardinal ways appears specifically designed to cater to the gaming crowd.

• Value score: 5/5 

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How I tested the TCL 6-Series Roku TV (2022)

• I spent astir 15 hours measuring and evaluating the TCL 6-Series Roku TV
• Measurements were made utilizing Calman colour calibration software
• A afloat calibration was made earlier proceeding with subjective tests

When I trial TVs, my archetypal measurement is to walk a fewer days utilizing it for casual viewing for break-in and to measure the out-of-box representation presets. The adjacent measurement is to prime the astir accurate-looking preset (typically labeled Movie oregon Cinema) and measurement the achromatic equilibrium (grayscale), gamma, and colour constituent accuracy utilizing Portrait Displays’ Calman colour calibration software. The resulting measurements supply Delta-E values (the borderline of mistake betwixt the trial signifier root and what’s shown on-screen) for each category, and they let for an appraisal of the TV’s wide accuracy.

Along with those tests, I marque measurements of highest airy output (recorded successful nits) for some modular high-definition and 4K precocious dynamic scope utilizing a 10% achromatic model pattern. Coverage of DCI-P3 and BT.2020 colour abstraction is besides measured, with the results providing a consciousness of however faithfully the TV tin render the extended colour scope successful ultra high-definition sources.

For the TCL 6-Series Roku TV, I utilized the CalMan ISF workflow, on with the precocious representation paper settings successful the Roku power app, to calibrate the representation for champion accuracy with SDR and HDR sources. Once done, I watched a scope of notation scenes connected 4K Blu-ray discs that I’ve gathered aft years of TV and projector investigating to measure the TV’s performance, arsenic good arsenic caller Dolby Vision-encoded worldly streamed from sources similar Netflix and HBO Max.

• First reviewed: January 2023
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