This model uses Roku TV as its built-in smart interface and is a part of TCL’s 6 Series portfolio, which also includes the TCL 6 Series/R646 2021 QLED and the TCL 6 Series/R648 2021 8k QLED. It is easy to use and offers a huge selection of apps. Although it has Mini LED backlighting, which enables the screen to become bright, and is intended to provide users more control over the local dimming zones, the full-array local dimming is only fair. Although it has the most cutting-edge features people look for in a high-end TV, such as a 120Hz panel and support for variable refresh rate (VRR), it lacks HDMI 2.1 inputs, making it unsuitable for console gaming in the future. also you read our article on TCL 6-Series Roku TV (R635) review.
Design
Design-wise, the TCL 6-Series has a lot going for it (just look at its Mini-LED lighting), but it’s not quite an artwork in the same sense as Samsung’s The Frame. Although it might seem like a potshot, the 6-Series R635’s LED-LCD screen is quite clunky and can’t compete with an OLED’s ultra-slim design. The TV’s nearly bezel-less design is quite adaptable despite not being incredibly thin. The TV’s legs can be attached to the outside corners of the device for added stability, or they can be spaced closely together to fit on a smaller table or stand. Speaking of the legs, this year’s innovation is the ability to weave cables into the legs themselves, resulting in a less disorganized area that is wire-free. You’ll find a good selection of ports if you turn it around. Ethernet, four HDMI 2.0b ports, one of which supports eARC, an AV In port that accepts the typical composite (Red-White-Yellow RCA) input, USB, and optical audio are all included. Keep in mind that these aren’t HDMI 2.1 ports, so they can’t support 8K or 4K/120Hz signals, but they can still support 4K/60 or 1440p/120. Although the remote that comes with the TV is similar to the Roku remotes that have come with earlier models, it works. The only significant difference this time is the addition of a button for Disney Plus, which is likely preferable for most people to the previous ESPN+ option.
TCL 6-Series Roku TV (R635) review: Features
Given that the TCL 6-Series is a quantum dot set, its LCD screen has an additional film layer to increase the range of colors that can be seen on it. Additionally, it has additional individual LEDs in a so-called mini-LED design that light the image from behind (not to be confused with cutting-edge micro-LED sets in which each pixel is its own LED backlight). The 128 distinct backlighting zones on the 55-inch TCL 6-Series, each made up of hundreds of mini-LEDs, allow for greater precision in illuminating one area of the screen while completely darkening another. Up to 240 zones and 1,000 mini-LEDs are available on the 65 and 75-inch models of the 6-Series. The TCL 6-Series also supports all of the major 4K display formats, including high dynamic range (HDR) and a 120 Hz refresh rate (to lessen jitter and enhance image quality) (HDR) Support for streaming and broadcast programming with HDR via Dolby Vision, HDR10, and HLG. There are 4 HDMI ports to connect to all of that 4K video, one of which is eARC compatible, meaning it will automatically sync with a sound bar or surround sound receiver that is compatible. There is a coaxial connection for an antenna, a 3.5 mm audio output, a USB port, a digital audio output, and, should you still have an old VCR or laserdisc player lying around, an AV output for legacy equipment. There is an Ethernet port or, more commonly, Wi-Fi 802.11ac to establish the wireless connection for today’s streaming services.
TCL 6-Series Roku TV (R635) review: Picture quality
As usual, we thought the television’s default picture option was overly bright and prone to blooming (or blurring) in some regions with intensely saturated colors. During my time using the set, we discovered that movie mode was significantly more accurate and realistic-looking, so we stayed with it for the majority of the testing period. The TCL 6-Series has proven to be a competent 4K TV. Whether it was a subdued, misty picture or an iridescent, extraterrestrial sci-fi extravaganza, it did a good job of generating colors. The set, for instance, did a fantastic job of handling the extravagant flourishes of Guardians of the Galaxy (even when upscaled) and the patriotic tones of Wonder Woman 1984. In fact, the set performed admirably in terms of color reproduction, hitting 99.92% of the RGB color space. The TCL 6-Series also handled difficult-to-reproduce shadows, a defining characteristic of dark series like the Batman and Harry Potter film franchises, with ease. For instance, the TCL 6-Series was able to preserve features in shadowy areas without fading the entire image. Additionally, the TV showed consistent screen uniformity, which means that there were no erratic bright or dim spots when displaying a single solid color across the entire screen. The TCL 6-Series mini-LED TV is not perfect despite all of its advantages. For instance, we did see some odd banding in the 4K Blade Runner 2049 movie’s grey skies, which ought to have had clean color transitions. We also observed some haloing, which is the phenomenon when a bright item produces rings of light around it against a dark background. With a Delta E score of 2.8, colors also weren’t quite as realistic as we’d like to see; a number closer to 2 is preferable. Although we were looking for such flaws specifically, these weren’t deal-breakers. However, such features set mid-range TVs like the TCL 6-Series apart from more expensive OLED TVs.
Sound quality
The TCL 6-Series’ audio quality is excellent. Although you won’t be able to hear the intricate intricacies in classical music or the expansive soundstage of a 5.1 surround system, you also won’t be bothered by the noise level. Two 8W speakers mounted on the frame focus more on mids and highs than ear-shaking bass. The Sony X950H, which we reviewed a few months ago, uses 10W or even 20W drivers, so this is a little less than some other TVs, but the sound quality of the 6-Series left us with few complaints. Purchasing a Dolby Atmos sound bar like the Vizio SB36512-F6, Sony HT-X8500, LG SL9YG, or Samsung HW-Q70R is the best use of the money you save on the TV. The TCL 6-Series is really easy to set up and well worth the investment because it supports Atmos passthrough and eARC.
TCL 6-Series Roku TV (R635) review: Gaming
The TCL 6-Series is also not a slouch when it comes to gaming. The TCL 6-Series R635 is the first TV to include a THX Certified Game Mode, which not only removes the unnecessary video processing that would reduce the player’s response time but also satisfies a number of other requirements for high-quality graphics. All contemporary TVs have a low-latency game mode. These exacting specifications examine every aspect of the TV, from color accuracy and refresh rates to rise time, which measures how quickly the TV can manage dark-to-light transitions, which are crucial for fast-paced sports. All of the gaming-specific features of HDMI 2.1 connectivity are also supported by the 6-Series, including Auto-Low Latency Mode (ALLM), which enters game mode as soon as the console is turned on, and Variable Refresh Rate (VRR), which synchronizes the screen’s refresh rate with the TV’s output to provide judder-free gaming. According to our lag tester, the overall latency time is likewise rather quick, clocking in at 21.5 milliseconds. Even though there are faster sets available, such as the Hisense H8G Quantum (13.8) and the 2019 TCL 6-Series R625 (13.1), it is still significantly faster than either the Vizio M-Series Quantum (29.9) or the Samsung Q60T QLED TV. It is also more than fast enough for the majority of gamers. This is one of the top gaming TVs available if you’re looking for one. The combination of excellent performance, low lag times, and HDMI 2.1 gaming support makes it ideal for handling the 4K, high-frame-rate gaming offered by the upcoming consoles, making it one of the best TVs for PS5 and Xbox Series X later this year.
Performance
The 55-inch TCL 6-Series features a sizable, bright 4K panel with QLED technology that improves the brightness and colors, as well as a 120 Hz refresh rate that ensures smooth action for any content you choose to watch. As we viewed clips from the 4K nature documentary series Our Planet on Netflix, the color quality was rich and brilliant, with realistic color on a bird’s wings and exotic flora. In scenes with particularly subtle color transitions, such as a bright blue sky, there was some minor banding, but tone changes resulted in slightly posturized circles of color as sunlight changed between blue and yellow tones. The TCL 6-Series has excellent backlight performance, with its several distinct dimming zones doing a remarkable job of generating high contrast light and dark with little haloing. It isn’t ideal, but then then, neither are the LCD sets we’ve examined. The halos aren’t objectionable, though, and are only perceptible in settings with tiny lights and extreme contrast. The TCL 6-Series displayed some haloing while watching Blade Runner 2049 during a scene that featured stars in the sky and embers rising from a campfire, but the problem was much less severe than we had anticipated. The shadow-filled sequences in the 4K teaser trailer for The Batman provided a fantastic test of how well the display handled black and nearly-black hues, a common weak point among even the best LCD displays. The TCL 6-Series did well in not only retaining the details in dark shadows, but it also did well with all of the subtle variations between black and grey and near black shades of color, whether it was Batman’s black-and-gray armour or crowds of black suits and overcoats in a crowd. The HDR performance on the set is among the best we’ve seen on a non-OLED TV. Highlights like glinting gold armour and jets launching in a dark airfield also look fantastic. The majority of movies will have excellent visual quality thanks to Dolby Vision support as well as common HDR10 and HLG content. you can check our article on TCL 6-Series Roku TV (R635) review.
Price and availability
In August 2020, the TCL 6-Series R635 became a reality. It comes in three sizes, including a 55-, 65-, and 75-inch variant that costs $649, $899, and $1,399, respectively, here in the US. The 6-Series is special because, despite its low price, it has features you’d only find on TVs that cost twice as much, making it a fantastic value. The full-array Samsung Q80T QLED TV and the LG Nano 90, both of which use different types of quantum dots to improve color accuracy, perform fairly similarly to this year’s TCL 6-Series in terms of performance. However, the 6-Series R635 is $300 to $650 less expensive than either choice and uses the user-friendly Roku TV.
Conclusion
The TCL R635 is an excellent TV all around. Thanks to its excellent contrast ratio, it’s wonderful for watching movies in gloomy environments, but unhappily, its local dimming feature results in blooming around bright objects. Due to the TV’s wide color gamut and bright enough brightness, HDR content looks fantastic. It also has excellent gaming features like support for VRR and a quick response time, but HDMI 2.1 is not supported. If you have a wide seating arrangement, it has narrow viewing angles but is good for watching sports and shows in bright rooms. also you will learn our article on TCL 6-Series Roku TV (R635) review.
