With TVs to suit a wide range of budgets, TCL is taking the UK market very seriously, rattling its sabre at well-established elites of the industry such as Samsung and LG.

The TCL 43EP658 is, ultimately, a false economy. Its on-paper specification is intriguing, and there are a couple of aspects of its performance that are authentically enjoyable. But its flaws – as an upscaler, and particularly where it comes to keeping pictures and sound in sync – scupper its chances. TCL’s strategy in this regard is pretty straightforward: deliver several TV ranges, and make each one appreciably less expensive than the competition while matching them in terms of specification. Then watch consumers’ wariness crumble in the face of the TCL performance/cost ratio. If you’re looking to make your money go absolutely as far as possible, you shouldn’t really be considering any other 2020 TVs. Slightly older models represent brilliant value, thanks to the TV industry’s insistence on renewing its model line-ups every twelve months – and it’s possible to spend very similar money to this on a significantly better product. TCL 43P615K 43 Inch 4K Ultra HD Smart Android TV with Freeview Play, HDR10, Micro Dimming Pro, Prime Video, Netflix, YouTube, Dolby Audio, B DescriptionMashable is a registered trademark of Ziff Davis and may not be used by third parties without express written permission. As usual, Android TV is a combination of the outstanding and the mildly infuriating. On the plus side, it works in tandem with Google Home to serve up access to pretty much every streaming and catch-up service worthy of the description. The layout is reassuringly familiar from any number of more expensive TVs, too. But, as usual, the interface occupies the entirety of the screen in an unashamedly imposing manner; really, it’s a bit like being shouted at. We can put up with this, though, given how straightforward navigating the interface is. Of course, I would recommend against relying on smart TV wizardry at all. You might still want to rely on a streaming device We're still in a weird transitionary phase with 4K smart TVs: Not everyone has one, but they're getting cheaper, and it's hard to buy anything else. Some quite fundamental audio/video syncing problems manifest themselves, too. The TCL doesn’t have any problems keeping the pictures and the sound of an off-air broadcast synchronised, but content delivered either by disc or by streaming service can fall out of harmony. If your disc player, like the Samsung UBD-M9500 used for the majority of this test, has some adjustment in terms of sound delay this trait can be overcome. But for streamed content, all the viewer can do is watch the mouths move and wait for the dialogue to come.

The TCL TVs listed above all use either the Google TV or Android TV operating systems, but TCL also has options that run Roku TV OS, which is one of the best operating systems around when it comes to choice streaming service support and app provision.The 43EP658’s quad-core processor drives an Android 9.0 operating system and Android TV smart TV interface – which is, let’s be honest, a better and more sophisticated specification than the TCL’s price might suggest is possible. The TCL 43P615 is a television with a display diagonal of 43 inches, or 109.2 centimeters. It utilizes PPI (Picture Performance Index) 1500 motion interpolation technology, providing enhanced picture quality and smoother motion. The display brightness is 270 cd/m², which ensures clear and vibrant visuals. Television manufacturers fight to outdo each other every year, some to provide the ultimate AV experience – at whatever cost – and others, like TCL, to produce affordable models that deliver big-screen thrills without breaking the bank.

TV by Category: LED TV Specifications | LCD TV Specifications | 3D TV Specifications | Smart TV Specifications | Plasma TV Specifications | Flat TV Specifications | Android TV Specifications The TCL 43P615 boasts a peak luminance ratio of 65%, enhancing the contrast and overall picture quality. Its viewable size diagonal is 1080 millimeters, providing a large viewing area for an immersive entertainment experience. This SmartTV promises to keep you entertained. Equipped with Freeview Play, whichgives you the biggest shows live and on demand all together in one place for free, provides over 70 TV channels, 15 HD channels and seven on-demand players. It also has theAndroid 9.0 operating system – featuring apps like Google Home, YouTube, Disney+ and Netflix in glorious 4K resolution.Not only can you add more apps from its vast library, but it is also easy to integrate withanandroid smart phone.Although its android-based technology may not be the easiest menu system for many users, for those looking for extra apps and a little more from their TV, is certainly givesyoumore! 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.Speakers by Brand: Ampere | Bang & Olufsen | Blaupunkt | Bose | Compaq | F&D | JBL | KEF | Marshall | Positive Grid | Scosche | Sennheiser | Sonos | Sony | Soundcore | Tribit | Ultimate Ears | Victrola | Vizio | Zebronics In some ways, it’s understandable. After all, few are the 4K TVs at any price that can make a decades-old episode of The Sweeney (standard definition) on ITV4 look anything other than antique. And, sure enough, this daytime-TV schedule filler is rendered soft and indistinct by the TCL: the picture is low on detail, and high on video noise, especially in darker areas of the screen or when displaying complicated patterns and textures. Edges are jagged more often than they’re smooth, and the TCL 32EP658 is badly flustered by motion too. Get the most out of your content with dynamic, high quality surround sound with Dolby Audio. Whether you are watching films, TV programs, online videos or concerts, Dolby Audio guarantees you audio quality that meets your expectations.

As well as the so-so remote control and the really-quite-good T-Cast control app, the 43EP658 is ready to be voice-controlled – being compatible with both Alexa and Google Assistant devices. The voice assistant will only carry you so far, though, as the TCL’s brief set-up menus must be navigated manually. It also comes with enhanced gaming functionality, with 144Hz VRR support alongside the same HDMI 2.1 gaming features as its more expensive stablemate. There’s a Game Accelerator feature too, which can boost VRR to 240Hz at half the screen’s vertical resolution. TCL tells us that the main difference is in the design, with the P715K being "more premium" in that regard. However, the P615K doesn't have the hands-free voice control support offered in the P715K either.The C845 also utilises quantum dot technology to enhance colour richness, contrast and realism, while there is also support for various HDR formats – including Dolby Vision IQ – to make sure that picture is as crisp as possible no matter what you’re watching. Watch Smarter with Android: Built with an Android ecosystem and Google Assistant, your favourite content is always front and centre. With the Google Play Store, whatever you're into – Freeview play, Netflix, Prime Video, YouTube - There's an app you're sure to love. Plus, plug in and play, with HDMI and USB connectivity. Sound TL;DR Not as unpleasant as some alternative TVs, but still not really up to much Other panels to ponder