Lmfaoooo 11 seconds lag in COD would be detrimental hahahaha. JK. But hey Man, at least you realized and corrected yourself in the description hahaha. No worries at all whatsoever! Keep up the great work Caleb, and Everyone from DigitalTrends! Much Appreciated as always Adrian V😊
Thank you for reviewing a more "humble" model. I enjoy all your television reviews, but let's face it, not everyone can afford the best. I appreciate knowing my options.
I have the S546 and I love the tv. The contrast level is outrageous and I picked it up at best buy for $199.99 before black friday. These 5 series are pretty solid for the price point no question. I have an LG OLED as well for 120hz gaming but the 546 is great for series S gaming for sure!
You are so CLUTCH! I'm on disability retirement and my TV is going out. So, I'm on a budget. Based on your past reviews I had a TV and soundbar picked out to buy this week. However, this TV beats out the one I was going to go with so...again...thanks!!!!
Caleb, thanks for this review. I just noticed Digital Trends made it to 1M Subscribers, a congratulations to you and all at DT. Thanks, also for the notice on scammers. Thanks for all the great content. Happy Holidays.
I just set my 50in up yesterday so far so good. Improvement picture wise over my 2 year old Samsung Tu8000f which started to turn itself off & on repeatedly. Thanks for tip on turning the annoying bottom light off in settings. Very impressive picture streaming through Roku, the picture quality through my antenna connection is hit and miss. Thanks for the review
Got a TCL S646 Google tv 65 inch during the Black Friday sales recently. From the 49 inch 4 series I’ve been using since 2018 this has been a huge jump. I honestly have a tough time putting it into words but me and my wife just say it’s like those tvs we see displayed at costco.
Have a Vizio sound bar hooked up to my TCL 55" and can confirm, the slow response when changing the volume is beyond maddening. Also, I'm using eARC and I notice that the sound becomes desynched from time to time and I need to restart my sound bar and my TV for them to resynch.
Had this problem with my 2th gen 6 series drove me nuts I got a u7h recently same vizio sound bar no weird audio lag anymore thought it was the sound bar maybe it was the tv after all
Hey Caleb, I bought this exact set last week from Best Buy here in the New York metro for $549. The u7h was $799 but not available. I’m not a nitty gritty guy, just a dollars and “sense”! Even the u6h was more at $599. So I think it’s the better value. I’ll follow up with impressions once I mount it tomorrow. Also viewed your recent sound bar reviews for help with that. Leaning towards a Visio M series. Thanks for all your great content, and advice. Update: This is a very nice tv and will satisfy all but the most critical viewers. For the money it’s very hard to beat. It’s located in a basement family room without many windows and is plenty bright right out of the box. After checking out the other up scale models I’m happy with the value this set brings.
I think since some people don’t want or have space for 65” it would be nice if you guy’s mentioned any performance differences between sizes. My preference is 55” and I’m sure there are others like me. I’ve heard the Sony X95K has drastically different local dimming between model sizes. Cheers!
@@richarde1355 55” is a good middle ground for seating distance and resolution for me. I tried out 65” and it was just too close to my face. Also I like the fact that I can set up and move 55” TVs all by myself and keeping boxes doesn’t take up a lot of room. If I had a huge theater room I’d probably get a larger screen. Size actually does matter tbh lol
@@anthobee Those are some great perspectives, and a couple of good ones that I hadn't even considered! Proof there is a 'size' that matters and is a function of personal perspective and needs! ;-) Thank you!
Picked up a S655 after a 2 yr old 55" TCL Series 5 went bust! Looks even better than their most recent Google TV models and much like a new series. However, an extended warranty came in handy for the previous one, and I made sure to add that cost again (5 yr extended).
I'm waiting till the SuperBowl sale. I've been do some extensive research on tvs over the past 2 weeks and this is in my top 3. I'm hoping the price drops to $500 or less. It's currently $550 at best buy for the 65in.
Bought it at Best Buy over the weekend, picture good however the blooming on mine is horrible, lot of halo around subtitles also I have a high pitch coil noise coming from the back. Only way to get rid of the noise is to set the local dimming to medium.
My 65" S555 has an inner feet mount location in addition to the outside. Isn't the proper comparison the Hisense U6H? The 65" is currently $599 at BB, same as the TCL S555. The U7H is $799. The S555 is better than the U6H at the same price.
Just bought this TV to replace an 7000 series Samsung. It was a 55 and we just wanted something bigger. This seems to be a great TV for a great price. One question--I have it set to movie, but on the picture settings do you suggest brighter, bright, normal, dark or darker?
It’s your tv, play around with the settings and keep it where you want it. It’s the most user friendly in terms of changing settings. Can just hit the reset picture if you want to go back to original. But there is not best setting, it’s subjective.
Seems odd, but “Brighter” is fine, just make sure HDR is on HDR Dark or HDR Normal. HDR Bright will brighten the overall image, but removes the highlights, defeating the purpose of HDR. Enjoy!
Question for the experts. If you take something a u7h which struggles with processing and motion handling but has incredible picture quality, could you hook up an Nvidia Shield and use it for motion processing and completely correct the issue or will the TVs flawed internal processing persist?
This was the right review video at the exact right time! I purchased a S555 75” for Black Friday and now I’m wondering if the U7H would be a better option at $300 more. I couldn’t find any opinions on the web at all and I was so surprised more people weren’t drawing that comparison (including RTINGS) and then you drop this video and you just delivered the exact professional opinion that I was searching for! Thank you very much for your excellent and highly thoughtful reviews as always. One thing I’m wondering is that the World Cup or NFL looks a bit blurry and muffled especially on 720p content. Would the Hisense improved refresh rate improvement or handle up scaling on 720p content better?
Get the best TV u can . I got a 55" c1 for the bedroom and a tcl 65" google 6 series for the living room it's great for gaming but I regret not just waiting a few months and getting another oled. I upgraded all my screens for ps5 and series x. 2 new tvs a new projector and gaming monitor
@christian shubert The oled has way better upscaling and is better for gaming it is better in every single way. The 6 series is great for a cheeper option for gaming. The only reason I got it instead of another oled is cause I have 2 small children and didn't want to risk them touching the thin oled screen. It's thinner then my phone. The 1st day I set the TCL up my daughter went up and smacked the screen. It's on a stand so it's eye level and the kids can mess with it. But having both the c1 and 6 series nothing bears the oled in any way its insanely good. For the price the 6 series is great and I was amazed with the black levels. If I didn't have a 3 yr old running around I'd have 2 oleds. My oleds wall mounted in the bedroom so the kids can't reach it. So yah the 6 series doesn't do anything as good as the oled but it's a great option for people that can't afford the oled and want next gen gaming. Just wait and get an oled if u haven't purchased a new TV yet . My sister got the U8G also a great budget tv. In my opinion, everyone should hold off and get an OLED
Im choosing between the 50” s555 and the 55” u7h as a Xmas present for my son . The Hisense is only $70 more right now and I’m wondering which is better. From what I’ve read the u7h has HDMI 2.1 but I’m not sure if the s555 does.
I bought this tv on Black Friday. Will be getting it delivered on the 14th. Any way you would be kind enough to post a comment on what your picture settings would be if this was sitting in your own living room? Thank you and happy holidays.
@@dmanatan I would tend to agree that 95% of folks buying these new TVs cannot tell much if any difference when watching at home. Its only a side by side comparison that these tech geeks OBSESS on that makes them think otherwise. There is simply WAYYYYYY to much "tech geekiness" about TVs and especially audio speakers these days.
For folks not wanting to game, it's a pretty nice TV. I have the 75 inch S555 out in the living room, not a single issue in the 2 months I've had it. It can't compare with my LG C2, but for the price, it looks pretty darn good for regular content. I've done some gaming on it using the Xbox series x and it looks pretty decent. It's a no surprise TV and just works well. It's a pretty bright panel too, much more so than the C2. Also, the 75" version speakers are 2x louder (more watts) than the smaller options.
@@DaveBell1 I'm just basing it off of what I see when I crank the brightness up on both. I actually have the 65S555 as well, I started with that before getting the C2. But then I wanted to start gaming again (it's been since the 360 since I've last played on a console, lol), and I wanted all of those green check marks to be checked on the XSX, so I splurged and got the 65" C2 just before Black Friday at a great price. I have no idea what the specs are in regards to brightness on any of these TV's, but the TCL's are definitely brighter for all media - sdr, hdr and gaming in general. Not by a mile or anything, but definitely brighter, so that's why we're sticking with the 75" out in the living room. But on the plus side for the C2, the contrast ratio makes it look brighter than what it probably is. But to keep it real, the C2 is on another level in all other areas. The black levels, smoothness, the highlights - all look way better on the C2. I have some long running "Liquid OLED" video running on it right now, it looks absolutely amazing. Sometimes I just watch stuff like this to be amazed by it, the C2 doesn't disappoint!
@@DaveBell1 Hey Dave. I also asked my fiance which one she thinks gets brighter, the C2 in my office or the 75" S555 in our living room. She looked at me funny and said "Is that a serious question? Our living room TV gets way brighter than the fancy one in our office, not even a comparison." She's not a techie person at all, so i figured I'd run it by her. She keeps the brightness on the TCL at about 50%, and I tend to max out the brightness on the C2. It's at 95% OLED Pixel brightness now. I do have to agree with her, the QLED gets a lot brighter than the OLED, it is noticeable after doing a quick back and forth check.
Looking at these cheaper TVs is a nice break from all the hype of premium ones. How about a comparison between the two TCL 85 inchers? Would the 4-Series version be good enough for those who wouldn’t be able to afford the 6-Series one? Another, less important topic would be a comparison between a 4-Series and 5-Series, both 65” inches, for example. At that point, the price gap is probably small enough that you may as well buy the 5-Series anyways, but I’m more just curious about how much quantum dot technology elevates the experience; not just in HDR, but even simply HD like Blu-ray and cable.
I had a hard time finding U7H during the holidays....Best Buy sold out and had to wait till late January to get hands on one via Amazon...wanted to by 55 inch since it was only 500 during black friday sales
I got the 75 U7H $929 from Costco with 3 years warranty. It is back to $1079 but it's available you're interested. Best buy only have 1 year warranty unless you buy extended warranty
@@KmKeehbauch89 from my research, yes. Except it’s black rather than silver and it has an extended warranty. It’s exclusively sold by Costco under a different model number so they do not have to worry about price matching with other vendors and other vendors don’t have to match Costco
I did want a hisense, but I keep hearing it's bad and unreliable and has issues with working or not. I can see it's probably good I just am not willing to wait and inevitably see it break down and need repair and bad customer service with nothing to be done. What is your take on this?
@@derman124yahh4 Right now 65S555 is $600. 65U7H is $700. 65R646 is $700, but availability is flaky. 65R646 is rated higher per rtings, "The TCL 6 Series/R646 2021 QLED is better than the Hisense U7H. The TCL delivers much better picture quality overall, with better uniformity, higher contrast, and better reflection handling, so it looks better in both bright and dark rooms. The TCL also has a much faster response time, making it a better choice for gamers, as there's less blur behind fast-moving objects. The TCL also has much better sound quality, with less distortion and better frequency response, and it gets significantly louder than the Hisense."
I agree at regular prices.. Tho with so many sales going on it depends what you can find ... U7H price I've can vary wildly from slightly over the the S555 about 50$ to around 250$ more.. with sales or lack there of... If you can't find U7H on sale It's priced around the same as the R6 so might as well get the R6 but if you can find on sale it's only a slight bump in price ...
@@williamh7 Good luck finding any 65” 6-series for under $900-1000. Today an S555 is $550. A 55” R655 is $700. I’d be more inclined to buy a better TV at a smaller size but that’s just me. Even still most people wouldn’t notice the $150 difference between the sets
@@dmanatan 65R646 still $700 at Best Buy. R655 is only slightly better than the predecessor and Roku vs Google. Probably not worth spending $250 more. On a budget the 65S555 is now $550 at Best Buy and Amazon so $50 less than 4 weeks ago.
what very few people review their TV tuner ...... if you watch local channels on a antenna then this set may not be the one you want. Several people have tested their over the air tuners on the TCL brand and say do a poor job because in tests they failed to pick up as many channels as the Samsung, LG or Vizo did in the same location
Great review there! Things in Europe are totally different. Right now you can get a LG C2 for ~1800 € and a TCL c93 mini led 4k for ~1900€. Both at 65’. A Hisense U7H costs 1000€ and a U8G 1400€. But it seems that some Hisense tvs come with different specs. IPS panels instead of VA and more. Total confusion and loss of their vfm reputation
I haven’t gotten a BSOD on my previous TCL, a 2020 S535 but the thing did develop some faded pink lines along the edges that got worse over time to where it started affecting more of the entire panel. I’m honestly jaded on modern TVs nowadays tbh. We’ve gotten some absolute bangers but these things seem to not last nearly as long as much older TVs before 4K and smart TVs even became a thing.
The sound quality is definitely bad, but TCL’s sound bars are not bad on your wallet. The Alto 8+ 2.1.2 is currently on sale for a decent price. It even has Dolby Atmos.
I used to sell TVs and I always stand by the opinion that you should never use a TVs speakers. Even the best TV speakers are pretty mediocre compared to a mid grade sound bar and you're paying a premium for a "good speaker" in a TV. Seeing a TV advertise its speakers actually turns me away from it cause I don't want to pay a premium for bad sound.
Yes the lag in interface I ready to get rid of my 75 inch series 5 tv. Only had for 4 months. I think I'm done with tcl. Got a hisense very happy with.
Not even that. Water and a microfiber towel is all it takes. Of course, look at it funny and marks can appear. Guess it’s great it cleans up just as easily. We’ll try to wipe down after placing and moving the TV around
In the video you indicated the stand is not adjustable. The specs claim you can place the stand in two different spots--one which will allow for a narrower footprint. My stand is only about 50 inches across and would need this to accommodate it. Does the stand actually have a second place to put it in?
I’m currently choosing between the TCL 50s555 and the Hisense 55u7h as a Xmas present for my son. The Hisense is $70 with a 5” bigger screen but I prefer Roku to Google TV ( due to familiarity) . The main reason I’m considering the Hisense is because it has 2 HDMI 2.1 inputs (120hz) and I think the TCL S555 has none but I’ve seen conflicting info ( some sites say it has HDMI 2.1@60Hz)Right now there’s a PS4 that’ll be used for gaming but it’ll likely be replaced by a PS5. Other than that most TV viewing is via streaming so any suggestions?
I'm looking for a 65" but, if I get a low budget TV (like I have) I would spend that extra money to get it calibrated. I seen beautiful TCL'S, Hisense U6H/U7H at my Best Buy but all Displays are Calibrated according to the TV Specialist at Best Buy My 3rd 58" U6 Hisense is going out again, Backlighting issues.. So if you buy 1, get the warranty & get it calibrated
Hey Caleb, love the videos and I watch all the DT content on RUclips. One editing quirk is bugging me though and it's hard to unsee - every time you finish a sentence, the camera framing on you will zoom in closer or zoom out. Those "jump zoom cuts" are so jarring and happen very frequently! Examples at: 00:21 / 00:55 / 00:58 / 1:13 to name a few.
I picked up a tcl q5 qled series from Sam’s club 449$ on clearance! I also bought a Samsung q60c 769$ on clearance as well ! Can you share your opinion on which one would be the better tv? Please? Not sure which one to keep ! Thanks 🙏🏻
Caleb, do you know if TCL is still active in the Canadian market? The Canadian website doesn't feature any of the new 6 or 5 series TVs. I tweeted at their accounts and haven't heard anything.
@@TheToto4562 the question I'm asking is if the newest TCL TVs will arrive in Canada. I should have phrased it better. None of the newest TVs are available in Canada yet and they're not even mentioned on their website
@@nickpurdy that I don't think so. I bought my first 2019 65 inch 6 series from the Best Buy in Williston Vermont. The Plattsburgh NY store is permanently closed. Now I drove to the same store and picked up the 2021 Google TV R646. Best Buy told me in 2019 that TCL won't send them new models until older models are completely sold. Sad news. If you don't live far away from the US border. Might be worth your while. The 2022 6 series is a slight improvement over the 2021. So if you get a deal in the States go for it. The 6 series 2021 Google TV R646. Is at $699. Buy it if you can get your hands on one. I am astonished at the color rendering and contrast, black level and brightness
The S555 is only locked to a maximum of 60hz and while it does do VRR it’s limited to between 48hz-60hz anyways. HDMI classification is weird because the TV does support the spec but doesn’t do 120hz
I got this tv this week on Wednesday. It does not support hdmi 2.1 it only support hdmi 2.0. It's crazy on tcl website in bestbuy say this tv support hdmi 2.1 but it don't
@@damonrichardson8144 the 55” states it has hdmi 2.1 is that the size you have? Also I went into Best Buy to buy that exact model 55” and walked out with a 43” Sony Bravia 85k that was open box in excellent condition perfect for gaming has EVERYTHING
I have a 6 series TCL I just got it and the pictures look like garbage if they're not in HDR. I put on RUclips and the pictures are blurry all off colored I don't know what to do.
That means it's doing fake motion smoothing and inserting extra frames in. It won't look good. 120hz is only applicable for gaming and even then I find that I prefer gaming at 60hz anyways
@@speedogomer 120hz also allows much smoother motion from external 24p sources, since it's being sampled at a 5:5 pulldown, assuming the TV offers that function (my C2 labels it Real Cinema).
I waited a long time to update from my old Samsung with terrible burn in after 6 years. Heavy use as a monitor. The 50" s555 so far is a great value . Better even than this review suggests. Not a big gamer , so wont comment on that , but Movies, pc desktop, 5 stars .
Bro 😂 you look like Roxxon, the enemy of Spiderman Miles Morales on the game lol. Did notice It because I'm playing while looking for a tv, thanks for the video 💪🏼.
I just got the 75" version of this S555 a few days ago. I think it's great. Having some occaional weird troubles with RUclips videos fast forwarding or rewinding or not letting me pause. Other than that great though. Definitely some DSE and some blooming but it's not an OLED haha glad I bought this TV
All I got in my house is TCL tvs. I got the 2019, 2020 and 2021 6 series in each room. TCL is the best tv for the money. I can literally see the improvements of each year
Naa, I've had a few TCL's (had a few of the QLED's) great for a budget, but I've finally settled on what just seems to work best. Got the 2022 Aero KD 15" 4K OLED Laptop, for PC I've just upgraded from the 55" LG Nanocell to Samsung 55" QN90B Neo mini LED, works great for long hours, spreadsheets or fun without burnin concerns. For TV, just upgraded my 65" LG C8 OLED (went like a dream for 4 years) to the Sony A95K QD-OLED. Today got a Logitech MX anywhere 3 mouse, I'm finally satisfied, for now. I cut corners for too long, just get the better stuff and you'll tend to save coin as upgrades can be held off for 4 years+
Can someone tell me how to access the advanced picture settings? For some reason I’m only able to change the “brighter, bright, dark, darker” and if it’s in “Movie” mode. Idk how to manually set the brightness and all the other more detailed options
😂 Apparently I said 11 seconds!!??? Whoooops. It’s 11 milliseconds. Carry on. And thanks for watching and all the comments!
You're the man bud, accidents happen and hey this was just a fun one 🤙🏾
Hahaha I was just gonna comment on this letting you know. 11 seconds would be a lifetime in gaming. Least you realised
Call of duty 11 seconds lag...awsome
Flash from Zootopia was impressed anyways 😜
Lmfaoooo 11 seconds lag in COD would be detrimental hahahaha. JK. But hey Man, at least you realized and corrected yourself in the description hahaha. No worries at all whatsoever! Keep up the great work Caleb, and Everyone from DigitalTrends! Much Appreciated as always
Adrian V😊
The S555 is currently $369 for the 55”, making it quite possibly the best budget tv for the money.
Paid 355 for mines
How the hell
@@TheApostolic001where
Where
@@waylonbeasley1477 Wal-Mart
Thank you for reviewing a more "humble" model. I enjoy all your television reviews, but let's face it, not everyone can afford the best. I appreciate knowing my options.
Random aside: but the lighting and grade on the talking head portion look great. The effort is not unnoticed!
I have the S546 and I love the tv. The contrast level is outrageous and I picked it up at best buy for $199.99 before black friday. These 5 series are pretty solid for the price point no question. I have an LG OLED as well for 120hz gaming but the 546 is great for series S gaming for sure!
Tcl/roku has been my go to since Vizio. It’s really nice to go to the roku app and control yours tvs in your house from another room.
You are so CLUTCH! I'm on disability retirement and my TV is going out. So, I'm on a budget. Based on your past reviews I had a TV and soundbar picked out to buy this week. However, this TV beats out the one I was going to go with so...again...thanks!!!!
Caleb, thanks for this review. I just noticed Digital Trends made it to 1M Subscribers, a congratulations to you and all at DT. Thanks, also for the notice on scammers. Thanks for all the great content. Happy Holidays.
Man, your reviews are just so good! Really appreciate what you do.
I just set my 50in up yesterday so far so good. Improvement picture wise over my 2 year old Samsung Tu8000f which started to turn itself off & on repeatedly. Thanks for tip on turning the annoying bottom light off in settings. Very impressive picture streaming through Roku, the picture quality through my antenna connection is hit and miss. Thanks for the review
So does it have HDMI 2.1? I’ve seen some sites say it does others says it doesn’t. Thanks
@@chrisd4432 no it doesn't the 6 series may. Mine is the 50S555
Just helped a buddy wall mount a 5 series the picture was much better than expected.
Wowa-Weea, You guys hit 1M
About time.
Love from Scotland 🏴
oh wait I didn't know you could turn off the LED light!! I just cut some black tape and covered it 😅
Got a TCL S646 Google tv 65 inch during the Black Friday sales recently. From the 49 inch 4 series I’ve been using since 2018 this has been a huge jump. I honestly have a tough time putting it into words but me and my wife just say it’s like those tvs we see displayed at costco.
Just got one though a Black Friday sale. Great value. Beat tv u can buy at that price point. Amazing picture quality. Satisfied customer
correct
Have a Vizio sound bar hooked up to my TCL 55" and can confirm, the slow response when changing the volume is beyond maddening. Also, I'm using eARC and I notice that the sound becomes desynched from time to time and I need to restart my sound bar and my TV for them to resynch.
I had so many problems between this tv and my Vizio soundbar that I ended up returning it, bought a 6 series r646 and the issues went away
Had this problem with my 2th gen 6 series drove me nuts I got a u7h recently same vizio sound bar no weird audio lag anymore thought it was the sound bar maybe it was the tv after all
Since this is a budget TV. I got it as my outdoor TV and didn't care for the 120hz or HDMI 2.1 port.
According to the TCL product page this tv has four HDMI 2.1 ports (4 Ports with HDMI 2.1, 1 port with eARC/ARC).
Irrelevant unless 120 hertz and it's not so .....
I just got this TV for 185 came out to 199 with tax new I’m so happy let’s gooo
Forget about the TV, where did Caleb get that great pullover? That green is the best color of green I’ve seen
Hey Caleb, I bought this exact set last week from Best Buy here in the New York metro for $549. The u7h was $799 but not available. I’m not a nitty gritty guy, just a dollars and “sense”! Even the u6h was more at $599. So I think it’s the better value. I’ll follow up with impressions once I mount it tomorrow. Also viewed your recent sound bar reviews for help with that. Leaning towards a Visio M series. Thanks for all your great content, and advice.
Update:
This is a very nice tv and will satisfy all but the most critical viewers. For the money it’s very hard to beat. It’s located in a basement family room without many windows and is plenty bright right out of the box.
After checking out the other up scale models I’m happy with the value this set brings.
Rtings report U6H has motion blur on gaming
I think since some people don’t want or have space for 65” it would be nice if you guy’s mentioned any performance differences between sizes. My preference is 55” and I’m sure there are others like me. I’ve heard the Sony X95K has drastically different local dimming between model sizes. Cheers!
Why do you prefer a 55? I have a 50 right now and am trying to decide to go 55 or 65; yes, size matters. 😉.
Thanks!
@@richarde1355 55” is a good middle ground for seating distance and resolution for me. I tried out 65” and it was just too close to my face.
Also I like the fact that I can set up and move 55” TVs all by myself and keeping boxes doesn’t take up a lot of room. If I had a huge theater room I’d probably get a larger screen.
Size actually does matter tbh lol
@@anthobee Those are some great perspectives, and a couple of good ones that I hadn't even considered! Proof there is a 'size' that matters and is a function of personal perspective and needs! ;-) Thank you!
This TV does have an option to put the feet closer in. I own the 55" version, and that is how I have it set up.
Picked up a S655 after a 2 yr old 55" TCL Series 5 went bust! Looks even better than their most recent Google TV models and much like a new series. However, an extended warranty came in handy for the previous one, and I made sure to add that cost again (5 yr extended).
It seems an extended warranty is a necessity for these low priced TVs. My Samsung lasted 2years almost to the day.
I'm waiting till the SuperBowl sale. I've been do some extensive research on tvs over the past 2 weeks and this is in my top 3. I'm hoping the price drops to $500 or less. It's currently $550 at best buy for the 65in.
Your patience has been rewarded. 65 inch is $500 at Best Buy today.
Congratulations on 1 million. I love your content and delivery for years.
Bought it at Best Buy over the weekend, picture good however the blooming on mine is horrible, lot of halo around subtitles also I have a high pitch coil noise coming from the back. Only way to get rid of the noise is to set the local dimming to medium.
got the 50" 555, no halos, and perfect text as a monitor .
I pad 199 for mine in the Google version. Can't complaint for that price. 55 inch
My 65" S555 has an inner feet mount location in addition to the outside.
Isn't the proper comparison the Hisense U6H? The 65" is currently $599 at BB, same as the TCL S555. The U7H is $799. The S555 is better than the U6H at the same price.
11 seconds input lag? Sign me up!
Please make a s555 calibration settings video!
Have the 5series from 2021. Great budget tv😊
Just bought this TV to replace an 7000 series Samsung. It was a 55 and we just wanted something bigger. This seems to be a great TV for a great price. One question--I have it set to movie, but on the picture settings do you suggest brighter, bright, normal, dark or darker?
It’s your tv, play around with the settings and keep it where you want it. It’s the most user friendly in terms of changing settings. Can just hit the reset picture if you want to go back to original. But there is not best setting, it’s subjective.
Seems odd, but “Brighter” is fine, just make sure HDR is on HDR Dark or HDR Normal. HDR Bright will brighten the overall image, but removes the highlights, defeating the purpose of HDR. Enjoy!
11 MS...not 11 seconds. Love your stuff. Life happens. Keep it up!
My word, 11 seconds. Can you imagine?
Question for the experts. If you take something a u7h which struggles with processing and motion handling but has incredible picture quality, could you hook up an Nvidia Shield and use it for motion processing and completely correct the issue or will the TVs flawed internal processing persist?
This was the right review video at the exact right time! I purchased a S555 75” for Black Friday and now I’m wondering if the U7H would be a better option at $300 more. I couldn’t find any opinions on the web at all and I was so surprised more people weren’t drawing that comparison (including RTINGS) and then you drop this video and you just delivered the exact professional opinion that I was searching for! Thank you very much for your excellent and highly thoughtful reviews as always. One thing I’m wondering is that the World Cup or NFL looks a bit blurry and muffled especially on 720p content. Would the Hisense improved refresh rate improvement or handle up scaling on 720p content better?
Idk how to answer your question but the u8h is awesome
Get the best TV u can . I got a 55" c1 for the bedroom and a tcl 65" google 6 series for the living room it's great for gaming but I regret not just waiting a few months and getting another oled. I upgraded all my screens for ps5 and series x. 2 new tvs a new projector and gaming monitor
The tcl has better upscaling i believe and gaming should be about the same seeing as u7h has issues with 120hz
@christian shubert The oled has way better upscaling and is better for gaming it is better in every single way. The 6 series is great for a cheeper option for gaming. The only reason I got it instead of another oled is cause I have 2 small children and didn't want to risk them touching the thin oled screen. It's thinner then my phone. The 1st day I set the TCL up my daughter went up and smacked the screen. It's on a stand so it's eye level and the kids can mess with it. But having both the c1 and 6 series nothing bears the oled in any way its insanely good. For the price the 6 series is great and I was amazed with the black levels. If I didn't have a 3 yr old running around I'd have 2 oleds. My oleds wall mounted in the bedroom so the kids can't reach it. So yah the 6 series doesn't do anything as good as the oled but it's a great option for people that can't afford the oled and want next gen gaming. Just wait and get an oled if u haven't purchased a new TV yet . My sister got the U8G also a great budget tv. In my opinion, everyone should hold off and get an OLED
Im choosing between the 50” s555 and the 55” u7h as a Xmas present for my son . The Hisense is only $70 more right now and I’m wondering which is better. From what I’ve read the u7h has HDMI 2.1 but I’m not sure if the s555 does.
Niiice I love this and it's great quality at affordable price. So clear and the sound quality is amazing.
My new 55S555 TCL does have two positions to mount the feet. The inner positions are about two feet apart.
Can I expect similar performance from the 2024 S551?
I bought this tv on Black Friday. Will be getting it delivered on the 14th. Any way you would be kind enough to post a comment on what your picture settings would be if this was sitting in your own living room? Thank you and happy holidays.
Went ahead and got three of them this past Memorial Day weekend!
One day TCL will have OLEDs that can match Sony/LG.... for half price. I wonder what happens then?
You are HIGH if you think TCL will EVER make ANY TV as good as a SONY. And SONY is also FAR superior any LG as well...
@@steveludwig4200 Amen to that. You truly do get what you pay for. Same basic rule has always applied.
@@steveludwig4200 I have an LG GX, LG C1, and a Sony A80J. I can hardly tell the difference overall.
It’s a Chinese company so all they need to do is just steal the tech from Sony or LG 😂😂😂
@@dmanatan I would tend to agree that 95% of folks buying these new TVs cannot tell much if any difference when watching at home. Its only a side by side comparison that these tech geeks OBSESS on that makes them think otherwise. There is simply WAYYYYYY to much "tech geekiness" about TVs and especially audio speakers these days.
For folks not wanting to game, it's a pretty nice TV. I have the 75 inch S555 out in the living room, not a single issue in the 2 months I've had it. It can't compare with my LG C2, but for the price, it looks pretty darn good for regular content. I've done some gaming on it using the Xbox series x and it looks pretty decent. It's a no surprise TV and just works well. It's a pretty bright panel too, much more so than the C2. Also, the 75" version speakers are 2x louder (more watts) than the smaller options.
This TV and the C2 perform nearly the same as far as brightness goes. Both SDR and HDR. I wonder why you think the the S555 is "much more brighter".
@@DaveBell1 I'm just basing it off of what I see when I crank the brightness up on both. I actually have the 65S555 as well, I started with that before getting the C2. But then I wanted to start gaming again (it's been since the 360 since I've last played on a console, lol), and I wanted all of those green check marks to be checked on the XSX, so I splurged and got the 65" C2 just before Black Friday at a great price. I have no idea what the specs are in regards to brightness on any of these TV's, but the TCL's are definitely brighter for all media - sdr, hdr and gaming in general. Not by a mile or anything, but definitely brighter, so that's why we're sticking with the 75" out in the living room. But on the plus side for the C2, the contrast ratio makes it look brighter than what it probably is. But to keep it real, the C2 is on another level in all other areas. The black levels, smoothness, the highlights - all look way better on the C2. I have some long running "Liquid OLED" video running on it right now, it looks absolutely amazing. Sometimes I just watch stuff like this to be amazed by it, the C2 doesn't disappoint!
@@DaveBell1 Hey Dave. I also asked my fiance which one she thinks gets brighter, the C2 in my office or the 75" S555 in our living room. She looked at me funny and said "Is that a serious question? Our living room TV gets way brighter than the fancy one in our office, not even a comparison." She's not a techie person at all, so i figured I'd run it by her. She keeps the brightness on the TCL at about 50%, and I tend to max out the brightness on the C2. It's at 95% OLED Pixel brightness now. I do have to agree with her, the QLED gets a lot brighter than the OLED, it is noticeable after doing a quick back and forth check.
Looking at these cheaper TVs is a nice break from all the hype of premium ones. How about a comparison between the two TCL 85 inchers? Would the 4-Series version be good enough for those who wouldn’t be able to afford the 6-Series one?
Another, less important topic would be a comparison between a 4-Series and 5-Series, both 65” inches, for example. At that point, the price gap is probably small enough that you may as well buy the 5-Series anyways, but I’m more just curious about how much quantum dot technology elevates the experience; not just in HDR, but even simply HD like Blu-ray and cable.
I had a hard time finding U7H during the holidays....Best Buy sold out and had to wait till late January to get hands on one via Amazon...wanted to by 55 inch since it was only 500 during black friday sales
I got the 75 U7H $929 from Costco with 3 years warranty. It is back to $1079 but it's available you're interested. Best buy only have 1 year warranty unless you buy extended warranty
@@fbi8364 thanks...I'll look into it
@@fbi8364 Is the costco U75H the same as the U7H?
@@KmKeehbauch89 from my research, yes. Except it’s black rather than silver and it has an extended warranty. It’s exclusively sold by Costco under a different model number so they do not have to worry about price matching with other vendors and other vendors don’t have to match Costco
@@nerdballer9583 Thank you for the info!
great video Caleb, the TV looks nice and has a good picture
I did want a hisense, but I keep hearing it's bad and unreliable and has issues with working or not. I can see it's probably good I just am not willing to wait and inevitably see it break down and need repair and bad customer service with nothing to be done. What is your take on this?
I think the TCL R646 is a better buy vs. the S555 and U7H at today's market prices.
Really? Why
@@derman124yahh4 Right now 65S555 is $600. 65U7H is $700. 65R646 is $700, but availability is flaky. 65R646 is rated higher per rtings, "The TCL 6 Series/R646 2021 QLED is better than the Hisense U7H. The TCL delivers much better picture quality overall, with better uniformity, higher contrast, and better reflection handling, so it looks better in both bright and dark rooms. The TCL also has a much faster response time, making it a better choice for gamers, as there's less blur behind fast-moving objects. The TCL also has much better sound quality, with less distortion and better frequency response, and it gets significantly louder than the Hisense."
I agree at regular prices.. Tho with so many sales going on it depends what you can find ... U7H price I've can vary wildly from slightly over the the S555 about 50$ to around 250$ more.. with sales or lack there of... If you can't find U7H on sale It's priced around the same as the R6 so might as well get the R6 but if you can find on sale it's only a slight bump in price ...
@@williamh7 Good luck finding any 65” 6-series for under $900-1000. Today an S555 is $550. A 55” R655 is $700. I’d be more inclined to buy a better TV at a smaller size but that’s just me. Even still most people wouldn’t notice the $150 difference between the sets
@@dmanatan 65R646 still $700 at Best Buy. R655 is only slightly better than the predecessor and Roku vs Google. Probably not worth spending $250 more. On a budget the 65S555 is now $550 at Best Buy and Amazon so $50 less than 4 weeks ago.
Hey Caleb, just out of curiosity, will the give away be world wide or US only?
what very few people review their TV tuner ...... if you watch local channels on a antenna then this set may not be the one you want. Several people have tested their over the air tuners on the TCL brand and say do a poor job because in tests they failed to pick up as many channels as the Samsung, LG or Vizo did in the same location
FUD !!!!! I found 67 channels with a cheap $5 antenna
@@loupasternak imagine how many high quality channels you'd pick up with a better outdoor antenna.
Great review there! Things in Europe are totally different. Right now you can get a LG C2 for ~1800 € and a TCL c93 mini led 4k for ~1900€. Both at 65’. A Hisense U7H costs 1000€ and a U8G 1400€. But it seems that some Hisense tvs come with different specs. IPS panels instead of VA and more. Total confusion and loss of their vfm reputation
Caleb, thanks for great content! Are you planning to review TCL C935 series?
Tcl released x11 in China this year. The 75 inch tv has over 1900 dimming zones. Will it come to North American next year?
What are the best 77-85” tv’s that are around $2000-$2500?
Probably a TCL 6 or Hisense U8H. LG QNED85 mini-LED and supposed to be very good. It’s $2000 for 75” and $2700 for 86”
Why these TV have to be so big though 😭 I just want a 42 model with all these features and cheap price.
Nice review keep up the good work
I know 2 people who bought mid-level TCLs and got the BSOD within two years. I have serious reservations for buying anything TCL because of this
I haven’t gotten a BSOD on my previous TCL, a 2020 S535 but the thing did develop some faded pink lines along the edges that got worse over time to where it started affecting more of the entire panel.
I’m honestly jaded on modern TVs nowadays tbh. We’ve gotten some absolute bangers but these things seem to not last nearly as long as much older TVs before 4K and smart TVs even became a thing.
Do you have a video on calibration for the Roku series? I saw the one from last year for the Android version.
If you’ve got ~$450 to spend on this tv, save up an additional $150-$250 (depending on current price) and get yourself the U8H.
I just bought one and it’s awesome
Can you make a video covering what are the ideal TV sizes for bedrooms and living room.? Standard sized room?
The sound quality is definitely bad, but TCL’s sound bars are not bad on your wallet. The Alto 8+ 2.1.2 is currently on sale for a decent price. It even has Dolby Atmos.
I used to sell TVs and I always stand by the opinion that you should never use a TVs speakers.
Even the best TV speakers are pretty mediocre compared to a mid grade sound bar and you're paying a premium for a "good speaker" in a TV.
Seeing a TV advertise its speakers actually turns me away from it cause I don't want to pay a premium for bad sound.
Yes the lag in interface I ready to get rid of my 75 inch series 5 tv. Only had for 4 months. I think I'm done with tcl. Got a hisense very happy with.
Yeah I fit into the other category. I just need a serviceable tv to hold me over until I can get an OLED lol.
Take a scotch brite pad and some windex to that etched glass top of the BDI cabinet. Should get rid of those scratches.
Not even that. Water and a microfiber towel is all it takes. Of course, look at it funny and marks can appear. Guess it’s great it cleans up just as easily. We’ll try to wipe down after placing and moving the TV around
I think im goin with this tv , ive always been a Vizio guy but im moving on to the tcl s5 qled for my PS5
In the video you indicated the stand is not adjustable. The specs claim you can place the stand in two different spots--one which will allow for a narrower footprint. My stand is only about 50 inches across and would need this to accommodate it. Does the stand actually have a second place to put it in?
More local dimming zones compared to last year’s model?
I’m currently choosing between the TCL 50s555 and the Hisense 55u7h as a Xmas present for my son. The Hisense is $70 with a 5” bigger screen but I prefer Roku to Google TV ( due to familiarity) . The main reason I’m considering the Hisense is because it has 2 HDMI 2.1 inputs (120hz) and I think the TCL S555 has none but I’ve seen conflicting info ( some sites say it has HDMI 2.1@60Hz)Right now there’s a PS4 that’ll be used for gaming but it’ll likely be replaced by a PS5. Other than that most TV viewing is via streaming so any suggestions?
U7h over 5 series all day
@@theiceman979 thanks. I ended up getting a TCL 55r655
@@user-eg5ht9mj5w I actually returned as I got a TCL 55r655 as a Best Buy certified excellent open box for $520. So far I like it a lot.
65" s555 or 55" U8H at $599? I'm about 7 feet from my TV, would be replacing 58" 1080P plasma.
I'm looking for a 65" but, if I get a low budget TV (like I have) I would spend that extra money to get it calibrated.
I seen beautiful TCL'S, Hisense U6H/U7H at my Best Buy but all Displays are Calibrated according to the TV Specialist at Best Buy
My 3rd 58" U6 Hisense is going out again, Backlighting issues..
So if you buy 1, get the warranty & get it calibrated
55S555... I love that!
How good is this TV as a PC monitor? Like many, I've been the cheap TCL 4 series as a monitor for yrs, but is QLED 5 series a better upgrade?
Any chance we will get to see a review on TCL 98R754 the 98 inch XL model?
Hey Caleb, love the videos and I watch all the DT content on RUclips. One editing quirk is bugging me though and it's hard to unsee - every time you finish a sentence, the camera framing on you will zoom in closer or zoom out. Those "jump zoom cuts" are so jarring and happen very frequently! Examples at: 00:21 / 00:55 / 00:58 / 1:13 to name a few.
I get it. Some folks like it, some don’t.
299$ at Walmart for 55 inch and 399 for 65 inch rite now. I just picked up 55inch with 4 yr warranty for 330$
I picked up a tcl q5 qled series from Sam’s club 449$ on clearance! I also bought a Samsung q60c 769$ on clearance as well ! Can you share your opinion on which one would be the better tv? Please? Not sure which one to keep ! Thanks 🙏🏻
Wish I could get this in canada but not sure how much longer I can wait for it be released here /:
how does this compare to the vizio mqx? Is the picture quality better with the TCL even though the Vizio has a higher refresh rate?
Caleb, do you know if TCL is still active in the Canadian market? The Canadian website doesn't feature any of the new 6 or 5 series TVs. I tweeted at their accounts and haven't heard anything.
Costco, Best Buy, perhaps?
@@fonkenful they still sell the TVs in Canada, but they haven't put up any of the new models anywhere
Yes. The 55 and 75 inch 6 series 2021 Google TVs are available at Best Buy. 65 inch you can buy from visions electronics
@@TheToto4562 the question I'm asking is if the newest TCL TVs will arrive in Canada. I should have phrased it better. None of the newest TVs are available in Canada yet and they're not even mentioned on their website
@@nickpurdy that I don't think so. I bought my first 2019 65 inch 6 series from the Best Buy in Williston Vermont. The Plattsburgh NY store is permanently closed. Now I drove to the same store and picked up the 2021 Google TV R646. Best Buy told me in 2019 that TCL won't send them new models until older models are completely sold. Sad news. If you don't live far away from the US border. Might be worth your while. The 2022 6 series is a slight improvement over the 2021. So if you get a deal in the States go for it. The 6 series 2021 Google TV R646. Is at $699. Buy it if you can get your hands on one. I am astonished at the color rendering and contrast, black level and brightness
Is this tv better than the Vizio quantum m6 series?
Yes
You said it doesn't have HDMI 2.1. it has 4 of them though
The “55 inch one has those maybe he over looked that
The S555 is only locked to a maximum of 60hz and while it does do VRR it’s limited to between 48hz-60hz anyways.
HDMI classification is weird because the TV does support the spec but doesn’t do 120hz
@@GabrielIgnacio so your stating it’s capable of doing 120hz but it’s locked? If so I’m sure there is a way to unlock it
I got this tv this week on Wednesday. It does not support hdmi 2.1 it only support hdmi 2.0. It's crazy on tcl website in bestbuy say this tv support hdmi 2.1 but it don't
@@damonrichardson8144 the 55” states it has hdmi 2.1 is that the size you have? Also I went into Best Buy to buy that exact model 55” and walked out with a 43” Sony Bravia 85k that was open box in excellent condition perfect for gaming has EVERYTHING
I'm looking at the 85". Which is better, 85r745 or 85r655?
WE have two TCLs. My only real complaint is that the picture settings are very limited.
what settings are you desiring that it doesnt have
@@loupasternak The only setting that I have is Brightness.
@@gwine9087 lol, this set has all kinds of adjustments .
@@loupasternak Good for you. Mine does not.
@@gwine9087 what year is is , 1950 ?
do a video on what the expert settings mean, the 11 point white balance , etc. its a little unclear
I have a 6 series TCL I just got it and the pictures look like garbage if they're not in HDR. I put on RUclips and the pictures are blurry all off colored I don't know what to do.
That's right Hisense is much better at upscaling low resolution content
Any thoughts on the ONN QLED offerings? Marketing states that it has "effective" 120 Hz panel although it is still a 60 Hz one
That means it's doing fake motion smoothing and inserting extra frames in. It won't look good. 120hz is only applicable for gaming and even then I find that I prefer gaming at 60hz anyways
@@speedogomer 120hz also allows much smoother motion from external 24p sources, since it's being sampled at a 5:5 pulldown, assuming the TV offers that function (my C2 labels it Real Cinema).
Love the video...How would this S555 model compare to the TCL - 65" Class Q6 Q-Class 4K QLED HDR Smart TV with Google TV
Model:65Q650
I waited a long time to update from my old Samsung with terrible burn in after 6 years. Heavy use as a monitor.
The 50" s555 so far is a great value . Better even than this review suggests. Not a big gamer , so wont comment on that , but Movies, pc desktop, 5 stars .
Bro 😂 you look like Roxxon, the enemy of Spiderman Miles Morales on the game lol. Did notice It because I'm playing while looking for a tv, thanks for the video 💪🏼.
I just got the 75" version of this S555 a few days ago. I think it's great. Having some occaional weird troubles with RUclips videos fast forwarding or rewinding or not letting me pause. Other than that great though. Definitely some DSE and some blooming but it's not an OLED haha glad I bought this TV
This 5 series has similar specs like my 6 series r625
For some reason changing volume for me is still slow but my soundbar will always go up and down in step 3 instead of 1. This is on the 2019 S425 model
Would 65s555 from 65r625 be a substantial upgrade even though it would be going from series 6 to 5 but newer..
When do you think a person should upgrade their TV?
Also if you could show examples. Thanks
When theirs Quits working LOL.
All I got in my house is TCL tvs. I got the 2019, 2020 and 2021 6 series in each room. TCL is the best tv for the money. I can literally see the improvements of each year
I’m sorry
@@BudFuddlacker 😂
Naa, I've had a few TCL's (had a few of the QLED's) great for a budget, but I've finally settled on what just seems to work best. Got the 2022 Aero KD 15" 4K OLED Laptop, for PC I've just upgraded from the 55" LG Nanocell to Samsung 55" QN90B Neo mini LED, works great for long hours, spreadsheets or fun without burnin concerns. For TV, just upgraded my 65" LG C8 OLED (went like a dream for 4 years) to the Sony A95K QD-OLED. Today got a Logitech MX anywhere 3 mouse, I'm finally satisfied, for now. I cut corners for too long, just get the better stuff and you'll tend to save coin as upgrades can be held off for 4 years+
@@micker9830 nah but literally thank you for your reply
@@tbone5654 OLED is for sure better. I meant best for the price like I don’t see the point in going beyond it
is the 2022 model (S555) available in canada? I'm not seeing it on any canadian sites, just the S546
can the tv do 1080p 120hz gaming?
Can someone tell me how to access the advanced picture settings? For some reason I’m only able to change the “brighter, bright, dark, darker” and if it’s in “Movie” mode. Idk how to manually set the brightness and all the other more detailed options
Great video is there any way you can do a picture setting to find turn this TV for a 75" thanks
Can mini LED actually get up to Oled in perfect blacks. Very deep blacks with no blooming?
yes
@@loupasternak show me one please
@@JRBowling1997 one
@@loupasternak can't show me? You failed
@@JRBowling1997 i showed you what you asked for .