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TCL 4 Series/S435 2020  TV Review

Review updated Jul 28, 2021 at 01:27pm
Retest Jul 08, 2025 at 02:15pm
Tested using methodology v1.6 
TCL 4 Series/S435 2020
6.6
Mixed Usage 
Value for price beaten by

Not at the latest test bench

6.8
Movies 
Value for price beaten by

Not at the latest test bench

6.8
TV Shows 
Value for price beaten by

Not at the latest test bench

6.3
Sports 
Value for price beaten by

Not at the latest test bench

6.7
Video Games 
Value for price beaten by

Not at the latest test bench

6.3
HDR Movies 
Value for price beaten by

Not at the latest test bench

6.8
HDR Gaming 
Value for price beaten by

Not at the latest test bench

7.0
PC Monitor 
Value for price beaten by

Not at the latest test bench

 0
 TV Settings
Notice: This TVs was replaced by TCL 4 Series/S455 2022

The TCL 4 Series 2020 is an okay entry-level TV. It's pretty basic in terms of extra features, but that's expected for a model in this price range, and it performs fairly well for most uses. It has a VA panel with a high native contrast ratio to display deep blacks, so it performs best in dark rooms, but it's not as good for well-lit rooms because it doesn't get bright, and the reflection handling is just decent. Its HDR performance is limiting because it can't display a wide color gamut and lacks a local dimming feature, but if you want to watch lower-resolution content, it doesn't have any trouble with upscaling. Our unit has Roku TV built-in, but there's also a variant with Android TV, the TCL 4 Series/S434 Android 2020, so you can get the one with the smart system you prefer.

Our Verdict

6.6
Mixed Usage 

The TCL 4 Series is an okay TV for most uses. It performs best for watching movies in dark rooms because its VA panel has a fantastic contrast ratio, but it lacks local dimming. It has decent reflection handling if you watch shows or sports in rooms with some light, but it doesn't get bright enough to fight a ton of glare. It's okay for gaming because of its fairly low input lag; however, the slow response time results in black smearing. Lastly, HDR content isn't anything special as it can't get bright and fails to display a wide color gamut.

Pros
  • Fantastic native contrast.
  • Decent reflection handling.
  • Upscales lower-resolution content well.
Cons
  • Doesn't get bright.
  • Narrow viewing angles.
  • Doesn't display wide color gamut.
6.8
Movies 

The TCL 4 Series is okay for watching movies in dark rooms. It has a VA panel with a fantastic contrast ratio that allows it to display deep blacks. However, black uniformity is just okay, and there's no local dimming feature to deepen any blacks. It displays 1080p and 4k content without any artifacts and removes judder from 24p sources, like Blu-ray players or native apps.

Pros
  • Fantastic native contrast.
  • Removes judder from 24p sources.
Cons
  • Black uniformity is just okay.
  • No local dimming.
6.8
TV Shows 

The TCL 4 Series is okay for TV shows in bright rooms. It has decent reflection handling, but it doesn't get bright enough to combat glare in a well-lit room. It upscales lower-resolution content without any problems, and it doesn't have the risk of permanent burn-in from constant exposure to static elements. Sadly, it has narrow viewing angles, and you quickly lose image accuracy as you move off-center.

Pros
  • Decent reflection handling.
  • Upscales lower-resolution content well.
Cons
  • Doesn't get bright.
  • Narrow viewing angles.
6.3
Sports 

The TCL 4 Series isn't bad for watching sports in well-lit rooms. It has decent reflection handling for when you want to watch in a room with some lights, but it doesn't get bright enough to combat a ton of glare. It has a slow response time that results in some black smear with fast-moving content. It also has narrow viewing angles, so it's not an ideal choice for watching the game with a large group of people.

Pros
  • Decent reflection handling.
  • Upscales lower-resolution content well.
Cons
  • Doesn't get bright.
  • Narrow viewing angles.
  • Slow response time.
6.7
Video Games 

The TCL 4 Series is okay for video games. It has an incredibly low input lag when gaming with a 4k resolution, but it increases significantly with 1080p content. The response time is slow, resulting in black smearing in dark scenes, and it doesn't have any extra gaming features like variable refresh rate (VRR) support. However, if you game in a dark room, it has an outstanding contrast ratio.

Pros
  • Fantastic native contrast.
  • Low input lag.
Cons
  • Slow response time.
  • No extra gaming features.
6.3
HDR Movies 

The TCL 4 Series is unremarkable for HDR movies. It has a fantastic contrast ratio that results in deep blacks, but there's no local dimming feature to further improve it. Unfortunately, HDR content doesn't look all that different from SDR content because it fails to display a wide color gamut and has bad peak brightness, so highlights don't pop how they should.

Pros
  • Fantastic native contrast.
  • Removes judder from 24p sources.
Cons
  • No local dimming.
  • Doesn't get bright.
  • Doesn't display wide color gamut.
6.8
HDR Gaming 

The TCL 4 Series is alright for HDR gaming. It provides okay gaming performance thanks to its low HDR input lag, but it has a slow response time that results in black smear. It has a fantastic contrast ratio that makes black appear deep, but HDR content doesn't look good because it doesn't get bright, fails to display a wide color gamut, and lacks local dimming.

Pros
  • Fantastic native contrast.
  • Upscales lower-resolution content well.
  • Low input lag.
Cons
  • Doesn't get bright.
  • Slow response time.
  • No extra gaming features.
  • Doesn't display wide color gamut.
7.0
PC Monitor 

The TCL 4 Series is decent to use as a PC monitor. Its VA panel doesn't have the risk of permanent burn-in, and it displays chroma 4:4:4 with a 1080p or 4k resolution. It also has a low enough input lag for desktop use and has decent reflection handling. However, it doesn't get bright, and it has narrow viewing angles, so the image looks washed out if you sit too close.

Pros
  • Decent reflection handling.
  • Low input lag.
  • Displays chroma 4:4:4.
Cons
  • Doesn't get bright.
  • Narrow viewing angles.
  • Slow response time.
  • 6.6
    Mixed Usage
  • 6.8
    Movies
  • 6.8
    TV Shows
  • 6.3
    Sports
  • 6.7
    Video Games
  • 6.3
    HDR Movies
  • 6.8
    HDR Gaming
  • 7.0
    PC Monitor
  • Changelog

    1.  Updated Jul 08, 2025: We uploaded the latest brightness measurements and uniformity photos for the Accelerated Longevity Test.
    2.  Updated Apr 17, 2025: We uploaded the latest brightness measurements and uniformity photos for the Accelerated Longevity Test.
    3.  Updated Feb 11, 2025: We uploaded the latest brightness measurements and uniformity photos for the Accelerated Longevity Test.
    4.  Updated Nov 20, 2024: We uploaded the latest brightness measurements and uniformity photos for the Accelerated Longevity Test.

    Differences Between Sizes And Variants

    We tested the 55-inch TCL 4 Series Roku TV, and we expect our results to be valid for the 43, 50, 65, 75, and 85-inch models as well. The 85-inch appears to have the same panel, but it has a different body with wide-set feet. We've also tested the Android TV variant, the TCL 4 Series/S434 Android 2020, and it performs very similarly. We aren't aware of any other variants outside of North America.

    Walmart sold a Black Friday exclusive model, the TCL 55S20, which appeared to be the same model with Roku TV, but with three HDMI inputs. It was only available in a 55-inch size. There are also two variants of this TV, known as the TCL S431 and the TCL S433. There are no differences between them; these different models exist for different retailers to avoid price matching, but they perform exactly the same.

    Size Roku Model 431 Variant 433 Variant HDMI Android Model HDMI
    43" 43S435 43S431 43S433 43S434 3
    50" 50S435 50S431 50S433 50S434 3
    55" 55S435 55S431 55S433 4 55S434 3
    65" 65S435  65S431 65S433 4 65S434
    75" 75S435  75S431 75S433 4 75S434
    85" 85S435 85S431 85S433 4 - -

    If someone comes across a different type of panel or if their TCL 4 Series doesn't correspond to our review, let us know and we'll update the review. Note that some tests, like gray uniformity, may vary between individual units.

    You can see the label for our unit here.

    Compared To Other TVs

    The TCL 4 Series is an okay low-cost TV, but it's a downgrade from its predecessor, the TCL 4 Series 2019. It doesn't have any trouble upscaling lower-resolution and displays 4k content perfectly, but it has a slow response time that results in black smear. There are better options for gaming in this price range, but if you need a TV for watching your favorite shows, you should be happy with it. The TCL 4 Series/S434 Android 2020 is also a similarly-priced option that performs about the same, but it has Android TV instead of Roku.

    Also see our recommendations for the best budget TVs, the best small TVs, and the best Roku TVs.

    TCL 4 Series/S455 2022

    The TCL 4 Series/S455 2022 is a bit better than the TCL 4 Series/S435 2020. The 2022 version looks a bit better in a dark room, as it has much better black uniformity, with less cloudiness in dark scenes. The 2022 version also gets a bit brighter, and it supports eARC instead of just ARC, allowing you to pass high-quality lossless audio signals through to your connected soundbar or home theater receiver.

    Hisense H6570G

    The TCL 4 Series/S435 2020 is slightly better than the Hisense H6570G. The TCL does a better job at displaying native 4k content, it has much better gradient handling, lower input lag, and the Roku TV is easier to use. However, the Hisense gets brighter, has a quicker response time, slightly better reflection handling, and the Android TV has a massive selection of apps available to download.

    Samsung TU7000

    The Samsung TU7000 is a bit better than the TCL 4 Series/S435 2020. The Samsung gets brighter, has a quicker response time, and has much lower input lag, so it's a better choice for gaming. However, the TCL removes judder from native 24p sources, has significantly better out-of-the-box color accuracy, and has better reflection handling.

    TCL 4 Series/S434 Android 2020

    The TCL 4 Series/S435 2020 and the TCL 4 Series/S434 Android 2020 are variants of each other, with few differences. The S435 has Roku TV as its operating system, while the S434 has Android TV. Roku is generally easier to use, but there's a larger selection of apps available on the Google Play store on Android. Each TV has nearly the same performance, except the S435 removes 24p judder, which helps with the appearance of motion in movies. Our unit of the S434 also has much better black uniformity, but this may vary between units.

    Show more 

    Test Results

    perceptual testing image
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    RATINGS
    Category:
    All
    Design
    Style
    CurvedNo

    The TCL 4 Series is a basic TV with a simple, no-frills design. It looks a lot like the TCL 4 Series 2019 with a different pattern on the back. It has wide-set feet, and the overall build feels cheap.

    Accelerated Longevity Test
    Uniformity Pictures
    50-gray-28
    Month 28
    50% Gray
    See details on graph tool
    Stand

    Update 01/13/2021: We remeasured the footprint of the stand because we originally measured it with the feet twisted outwards, creating a larger footprint. However, this isn't another position you can place them on, we had just placed them incorrectly.

    The wide-set stand is made of plastic, and the TV wobbles a bit. The position of the feet can't be changed to accommodate smaller tables.

    Footprint of the 55 inch TV: 38.7" x 12.2".

    Note: There's an 85 inch model whose feet are placed at the left and right edges.

    Back
    Wall MountVESA 300x300

    The back of the TCL 4 Series is different than the TCL 4 Series 2019. The back panel is made out of metal that feels a bit cheap, and the part where the inputs are is also made from cheap plastic. Sadly, there's no cable management.

    Note: There's an 85 inch model with a different back, somewhat similar to the TCL 6 Series/R635 2020 QLED.

    Borders
    Borders0.47" (1.2 cm)
    Thickness
    Max Thickness3.35" (8.5 cm)

    The TCL 55S435 is somewhat thick, but should still look good when wall-mounted.

    Note: There's an 85 inch model with a different back, somewhat similar to the TCL 6 Series/R635 2020 QLED, so it may be a bit thicker.

    6.5
    Build Quality

    This TV has an okay build quality. The overall build feels cheap, and there's some wobble. The plastic on the back has some flex, and the metal doesn't feel premium.

    Picture Quality
    9.1
    Contrast
    Native Contrast
    6,067 : 1
    Contrast with local dimming
    N/A

    The TCL 4 Series has a fantastic native contrast ratio. It displays deep blacks, which is expected from a VA panel, but there's no local dimming feature to improve it. Keep in mind that contrast can vary a bit between units.

    4.7
    SDR Brightness
    Real Scene Peak Brightness
    168 cd/m²
    Peak 2% Window
    201 cd/m²
    Peak 10% Window
    201 cd/m²
    Peak 25% Window
    201 cd/m²
    Peak 50% Window
    201 cd/m²
    Peak 100% Window
    201 cd/m²
    Sustained 2% Window
    200 cd/m²
    Sustained 10% Window
    200 cd/m²
    Sustained 25% Window
    200 cd/m²
    Sustained 50% Window
    201 cd/m²
    Sustained 100% Window
    201 cd/m²
    Automatic Brightness Limiting (ABL)
    0.008

    The SDR peak brightness is poor. It doesn't get bright enough to combat glare in well-lit rooms. Luckily, its brightness is very consistent across different content.

    We measured peak brightness after calibration in the 'Movie' Picture Mode. If you don't care about image accuracy and want the brightest image possible, we reached 268 cd/m² in the 2% window in the 'Vivid' Picture Mode.

    If you want a budget-friendly TV that gets brighter, check out the Hisense H6510G.

    0.0
    Local Dimming
    Local Dimming
    No
    Backlight
    Direct

    Update 08/02/2021: Added the real content local dimming videos.

    It doesn't have a local dimming feature. The video is for reference only, so you can see how backlight on this display performs and compare it to a similar product with local dimming.

    0.0
    Local Dimming In Game Mode
    Local Dimming
    No
    Backlight
    Direct

    Update 08/02/2021: Added the real content local dimming videos.

    Once again, there's no local dimming feature. The video is for reference only, so you can see how backlight on this display performs and compare it to a similar product with local dimming.

    4.4
    HDR Brightness
    Real Scene Highlight
    199 cd/m²
    Peak 2% Window
    145 cd/m²
    Peak 10% Window
    213 cd/m²
    Peak 25% Window
    213 cd/m²
    Peak 50% Window
    213 cd/m²
    Peak 100% Window
    213 cd/m²
    Sustained 2% Window
    145 cd/m²
    Sustained 10% Window
    213 cd/m²
    Sustained 25% Window
    213 cd/m²
    Sustained 50% Window
    213 cd/m²
    Sustained 100% Window
    213 cd/m²
    Automatic Brightness Limiting (ABL)
    0.028

    The TCL 55S435 has bad HDR peak brightness. It doesn't get that much brighter than in SDR, and it's not enough to make highlights pop in HDR. Small highlights are a bit dimmer due to frame dimming. The EOTF follows the target curve somewhat well until the roll-off, but most scenes are a bit too dark.

    We tested HDR peak brightness in the 'Dark HDR' Picture Mode with TV Brightness set to 'Brighter'. If you find it too dim, set Gamma to '1.8' in the mobile app because this results in a bit brighter scenes as seen in this EOTF, but the peak brightness is about the same.

    4.4
    HDR Brightness In Game Mode
    Real Scene Highlight
    198 cd/m²
    Peak 2% Window
    145 cd/m²
    Peak 10% Window
    212 cd/m²
    Peak 25% Window
    213 cd/m²
    Peak 50% Window
    212 cd/m²
    Peak 100% Window
    212 cd/m²
    Sustained 2% Window
    145 cd/m²
    Sustained 10% Window
    212 cd/m²
    Sustained 25% Window
    212 cd/m²
    Sustained 50% Window
    212 cd/m²
    Sustained 100% Window
    212 cd/m²
    Automatic Brightness Limiting (ABL)
    0.027

    The HDR brightness in Game Mode is once again disappointing. It looks the same as outside of Game Mode because you don't need to change the Picture Mode to enter Game Mode. It's not enough to make highlights pop the way the creator intended.

    6.6
    Gray Uniformity
    50% Std. Dev.
    2.731%
    50% DSE
    0.216%
    5% Std. Dev.
    2.712%
    5% DSE
    0.138%

    Our unit of the TCL 4 Series has okay gray uniformity, but this may vary between units. The edges of the screen are noticeably darker, and there's dirty screen effect (DSE) in the center, which could be distracting during sports. There's less DSE in near-dark scenes, but there's visible backlight bleed along the edges.

    6.9
    Black Uniformity
    Native Std. Dev.
    1.416%
    Std. Dev. w/ L.D.
    N/A

    This TV has alright black uniformity, but this may vary between units. There's a bit of blooming around the center cross, and sadly, there's noticeable backlight bleed along the edges. This can be distracting in dark scenes, and there's no local dimming feature to improve it.

    4.6
    Viewing Angle
    Color Washout
    20°
    Color Shift
    20°
    Brightness Loss
    29°
    Black Level Raise
    10°
    Gamma Shift
    10°

    The TCL 55S435 has narrow viewing angles, which is expected from a VA panel. You quickly lose image accuracy as you start to move off-center. If you want a budget-friendly TV with wide viewing angles, look into the Hisense A6G.

    7.3
    Reflections
    Screen Finish
    Semi-gloss
    Total Reflections
    5.4%
    Indirect Reflections
    0.3%
    Calculated Direct Reflections
    5.1%

    The TCL 4 Series has decent reflection handling. It handles a moderate amount of light well but struggles if you place it in a room with a ton of glare.

    8.6
    Pre Calibration
    White Balance dE
    1.90
    Color dE
    1.86
    Gamma
    2.26
    Color Temperature
    6,261 K
    Picture Mode
    Movie
    Color Temp Setting
    Warm
    Gamma Setting
    2.2

    This TV has excellent out-of-the-box color accuracy, but this may vary between units. There are hardly any inaccuracies with most colors and white balance, but some blues are a bit off. Gamma follows the target curve fairly well, but most scenes are too dark. Lastly, the color temperature is a bit warm, giving the image a red/yellow tint.

    9.7
    Post Calibration
    White Balance dE
    0.07
    Color dE
    0.63
    Gamma
    2.20
    Color Temperature
    6,504 K
    White Balance Calibration
    11 point
    Color Calibration
    Yes

    The accuracy post-calibration is simply incredible. Any remaining color inaccuracies are fixed except for red, and the color temperature is nearly spot on with our 6500K target. Gamma isn't perfect, as some scenes are slightly over-brightened, but this shouldn't be very noticeable.

    You can see our recommended settings here.

    8.0
    480p Input

    The TCL 4 Series displays 480p content, like from DVDs, well. However, it has some trouble properly scaling 4:3 content, so the photo is taken in PC mode, resulting in over-saturated colors compared to other photos.

    8.0
    720p Input

    720p content, like from a cable box, is upscaled well without any obvious artifacts.

    9.0
    1080p Input

    1080p content, like Blu-rays or game consoles, looks almost as good as native 4k content.

    10
    4k Input

    Update 12/15/2020: We retested the 4k input to see if there's any spatial dithering because there's some crosshatching in the shadows. We tested other pictures and didn't notice any spatial dithering.

    There aren't any artifacts with native 4k content as this TV displays it perfectly. It looks more like the TCL 5 Series/S535 2020 QLED than the TCL 4 Series 2019.

    0.0
    8k Input

    This is a 4k TV that doesn't display an 8k input.

    Pixels
    TypeLED
    Sub-Type
    VA

    Some of the blue pixels appear dimmer, but this doesn't result in any picture quality issues. This TV uses a BGR subpixel layout, which can affect the way text is rendered when using the TV as a PC monitor. You can read about it here.

    6.7
    Color Gamut
    Wide Color Gamut
    No
    DCI P3 xy
    74.28%
    DCI P3 uv
    80.82%
    Rec 2020 xy
    53.63%
    Rec 2020 uv
    60.13%

    The TCL 55S435 has an okay color gamut for HDR content, but it's not considered a wide color gamut. Even though it has good coverage of the commonly-used DCI P3 color space, its coverage of the wider Rec. 2020 is limited.

    5.9
    Color Volume
    Normalized DCI P3 Coverage ITP
    68.2%
    10,000 cd/m² DCI P3 Coverage ITP
    24.1%
    Normalized Rec 2020 Coverage ITP
    49.8%
    10,000 cd/m² Rec 2020 Coverage ITP
    17.5%

    The TCL 55S435 has a disappointing color gamut. It's mainly limited by its lack of wide color gamut and low peak brightness, as it can't display colors at a wide range of luminance levels.

    8.4
    Gradient
    Color Depth
    10 Bit
    Red (Std. Dev.)
    0.088
    Green (Std. Dev.)
    0.098
    Blue (Std. Dev.)
    0.088
    Gray (Std. Dev.)
    0.111

    The gradient handling is impressive, but it's not as good as the TCL 4 Series/S434 Android 2020. Most of the banding is visible in the darker shades, especially in the grays and greens. There's a Noise Reduction setting available in the Roku mobile app, but it doesn't improve the gradients at all.

    10
    Temporary Image Retention
    IR after 0 min recovery
    0.00%
    IR after 2 min recovery
    0.00%
    IR after 4 min recovery
    0.00%
    IR after 6 min recovery
    0.00%
    IR after 8 min recovery
    0.00%
    IR after 10 min recovery
    0.00%

    There aren't any signs of image retention, but this may vary between units.

    10
    Permanent Burn-In Risk
    Permanent Burn-In Risk
    No

    We don't expect VA panels to experience permanent image retention, as the VA panel in our long-term test appears immune.

    Motion
    6.0
    Response Time
    80% Response Time
    8.1 ms
    100% Response Time
    18.0 ms

    This TV has a mediocre response time. Motion looks blurry because the response time is slow in most transitions, especially with dark transitions, which causes black smearing. This can be noticeable in games or movies with fast-moving content in dark scenes.

    4.0
    Flicker-Free
    Flicker-Free
    No
    PWM Dimming Frequency
    120 Hz

    The TCL 55S435 uses pulse width modulation (PWM) to dim its backlight at any level below '18', and the 120Hz flicker may result in some image duplication. The backlight is flicker-free above that level.

    5.4
    Black Frame Insertion (BFI)
    Optional BFI
    No
    Min Flicker For 60 fps
    120 Hz
    60Hz For 60 fps
    No
    120Hz For 120 fps
    N/A
    Min Flicker for 60 fps in Game Mode
    120 Hz

    There's no optional black frame insertion feature. The TV flickers at 120Hz if you set the Backlight to '18' or below.

    Motion Interpolation
    Motion Interpolation (30 fps)
    No
    Motion Interpolation (60 fps)
    No

    This TV doesn't have a motion interpolation feature.

    8.1
    Stutter
    Frame Hold Time @ 24 fps
    23.7 ms
    Frame Hold Time @ 60 fps
    0.0 ms

    Due to the slow response time, lower-frame rate content doesn't appear to stutter.

    7.8
    24p Judder
    Judder-Free 24p
    Yes
    Judder-Free 24p via 60p
    No
    Judder-Free 24p via 60i
    No
    Judder-Free 24p via Native Apps
    Yes

    This TV automatically removes 24p judder from native apps or Blu-ray players.

    0.0
    Variable Refresh Rate
    Native Refresh Rate
    60 Hz
    Variable Refresh Rate
    No
    HDMI Forum VRR
    No
    FreeSync
    No
    G-SYNC Compatible
    No
    4k VRR Maximum
    N/A
    4k VRR Minimum
    No VRR support
    1080p VRR Maximum
    N/A
    1080p VRR Minimum
    No VRR support
    1440p VRR Maximum
    N/A
    1440p VRR Minimum
    No VRR support
    VRR Supported Connectors
    No VRR support

    It doesn't support any variable refresh rate technology.

    Inputs
    9.0
    Input Lag
    1080p @ 60Hz
    29.0 ms
    1080p @ 60Hz Outside Game Mode
    59.0 ms
    1440p @ 60Hz
    N/A
    4k @ 60Hz
    12.6 ms
    4k @ 60Hz + 10-Bit HDR
    12.4 ms
    4k @ 60Hz @ 4:4:4
    29.2 ms
    4k @ 60Hz Outside Game Mode
    53.7 ms
    4k @ 60Hz With Interpolation
    N/A
    8k @ 60Hz
    N/A
    1080p @ 120Hz
    N/A
    1440p @ 120Hz
    N/A
    4k @ 120Hz
    N/A
    1080p with Variable Refresh Rate
    N/A
    1440p with VRR
    N/A
    4k with VRR
    N/A
    8k with VRR
    N/A

    This TV has low input lag, but it's not as low as some other 4k TVs, especially if you're playing 1080p games or if you need the TV to display chroma 4:4:4, like if you're using it as a PC monitor. You likely won't notice much of a delay in those situations, but it can affect your gaming performance with reaction-based games. It's best to play 4k games at 60fps with chroma 4:2:0, as you won't notice any delay.

    Note: We couldn't measure the 1440p @ 60Hz input lag because it can't display a custom 1440p resolution from a PC, but it does from an Xbox.

    8.3
    Supported Resolutions
    Resolution4k
    1080p @ 60Hz @ 4:4:4
    Yes
    1080p @ 120Hz
    No
    1440p @ 60Hz
    Yes (forced resolution required)
    1440p @ 120Hz
    No
    4k @ 60Hz
    Yes
    4k @ 60Hz @ 4:4:4
    Yes
    4k @ 120Hz
    No
    8k @ 30Hz or 24Hz
    No
    8k @ 60Hz
    No

    This TV supports common resolutions up to 60Hz. It accepts a 1440p @ 60Hz signal from an Xbox, but it displays a green screen and has issues when forcing that signal through a PC. It properly displays chroma 4:4:4 with either 1080p or 4k content, and you don't need to change any settings for it to work as it automatically displays it when connected to a PC.

    Advanced Console Compatibility
    Auto Low Latency Mode (ALLM)
    Yes
    PS5, 4k @ 120Hz + HDR
    No
    PS5, 4k @ 120Hz
    No
    PS5, 4k @ 60Hz + HDR
    Yes
    PS5, 1440p @ 120Hz
    No
    PS5, 1080p @ 120Hz
    No
    PS5, Variable Refresh Rate
    No
    Xbox Series X, 4k @ 120Hz + HDR
    No
    Xbox Series X, 4k @ 120Hz
    No
    Xbox Series X, 4k @ 60Hz + HDR
    Yes
    Xbox Series X, 1440p @ 120Hz
    No
    Xbox Series X, 1080p @ 120Hz
    No
    Xbox Series X, Variable Refresh Rate
    No

    Since it's limited to a 60Hz panel and has HDMI 2.0, it can't take advantage of the full capabilities of either the Xbox Series X or PS5. It has an Auto Low Latency Mode, and there aren't settings for it; it switches the TV into Game Mode when a game from a compatible device is launched for low input lag.

    Inputs Specifications
    HDR10
    Yes
    HDR10+
    No
    Dolby Vision
    No
    HLG
    Yes
    HDMI 2.0 Full Bandwidth
    Yes (HDMI 1,2,3,4)
    HDMI 2.1 Class Bandwidth
    No
    CECYes
    HDCP 2.2Yes (HDMI 1,2,3,4)
    USB 3.0
    No
    Variable Analog Audio OutYes
    Wi-Fi SupportYes (2.4 GHz, 5 GHz)
    Input Photos
    Total Inputs
    HDMI4
    USB1
    Digital Optical Audio Out1
    Analog Audio Out 3.5mm1
    Analog Audio Out RCA0
    Component In0
    Composite In1 (adapter required, not incl.)
    Tuner (Cable/Ant)1
    Ethernet1
    DisplayPort0
    IR In0
    SD/SDHC0

    The Composite In input needs an adapter, but it doesn't come with one like the TCL 4 Series/S434 Android 2020.

    Audio Passthrough
    ARC
    Yes (HDMI 4)
    eARC support
    No
    Dolby Atmos via TrueHD via eARC
    No
    DTS:X via DTS-HD MA via eARC
    No
    5.1 Dolby Digital via ARC
    Yes
    5.1 DTS via ARC
    Yes
    5.1 Dolby Digital via Optical
    Yes
    5.1 DTS via Optical
    Yes
    Sound Quality
    6.1
    Frequency Response
    See details on graph tool
    Low-Frequency Extension
    126.99 Hz
    Std. Dev. @ 70
    4.76 dB
    Std. Dev. @ 80
    4.67 dB
    Std. Dev. @ Max
    6.43 dB
    Max
    88.8 dB SPL
    Dynamic Range Compression
    2.42 dB

    The frequency response is mediocre. It has a fairly well-balanced sound profile but doesn't produce much bass. It gets loud, and there isn't much compression at its max volume.

    6.8
    Distortion
    See details on graph tool
    Weighted THD @ 80
    0.086
    Weighted THD @ Max
    0.276
    IMD @ 80
    5.14%
    IMD @ Max
    17.11%

    This TV has okay distortion performance. There isn't much distortion at moderate listening levels, but it gets a lot more audible at its max volume. However, this depends on the content and not everyone may hear it.

    Smart Features
    8.0
    Interface
    Smart OSRoku TV
    Version9.3.2
    Ease of Use
    Easy
    Smoothness
    Very Smooth
    Time Taken to Select YouTube
    4 s
    Time Taken to Change Backlight
    4 s
    Advanced Options
    Many

    The TCL S435 variant we tested has built-in Roku TV, but the TCL 4 Series/S434 Android 2020 variant has Android TV instead. Note that we tested this TV around the same time as the U.S. elections, and the background was automatically set to an American theme. This is why the background is different than other Roku TVs we've tested in the past, which had red backgrounds, but you can change it in the settings.

    The newer version of this TV, the TCL 4 Series/S446 2021, uses Google TV instead of Roku.

    0.0
    Ad-Free
    Ads
    Yes
    Opt-out
    No
    Suggested Content in Home
    Yes
    Opt-out of Suggested Content
    Yes

    There are ads and suggested content on the home page, but we couldn't get a picture. You can opt-out of featured content by selecting Limit Ad Tracking in the 'Advertising' section of the Privacy settings.

    8.0
    Apps and Features
    App Selection
    Great
    App Smoothness
    Average
    Cast Capable
    Yes
    USB Drive Playback
    Yes
    USB Drive HDR Playback
    Yes
    HDR in Netflix
    Yes
    HDR in YouTube
    Yes

    The Roku app store has a great selection of apps you can download and they run smoothly for the most part.

    6.0
    Remote
    Size
    Small
    Voice Control
    Search, Some Other Features
    CEC Menu Control
    No
    Other Smart Features
    No
    Remote AppRoku

    This TV comes with the same basic remote as the TCL 3 Series 2020. It doesn't have voice control, and there are some quick-access buttons to popular streaming devices. You can use voice control through the Roku app on your phone, and you can ask it to change inputs, open apps, or search for specific content.

    TV Controls

    There's a single button underneath the TCL branding at the center of the screen. You can power the TV On/Off and change inputs.

    In The Box

    • Remote (with batteries)
    • User manual

    Misc
    Power Consumption42 W
    Power Consumption (Max)79 W
    Firmware9.3.2 build 4243

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    1. Update: We uploaded the latest brightness measurements and uniformity photos for the Accelerated Longevity Test.

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