The TCL 5-series (S535) is a prime example of high-end technology spilling over from more expensive models to budget devices. In this case, it is QLED – Quantum Dots – which were adopted from last year’s excellent TCL 6-series (R625) and are now also used in the 5-series. In case this is the first time you have heard of Quantum Dots: They act like a filter between the LEDs and the screen, boosting color saturation. This improves the overall contrast and vibrancy, especially in combination with a Full Array Local Dimming system.
For this reason, the new TCL TV 5 series is one of the most affordable QLED TVs on the market, costing significantly less than Samsung’s entry-level QLED model. With Full Array Local Dimming for better black levels and integrated Roku TV, the 5-series offers a number of advantages over non-smart LED LCD TVs, making it a great option for the price.
Design
The TCL 5-Series (S535) is priced at the lower end of the mid-range, but it doesn’t look it. With its minimal bezel and frame rate, the 5-Series looks modern and elegant in any living room. The 5 Series is available in four sizes to fit a range of entertainment centers: 50-inch, 55-inch, 65-inch and 75-inch. We received the 50-inch model for review, but aside from the number of dimming zones, the specs and features remain the same. This year, TCL added a minimalist cable management system to the back of the two hollowed-out stand feet, which can be used to pass HDMI and power cables. Unfortunately, we found that the feet couldn’t accommodate all four HDMI cables we ran to the TV, but folks with fewer connections should be able to hide the cables without much trouble.
Speaking of cables, the 5 Series offers a set of traditional RCA inputs and four HDMI ports, all of which are HDMI 2.0b compatible and one of which is ear capable. The last port lets you connect an AV receiver or soundbar system and control volume and inputs with a single remote, a very handy feature if your home entertainment system includes multiple components. Probably the biggest weak point of the design, however, is the IR remote that comes with the TV.
Without built-in Bluetooth connectivity, there is no way to use it for voice search, and it always needs line-of-sight contact with the IR receiver, which is located on the bottom edge of the TV. This last point is by no means a criterion for exclusion, and you can still use the Roku app if you want to use voice search on the TV, but the inferior plastic IR remote is just another minor drawback compared to the slightly more expensive TCL 6 series.
Display
The TCL 5 Series 2020 is a mid-range TV in TCL’s 2020 lineup and a good upgrade over its predecessor, the TCL 5 Series/S525 2019. The TCL S535 is a QLED TV that displays an excellent wide color gamut for HDR content, but it doesn’t get bright enough in HDR to provide a true HDR monitors experience. Its VA panel has an exceptional contrast ratio, so it displays deep blacks when it’s in the dark. It has a full-array local dimming feature that improves contrast a bit and performs quite well overall. Unfortunately, it has a small viewing angle, so image accuracy is quickly lost when viewing from the side.
Unlike the TCL 6 Series/R635 2020 QLED, it doesn’t have variable refresh rate (VRR) support and is limited to a 60Hz panel, but it has a good response time and incredibly low input lag. Although it handles reflections well, it doesn’t get bright enough to combat glare. On the positive side, it removes 24p judder from any source, which is rare for a 60Hz TV.
Ports
The 5 Series is equipped with a wide range of ports. There are 4 HDMI 2.1 ports on the back, one of which has audio return channel (ARC), which is handy for a connected soundbar or AV receiver. The HDMI ports only support 60 Hz 4K, but that will only disappoint avid gamers. There is also a cable/antenna input, a USB 2.0 port, an analog audio output, an optical audio output, and an AV minijack input on the back.
The last port requires an adapter, which is not included (competitors like LG include the required dongle). The set of 5 also has an Ethernet port. However, most people will connect to the Internet they need wirelessly. The 5-series supports the 802.11ac Wi-Fi standard. Bluetooth is available, but not for on ear headphones, but for the Roku remote and the brand’s own wireless speakers.
Features
If there’s a silver lining to the 5-Series’ performance, it’s the fact that it has only 11 ms of lag and has a game mode that automatically turns on when you turn on a video game. The combination of these two features certainly helps games feel more responsive – something we can attest to after several hours of intense UFC 3 matches on the 5 Series – but without HDMI 2.1 and/or 120Hz support, it’s really not a good match for the Xbox Series X or PS5.
Finally, the 5 Series supports Dolby Vision and Dolby Atmos passthrough. The former allows the TV to access the highest quality content via streaming services, while the latter can pass spatial audio to your soundbar without the need for a dedicated streaming player. Both features are usually found on more expensive TVs, but finding them here at this price feels like a real hidden treasure.
Sound Quality
In terms of reproducing the full color spectrum, the TCL 5 Series fell in line with what we’ve seen from other Quantum Dot sets. It reproduces almost the full Rec 709 color gamut at 99.85 percent. More expensive OLEDs often deliver well over 100 percent of the Rec 709 spectrum, but these models cost 150 percent more than the TCL 5-Series. If the TCL 5-Series has a notable weakness, it’s in the brightness department.
It’s common for us to see values around 600 nits on a 10 percent test pattern. The TCL 5-Series gives us 391.9 nits. That sounds like a big difference, but we still found it acceptable when watching programs in the device’s less bright movie mode. Even in a normally lit room, we did not feel the need to increase the brightness or switch to Vivid mode.
Video Quality
The Roku user interface guides you through the basics on screen, including connecting the TV to your home Wi-Fi network. It automatically checks for software updates, and you can enter your email address to activate an existing Roku account. Downloading the channel apps for the Roku TV takes most of the setup time, depending on how many you normally use. At the end of the process, you will be shown a short video explaining the features of the Roku devices.
Even for the uninitiated, the Roku Smart TV software couldn’t be simpler. It detects a connected cable box or antenna, and then you simply download your favorite streaming sources. Roku supports all the major content providers from Netflix to Disney+. Roku has been around longer than anyone else, so there are literally thousands of “channels” available, which isn’t to say there aren’t gaps.
Performance
The performance of the TCL 5 Series is a bit of a mixed bag. Parts of the performance, such as the way the Full Array Local Dimming system keeps black levels down, is incredible, and yet the TV has a real problem with brightness that keeps it from being a truly great experience. The most detrimental aspect of the TV’s performance is its lack of brightness, especially when playing HDR content.
Maximum brightness is 450 cd/m², which is about half of what other mid-range 4K HDR TVs put out. Since brightness is a noticeable weak point of the TCL 5 series, color saturation suffers as well. While the quantum dots offer a wider color gamut, without a brighter backlight you won’t get the best color saturation and you’ll lose out on a lot of vibrancy.
Configuration Option
While we have some criticisms of the picture performance, it’s hard to be angry about the price of the TCL 5-Series – it starts at just over $400 for the 50-inch version (TCL 50S535), while the largest size, the 75-inch (TCL 75S535), comes in just under $1,000. While we have no issues with the price of the TV, the TCL 5 series sits pretty precariously in the 2020 TCL TV lineup.
You could argue that you should put down $250 more to get the much better TCL 6-Series R635, which boosts screen brightness, or you could save $100 by switching to the non-Dolby Vision-compatible TCL 4-Series. Your other option if you’re stuck in this price range is the spectacular Hisense H8G Quantum. Hisense doesn’t have the same clout or name recognition as TCL, but the H8G offers many of the same features – aside from the built-in Roku TV – and a higher brightness of about 600 nits for HDR monitors for about the same price.
Conclusion
The TCL 5 Series 2020 is a mid-range TV in TCL’s 2020 lineup and a good upgrade over its predecessor, the TCL 5 Series/S525 2019. The TCL S535 is a QLED tvs that displays an excellent wide color gamut for HDR content, but it doesn’t get bright enough in HDR to provide a true HDR experience. Its VA panel has an exceptional contrast ratio, so it displays deep blacks when it’s in the dark. It has a full-array local dimming feature that improves contrast a bit and performs quite well overall. Unfortunately, it has a small viewing angle, so image accuracy is quickly lost when viewing from the side. Unlike the TCL 6 Series/R635 2020 QLED, it doesn’t have variable refresh rate (VRR) support and is limited to a 60Hz panel, but it has a good response time and incredibly low input lag. Although it handles reflections well, it doesn’t get bright enough to combat glare. On the positive side, it removes 24p judder from any source, which is rare for a 60Hz TV.
