The TCL line of TVs and soundbars is impressive and, recently, I was given the chance to test out one of each from the class. Both have proven to be a wonderful addition to my home. A few small caveats, but other than that, I couldn’t be happier with my new setup. Let’s dive into the nitty gritty and why I feel you should upgrade to the latest in TCL technology.
First, I’ll be talking about the S Class TV. It has a few impressive key features, and I have listed my favorites that I feel matter the most in a smart TV for the home looking to upgrade.
Honorable Mention Features:
The overall performance of the S Class TV has been impressive. My husband did the “Rogue One: A Star Wars Story Darth Vader scene test” and it blew him out of the galaxy. I was happily testing the picture on the 1995 BBC Pride and Prejudice, and the quality had me swooning over Mr. Darcy all over again. It felt like I could reach up and join in on a conversation with Elizabeth and Jane. At times, it feels like our TV shows and movies can’t keep up with the quality output of the TV itself.
I really like that I can access my Apple TV account without having the Apple TV itself plugged in. (That freed up an HDMI port for another video game console!) You can also pin services so it’s quicker to access your favorites.
While the S Class TV has good sound on its own, the S Class sound bar adds to it in ways that make it a more impressive entertainment system.
The beveled edges of the TV itself made it hard to attach our lights to the back (but not impossible). We used our ingenuity to come up with a command strip-style solution, and we were back in business.
On the remote side of things, I like that there is a voice command feature so we can use our Google Home system to tell the TV what we want instead of fiddling with the menus. It has convenient buttons for four of the streaming services including Netflix, Prime, YouTube, and Apple TV, as well as the TCL Channel and TCL Home.
As far as reflections go, it’s not bad. This TV handles contrast far better than brightness, and the semi-gloss covering helps reduce any issues with reflection to begin with. Keep it out of the super bright rooms and you won’t have much of an issue.
The TCL S Class has some basic features but makes up for it in sound quality. Here are a few other feature highlights that make it worthy of a place in your home.
Honorable Mention Features:
My favorite feature is the Bluetooth connectivity because it allows me to hook up to my TV without sacrificing one of my ports. Just be careful if you hook up your phone and your TV to the soundbar via Bluetooth because we had a few times where it would be connected to both our phones and the TV and it made for a confusing evening of watching TV. It’s easy enough to just “forget” or “disconnect” the soundbar from the extra device and then the problem is solved.
The sound is comparable to other soundbars I’ve tested, but the Bluetooth connectivity and ease of setup made me favorite this one. I also like how there is no annoying mesh or cloth on the soundbar, making it easy to use the buttons and to clean.
The pros and cons of the TCL S Class TV and soundbar are virtually the same for me.
They are both easy to set up, have a friendly interface, and add to the décor of the room they are in. The S Class is quick to respond, acknowledges with a voice response when it is connected or disconnected, and has easy-to-use touch commands on top of having a remote.
I have two cons of the TCL S Class TV. The first is that it is a little slow when it comes to changing connections. When I want to move between the HDMI ports, it can feel like it takes forever for the TV to respond. Second, as the room gets brighter, the picture gets harder to see and sometimes there is a crippling glare. This can be overcome, but it could also be a deal-breaker for people with rooms that tend to be brightly lit.
Overall, TCL’s TVs offer some of the same features as other manufacturers, but the online reviews all agree that despite their basic nature, they come out on top when it comes to picture quality for the price. While not for the gamer or the TV aficionado, they are for the family that wants a quality entertainment setup without the high cost that comes with other brands.
The TCL S Class TV retails for $279.99 for a 43″ and goes up to $1,399.99 for an 85″. The S Class soundbar goes for $99.99 for a 2.1-channel system and up to $279.99 for a 5.1-channel system.
This post was last modified on January 22, 2024 5:52 pm
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