TCL’s (2019 Model) 6-Series QLED Is Still One Amazing 4K HDTV

Ethen Kim Lieser

Technology,

Sure, the 2020 version of this set is amazing. However, there are still lots of reasons to consider taking this HDTV home. 

If you’ve had your sights set on a Samsung QLED HDTV but just couldn’t make yourself pull the trigger due to the high price points, it appears that the TV gods have been looking out for you.

Sure, it’s not an offering by the Korean tech giant, but it is the next best option available among QLED HDTVs. All you have to do is head over to your local Best Buy, and you’ll see that TCL’s 65-inch 6 Series 4K HDTV is retailing for a reasonable $800.

You really need to do yourself a favor and take a long hard look at the TCL 6 Series, which is proving to American consumers that you don’t necessarily have to overspend to get a great panel.

This particular set has really has become the go-to HDTV for anyone seeking top-notch picture quality and a built-in Roku TV interface. It boasts 4K UHD picture with the much-vaunted QLED color technology and Dolby Vision HDR.

In order to make use of these quantum dots (more often associated with Samsung’s TVs), this set comes with a layer of nanoscale semiconductors in the screen that produces exceptionally vivid red, blue, or green light.

This advanced tech produces the best and brightest colors you can achieve with an LED-backlit LCD display. OLED is probably the only panel that can dethrone quantum dots, but you’ll be shelling out at least several more hundreds, if not thousands, of dollars.

The 6 Series’ contrast ratio is remarkable, and its ability to showcase the deepest of blacks, in addition to its exceptional brightness level, really separates this HDTV from other offerings in the similar price range.

One of the best aspects is the built-in Roku TV, which, along with Android TV and LG’s webOS, is considered a top option among all smart TV platforms out on the market right now—and best of all, it’s basically free with the TV.

Roku boasts an incredibly intuitive and user-friendly interface, making it a breeze to quickly find what you want to watch for family movie nights. Toggling between your apps and devices is also a snap, as you don’t have to physically deal with all of the buttons and switches of separate devices.

The streaming offerings on Roku are plentiful (likely more content than you can possibly handle), giving you simple access to just about every app available, including the usual favorites Netflix, YouTube, Amazon Prime Video and Hulu. Also know that since the apps are built in, you can get to them faster and more easily than via an external streamer. For those of you who want to always keep that seat warm, the voice-search functionality on the remote control works like a charm as well.

Can’t forget about all you diehard gamers out there waiting patiently for the next-generation consoles from PlayStation and Xbox. The advice is that you can probably stop using monitors that are dedicated for that specific purpose. The 6 Series features extremely short lag times and does a fantastic job in smoothing out screen tearing and stuttering—perfect for first-person shooter and sports games.

Ethen Kim Lieser is a Minneapolis-based Science and Tech Editor who has held posts at Google, The Korea Herald, Lincoln Journal Star, AsianWeek and Arirang TV. Follow or contact him on LinkedIn.