Our Verdict
Mediocre TV for a mixed usage. 1080p TV with decent picture quality when viewed from directly in front, but degrades at an angle. Lacks features found on higher end TVs such as local dimming, and unlike most TCL TVs doesn't have a smart platform.
- Great contrast makes blacks look deep
- Could be brighter
- Image quality degrades when viewed from an angle
- Cannot play 24p content without judder
Poor for watching movies in a dark room. Great native contrast so blacks appear dark, but lacks local dimming to improve this further. Picture is inaccurate and doesn't support high quality 4k content.
Decent TV for casual viewing in a wide room. Image degrades rapidly when viewed at an angle. Won't be able to overcome reflections in a bright room, and lacks a smart interface.
Okay for watching sports. Picture quality is decent, and response time is good so only a short trail follows fast moving objects.
Decent for gamers. Doesn't support higher 4k resolutions of new consoles, but has low input lag. Picture quality is decent and response time is good so only a short trail follows fast action.
Doesn't support HDR. Can't get bright, doesn't have a wide color gamut and doesn't support 4k content.
No support for HDR gaming. Doesn't support HDR features such as wide color gamut or high peak brightness.
Okay choice for PC monitor. Doesn't support resolutions higher than 1080p but picture quality is decent. Narrow viewing angle so the sides of the screen lose accuracy when viewed from up close. Feels responsive with low input lag and fairly good motion blur.
Changelog
- Updated Mar 08, 2021: Converted to Test Bench 1.6.
- Updated May 21, 2020: Converted to Test Bench 1.5.
- Updated Feb 21, 2020: Converted to Test Bench 1.4.
- Updated Feb 28, 2019: Converted to Test Bench 1.3.
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Differences Between Sizes And Variants
We tested the 40" (40D100). For the most part, we expect our review to be valid for the 32" (32D100) and 49" (49D100) versions. The 32 inch (32D100) has a 720p resolution.
If someone comes across a different type of panel or if their TCL D100 doesn't correspond to our review, let us know and we will update the review.
| Size | Model | Resolution |
| 32" | 32D100 | 720p |
| 40" | 40D100 | 1080p |
| 49" | 49D100 | 1080p |
Popular TV Comparisons
The TCL D100 is a passable inexpensive TV that can suit those with basic needs for a TV quite well. It doesn't offer a load of features but it's also often much cheaper than its competition. See our recommendations for the best TVs under $300 and the best budget TVs.
The TCL S Series/S305 2018 is marginally better than the TCL 1 Series/D100. The TCL S305 runs the Roku TV smart platform, whereas the TCL D100 does not have a smart feature platform. If you wish to use it as a smart TV, you need to use an external box or dongle. The TCL S305 can remove 24p judder from movies, whereas the TCL D100 can display crisp text when used as a monitor.
The TCL 1 Series/D100 is a better choice if you have a dim room and will be sitting right in front. The D100 has a better contrast ratio and a better black uniformity, and thus blacks look deep, and the overall picture quality is improved. On the other hand, if you will be viewing the TV from the side, then the LG LJ5500 is a better choice due to the better viewing angles. The LG LJ5500 is a smart TV and runs LG's WebOS, whereas the TCL D100 has no smart features. To get access to smart features on the D100, you must connect it to an external device or a dongle.
The Samsung M5300 is somewhat better than the TCL 1 Series/D100 and is more suitable for a wide room as it has an IPS Panel with better viewing angles. The TCL D100 has a VA panel and thus better contrast and better black uniformity, so it can display better blacks is a dark room. The Samsung M5300 is a smart TV, whereas the TCL D100 has no smart platform, and you need to use an external device to get smart features. Finally, the Samsung M5300 has a motion interpolation feature for the fans of the soap opera effect.
If you have a room with a wide seating arrangement, the Vizio D Series 1080p 2017 is a better choice as it has better viewing angles. On the other hand, the TCL 1 Series/D100 has much better contrast and can display a better picture quality if you sit directly in front. The Vizio is a smart TV, whereas the TCL D100 does not have a smart feature platform. If you wish to use it as a smart TV, you need to use an external box or dongle. The Vizio has a lower input lag, and this is great if you play video games, whereas the TCL D100 can display crisp text when used as a monitor since it supports chroma 4:4:4.
We buy and test dozens of TVs yearly, taking an objective, data-driven approach to deliver results you can trust. Our testing process is complex, with hundreds of individual tests that take over a week to complete. Most of our tests use specially designed test patterns that mimic real content, but we also use the same sources you have at home to ensure our results match the real-world experience. We use two main tools for our testing: a Colorimetry Research CR-100 colorimeter and a CR-250 spectroradiometer.
Test Results
Older Test Bench: This product has been tested using an older TV test methodology, before a major update. Some of the test results below aren't directly comparable with other TVs. Learn more
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