Our Verdict
The TCL 3 Series is a mediocre TV for mixed usage. It can't deliver a great dark room performance, so watching movies is disappointing. It's more suited for watching sports or TV shows in an average lit room where it can handle reflections well. The S325 is a good TV for casual gaming, but more serious gamers will find its features limiting.
- Very low input lag.
- Excellent pre-calibration image accuracy.
- No HDR support.
- Cannot get bright.
- Doesn't support 4k.
The TCL 3 Series has a disappointing movie performance. The contrast ratio can produce deep blacks, but there is no local dimming feature to improve dark room performance. It only has a resolution of 1080p and can only display judder-free movies from a 24p signal like a DVD or a Blu-ray.
This is a decent TV for watching TV shows. It's more suitable for an average-lit room like a kitchen or a garage, as it can't get very bright to fight glare, but will handle reflections well. The S325 runs the Roku Smart TV, which gives you access to a large number of streaming channels. You will certainly find the one that hosts your favorite TV show.
This is a decent TV for watching sports. It's more suitable for an average lit room, as it can't get bright to fight glare. The gray uniformity is mediocre and there is some dirty screen effect that might bother serious sports fans. The response time is fast but most sports fans will notice a small blur trail behind fast-moving balls or pucks.
This is a good TV for playing video games. It has a very low input lag and it feels very responsive. The response time is fast, but you will notice a small blur trail behind fast-moving content. Unfortunately, the supported resolutions are limited to a maximum of 1080p @ 60Hz, and the TV doesn't support FreeSync or any other advanced gaming features, which will disappoint the more serious gamers.
The TCL 3 Series does not support HDR. If you are looking for a TCL that supports HDR, check out the TCL 4 Series S425.
HDR is not supported. If you are looking for a TCL that supports HDR checkout the TCL 4 Series S425.
The TCL 3 Series has decent performance as a PC monitor. It can display proper chroma 4:4:4 when in 'PC" mode, but the TV has a maximum 1080p @ 60Hz resolution. The viewing angles are only mediocre and you will notice some uniformity issues at the sides if you sit up close. The input lag is very low, and the TV feels very responsive, but the response time, although fast, will still leave a small blur trail behind fast-moving content. The TV has a VA panel so permanent burn-in should not be a concern.
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 May 31, 2019: Review published.
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Differences Between Sizes And Variants
We tested the 40" (40S325). For the most part, we expect our review to be valid for the 43" (43S325) and 49" (49S325) versions. The 32" (32S325) version has a 720p resolution.
Some retailers also sell the TCL 32S327, which is a 1080p model, and the TCL 32S321. We don't expect any other significant differences in performance between the S325, S327, and S321, but there may be some minor cosmetic and technical differences we are not aware of.
If someone comes across a different type of panel or if their TCL S325 doesn't correspond to our review, let us know and we will update the review.
| Size | Model | Resolution |
| 32" | 32S321 | 720p |
| 32" | 32S327 | 1080p |
| 32" | 32S325 | 720p |
| 40" | 40S325 | 1080p |
| 43" | 43S325 | 1080p |
| 49" | 49S325 | 1080p |
The 40" TCL S325 we tested was manufactured in Dec 2018.
Popular TV Comparisons
The TCL S325 is a mediocre TV with a passable picture quality and a versatile set of smart features. See our recommendations for the best budget TVs and the best smart TVs.
The TCL S325 and the Hisense H4F have different panel types. The TCL has a VA panel and can display deep blacks in a dark room, while the Hisense is more suitable if you have a wide seating arrangement, as the image remains accurate at an angle. The TCL has a slightly lower input lag, which is an attraction to gamers.
The Vizio V Series 2019 is a much better TV than the TCL S325. The Vizio supports 4k resolution and can display HDR content. It can get brighter and can be placed in a brighter room than the TCL S325. The Vizio has better dark room performance thanks to its higher native contrast ratio and better black uniformity. The TCL has a little lower input lag, which might be important to some gamers.
The TCL S325 and the Samsung N5300 have different panel types, each with their advantages and disadvantages. The TCL S325 has a VA panel and can display deeper blacks thanks to the higher native contrast ratio; it's more suitable for a dim room. The Samsung is more suitable if you'll be watching from the side, as it has wider viewing angles thanks to its IPS panel. The TCL has a much lower input lag that will please gamers, and can display judder-free movies from a DVD or a Blu-ray.
The TCL S325 is slightly better than the TCL S Series/S305 2018. The S325 has a faster response time, and fast-moving content has less blur trail and a much lower input lag that will please gamers. The S305, on the other hand, has less stutter and can remove judder from its native apps.
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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