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TCL 4 Series/S435 2020 TV Review

Tested using Methodology v1.6
Review updated Jul 28, 2021 at 01:27 pm
Latest change: Retest Nov 20, 2024 at 07:20 am
TCL 4 Series/S435 2020 Picture
6.6
Mixed Usage
Value for price beaten by
: Not at the latest test bench
6.8
Movies
Value for price beaten by
: Not at the latest test bench
6.8
TV Shows
Value for price beaten by
: Not at the latest test bench
6.3
Sports
Value for price beaten by
: Not at the latest test bench
6.7
Video Games
Value for price beaten by
: Not at the latest test bench
6.3
HDR Movies
Value for price beaten by
: Not at the latest test bench
6.8
HDR Gaming
Value for price beaten by
: Not at the latest test bench
7.0
PC Monitor
Value for price beaten by
: Not at the latest test bench
This TV was replaced by the TCL 4 Series/S455 2022

The TCL 4 Series 2020 is an okay entry-level TV. It's pretty basic in terms of extra features, but that's expected for a model in this price range, and it performs fairly well for most uses. It has a VA panel with a high native contrast ratio to display deep blacks, so it performs best in dark rooms, but it's not as good for well-lit rooms because it doesn't get bright, and the reflection handling is just decent. Its HDR performance is limiting because it can't display a wide color gamut and lacks a local dimming feature, but if you want to watch lower-resolution content, it doesn't have any trouble with upscaling. Our unit has Roku TV built-in, but there's also a variant with Android TV, the TCL 4 Series/S434 Android 2020, so you can get the one with the smart system you prefer.

Our Verdict

6.6 Mixed Usage

The TCL 4 Series is an okay TV for most uses. It performs best for watching movies in dark rooms because its VA panel has a fantastic contrast ratio, but it lacks local dimming. It has decent reflection handling if you watch shows or sports in rooms with some light, but it doesn't get bright enough to fight a ton of glare. It's okay for gaming because of its fairly low input lag; however, the slow response time results in black smearing. Lastly, HDR content isn't anything special as it can't get bright and fails to display a wide color gamut.

Pros
  • Fantastic native contrast.
  • Decent reflection handling.
  • Upscales lower-resolution content well.
Cons
  • Doesn't get bright.
  • Narrow viewing angles.
  • Doesn't display wide color gamut.
6.8 Movies

The TCL 4 Series is okay for watching movies in dark rooms. It has a VA panel with a fantastic contrast ratio that allows it to display deep blacks. However, black uniformity is just okay, and there's no local dimming feature to deepen any blacks. It displays 1080p and 4k content without any artifacts and removes judder from 24p sources, like Blu-ray players or native apps.

Pros
  • Fantastic native contrast.
  • Removes judder from 24p sources.
Cons
  • Black uniformity is just okay.
  • No local dimming.
6.8 TV Shows

The TCL 4 Series is okay for TV shows in bright rooms. It has decent reflection handling, but it doesn't get bright enough to combat glare in a well-lit room. It upscales lower-resolution content without any problems, and it doesn't have the risk of permanent burn-in from constant exposure to static elements. Sadly, it has narrow viewing angles, and you quickly lose image accuracy as you move off-center.

Pros
  • Decent reflection handling.
  • Upscales lower-resolution content well.
Cons
  • Doesn't get bright.
  • Narrow viewing angles.
6.3 Sports

The TCL 4 Series isn't bad for watching sports in well-lit rooms. It has decent reflection handling for when you want to watch in a room with some lights, but it doesn't get bright enough to combat a ton of glare. It has a slow response time that results in some black smear with fast-moving content. It also has narrow viewing angles, so it's not an ideal choice for watching the game with a large group of people.

Pros
  • Decent reflection handling.
  • Upscales lower-resolution content well.
Cons
  • Doesn't get bright.
  • Narrow viewing angles.
  • Slow response time.
6.7 Video Games

The TCL 4 Series is okay for video games. It has an incredibly low input lag when gaming with a 4k resolution, but it increases significantly with 1080p content. The response time is slow, resulting in black smearing in dark scenes, and it doesn't have any extra gaming features like variable refresh rate (VRR) support. However, if you game in a dark room, it has an outstanding contrast ratio.

Pros
  • Fantastic native contrast.
  • Low input lag.
Cons
  • Slow response time.
  • No extra gaming features.
6.3 HDR Movies

The TCL 4 Series is unremarkable for HDR movies. It has a fantastic contrast ratio that results in deep blacks, but there's no local dimming feature to further improve it. Unfortunately, HDR content doesn't look all that different from SDR content because it fails to display a wide color gamut and has bad peak brightness, so highlights don't pop how they should.

Pros
  • Fantastic native contrast.
  • Removes judder from 24p sources.
Cons
  • No local dimming.
  • Doesn't get bright.
  • Doesn't display wide color gamut.
6.8 HDR Gaming

The TCL 4 Series is alright for HDR gaming. It provides okay gaming performance thanks to its low HDR input lag, but it has a slow response time that results in black smear. It has a fantastic contrast ratio that makes black appear deep, but HDR content doesn't look good because it doesn't get bright, fails to display a wide color gamut, and lacks local dimming.

Pros
  • Fantastic native contrast.
  • Upscales lower-resolution content well.
  • Low input lag.
Cons
  • Doesn't get bright.
  • Slow response time.
  • No extra gaming features.
  • Doesn't display wide color gamut.
7.0 PC Monitor

The TCL 4 Series is decent to use as a PC monitor. Its VA panel doesn't have the risk of permanent burn-in, and it displays chroma 4:4:4 with a 1080p or 4k resolution. It also has a low enough input lag for desktop use and has decent reflection handling. However, it doesn't get bright, and it has narrow viewing angles, so the image looks washed out if you sit too close.

Pros
  • Decent reflection handling.
  • Low input lag.
  • Displays chroma 4:4:4.
Cons
  • Doesn't get bright.
  • Narrow viewing angles.
  • Slow response time.
  • 6.6 Mixed Usage
  • 6.8 Movies
  • 6.8 TV Shows
  • 6.3 Sports
  • 6.7 Video Games
  • 6.3 HDR Movies
  • 6.8 HDR Gaming
  • 7.0 PC Monitor
  1. Updated Nov 20, 2024: We uploaded the latest brightness measurements and uniformity photos for the Accelerated Longevity Test.
  2. Updated Sep 11, 2024: We uploaded the latest brightness measurements and uniformity photos for the Accelerated Longevity Test.
  3. Updated Jul 17, 2024: We uploaded the latest brightness measurements and uniformity photos for the Accelerated Longevity Test.
  4. Updated May 02, 2024: We uploaded the latest brightness measurements and uniformity photos for the Accelerated Longevity Test.
  5. Updated Feb 13, 2024: We uploaded the latest brightness measurements and uniformity photos for the Accelerated Longevity Test.
  6. Updated Dec 05, 2023: We uploaded the latest brightness measurements and uniformity photos for the Accelerated Longevity Test.
  7. Updated Oct 12, 2023: We uploaded the latest brightness measurements and uniformity photos for the Accelerated Longevity Test.
  8. Updated Aug 09, 2023: We uploaded the latest brightness measurements and uniformity photos for the Accelerated Longevity Test.
  9. Updated Jun 07, 2023: We uploaded the latest brightness measurements and uniformity photos for the Accelerated Longevity Test.
  10. Updated Apr 03, 2023: We uploaded the brightness measurements and uniformity photos after running the TV for four months in our Accelerated Longevity Test.
  11. Updated Feb 06, 2023: We uploaded the brightness measurements and uniformity photos after running the TV for two months in our Accelerated Longevity Test.
  12. Updated Nov 29, 2022: We added the TCL S431 and the TCL S433 variants to the Differences Between Sizes And Variants section of the review.
  13. Updated Nov 17, 2022: We uploaded the initial brightness measurements and uniformity photos for the Accelerated Longevity Test.
  14. Updated Aug 02, 2021: Added the real content local dimming videos.
  15. Updated Jul 28, 2021: Updated review for accuracy and clarity.
  16. Updated Mar 01, 2021: Converted to Test Bench 1.6.
  17. Updated Jan 13, 2021: Remeasured the size of the stand.
  18. Updated Dec 15, 2020: Retested the 4k input image quality.
  19. Updated Nov 13, 2020: Review published.
  20. Updated Nov 05, 2020: Early access published.
  21. Updated Oct 26, 2020: Our testers have started testing this product.
  22. Updated Oct 23, 2020: The product has arrived in our lab, and our testers will start evaluating it soon.
  23. Updated Sep 21, 2020: We've purchased the product and are waiting for it to arrive in our lab.

Differences Between Sizes And Variants

We tested the 55-inch TCL 4 Series Roku TV, and we expect our results to be valid for the 43, 50, 65, 75, and 85-inch models as well. The 85-inch appears to have the same panel, but it has a different body with wide-set feet. We've also tested the Android TV variant, the TCL 4 Series/S434 Android 2020, and it performs very similarly. We aren't aware of any other variants outside of North America.

Walmart sold a Black Friday exclusive model, the TCL 55S20, which appeared to be the same model with Roku TV, but with three HDMI inputs. It was only available in a 55-inch size. There are also two variants of this TV, known as the TCL S431 and the TCL S433. There are no differences between them; these different models exist for different retailers to avoid price matching, but they perform exactly the same.

Size Roku Model 431 Variant 433 Variant HDMI Android Model HDMI
43" 43S435 43S431 43S433 43S434 3
50" 50S435 50S431 50S433 50S434 3
55" 55S435 55S431 55S433 4 55S434 3
65" 65S435  65S431 65S433 4 65S434
75" 75S435  75S431 75S433 4 75S434
85" 85S435 85S431 85S433 4 - -

If someone comes across a different type of panel or if their TCL 4 Series doesn't correspond to our review, let us know and we'll update the review. Note that some tests, like gray uniformity, may vary between individual units.

You can see the label for our unit here.

Compared To Other TVs

The TCL 4 Series is an okay low-cost TV, but it's a downgrade from its predecessor, the TCL 4 Series 2019. It doesn't have any trouble upscaling lower-resolution and displays 4k content perfectly, but it has a slow response time that results in black smear. There are better options for gaming in this price range, but if you need a TV for watching your favorite shows, you should be happy with it. The TCL 4 Series/S434 Android 2020 is also a similarly-priced option that performs about the same, but it has Android TV instead of Roku.

Also see our recommendations for the best budget TVs, the best small TVs, and the best Roku TVs.

Hisense R6090G
43" 50" 55" 65"

The Hisense R6090G is better than the TCL 4 Series/S435 2020. The Hisense gets brighter, has slightly better reflection handling, has a quicker response time, and lower input lag. However, the TCL has much better out-of-the-box color accuracy and much better gradient handling.

TCL 4 Series 2019
43" 49" 50" 55" 65" 75"

The TCL 4 Series 2019 is slightly better than the TCL 4 Series/S435 2020. They're very similar TVs, but the 2019 model has a much quicker response time and lower input lag. However, the 2020 model removes judder from native apps and has much better out-of-the-box color accuracy.

TCL 5 Series/S535 2020 QLED
50" 55" 65" 75"

The TCL 5 Series/S535 2020 QLED is much better than the TCL 4 Series/S435 2020. The 5 Series has a better contrast ratio, a full-array local dimming feature, and it gets brighter. It also displays a wide color gamut for HDR content, has a much quicker response time, and lower input lag. However, the 4 Series has better out-of-the-box color accuracy and better reflection handling.

Vizio V5 Series 2021
43" 50" 55" 58" 65" 70" 75" 85"

The Vizio V5 Series 2021 and the TCL 4 Series/S435 2020 are both okay entry-level TVs. They have the same panel type and many of the same features, but the Vizio has better dark room performance because of its superior contrast and black uniformity. However, each of these can vary between units. The Vizio is also better for gaming because it has a much better response time and lower input lag. The TCL has better smart features because the built-in Roku is less laggy than Vizio's SmartCast system, and it doesn't have any issues upscaling lower-resolution content like the Vizio does.

TCL 4 Series/S446 2021
43" 50" 55" 65" 75" 85"

The TCL 4 Series/S435 2020 and the TCL 4 Series/S446 2021 are both part of the same lineup from TCL, but they have different features. The 4 Series 2020 uses Roku TV and has a VA panel with high contrast, while the 4 Series 2021 we tested has an IPS-like panel with wide viewing angles, but there are variants with a VA panel instead, and it has Google TV. The 4 Series 2021 is a better choice for bright rooms because it gets bright and has better reflection handling, and it has a quicker response time. The 4 Series 2021 also has a motion interpolation feature, which the 4 Series 2020 doesn't have, and it has lower input lag for a more responsive gaming experience.

TCL 4 Series/S455 2022
43" 50" 55" 58" 65" 75" 85"

The TCL 4 Series/S455 2022 is a bit better than the TCL 4 Series/S435 2020. The 2022 version looks a bit better in a dark room, as it has much better black uniformity, with less cloudiness in dark scenes. The 2022 version also gets a bit brighter, and it supports eARC instead of just ARC, allowing you to pass high-quality lossless audio signals through to your connected soundbar or home theater receiver.

Vizio V Series 2020
40" 43" 50" 55" 58" 60" 65" 70" 75"

The Vizio V Series 2020 is better than the TCL 4 Series/S435 2020. The Vizio has better reflection handling, a slightly quicker response time, and lower input lag. However, the TCL upscales 480p and 720p content better, and the built-in Roku TV is less laggy and has an app store compared to Vizio's SmartCast system.

Samsung TU7000
43" 50" 55" 58" 60" 65" 70" 75" 82" 85"

The Samsung TU7000 is a bit better than the TCL 4 Series/S435 2020. The Samsung gets brighter, has a quicker response time, and has much lower input lag, so it's a better choice for gaming. However, the TCL removes judder from native 24p sources, has significantly better out-of-the-box color accuracy, and has better reflection handling.

TCL 4 Series/S434 Android 2020
43" 50" 55" 65" 70" 75"

The TCL 4 Series/S435 2020 and the TCL 4 Series/S434 Android 2020 are variants of each other, with few differences. The S435 has Roku TV as its operating system, while the S434 has Android TV. Roku is generally easier to use, but there's a larger selection of apps available on the Google Play store on Android. Each TV has nearly the same performance, except the S435 removes 24p judder, which helps with the appearance of motion in movies. Our unit of the S434 also has much better black uniformity, but this may vary between units.

Hisense H6570G
43" 50" 55" 65" 70" 75" 85"

The TCL 4 Series/S435 2020 is slightly better than the Hisense H6570G. The TCL does a better job at displaying native 4k content, it has much better gradient handling, lower input lag, and the Roku TV is easier to use. However, the Hisense gets brighter, has a quicker response time, slightly better reflection handling, and the Android TV has a massive selection of apps available to download.

Toshiba Fire TV 2020
43" 50" 55"

The Toshiba Fire TV 2020 is slightly better than the TCL 4 Series/S435 2020. The Toshiba gets much brighter, has better black uniformity, slightly better reflection handling, and quicker response time. However, the TCL has better gradient handling, displays chroma 4:4:4, and removes 24p judder from native sources.

LG NANO80 2020
49" 55" 65" 75"

The LG NANO80 2020 is slightly better than the TCL 4 Series/S435 2020, but they have different panel types. The LG has an IPS panel with wide viewing angles, it gets much brighter, displays a wide color gamut, has lower input lag, and a much quicker response time. However, the TCL has a VA panel with a better contrast ratio and it has much better gradient handling.

Hisense H6510G
50" 55" 65" 75" 85"

The Hisense H6510G is a bit better than the TCL 4 Series/S435 2020. The Hisense gets brighter, has a quicker response time, and it has much better black uniformity. However, the TCL has lower input lag, better color accuracy, and the built-in Roku TV interface is easier to use.

+ Show more

Test Results

perceptual testing image
Design
Design
Style
Curved No

The TCL 4 Series is a basic TV with a simple, no-frills design. It looks a lot like the TCL 4 Series 2019 with a different pattern on the back. It has wide-set feet, and the overall build feels cheap.

Design
Accelerated Longevity Test
Uniformity Pictures
Design
Stand

Update 01/13/2021: We remeasured the footprint of the stand because we originally measured it with the feet twisted outwards, creating a larger footprint. However, this isn't another position you can place them on, we had just placed them incorrectly.

The wide-set stand is made of plastic, and the TV wobbles a bit. The position of the feet can't be changed to accommodate smaller tables.

Footprint of the 55 inch TV: 38.7" x 12.2".

Note: There's an 85 inch model whose feet are placed at the left and right edges.

Design
Back
Wall Mount VESA 300x300

The back of the TCL 4 Series is different than the TCL 4 Series 2019. The back panel is made out of metal that feels a bit cheap, and the part where the inputs are is also made from cheap plastic. Sadly, there's no cable management.

Note: There's an 85 inch model with a different back, somewhat similar to the TCL 6 Series/R635 2020 QLED.

Design
Borders
Borders 0.47" (1.2 cm)
Design
Thickness
Max Thickness 3.35" (8.5 cm)

The TCL 55S435 is somewhat thick, but should still look good when wall-mounted.

Note: There's an 85 inch model with a different back, somewhat similar to the TCL 6 Series/R635 2020 QLED, so it may be a bit thicker.

6.5
Design
Build Quality

This TV has an okay build quality. The overall build feels cheap, and there's some wobble. The plastic on the back has some flex, and the metal doesn't feel premium.

Picture Quality
9.1
Picture Quality
Contrast
Native Contrast
6,067 : 1
Contrast with local dimming
N/A

The TCL 4 Series has a fantastic native contrast ratio. It displays deep blacks, which is expected from a VA panel, but there's no local dimming feature to improve it. Keep in mind that contrast can vary a bit between units.

4.7
Picture Quality
SDR Brightness
Real Scene Peak Brightness
168 cd/m²
Peak 2% Window
201 cd/m²
Peak 10% Window
201 cd/m²
Peak 25% Window
201 cd/m²
Peak 50% Window
201 cd/m²
Peak 100% Window
201 cd/m²
Sustained 2% Window
200 cd/m²
Sustained 10% Window
200 cd/m²
Sustained 25% Window
200 cd/m²
Sustained 50% Window
201 cd/m²
Sustained 100% Window
201 cd/m²
Automatic Brightness Limiting (ABL)
0.008

The SDR peak brightness is poor. It doesn't get bright enough to combat glare in well-lit rooms. Luckily, its brightness is very consistent across different content.

We measured peak brightness after calibration in the 'Movie' Picture Mode. If you don't care about image accuracy and want the brightest image possible, we reached 268 cd/m² in the 2% window in the 'Vivid' Picture Mode.

If you want a budget-friendly TV that gets brighter, check out the Hisense H6510G.

0
Picture Quality
Local Dimming
Local Dimming
No
Backlight
Direct

Update 08/02/2021: Added the real content local dimming videos.

It doesn't have a local dimming feature. The video is for reference only, so you can see how backlight on this display performs and compare it to a similar product with local dimming.

0
Picture Quality
Local Dimming In Game Mode
Local Dimming
No
Backlight
Direct

Update 08/02/2021: Added the real content local dimming videos.

Once again, there's no local dimming feature. The video is for reference only, so you can see how backlight on this display performs and compare it to a similar product with local dimming.

4.4
Picture Quality
HDR Brightness
Real Scene Highlight
199 cd/m²
Peak 2% Window
145 cd/m²
Peak 10% Window
213 cd/m²
Peak 25% Window
213 cd/m²
Peak 50% Window
213 cd/m²
Peak 100% Window
213 cd/m²
Sustained 2% Window
145 cd/m²
Sustained 10% Window
213 cd/m²
Sustained 25% Window
213 cd/m²
Sustained 50% Window
213 cd/m²
Sustained 100% Window
213 cd/m²
Automatic Brightness Limiting (ABL)
0.028

The TCL 55S435 has bad HDR peak brightness. It doesn't get that much brighter than in SDR, and it's not enough to make highlights pop in HDR. Small highlights are a bit dimmer due to frame dimming. The EOTF follows the target curve somewhat well until the roll-off, but most scenes are a bit too dark.

We tested HDR peak brightness in the 'Dark HDR' Picture Mode with TV Brightness set to 'Brighter'. If you find it too dim, set Gamma to '1.8' in the mobile app because this results in a bit brighter scenes as seen in this EOTF, but the peak brightness is about the same.

4.4
Picture Quality
HDR Brightness In Game Mode
Real Scene Highlight
198 cd/m²
Peak 2% Window
145 cd/m²
Peak 10% Window
212 cd/m²
Peak 25% Window
213 cd/m²
Peak 50% Window
212 cd/m²
Peak 100% Window
212 cd/m²
Sustained 2% Window
145 cd/m²
Sustained 10% Window
212 cd/m²
Sustained 25% Window
212 cd/m²
Sustained 50% Window
212 cd/m²
Sustained 100% Window
212 cd/m²
Automatic Brightness Limiting (ABL)
0.027

The HDR brightness in Game Mode is once again disappointing. It looks the same as outside of Game Mode because you don't need to change the Picture Mode to enter Game Mode. It's not enough to make highlights pop the way the creator intended.

6.6
Picture Quality
Gray Uniformity
50% Std. Dev.
2.731%
50% DSE
0.216%
5% Std. Dev.
2.712%
5% DSE
0.138%

Our unit of the TCL 4 Series has okay gray uniformity, but this may vary between units. The edges of the screen are noticeably darker, and there's dirty screen effect (DSE) in the center, which could be distracting during sports. There's less DSE in near-dark scenes, but there's visible backlight bleed along the edges.

6.9
Picture Quality
Black Uniformity
Native Std. Dev.
1.416%
Std. Dev. w/ L.D.
N/A

This TV has alright black uniformity, but this may vary between units. There's a bit of blooming around the center cross, and sadly, there's noticeable backlight bleed along the edges. This can be distracting in dark scenes, and there's no local dimming feature to improve it.

4.6
Picture Quality
Viewing Angle
Color Washout
20°
Color Shift
20°
Brightness Loss
29°
Black Level Raise
10°
Gamma Shift
10°

The TCL 55S435 has narrow viewing angles, which is expected from a VA panel. You quickly lose image accuracy as you start to move off-center. If you want a budget-friendly TV with wide viewing angles, look into the Hisense A6G.

7.3
Picture Quality
Reflections
Screen Finish
Semi-gloss
Total Reflections
5.4%
Indirect Reflections
0.3%
Calculated Direct Reflections
5.1%

The TCL 4 Series has decent reflection handling. It handles a moderate amount of light well but struggles if you place it in a room with a ton of glare.

8.6
Picture Quality
Pre Calibration
White Balance dE
1.90
Color dE
1.86
Gamma
2.26
Color Temperature
6,261 K
Picture Mode
Movie
Color Temp Setting
Warm
Gamma Setting
2.2

This TV has excellent out-of-the-box color accuracy, but this may vary between units. There are hardly any inaccuracies with most colors and white balance, but some blues are a bit off. Gamma follows the target curve fairly well, but most scenes are too dark. Lastly, the color temperature is a bit warm, giving the image a red/yellow tint.

9.7
Picture Quality
Post Calibration
White Balance dE
0.07
Color dE
0.63
Gamma
2.20
Color Temperature
6,504 K
White Balance Calibration
11 point
Color Calibration
Yes

The accuracy post-calibration is simply incredible. Any remaining color inaccuracies are fixed except for red, and the color temperature is nearly spot on with our 6500K target. Gamma isn't perfect, as some scenes are slightly over-brightened, but this shouldn't be very noticeable.

You can see our recommended settings here.

8.0
Picture Quality
480p Input

The TCL 4 Series displays 480p content, like from DVDs, well. However, it has some trouble properly scaling 4:3 content, so the photo is taken in PC mode, resulting in over-saturated colors compared to other photos.

8.0
Picture Quality
720p Input

720p content, like from a cable box, is upscaled well without any obvious artifacts.

9.0
Picture Quality
1080p Input

1080p content, like Blu-rays or game consoles, looks almost as good as native 4k content.

10
Picture Quality
4k Input

Update 12/15/2020: We retested the 4k input to see if there's any spatial dithering because there's some crosshatching in the shadows. We tested other pictures and didn't notice any spatial dithering.

There aren't any artifacts with native 4k content as this TV displays it perfectly. It looks more like the TCL 5 Series/S535 2020 QLED than the TCL 4 Series 2019.

0
Picture Quality
8k Input

This is a 4k TV that doesn't display an 8k input.

Picture Quality
Pixels
Type LED
Sub-Type
VA

Some of the blue pixels appear dimmer, but this doesn't result in any picture quality issues. This TV uses a BGR subpixel layout, which can affect the way text is rendered when using the TV as a PC monitor. You can read about it here.

6.7
Picture Quality
Color Gamut
Wide Color Gamut
No
DCI P3 xy
74.28%
DCI P3 uv
80.82%
Rec 2020 xy
53.63%
Rec 2020 uv
60.13%

The TCL 55S435 has an okay color gamut for HDR content, but it's not considered a wide color gamut. Even though it has good coverage of the commonly-used DCI P3 color space, its coverage of the wider Rec. 2020 is limited.

5.9
Picture Quality
Color Volume
Normalized DCI P3 Coverage ITP
68.2%
10,000 cd/m² DCI P3 Coverage ITP
24.1%
Normalized Rec 2020 Coverage ITP
49.8%
10,000 cd/m² Rec 2020 Coverage ITP
17.5%

The TCL 55S435 has a disappointing color gamut. It's mainly limited by its lack of wide color gamut and low peak brightness, as it can't display colors at a wide range of luminance levels.

8.4
Picture Quality
Gradient
Color Depth
10 Bit
Red (Std. Dev.)
0.088
Green (Std. Dev.)
0.098
Blue (Std. Dev.)
0.088
Gray (Std. Dev.)
0.111

The gradient handling is impressive, but it's not as good as the TCL 4 Series/S434 Android 2020. Most of the banding is visible in the darker shades, especially in the grays and greens. There's a Noise Reduction setting available in the Roku mobile app, but it doesn't improve the gradients at all.

10
Picture Quality
Temporary Image Retention
IR after 0 min recovery
0.00%
IR after 2 min recovery
0.00%
IR after 4 min recovery
0.00%
IR after 6 min recovery
0.00%
IR after 8 min recovery
0.00%
IR after 10 min recovery
0.00%

There aren't any signs of image retention, but this may vary between units.

10
Picture Quality
Permanent Burn-In Risk
Permanent Burn-In Risk
No

We don't expect VA panels to experience permanent image retention, as the VA panel in our long-term test appears immune.

Motion
6.0
Motion
Response Time
80% Response Time
8.1 ms
100% Response Time
18.0 ms

This TV has a mediocre response time. Motion looks blurry because the response time is slow in most transitions, especially with dark transitions, which causes black smearing. This can be noticeable in games or movies with fast-moving content in dark scenes.

4.0
Motion
Flicker-Free
Flicker-Free
No
PWM Dimming Frequency
120 Hz

The TCL 55S435 uses pulse width modulation (PWM) to dim its backlight at any level below '18', and the 120Hz flicker may result in some image duplication. The backlight is flicker-free above that level.

5.4
Motion
Black Frame Insertion (BFI)
Optional BFI
No
Min Flicker For 60 fps
120 Hz
60Hz For 60 fps
No
120Hz For 120 fps
N/A
Min Flicker for 60 fps in Game Mode
120 Hz

There's no optional black frame insertion feature. The TV flickers at 120Hz if you set the Backlight to '18' or below.

Motion
Motion Interpolation
Motion Interpolation (30 fps)
No
Motion Interpolation (60 fps)
No

This TV doesn't have a motion interpolation feature.

8.1
Motion
Stutter
Frame Hold Time @ 24 fps
23.7 ms
Frame Hold Time @ 60 fps
0.0 ms

Due to the slow response time, lower-frame rate content doesn't appear to stutter.

7.8
Motion
24p Judder
Judder-Free 24p
Yes
Judder-Free 24p via 60p
No
Judder-Free 24p via 60i
No
Judder-Free 24p via Native Apps
Yes

This TV automatically removes 24p judder from native apps or Blu-ray players.

0
Motion
Variable Refresh Rate
Native Refresh Rate
60 Hz
Variable Refresh Rate
No
HDMI Forum VRR
No
FreeSync
No
G-SYNC Compatible
No
4k VRR Maximum
N/A
4k VRR Minimum
No VRR support
1080p VRR Maximum
N/A
1080p VRR Minimum
No VRR support
1440p VRR Maximum
N/A
1440p VRR Minimum
No VRR support
VRR Supported Connectors
No VRR support

It doesn't support any variable refresh rate technology.

Inputs
9.0
Inputs
Input Lag
1080p @ 60Hz
29.0 ms
1080p @ 60Hz Outside Game Mode
59.0 ms
1440p @ 60Hz
N/A
4k @ 60Hz
12.6 ms
4k @ 60Hz + 10-Bit HDR
12.4 ms
4k @ 60Hz @ 4:4:4
29.2 ms
4k @ 60Hz Outside Game Mode
53.7 ms
4k @ 60Hz With Interpolation
N/A
8k @ 60Hz
N/A
1080p @ 120Hz
N/A
1440p @ 120Hz
N/A
4k @ 120Hz
N/A
1080p with Variable Refresh Rate
N/A
1440p with VRR
N/A
4k with VRR
N/A
8k with VRR
N/A

This TV has low input lag, but it's not as low as some other 4k TVs, especially if you're playing 1080p games or if you need the TV to display chroma 4:4:4, like if you're using it as a PC monitor. You likely won't notice much of a delay in those situations, but it can affect your gaming performance with reaction-based games. It's best to play 4k games at 60fps with chroma 4:2:0, as you won't notice any delay.

Note: We couldn't measure the 1440p @ 60Hz input lag because it can't display a custom 1440p resolution from a PC, but it does from an Xbox.

8.3
Inputs
Supported Resolutions
Resolution 4k
1080p @ 60Hz @ 4:4:4
Yes
1080p @ 120Hz
No
1440p @ 60Hz
Yes (forced resolution required)
1440p @ 120Hz
No
4k @ 60Hz
Yes
4k @ 60Hz @ 4:4:4
Yes
4k @ 120Hz
No
8k @ 30Hz or 24Hz
No
8k @ 60Hz
No

This TV supports common resolutions up to 60Hz. It accepts a 1440p @ 60Hz signal from an Xbox, but it displays a green screen and has issues when forcing that signal through a PC. It properly displays chroma 4:4:4 with either 1080p or 4k content, and you don't need to change any settings for it to work as it automatically displays it when connected to a PC.

Inputs
Advanced Console Compatibility
Auto Low Latency Mode (ALLM)
Yes
PS5, 4k @ 120Hz + HDR
No
PS5, 4k @ 120Hz
No
PS5, 4k @ 60Hz + HDR
Yes
PS5, 1440p @ 120Hz
No
PS5, 1080p @ 120Hz
No
PS5, Variable Refresh Rate
No
Xbox Series X, 4k @ 120Hz + HDR
No
Xbox Series X, 4k @ 120Hz
No
Xbox Series X, 4k @ 60Hz + HDR
Yes
Xbox Series X, 1440p @ 120Hz
No
Xbox Series X, 1080p @ 120Hz
No
Xbox Series X, Variable Refresh Rate
No

Since it's limited to a 60Hz panel and has HDMI 2.0, it can't take advantage of the full capabilities of either the Xbox Series X or PS5. It has an Auto Low Latency Mode, and there aren't settings for it; it switches the TV into Game Mode when a game from a compatible device is launched for low input lag.

Inputs
Inputs Specifications
HDR10
Yes
HDR10+
No
Dolby Vision
No
HLG
Yes
HDMI 2.0 Full Bandwidth
Yes (HDMI 1,2,3,4)
HDMI 2.1 Class Bandwidth
No
CEC Yes
HDCP 2.2 Yes (HDMI 1,2,3,4)
USB 3.0
No
Variable Analog Audio Out Yes
Wi-Fi Support Yes (2.4 GHz, 5 GHz)
Inputs
Input Photos
Inputs
Total Inputs
HDMI 4
USB 1
Digital Optical Audio Out 1
Analog Audio Out 3.5mm 1
Analog Audio Out RCA 0
Component In 0
Composite In 1 (adapter required, not incl.)
Tuner (Cable/Ant) 1
Ethernet 1
DisplayPort 0
IR In 0
SD/SDHC 0

The Composite In input needs an adapter, but it doesn't come with one like the TCL 4 Series/S434 Android 2020.

Inputs
Audio Passthrough
ARC
Yes (HDMI 4)
eARC support
No
Dolby Atmos via TrueHD via eARC
No
DTS:X via DTS-HD MA via eARC
No
5.1 Dolby Digital via ARC
Yes
5.1 DTS via ARC
Yes
5.1 Dolby Digital via Optical
Yes
5.1 DTS via Optical
Yes
Sound Quality
6.1
Sound Quality
Frequency Response
Low-Frequency Extension
126.99 Hz
Std. Dev. @ 70
4.76 dB
Std. Dev. @ 80
4.67 dB
Std. Dev. @ Max
6.43 dB
Max
88.8 dB SPL
Dynamic Range Compression
2.42 dB

The frequency response is mediocre. It has a fairly well-balanced sound profile but doesn't produce much bass. It gets loud, and there isn't much compression at its max volume.

6.8
Sound Quality
Distortion
Weighted THD @ 80
0.086
Weighted THD @ Max
0.276
IMD @ 80
5.14%
IMD @ Max
17.11%

This TV has okay distortion performance. There isn't much distortion at moderate listening levels, but it gets a lot more audible at its max volume. However, this depends on the content and not everyone may hear it.

Smart Features
8.0
Smart Features
Interface
Smart OS Roku TV
Version 9.3.2
Ease of Use
Easy
Smoothness
Very Smooth
Time Taken to Select YouTube
4 s
Time Taken to Change Backlight
4 s
Advanced Options
Many

The TCL S435 variant we tested has built-in Roku TV, but the TCL 4 Series/S434 Android 2020 variant has Android TV instead. Note that we tested this TV around the same time as the U.S. elections, and the background was automatically set to an American theme. This is why the background is different than other Roku TVs we've tested in the past, which had red backgrounds, but you can change it in the settings.

The newer version of this TV, the TCL 4 Series/S446 2021, uses Google TV instead of Roku.

0
Smart Features
Ad-Free
Ads
Yes
Opt-out
No
Suggested Content in Home
Yes
Opt-out of Suggested Content
Yes

There are ads and suggested content on the home page, but we couldn't get a picture. You can opt-out of featured content by selecting Limit Ad Tracking in the 'Advertising' section of the Privacy settings.

8.0
Smart Features
Apps and Features
App Selection
Great
App Smoothness
Average
Cast Capable
Yes
USB Drive Playback
Yes
USB Drive HDR Playback
Yes
HDR in Netflix
Yes
HDR in YouTube
Yes

The Roku app store has a great selection of apps you can download and they run smoothly for the most part.

6.0
Smart Features
Remote
Size
Small
Voice Control
Search, Some Other Features
CEC Menu Control
No
Other Smart Features
No
Remote App Roku

This TV comes with the same basic remote as the TCL 3 Series 2020. It doesn't have voice control, and there are some quick-access buttons to popular streaming devices. You can use voice control through the Roku app on your phone, and you can ask it to change inputs, open apps, or search for specific content.

Smart Features
TV Controls

There's a single button underneath the TCL branding at the center of the screen. You can power the TV On/Off and change inputs.

Smart Features
In The Box

  • Remote (with batteries)
  • User manual

Smart Features
Misc
Power Consumption 42 W
Power Consumption (Max) 79 W
Firmware 9.3.2 build 4243