The TCL 4 Series/S446 2021 is an entry-level 4k TV. It's a basic TV in TCL's 4 Series lineup that includes the TCL 4 Series/S435 2020 and the TCL 4 Series/S434 Android 2020, and the difference between each model is their smart platform, where they're sold, and their panel type. The 4 Series 2021 is Best Buy exclusive and has Google TV, which is user-friendly and has a ton of apps you can download through the Google Play Store. Unlike the other models, the 65 inch model we tested has an IPS-like panel with wide viewing angles and low contrast, but there are some variants with a VA panel that has a higher contrast at the cost of viewing angles. Besides that, its picture quality isn't special because it doesn't get bright, so glare is an issue in really bright rooms, and highlights don't pop in HDR. It also lacks extra features like local dimming or Dolby Vision and HDR10+ support, and it can't display a wide color gamut, so it doesn't deliver a satisfying experience if you normally stream content in HDR.
The TCL 4 Series is okay overall. It performs well in wide seating arrangements, like watching TV shows or sports, thanks to the wide viewing angles on the IPS-like panel, but some of the sizes have different panels with worse viewing angles. It's alright for gaming because it has low input lag, but its response time is on the slow side, and it lacks extra gaming features. Unfortunately, it's disappointing for watching movies in SDR or HDR in dark rooms because its IPS-like panel has a low contrast ratio, and it lacks local dimming, meaning blacks look gray.
The TCL 4 Series is disappointing for watching movies in dark rooms. It has an IPS-like panel with a low contrast ratio and bad black uniformity, and because there's no local dimming feature, blacks look gray in dark rooms. However, some of the sizes have VA panels instead, which have better contrast. Also, it doesn't have trouble upscaling 1080p content, and it removes judder from 24p sources.
The TCL 4 Series is good for watching TV shows in bright environments. It performs well in rooms with a few lights around because it has good reflection handling, but it doesn't get bright enough to fight a ton of glare. It also doesn't have issue upscaling lower-resolution content if you connect a cable box, and the interface has a ton of apps you can download. Its IPS panel has wide viewing angles, but there are a few variants with different panels and worse viewing angles.
The TCL 4 Series is decent for watching sports. Its IPS-like panel provides wide viewing angles, making it a good choice for watching the game with a few friends as the image looks accurate from the side. However, there are some variants with a VA panel and narrow viewing angles. It has good reflection handling if you want to use it in a room with a few lights, but its peak brightness is disappointing. Also, fast-moving content looks a bit blurry because of the only decent response time.
The TCL 4 Series is okay for gaming, but it doesn't have any advanced gaming features. It lacks variable refresh rate and HDMI 2.1 support, so it's not ideal for the PS5 or Xbox Series X. However, it still has low input lag for a responsive gaming experience, but its response time is a bit slow, so motion is blurry. Also, it's not a good choice for dark room gaming because its IPS-like panel has low contrast.
The TCL 4 Series is disappointing for watching HDR movies. It only supports HDR10 and not Dolby Vision or HDR10+, and it can't display a wide color gamut. Also, it doesn't get bright enough to make highlights pop. Its IPS-like panel has a low contrast that makes blacks look gray, and even though there are variants with VA panels and higher contrast, the TV lacks a local dimming feature and doesn't deliver an impactful HDR experience.
The TCL 4 Series is alright for HDR gaming. It has low input lag for a responsive gaming experience, but it doesn't have any extra features like VRR support or HDMI 2.1 inputs. Also, it doesn't offer a good HDR experience because it has a low contrast ratio, poor HDR peak brightness, and it can't display a wide color gamut, so highlights and colors aren't vivid as they should be.
The TCL 4 Series is great to use as a PC monitor. Your mouse movements feel responsive thanks to the low input lag, but you may notice some motion blur due to the slow response time. The image also remains accurate at the edges if you sit close, thanks to the IPS-like panel's low contrast, but there are variants with narrow viewing angles. Also, it displays proper chroma 4:4:4 with 1080p and 4k signals, but not with 1440p, and it's limited to HDMI 2.0 bandwidth.
We tested the 65 inch TCL 4 Series, which is also available in 43, 50, 55, 75, and 85 inch sizes. The 65 inch version has an IPS-like panel, but since TCL doesn't specify which panel type it has, it's unclear if the other sizes also have IPS-like panels. The 50 and 85 inch models have VA panels because IPS panels don't exist in this size, so if you have the 43, 55, or 75 inch model, let us know which panel type it has, and we'll update the review. Our results are valid for the models with IPS-like panels.
Size | US Model | Panel Type | VESA Mount | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|
43" | 43S446 | Unknown | 200x200 | |
50" | 50S446 | VA | 200x300 | |
55" | 55S446 | Unknown | 300x300 | |
65" | 65S446 | ADS (IPS-like) | 300x300 | |
75" | 75S446 | Unknown | 300x300 | |
85" | 85S446 | VA | 600x400 | Different stand configuration |
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 it. Note that some tests, like gray uniformity, may vary between units.
Our unit was manufactured in September 2021, and you can see the label here.
The TCL 4 Series TV is a basic entry-level TV that doesn't deliver good picture quality, as its IPS-like panel has a low contrast ratio and it lacks local dimming. However, for a cheap option, it has a few more features than similarly-priced TVs, like motion interpolation, backlight strobing, and judder-removal.
Also see our recommendation for the best TVs under $500, the best smart TVs, and the best budget TVs.
The Samsung TU7000 and the TCL 4 Series/S446 2021 are okay TVs, and the units we tested have different panel types. The Samsung has a VA panel with high contrast, while the TCL we tested has an IPS panel with wide viewing angles, but there are variants with a VA panel instead. Although neither gets bright, the TCL is a better choice for rooms with a few lights around because it has better reflection handling. Both TVs flicker their backlight, which isn't ideal, but the Samsung flickers at 120Hz while the TCL flickers at 150Hz, which results in image duplication. The TCL also removes judder from 24p sources, which the Samsung can't do.
The TCL 4 Series/S446 2021 is a better entry-level TV than the Toshiba C350 Fire TV 2021. Both models we tested have IPS-type panels, but they're each available with VA panels, depending on the size. The TCL has a few more features the Toshiba doesn't have, like backlight strobing and motion interpolation features, and it can remove judder from 24p sources. It also displays chroma 4:4:4 with 1080p and 4k signals, and the Toshiba doesn't display it with any signal. Lastly, the TCL doesn't have any issues displaying 720p and 480p content, but the Toshiba has problems with them.
The Hisense A6G and the TCL 4 Series/S446 2021 are both okay entry-level TVs. The 65 inch models we tested both have IPS-type panels, but each TV is available in a variety of sizes, and some have VA panels instead. Picture quality is similar between each, except the reflection handling is better on the TCL. The TCL also has motion interpolation and backlight strobing features, both of which the Hisense doesn't have. The Hisense uses Android TV while the TCL has Google TV, and while they're essentially the same interface, Google TV is an upgraded version, so apps and settings open more quickly.
The Hisense U6G is much better than the TCL 4 Series/S446 2021, mainly because it has more features, and the units we tested have different panel types. The Hisense has a VA panel with a local dimming feature that allows it to display deep blacks, while the 65 inch TCL we tested has an IPS panel without local dimming, so blacks look gray in the dark. However, that means it has wide viewing angles instead. The Hisense also gets much brighter, allowing it to fight glare, and it has better motion handling thanks to its quick response time.
The Amazon Fire TV 4-Series and the TCL 4 Series/S446 2021 are basic entry-level TVs, and the models we tested have different panel types with strengths and weaknesses. The Amazon TV has a VA panel, which has a higher contrast, while the TCL we tested has an IPS-like panel with wider viewing angles, but there are variants of the TCL with a VA panel instead. The TCL has much better accuracy out-of-the-box. The TCL also upscales 480p content better because it doesn't crop the image, and it displays 4k content without issues. Both TVs remove 24p judder from native sources and apps, but the Amazon TV also removes it from 60p/i sources, which is great.
The Hisense A6H and the TCL 4 Series/S446 2021 are extremely similar. The Hisense is slightly more versatile, as it has more HDMI inputs and a few extra features, including variable refresh rate support for gamers. The TCL is a bit brighter, so if you don't care about gaming features, it has slightly better picture quality and can better overcome glare.
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.
The LG C1 OLED is a high-end TV that's much better than the TCL 4 Series/S446 2021. The LG has an OLED panel that displays perfect blacks with no blooming around bright objects, and it has wider viewing angles. It also has a bunch more gaming features like a 120Hz panel and HDMI 2.1 inputs, allowing you to play high-frame-rate games, and it has better motion handling. The one advantage that the TCL has over the LG is that LED TVs like this one won't suffer from burn-in like on OLEDs.
The TCL 4 Series looks very similar to the TCL 4 Series/S434 Android 2020 with a simple design made mostly of plastic throughout. Its bezels are thicker than most premium TVs, but the TV still looks nice in most setups.
The stand is basic and doesn't support the screen all that well because there's wobble from front to back. It raises the screen enough to place a soundbar in front without blocking the screen.
Footprint of the 65 inch TV: 43.5" x 12.6" x 2" to the bottom bezel (3" from the table to the bottom of the screen).
The 85 inch version has a different stand, similar to the one on the TCL R745 QLED.
The TCL 4 Series has a metal back panel, with plastic at the bottom section, and where the inputs are. Sadly, there's no cable management. The inputs are side-facing, but they may be a bit hard to reach on the larger sizes when wall-mounted because they're at the center of the screen.
The build quality is okay. It's mainly plastic, with metal only on the back panel, which flexes a bit. The plastic in the back and on the borders also feel flimsy, and the TV wobbles noticeably from front to back. Overall, it's well-put-together as there aren't any issues with that, but it feels cheap.
Unlike the TCL 4 Series/S434 Android 2020, the 65 inch version of the TCL 4 Series has an IPS-like panel with a low contrast ratio, so blacks look gray in a dark room. There's also no local dimming feature to improve it. Contrast can vary between units, but we don't expect it to be much higher for IPS-type panels.
Note: The 50 and 85 inch models have VA panels, so they're expected to have a higher contrast. TCL doesn't advertise what panels the 43, 55, and 75 inch models have, so it's possible they perform differently than the 65 inch version we tested.
The SDR peak brightness is disappointing. It doesn't get bright enough to fight glare in well-lit rooms, but its consistent between different scenes as there's no frame dimming.
We tested the SDR brightness after calibration in the 'Movie' Picture Mode with the Brightness and Contrast at their max, Color Temperature set to 'Warm -5', and Gamma at '2.2'. If you want the brightest image possible and don't care about image accuracy, we measured 309 cd/m² in the 2% window using the 'Vivid' Picture Mode with everything else at their default settings.
The TCL 4 Series doesn't have a local dimming feature. The videos are still filmed so you can see how the backlight performs versus another TV.
Once again, there's no local dimming feature. The videos are still filmed so you can see how the backlight performs versus another TV.
The HDR brightness is poor, as it doesn't get bright enough to make highlights pop. The EOTF doesn't follow the target PQ curve well either, as most scenes are darker than they should be.
We tested the HDR brightness before calibration in the 'Movie' HDR Picture Mode with the Contrast and Brightness at their max, and the Color Temperature at 'Warm -5'. If you find the image too dark, you can use the same settings and enable Dynamic Tone Mapping and set the Gamma to '1.8'. This results in a slightly brighter image as you can see in this EOTF, but it doesn't change the peak brightness.
The HDR brightness is the same in Game Mode as outside of it. The image looks the same, and any differences in the test results are down to margin of error.
The TCL 4 Series has okay gray uniformity. The screen is noticeably darker near the edges, and there's dirty screen effect in the center, which could get distracting during sports. Uniformity is better in near-dark scenes, but there's still a bit of backlight bleed. Also, uniformity can vary between units.
The black uniformity is bad, but this can vary between units. There's a ton of backlight bleed, especially towards the bottom right corner, and there's no local dimming feature to improve it.
Note: The 50 and 85 inch models have VA panels, so they're expected to display deeper blacks than we see in the photo. TCL doesn't advertise what panels the 43, 55, and 75 inch models have, so it's possible they perform differently than the 65 inch version we tested.
With an IPS-like panel, the TCL 4 Series has wide viewing angles, so the image remains accurate when viewing from the sides. It's a good choice for wide seating arrangements.
Note: The 50 and 85 inch models have VA panels, so they're expected to have worse viewing angles. TCL doesn't advertise what panels the 43, 55, and 75 inch models have, so it's possible they perform differently than the 65 inch version we tested.
The out-of-the-box accuracy is incredible. There are minimal inaccuracies to the white balance and colors. Gamma is great overall, but really dark and really bright scenes are too bright, while others are a bit too dark. The color temperature is on the cold side, but it's still good. Keep in mind that accuracy can vary between units.
The accuracy after calibration is remarkable. We didn't have to adjust the colors at all, and the white balance is slightly better. Both the gamma and the color temperature improved a bit, but not by much because we couldn't calibrate it too aggressively.
You can see our recommended settings here.
The TCL 4 Series upscales lower-resolution content without any issues. 480p content doesn't have the same scaling issues that we saw with the TCL 5 Series/S546 2021 QLED.
The TCL 4 Series looks similar to the TCL 4 Series/S434 Android 2020 with the way it upscales 1080p content, which is fantastic.
The 65 inch model has an ADS panel, which is a type of IPS, similar to the Sony X80J. Unlike most other TVs, it uses an RGB subpixel layout, which helps with text clarity. The 50 and 85 inch models have VA panels, but since TCL doesn't advertise the panel type for the 43, 55, and 75 inch versions, it's unclear which panels they have.
The TCL 4 Series can't display a wide color gamut for HDR content. It has disappointing coverage of the Rec. 2020 color space, and while it has better coverage of the DCI P3 color space used in most HDR content. However, it's still not as good as higher-end TVs.
The color volume is disappointing. It's limited by the narrow color gamut, low contrast, and low peak brightness. The 50 and 85 inch models have VA panels and are expected to have better contrast, so their color volume should be better because they can display darker colors.
Update 12/16/2021: We rechecked the gradients on this TV, as there's noticeable 8-bit banding, even when we send a 10-bit signal gradient pattern in a 12-bit signal. Unfortunately, our results didn't change, suggesting that this TV can't display 10-bit gradients properly, even though it can accept a 10-bit signal.
The gradient handling is just decent. There's noticeable banding with most colors, especially darker shades, noticeable in scenes with shades of similar colors, like in a sunset. Setting the Gradation Clear setting to 'Low' or 'High' does a decent job at reducing the banding with the test pattern and in real content, but it also causes the loss of fine details in high-quality content.
Although some IPS-type panels can suffer from temporary image retention, this doesn't appear to be permanent as seen in our long-term test.
The TCL 4 Series has a decent response time, but there's overshoot in most transitions that leads to motion artifacts like inverse ghosting. However, unlike the TCL 4 Series/S434 Android 2020, there's no black smearing because that's more typical of VA panels.
The TCL 4 Series uses pulse width modulation (PWM) to dim its backlight at low brightness levels. Nearly all picture modes flicker at 150Hz if you set the Brightness to anything above '28', but the 'Low Power' mode starts flickering at '37', and 'Smart HDR' doesn't flicker at all. However, we don't expect this to be an issue for most people because setting it to '28' with most picture modes results in such a dim image.
There's a backlight strobing feature, known as black frame insertion, to improve the appearance of motion. It flickers at 60Hz, and it reduces motion blur trail behind fast-moving objects. Keep in mind that the BFI score is based on the flicker frequency, and not the actual performance.
There's a motion interpolation feature that causes the soap opera effect. It looks similar to the TCL 5 Series/S546 2021 QLED, as it handles slow scenes well, but there more artifacts like halos when there are fast-moving objects on the screen.
Due to the slower response time, low-frame-rate content doesn't stutter much.
The TCL 4 Series removes judder from native apps and 24p sources, which helps with the appearance of motion in movies.
This TV doesn't support any variable refresh rate technology. If you're looking for a similar TV with VRR support, check out the Hisense A6H instead.
The TCL 4 Series has low input lag in Game Mode. It increases with a 4k or 1440p resolution compared to 1080p, but most people won't notice that. Sadly, you can't enable the motion interpolation in Game Mode, so the input lag increases as you need to switch out of Game Mode.
This TV support most common resolutions up to 4k @ 60Hz, including 1440p @ 60Hz if you create a custom resolution from your PC. It also displays proper chroma 4:4:4 with 1080p and 4k signals at 60Hz, which helps with text clarity, but text looks blurry with 1440p signals.
Since this is a basic 60Hz TV and lacks HDMI 2.1 inputs, it doesn't support high frame rate signals from the PS5 or Xbox Series X. However, you can still play 4k games up to 60 fps in HDR10 from either console, and there's an Auto Low Latency Mode that automatically switches the TV into Game Mode when you launch a game from a compatible device.
The TCL 4 Series has eARC support, and it can pass Dolby Atmos signals to a compatible receiver through a single HDMI connection. When we tried to pass DTS:X or DTS signals via eARC, ARC, or optical, a DTS prompt would show up on the screen, but our receiver wasn't reading it as DTS:X or DTS. We tried this with a Blu-ray player, and it didn't work either. We don't expect DTS:X or DTS signals to work, and TCL doesn't advertise it either.
The frequency response is disappointing. It doesn't get loud, and there's no bass, if at all. Its sound profile isn't that well-balanced either, and it's fine for listening to dialogue, but you'll want to get a soundbar or receiver for the best sound experience.
The TCL 4 Series uses Google TV, which is essentially an upgraded version of the Android TV used on the TCL 4 Series/S434 Android 2020, but with a few aesthetic differences. Menu navigation feels smooth, and we didn't experience any bugs, but it may take some time for you to get used to the interface. If you don't need the smart interface, Google TV is advertised to support Basic Mode, which removes the smart features so you can just focus on using the antenna and inputs.
There's even an Ambient Mode setting that can either display your Google Photos or art photos, similar to the Samsung The Frame 2021.
This TV comes with the same remote as the TCL 5 Series/S546 2021 QLED. It's a straightforward remote with the necessary buttons to navigate the interface, and there are shortcut buttons to popular streaming services. It has a built-in mic for voice control, and you can ask it to change inputs, search for content, or open apps, but you can't ask it to change settings like the brightness.