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. It's different from the other two 4 Series TVs because it uses the Google TV smart interface, while the S434 uses a similar Android TV interface, and the 4 Series 2020 has Roku. It competes with other entry-level TVs like the Hisense A6G, Toshiba C350 Fire TV 2021, and the Amazon Fire TV 4-Series.
Our Verdict
The TCL 4 Series is okay overall. It's best for watching sports or TV shows during the day in a moderately-lit room. It has a wide viewing angle that makes it a good choice for a wide seating arrangement, as you can move around and still enjoy a consistent image. 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 a dark room because it has a low contrast ratio and lacks local dimming, so dark scenes don't look very good.
- No issues upscaling lower-resolution content.
- Image remains consistent when viewed from the sides.
- Good reflection handling.
- Low contrast ratio, so blacks look gray and washed out.
- Low peak brightness.
- Distracting motion blur behind fast-moving objects.
The TCL 4 Series is disappointing for watching movies in dark rooms. It has a low contrast ratio and bad black uniformity, and because there's no local dimming feature, dark scenes don't look very good and blacks look washed out. On the other hand, it upscales lower-resolution movies well, and it can remove judder from most sources, so movies are played back smoothly. There's also very little stutter in slow panning shots thanks to its relatively slow response time.
- No issues upscaling lower-resolution content.
- Removes judder from 24p sources and native apps.
- Low contrast ratio, so blacks look gray and washed out.
- No local dimming feature.
- Bad black uniformity.
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 upscales older shows on DVD well, with no noticeable issues, and the smart interface has a huge selection of streaming channels available, so you can easily find your favorite shows. Finally, it has a wide viewing angle, so the image remains consistent if you have a wide seating arrangement or like to move around with the TV on.
- No issues upscaling lower-resolution content.
- Image remains consistent when viewed from the sides.
- Good reflection handling.
- Low peak brightness.
- Disappointing built-in speakers.
The TCL 4 Series is decent for watching sports. It has a wide viewing angle, making it a good choice for watching the game with a few friends as the image remains consistent from the sides, so you don't have to fight over the best spot. It has good reflection handling if you want to use it in a room with a few lights, but its peak brightness is disappointing, so glare is still distracting if you have a lot of windows. Also, fast-moving content looks a bit blurry because of the only decent response time.
- No issues upscaling lower-resolution content.
- Image remains consistent when viewed from the sides.
- Good reflection handling.
- Low peak brightness.
- Disappointing built-in speakers.
- Distracting motion blur behind fast-moving objects.
The TCL 4 Series is okay for casual gamers. It has very low input lag, ensuring a responsive gaming experience with very little delay between your actions and what you see on the screen. Unfortunately, it has a slow response time, so there's more significant blur and ghosting behind fast-moving objects. It's also limited to a 60Hz fixed refresh rate, with no variable refresh rate support, so it's not ideal for the PS5 or Xbox Series X.
- Good reflection handling.
- Low input lag.
- Low contrast ratio, so blacks look gray and washed out.
- Distracting motion blur behind fast-moving objects.
- No extra gaming features like HDMI 2.1 bandwidth or variable refresh rate support.
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. It has a low contrast that makes blacks look gray and washed out, and it lacks a local dimming feature to improve the dynamic range. Overall, HDR looks dull and muted, and adds very little over SDR.
- Removes judder from 24p sources and native apps.
- Low contrast ratio, so blacks look gray and washed out.
- No local dimming feature.
- Low peak brightness.
- Can't display a wide color gamut.
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 HDMI 2.1 bandwidth or variable refresh rate support. 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 don't stand out at all.
- Low input lag.
- Low contrast ratio, so blacks look gray and washed out.
- Distracting motion blur behind fast-moving objects.
- No extra gaming features like HDMI 2.1 bandwidth or variable refresh rate support.
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. It has a wide viewing angle, so the sides of the screen remain uniform even if you're sitting up close. Finally, it displays chroma 4:4:4 properly, which is essential for clear text from a PC.
- Image remains consistent when viewed from the sides.
- Good reflection handling.
- Low input lag.
- Low peak brightness.
- Distracting motion blur behind fast-moving objects.
Changelog
- Updated Sep 26, 2025: We uploaded the latest brightness measurements and uniformity photos for the Accelerated Longevity Test.
- Updated Jul 08, 2025: We uploaded the latest brightness measurements and uniformity photos for the Accelerated Longevity Test.
- Updated Apr 17, 2025: We uploaded the latest brightness measurements and uniformity photos for the Accelerated Longevity Test.
- Updated Feb 11, 2025: We uploaded the latest brightness measurements and uniformity photos for the Accelerated Longevity Test.
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Differences Between Sizes And Variants
We bought and tested the 65-inch TCL 4 Series, and it's also available in 43, 50, 55, 75, and 85-inch sizes. The 65-inch version has an IPS panel, but some of the other sizes use VA panels, which offer better contrast and deeper blacks, but a worse viewing angle.
| Size | US Model | Panel Type | VESA Mount | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 43" | 43S446 | IPS | 200x200 | |
| 50" | 50S446 | VA | 200x300 | |
| 55" | 55S446 | IPS | 300x300 | |
| 65" | 65S446 | IPS | 300x300 | |
| 75" | 75S446 | IPS | 300x300 | |
| 85" | 85S446 | VA | 600x400 | Different stand configuration |
Our unit was manufactured in September 2021, and you can see the label here.
Popular TV Comparisons
The TCL 4 Series TV is a basic entry-level TV that doesn't deliver good picture quality, as it 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 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 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 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.
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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