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TCL 6 Series/R625 2019 TV Review

Tested using Methodology v1.5
Review updated May 28, 2020 at 08:31 am
Latest change: Retest Jun 17, 2020 at 10:40 am
TCL 6 Series/R625 2019 Picture
7.8
Mixed Usage
Value for price beaten by
: Not at the latest test bench
8.5
Movies
Value for price beaten by
: Not at the latest test bench
7.5
TV Shows
Value for price beaten by
: Not at the latest test bench
7.1
Sports
Value for price beaten by
: Not at the latest test bench
7.9
Video Games
Value for price beaten by
: Not at the latest test bench
8.3
HDR Movies
Value for price beaten by
: Not at the latest test bench
7.7
HDR Gaming
Value for price beaten by
: Not at the latest test bench
7.1
PC Monitor
Value for price beaten by
: Not at the latest test bench
This TV was replaced by the TCL 6 Series/R635 2020 QLED

The TCL 6 Series/R625 2019 is a good budget 4k TV that delivers a great HDR experience, with a picture quality that can rival other high-end TVs on the market. Its VA panel's high contrast ratio is supported by a full-array local dimming feature, resulting in deep and inky blacks. However, its response time is a bit slow and there are visible duplications of the image when using its black frame insertion feature. For gamers, this TV has a remarkably low input lag, but there are no advanced gaming features like FreeSync. Luckily, the TV runs on the Roku platform, which is very user-friendly and gives you access to most popular streaming services.

Our Verdict

7.8 Mixed Usage

Overall, the TCL 6 Series/R625 2019 is a good TV for most uses. It has a high contrast ratio and displays deep, uniform blacks in a dark room. Its low input lag makes it a good choice for playing games, but its slower response time causes a bit more motion blur. Although the TV is suitable for a bright room thanks to its high brightness levels, the image loses accuracy at an angle, which isn't ideal when watching sports with a group of friends or doing chores while watching TV shows.

Pros
  • Outstanding low input lag.
  • Deep, uniform blacks.
  • Excellent wide color gamut.
Cons
  • Noticeable motion artifacts.
8.5 Movies

The TCL 6 Series 2019 is an excellent TV for watching movies. It has outstanding contrast, a good local dimming feature, and excellent black uniformity, making it a great choice for dark rooms. It can remove judder from all sources without introducing the soap opera effect, and lower-resolution content is upscaled well. Unfortunately, there are noticeable uniformity issues, and the image degrades at an angle, so it isn't great for a wide seating area.

7.5 TV Shows

The TCL 6 Series 2019 is a good TV for watching TV shows during the day in a bright room. It can get very bright and its reflection handling is not bad, so glare shouldn't be an issue. It has a very large number of apps and it upscales lower resolution content well. Unfortunately, the image loses accuracy when viewed from the side, so it isn't great if you do chores while watching TV.

7.1 Sports

The TCL R625 is a decent TV for watching sports, but it's best-suited for watching the game with only a small group of friends, as it has disappointing viewing angles. Its reflection handling is not bad and it has great peak brightness, but its response time is just okay, so some motion artifacts and duplications can be seen in fast-moving content. Unfortunately, there's vignetting at the corners and some visible dirty screen effect that can be very distracting.

7.9 Video Games

The TCL 6 Series 2019 is a good TV for playing video games. It has an excellent contrast ratio and outstanding black uniformity, great for dark-room gaming. Its input lag is remarkably low, but its response time is just okay, which results in more motion blur in fast-moving scenes. Also, it doesn't support any variable refresh rate technologies like FreeSync.

8.3 HDR Movies

The TCL 6 Series 2019 is a great TV for watching the latest movies in HDR. It has excellent contrast and outstanding black uniformity, resulting in deep, uniform blacks, and it has a good local dimming feature. It has great HDR peak brightness, so small highlights stand out, and it can display an excellent wide color gamut. Unfortunately, its gray uniformity is just okay, and some banding and dirty screen effect can be seen in some content.

7.7 HDR Gaming

The TCL R625 is a good TV for gaming in HDR. It has an excellent contrast ratio, it can display a wide color gamut, and it can get very bright to bring out small highlights. Unfortunately, some motion artifacts can be seen in some content, including duplications in fast-moving content.

7.1 PC Monitor

The TCL 6 Series R625 is a decent TV for use as a PC monitor. It has a remarkably low input lag to provide a responsive desktop experience, and it displays chroma 4:4:4 properly, which is important for text clarity. Viewing angles are sub-par, so images look washed out at the sides if you sit up close. On the upside, its VA panel is immune from permanent burn-in, so you won't have to worry about static desktop icons being always in the same place.

  • 7.8 Mixed Usage
  • 8.5 Movies
  • 7.5 TV Shows
  • 7.1 Sports
  • 7.9 Video Games
  • 8.3 HDR Movies
  • 7.7 HDR Gaming
  • 7.1 PC Monitor
  1. Updated Jun 17, 2020: We corrected a minor mistake in our BFI scoring.
  2. Updated May 21, 2020: Converted to Test Bench 1.5.
  3. Updated Feb 21, 2020: Converted to Test Bench 1.4.
  4. Updated Oct 16, 2019: Review published.
  5. Updated Oct 10, 2019: Early access published.
  6. Updated Oct 10, 2019: Our testers have started testing this product.
  7. Updated Oct 08, 2019: The product has arrived in our lab, and our testers will start evaluating it soon.
  8. Updated Sep 18, 2019: We've purchased the product and are waiting for it to arrive in our lab.

Differences Between Sizes And Variants

We tested the 65" TCL 6 Series 2019, and we expect our review to be valid for the other available size, the 55" 55R625.

If someone comes across a different type of panel or if their TCL R625 doesn't correspond to our review, let us know and we will update the review. Note that some tests such as the gray uniformity may vary between individual units.

Size US Model Dimming Zones
55" 55R625 100
65" 65R625 120

The 65R625 we reviewed was manufactured in July 2019.

Note: Some retailers list a 75" 2019 model of the 6 Series. This is actually the 2018 6 Series R617, but it was released later than the other sizes. There is currently no 75" model of the 2019 6 Series R625.

Compared To Other TVs

Comparison picture

Top left: Hisense H9F (65H9F) Bottom left: TCL 6 Series /R617 2019 (55R617). Middle: TCL 6 Series 2019 (65R625). Top right: Vizio M Series Quantum 2019 (M658-G1). Bottom right: Samsung RU7100 (UN55RU7100).

The TCL 6 Series 2019 is a great 4k TV at a low price. It's one of the best budget TVs on the market, and in many ways outperforms many premium models from other brands, but it isn't without its flaws. See also our recommendations for the best Roku TVs, the best budget TVs, and the best 65 inch TVs.

TCL 6 Series/R635 2020 QLED
55" 65" 75"

The TCL 6 Series/R635 2020 is slightly better overall than the TCL 6 Series/R625 2019. The 2020 model performs much better in well-lit rooms because it has improved reflection handling and it gets much brighter, so it combats glare easily. It also has a faster response time that makes motion look smoother in video games or when you watch sports. However, the 2019 version is a better choice for dark room viewing since the local dimming feature is much better; there's a lot less blooming, and it has significantly better black uniformity, but this may vary between units.

TCL 6 Series 2018
55" 65" 75"

The TCL 6 Series/R625 2019 is very similar to the TCL 6 Series/R617 2018. The R625 has a more premium design and a much better local dimming feature, but the R617 is brighter and has better reflection handling. The R625 has a higher backlight flicker frequency, but a slower response time, and motion doesn't look as good.

Sony X900F
49" 55" 65" 75" 85"

The Sony X900F is a slightly better TV than the TCL 6 Series/R625 2019. The Sony can get brighter for HDR content, has much better gray uniformity, significantly better reflection handling, better motion handling, and has way more accurate colors out-of-the-box. On the other hand, the TCL has a better local dimming feature, a wider color gamut, an easier-to-use smart interface, and lower input lag.

Samsung Q70/Q70R QLED
49" 55" 65" 75" 82" 85"

The Samsung Q70/Q70R QLED is a bit better than the TCL 6 Series/R625 2019. The Q70R has much better reflection handling and a much faster response time, so motion looks clearer, especially when playing games or watching sports. The TCL, however, has more effective local dimming and a lower input lag.

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

The TCL 6 Series/R625 2019 is a much better TV than the TCL 4 Series 2019. The R625 looks a lot more premium, has much better picture quality thanks to its local dimming feature, significantly brighter screen, better black uniformity, and better viewing angles. If you watch a lot of HDR content, the R625 is a much better choice thanks to its much higher HDR peak brightness and wider color gamut. While the 4 Series has a much faster response time, the R625 has a significantly better black frame insertion feature and less noticeable on-screen flicker, giving it better motion handling overall. On the other hand, the 4 Series may represent better value for some people.

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

The TCL 6 Series/R625 2019 is slightly better than the TCL 5 Series/S535 2020 QLED. The 6 Series 2019 gets much brighter, has a better-performing local dimming feature, and better black uniformity. However, the 5 Series 2020 has better contrast ratio, response time, color accuracy, and reflection handling.

Hisense H9G
55" 65"

The Hisense H9G is better overall than the TCL 6 Series/R625 2019. The Hisense is much brighter, it has a better contrast ratio, it has a much quicker response time, and it handles gradients better. However, the TCL has a wider color gamut and a lower input lag.

Hisense H8G
50" 55" 65" 75"

The Hisense H8G and the TCL 6 Series/R625 2019 are two very similar TVs. The TCL gets brighter, displays a wider color gamut, can remove judder from any source, and it has slightly better contrast and much better black uniformity. Meanwhile, the Hisense has better reflection handling, more accurate colors out of the box, and a much quicker response time, resulting in less motion blur.

Samsung TU8000
43" 50" 55" 65" 75" 85"

The TCL 6 Series/R625 2019 is a much better TV than the Samsung TU8000. The TCL has better picture quality thanks to its local dimming feature and significantly brighter screen. It's also a better choice if you watch a lot of HDR as details will pop more thanks to its higher HDR peak brightness and wider color gamut. On the other hand, the Samsung has more accurate colors out-of-the-box, better reflection handling, faster response time, and 4:4:4 support, which is important if you want to use your TV as a PC monitor. 

TCL 8 Series 2019/Q825 QLED
65" 75"

The TCL 8 Series 2019/Q825 QLED is a bit better than the TCL 6 Series/R625 2019. The Q825 has better reflection handling and is more suitable for a room with a few extra lights, and thanks to its faster response time, fast-moving content has less blur. The R625, on the other hand, has a much lower input lag, so gaming feels very responsive, but its response time is slower than the Q825, which means there's more motion blur.

Vizio M7 Series Quantum 2019
43" 50" 55" 65"

The TCL 6 Series/R625 2019 is a bit better than the Vizio M7 Series Quantum 2019. The TCL can get brighter and can fight the glare of a brighter room with ease. The M7 Series, on the other hand, handles the reflections of a few more lights better, so depending on your room's condition one might be better than the other. The TCL also has an optional motion interpolation feature to please the soap opera effect fans.

TCL 5 Series/S525 2019
43" 50" 55" 65"

The TCL 6 Series/R625 2019 is quite a bit better than the TCL 5 Series/S525 2019. The 6 Series has a much more premium design, Full-Array local dimming, and slightly better motion handling. It's also much better for HDR content thanks to its wider color gamut, and much higher peak brightness, especially in HDR. On the other hand, the 5 Series has much more accurate colors out-of-the-box.

Vizio M Series Quantum 2019
55" 65"

The Vizio M Series Quantum 2019 and the TCL 6 Series/R625 2019 are very similar overall, each with their strengths and weaknesses. The M Series Quantum has a better response time, resulting in clearer motion with less blur, and it has better reflection handling. The TCL, on the other hand, has an optional motion interpolation feature, great if you enjoy the soap opera effect.

Samsung Q60/Q60R QLED
43" 49" 55" 65" 75" 82"

The TCL 6 Series/R625 2019 is a bit better than the Samsung Q60/Q60R QLED for most uses. The TCL has a good full array local dimming feature which improves contrast and significantly better black uniformity. On the other hand, the Q60R has much better reflection handling and a faster response time, making the Q60 a better choice for watching sports or TV shows during the day.

Samsung RU8000
49" 55" 65" 75" 82"

The TCL 6 Series/R625 2019 is marginally better than the Samsung RU8000. The TCL has local dimming and is better for HDR content due to its much brighter screen and wider color gamut. On the other hand, the Samsung is better for sports and gaming as it has a faster response time.

Samsung RU7100
43" 50" 55" 58" 65" 75"

The TCL 6 Series/R625 2019 is a much better TV for most uses than the Samsung RU7100. The TCL is better for movies and HDR content thanks to its full-array local dimming, better black uniformity, much brighter screen, especially with HDR, and much wider color gamut. It handles motion much better overall and uses Roku TV for its smart features, which feels much smoother. On the other hand, the Samsung has much more accurate colors out-of-the-box and supports chroma 4:4:4, making it better suited for use as a computer monitor.

Hisense H9F
55" 65"

The Hisense H9F is a bit better than the TCL 6 Series/R625 2019. The H9F has much better reflection handling and significantly better motion handling, with a much faster response time. The R625, on the other hand, has much better black uniformity.

Hisense H8F
50" 55" 65"

The TCL 6 Series/R625 2019 is slightly better than the Hisense H8F. The R625 has a better local dimming feature and is much brighter. The H8F, on the other hand, has much better reflection handling.

Vizio P Series Quantum 2019
65" 75"

The Vizio P Series Quantum 2019 is a slightly better TV than the TCL 6 Series/R625 2019. The Vizio has much better reflection handling, much faster response time, better local dimming, slightly better gray uniformity, and is more accurate out-of-the-box. On the other hand, the TCL has much better color gradient performance, upscales SD and 720P content better, has better black uniformity, and higher peak brightness.

+ Show more

Video

Test Results

perceptual testing image
Market Context
Market Context
Market Context

The TCL 6 Series 2019 replaces the TCL 6 Series/R617 2018. It's one of TCL's most popular models, and its main competitors are the Vizio M Series Quantum 2019, the Hisense H9F, and the Samsung Q70/Q70R QLED. Although it was TCL's highest-end model last year, in 2019 they're releasing the TCL Q825, a high-end model designed to compete with premium models from other brands.

Design
8.0
Design
Style
Curved No

The TCL 6 Series 2019 has a great design. TCL has updated the design, adding a few nice touches, including a partial chrome finish on the feet and a glossy panel on the back. All of these changes add a premium look to this TV, and it feels solid and well-built. Unfortunately, there's still no cable management.

Design
Stand

The feet are attached to the side of the TV, so it requires a table that's at least as wide as the TV. If you choose to wall-mount it, there are covers included in the box to hide the mounting slots for the feet.

Footprint of the 65" stand: 56.7" x 12.6"

Design
Back
Wall Mount VESA 300x300

The back of the TV looks like the 2018 model, except that the top half has now a new glossy panel. This panel adds a premium look to the TV and appears to be purely cosmetic.

Unfortunately, like the TCL 6 Series 2018, there's no cable management.

Design
Borders
Borders 0.35" (0.9 cm)

The bezels are thin and aren't distracting.

Design
Thickness
Max Thickness 3.39" (8.6 cm)

The TCL 65R625 is thicker than most TVs, especially the bottom portion of the TV, so it might stick out a bit when wall-mounted.

7.5
Design
Build Quality

The overall build quality is good. The stand supports the TV well with very little wobble. It appears to be well-built, with no obvious issues. We have received a few reports of damaged screens out of the box, but your experience may vary.

Picture Quality
8.8
Picture Quality
Contrast
Native Contrast
4,699 : 1
Contrast with local dimming
8,196 : 1

Excellent contrast ratio. This TV can deliver deep blacks in a dark room, and it's even better when local dimming is enabled.

7.5
Picture Quality
Local Dimming
Local Dimming
Yes
Backlight
Full-Array

The TCL R625 has a good full-array local dimming system. It looks good overall, but the dimming algorithm can be rather aggressive, causing some areas to dim too much. There's also some blooming around subtitles, although it looks very well-managed as long as you sit directly in front of the TV.

The 55" inch model has fewer local dimming zones (100 instead of 120), but we don't expect this to have a significant impact on local dimming performance.

8.6
Picture Quality
SDR Peak Brightness
SDR Real Scene Peak Brightness
571 cd/m²
SDR Peak 2% Window
528 cd/m²
SDR Peak 10% Window
833 cd/m²
SDR Peak 25% Window
958 cd/m²
SDR Peak 50% Window
796 cd/m²
SDR Peak 100% Window
541 cd/m²
SDR Sustained 2% Window
527 cd/m²
SDR Sustained 10% Window
826 cd/m²
SDR Sustained 25% Window
949 cd/m²
SDR Sustained 50% Window
786 cd/m²
SDR Sustained 100% Window
539 cd/m²
SDR ABL
0.036

Excellent SDR peak brightness, more than bright enough for the brightest environments. It's not quite as bright as the TCL R617, but this shouldn't be very noticeable with SDR content.

We measured the peak brightness after calibration, with the 'Brighter' setting, with the Backlight set to '100' (max) in the 'Movie' Picture Mode, as these are the most accurate settings. Unlike many TVs, these are also the settings that deliver the highest peak brightness.

7.8
Picture Quality
HDR Peak Brightness
HDR Real Scene Peak Brightness
667 cd/m²
HDR Peak 2% Window
558 cd/m²
HDR Peak 10% Window
879 cd/m²
HDR Peak 25% Window
1,016 cd/m²
HDR Peak 50% Window
847 cd/m²
HDR Peak 100% Window
576 cd/m²
HDR Sustained 2% Window
556 cd/m²
HDR Sustained 10% Window
874 cd/m²
HDR Sustained 25% Window
1,007 cd/m²
HDR Sustained 50% Window
839 cd/m²
HDR Sustained 100% Window
573 cd/m²
HDR ABL
0.036

Good HDR peak brightness, but it isn't as bright as the TCL R617 or the Hisense H9F, so small highlights aren't quite as bright in some scenes.

We measured the peak brightness in HDR before calibration, with the 'Dark HDR' Picture Mode, which is the most accurate and the brightest setting.

6.7
Picture Quality
Gray Uniformity
50% Std. Dev.
4.074%
50% DSE
0.229%
5% Std. Dev.
0.527%
5% DSE
0.114%

Note 10/17/2019: Gray uniformity varies on a unit-by-unit basis, so if you buy this TV then let us know how your unit compares in the discussions.

The TCL 6 Series 2019 has an okay gray uniformity. There's significant vertical banding across the entire screen, and the corners are darker than the rest of the screen (also known as vignetting). This is especially disappointing for sports fans and it's also noticeable in most content.

5.7
Picture Quality
Viewing Angle
Color Washout
24°
Color Shift
34°
Brightness Loss
36°
Black Level Raise
21°
Gamma Shift
19°

Like most VA panel TVs, the viewing angles are disappointing. The image looks noticeably inaccurate from the side, making this TV less suitable for large rooms or wide seating arrangements. If you need a TV with better viewing angles, check out an IPS panel TV like the Sony X800G.

9.2
Picture Quality
Black Uniformity
Native Std. Dev.
0.558%
Std. Dev. w/ L.D.
0.729%

Black uniformity is outstanding. With local dimming disabled, the image is a bit cloudy, but it isn't very noticeable. With local dimming enabled, there's significantly less clouding, but some more noticeable blooming around the test cross.

6.4
Picture Quality
Reflections
Screen Finish
Semi-gloss
Total Reflections
7.1%
Indirect Reflections
1.1%
Calculated Direct Reflections
6.0%

Reflection handling isn't bad. It handles indirect reflections well, but it struggles in very bright rooms with light shining directly on the screen.

5.9
Picture Quality
Pre Calibration
White Balance dE
5.20
Color dE
3.24
Gamma
2.28
Color Temperature
5,680 K
Picture Mode
Movie
Color Temp Setting
Warm
Gamma Setting
2.2

The TCL R625's pre-calibration color accuracy is sub-par. Most colors are noticeably inaccurate and white balance is quite off. The color temperature is warm, giving the overall image a slight reddish tint. Gamma doesn't follow the target curve, with most scenes looking darker than they should.

9.6
Picture Quality
Post Calibration
White Balance dE
0.33
Color dE
0.80
Gamma
2.20
Color Temperature
6,488 K
White Balance Calibration
11 point
Color Calibration
Yes
Auto-Calibration Function
No

After calibration, color accuracy is exceptional. The remaining inaccuracies shouldn't be noticeable for most people. Gamma is perfect and the color temperature is very close to our 6500K target.

TCL originally announced that the TCL 6 Series 2019 would have an auto-calibration function. Unfortunately, this feature hasn't been released yet, so we haven't been able to try it. Once the app is out we will reset the TV and test the auto-calibration, and post our findings in a discussion post below.

See our recommended settings here

8.0
Picture Quality
480p Input

480p content looks great, with no obvious issues.

8.0
Picture Quality
720p Input

720p content, like from cable TV, looks great.

9.0
Picture Quality
1080p Input

1080p content looks excellent, almost as good as native 4k content.

9.9
Picture Quality
4k Input

Native 4k content is displayed nearly perfectly. Unlike the TCL R617, there's no sub-pixel dithering, but we noticed some minor cross-hatching in some content. It isn't very noticeable, though, and you have to be close to notice it. From a comfortable viewing distance, it shouldn't be an issue.

0
Picture Quality
8k Input

The R625 can't display an 8k image.

Picture Quality
Pixels
Type LED
Sub-Type
VA
8.5
Picture Quality
Color Gamut
Wide Color Gamut
Yes
DCI P3 xy
94.65%
DCI P3 uv
97.22%
Rec 2020 xy
71.61%
Rec 2020 uv
78.18%

This TV has excellent color gamut. This is expected, as the quantum dot color used to produce a wide color gamut was one of the main advertised features of this TV. It's a noticeable improvement over the TCL R617, and is important for more saturated colors with the latest 4k HDR movies.

Unfortunately, the EOTF (electro-optical transfer function) doesn't follow the target PQ curve, and most scenes are displayed brighter than they should be. 'Game' mode is a bit more accurate, as shown here.

If you find HDR too dark, check out our settings page to see how to make it brighter.

8.0
Picture Quality
Color Volume
Normalized DCI P3 Coverage ITP
88.2%
10,000 cd/m² DCI P3 Coverage ITP
44.2%
Normalized Rec 2020 Coverage ITP
72.0%
10,000 cd/m² Rec 2020 Coverage ITP
36.0%

Great color volume. It's mainly limited by the incomplete color gamut, as it can display dark saturated colors well, and most colors are as bright as pure white.

7.7
Picture Quality
Gradient
Color Depth
10 Bit
Red (Std. Dev.)
0.109
Green (Std. Dev.)
0.106
Blue (Std. Dev.)
0.080
Gray (Std. Dev.)
0.225

Good gradient handling, but there's some severe banding, especially in green and shades of gray. If you want another budget-friendly TV with even better gradient handling, check out the Hisense H9G.

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%

The TCL 65R625 shows no signs of temporary image retention, even immediately after displaying our high-contrast static test image for ten minutes.

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
6.7
Motion
Response Time
80% Response Time
7.4 ms
100% Response Time
15.3 ms

The TCL 6 Series R625 2019 has an okay response time. Dark scene transitions are slow, causing visible ghosting. Also, the TV's backlight flicker causes some duplications and motion artifacts that can be annoying. This behavior is depicted in the above response time photo.

9.9
Motion
Flicker-Free
Flicker-Free
No
PWM Dimming Frequency
960 Hz

The TV uses PWM (Pulse-Width Modulation) to dim its backlight, and it flickers at all brightness levels. The relatively high flicker frequency shouldn't bother most people, but it causes some noticeable motion artifacts.

10
Motion
Black Frame Insertion (BFI)
Optional BFI
Yes
Min Flicker for 60 fps
60 Hz
60 Hz for 60 fps
Yes
120 Hz for 120 fps
N/A
Min Flicker for 60 fps in Game Mode
60 Hz

Update 06/17/2020: There was a minor mistake in our BFI scoring. It's been corrected, and the score has increased a bit.

This TV has an optional black frame insertion feature. When enabled, the backlight's flicker frequency drops to 60Hz, which improves the appearance of motion but also causes duplications of the image. To use this feature, you must enable the LED Motion Clarity setting.

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

The TCL 6 Series 2019 has an optional motion interpolation feature, but it can only increase the frame rate up to 60 frames per second.

The setting that controls motion interpolation is the Action Smoothing.

7.7
Motion
Stutter
Frame Hold Time @ 24 fps
26.4 ms
Frame Hold Time @ 60 fps
1.4 ms

Due to the TV's slower response time, there's less stutter when watching 24p movies. However, it can still happen in some slow, panning shots.

10
Motion
24p Judder
Judder-Free 24p
Yes
Judder-Free 24p via 60p
Yes
Judder-Free 24p via 60i
Yes
Judder-Free 24p via Native Apps
Yes

This TV can remove judder from all sources, which is unusual for a 60Hz TV. To use it, Natural Cinema must be set to 'On'. Note that this feature can't be used when motion interpolation is enabled.

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

Note 11/16/2020: The latest firmware version 9.4.0 adds VRR support; however, we no longer have this TV to test it.

The TCL 6 Series 2019 has a 60Hz refresh rate and doesn't support any of the variable refresh rate technologies, like AMD's FreeSync. This TV's successor, the TCL 6 Series/R635 2020 has a 120Hz refresh rate.

Inputs
9.1
Inputs
Input Lag
1080p @ 60 Hz
11.3 ms
1080p @ 60 Hz Outside Game Mode
94.2 ms
1440p @ 60 Hz
10.7 ms
4k @ 60 Hz
10.8 ms
4k @ 60 Hz + 10 bit HDR
13.3 ms
4k @ 60 Hz @ 4:4:4
10.6 ms
4k @ 60 Hz Outside Game Mode
94.3 ms
4k @ 60 Hz With Interpolation
94.3 ms
8k @ 60 Hz
N/A
1080p @ 120 Hz
N/A
1440p @ 120 Hz
N/A
4k @ 120 Hz
N/A
1080p with Variable Refresh Rate
N/A
1440p with VRR
N/A
4k with VRR
N/A
8k with VRR
N/A
Auto Low Latency Mode (ALLM)
Yes

The R625 has a remarkably low input lag. To get the lowest latency, 'Game' mode must be enabled. It also has an Auto Low Latency Mode, which switches the TV to 'Game' mode automatically when it detects a game being launched from a compatible device like an Xbox One or a PC.

6.7
Inputs
Supported Resolutions
Resolution 4k
1080p @ 60 Hz @ 4:4:4
No
1080p @ 120 Hz
No
1440p @ 60 Hz
Yes (forced resolution required)
1440p @ 120 Hz
No
4k @ 60 Hz
Yes
4k @ 60 Hz @ 4:4:4
Yes
4k @ 120 Hz
No
8k @ 30 Hz or 24 Hz
No
8k @ 60 Hz
No

The TCL 6 Series 2019 can display chroma 4:4:4 properly, but only in 4k. When sending a 1080p or 1440p signal from a PC, it can't display chroma 4:4:4 properly, so text doesn't look clear. This is very surprising, as almost all 4k TVs can do this, so we expect it's a bug with the current firmware. We'll retest this with future firmware updates.

Inputs
Input Photos

All of the inputs are side-facing and easily accessible when the TV is wall-mounted.

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 (incl. adapter)
Tuner (Cable/Ant) 1
Ethernet 1
DisplayPort 0
IR In 0
SD/SDHC 0
Inputs
Inputs Specifications
HDR10
Yes
HDR10+
No
Dolby Vision
Yes
HLG
Yes
3D
No
HDMI 2.0 Full Bandwidth
Yes (HDMI 1,2,3,4)
HDMI 2.1
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
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

Note 11/16/2020: The latest firmware version 9.4.0 adds eARC support; however, we no longer have this TV to test it.

Sound Quality
6.0
Sound Quality
Frequency Response
Low-Frequency Extension
106.79 Hz
Std. Dev. @ 70
5.78 dB
Std. Dev. @ 80
5.86 dB
Std. Dev. @ Max
6.76 dB
Max
89.7 dB SPL
Dynamic Range Compression
2.84 dB

This TV has a mediocre frequency response. The low-frequency extension (LFE) is high, resulting in a bass that lacks thump or rumble, but has a bit of punch. Above the LFE, the response is flat, resulting in clear, even dialogue, but it lacks airiness due to the drop in the mid-treble. This TV has good max volume and should be loud enough for most rooms, and there's very little compression or pumping artifacts.

6.6
Sound Quality
Distortion
Weighted THD @ 80
0.105
Weighted THD @ Max
0.423
IMD @ 80
12.19%
IMD @ Max
17.10%

Decent distortion performance. The total amount of harmonic distortion at 80dB SPL is good, but it increases a bit at max volume. Like the TCL R617, this TV produces high amounts of inter-modulation distortion, but most people won't notice this.

Smart Features
8.0
Smart Features
Interface
Smart OS Roku TV
Version 9.1.2
Ease of Use
Easy
Smoothness
Very Smooth
Time Taken to Select YouTube
4 s
Time Taken to Change Backlight
3 s
Advanced Options
Many

The TCL 6 Series R625 runs on Roku OS, which is user-friendly and runs very smoothly.

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

Unfortunately, like all Roku TVs we've tested, there are large ads on the home screen and they can't be disabled.

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

Roku's app store has a great selection of streaming apps, covering the majority of the most popular streaming services.

7.0
Smart Features
Remote
Size
Small
Voice Control
Search, Some Other Features
CEC Menu Control
Limited Support
Other Smart Features
No
Remote App Roku

The remote control is small and simple, very similar to other Roku TVs. It has shortcuts to popular streaming services and the volume control is located on the side of the remote. It has a built-in microphone for voice control but doesn't have the private listening feature found on older TCL TVs like the TCL P607.

Smart Features
TV Controls

The TV's controls consist of a single button located on the right back side of the TV. It allows you to turn the TV On/Off and change the input source.

Smart Features
In The Box

  • User guide
  • Remote control
  • 2 x AAA batteries
  • Composite adapter
  • VESA spacers
  • Stand covers

Smart Features
Misc
Power Consumption 85 W
Power Consumption (Max) 239 W
Firmware 9.1.2 build 6134-88