The TCL Q5/Q550F QLED is TCL's lowest-tier Q-series TV, below the TCL Q6/Q650G QLED and the TCL Q7/Q750G QLED. Unlike these models, the Q550F uses Amazon's Fire TV as its operating system. This TV is sold in parallel with the TCL Q5/Q550G QLED, which uses Google TV. It's a simple TV, but it does have a few extra features, such as three 4k @ 60Hz HDMI ports with variable refresh rate (VRR) support. Also, sizes 55 inches and above have TCL's Game Accelerator 120 feature for 1440p @ 120Hz gaming.
It supports Dolby Vision HDR and can passthrough some Dolby and DTS advanced audio formats. It doesn't have hands-free voice control, but its remote has an integrated microphone through which you can interact with Amazon Alexa. It has built-in Apple AirPlay 2 and Google Chromecast, so you can seamlessly stream your videos using your phone. We bought and tested the 50-inch model, but it's available in five other sizes: 43, 55, 65, 75, and 85 inches. The 43-inch model is a Canadian-only variant available from different retailers.
Our Verdict
The TCL Q550F is an okay TV for mixed usage. The TV's contrast is decent, but its HDR brightness is just alright, so it's not very good for dark room usage or for watching HDR content as bright highlights don't really pop, and blacks are raised whenever bright highlights are on screen. On the other hand, its SDR brightness is quite decent, and it has good reflection handling, so it's a solid pick for watching SDR content in a moderately lit room. Unfortunately, the TV has a narrow viewing angle, so it's not a good choice to use in a group setting. The smaller sizes of the TV are barebones when it comes to gaming features, although it does have VRR. Sizes bigger than 50 inches have some modern gaming features like 1080p/1440p @ 120Hz, with a wider VRR range.
Good reflection handling.
Narrow viewing angle.
No local dimming feature.
The TCL Q550F is alright for watching TV shows during the day. The built-in Fire TV smart interface comes loaded with a huge selection of streaming apps, so it's quick and easy to find your favorite shows. It also has Apple AirPlay 2 and Google Chromecast built-in, making casting a show directly from your phone a breeze. While its SDR brightness is only decent, it does have good reflection handling, so it's capable of handling some glare, especially from ambient sources of light. Unfortunately, the TV has a narrow viewing angle, so it's not a good choice for watching shows in a group setting, as anyone not directly in front of the TV has to watch a degraded image. It also has inadequate processing features, so if you watch lower-quality streams or shows on DVD, they aren't as smooth and sharp as they could be.
Good reflection handling.
Narrow viewing angle.
Poor low-quality content smoothing.
The TCL Q550F is okay for watching sports during the day. The TV has a good response time, so fast motion is clear and easy to see, with very little blur around fast-moving balls and players. It has decent peak brightness in SDR with good reflection handling so that visibility isn't an issue in moderately lit rooms, especially if you avoid glare from direct sources of light. On the other hand, it has a narrow viewing angle, so it's not a good choice for watching the game with friends, as anyone seated to the sides of the screen sees a degraded image.
Good reflection handling.
Narrow viewing angle.
The TCL Q550F is a good TV for gaming. It has a good enough response time that fast motion in games is clear, with very little blur or ghosting behind quick-moving objects. The TV has incredibly low input lag that provides a very responsive feel, and this model also supports VRR, so there is almost no screen tearing. Unfortunately, it has no ports capable of HDMI 2.1 bandwidth, so you can't play in 4k @ 120Hz. However, it supports up to 1440p @ 120Hz on the bigger models, so you can play at a higher frame rate if you prefer performance over image quality.
VRR support.
Very low input lag.
No HDMI 2.1 bandwidth.
The TCL Q550F is alright for watching HDR movies in a dark room. It has decent contrast but lacks a local dimming feature, so blacks aren't deep or inky when bright highlights are present on screen. It does, however, get bright enough for some minor highlights to stand out in HDR, but it's better suited for watching SDR movies due to its decent SDR brightness. Its color accuracy in SDR is mediocre without being calibrated, which is good enough for most people, but those who really care about accuracy won't be satisfied with this TV's performance out of the box.
Excellent PQ EOTF tracking.
Dolby Vision support.
Poor low-quality content smoothing.
No local dimming feature.
Doesn't remove 24p Judder from most content.
The TCL Q550F is very good for HDR gaming, even if HDR adds very little due to the TV's barely decent HDR brightness and contrast; it provides a pleasant enough gaming experience, but bright highlights don't really pop, and dark scenes look washed out when bright highlights are on screen. Still, it has low input lag, so it delivers a responsive gaming experience. It also has a good enough response time that you don't have much blur or ghosting around quick-moving objects on the screen. If you're buying one of the bigger models then you have access to 1440p @ 120Hz gaming, with a wide VRR range, alongside 4k @ 60Hz.
VRR support.
Very low input lag.
Dolby Vision gaming @ 60Hz.
No local dimming feature.
No HDMI 2.1 bandwidth.
The TCL Q550F is a good TV to use as a PC monitor. Due to its incredibly low input lag and very good response time, cursor movements are smooth and responsive, with little motion blur. When set to Game Mode, the TV displays chroma 4:4:4 signals properly, which is essential for clear text from a PC. It has decent SDR peak brightness and good reflection handling, so it does deal well with glare, especially from ambient sources of light, as it struggles a bit with glare from lights or windows placed directly opposite the screen. Unfortunately, it has a narrow viewing angle, so the sides of the screen aren't consistent with the middle when you sit close.
Good reflection handling.
Very low input lag.
Ability to display chroma 4:4:4 for clear text when in Game Mode.
Narrow viewing angle.
Changelog
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Updated Feb 10, 2025:
We retested the TV's HDR format support and determined it doesn't support HDR10+. We updated the introduction and the results and text in the Inputs Specifications section to reflect this.
- Updated Nov 28, 2024: Review published.
- Updated Nov 26, 2024: Early access published.
- Updated Nov 18, 2024: Our testers have started testing this product.
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Differences Between Sizes And Variants
We bought and tested the 50-inch TCL Q5/Q550F QLED (50Q550F), but these results are also valid for the 43-inch model (43Q550F-CA), which is exclusive to the Canadian market. Models bigger than 50 inches perform a bit differently since they have TCL's Game Accelerator Feature 120, but we expect most of our results to be applicable to those sizes as well. The Q550F is a variant of the TCL Q5/Q550G QLED, which is equipped with Google TV. Outside of the smart OS, both models are nearly identical, although the Q550F can passthrough advanced DTS audio formats through eARC. The 75- (75Q550F) and 85-inch (85Q550F) models also come with four HDMI ports instead of three on the smaller sizes, as well as slightly different feet.
| Size | US Model | Canadian Model | Game Accelerator 120 | HDMI ports |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 43" | - | 43Q550F-CA | No | 3 |
| 50" | 50Q550F | 50Q550F-CA | No | 3 |
| 55" | 55Q550F | 55Q550F-CA | Yes | 3 |
| 65" | 65Q550F | - | Yes | 3 |
| 75" | 75Q550F | - | Yes | 4 |
| 85" | 85Q550F | - | Yes | 4 |
See our unit's label.
Popular TV Comparisons
Much like the Google TV TCL Q5/Q550G QLED, the TCL Q550F, while unspectacular, is a good performer for its price. For gamers, it's especially interesting in sizes bigger than 50 inches, as it then comes with TCL's Game Accelerator 120 feature, enabling 1080p and 1440p gaming at 120Hz, with a wide VRR range. For everyone else, this product is functional and offers an okay performance overall. It's basically identical to the Q550G, so get the one with the Smart OS you prefer. If you're looking for better image processing, you could opt for the slightly better TCL Q6/Q651G QLED or the superior Hisense U6/U6N, although the latter can't play games at 120Hz with VRR enabled simultaneously.
For more options, check out our recommendations for the best budget TVs, the best QLED TVs, and the best gaming TVs.
The TCL Q651G and the TCL Q550F are very similar, and you should get the cheapest one you can find, or get the model with your preferred smart operating system, as the Q651G uses Google TV while the Q550F uses Amazon's Fire TV OS. When it comes to performance, the Q550F has the better contrast of the two and is also a bit brighter with better reflection handling. The Q651G is the more accurate of the two TVs, with generally better image processing.
The TCL Q550F and the Hisense QD65NF are similar in many ways, with the TCL having a slight edge overall. The TCL is by far the better gaming TV, as it has a faster response time, lower input lag, and a VRR feature. In its bigger sizes, it also supports up to 1440p @ 120Hz with a wider VRR range. The TCL also has slightly better contrast and is brighter than the Hisense, although the latter has a wider color gamut and a slightly wider viewing angle.
The TCL Q550G and the TCL Q550F are basically interchangeable, with the primary difference being their operating systems; the Q550G uses Google TV, while the Q550F uses Amazon's Fire TV OS. Otherwise, they perform more or less the same, although the Q550F has better reflection handling while the Q550G has a wider viewing angle. The Q550F also passes through advanced DTS audio formats through eARC.
The TCL S551G and the TCL Q550F are very similar, although the S551G uses Google TV while the Q550F uses Amazon's Fire TV OS. The Q550F has the better contrast and is the brighter of the two TVs, but the S551G has a wider viewing angle, making it better suited for wide seating arrangements. It also has the slightly better image processing overall.
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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