The TCL S305 is being gradually replaced by the S325/321 models. Other than minor cosmetic differences, we don't expect there to be any difference between them. The model available may vary depending on your specific region and retailer.
Our Verdict
Passable TV for mixed usage. The TCL S325 / S305 is a fairly basic TV overall, but its picture quality isn't bad. 1080p resolution is a downside, especially if the TV is going to be watched up close.
- Blacks are well reproduced
- Excellent smart features
- Cannot get bright
- Picture quality deteriorates at an angle
- Picture settings are very limited
Unremarkable Movies performance. Black levels are good, but the TV doesn't support local dimming and has some uniformity issues. It also only has a 1080p resolution.
Decent TV for watching TV shows. Upscaling of lower resolution content is good, and the Roku platform provides all that is needed for online content. The S305 can be a bit dim though.
Average TV for sports watching. The TCL 3 Series / S Series has decent motion performance and viewing angles. Unfortunately though, it cannot get very bright, which is an issue for weekend games in a well-lit room.
The TCL S325 / S305 makes for a decent gaming TV. Input lag is good, and motion performance is better than average.
Poor choice for HDR. The TV does not get bright enough, and it isn't supported.
Since HDR is not supported, the S305 is not a good TV for newer systems such as the PS4 pro.
Inadequate PC monitor. Motion blur is a bit higher than preferred and essential resolutions are not supported, causing text to look fuzzy and hard to read.
Changelog
- Updated May 21, 2020: Converted to Test Bench 1.5.
- Updated Feb 21, 2020: Converted to Test Bench 1.4.
- Updated Feb 28, 2019: Converted to Test Bench 1.3.
- Updated Jan 09, 2019: We retested the DTS passthrough with the new firmware and now it works properly. The corresponding review section has been updated.
Check Price
Differences Between Sizes And Variants
We tested the 40" (40S305). For the most part, we expect our review to be valid for the 43" (43S305) and 49" (49S305) versions. The 32 inch (32S305) and 28 inch (28S305) versions have a 720p resolution.
Our review should also apply to the 43S305 found at Costco and other retailers, with only a few cosmetic differences.
If someone comes across a different type of panel or if their TCL S305 doesn't correspond to our review, let us know and we will update the review.
| Size | Model | Resolution |
| 28" | 28S305 | 720p |
| 32" | 32S305 | 720p |
| 40" | 40S305 | 1080p |
| 43" | 43S305 | 1080p |
| 49" | 49S305 | 1080p |
Update 10/24/2018: The S305 is gradually being replaced by the S325. There are only cosmetic differences between the old and new models.
Update 11/05/2018: TCL has released the 32S327. It appears to be identical to the 32S325 and 32S305, but with a 1080p resolution.
Popular TV Comparisons
The S305 is a decent budget TV. It's so cheap that most of its competition is usually quite bad, and you rarely find TVs equipped with good smart features at this price (see our recommendations for the best cheap TVs and the best TVs under $300).
The TCL S Series/S405 4k 2018 is significantly better than the TCL S Series/S305 2018. The TCL S405 has better HDR performance due to the better HDR peak brightness and better color volume. It can also deliver better blacks due to the higher native contrast ratio and better black uniformity, and this is great if you watch movies in a dark room. The S405 is also better for gaming as it has lower input lag, which makes it very responsive. Finally, it has significantly better inputs for use as a PC monitor.
The TCL S Series/S305 2018 is marginally better than the TCL 1 Series/D100. The TCL S305 runs the Roku TV smart platform, whereas the TCL D100 does not have a smart feature platform. If you wish to use it as a smart TV, you need to use an external box or dongle. The TCL S305 can remove 24p judder from movies, whereas the TCL D100 can display crisp text when used as a monitor.
For those with bright rooms and wide seating arrangements, the LG LJ5500 is a better choice than the TCL S Series/S305 2018 due to its wide viewing angles and higher brightness. However, if you will be sitting right in front and enjoy watching movies in a dark room, then the TCL S305 is a better choice as it has better blacks due to the higher native contrast ratio and better black uniformity.
The Vizio D Series 1080p 2017 has an IPS panel that makes it more suitable for wide viewing arrangements, whereas the TCL S Series/S305 2018 has a VA panel and is more suitable for darker environments. The TCL S305 has a significantly better contrast ratio and better black uniformity, so blacks are deep and uniform. This is great if you watch HDR movies. On the other hand, the Vizio D Series 1080p 2017 has slightly better viewing angles, which can be good if you use it as a PC monitor, and slightly better input lag for those who play video games.
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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