- Table of Contents
- Intro
- Design
- Picture Quality
- Motion
- Inputs
- Sound Quality
- Smart Features
- Sizes and Variants
- Compared
- Conclusion
- Discussions
TCL S Series/S405 4k 2018
TV REVIEW
The TCL S405 is a good entry-level 4k Roku TV with decent picture quality and motion. It has low input lag and little motion blur, making it a great pick for video games. Unfortunately, though, its viewing angle is quite narrow, and it doesn't get very bright, making it less suitable for well-lit environments. Overall, it is better than other budget TVs like the Toshiba Fire TV.
The S405 is being gradually replaced by the S425/423/421. 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.
| Design | 6.5 |
| Picture Quality | 7.2 |
| Motion | 6.7 |
| Inputs | 9.4 |
| Sound Quality | 6.0 |
| Smart Features | 7.5 |
- Very low input lag
- Great contrast, blacks are deep
- Low motion blur keeps fast content clear
- Doesn't get very bright
- Picture quality deteriorates at an angle
Update 2/28/2019: Converted to Test Bench 1.3. Learn more about our versioned test bench system here.
Update 10/24/2018: The S405/403/401 are gradually being replaced by the S425/423/421. There are only cosmetic differences between the old and new models.
Update 3/12/2018: Converted to Test Bench 1.2. Learn more about our versioned test bench system here.
Update 1/19/2018: There is a problem with how the Xbox One, Xbox One S and Xbox One X detect the audio passthrough capabilities of TCL TVs; a workaround is detailed in the Additional Review Notes.
Update 8/10/2017: Converted to Test Bench 1.1. Learn more about our new versioned test bench system here.
Update 7/18/2017: It was discovered that 4:4:4 color is only properly displayed in PC mode. The TV forces PC mode when it detects a PC input. The review has been updated.
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Design
The design of the TCL S405 is quite basic and in line with other TCL TVs such as the US5800 from 2016. It has a wide stand which requires quite a large table but supports the TV well.
Update 3-19-2019: The design of the S425/423/421 models might have some cosmetic differences but we have not reviewed them yet to provide you with more detail.
The build quality of the S405 is decent. The top half of the back is metal, but the bulk of the TV is plastic (including the borders). This won't present problems during use but doesn't feel as premium as other high end TVs, or even the LeEco Super4.
Picture Quality
The TCL S Series / 4 Series 4k LED TV has a better than average picture quality. When set in a dark room, blacks look deep and dark scenes from movies are reproduced very well thanks to the great native contrast ratio and the excellent black uniformity. When set in a bright room with more lighting, the S405 can't really overcome glare since it can't get very bright and can't deal very well with reflections. The viewing angle is also not that good and the best picture quality is only reserved for a narrow zone in front of the TV. The gray uniformity could be better and dirty screen effect is noticeable. Finally, HDR is average and the lack of a wide color gamut, low HDR peak brightness, and lack of local dimming doesn't make HDR content stand out.
The TCL S425 / S405 has a very good native contrast ratio for a LED TV. With over a 4000:1, the S405 contrast ratio is over what we consider to be a good value for a TV and will procure deep enough blacks to make dark scene pleasant to watch, especially when the TV is set in a bright room. In comparison, this is a small improvement over the 2016 TCL US5800.
Disappointing SDR peak brightness, good enough for a moderately lit room but not bright enough for a well lit room. The brightness does remain unchanged no matter the scene shown, which is good. The edges of the screen are slightly dimmer than the center, as seen by the lower real scene brightness. This brightness is very similar to the lower tier TCL S305, but a lot less than the next tier P607.
Bad HDR peak brightness, highlights in HDR will not be shown much brighter than the rest of the scene. The brightness does remain consistent no matter the scene due to the TV's lack of CE dimming, which is good. This brightness is a lot lower than the more expensive TCL P607.
The TCL 4 Series / S Series gray uniformity could be better and a lot of the uniformity problems come from the edge of the screen being a bit darker than the center, especially the corners. There is also a large darker band on the top of the screen with some smaller vertical one that is a bit warmer/dirtier than the rest of the screen. Dirty screen effect is visible when watching some specific content like hockey of football, where there are large panning shots over a uniform surface. For normal content like movies or TV show, dirty screen effect is less of a problem though.
Looking at our 5% test picture, we can see that both sides are a bit brighter than the center, but this is not really a uniformity problem, but more a visual effect due to the narrow viewing angle.
The native black uniformity of the TCL S405 is very good. Looking at the black uniformity test picture, we can see some clouding near the top and bottom edge but luckily, this is really faint and does not really affect our test result and also it did not show up in dark scene while looking at regular video content. Note that here, the black level of the test picture doesn't look that deep, but here the test is evaluating the uniformity of the screen and not the black level.
Out of the box, the TCL S405 / S425 accuracy is impressive and for most people, even enthusiasts, it would be very hard to notice the little inaccuracies. Overall, the colors are tracking their target pretty well and the white balance and gamma too, which is pretty good. At this level of accuracy, a calibration would not be needed and could be used as is in most case.
After calibration, the TCL S405 is one of the most accurate TV we ever reviewed. At this level of accuracy, most imperfections are not even noticeable. Since the TV was already very accurate out of the box, the calibration was done in a breeze and no real issues came up during the process.
Like other TCL TVs, the calibration is only possible via the mobile apps and is one of the easiest methods available from all the major brand of TV we have worked with. The 11 points white balance control and the color space control are fairly responsive and procure a very easy way to do the calibration.
You can see our recommended settings here.
No issues can be seen with native 4k content.
Update 02/26/2018: We have received reports that the 49" model of the S405 (49S405) has a different panel, which displays a crosshatching like effect which is visible from up-close (see here). This appears to be similar to the P607 (visible in the pixels photo here)
Narrow color gamut, only good enough for SDR content. The true color gamut is shown by the maximum red, green and blue in the Rec 2020 gamut picture. All other colors in the Rec 2020 picture, and all the P3 colors are shown horribly undersaturated, likely because the TV is prioritizing brightness over color accuracy because the TV is so dim. These tests were done at 75% brightness stimulus; shown here and here are tests done at a dimmer 50% stimulus that have much better accuracy. Most colors in HDR content will be at a dim stimulus and have decent accuracy, but very bright colors will have poor accuracy.
The TV's EOTF follows the HDR PQ curve fairly closely until 50% stimulus grey, where it rolls off very early to ease the transition to the TV's low peak brightness. This test was done with the 'Gamma' set to '2.0' in the TV's advanced picture settings in the Roku app; at the default 'Gamma' of '2.2' the EOTF was dimmer than the PQ curve, shown here, and shown here with 'Game Mode' enabled. Users can change this 'Gamma' setting to suit the brightness of their room.
Disappointing color volume. The TV's color gamut narrows significantly when showing very dark saturated colors, which is visible in both color volumes. The color gamut remains full for bright saturated Rec 2020 colors, but the gamut narrows significantly when showing bright P3 colors, likely due to the TV's tone mapping prioritizing brightness over color accuracy because the TV is so dim.
The TCL S425 / S405 can display our test gradient very smoothly and without any banding normally seen on 8-bit panels. Some little imperfection can be seen on the dark green and toward the end of the dark grayscale, but this is very minimal. Banding in HDR movies was not a problem and the performance is very good overall.
We don't expect VA panels to experience permanent image retention, as the VA panel in our long-term test appears immune.
Motion
The motion performance of the TCL S405 is decent. The response time is great, resulting in a very short trail following fast moving objects. The image flickers at all backlight settings, but since the backlight flickers at 120Hz, this is not noticeable for most people. Black frame insertion cannot be used with this TV, so fast motion will always be affected by some eye tracking blur. This TV can play 24p movies without judder, but some minor judder can be seen when playing movies from 60 fps sources, which is not noticeable to most people. The S405 offers no motion interpolation options, so it cannot produce smoothed video, also know as the soap opera effect.
Unfortunately the S405 has no option to reduce its flicker frequency to 60 Hz, although its 120 Hz PWM backlight does help somewhat to make motion look clearer.
The S405 is unable to produce motion interpolation, so fans of the soap opera effect could be disappointed.
The TCL S405 / S425 is good at displaying content smoothly, without stutter. After each transition completes with 24p content, the frame remains static for only ~27ms. This produces a smoother image as the response time helps to blur the transition between frames.
Like the 2017 TCL P607 and 2016 TCL US5800, the S405 can only display without judder 24p movies when they are played from 24 sources like DVDs or Blu-rays. 24p Movies playing from 60p/60i sources like cable or satellite boxes will have some judder.
There is not specific feature or option needed to be turn on to remove judder from 24p movies on 24p sources, as the TV detect and display them correctly.
The S405 has a 60Hz panel without support for more advanced features such as FreeSync.
Inputs
The S405 can display nearly any content, including HDR. However, its chroma 4:2:0 support is inconsistent. It has outstanding low input lag, good enough even for competitive gamers.
Update 05/06/2019: The S405 now supports Auto Low Latency Mode, and will automatically enable 'Game Mode' when you start playing a game on a supported device. We tested it with an Xbox One S.
Update 07/18/2017: The TV only shows 4:4:4 color properly when in 'PC mode'. For most sources this is accomplished by changing the input's icon to 'Computer'. For a PC, if the TV detects a PC as its source it forces PC mode, and this cannot be avoided except by intercepting the AVI infoframes sent from the PC. The 4:4:4 input lag measurements were in error, but all input lag measurements have now been updated (essentially unchanged).
Excellent low input lag, good enough for even competitive gamers. All picture modes have the same low input lag when the 'Game Mode' setting is on, and 4:4:4 color is displayed properly in all modes. This input lag is very similar to the higher tier TCL P607.
Most resolutions are supported. 4k @ 60 Hz is only supported when the HDMI input used is set to HDMI 2.0 in the TV's settings. 4:4:4 color is displayed properly in all picture modes.
The TV's 4:2:0 color support is inconsistent. 4:2:0 isn't displayed properly from some sources, such as a PC (whites turn pink, scanlines), while our HDR Blu-ray player had no such issue. This inconsistency could be a problem for 4k @ 60 Hz sources that only support HDMI 1.4, as 4:2:0 is needed for these sources to remain within the bandwidth cap of HDMI 1.4.
Update 07/18/2017: The TV only shows 4:4:4 color properly when in 'PC mode'. Sharpness also has no effect in PC mode, even though the slider can still be changed. For most sources PC mode is activated by changing the input's icon to 'Computer'. For a PC, if the TV detects a PC as its source it forces PC mode, and this cannot be avoided except by intercepting the AVI infoframes sent from the PC. Changing the input's icon does not avoid this forced PC mode. This behavior was not known during initial testing, leading to the incorrect assumption that 4:4:4 color is displayed properly in all modes.
Not all features of CEC are supported with all devices. When the TV is powered off CEC capable devices are also powered off, but the TV's remote couldn't be used to navigate the menu of our PlayStation 3 or any other device tested.
Update 01/19/2018: There is a problem with how the Xbox One, Xbox One S and Xbox One X detect the audio passthrough capabilities of TCL TVs; a workaround is detailed in the Additional Review Notes.
Sound Quality
The S405 unfortunately sounds quite poor. Even an entry-level soundbar will be a significant upgrade.
Smart Features
The S405 runs the Roku TV smart platform, which is more simple than other platforms but is very easy to use and has a great app. The interface is remarkably smooth, with little lag or frame drops. The Roku platform doesn't have as many apps as some other platforms, but it has most of the popular ones like Netflix. The remote is very basic and has few buttons, but the Roku app for smartphones and tablets can do many things to the TV, such as changing between apps and inputs, acting as the TV's remote and casting the phone or tablet's own media to the TV.
The Roku interface responds lightning fast, with smooth animations and almost no lag. The column based layout is easy to use, and all lists loop to the bottom when pressing 'up' on the first item, making navigation faster. Unfortunately almost all navigation must pass through the home menu, which adds extra steps to many interactions.
Update 01/24/2018: There is a bug with the 'Color' slider in HDR: sometimes when the slider is increased then decreased immediately, or vice versa, the TV freezes, crashes and reboots. This shouldn't be a problem for normal usage though.
The main interface has no ads, though third party apps can have ads. You can opt out of personalized advertising for these ads in apps using the TV's 'Limit Ad Tracking' option. The home menu has a large box for suggested content, which can be annoying.
Update 02/04/2019: The S405 is now showing ads on the home screen.
Roku calls its apps 'Streaming Channels', but they work like normal apps. There aren't as many apps for Roku as for some other smart platforms, but most of the popular ones are available such as Netflix, YouTube and Amazon Video. Apps run smoothly with little lag or frame drops, like the rest of the interface.
The remote is very basic, with only Roku navigation and app buttons, playback control and volume control on the side. It lacks the features found on the higher tier TCL remotes such as a headphone jack and speaker for playing the TV's audio, and the 'Find Remote' feature where the remote makes noise so it can be found. This basic remote is nearly identical to that of the TCL S305 and last year's US5800.
Differences between Sizes and Variants
We tested the 43" (43S405). For the most part, we expect our review to be valid for the 49" (49S405), 55" (55S405) and 65" (65S405) versions.
If someone comes across a different type of panel or if their TCL S405 (S-Series) doesn't correspond to our review, let us know and we will update the review. The TCL S305 is essentially the same TV, but it features a 1080p or 720p resolution and can be found in smaller sizes.
Update 02/26/2018: We have received reports that the 49" model of the S405 (49S405) has a different panel, which displays a crosshatching like effect which is visible from up-close (see here). This appears to be similar to the P607 (visible in the pixels photo here)
| Size | Model | Variant - S403 | Variant - S401 |
| 43" | 43S405 | 43S403 | |
| 49" | 49S405 | 49S403 | |
| 55" | 55S405 | 55S403 | 55S401 |
| 65" | 65S405 | 65S403 | 65S401 |
Update 10/24/2018: The S405/403/401 are gradually being replaced by the S425/423/421. Internally, they are the exact same TV. The only changes are cosmetic. This is a gradual roll-out, so some areas may still sell the S405.
Update 02/19/2019: TCL has released a 50" version of the S425. We don't know if there are any differences.
Update 03/15/2019: TCL has also released a 75" version of the S425/423/421.
Compared to other TVs
The TCL S405 offers great value for money, since it delivers picture quality and a feature set uncommon for its budget price range. See our recommendations for the best budget TVs and the best smart TVs.
The TCL S Series S405 4k and the TCL 4 Series S425 have very similar performance. The TCL S425 has marginally higher contrast ratio, which is great for watching movies in a dark room, and a slightly lower input lag, which is good for playing video games. The S405, on the other hand, can remove 24p judder from the native apps.
The Samsung NU6900 is marginally better than the TCL S Series S405. The Samsung NU6900 has slightly better dark room performance thanks to the higher contrast ratio and better black uniformity. The Samsung NU6900 has a motion interpolation feature to improve motion. The TCL S405 has a lower input lag, which is great for playing video games. The TCL can display judder-free movies from many sources and has slightly crisper motion thanks to the faster response time.
The TCL P607 is better than the TCL S405. The TCL P607 has better contrast and supports local dimming so it can display deep blacks. The TCL P607 also has better HDR performance, better color volume and higher levels of brightness. Also, the TCL P607 has a faster response time which is great for fast content. On the other hand, the TCL S405 has slightly better reflection handling which can be good if you watch TV shows in a room with many light sources.
The TCL 4 Series (S405) is significantly better than the TCL S305. 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 5 Series (S517) is slightly better than the TCL 4 Series (S405). The TCL S517 has deeper blacks due to the better contrast, and this is great if you watch movies in a dark room. Also, the TCL S517 can get brighter, and its image will look better in a bright room, and it incorporates motion interpolation for the fans of the soap opera effect. On the other hand, the TCL S405 has a lower input lag which is great if you play video games, and better reflection handling if your room has many small light sources.
The TCL R617 is significantly better than the TCL S405. The TCL R617 can deliver deeper blacks thanks to the higher native contrast ratio, and has a local dimming feature to further enhance dark room performance. The R617 can remove 24p judder from older movies and can get much brighter. The R617 has a wide color gamut and can display more vivid colors. The TCL S405, on the other hand, has marginally lower input lag for video games.
The TCL S405 is much better than the Insignia Fire TV. The TCL has better reflection handling, so it's more suitable for a room with many light sources. Also, the TCL has lower input lag and is more responsive to your actions which is great if you use the TV for gaming or a PC monitor. The Insignia Fire TV, on the other hand, has a motion interpolation feature that will please soap opera effect fans.
The TCL S405 is better than the Toshiba Fire TV 2018. The TCL S405 has better reflection handling if you wish to place the TV in a room with many light sources, and also has better out of the box color accuracy. The TCL S405 has lower input lag and is very responsive for gaming or when used as a PC monitor. On the other hand, the Toshiba Fire TV 2018 can get much brighter and can fight glare in a bright room. Finally, the Toshiba Fire TV 2018 has a motion interpolation feature for those who like the soap opera effect.
The TCL S405 is better than the LG UJ6300. The TCL S405 has a VA panel with a higher contrast ratio and better black uniformity, which make it a better choice if you watch movies in a dark room while seating directly in front. However, for a large room with a wide seating arrangement, the LG UJ6300 is a better choice, as it has better viewing angles due to its IPS panel. It can also handle reflections slightly better. The LG UJ6300 has a lower input lag which is important if you play games or use the TV as a PC monitor, whereas the TCL S405 has a faster response time that leaves a smaller blur trail when you watch fast-action sports.
The Samsung NU7100 is a bit better than the TCL S405. The Samsung NU7100 has a motion interpolation feature that will please the soap opera effect fans. The NU7100 also has a slightly high native contrast ratio that is great for movies and can get a little brighter. The TCL S405 can remove 24p judder has a marginally faster response time that leaves a smaller blur trail in fast-moving content, like sports.
The TCL S405 is better than the Element Fire TV. The S405 supports HDR, while the Fire TV does not. The TCL is more consistent in its ability to remove judder from 24p sources. The S405 also has much lower input for gaming or for use as a PC monitor. The Element Fire TV is a lot brighter, and has an optional motion interpolation feature.
The TCL S405 4k TV is slightly better than the Vizio E Series 2017. The S405 has much better low input lag, making it a better choice for gamers. The TCL S405 doesn't have a local dimming feature but the local dimming on the Vizio E Series isn't very effective. The Vizio E Series 2017 has a much better black frame insertion feature than the TCL S405, so motion will look a little more fluid but it sacrifices some brightness.
The two TVs are quite different. The Vizio D Series 1080p 2017 is a 1080p basic TV, that due to its IPS panel, has better viewing angles than the TCL S405. On the other hand, the TCL S405 has a significantly better 4k resolution, can handle HDR input signal, and is capable of showing basic HDR content. Also, the TCL S405 has a much better contrast ratio and can display deep blacks, which is great when watching movies in a dark room. Finally, the TCL S405 has significantly better inputs for use as a PC monitor and a bit better input lag to please those who play video games.
The TCL S405 and Samsung MU6290 deliver very similar performance overall. The TCL S405 has a better response time and can remove judder from most 24p sources. The Samsung MU6290 is much brighter and has more options for smoothing out motion, including optional motion interpolation and a better black frame insertion feature, but can't remove judder from 24p sources.
The TCL S405 is much better than the Samsung M4500. The S405 has a native 4k screen and can take advantage of the latest technologies. The S405 has much lower input lag and a faster response time, great for fast action movies or for gaming. The TCL has better black uniformity. The Samsung M4500 is a bit brighter and has an optional motion interpolation feature which can smooth out motion on lower frame rate content.
The TCL S405 is a much better TV than the LG LJ5500. The TCL has 4K resolution, better contrast, and better black uniformity, which is great if you watch movies in a dark room. The TCL also has better input lag and a faster response time that make it a better choice if you play games. On the other hand, the LG LJ5500 has an IPS panel and thus has better viewing angles.
Conclusion
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