TCL is putting its premium display technologies within the reach of more people with the launch of its affordable 5-Series and 6-Series TVs in Canada and the U.S. The 5-Series packs a 4K resolution, Quantum Dot QLED display, while the 6-Series is equipped with TCL’s newer Vidrian MiniLED display technology.
The TCL 5-Series and 6-Series TVs are the next step down from the company’s 8-Series MiniLED TVs that were launched earlier in the year, but they still come with many of the same features, including the Roku TV platform and support for High Dynamic Range content.
The biggest news is that the revamped 6-Series (pictured) now features TCL’s MiniLED display tech for the first time. MiniLED was exclusive to the 8-Series last year, and is said to deliver a big picture quality improvement over the company’s regular QLED displays. It’s built using LEDs of around 100 micrometers in size. That's much smaller than traditional LED displays, and so it means that many thousands more can be incorporated. The result is improved brightness, superior black levels and contrast ratios and a significantly reduced response time when compared to traditional LED TVs.
As we revealed last week, the 6-Series also supports gaming at up to 120 frames per second thanks to its THX Certified Game Mode, which makes it an ideal and much more affordable platform for next-generation games consoles like the PlayStation 5 and the Xbox Series X that are expected to launch just before Christmas.
While 5-Series is only equipped with a regular QLED display panel, TCL says it’s still able to deliver superior brightness and precise contrast levels through its use of Contrast Control Zone technology that drives up to 80 local dimming zones.
Meanwhile, both the 5-Series and the 6-Series are powered by TCL’s AiPQ Engine, which helps to optimise the colours, contrast and image clarity to deliver smoother and more accurate pictures on screen. The AiPQ Engine is made up of three algorithms, including Smart HDR for more vibrant colours, Smart 4K upscaling, which helps to improve Standard Definition and High Definition images for the 4K resolution screen, Smart Contrast, to add a greater sense of depth, TCL said.
The TVs also support HDR formats such as Dolby Vision, HDR10 and Hybrid Gamma Log, as well as Dolby Atmos audio for a more immersive listening experience.
Roku TV is present on both TVs. The world’s most popular smart TV operating system provides access to more than 500,000 movies and TV show episodes, various apps including Netflix and Amazon Prime Video, and enables users to control the TV with their voice instead of the remote.
TCL said the TCL 6-Series is available in the U.S. now, priced at $649 for the 55-inch versions, $899 for the 65-inch model, and $1,399 for the biggest 75-inch screen. The TCL 5-series TV is available in sizes ranging from 50-inches up to 75-inches, with prices starting at $400.
There’s no word yet on when the TVs will go on sale in the U.K., but we’re hopeful that TCL will provide an update soon.
