TCL North America’s refreshed 6-series Mini-LED TV has gone on sale in the U.S., with the flagship model boasting some serious improvements, such as 360 dimming zones and a 144Hz refresh rate.
The TCL 6-series has been one of the most popular bargain-priced premium TV models in the U.S. in the last couple of years, and the 2022 version comes in three sizes - 55-inches, 65-inches and 75-inches - with prices starting at just $700 for the smallest model. As for the 5-series, a cheaper model without Mini-LED, this is also available in a smaller, 50-inch model as well as the above sizes, with prices starting at just $430.
In a statement, the company said it has maintained its position as one of the top two TV brands in the U.S. due to its continued focus on meeting the needs of consumers with premium products at great value.
“The 6-Series has been our most highly-lauded model for delivering advanced features that TVs costing two or three times more would have and our new 2022 version is no different—innovative technology at incomparable value, thanks to the many advantages of being a vertically integrated company," said Chris Hamdorf, senior vice president of TCL.
A notable difference between the 2022 versions and their predecessors from last year is the operating system. TCL’s new 6-series and 5-series TVs will switch back to Roku OS, having opted for Google TV last year. TCL appears to have conceded that the shift was a mistake. Previously, it had always used Roku OS. The 2021 6-series and 5-series TVs were the first to use Google TV, but unfortunately suffered with software issues that at one point saw them pulled from the shelves at Best Buy, one of America’s top retailers.
Roku OS is a solid choice and is very popular in the U.S. anyway, with access to Amazon Prime Video, Apple TV, Disney+, HBO Max, Netflix and many other streaming services and apps. It also supports Apple AirPlay2 and HomeKit.
In terms of specifications, the TCL 6-series now offers up to 360 Mini-LED dimming zones (in the largest 75-inch model), with support for up to 144Hz refresh rate with HDMI Variable Refresh Rate and AMD FreeSync, making it a good option for gamers. There are two HDMI 2.1 ports. Both the 6-series and the 5-series provide 4K resolution - TCL has not announced any new 8K model for 2022.
Other details include support for multi-HDR formats in Dolby Vision, HDR10+, HDR10 and HLG, plus surround sound through Dolby Atmos. The TVs are on sale now.
