TCL's latest offering 55P6US scores on price, design and picture quality

Attractive television prices have ensured that massive screens at homes are no longer a rarity. Owing to cut-throat competition in the segment, people can now enjoy great experiences by shelling out only a third of what they once used to. TCL has, of course, come out with some excellent budget TVs in recent times: the P Series from a few years ago received largely favourable reviews and was singled out particularly for its accurate colours and splendid overall picture quality. The Chinese manufacturer’s latest, the P6 series — I got my hands on the 55-inch P6US model — is already being talked about as a premier budget TV. Let’s see if it lives up to its billing. 

Design (4/5) 

The TCL 55P6US comes with a fairly minimalistic design: a metal frame and a bezel so narrow that you will barely notice it. What’s more, it’s wafer-thin (14.7 kg), making the task of mounting it on the wall fairly simple. At the back are three HDMI and two USB ports. 

Display and performance (3.5/5) 

The 4K UHD (3,840 x 2,160) display produces sharp and vivid colours. The blacks, however, are inconsistent and a little less deep than I would have liked. The P6 series supports the HDR10, the high dynamic format that allows for a more extensive range of colours. The best part, though, is the backlight adjustment feature that dims automatically to boost the brightness of on-screen objects. The Dolby Audio and its 5.1 surround sound are promising but suffer from inadequate bass support. 

The good part: the Netflix button is placed on the remote itself, which makes logging in super quick and hassle-free. But beyond that, browsing can get a little tedious: the TCL interface is laggard and difficult to navigate. Stuff as simple as a Google search can take painfully long. Setting up the T-cast — TCL’s own integrated Chromecast feature — is also a struggle. It requires you to download an app and is quite complicated to follow. 

Overall (3.5/5) 

Where TCL never disappoints is in its pricing. The 55P6US can be yours for under Rs 50,000 online, a staggeringly low amount for a TV so big and one that produces stellar picture quality. There are undoubtedly some imperfections, but if you’re looking for an affordable smart TV that performs on all basic fronts, then the TCL 55P6US is a deal you wouldn’t want to miss.

Pros 

Super-affordable 

Sharp display with backlight adjustment 

Cons 

Casting is a challenge

Browsing interface is difficult to navigate