TCL teams up with Google for affordable smart TV that is really good value

TCL has released its first ultra high definition TVs powered by Android in Australia and they are seriously good value for money.

TCL’s Android C2 series brings you a large Ultra HD smart TV for seriously good value.

REVIEW

Chinese electronics manufacturer TCL has teamed up with Google for its 2017 C2 series smart TVs and the result is really satisfying.

The Chinese company — who’ve had a presence in the Australian market since 2004 — claim to be America’s fastest growing TV brand. The 2017 range is TCL’s first range of ultra high definition TVs powered by Android to be released in Australia and I had a play with the 55P20US model and was certainly impressed.

The thin and sleek TV has a standard flat-screen design and boasts a narrow bezel and a quality-sounding speaker that runs along the bottom of the display. The TV comes with two metallic feet which easily screw into the base of the TV and you should have no trouble assembling and setting up the device own your own.

Like other growing electronics manufacturers emanating from China, the company has staked its claim by competing on affordability and producing TVs that are arguably comparable to their more expensive competitors.

The TV boasts a narrow bezel and a quality-sounding harman/kardon speaker that runs along the bottom of the display.

TCL is known for producing TVs that outperform their price tag and while the Android-powered edition is more expensive than its predecessors in the C1 range, it still very much lives up to this promise. For under $2000 for the 55-inch version, it’s tough to find a better smart TV for the price which packs all the bells and whistles like this one.

The new Android M operating system gives users access to the Google Play store, built in default apps like YouTube, Spotify and DailyMotion as well as easy access to thousands of Movies, TV shows, apps, and online games.

The most pronounced button on the (sometimes confusing) remote is the Netflix button giving users the ability to jump straight into the streaming platform with just one click.

As TCL looks to further integrate such platforms into its smart TVs, it’s clear the marriage with Android is something the company is very pleased with.

“The emergence of smart technology as a standard feature in TVs has changed the way that consumers perceive their TVs. No longer are consumers merely tuning in to their favourite shows at a certain time, TVs are now a home entertainment media hub,” said Mark Zhang, General Manager of TCL Australia.

Another interesting feature is the ability to search things through voice command in the remote control like you would with Siri on Apple TV, for instance. However you’ll need to order the optional Air Mouse and Voice Command remote for about an extra $80 to get that privilege.

The TV also has built in Chromecast so you can control the TV from your handheld device or laptop, and 3 HDMI ports should satisfy most users.

The big screen TV will satisfy any home entertainment lover.

The 4K viewing is great, the colours and black-levels are excellent but there can be some light bleeding from the corners that might become slightly discernible in low ambient situations. But otherwise the colour gamut Ultra 4K HD resolution looks amazing. The bright colours and dense blacks which make the visual experience really pop is great for gaming.

The harman/kardon speaker that runs along the bottom of the TV produces great quality sound and is another impressive feature at this price range.

The functionality of the TV can sometimes leave a little to be desired and isn’t as smooth or intuitive as some other smart TVs on the market but that might just be a case of familiarising oneself.

The TV also takes quite some time to power on which sounds like an utterly ridiculous criticism but in a world of tech-powered instant gratification, waiting for about 35 seconds for your TV to turn on becomes surprisingly annoying after a while. However, this can be slightly improved in the settings.

All in all, a very good and highly worthwhile TV for under $2000 — particularly for this size. If you’re looking for a great new TV that doesn’t break the bank, this one is definitely worth a look.

FEATURES, SPECS AND TERMINALS:

• Resolution 3840 x 2160

• Wide Colour Gamut

• HDR 10

• HD MPEG 2/ MPEG 4 DTV Decoding with HbbTV

• Viewing Angle 178° H/178° V

• 8ms Refresh Rate

• 4000:1 Contrast Ratio

• Dual Band Wi-Fi

• UHD USB Media Player, inc. support for H. 265 (HEVC), H. 264, MPG 1/2/4

• HDMI Input (2.0/HDCP 2.2) x 4- MHL & ARC

• AV Input and Component Input

• Headphone Output & SPDIF Optical Output

• USB 2.0 x 1; USB 3.0 x 1

Originally published as TCL teams up with Google for affordable smart TV that is really good value