TCL are a fairly obscure TV manufacturer but is their obscurity deserved? Or are their TVs severely underrated? Today we will be looking at one example in the form of the TCL 55P617K. Here is the key info.

• Manufacturer: TCL
• Model: 55P617K
• Year Released: 2021
• Screen Size: 55 Inch
• Resolution: 4K
• USB Ports: 1
• HDMI ports: 3
• Bluetooth: Yes

• Some noteworthy features include:

• Superior colour and contrast with HDR10 and Micro Dimming Pro technologies
• Google Assistant compatibility
• Wire-free connectivity
• Wall mount options
• 2-year warranty

For its price, the TV performs excellent in the visual department. The image is bright and able to display a wide range of colours and it’s 4K, making it incredibly valuable for a Smart TV of that price. The TV has an excellent 60 hz refresh rate but it is able to match the motion fluidity with competing models that have double the refresh rate.

The TV has several preset picture settings such as sports, low power and movie settings. One issue with the screen is its reflectiveness, which means that your screen is going to be full of lights, objects and your own reflection in dark scenes. Also getting the TV is not a good idea if you need it placed near somewhere sunlight can reflect off it.

The remote that comes with the TV has convenient buttons that provide shortcuts to Roku TV, Netflix, Hulu and Rudu. The remote is small and simple to navigate and can maintain a connection across long distances. Loading up Roku TV is fast and easy with rapid loading times and a menu that makes navigation easy.

Roku TV can make accessing your devices really easy because you can set the port to a plugged-in device which creates a button to instantly open the menu for the device you need to use.

The speakers are excellent for the price, the audio has deep bass with little to no distortion when raising the volume. The speakers are also durable and will last a long time, making it a good choice for people on a budget who may not want to buy speakers.

The screen is jam packed with features and is able to run most video services with good responsiveness and good quality video footage. It has 3 HDMI ports, 1 USB, 1 Ethernet, 1 cable spot and audio ports. It’s extremely versatile in terms of compatibility with other devices. If you need to use multiple consoles, want to use audio devices or hook it up directly to the internet, it’s got you covered.

Another good feature of this TV is its energy efficiency since it doesn’t consume much electricity without compromising the visual quality. The TV is quite thin and light but it does not feel cheap or flimsy by any means.

In conclusion, the TCL 55P617K is rather amazing. It’s cheap, versatile and able to keep up pretty well with more expensive TVs. Of course it’s not perfect, but the low quality features are only really noticeable in comparison to other TVs, and even then such TVs are way more expensive, so the more negative aspects make buying it still justifiable due to the value for money.

And if a 55” screen doesn’t tickle your fancy, this TCL model is available in different sizes including 43, 50, and 65 inches.

Author: Jason MacMillan