TCL 50S535 Review — Mid-Range TV With 4K Resolution And HDR At Great Value (2023)

In this age, 4K TVs have gradually devoured the market due to users’ demand to have a better angled viewing and clarity for an outstanding visual experience. However, these TVs often come at exorbitant prices.

To provide users with a budget-friendly 4K TV that delivers excellent-looking pictures, TCL developed a mid-range 5-Series TV, which our experts will discuss in this TCL 50S535 review.

What We Like

What We Don't Like

TCL 50S535 Design

TCL 50S535 design is similar to other 4K TV designs in the 5-Series, except for the various individual sizes. It’s a 50-inch 4K QLED TV with a claw-foot stance design for more balance [1]

The claw-foot design is where the two feet are spread far apart from each other. Though the claw-foot stand feels slightly flimsy, it can hold the TV well. The 4K TV will also need a table that’s as wide as the TV to accommodate the claws. But if you want a more clutter free installation, you can even mount your TV on the wall without using studs here

Its bezels are thin, which is a slight improvement over the S525. Though it doesn’t have the premium design evident in TCL 6 Series, the metal and plastic design is solid.

The 4K 5-series TV has numerous ports and inputs at the back, such as HDMI inputs and a port for Ethernet connection.

If you want to hang your TV on a wall, you can follow these recommended steps to hang a TV on a brick wall

Features of the TCL 50S535

Video Performance

During testing, our experts noticed the pictures were a little bit blurry when viewing from the side unlike when we reviewed the Samsung Q60A series flatscreen TVs with bright and impressive content viewing. The SDR and HDR peak brightness wasn’t up to par when our team streamed content from Netflix on 4K input. Compared to TCL 6-Series, the brightness didn’t remain constant, which relatively hampered our viewing quality.

However, the color gamut is accurate, and our team of experts was impressed by the TV’s wide-range color display for HDR viewing. The color is deep and saturated, thanks to its impressive contrast.

If you are looking for flatscreen TVs that deliver excellent video display, you can also check our review of Samsung  QN900A series TVs here

TCL 50S535 Resolution

TCL 50S535 has a 4K resolution of 3,840 x 2,160 pixels. High resolutions including 1080p resolution, 720p, 480p, 1440p and 4K are well-supported by the TCL 50S535. The picture clarity on these resolutions is pretty good. 

Refresh Rate

TCL 50S535 features a low refresh rate of 60Hz. Though the refresh is limited, it still has a relatively low input lag, which is atypical of 60Hz TVs. An average gamer will appreciate this TCL TV due to the low input lag, but a hardcore gamer may discard this TV, favoring the bigger 120 Hz due to lack of Variable Refresh Rate (VRR).

However, our experts love that the TV has a “Natural Cinema” feature to remove judder for an immersive watching experience.

(To know more about the brand, you can check our page about the true manufacturer of TCL televisions here

TCL 50S535: Display Technology

The TCL50S535 has a tremendous contrast ratio that displays deep black colors, thanks to the VA LED panel quantum dots technology.

Though the display on this TV shows improvement over the TCL 4-Series, the display isn’t as bright as other QLED TVs in the market due to its low-angled viewing.

In addition to that, the display picture gets dimmer as you move further away from the TV. This off-angle viewing makes it impossible to entertain a large crowd.

Even though it does not provide a larger viewing like the top-performing home theater projectors under 1000, TCL 50S535 is a decent option for streaming movies and playing games. It has HDR support Dolby Vision, HLG, and HDR10.

Connectivity

As previously stated in our experts’ TCL 50S535 review, this Quantum Dot TV comes with various inputs that maximize entertainment. You will find several connectivity options at the back of the TV, such as four HDMI ports, one USB 2.0 port, Composite-In input, LAN ethernet port, 3.5mm audio output, etc. You can also connect your TV to a receiver even without HDMI here

Cables included are optical cable and IR pass-through cable for connecting different devices seamlessly. An AC power cable is also included to connect the TV to an electric power outlet.

Controls

The TCL 50S535 includes a Roku remote control that makes it convenient to adjust settings and input commands with relative ease. Though small, our team loves the remote’s portability and simplicity.

Our experts didn’t like that the remote has no backlight, as it would make using the remote at night quite complicated. The remote also lacks numbers to access the channel directly. However, you can set up your favorite channels and navigate them with the up/down navigation buttons.

For TVs with high-functioning remote controls, you check our review of Sony X900F and Sony X950G here

TCL 50S535 Price

Users looking forward to upgrading to a 4K TV will have no reason to complain about the price, knowing that there are much more expensive 4K TVs out there.

Though the TCL 50S535 has some compromises and few drawbacks, the price is very satisfying, and you get to experience nearly the same incredible and balanced viewing performance as those witnessed in high-end or more expensive 4K TVs. This may not be as good as Dolby Cinema or IMAX standard, yet it still does its job for its price.

TCL 50S535 Review Conclusion

If you need good quality and reliable 4K TV at great value for entertainment purposes, the TCL 5-Series will make a great choice.

As evident in this TCL 50S535 review, the 5-Series 4K TV produces a bright and clear viewing experience, thanks to its astounding contrast ratio and accurate color display.

The TV features various connectivity options to enhance your viewing and gaming experience. Plus, it includes a small remote control that makes operating the TV seamless. 

Overall, the TCL 50S535 is a good bargain that will satisfy buyers due to its improved performance and incredible features.

Wondering which resolution is better for gaming and everyday use? Check out our review of 1080p and 1440p to determine which one is ideal for your viewing needs.

Writer

Willie Greer
Willie Greer
Willie Greer is the founder of The Product Analyst. A cinephile, he has made it a personal quest to achieve the awesomest home theater possible. He now shares what he has learned through the years on the site, and has enlisted the help of tech-savvy colleagues in providing more insight about today’s most sought-after gadgets.