Chinese manufacturer TCL has taken the wraps off of its latest team-up with streaming giant Roku, with the launch of an all-new line-up of 4K / HDR TVs featuring Quantum Dot (QLED) panels.
Exclusive to the UK, the new RC630K range comes in four different sizes, (43”, 50”, 55” and 65”) with each model featuring Roku’s interface along with access to the platform’s huge library of apps (or Channels as Roku likes to call them).
Despite their lower-mid-tier pricing, the entire range features Quantum Dot technology, meaning they should offer a wider colour range than a regular LCD TV.
The rest of the spec sheet also appears pretty comprehensive for TV’s in this price bracket, with each model supporting all four of the main HDR formats: HDR10, HLG, Dolby Vision and HDR 10+.
There’s also Dolby Audio (but not Dolby Atmos) provided by the built-in Onkyo speakers, support for both Alexa and Google voice assistants as well as Apple’s Airplay 2 and HomeKit, plus access to UK digital terrestrial television platform Freeview Play.
The RC630K range marks the second joint venture between the two companies to reach the region following last year’s well-received RS520K LCDs.
All four RC630K QLED TV’s are on sale now through Currys.co.uk, and are currently priced at £319 for the 43-inch model, with the 65-model currently being offered at a pretty enticing £529.
Analysis: Aggressive pricing and QLED smarts might make TCL's Roku the big-screen TV bargain to beat
TCL has built up a solid reputation for low priced TVs that don’t scrimp on features, but it may have outdone itself with this new Roku-powered line up.
QLED TV’s have largely been restricted to high-end Samsung and Sony models thus far, so it’s encouraging to see another manufacturer come onboard with a more affordable offering featuring the impressively bright tech.
It’s also great to see the Roku platform reach more TVs. We’re big fans of how often the platform and its apps are regularly updated, while the free Roku Channel is now becoming a decent destination for exclusive content, including the critically acclaimed biopic Weird: The Al Yankovic Story, starring Daniel Radcliffe.
Despite all this, we do have a couple of reservations ahead of testing the RC630K out. While all models feature TCL’s Game Master algorithms for reducing lag, it looks like the refresh rate is fixed to 60Hz on all models, meaning you won’t be able to take advantage of the super smooth 4K/120Hz gameplay provided by the latest next-gen consoles like the PS5 and Xbox Series X.
Also, having Quantum Dot tech on board isn’t necessarily a guarantee of top-tier picture quality, with cheaper TVs featuring the tech sometimes suffering from underwhelming light control and contrast.
We can’t wait to see if these new TCL model’s deliver on their promise and challenge the best TVs under £1000 though. Watch this space…
