2020 TCL 6 Series TV's Start Going on Sale at Major Retailers Today
TCL has updated it’s most popular and most critically reviewed 5 and 6 Series TV’s for 2020 and you can grab one today at one of your major retailers.
2020 TCL 6 Series TV, Source: TCL
By Shainur Ahsan
The Popular 5 Series and 6 Series Gets An Update for 2020
Due for an annual update, TCL released a press statement today on it’s latest 5 (TCL S535) and 6 (TCL R635) series TV along with starting sales at major retailers. Last year’s TV’s (S525 and R625) were ranked among the highest in terms of best value and best budget TV from multiple major review outlets. Although we’ll have to wait for reviews, the new models are sure to stay highly relevant in these two categories with the new features that have been added.
2020 TCL 6 Series TV, Source: TCL
In This Post
- What Exactly Changed?
- How Much Do the New TV's Cost?
- What are the Specs of the TV's?
- Where Can I Buy One?
What Exactly Changed?
TCL retains some of its best features in each of the two TV’s. They continue support for 4K and a variety of HDR formats (HDR10 and Dolby Vision). The 6 Series carries Dolby Atmost support from its 2019 model. Both TV’s sport the AiPQ Engine to process the TV’s image. Both models now come in a 75″ size while the 43″ size is no longer available for the 5 series. Let’s dive into some of the additional features that were added.
Changes to the 6 TCL Series (TCL R635)
- Mini-LED with Up To 240 Local Dimming Zones
TCL is introducing its Mini-LED technology from its 8 series for this years model. The smaller LED can be packed in closer to provide more local dimming zones to locally brighten (or keep darker) zones of the screen which translates to better contrast. The largest 75″ size will feature 240 of these zones with the number decreasing for the smaller 65″ and 55″ models.
2020 TCL 6 Series TV Inputs, Source: TCL
- One Input with HDMI eARC Support
The 2020 6 series gets one HDMI port with Enhanced Audio Return Channel (eARC). eARC functions similarly to ARC to pass audio/video back and forth between your TV and audio equipment. eARC, however, is required for the extra bandwidth to pass uncompressed Dolby Atmos audio back to your sound system. To get the best benefit from this, you need a Dolby Atmos capable sound system and a 4K Bluray player with 4K blurays (or other high fidelity audio source) in your system.
- THX-certified Game Mode
The 2020 6 series will be the first TV to feature THX-certified game mode. The mode will be automatically enabled when connected to certain consoles or PC’s. The automatic adjustments will offer low input lag and increased display responsiveness. This game mode will no doubt make it a great budget choice for those looking to pick up the Playstation 5 (PS5) and/or the Xbox Series X
- 120 Hz and Variable Refresh Rate (VRR)
The new 6 Series will add support for 4K at 120 Hz as well as variable refresh rate (VRR) between 48 Hz and 120 Hz. It is important to note that this version of VRR will not support AMD Free-Sync or Nvidia G-Sync. However, it should be supported by the upcoming Playstation 5 and Xbox Series X.
Changes to the TCL 5 Series (TCL S535)
- Quantum Dot Technology (QLED) with Up To 80 Local Dimming Zones
TCL is introducing its QLED technology from its 6 series for this years model. It’s similar to the mini-LED technology used in the new 6 series but can’t pack in as many LED’s within a given area. The largest 75″ size will feature 80 of these zones with the number decreasing for the smaller 65″, 55″, and 50″ models.
- One Input with HDMI eARC Support
Like the 6 Series, the 2020 5 series gets one HDMI port with Enhanced Audio Return Channel (eARC). To get the best benefit from this, you need a Dolby Atmos capable sound system and a 4K Bluray player with 4K blurays (or other high fidelity audio source) in your system.
How Much Do the New TV's Cost?
Pricing for the 2020 models appears to be in line with the 2019 models. Both series require a bit of a premium to upgrade to the new 75″ size. See below for the full list of retail prices. For those looking for a deal, the 2019 models are sure to be on a discount.
TCL 6 Series (R635)
TCL 5 Series (S535)
What Are The Specs of the New TV's?
Both series have a number of nice features such as local dimming zones and eARC that we touched on before. TCL’s website has a nice comparison chart of all their new TV model. Read about the differences here.
Where Can I Buy One?
Currently, the new 2020 5 (S535) and 6 (R635) series are available at Amazon and Best Buy with more retailers sure to carry them in the near future. At the time of this writing, a few of the TV sizes were either out of stock or unlisted. Links are provided for those that were available.
TCL 6 Series (R635)
TCL 5 Series (S535)
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Conclusion
The 2020 TCL 6 Series and 5 Series TV’s are sure to carry on the great reputation set by its predecessors. New features have been added to each series to keep the technology up to date while the price point remains great for those on a budget. We’ll see once reviews start coming in if the upgrades specs and new features translate to improved picture quality and performance.
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