TCL 43S350G 43 inch TV: In-Depth Review and Customer Opinions

TCL is one of the largest consumer electronics brands in the world, known for producing affordable and innovative TVs. The TCL 43S350G is a 43-inch 4K smart LED TV that delivers premium picture quality, advanced smart features, and a sleek modern design.

Part of TCL's S-Series lineup, the 43S350G model offers great performance and features at an accessible price point. TCL TVs utilize the latest display technologies like 4K Ultra HD resolution, High Dynamic Range (HDR), and Wide Color Gamut to create an immersive viewing experience.

The 43-inch screen size is ideal for medium to large living rooms. With its 4K Ultra HD resolution and HDR support, the 43S350G displays all your content in stunning clarity and vivid color. Keep reading to learn more about the design, display quality, features, and performance of this TCL 4K smart TV.

Design

The TCL 43S350G has an attractive, minimalist design with slim bezels and a small footprint that makes it a good fit for most living rooms and bedrooms.

At just 28 x 17 x 3 inches without the stand, this 43-inch TV doesn't take up a ton of space on your entertainment center or wall mount. The bezels around the screen are less than half an inch thick, providing a more immersive viewing experience by minimizing borders around the display.

The TV comes with a basic stand that has a small rectangular plastic base. The stand feet connect to the bottom corners of the TV. The stand elevates the TV by just under 5 inches, enough to fit a soundbar if desired. The stand is wide enough to give the TV stability and prevent tipping.

While the stand is perfectly functional, some users may prefer wall mounting for a cleaner, floating look. The back of the TV has industry-standard VESA 200 x 200 mounting holes, allowing compatibility with most wall mounts.

Overall, the slim profile and minimalist black plastic design give this budget TV a much more premium look and feel than the price would suggest. The compact footprint makes it easy to place on most TV stands or credenzas without dominating the room.

The minimalist design aesthetic allows the TCL 43S350G to blend in seamlessly with most home décor styles, unlike some competitors with flashy or oversized builds. It looks right at home in a modern, contemporary, or minimalist setting.

With a weight of just 15.4 pounds without the stand, this TV is very light and easy to move around and set up compared to bulkier models. The plastic construction helps keep it lightweight.

For the price, the TCL 43S350G definitely punches above its weight in terms of design. You would be hard pressed to find many other 43-inch 4K TVs with such a premium, compact aesthetic for a similar budget-friendly price point.

If you're looking for an alternative 43-inch TV with a comparable slim bezel design, the Hisense 43A4K is worth considering. It shares a similar minimalist style with narrow borders around the display for a more immersive viewing experience.

The Hisense 43A4K also has a slim 2.4 inch side profile and weighs just 13.2 pounds, making it very sleek and easy to set up or mount. It comes with a stand that has a curved X-shaped base for stability.

In terms of dimensions, the Hisense 43A4K is extremely compact at just 38 x 22 x 2.4 inches without stand. So it has an even smaller footprint than the TCL model.

One difference is the Hisense uses a brushed metallic finish on the back and stand compared to the plain plastic on the TCL. This gives it a slightly more upscale look.

The bezels on both models are less than 0.5 inches, so they offer a similar viewing experience with minimal borders around the screen. The slim profiles and small footprints allow flexible placement in most rooms.

Overall, those looking for a streamlined 43-inch 4K TV would be happy with either the TCL 43S350G or Hisense 43A4K. The minimalist builds blend in well and don't dominate a space like some bulkier models.

Display

The TCL 43S350G features a 43-inch LED display with 4K Ultra HD resolution (3840 x 2160 pixels). This high resolution provides sharp, detailed images with four times the pixels of 1080p Full HD.

The display supports High Dynamic Range (HDR) including HDR10 and HLG formats. This allows for richer colors, increased contrast, and brighter highlights compared to standard dynamic range. HDR content looks more vibrant and true to life.

Brightness is decent at 250 nits, but not as bright as higher-end 4K TVs. This is sufficient for watching in rooms with moderate ambient lighting, but performance in bright rooms is just average. Viewing angles are also average due to the VA panel. Color and contrast start to shift when viewing from the sides. It's best to watch this TV straight on for the optimal experience.

Overall, the display quality is very good for the price. The sharp 4K resolution and HDR support allow you to stream and watch the latest 4K HDR movies and shows. While the brightness and viewing angles could be better, the display still provides an immersive viewing experience.

If you're looking for a more affordable 43-inch 4K TV option, check out the INSIGNIA NS-43F301NA22. This model has a similar 4K resolution and HDR support. However, it has lower brightness at 200 nits and lacks advanced features like local dimming. Still, it provides good 4K picture quality for the money. The INSIGNIA only has 2 HDMI ports compared to 3 on the TCL, so connectivity is more limited. But if your priority is getting a budget-friendly 43-inch 4K TV, the INSIGNIA is worth considering.

In terms of display quality, the TCL 43S350G is better than the INSIGNIA overall. The higher brightness and extra HDMI port make it more versatile. But the INSIGNIA still delivers decent 4K resolution and HDR for daily TV watching. So if you're looking to save money, it's a solid option. You'll get good picture performance for basic 4K streaming and viewing. Just don't expect the same performance in bright rooms or wide viewing angles compared to the TCL.

Both these 43-inch models provide an affordable path for upgrading to 4K. The TCL 43S350G is the better all-around TV. But the cheaper INSIGNIA NS-43F301NA22 still offers good value, considering its budget-friendly price. If you want better display quality and connectivity, go with the TCL. However, if you just want a basic 4K TV for light viewing, the INSIGNIA gets the job done and saves you money.

Sound Quality

The TCL 43S350G comes equipped with decent built-in speakers that provide adequate audio for everyday TV watching. The two 8W speakers deliver reasonably clear dialogue and decent volume levels without much distortion even at higher volumes.

The set has Dolby Audio support which helps optimize sound quality for different types of content like movies, sports, and music. There are also several sound modes to choose from like Standard, Movie, Music, and Sports to customize the audio profile.

Overall, the sound quality is fairly average for a budget 4K TV. The speakers get loud enough for a small to medium sized room but lack a bit of bass punch and richness compared to higher-end models. Those looking for a more immersive cinematic audio experience may want to consider pairing the TV with a soundbar or speaker system.

Smart TV Features

The TCL 43S350G comes with Roku TV, giving you access to thousands of streaming channels. Roku TV makes it easy to find free, live TV, paid channels, and streaming apps like Netflix, Hulu, Disney+, HBO Max, and more.

You get Roku's intuitive interface and powerful search functionality to quickly find entertainment options across different apps and channels. The home screen lets you easily switch between different inputs like cable TV or game consoles.

For voice control, the TCL 43S350G works with Google Assistant and Amazon Alexa devices. Just press the voice button on the remote to control TV functions like power, volume, switching inputs, launching apps and more with your voice.

Some key apps and features include:

• Roku Channel - Free live and on-demand TV with over 200 channels
• Netflix, Hulu, Prime Video, Disney+, HBO Max and more
• Apple AirPlay and Apple HomeKit support
• Screen Mirroring to cast your Android or iOS device screen to the TV
• Roku Mobile App to use your phone as a remote, listen privately, and more
• Antenna TV option to access free local broadcast channels

Roku TV brings a lot of streaming options and smart features right out of the box, without needing extra streaming devices or equipment.

Ports & Connectivity

The TCL 43S350G comes equipped with a solid array of ports and connectivity options. On the back of the TV you'll find:

• 3 HDMI ports for connecting devices like Blu-ray players, gaming consoles, cable boxes etc. The HDMI ports support HDMI 2.0 for 4K video at up to 60Hz.

• 2 USB ports that allow you to connect external devices like hard drives and flash drives to play media files or record live TV. The USB ports are version 2.0.

• 1 Ethernet (LAN) port for wired internet connectivity. The LAN port supports speeds up to 100 Mbps.

• Built-in high speed WiFi for connecting to your home network wirelessly. The WiFi supports the latest WiFi standards up to 802.11ac for fast and reliable wireless performance.

• Bluetooth 4.2 for pairing wireless devices like headphones and speakers directly with the TV.

The ports and wireless connectivity options allow you to easily connect the TCL TV into your home entertainment setup and home network. With 3 HDMI inputs, you can connect multiple devices at once while still having ports free for the future. And you can use the USB, Ethernet or WiFi to access streaming content and apps on the web.

Remote Control

The TCL 43S350G comes with a simple but easy to use remote control. The remote has a clean design with minimal buttons to avoid button clutter.

The most frequently used buttons like power, volume, channel change and source selection are all located towards the top for quick access. The number buttons for channel selection are also well sized and placed prominently.

Voice control is enabled via a dedicated Google Assistant button on the remote. Pressing this button allows you to give voice commands to the TV. You can ask it to switch channels, control volume, search for content and more. This offers a very convenient handsfree way to operate the TV.

The remote is comfortable to hold with a matte finish that provides good grip. The buttons have a nice tactile feel when pressed. Overall it's a functional remote that covers all the essentials while keeping the design minimalistic.

Performance

The TCL 43S350G delivers impressive picture quality for its price range. The 4K resolution and HDR support result in a sharp, detailed image. Colors are vivid and accurate thanks to the TV's wide color gamut.

Motion handling is also solid thanks to the 60Hz refresh rate and Auto Low Latency Mode. Fast-moving action scenes and sports come across smoothly without much motion blur. The TV can't match the motion clarity of higher-end 120Hz panels, but there isn't too much judder or blurring during fast motion.

For non-4K content, the 43S350G does an excellent job upscaling lower resolution sources to 4K. The upscaling engine provides enhanced clarity and detail to HD and Full HD content. While not as good as native 4K, upscaled video looks crisp and polished.

HDR support further boosts picture quality for HDR10 and HLG content. Bright highlights and expanded contrast range make images pop with more depth and dimension. The overall brightness could be higher for better HDR highlights, but the HDR effect is very solid for the price. High dynamic range content helps the TV showcase its strong color and contrast capabilities.

Overall, the TCL 43S350G delivers very good 4K picture quality with smooth motion handling and great upscaling. HDR support further elevates the picture, despite the limited peak brightness. For the price, it's hard to beat the image performance you get with this TV.

Pros & Cons

Pros

• Good image quality with 4K resolution and HDR support
• Roku TV platform provides easy access to streaming apps
• Voice control with Google Assistant and Alexa compatibility
• Sleek, modern design that looks great in any room
• Budget-friendly price point

Cons

• Audio quality from built-in speakers is just average
• Limited port selection
• Underwhelming motion handling
• Mediocre black levels and contrast
• Smart TV interface can feel a bit sluggish at times

Overall, the TCL 43S350G provides very good 4K picture quality, smart TV features, and design for an affordable price. The main downsides are average built-in audio, limited ports, and middling motion handling. For most uses though, this 43 inch TV delivers great value considering the sub-$300 price tag.

Conclusion

The TCL 43S350G is a compelling budget 4K TV that provides good overall performance for most users. With its sleek design, vibrant 4K display, Roku smart platform, and wallet-friendly price point, it's easy to see why the 43S350G is a popular choice.

While the picture quality lacks some contrast and black levels compared to premium models, most buyers will find it very satisfactory for everyday TV viewing and streaming. The addition of HDR support allows enhanced color and brightness in compatible content too.

The Roku platform makes it simple to access top streaming apps like Netflix and Disney+, supplemented by the built-in Google Assistant for voice controls. Gaming connectivity is also solid with low input lag, allowing casual gamers to enjoy console or cloud gaming without delay.

Connectivity covers the essentials with 3 HDMI ports and USB, though it lacks more advanced features like eARC or HDMI 2.1. The audio quality from the built-in speakers is also pretty basic and best supplemented by a soundbar.

Overall, it's easy to recommend the TCL 43S350G 4K smart TV for most shoppers looking for good visual performance, smart features, and future-proof 4K resolution at an affordable price point. It makes a great TV for secondary rooms or budget setups focused on streaming and casual gaming. Unless you need more advanced gaming features or premium HDR performance, the 43S350G gets the job done.