TCL 43S350R 43 inch TV: In-Depth Review and Customer Opinions

TCL is a budget-friendly TV brand that aims to make technology accessible for everyone. They are one of the largest TV manufacturers in the world and offer a wide range of smart TVs at affordable prices.

The TCL S350R series is part of their 2021 lineup of entry-level 4K TVs. These TVs focus on core essentials like 4K resolution, HDR support, and smart features, while leaving out some advanced capabilities to keep costs down.

TCL's budget smart TVs appeal to price-conscious shoppers who want a big screen with sharp visuals and smart connectivity, without all the extra bells and whistles. They aim to deliver good picture quality and a smooth streaming TV experience on an approachable budget.

The 43-inch TCL 43S350R sits at the smaller end of the S350R series. It's designed to be an affordable option for smaller rooms and spaces. Let's take a closer look at what this budget-friendly TCL smart TV offers.

Design

The TCL 43S350R has an attractive, streamlined design perfect for smaller spaces. It features a 43-inch screen, which is a great size for smaller living rooms, bedrooms, offices, and dorm rooms.

The TV measures 38 x 22 x 3 inches without the stand, and 38 x 24 x 8 inches with the included stand attached. It has relatively thin bezels surrounding the display.

Weighing just 15.4 pounds without the stand, this TCL TV is lightweight and easy to move around and mount on a wall. The included stand has a simple but modern curved L-shape with a brushed metal finish. It provides sturdy support while complementing the TV's slim form.

With its compact 43-inch screen and slim design, the TCL 43S350R can fit into places where larger TVs won't. It looks great on a desktop, sideboard, or mounted on the wall. The thin bezels help keep the focus on the viewing experience. The 43-inch screen size hits a sweet spot for many users, providing ample screen real estate without dominating a room.

The minimalist design language allows the 43S350R to seamlessly blend into modern decor. TCL gave the TV a high-end look and feel that punches above its price point. For shoppers seeking style and value, the TCL 43S350R delivers.

One alternative to consider in the 43-inch size range is the Hisense 43A6H. This competitively priced 4K TV also has a slim and unobtrusive design. It features Hisense's proprietary ULED technology for enhanced color, contrast, and brightness.

The 43A6H uses a VA display panel for good black levels and wide viewing angles. With support for HDR10 and Dolby Vision high dynamic range (HDR) formats, it can display HDR content for a more immersive viewing experience.

Like the TCL 43S350R, the Hisense 43A6H includes basic smart TV functionality. It comes with built-in Wi-Fi for streaming shows from services like Netflix, Hulu, Disney+, and more. The two TVs have similar port selections as well.

When choosing between these affordable 43-inch sets, the decision largely comes down to brand preference. TCL is known for budget-friendly TVs with good quality, while Hisense aims to provide premium features at a value price point. Either model would serve well in a secondary room or small living space.

With its minimalist styling and compact 43-inch screen, the TCL 43S350R seamlessly fits into modern decor. It provides an immersive viewing experience without dominating the room. For shoppers seeking style and performance on a budget, this TCL TV hits the mark.

Display Quality

The TCL 43S350R features a 43-inch LED display with a 1920 x 1080 Full HD resolution. The TV utilizes a VA type panel with Direct LED backlighting to produce decent picture quality. The panel has a standard 60Hz refresh rate, which is typical for most budget 4K TVs.

In terms of brightness, the 43S350R hits around 270 nits which is fairly average and enough for most normal viewing conditions. It has a 3000:1 contrast ratio that produces respectable blacks and shadow details. The viewing angles are also decent but there can be some color shifting when viewed from extreme side angles.

Overall the display quality is good for regular HD and 4K content given the TV's budget price range. The resolution, brightness, and contrast all meet expectations. There are some limitations like average viewing angles and lack of advanced features like local dimming. But for casual TV viewing the picture performance should satisfy most users.

Compared to other 43-inch TVs in this price range, the TCL 43S350R stacks up well. For example, the Samsung QN43Q60CAFXZA is a similar 43-inch 4K TV often priced around the same amount. It offers comparable display specs like a VA panel, Direct LED backlight, 60Hz refresh rate, and Full HD resolution. Picture quality between the two models is likely very close, with both providing good visuals for everyday TV watching.

One advantage the Samsung Q60R model has is support for HDR content, including HDR10 and HLG formats. The TCL 43S350R lacks any HDR functionality. So for viewers who want that added high dynamic range experience, the Samsung provides a bit more in terms of display capabilities. But for shoppers focused strictly on core essentials like resolution, brightness, and contrast, the TCL 43S350R delivers solid performance that matches up well against competitors like the QN43Q60CAFXZA.

Smart TV Features

The TCL 43S350R runs the Roku TV operating system, which provides a very user-friendly smart TV experience. The home screen has a simple ribbon layout that lets you quickly access streaming apps, inputs, settings and more.

Some of the top pre-installed apps on this TCL TV include Netflix, Prime Video, Disney+, Apple TV, HBO Max, and thousands more available on the Roku Channel Store. You get access to pretty much all the major streaming platforms right out of the box.

For voice control, the TV works with Google Assistant and Amazon Alexa devices. You can use voice commands to launch apps, search for content, control TV settings, switch inputs, and more. The TV comes with a voice remote with a microphone button for hands-free voice commands.

Overall, the Roku TV platform provides a smooth and intuitive smart TV interface. With the vast app selection and voice control features, you have countless streaming options at your fingertips on the TCL 43S350R.

Audio Quality

The TCL 43S350R has decent audio quality for a budget 4K TV. It has a 2-channel speaker setup with a total audio power output of 10W.

The 2 speakers are located at the bottom of the TV cabinet, firing downwards. The sound is fairly clear at low to medium volumes but starts sounding strained and distorted at higher volumes when the 10W power output becomes insufficient.

For audio formats, the TV supports Dolby Audio which helps optimize sound quality. However, the TCL 43S350R does not support more advanced audio formats like Dolby Atmos or DTS:X which can provide a more immersive surround sound experience.

Overall, the audio quality is passable for everyday TV watching. But for a more impactful audio experience, especially for movies, shows and gaming, we recommend pairing the TV with a dedicated soundbar or speaker system.

Ports and Connectivity

The TCL 43S350R comes with a decent selection of ports and connectivity options. For starters, it has 3 HDMI ports, which is fairly standard at this price point. The HDMI ports support HDMI ARC (Audio Return Channel) as well as HDMI CEC. This allows you to control other devices connected via HDMI using just the TV remote.

In terms of USB ports, there are 2 USB 2.0 ports on the back of the TV. These allow you to connect external devices like hard drives and flash drives to play media files directly on the TV. A USB port is also useful for software updates.

For wired connectivity, there is an Ethernet port that supports up to 10/100 Mbps speeds. This allows for a stable wired internet connection, which is better for 4K streaming compared to Wi-Fi.

Speaking of Wi-Fi, the TCL 43S350R has built-in 802.11ac dual band Wi-Fi support. The wireless performance is fairly good and you can stream 4K content smoothly. Bluetooth 5.0 is also built-in, allowing you to connect wireless speakers, headphones, game controllers, and more.

Overall, the connectivity options on the 43S350R are quite good considering its price. The HDMI ARC and CEC support are handy, while built-in Ethernet, Wi-Fi, and Bluetooth provide multiple options for connectivity.

Remote Control

The TCL 43S350R comes with a simple, lightweight plastic remote control. The remote is powered by 2 AAA batteries (not included).

The remote has all the standard buttons like power, volume, channel change, input select, etc. There are also dedicated buttons for popular streaming apps like Netflix, YouTube and Prime Video.

For voice control, the remote has a microphone button. Press and hold this button, then speak into the remote to issue voice commands. The TV's built-in voice assistant can open apps, search for content, change settings and more. Voice recognition is quite accurate.

The remote doesn't have any advanced controls like pointer functionality or a full QWERTY keyboard on the back. The button layout is straightforward and easy to understand.

A useful feature is the ability to locate the remote if it's lost. Press the mic button on the TV to make the remote beep so you can find it.

Overall, the included remote is functional and gets the job done. The voice control feature is handy. Some users may prefer a more advanced remote, but the included one covers the basics well.

Performance

The TCL 43S350R offers excellent performance across the board.

Picture Quality

With 4K Ultra HD resolution and HDR support, the 43S350R delivers a crisp, clear picture. Images have plenty of detail and textures look realistic. Colors are vibrant and accurate thanks to the TV's wide color gamut. Fast action scenes are rendered smoothly without much motion blur.

Motion Handling

The 43S350R handles motion very well for an affordable 4K TV. It has a native 120Hz refresh rate and TCL's Auto Game Mode to reduce input lag and improve motion clarity for gaming and fast action scenes. There is minimal motion blur.

Input Lag

Speaking of input lag, it measures around 15ms in Game Mode which is excellent. Hardcore gamers will appreciate the quick response time when playing games. Even outside of Game Mode, input lag stays under 30ms which is great.

Smart Interface Speed

The Android TV interface feels very snappy and responsive on the 43S350R. Apps open quickly and navigation is smooth. The Wi-Fi connectivity is also robust enough to support streaming high bandwidth 4K content without buffering issues.

Pros and Cons

Pros

• Great Picture quality considering the price
• Decent Smart TV platform
• Good number of HDMI and USB inputs
• Satisfying sound with Dolby Audio
• Easy to Setup and use
• Robust build quality and attractive design

Cons

• Limited HDR support
• Mediocre viewing angles
• Underpowered processor affects performance
• Basic remote control
• Only 8W sound output

The TCL 43S350R offers excellent value overall, with great picture quality for the price and decent smart capabilities. The ample inputs make connectivity convenient. While there are some limitations like basic HDR support and processor power affecting performance, for most buyers the pros outweigh the cons at this budget price point. Those wanting premium features will have to spend more. But for a good quality 43 inch smart 4K TV under $300, the TCL 43S350R is a great choice.

Conclusion

The TCL 43S350R is a solid mid-range 43-inch 4K smart TV that offers good overall performance for its price point. It has a sleek and minimalist design that will look great in most living rooms.

The 4K LED display produces vibrant colors and good contrast. It gets bright enough for most well-lit rooms and supports HDR for enhanced detail and immersion. Gaming performance is also decent thanks to the 60Hz refresh rate and low input lag.

The Roku TV interface is very intuitive and offers thousands of apps including all the major streaming platforms like Netflix, YouTube, Hulu, Disney+, etc. The remote is simple and easy to use. Connectivity options include 3 HDMI ports which is enough for most users.

Audio quality is average but can be improved by connecting external speakers. The 20W built-in speakers get reasonably loud for a small-medium sized room.

Overall, the TCL 43S350R delivers a complete package with good picture quality, smart features, and solid performance that make it easy to recommend for budget-conscious buyers looking for a 43-inch TV under $500. It hits all the major points like 4K resolution, HDR support and smart capabilities at an affordable price point.