TCL 50-Inch 4K UHD Smart Roku TV Review - 40S350F

TCL has become one of the top TV brands in North America thanks to its lineup of affordable 4K models. The TCL 40S350F is a 50-inch 4K Roku TV that brings premium features like 4K resolution, HDR support, and smart capabilities at an entry-level price.

Part of TCL's S350 series, this TV combines TCL's display technology with the user-friendly Roku TV platform. With easy access to over 5,000 streaming channels, the 40S350F is designed to be an affordable entertainment hub for all your viewing needs. The 50-inch screen size is ideal for small to mid-sized living rooms, providing an immersive 4K viewing experience without taking up too much space.

Design

The TCL 40S350F has a sleek and modern design that looks great in any living room. It has slim bezels around the display that help maximize the screen size while keeping the overall dimensions compact.

The TV measures 36.3 x 21.1 x 3.2 inches without the stand and weighs just 14.1 pounds, making it easy to lift and move around. The included stand has a simple two-pronged design with a black, brushed finish that complements the TV's aesthetic nicely.

The bezels surrounding the screen are impressively thin, measuring just 0.4 inches on the sides and top and 0.8 inches on the bottom. This creates a more immersive viewing experience by reducing distractions around the display area.

Overall, the design of the TCL 40S350F is stylish yet functional. The slim profile and small footprint make it a great fit for apartments and other smaller living spaces. The minimalist design language allows it to blend in seamlessly with most decor.

While the TCL 40S350F is nicely designed for a budget 4K TV, there are larger models available that offer an even more immersive viewing experience. For example, the SAMSUNG UN50TU7000FXZA is a 50-inch 4K TV with a very slim and modern profile. At just 2.2 inches deep, it practically disappears when mounted on the wall.

The Samsung UN50TU7000FXZA has a three-sided bezel-less screen that looks absolutely stunning when viewing movies or playing games. The clean, understated stand complements the near bezel-less display without drawing too much attention.

With a 50-inch screen, the Samsung provides much more real estate for enjoying 4K content compared to the 40-inch TCL model. For consumers wanting a more cinematic experience without breaking the bank, the 50-inch Samsung UN50TU7000FXZA represents an excellent value.

Of course, going too large with a TV can make it overwhelming in a small space. The TCL 40S350F's compact footprint of just 36 inches diagonally may be a better fit for some living rooms or bedrooms. But for dedicated home theater spaces, the Samsung's 50-inch screen is expansive enough for an immersive experience.

In summary, the streamlined design of the TCL 40S350F is quite good for its price point, but larger 4K TVs like the Samsung UN50TU7000FXZA offer more screen real estate for a truly cinematic experience. The choice comes down to space constraints versus the desire for bigger and bolder visuals.

Display

The TCL 40S350F has a good quality display for a budget 40-inch TV. It features an LED-backlit LCD panel with a Full HD 1080p resolution. The screen has a standard 60Hz refresh rate, which is fine for most content outside of gaming.

In terms of picture quality, this TCL TV can get reasonably bright, hitting around 250 nits. That's good enough for most indoor viewing situations. Colors also look decently accurate out of the box once you tweak the settings.

Viewing angles are about average for an affordable LED TV. There is some picture degradation when viewing from off-center, but it's not too severe. As long as you're seated relatively head-on, the image remains pleasing. The quality won't completely wash out unless you get way off to the sides.

Overall, while not the most vibrant screen, the display here is solid for regular TV watching and streaming movies. The resolution and brightness help deliver a satisfying HD experience.

If you're looking for a larger screen size, the VIZIO M50Q6-J01 is a great 50-inch 4K TV option. It features an impressive Ultra HD 3840 x 2160 resolution panel with support for HDR content. This provides outstanding clarity and detail, making images really pop on the screen. The full array backlighting delivers deep blacks and vivid colors for a more immersive viewing experience. It also has low input lag, making it a solid choice for gaming. The intelligent VIZIO SmartCast platform provides easy access to popular apps and streaming services. Overall, the VIZIO M50Q6-J01 delivers stellar 4K picture quality and great smart features at an affordable price point.

Audio Quality

The TCL 40S350F features decent audio quality for a budget TV. It has 2x 8W speakers that can get fairly loud at max volume. The speakers use TCL's own audio technology to optimize the sound.

For speaker types, it has standard downward firing speakers. The audio is driven by Dolby Audio processing for improved sound quality.

The TV supports common audio formats like Dolby Digital and Dolby Digital Plus. So you'll get good audio support from sources like Blu-ray players or streaming sticks. The TV does not have more advanced audio formats like Dolby Atmos, but that is expected for this price range.

Overall, the sound quality is good enough for everyday TV watching and entertainment. It may lack the full bass and surround effects of higher end models, but the speakers deliver clear dialogue and an immersive enough experience for most users. Those looking for premium sound can always add on a soundbar or speaker system.

Smart TV Features

The TCL 40S350F runs on Android 9.0 operating system which allows access to the Google Play Store for downloading additional apps. It comes pre-loaded with popular streaming apps like Netflix, YouTube, Prime Video, Disney+, HBO Max and more. The Android TV interface is easy to navigate with the included remote.

You can use the built-in Google Assistant to launch apps, search for content, get answers, control smart home devices and more using just your voice. Chromecast is also built-in so you can cast photos, videos and music from your mobile device to the big screen. Overall the TCL 40S350F offers a robust smart TV experience powered by Android TV and Google.

Ports & Connectivity

The TCL 40S350F features a solid array of ports and connections to hook up a variety of devices. On the back, it has:

• 3 HDMI ports - These inputs let you connect devices like Blu-ray players, gaming consoles, streaming sticks, and more in up to 4K resolution with HDCP 2.2. There are enough HDMI ports for most needs.

• 2 USB ports - The USB inputs allow you to view photos, music, and movies from a flash drive or hard drive. You can also use one of the ports to record shows to a storage device.

• Ethernet - For the most reliable internet connection, you can use the Ethernet port to connect directly to your home network with a cable.

• Built-in WiFi - The TV also has built-in WiFi support for connecting wirelessly to your home internet. It works with both 2.4 and 5 GHz networks.

• Bluetooth - With Bluetooth, you can pair wireless headphones, speakers, game controllers, and more to the TV. This gives you additional options for audio and control.

Overall, the port selection provides what you need for connecting media players, game systems, streaming devices, and other accessories. The HDMI inputs are sufficient for most setups and the addition of Ethernet, WiFi, and Bluetooth round out the connectivity options nicely.

Remote

The TCL 40S350F comes with a simple yet functional remote control. The remote has a slim, lightweight design that makes it easy to hold and operate with one hand.

The most frequently used buttons like power, volume, channel change and input selection are larger and located towards the top for quick access. The number buttons for direct channel selection sit just below these main buttons.

The bottom half of the remote has additional buttons for controlling media playback, accessing settings, activating closed captions, and more. There's also a microphone button to enable voice commands.

One handy feature is that some of the buttons like power and volume are backlit, so you can easily find them even in the dark. The remote lacks any advanced features like motion control or a full QWERTY keyboard, but it covers all the essentials.

Overall, the included remote has an intuitive layout and provides basic control of the TV's functions. While not fancy, it's simple and easy to use for day-to-day TV watching.

Performance

The TCL 40S350F delivers very good overall picture quality and motion handling for its price range.

Picture Quality

The 40S350F features a 1080p Full HD display, providing decent sharpness and clarity for regular HD content. While not 4K, most HD content will look crisp and detailed on this TV. Colors also look accurate and vibrant thanks to the TV's support for wide color gamut.

Upscaling

This TCL TV can upscale lower resolution content to near 4K quality. SD content from DVDs or cable boxes gets sharpened nicely without too many artifacts. The upscaling chip does a good job at reducing noise and banding.

Motion Handling

Motion handling is quite smooth on the 40S350F. Fast motion scenes in sports, action movies and gaming look fluid with minimal blurring. The TV also supports Natural Motion technology which helps insert frames to make the picture look smoother. There is an option to adjust the motion enhancement setting based on preference.

HDR Support

While not the brightest display, the 40S350F provides decent HDR support. It can accept and display HDR10 and HLG HDR content with expanded color and contrast. HDR movies show better shadow details and highlights. The increased color gamut also helps HDR content look more vibrant.

Pros & Cons

Pros

• Affordable price for a 50-inch 4K TV
• Good picture quality with 4K resolution and HDR support
• Roku TV platform is easy to use with thousands of apps
• Works with Alexa and Google Assistant for voice control
• Multiple HDMI ports for connecting devices
• Excellent low input lag for gaming

Cons

• Picture quality could be better - brightness and black levels just average
• Only 60Hz refresh rate, not great for fast action
• Audio quality from built-in speakers is weak
• Basic remote, no advanced smart remote features
• Lacks some higher-end features like local dimming
• Roku platform has limited customization options

Conclusion

The TCL 40S350F is an attractive budget 50-inch 4K TV option for casual viewing and streaming. With its slim design and Roku TV platform, it offers a straightforward smart TV experience.

The picture quality is decent but not impressive. The 4K resolution and HDR support allow for a sharp, detailed image, but the overall color and contrast could be better. The audio is also quite weak given the lack of bass.

For the price, the TCL 40S350F provides good value as an entry-level 4K TV. It's a solid choice for secondary rooms or basic entertainment needs. But videophiles and movie buffs may want to consider stepping up to a higher-tier 50-inch model for better performance.

Overall, the TCL 40S350F deserves consideration for its simplicity and affordability. It covers the basics well, with smart capabilities and solid 4K resolution. Just don't expect top-notch picture and sound at this budget-friendly level. For a basic 50-inch 4K TV, though, it gets the job done.