Essentially, I’ll go over all there is to know about the TCL 65S425 television in this review. To accomplish that, I’ll examine the television’s design, display features, and sound features. Furthermore, I’ll also discuss the television’s smart features as well as its ports and connectivity features. Moreover, I will be rating the TCL 65S425 out of 10 depending on its performance at the end of each section. Also, you will get to know the pros and cons of the TCL 65S425 in this review. As a result, if you decide to buy the television, you will be able to make an informed purchase decision.
My Initial Thoughts
China-based TCL is best known for offering high-quality TVs at extremely affordable prices and the TCL 65S425 is no exception. The TCL 65S425 is a not-too-expensive television that is part of the company’s entry-level 4K lineup. This television had a price tag of $675.00 as of the time I published this review in November 2021. Furthermore, the TCL 65S425 uses the same ROKU TV operating system as any other TCL smart television. Despite its reasonable price tag, the TCL 65S425 offers decent picture quality and it also supports HDR. However, a television with such a price can’t be all perfect. As a result, one should expect a few flaws from the TCL 65S425. Do you want to know more about this television and its flaws? Continue reading!
TCL 65S425 Design, Dimension a Weight Review
The TCL 65S425 has a very simple design and it looks like any other television in the TCL 4-series. Specifically, this television is primarily made of plastic with the exception of its upper back panel which is made of metal. However, this television doesn’t look premium like TV models from manufacturers such as Samsung and Sony. This is because TCL thought more about durability than appearance when producing the TCL 65S425. Basically, this television has a very sturdy build quality and it should last longer than a typical television if used responsibly. However, that doesn’t mean the TCL 65S425 is particularly bad-looking. In fact, the television has a few visual flairs such as the “TCL” and “ROKU” logos on its bottom bezel. Speaking of bezel, the TCL 65S425 features bezels that are somewhat thicker than the ones found on other television models. However, these bezels aren’t too thick to the extent of distracting you when watching movies on the television. But still, it is worth mentioning. Moving on, the TCL 65S425 comes with a pair of V-shaped legs, which are made of plastic. These legs are pretty sturdy, so they should support the television very well. However, the television might wobble if puked with force. Also, the pair of legs are placed very close to the edges of the television. Therefore, if not wall-mounted, you will have to place the TCL 65S425 on a fairly large desk or surface. Speaking of wall-mounting, the TCL 65S425 shouldn’t look awkward if wall-mounted. This is because the television’s back panel isn’t too thick. However, the lower part of the back panel is pretty thicker than the upper part. This is due to the fact that all of the television’s components and ports are housed in the lower back panel. Notwithstanding, the overall thickness of the television is fair. Unfortunately, this television doesn’t come with cable management. In terms of dimension and weight, the TCL 65S425 measures 1455 x 78.7 x 845.8 mm and weighs 17599 g. Comparatively, this television is lighter than the Sony XBR – 65X930D, which weighs 28900 g. In conclusion, even though the TCL 65S425 doesn’t look premium, it is very sturdy for everyday use. Moreover, it is significantly lighter than one of its closest competitors. Therefore, I will rate the TCL 65S425 an eight out of ten in this design review section.
TCL 65S425 Display Features Review
From the “65” in its name, most people would have known that the TCL 65S425 features a 65-inch display. However, is the television’s display an LCD or an LED display type? Well, the TCL 65S425 feature a 65-inch LED display. In addition to that, the screen resolution of this television’s display is 4K UHD (3840 x 2160). To begin with, the picture quality of this television’s display is outstanding. This is due to its 4K resolution and the fact that its LED display is a VA type. To be more specific, 4K resolution displays deliver excellent color reproduction and accuracy as well as crisp and clear images. Also, VA (vertical alignment) LED type displays are known to offer outstanding contrast ratios. As most of us know, a good contrast ratio improves the picture quality of a display. However, what is the actual contrast ratio of this television display? Specifically, the TCL 65S425’s display has a 5,783:1 contrast ratio. What does contrast ratio mean though? The contrast ratio of a display is the ratio between the display’s brightest white and its darkest black. Also, a high contrast ratio like the TCL 65S425’s display’s 5,783:1 means the display can produce deep blacks. Therefore, the TCL 65S425 is ideal for dark room viewing and for watching movies with lots of shadowy/dark scenes. Sadly, the TCL 65S425’s display doesn’t support local dimming features, which would have further darkened the blacks it produces. Nevertheless, I don’t think people should worry about that too much. This is because the display can already produce deep-enough blacks thanks to its outstanding contrast ratio. However, what people should really worry about is the display’s poor brightness. To be more specific, this display can only get to a maximum brightness of 183 cd/m², which is extremely poor. As a result, the TCL 65S425 isn’t ideal for use in well-lit areas. Another thing users should be worried about is the TCL 65S425’s display poor viewing angles. However, that was actually expected since VA displays are known to have poor viewing angles. As a result of its display’s poor viewing angles, the picture quality will decrease when viewing the TCL 65S425 off-center. On a positive note, the TCL 65S425’s display handles reflection decently. Even though the display’s semi-gloss coating can’t diffuse reflection effectively in well-lit areas, it retracts reflections well in moderately-lit areas. Moving on, the TCL 65S425’s display has a great response time of 12.1 milliseconds (ms). A display’s response time is the time it takes the display to shift from one color to another. Furthermore, for the best viewing experience, it is important for a display to have a good response time. This is because a good response time means there will be minimal blur when viewing fast-motion content likes sports. That’s said, the TCL 65S425’s display has a low input lag, which makes the TCL 65S425 an ideal television for gamers. Specifically, this display has a 12.9 milliseconds input lag, which is considered low enough for playing video games. Why is a low input lag really important for gaming? Well, as we all know, video game consoles nowadays such as Xbox One and Playstation 5 uses wireless gamepads. So, the amount of time it takes for a display to register a signaled input e.g gamepad is Input lag. Therefore, the lower the input lag, the faster the display registers the input, which results in the perfect gaming experience. Now I guess you know why a low input lag is important for gaming. In conclusion, the TCL 65S425’s display has everything most people/gamers would love on a display except for good maximum brightness. Therefore, the TCL 65S425 deserves an eight out of ten rating in this display review section.
TCL 65S425 Sound Features Review
One area where the TCL 65S425 significantly underperform is in the sound. This is because it is only a pair of 8-watt down-firing speakers performing in the “sound department”. This television doesn’t feature a subwoofer or any other sound system to boost the sound the 8-watts speakers produce. Therefore, the overall sound provided by the TCL 65S425 will be relatively weak. As a result, the TCL 65S425 isn’t the ideal television for a large room setting or noisy environment. Furthermore, due to the lack of a subwoofer, bass is nearly nonexistent on this television. On a positive note, the TCL 65S425’s speakers’ distortion performance is decent. Basically, there’s not much distortion when the television is at a moderate volume level. However, at maximum volume, distortion might be a little bit audible. Well, this is actually dependent on the type of content you are watching on the TCL 65S425. Another good thing about the speakers on this television is that they are capable of producing clear dialogue. Dialogue is the sound produced by two or more individuals when conversing in a film or TV show. In summary, the TCL 65S425 offers somewhat poor speakers and lacks the necessary sound system to produce adequate sound. However, the television’s speakers offer minimal distortion and clear dialogue. Notwithstanding, I doubt if users are going to be pleased with the sound quality of this television. Therefore, if you want to experience audio-rich sound or movies, then it is best you purchase a soundbar. As a result of its overall poor sound performance, I will rate the TCL 65S425 a seven in this review section.
TCL 65S425 Ports and Connectivity Features Review
On the right-hand side of the TCL 55S425’s lower back panel, there is a set of ports. Among these ports, you will find three HDMI ports, including one HDMI-ARC port for connecting external speakers and soundbars. Furthermore, the TCL 65S425 also offers ports like an Ethernet port that provides wired internet connectivity. Also, you will find a USB 2.0 port and an RF port for connecting an antenna to the television. Additional ports include a composite video input, an optical digital output, and a 3.5-millimeter jack for headphones. For wireless connectivity, the TCL 65S425 features 802.11ac (2×2) 2.4GHz & 5GHz WIFI. Unfortunately, this television lacks Bluetooth. Moving on to the remote control included on this television, the TCL 65S425 features a ROKU TV RC280 remote control. This remote control has a pill-like shape and features a plus-shaped directional pad. However, the remote control is pretty small, so it doesn’t feature a number pad. Being small isn’t particularly a bad thing though because the remote will be able to fit nicely in the user’s palm. Moreover, this remote comes with a handful of navigation controls such as home, back, and return buttons. Also, the remote has media playback control buttons as well as side-mounted volume and mute buttons. In addition to these buttons are four dedicated buttons for quick access to streaming apps. These streaming apps are DirecTV Now, HULU, Netflix, and Sling TV. Less I forget, this remote has a matte-black finish as well as a TCL and ROKU TV logo on the bottom. Unfortunately, the remote control doesn’t support voice control as it lacks an in-built microphone. In conclusion, the TCL 65S425 comes with a handful of handy ports and functional remote control. However, the television lacks Bluetooth, and its remote lacks an in-built microphone. Therefore, the TCL 65S425 deserves nothing more than an eight out of ten rating in the review section.
TCL 65S425 Smart Features Review
The TCL 65S425 offers one of the best smart TV operating systems on the market. Specifically, this television comes with the one and only feature-rich ROKU TV operating system. The ROKU TV OS has been competing with other OS like Android TV for the crown of “best smart TV OS” for a while now. However, in my own opinion, I believe the ROKU TV operating system deserves the crown. This is because the operating system offers an interface that is simple, easy to use, and has no lag. Furthermore, with this ROKU TV operating system, the TCL 65S425 has access to thousands of movies and TV shows via streaming apps. Thankfully, the ROKU TV operating system also offers a handful of free streaming apps. These apps include ROKU’s exclusive Roku Channel, which has its own library of free movies and TV shows. In addition to that, the ROKU TV OS also has free streaming apps like BBC iPlayer, Tubi, Crackle, and so on. Impressively, you can stream content from your mobile device to the TCL 65S425 via the ROKU app. Also, with the ROKU app, you should be able to control the television. That’s said, the ROKU app is free for download either from the Google Play Store or the App Store. In conclusion, TCL has never gone wrong for including the ROKU TV OS in its television and the TCL 65S425 is no exception. Therefore, I will rate the TCL 65S425 nine out of ten in this smart features review section.
My Final Thoughts
The TCL 65S425 is a 4K TV that offers good value and capability for a reasonable price. Basically, this television has a 65-inch 4K display that offers adequate picture quality and HDR compatibility. However, this television has a really poor brightness and it doesn’t feature a good sound system. In addition to that, the television lacks Bluetooth. On a positive note, the TCL 65S425 comes with the popular feature-rich ROKU TV operating system that offers lots of streaming apps. Also, the TV is great for gaming due to its display’s low input lag. Therefore, if you need a reasonably priced smart television with adequate performance, the TCL 65S425 is worth considering. I hope you found this TCL 65S425 review helpful. If you found the review helpful, you can take a few minutes to share your thoughts with us at Itechguides Community Forum. Apart from that, you can also send us feedback or make comments regarding this article at Itechguides Community Forum. For more Television reviews, visit our Television review page. You may also find our Television Specs page very helpful.
References and Further Reading
