TCL 55C641K: 55-Inch QLED 4K Ultra HD Smart TV TCL - Review 🏆

TCL is fast becoming one of the most popular TV brands in the UK and worldwide. Originally founded in China in 1981, TCL has grown into one of the world's largest consumer electronics companies. They are now the second-largest TV manufacturer globally.

The company is known for producing affordable TVs packed with features and great performance. Their lineup covers everything from entry-level HD models to premium 4K QLED TVs. TCL TVs run on either their own Linux-based operating system or the Android TV platform.

One of their newest releases for 2022 is the TCL 55C641K. This is a mid-range 55-inch 4K QLED TV with Dolby Vision and Dolby Atmos support. Keep reading to learn more about the design, display quality, features, and audio performance of this TCL model.

Overview

The TCL 55C641K is a 55-inch 4K QLED TV that delivers a premium viewing experience with its stunning picture quality and robust smart features. This 2021 model TV features Quantum Dot technology for vivid colors and high brightness.

With a sleek design and thin bezels, the 55C641K has an elegant look that will complement any living room. The 55-inch screen size is ideal for most households, providing an immersive viewing experience without taking up too much space.

Some key specs of the TCL 55C641K include:

• Screen Size: 55 inches
• Display Type: QLED
• Resolution: 4K Ultra HD (3840 x 2160 pixels)
• High Dynamic Range support: HDR10, HLG
• Refresh Rate: 60Hz
• Smart TV platform: Android TV 10
• Built-in WiFi and Ethernet connectivity

As a mid-range 4K QLED TV, the TCL 55C641K delivers premium features like Quantum Dot technology and Dolby Vision at an affordable price point. Its combination of sleek design, stunning 4K picture, and robust smart TV capabilities make this an excellent option for shoppers looking for great value.

Additionally, the TCL 50P638K: 50-Inch 4K Ultra HD LED Smart TV offers a compact 50-inch display while featuring similar 4K Ultra HD resolution. This model is designed for those who prefer a slightly smaller screen without sacrificing quality, making it a versatile option for various room sizes. Its smart capabilities and vibrant LED technology provide an excellent viewing atmosphere, perfect for streaming and gaming.

Design

The TCL 55C641K has an attractive and minimalist design with thin bezels around the display for a more immersive viewing experience. The TV has a metallic brushed finish with slim legs holding up the TV.

The stand has a unique Y-shaped design with a wide stance for stability. It can be easily attached and detached for wall mounting if desired. The stand design allows for the TV to be swiveled left and right for flexible placement and viewing angles.

For connectivity, the ports are on the back right side when facing the TV. It includes 3 HDMI ports, 2 USB ports, an Ethernet port, antenna/cable input, digital audio output, and a headphone jack. The inputs are side-facing for easier access. There is sufficient space between the ports for connecting multiple devices and accessories.

Overall, the design is modern and stylish which will look great in any living room. The thin bezels, unique stand, and convenient back ports make this a well-designed 4K TV.

In addition to the TCL 55C641K, the TCL 40S5400AK: 40-Inch FHD Smart TV offers a compact solution for those looking for a smaller screen. Designed for versatility, this 40-inch FHD smart TV provides vibrant color and clarity, making it perfect for cozy spaces. Its sleek profile and modern aesthetics complement any room decor. The easy setup and intuitive interface enhance user experience, making streaming favorite content seamless. This model also features multiple connectivity options, ensuring it fits well with your entertainment system.

Display Quality

The TCL 55C641K comes with a 55-inch 4K UHD (3840 x 2160 pixels) LED display that delivers vivid and detailed visuals. The 4K resolution ensures you get four times the detail of Full HD, allowing you to see even the finest textures and smallest details in the content.

The display supports High Dynamic Range (HDR) including HDR10, HLG and Dolby Vision. This results in a wider color gamut, deeper blacks, and brighter highlights for a truly cinematic viewing experience. You'll be able to discern subtle gradients and experience content as the creator intended.

In terms of brightness, the 55C641K delivers up to 400 nits peak brightness. This high level of brightness allows the TV to overcome glare and reproduce accurate colors even in bright rooms. The high native contrast ratio further enhances this - with deep blacks next to bright highlights.

The IPS panel ensures wide viewing angles, so the picture retains accuracy even when viewed from the sides. The anti-glare coating on the display also helps minimize reflections. Overall, the display quality enables an immersive viewing experience whether you're watching movies, sports or playing games.

Smart Features

The TCL 55C641K comes loaded with smart features powered by Android TV. It has built-in Chromecast that allows you to cast movies, shows, apps, photos and more directly from your mobile device to the TV.

You get access to all your favorite apps and streaming services like Netflix, Prime Video, Disney+ and more through the Google Play store. It also works with popular voice assistants like Google Assistant and Amazon Alexa so you can control certain functions of the TV hands-free.

Some of the key smart features include:

• Android TV 9.0: Gives you access to 700,000+ movies and TV episodes from across your favorite apps. Also supports Google Cast so you can cast content from compatible apps on your mobile devices.

• Built-in Google Chromecast: Allows seamless streaming and casting from compatible apps on your phone, tablet or laptop.

• Google Assistant & Amazon Alexa Compatible: You can use voice commands to open apps, search for titles, play music, get answers on screen and control smart home devices.

• Apps & Services: Comes pre-loaded with apps like Netflix, Prime Video, YouTube and more. Plus access to Google Play store for downloading additional apps.

• Google Play Store: Gives you access to over 7,000 apps including media streaming services, games, utilities and more.

Overall the TCL 55C641K offers a great smart TV experience thanks to Android TV and built-in Chromecast. The ability to use Google Assistant or Amazon Alexa for hands-free voice control makes it very convenient to use.

Gaming Performance

The TCL 55C641K offers superb gaming performance thanks to its excellent response time and input lag. The TV has a low input lag of around 10ms when gaming in 4K at 60Hz. This makes gameplay feel extremely responsive with barely any delay between controller input and on-screen action.

The TV also has a fast response time that minimizes motion blur in fast-paced games. Dark to light pixel response times are quick at around 5-6ms which keeps the action looking crisp. The TV supports Variable Refresh Rate (VRR) via HDMI 2.1 which matches the display's refresh rate with the game console's output. This eliminates screen tearing and stuttering for a buttery smooth gaming experience.

Overall, the TCL 55C641K delivers an immersive, lag-free gaming experience thanks to its quick response time, low input lag and VRR support. Fast-paced competitive titles feel extremely fluid while graphically demanding adventure games display smoothly without artifacts. Gamers who want responsive gameplay and visual fluidity will be very satisfied with the gaming capabilities of this TV.

Audio Quality

The TCL 55C641K TV delivers impressive audio quality with its built-in 2.0 channel speakers that provide 20W of total power. The speakers produce clear and well-balanced sound, with decent bass response for a slim TV.

One of the highlights of the audio is support for Dolby Atmos, which can create a more immersive listening experience. Dolby Atmos enables surround sound audio that seems to come at you from all directions, including overhead. This allows you to feel like you're right in the middle of the action while watching movies or shows.

The TV also has several audio enhancement features to further improve sound quality. There's DTS Studio Sound for more powerful and nuanced audio, and Dolby Audio processing for optimizing sound based on the type of content. Dialogue mode helps make voices crisp and clear, while Night mode balances audio so you can hear quiet details even at low volumes.

Overall, the audio performance punches above its weight class considering the TV's slim form factor. Between the capable speakers and Dolby Atmos support, you'll be able to enjoy room-filling, detailed sound when viewing your favorite content.

Remote Control

The TCL 55C641K comes with a sleek and minimalist remote control that is easy to use. The remote has a simple design with just essential buttons, making it uncomplicated to navigate.

At the top, there are buttons for power, mute, settings, directional keys, and shortcuts for popular streaming apps like Netflix, Prime Video, and YouTube. The directional keys allow you to easily navigate through menus and settings. There is also a button for Google Assistant so you can use voice commands.

The bottom half of the remote has buttons for channel and volume control, numeric keys, and playback functions. The buttons are well spaced out and have a nice tactile feel when pressed. The volume and channel rockers are ribbed which allows you to easily discern them by feel.

The remote has a matte black finish that looks modern and fits nicely in hand. It's lightweight and easy to hold. The minimalist design avoids too many confusing buttons that you won't use often. Overall, the TCL 55C641K remote is intuitive and easy to use for controlling the TV.

Pros & Cons

The TCL 55C641K has a lot of impressive features and specs for its price, but there are some downsides to consider as well.

Pros

• Excellent picture quality with 4K Ultra HD resolution and QLED display
• Great contrast and vivid colors
• Good motion handling with Motion Clarity 120Hz
• Runs Android TV for easy access to apps and streaming
• Integrated Google Assistant and Alexa
• Game Master Pro gaming features
• Dolby Vision and Dolby Atmos support
• Sleek, modern design
• Voice control remote

Cons

• Only 60Hz refresh rate, not ideal for fast gaming
• Mediocre built-in sound quality
• Limited viewing angles compared to OLED
• Only 2 HDMI ports
• No local dimming feature

Overall, the TCL 55C641K provides strong performance and features for a budget-friendly 4K TV. The QLED display and smart platform make it a great option. But the lower refresh rate, audio, and limited ports may be drawbacks for some. It's a good value pick with some compromises.

Conclusion

The TCL 55C641K is an excellent mid-range 4K TV that offers strong overall performance for the price. It has a sleek design with thin bezels, making it an attractive option for any living room. The 4K QLED display produces vibrant colors and good contrast, though brightness could be better for HDR content. Gaming performance is superb thanks to the 120Hz panel, Auto Low Latency Mode, and HDMI 2.1 support.

The Android TV interface is easy to use and has access to all the popular apps. Features like Google Assistant, Chromecast built-in, and Works with Alexa provide smart home convenience. The audio quality is decent but adding a soundbar can take it to the next level. Motion handling could be better but enabling the Motion Clarity setting helps.

Overall, the TCL 55C641K hits the sweet spot between price and performance. It's a great option for buyers looking for a mid-sized 4K TV with gaming features under £500. The minor shortcomings like brightness and motion handling are common in this price range. For shoppers who want better HDR performance or more advanced features, stepping up to the next tier of TVs would be recommended. But for general 4K streaming, casual gaming, and smart features, the 55C641K gets the job done wonderfully.