TCL 65C645K: 65-Inch QLED 4K Ultra HD Smart TV TCL - Review 🏆

TCL is rapidly becoming one of the most recognized names in the TV industry. The Chinese brand first made waves by offering budget-friendly TVs with impressive specs, but in recent years they've stepped up their game to compete with top-tier brands like Samsung and LG. The TCL 65C645K is a prime example of the company's push into premium TVs. This 65-inch 4K QLED TV packs all the latest display tech and smart features you'd expect in a high-end model, but at a more affordable price point.

With quantum dot technology for pure colors, Dolby Vision HDR for incredible contrast, and Google smarts built-in, the 65C645K aims to deliver a stellar viewing experience. It also touts gaming-friendly features like a 120Hz refresh rate and HDMI 2.1 ports. For shoppers seeking premium performance without the premium price tag, the TCL 65C645K makes a compelling case. Let's take a closer look at what this TV has to offer across design, display quality, features, and performance.

Design

The TCL 65C645K has an attractive, minimalist design that will blend in nicely with most home décor. The TV has incredibly thin bezels, giving it a sleek, modern look. The bezels are uniform and symmetrical on all sides.

The rear of the TV is made of sturdy plastic that feels durable and withstands fingerprints. The stand is made of metal and provides stable support for the large 65” screen. The stand's feet are positioned far apart for optimal stability.

The overall build quality of this TCL TV is very good. The plastics are thick and rigid with no creaking or flexing. Panel gaps are uniform and consistent. The metal stand also feels solid and durable.

The TV is relatively slim, measuring just 2.28” thick without the stand. The panel has a subtle brushed metal finish that gives it an elegant look.

Overall, the design and build quality of the TCL 65C645K are excellent. It has a premium, robust construction despite its affordable price point. The sleek bezels and minimalist aesthetics allow this TV to fit into both traditional and modern décor styles.

For those looking for a compact option, the TCL 32S5209K: 32-Inch HD Smart TV offers a 32-inch display with HD resolution. This model comes with smart features including built-in streaming apps and voice control. The design is also sleek and modern, featuring thin bezels and a durable plastic back. Perfect for smaller spaces like bedrooms or dorm rooms, this TV ensures quality entertainment in a compact package.

Display Quality

The TCL 65C645K comes with a 65-inch QLED display with 4K Ultra HD resolution (3840 x 2160 pixels). This high resolution provides sharp, detailed visuals and immersive viewing experience.

The TV supports HDR formats like HDR10, HDR10+, and Dolby Vision. This allows it to display a wider range of colors and contrasts for a more life-like picture quality. HDR content looks stunning with deep blacks, bright highlights and vivid colors.

With a native 120Hz refresh rate, motion looks smooth and blur-free. This is great for watching sports and action movies. The TV also has MEMC technology which interpolates lower frame rate content up to 120Hz for fluid visuals.

Overall, the display quality is excellent with sharp 4K resolution, vibrant HDR imaging and smooth motion handling. The QLED panel produces bright, accurate colors too. These specifications make the TCL 65C645K well-suited for movie watching and gaming.

The TCL 43P638K: 43-Inch 4K Ultra HD LED Smart TV offers similar 4K Ultra HD resolution in a more compact 43-inch size, perfect for smaller spaces. Its LED panel provides vibrant colors and clarity, and it supports HDR formats for enhanced color and contrast. Additionally, this model includes built-in smart features, making it easy to stream your favorite content. The TCL 43P638K is a great choice for those looking for quality and functionality in a smaller form factor.

Smart TV Features

The TCL 65C645K runs on Android TV 11, providing access to a wide selection of apps and services through the Google Play store. It comes with built-in Google Assistant, allowing you to control the TV and smart home devices through voice commands.

Some of the key apps and features include:

• Google Assistant - Use your voice to search for content, control smart home devices, get answers from Google and more. The far-field microphones make it easy to access Google Assistant from across the room.

• Chromecast - Cast movies, shows, photos, music and more to your TV from compatible apps on your mobile device. Chromecast is built-in to allow easy streaming.

• Apps - Download and install apps like Netflix, Prime Video, Disney+, YouTube and more from the Google Play store. Android TV provides one unified home for searching and browsing shows from different streaming apps.

• Freeview Play - Access live TV, on demand content and catch up services from all your favorite free-to-air channels within one intuitive electronic program guide (EPG).

• Personalized recommendations - Discover new content tailored to your interests based on your viewing history and subscriptions. The home screen provides customized recommendations.

• Works with Alexa - In addition to Google Assistant, you can also control your TCL Android TV using Amazon Alexa enabled devices.

The TCL 65C645K offers a great smart TV experience thanks to the latest Android TV platform and built-in Google Assistant. The wide app selection, voice control and tailored recommendations make it easy to find and enjoy content.

Audio Quality

The TCL 65C645K delivers an immersive audio experience thanks to Dolby Atmos support. This sound technology creates a multi-dimensional soundscape by allowing audio to move around you in a three-dimensional space.

The TV has built-in Onkyo-tuned speakers that provide decent audio quality for everyday viewing. While the speakers can get reasonably loud without distortion, they lack the fullness and bass of a dedicated soundbar. Dialogue sounds clear and distinguishable most of the time. However, the audio lacks refinement especially for music and movies. Enabling Dolby Atmos helps provide a wider and more immersive soundstage. But the speakers still sound thin compared to higher-end models.

To get the most out of the Dolby Atmos experience, connecting the TV to a compatible soundbar or speaker system is recommended. The TV also supports Dolby Digital Plus for improved audio quality over standard Dolby Digital. Overall, the built-in speakers are functional for casual viewing but audiophiles will want to pair the TV with a good sound system.

Gaming Performance

The TCL 65C645K delivers an excellent gaming experience thanks to its low input lag and 120Hz refresh rate. The TV comes equipped with a dedicated Game Mode that optimizes the picture settings for gaming. When Game Mode is enabled, input lag is reduced to around 10ms which is very responsive.

Competitive gamers will appreciate the 120Hz refresh rate which allows the TV to display up to 120 frames per second for smoother motion clarity. This is particularly beneficial for fast-paced action games where you need quick reaction times. The TV also supports Variable Refresh Rate (VRR) which matches the screen's refresh rate with the graphics card's output for tear-free gameplay.

For the best possible gaming experience, the TCL 65C645K has HDMI 2.1 ports that support advanced gaming features. With the HDMI 2.1 ports, you can enable 4K resolution at 120Hz, Auto Low Latency Mode (ALLM), and Variable Refresh Rate (VRR). This allows you to get the highest visual fidelity and smoothest performance out of your console or PC.

The TCL's Game Accelerator feature further optimizes the gaming experience by allocating more network bandwidth to gaming devices. Overall, the TCL 65C645K delivers a very responsive and immersive big screen gaming experience that will satisfy most gamers. The combination of low input lag, 120Hz refresh rate, and HDMI 2.1 support makes this TV a great choice for gaming.

Ports and Connectivity

The TCL 65C645K comes with a good selection of ports for connecting external devices and streaming content. On the back of the TV, you'll find 3 HDMI 2.1 ports that support advanced gaming features like 4K 120Hz, Variable Refresh Rate, and Auto Low Latency Mode. One of the HDMI ports also supports eARC for high quality audio pass-through to a soundbar.

For USB devices, there are 2 USB 2.0 ports which allow you to play media files from a flash drive or external hard drive. One of these ports can be used for recording live TV if you connect a USB storage device.

For wired internet, there is an Ethernet port that provides a stable and fast internet connection for streaming 4K content. This is preferable over WiFi if your router is in close proximity.

Finally, the TV has inputs for composite video, component video, digital audio out (optical), a headphone jack, and a CI card slot. With this great selection of connectivity options, you'll be able to hook up all your devices and access their content on the big screen.

Remote Control

The TCL 65C645K comes with a simple yet functional remote control. It has a sleek and minimalist design with a matte black finish. The remote is easy to hold and not too heavy. The button layout is straightforward with separate buttons for power, volume, channel changing, navigation, shortcuts for apps like Netflix and Prime Video, and voice control.

The voice control button activates Google Assistant, allowing you to control certain TV functions and smart home devices with your voice. The Google Assistant integration works quite well. The remote also has dedicated buttons for Freeview Play and TV Guide which are useful. Volume and channel rockers are located conveniently. Overall the remote has a good button tactile feel with decent build quality. It may lack advanced controls like a pointer function but it covers the basics well for day to day TV control.

Pros and Cons

Overall, the TCL 65C645K has more pros than cons:

Pros

• Beautiful 4K QLED display with Dolby Vision HDR for excellent picture quality
• Good motion handling with 120Hz refresh rate
• Runs on Android TV for easy access to apps and Google Assistant
• Support for major HDR formats (Dolby Vision, HDR10+, HLG)
• Dolby Atmos delivers immersive audio
• Low input lag great for gaming
• Lots of HDMI ports and USB ports

Cons

• Sound quality from built-in speakers is just average
• Lacks some advanced gaming features like VRR
• Mediocre viewing angles compared to OLED TVs
• No broadcast TV recording option
• Some reports of buggy software performance

The TCL 65C645K delivers outstanding picture performance for the price, with advanced gaming features and smart connectivity. While the audio could be better, overall it's an excellent value 4K TV option. The pros outweigh the cons for most buyers.

Conclusion

The TCL 65C645K is an excellent 4K QLED TV that offers great picture quality, smooth gaming performance, and robust smart TV features. With its sleek design, vibrant QLED display, Dolby Vision/Atmos support, and Google TV platform, the 65C645K is a compelling option for buyers looking for an affordable high-end TV.

Overall, the 65C645K delivers stunning 4K visuals and vivid, accurate colors thanks to Quantum Dot technology and full-array local dimming. Gaming is smooth and responsive with the 120Hz refresh rate, ALLM, and low input lag. The Google TV interface is intuitive and offers extensive app selection and built-in Chromecast.

For audio, the set has good sound quality and volume, though adding a soundbar can further enhance the experience. Connectivity options like HDMI 2.1, Wi-Fi, and Bluetooth ensure the TV can interface with various devices and streaming services.

In terms of downsides, the 65C645K lacks some more advanced gaming features like VRR. Viewing angles are also just adequate and black levels could be deeper. Still, considering the very reasonable price point, these are acceptable trade-offs for most buyers.

In summary, the TCL 65C645K delivers stellar 4K picture, great smart features, and solid gaming performance at an affordable price point. For buyers wanting a premium viewing experience without the premium price tag, the 65C645K is easy to recommend.