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Updated January 10, 2024·
The Insignia F30 tends to be slightly less expensive than the TCL S455, which means you may save a bit on upfront costs if you choose the Insignia. The TCL S455 provides better overall picture quality, especially for movie watching and gaming, and performs better in environments with varying lighting conditions, particularly in dark rooms. On the other hand, the Insignia F30 offers a wider viewing angle due to its IPS panel, which could be a plus if you often have multiple people watching from different angles. Both TVs lack advanced features like local dimming, which can enhance the contrast of the image, and neither supports some of the higher-end HDR formats such as Dolby Vision. When it comes to reflections and glare in bright rooms, both models are similar, with the TCL having a minimally better performance. The TCL S455 also has lower input lag which makes it slightly more suitable for gaming. If sound is a consideration, the Insignia has slightly more powerful built-in speakers, but in either case, you may want to consider adding a soundbar or external speakers for a better audio experience. Ultimately, if you're looking for the best image quality in a budget TV and can spend a little more, the TCL S455 might be the better option. However, if saving money and viewing angle are higher priorities, the Insignia F30 might be the TV for you. Give Feedback
this description is based on the product variant with some specs and product variant with some specs. At the time of writing, the variant with some specs cost some dollars and the variant with some specs cost some dollars.
Advantages of the Insignia F30 (LCD)
- Good viewing angle
Advantages of the TCL S455 (LCD)
- Good for upscaling
Key differences
Picture Quality
5.6
6.5
4.21/10
CONTRAST
6.43/10
6.2/10
COLOR VOLUME SCORE
6.3/10
LED
PANEL TYPE
LED
IPS
PANEL SUB-TYPE
VA
The TCL S455 (LCD) has only fair picture quality, while the Insignia F30 (LCD) has poor picture quality.
Movies & TV
5.3
6.0
4.21/10
CONTRAST
6.43/10
5.5/10
BLACK UNIFORMITY
9.2/10
5.5/10
UPSCALING
7.5/10
Yes
HDR10 SUPPORT
Yes
No
HDR10+ SUPPORT
No
No
DOLBY VISION SUPPORT
No
The TCL S455 (LCD) is only fair for movies & TV, while the Insignia F30 (LCD) is poor.
The Insignia F30 struggles with contrast, local dimming, and black uniformity, making it less suitable for movies and cinematic TV, while the TCL S455 offers fair performance in these areas, resulting in a somewhat better viewing experience for such content. Additionally, colors from the TCL S455 out of the box are better than the Insignia F30, contributing to more accurate and vibrant movie watching, although both have limitations in color volume and gray uniformity which can affect picture quality.
News, Talk, & Other TV
5.4
6.4
5.4/10
SDR BRIGHTNESS SCORE
6.3/10
5.5/10
UPSCALING
7.5/10
The TCL S455 (LCD) is only fair for news, talk, & other TV, while the Insignia F30 (LCD) is poor.
The Insignia F30 is considered poor for watching news and other TV programs primarily due to its lower SDR brightness, making it less suitable for well-lit rooms, despite having very good colors out of the box. On the other hand, the TCL S455 is fair in this regard, with a better SDR brightness that adapts more effectively to bright environments, even though its colors straight out of the box are only fair.
Cost
$250
$268
$150
$200
$250
$300
$350
$400
The Insignia F30 (LCD) has a price of $250 and the TCL S455 (LCD) costs $268.
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Key similarities
Sports
6.0
6.1
2.5/10
MOTION PROCESSING
4.6/10
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
8.7/10
INPUT LAG SCORE
10.0/10
5.5/10
UPSCALING
7.5/10
5.4/10
SDR BRIGHTNESS SCORE
6.3/10
No
HLG SUPPORT
Yes
The TCL S455 (LCD) and Insignia F30 (LCD) are both only fair for sports.
The Insignia F30 and TCL S455 both have challenges when it comes to watching sports; the F30 has wider viewing angles, which is good for watching with groups, yet struggles with reflection handling and motion processing. The S455 has a better response to fast-moving scenes, a plus for sports, but its narrower viewing angles and only fair reflection handling mean it's less suited for group viewing in bright rooms.
Gaming
5.6
5.7
5.8/10
RESPONSE TIME SCORE
6.0/10
8.7/10
INPUT LAG SCORE
10.0/10
2.5/10
MOTION PROCESSING
4.6/10
0.0/100
GAMING LOCAL DIMMING
10.0/100
5.8/10
GAME HDR BRIGHTNESS SCORE
5.8/10
The TCL S455 (LCD) and Insignia F30 (LCD) are both poor for gaming.
The Insignia F30 is considered poor for gaming because it has poor response time and very good input lag, while the TCL S455 is also poor due to its fair response time but has the best input lag, making the latter slightly more responsive for gaming despite both having their limitations.
Cartoons & Animation
5.8
6.0
5.9/10
COLOR GAMUT SCORE
5.9/10
6.2/10
COLOR VOLUME SCORE
6.3/10
5.4/10
SDR BRIGHTNESS SCORE
6.3/10
8.1/10
COLORS OUT OF THE BOX SCORE
6.6/10
7.5/10
GRAY UNIFORMITY
5.8/10
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers TCL S455 (LCD) to be only fair for cartoons & animation, while the Insignia F30 (LCD) is poor.
The Insignia F30 is noted as poor for cartoons and animation due in part to its poor color gamut which leads to a less vibrant display of colors, making animated content less appealing. On the other hand, the TCL S455, while still not exemplary, is considered fair for similar content, likely because it presents colors a bit more effectively out of the box, offering a more enjoyable viewing experience for animations.
Bright Room
5.5
6.0
7.2/10
VIEWING ANGLE
5.1/10
5.4/10
SDR BRIGHTNESS SCORE
6.3/10
5.6/10
HDR BRIGHTNESS SCORE
5.6/10
6.0/10
REFLECTIONS SCORE
6.3/10
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers TCL S455 (LCD) to be only fair for bright room, while the Insignia F30 (LCD) is poor.
The Insignia F30 is less suitable for bright rooms mainly because of its poor SDR and HDR brightness, which means it may not be bright enough to overcome glare. The TCL S455 fares better with fair SDR brightness and the same fair score in reflections handling, making it more capable in brighter environments despite having the same poor HDR brightness as the Insignia F30.
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How the Insignia F30 (LCD) and the TCL S455 (LCD) compare to other TVs
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Insignia F30 (LCD) | TCL S455 (LCD) |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$250 | $268 | ||
Brand | |||
Brand | Insignia | TCL | |
Release Date | |||
Release Date | August 2, 2021 | May 2, 2022 | |
Full name | |||
Full name | 50F301NA22 | 50S455 | |
Screen Size | |||
Screen Size | 50" | 50" | |
Screen Resolution | |||
Screen Resolution | 4K | 4K | |
TV FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Operating System | |||
Operating System | Fire OS | Roku TV | |
Sound Quality Score | |||
Sound Quality Score | 6.4/10 | 6/10 | |
NextGen Ready | |||
NextGen Ready | No | No | |
HDMI Ports | |||
HDMI Ports | 3 | 4 | |
Coax Ports | |||
Coax Ports | 1 | 1 | |
DISPLAY QUALITY SCORES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Picture Quality Score | |||
Picture Quality Score | 5.6/10 | 6.6/10 | |
Bright Room Score | |||
Bright Room Score | 5.6/10 | 6/10 | |
Gaming Score | |||
Gaming Score | 5.6/10 | 5.7/10 | |
Movies & TV Score | |||
Movies & TV Score | 5.3/10 | 6/10 | |
Sports Score | |||
Sports Score | 6.1/10 | 6.2/10 | |
PHYSICAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Dimensions w/o Stand (H x W x D) | |||
Dimensions w/o Stand (H x W x D) | 26" x 44.4" x 3.3" | 25.4" x 43.8" x 3.2" | |
Dimensions with Stand (H x W) | |||
Dimensions with Stand (H x W) | 27.8" x 44.4" | 27.1" x 43.8" | |
Weight without Stand | |||
Weight without Stand | 24.7 lbs | 18.1 lbs | |
VESA Mount | |||
VESA Mount | 200 x 200 | 200 x 200 | |
DISPLAY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Color Depth | |||
Color Depth | 10 bit | 10 bit | |
Black Frame Insertion | |||
Black Frame Insertion | No | No | |
Auto Low Latency Mode | |||
Auto Low Latency Mode | No | Yes | |
Contrast | |||
Contrast | 4.2/10 | 6.4/10 | |
Local Dimming | |||
Local Dimming | 3/10 | 3/10 | |
SOUND | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Speaker Setup | |||
Speaker Setup | 2.0 | 2.0 | |
Speaker Power | |||
Speaker Power | 10 W | 20 W | |
Dolby Atmos | |||
Dolby Atmos | Yes | Yes | |
DTS:X | |||
DTS:X | No | No | |
Shopping
Insignia F30 (LCD)
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Tom's guide
Michael Gowan | August 2021
"Still one of the best bargain TVs. The best feature remains its quick and responsive implementation of Fire TV OS and all the goodies that come with it. Having Alexa inside the Insignia 4K Ultra HD Fire TV Edition brings a lot of value, from voice control of TV functions to access to your smart home devices."
TCL S455 (LCD)
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USA Today
Lee Neikirk | January 2022
"A highly affordable but reliably kitted-out 4K Roku TV that, while far from perfect, still punches above its price and delivers a great user experience. If you want to soup up movie night for a bargain, the 4-Series won’t let you down. You may never need to plug in a set-top box or streaming device."
Get a great deal on the Insignia F30 (LCD) or the TCL S455 (LCD)
About Insignia
Insignia is an in-house brand from BestBuy. It offers a range of TV sets that are lower-end and smaller size. They are manufactured in China by Hisense, which is another TV brand. Insignia TVs use Amazon's Fire OS as the smart TV software, providing users with a highly user-friendly experience.
About TCL
TCL, the highly recognizable TV brand from China, has firmly established itself as the second-largest manufacturer in terms of sales volume. Renowned for striking an impressive balance between affordability, picture quality, and design, TCL TVs deliver a compelling overall package. While they have traditionally excelled in the low-end and midrange TV segments, TCL has recently made remarkable strides in the realm of high-end televisions, introducing impressive models that rival top competitors. Most TCL TVs use Roku software which is very user friendly and easy to use, but they have a few other models that use Google TV which has the largest app selection, but is not as user friendly as Roku.
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This information was produced and vetted by the PerfectRec TVs team. We are a product research and recommendation organization that meticulously reviews and evaluates the latest TV information and makes it digestible for you.
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