If budget is your primary concern and you need a basic TV for watching news or occasional shows, the TCL S350R would suit you and save money, though it has limited performance across most viewing conditions, with poor overall picture quality and particularly struggles in both dark and bright rooms. On the other hand, the Samsung Q80C costs more but offers a significantly better viewing experience, particularly for gaming and watching movies, with good reflection handling for brighter rooms and very good picture quality. It also has better sound, a higher refresh rate for smoother motion, and supports more advanced HDR formats which is great for the latest content. However, for very wide viewing angles, the Samsung might not perform as well due to its screen technology. 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 Samsung Q80C (LCD)
Good for bright room
Very good for gaming
Good for news, talk, & other TV
Good for cartoons & animation
Good for use as monitor
Very good motion processing
Good viewing angle
Advantages of the TCL S350R (LCD)
The TCL S350R (LCD) has no clear advantages over the Samsung Q80C (LCD).
Key differences
Picture Quality
7.0/10
5.3/10
5.55/10
CONTRAST
6.428571429/10
7.8/10
COLOR VOLUME SCORE
5.8/10
LED FALD
PANEL TYPE
LED
IPS
PANEL SUB-TYPE
VA
The Samsung Q80C (LCD) has good picture quality, while the TCL S350R (LCD) has poor picture quality.
Movies & TV
6.1/10
5.2/10
5.55/10
CONTRAST
6.428571429/10
4.4/10
BLACK UNIFORMITY
5.1/10
7.0/10
UPSCALING
7.0/10
Yes
HDR10 SUPPORT
Yes
Yes
HDR10+ SUPPORT
No
No
DOLBY VISION SUPPORT
No
The Samsung Q80C (LCD) is only fair for movies & TV, while the TCL S350R (LCD) is poor.
Sports
6.8/10
6.1/10
8.0/10
MOTION PROCESSING
3.9/10
120Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
10.0/10
INPUT LAG SCORE
5.6/10
7.0/10
UPSCALING
7.0/10
8.5/10
SDR BRIGHTNESS SCORE
5.0/10
Yes
HLG SUPPORT
No
The Samsung Q80C (LCD) and TCL S350R (LCD) are both only fair for sports, though the Samsung Q80C (LCD) is somewhat better.
Gaming
8.1/10
5.5/10
7.8/10
RESPONSE TIME SCORE
6.2/10
10.0/10
INPUT LAG SCORE
5.6/10
8.0/10
MOTION PROCESSING
3.9/10
60.0/100
GAMING LOCAL DIMMING
0.0/100
8.1/10
GAME HDR BRIGHTNESS SCORE
2.5/10
The Samsung Q80C (LCD) is very good for gaming, while the TCL S350R (LCD) is poor.
Cartoons & Animation
7.2/10
5.3/10
7.3/10
COLOR GAMUT SCORE
5.4/10
7.8/10
COLOR VOLUME SCORE
5.8/10
8.5/10
SDR BRIGHTNESS SCORE
5.0/10
6.5/10
COLORS OUT OF THE BOX SCORE
4.7/10
7.0/10
GRAY UNIFORMITY
5.5/10
The Samsung Q80C (LCD) is good for cartoons & animation, while the TCL S350R (LCD) is poor.
News, Talk, & Other TV
7.2/10
5.6/10
8.5/10
SDR BRIGHTNESS SCORE
5.0/10
7.0/10
UPSCALING
7.0/10
The Samsung Q80C (LCD) is good for news, talk, & other TV, while the TCL S350R (LCD) is poor.
Bright Room
7.2/10
4.7/10
7.7/10
VIEWING ANGLE
6.0/10
8.5/10
SDR BRIGHTNESS SCORE
5.0/10
7.3/10
HDR BRIGHTNESS SCORE
2.5/10
5.9/10
REFLECTIONS SCORE
6.3/10
The Samsung Q80C (LCD) is good for bright room, while the TCL S350R (LCD) is poor.
Cost
$998
$200
$0
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
The Samsung Q80C (LCD) has a price of $998 and the TCL S350R (LCD) costs $200.
How the Samsung Q80C (LCD) and the TCL S350R (LCD) compare to other TVs
Spec Comparison
Samsung Q80C (LCD)
TCL S350R (LCD)
GENERAL
Price
Price
$998
$200
Brand
Brand
Samsung
TCL
Release Date
Release Date
May 1, 2023
July 1, 2023
Full name
Full name
QN55Q80C
43S350R
Screen Size
Screen Size
55"
43"
Screen Resolution
Screen Resolution
4K
1080P
Screen Type
Screen Type
LCD
LCD
Screen Sub-type
Screen Sub-type
LED FALD IPS
LED VA
Smart TV
Smart TV
Yes
Yes
TV FEATURES
Operating System
Operating System
Tizen
Roku TV
Sound Quality Score
Sound Quality Score
7.3/10
5.9/10
NextGen Ready
NextGen Ready
No
No
HDMI Ports
HDMI Ports
4
0
Coax Ports
Coax Ports
1
1
Refresh Rate
Refresh Rate
120Hz
60Hz
Variable Refresh Rate
Variable Refresh Rate
Yes
No
HDR Supported formats
HDR Supported formats
HDR10, HDR10+, HLG
HDR10
Accessibility
Accessibility
Voice Commands
Voice Commands
DISPLAY QUALITY SCORES
Picture Quality Score
Picture Quality Score
7/10
5.3/10
Bright Room Score
Bright Room Score
7.3/10
4.7/10
Gaming Score
Gaming Score
8.2/10
5.5/10
Movies & TV Score
Movies & TV Score
6.2/10
5.2/10
Sports Score
Sports Score
6.9/10
6.1/10
News, Talk, & Other TV Score
News, Talk, & Other TV Score
7.3/10
5.6/10
Cartoons & Animation Score
Cartoons & Animation Score
7.2/10
5.3/10
Use as Monitor Score
Use as Monitor Score
7.8/10
5.5/10
PHYSICAL
Dimensions w/o Stand (H x W x D)
Dimensions w/o Stand (H x W x D)
27.8" x 48.3" x 1.8"
21.8" x 37.6" x 3.5"
Dimensions with Stand (H x W)
Dimensions with Stand (H x W)
30.2" x 48.3"
23.9" x 37.6"
Weight without Stand
Weight without Stand
Unknown
12.5 lbs
VESA Mount
VESA Mount
200 x 200
100 x 100
DISPLAY
Color Depth
Color Depth
10 bit
8 bit
Black Frame Insertion
Black Frame Insertion
Yes
No
Auto Low Latency Mode
Auto Low Latency Mode
Yes
No
Contrast
Contrast
5.6/10
6.4/10
Local Dimming
Local Dimming
5.7/10
2.5/10
Gaming Local Dimming
Gaming Local Dimming
6/100
0/100
Game HDR Brightness Score
Game HDR Brightness Score
8.1/10
2.5/10
SDR Brightness Score
SDR Brightness Score
8.5/10
5.1/10
HDR Brightness Score
HDR Brightness Score
7.3/10
2.5/10
Gray Uniformity
Gray Uniformity
7/10
5.6/10
Black Uniformity
Black Uniformity
4.5/10
5.2/10
Viewing Angle
Viewing Angle
7.7/10
6/10
Reflections Score
Reflections Score
6/10
6.3/10
Upscaling
Upscaling
7/10
7/10
Motion Processing
Motion Processing
8/10
3.9/10
Color Gamut Score
Color Gamut Score
7.3/10
5.5/10
Color Volume Score
Color Volume Score
7.9/10
5.9/10
Response Time Score
Response Time Score
7.8/10
6.3/10
Input Lag Score
Input Lag Score
10/10
5.7/10
Colors Out of the Box Score
Colors Out of the Box Score
6.5/10
4.8/10
Quality Control
Quality Control
8/10
3.7/10
Chroma Subsampling Score
Chroma Subsampling Score
8/10
4.5/10
SOUND
Speaker Setup
Speaker Setup
2.2
2.0
Speaker Power
Speaker Power
40 W
16 W
Dolby Atmos
Dolby Atmos
Yes
No
DTS:X
DTS:X
No
No
Get a great deal on the Samsung Q80C (LCD) or the TCL S350R (LCD)
About Samsung
Samsung, a South Korean electronics manufacturer, holds the title of being the largest global TV vendor in terms of units sold. They offer a diverse lineup of TV products that cater to various budget ranges. A notable achievement in recent years is the development of Quantum Dots, a technology that enhances color reproduction, resulting in richer and more vibrant hues. Samsung TVs are well-regarded for their high manufacturing quality and user-friendly software, making them an excellent choice for consumers seeking an intuitive viewing 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.
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.
By the numbers
385
TVs evaluated
33,110
TVs stats compiled
21
Proprietary TVs ratings developed
122,430
Recommendations made
18,365
Consumer hours saved
About the TV team
Joe Golden, Ph.D
CEO and TVs Editor
Joe is an entrepreneur and lifelong electronics enthusiast with a Ph.D in Economics from the University of Michigan.
Jason Lew
Staff Expert & Software Engineer
Jason is a staff expert and software engineer that has been making laptop recommendations for 7 years and moderates one of the largest laptop subreddits.
Chandradeep Chowdhury
Staff Expert & Software Engineer
Chandradeep is a staff expert and software engineer and expert in televisions and monitors. He’s been making monitor recommendations for ten years.
Jaime Roldán
TVs Expert
Jaime is a Colombia-based TV expert. He is an electronics engineer with 8 years of experience in the telecom sector and has been making TV recommendations for 12 years.