When choosing between the Samsung QN85B and the TCL S546, consider the following:
If you need a TV that is great for gaming and has excellent response time and low input lag, the Samsung QN85B is the better choice. It also has better performance in bright rooms, making it suitable for environments with a lot of natural light.
On the other hand, if your budget is a constraint, the TCL S546 is more affordable and still provides acceptable quality for movies, series, and cartoons. However, it doesn't perform as well in bright rooms and its motion processing isn't as strong, which might be noticeable during fast action scenes or sports.
For those interested in the best sound, neither of these TVs come with exceptional built-in speakers, so you may want to consider adding a separate sound system to either choice. 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 QN85B (LCD)
Excellent for bright room
Very good for gaming
Good for sports
Very good for news, talk, & other TV
Very good for cartoons & animation
Very good for use as monitor
Good for upscaling
Very good motion processing
Good viewing angle
Very good reflections
Advantages of the TCL S546 (LCD)
The TCL S546 (LCD) has no clear advantages over the Samsung QN85B (LCD).
Key differences
Sports
7.1/10
6.3/10
8.0/10
MOTION PROCESSING
4.6/10
120Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
10.0/10
INPUT LAG SCORE
8.0/10
7.5/10
UPSCALING
5.9/10
9.3/10
SDR BRIGHTNESS SCORE
8.2/10
Yes
HLG SUPPORT
Yes
The Samsung QN85B (LCD) is good for sports, while the TCL S546 (LCD) is only fair.
The Samsung QN85B is better for watching sports due to its superior motion processing and reflection handling, capable of delivering clearer images during fast action and in well-lit rooms. In contrast, the TCL S546, despite having good response time, falls short in motion processing and its ability to handle reflections, potentially resulting in blurrier images during fast sports and more distraction from room lighting.
Gaming
8.2/10
6.6/10
8.0/10
RESPONSE TIME SCORE
7.6/10
10.0/10
INPUT LAG SCORE
8.0/10
8.0/10
MOTION PROCESSING
4.6/10
70.0/100
GAMING LOCAL DIMMING
60.0/100
9.0/10
GAME HDR BRIGHTNESS SCORE
6.9/10
The Samsung QN85B (LCD) is very good for gaming, while the TCL S546 (LCD) is only fair.
The Samsung QN85B excels in gaming primarily because it offers both a higher response time and a lower input lag compared to the TCL S546, making for smoother and more responsive gameplay. The TCL S546, while still providing a good gaming experience, doesn't match up to the performance of the Samsung QN85B in these critical areas.
Cartoons & Animation
8.0/10
6.6/10
7.2/10
COLOR GAMUT SCORE
7.8/10
7.5/10
COLOR VOLUME SCORE
8.0/10
9.3/10
SDR BRIGHTNESS SCORE
8.2/10
7.9/10
COLORS OUT OF THE BOX SCORE
4.4/10
7.2/10
GRAY UNIFORMITY
7.0/10
The Samsung QN85B (LCD) is very good for cartoons & animation, while the TCL S546 (LCD) is only fair.
The Samsung QN85B is rated better for cartoons and animation because its colors out of the box and color gamut are both considered good, implying that it displays a wide range of colors accurately without the need for calibration. The TCL S546, while also having a good color gamut, is rated lower as its colors out of the box are perceived as poor, meaning it may not represent the colors in animations as intended unless it is properly calibrated.
News, Talk, & Other TV
8.2/10
6.4/10
9.3/10
SDR BRIGHTNESS SCORE
8.2/10
7.5/10
UPSCALING
5.9/10
The Samsung QN85B (LCD) is very good for news, talk, & other TV, while the TCL S546 (LCD) is only fair.
The Samsung QN85B provides excellent upscaling and SDR brightness, which enhances clarity and visibility for news and talk shows, while the TCL S546 offers very good upscaling and SDR brightness but may not deliver the same level of clarity. Furthermore, the Samsung QN85B's colors out of the box and color gamut are rated as good, providing vibrant and accurate colors, contrasting with the TCL S546, whose colors out of the box are deemed poor even with a good color gamut, possibly leading to less accurate color reproduction.
Bright Room
9.2/10
7.2/10
7.5/10
VIEWING ANGLE
5.3/10
9.3/10
SDR BRIGHTNESS SCORE
8.2/10
8.9/10
HDR BRIGHTNESS SCORE
6.8/10
8.9/10
REFLECTIONS SCORE
6.0/10
The Samsung QN85B (LCD) is excellent for bright room, while the TCL S546 (LCD) is good.
The Samsung QN85B excels in a bright room due to its excellent SDR and very good HDR brightness and very good reflections handling, which outperforms the TCL S546 that is only rated as very good for SDR brightness and fair for both HDR brightness and reflections handling. While the TCL S546 has superior contrast, which is important for dark room viewing, the Samsung QN85B's strengths lie in its ability to maintain picture quality in well-lit environments due to higher brightness and better reflection mitigation.
Cost
$1,199
$398
$0
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
The Samsung QN85B (LCD) has a price of $1,199 and the TCL S546 (LCD) costs $398.
The Samsung QN85B (LCD) and TCL S546 (LCD) both have good picture quality.
Movies & TV
7.3/10
7.0/10
5.64/10
CONTRAST
8.21/10
5.7/10
BLACK UNIFORMITY
6.8/10
7.5/10
UPSCALING
5.9/10
Yes
HDR10 SUPPORT
Yes
Yes
HDR10+ SUPPORT
Yes
No
DOLBY VISION SUPPORT
Yes
The Samsung QN85B (LCD) and TCL S546 (LCD) are both good for movies & TV.
The Samsung QN85B provides a bright cinematic experience with very good local dimming, which enhances contrast and black uniformity, making it suitable for movie watching. However, the TCL S546 offers superior contrast and black uniformity straight out of the box, contributing to deep blacks and vivid picture quality, which is ideal for enjoying cinematic content.
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How the Samsung QN85B (LCD) and the TCL S546 (LCD) compare to other TVs
"Particularly key to this is the fact that black levels are unusually good, on a level we haven’t seen from any IPS TV before. Build quality is impressive too, with a gleaming silver metallic frame and stand, and enough heft to suggest plenty of quality innards. High dynamic range content jumps off the screen with enough luminosity and intensity to really sell what makes HDR special."
Get a great deal on the Samsung QN85B (LCD) or the TCL S546 (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.
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