If you prefer a TV with better overall picture quality, especially for watching movies and series, the TCL S555 may suit you. It's more expensive but offers higher performance in these areas. However, in a bright room, both models perform similarly, so if you primarily watch TV in a well-lit environment, the more budget-friendly TCL S546 might be sufficient for your needs. Both TVs are not ideal for wide viewing angles, so keep this in mind if your seating arrangement means people will be watching from various angles. Neither is particularly strong for sports, with the S546 being slightly better suited for gaming. 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 TCL S546 (LCD)
The TCL S546 (LCD) has no clear advantages over the TCL S555 (LCD).
Advantages of the TCL S555 (LCD)
Good for news, talk, & other TV
Very good for cartoons & animation
Key differences
Movies & TV
7.0/10
7.9/10
8.21/10
CONTRAST
9.07/10
6.8/10
BLACK UNIFORMITY
7.0/10
5.9/10
UPSCALING
5.4/10
Yes
HDR10 SUPPORT
Yes
Yes
HDR10+ SUPPORT
Yes
Yes
DOLBY VISION SUPPORT
Yes
The TCL S555 (LCD) and TCL S546 (LCD) are both good for movies & TV, though the TCL S555 (LCD) is somewhat better.
Cartoons & Animation
6.6/10
8.4/10
7.8/10
COLOR GAMUT SCORE
7.4/10
8.0/10
COLOR VOLUME SCORE
7.3/10
8.2/10
SDR BRIGHTNESS SCORE
8.5/10
4.4/10
COLORS OUT OF THE BOX SCORE
8.6/10
7.0/10
GRAY UNIFORMITY
6.4/10
The TCL S555 (LCD) is very good for cartoons & animation, while the TCL S546 (LCD) is only fair.
The TCL S546's performance watching cartoons is fair due to poorer colors out of the box and a lower color gamut, although it has a very good color volume which is important for vibrant animation. On the other hand, the TCL S555 is rated very good for cartoons because it displays colors beautifully right away and maintains a good color gamut, while still providing a good color volume for a rich color presentation across different content.
News, Talk, & Other TV
6.4/10
7.0/10
8.2/10
SDR BRIGHTNESS SCORE
8.5/10
5.9/10
UPSCALING
5.4/10
The TCL S555 (LCD) is good for news, talk, & other TV, while the TCL S546 (LCD) is only fair.
The TCL S555 performs better for news, talk shows, and TV programs primarily because it offers very good upscaling and SDR brightness, which are crucial for clear image quality in regular content. Conversely, the TCL S546 has lower performance in those areas, making the S555 a superior choice for these types of viewing experiences due to its refined picture output.
The TCL S555 (LCD) and TCL S546 (LCD) both have good picture quality.
Sports
6.3/10
6.3/10
4.6/10
MOTION PROCESSING
4.6/10
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
8.0/10
INPUT LAG SCORE
10.0/10
5.9/10
UPSCALING
5.4/10
8.2/10
SDR BRIGHTNESS SCORE
8.5/10
Yes
HLG SUPPORT
Yes
The TCL S546 (LCD) and TCL S555 (LCD) are both only fair for sports.
The TCL S546 has motion processing and reflections handling that are considered fair, providing an adequate sports-viewing experience, but its less-than-ideal response time could lead to some blur during fast action. In contrast, the TCL S555, while still fair at handling reflections, offers a better response time, which means less blur during fast-paced scenes, but its motion processing isn't as effective as the S546, so some fast movements may not be as smooth.
Gaming
6.6/10
6.7/10
7.6/10
RESPONSE TIME SCORE
7.0/10
8.0/10
INPUT LAG SCORE
10.0/10
4.6/10
MOTION PROCESSING
4.6/10
60.0/100
GAMING LOCAL DIMMING
80.0/100
6.9/10
GAME HDR BRIGHTNESS SCORE
7.3/10
The TCL S555 (LCD) and TCL S546 (LCD) are both only fair for gaming.
The TCL S546 has a good response time and very good input lag, making it suitable for gaming, while the TCL S555 also has a good response time but offers the best input lag, which can be even more favorable for gamers who are sensitive to delays between their actions and what's seen on screen. Both models feature a 60Hz refresh rate, adequate for most gaming needs, but may not satisfy those looking for higher refresh rates for smoother gameplay.
Bright Room
7.2/10
7.3/10
5.3/10
VIEWING ANGLE
5.5/10
8.2/10
SDR BRIGHTNESS SCORE
8.5/10
6.8/10
HDR BRIGHTNESS SCORE
7.0/10
6.0/10
REFLECTIONS SCORE
5.9/10
The TCL S555 (LCD) and TCL S546 (LCD) are both good for bright room.
The TCL S546 is good for viewing in a bright room due to its very good SDR brightness and fair handling of reflections, making it suitable for most well-lit environments. The TCL S555, while sharing the same level of SDR brightness, only offers good HDR brightness and has poorer reflection handling, which may affect its performance in very bright settings.
Cost
$420
$433
$200
$300
$400
$500
$600
$700
The TCL S546 (LCD) has a price of $420 and the TCL S555 (LCD) costs $433.
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How the TCL S546 (LCD) and the TCL S555 (LCD) compare to other TVs
"It looks great out of the box and the picture quality it is rock-solid for the price. (...) What really makes this a decent gaming TV, though, is the very low input lag. (...) But if you want to save a little money, the TCL S555 strikes a great balance between cost and performance – the kind of performance that’s impressive enough to deliver some wow to your eyes. (...)"
Get a great deal on the TCL S546 (LCD) or the TCL S555 (LCD)
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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