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Updated January 10, 2024·
If you prioritize gaming, the TCL R646 is a better choice due to its higher gaming score. It also offers superior performance in both bright and dark rooms. However, it costs more than the TCL S435. If you're looking to save money and mainly watch cartoons, the S435 would be adequate. For general movie watching and use in varied lighting conditions, the R646 outperforms the S435, with better local dimming, color quality, and brightness capabilities. Both TVs have their limitations in terms of viewing angles and may not be the best choice if you often watch TV from side angles. 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 R646 (LCD)
- Very good for bright room
- Good for dark room
- Very good for gaming
- Good for movies & TV
- Good for news, talk, & other TV
- Very good for cartoons & animation
- Good for use as monitor
- Very good reflections
Advantages of the TCL S435 (LCD)
- The TCL S435 (LCD) has no clear advantages over the TCL R646 (LCD).
Key differences
Picture Quality
7.9
6.6
8.43/10
CONTRAST
7.50/10
7.6/10
COLOR VOLUME SCORE
6.6/10
miniLED FALD
PANEL TYPE
LED
VA
PANEL SUB-TYPE
VA
The TCL R646 (LCD) has good picture quality, while the TCL S435 (LCD) has only fair picture quality.
Movies & TV
7.8
6.1
8.43/10
CONTRAST
7.50/10
6.8/10
BLACK UNIFORMITY
6.7/10
5.9/10
UPSCALING
5.9/10
Yes
HDR10 SUPPORT
Yes
Yes
HDR10+ SUPPORT
No
Yes
DOLBY VISION SUPPORT
No
The TCL R646 (LCD) is good for movies & TV, while the TCL S435 (LCD) is only fair.
The TCL R646 is better suited for movies and cinematic TV due to its superior contrast, local dimming, and black uniformity which are crucial for deep blacks and detail in dark scenes, while the slightly better colors out of the box and color volume don't compensate for the TCL S435's lack of local dimming and lower black uniformity, making it less ideal for those types of content.
Sports
6.6
5.9
5.3/10
MOTION PROCESSING
3.2/10
120Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
7.6/10
INPUT LAG SCORE
5.8/10
5.9/10
UPSCALING
5.9/10
9.1/10
SDR BRIGHTNESS SCORE
5.2/10
Yes
HLG SUPPORT
Yes
The TCL R646 (LCD) is only fair for sports, while the TCL S435 (LCD) is poor.
The TCL R646 provides better motion processing and a quicker response time which is crucial for smooth motion in fast-paced sports, and also handles reflections more effectively than the TCL S435. However, the TCL S435, with poorer performance in these areas, could lead to more motion blur and distraction from screen reflections during sports viewing.
Gaming
8.2
5.5
8.0/10
RESPONSE TIME SCORE
6.2/10
7.6/10
INPUT LAG SCORE
5.8/10
5.3/10
MOTION PROCESSING
3.2/10
70.0/100
GAMING LOCAL DIMMING
0.0/100
8.7/10
GAME HDR BRIGHTNESS SCORE
5.3/10
The TCL R646 (LCD) is very good for gaming, while the TCL S435 (LCD) is poor.
The TCL R646 provides a very good gaming experience because it has a high refresh rate and low input lag, essential for fast-paced gaming with minimal motion blur and quick reaction times. In contrast, the TCL S435 falls short in gaming performance due to its lower refresh rate and higher input lag, leading to a less responsive and blurrier gaming experience.
Cartoons & Animation
8.4
7.0
7.6/10
COLOR GAMUT SCORE
6.0/10
7.6/10
COLOR VOLUME SCORE
6.6/10
9.1/10
SDR BRIGHTNESS SCORE
5.2/10
7.2/10
COLORS OUT OF THE BOX SCORE
9.0/10
8.0/10
GRAY UNIFORMITY
5.9/10
The TCL R646 (LCD) is very good for cartoons & animation, while the TCL S435 (LCD) is good.
The TCL R646 stands out for cartoons and animation because it has good color performance straight out of the box and a good color gamut, making the images vibrant and true to the creators' intentions. In comparison, the TCL S435 also has excellent colors out of the box, but its color gamut is only fair, which may affect the richness and depth of colors on screen.
News, Talk, & Other TV
7.5
5.8
9.1/10
SDR BRIGHTNESS SCORE
5.2/10
5.9/10
UPSCALING
5.9/10
The TCL R646 (LCD) is good for news, talk, & other TV, while the TCL S435 (LCD) is poor.
The TCL R646 delivers excellent SDR brightness and good colors out of the box making it suitable for watching news and TV programs in well-lit rooms, while the TCL S435, with poor SDR brightness, is less capable in those settings even though it has excellent colors out of the box. Additionally, the R646's local dimming feature, which improves contrast and picture quality, compared to the S435's lack thereof, can contribute to a clearer viewing experience for such content.
Bright Room
8.9
5.6
5.3/10
VIEWING ANGLE
5.0/10
9.1/10
SDR BRIGHTNESS SCORE
5.2/10
8.3/10
HDR BRIGHTNESS SCORE
5.1/10
8.1/10
REFLECTIONS SCORE
5.9/10
The TCL R646 (LCD) is very good for bright room, while the TCL S435 (LCD) is poor.
The TCL R646 is better for bright rooms due to its excellent SDR brightness and very good HDR brightness, alongside very good reflection handling, while the TCL S435 falls short with poor SDR and HDR brightness and poor performance in handling reflections. Even considering contrast, color volume, and color gamut, which are important but less critical for bright room viewing, the R646 still holds superiority with its overall good performance in these areas compared to the S435.
Cost
$800
$700
$200
$400
$600
$800
$1,000
$1,200
The TCL R646 (LCD) has a price of $800 and the TCL S435 (LCD) costs $700.
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How the TCL R646 (LCD) and the TCL S435 (LCD) compare to other TVs
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| TCL R646 (LCD) | TCL S435 (LCD) |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$800 | $700 | ||
Brand | |||
Brand | TCL | TCL | |
Release Date | |||
Release Date | August 2, 2021 | September 4, 2020 | |
Full name | |||
Full name | 65R646 | 65S435 | |
Screen Size | |||
Screen Size | 65" | 65" | |
Screen Resolution | |||
Screen Resolution | 4K | 4K | |
TV FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Operating System | |||
Operating System | Android TV | Roku TV | |
Sound Quality Score | |||
Sound Quality Score | 10/10 | 5.9/10 | |
NextGen Ready | |||
NextGen Ready | No | No | |
HDMI Ports | |||
HDMI Ports | 4 | 4 | |
Coax Ports | |||
Coax Ports | 1 | 1 | |
DISPLAY QUALITY SCORES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Picture Quality Score | |||
Picture Quality Score | 7.9/10 | 6.7/10 | |
Bright Room Score | |||
Bright Room Score | 9/10 | 5.6/10 | |
Gaming Score | |||
Gaming Score | 8.2/10 | 5.6/10 | |
Movies & TV Score | |||
Movies & TV Score | 7.8/10 | 6.2/10 | |
Sports Score | |||
Sports Score | 6.6/10 | 6/10 | |
PHYSICAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Dimensions w/o Stand (H x W x D) | |||
Dimensions w/o Stand (H x W x D) | 33.3" x 56.9" x 3.6" | 33.2" x 57.4" x 3.3" | |
Dimensions with Stand (H x W) | |||
Dimensions with Stand (H x W) | 35.7" x 56.9" | 35.3" x 57.4" | |
Weight without Stand | |||
Weight without Stand | 63.5 lbs | 37.9 lbs | |
VESA Mount | |||
VESA Mount | 300 x 300 | 300 x 300 | |
DISPLAY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Color Depth | |||
Color Depth | 10 bit | 10 bit | |
Black Frame Insertion | |||
Black Frame Insertion | Yes | No | |
Auto Low Latency Mode | |||
Auto Low Latency Mode | Yes | No | |
Contrast | |||
Contrast | 8.4/10 | 7.5/10 | |
Local Dimming | |||
Local Dimming | 6.5/10 | 2.5/10 | |
SOUND | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Speaker Setup | |||
Speaker Setup | 2.0 | 2.0 | |
Speaker Power | |||
Speaker Power | 30 W | 16 W | |
Dolby Atmos | |||
Dolby Atmos | Yes | Dolby Digital Plus Bypass Only | |
DTS:X | |||
DTS:X | Yes, Bypass only | No | |
Shopping
TCL S435 (LCD)
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Dig into reviews and images
CNET
Geoffrey Morrison | June 2021
"The TCL 4-Series is so inexpensive and capable you might start to question why there are any multithousand-dollar TVs at all. The 4-Series setup is intuitive and easy. If you're just looking for an easy-to-use TV with decent picture, this is an excellent place to start."
Get a great deal on the TCL R646 (LCD) or the TCL S435 (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.
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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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