If you value picture quality, especially in darker settings, the TCL S546 is the better option, as it performs well in both bright and dark rooms. It also supports more advanced HDR formats like Dolby Vision and has better contrast and black uniformity, which can enhance movie watching.
However, if having more HDMI ports is important for connecting multiple devices, the TCL S455 has an extra port. It also has slightly better sound quality. Both TVs have similar prices, so your choice may hinge on whether you prioritize connectivity and sound or picture quality and HDR performance. 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 S455 (LCD)
Good for upscaling
Advantages of the TCL S546 (LCD)
Good for bright room
Good for dark room
Good for movies & TV
Key differences
Picture Quality
6.5/10
7.4/10
6.43/10
CONTRAST
8.21/10
6.3/10
COLOR VOLUME SCORE
8.0/10
LED
PANEL TYPE
LED FALD
VA
PANEL SUB-TYPE
VA
The TCL S546 (LCD) has good picture quality, while the TCL S455 (LCD) has only fair picture quality.
Movies & TV
6.0/10
7.0/10
6.43/10
CONTRAST
8.21/10
9.2/10
BLACK UNIFORMITY
6.8/10
7.5/10
UPSCALING
5.9/10
Yes
HDR10 SUPPORT
Yes
No
HDR10+ SUPPORT
Yes
No
DOLBY VISION SUPPORT
Yes
The TCL S546 (LCD) is good for movies & TV, while the TCL S455 (LCD) is only fair.
The TCL S546 provides a better movie and cinematic TV experience due to its higher contrast, effective local dimming, and better color volume which are crucial for deep blacks and vibrant colors in dark scenes. Conversely, the TCL S455, while offering fair quality, falls behind on these aspects, particularly with its lower contrast and less effective local dimming, which can result in less impressive dark scenes and subtler color nuances.
Gaming
5.7/10
6.6/10
6.0/10
RESPONSE TIME SCORE
7.6/10
10.0/10
INPUT LAG SCORE
8.0/10
4.6/10
MOTION PROCESSING
4.6/10
10.0/100
GAMING LOCAL DIMMING
60.0/100
5.8/10
GAME HDR BRIGHTNESS SCORE
6.9/10
The TCL S546 (LCD) is only fair for gaming, while the TCL S455 (LCD) is poor.
The TCL S455 is deemed poor for gaming because it has a fair response time and the best input lag which, despite being adequate, is not optimized for the quick reflexes required in gaming. On the other hand, the TCL S546, with a good response time and very good input lag, is considered fair for gaming due to its better performance in handling fast movements and quicker command responses essential for gameplay.
Cartoons & Animation
6.0/10
6.6/10
5.9/10
COLOR GAMUT SCORE
7.8/10
6.3/10
COLOR VOLUME SCORE
8.0/10
6.3/10
SDR BRIGHTNESS SCORE
8.2/10
6.6/10
COLORS OUT OF THE BOX SCORE
4.4/10
5.8/10
GRAY UNIFORMITY
7.0/10
The TCL S546 (LCD) and TCL S455 (LCD) are both only fair for cartoons & animation, though the TCL S546 (LCD) is somewhat better.
The TCL S455 and TCL S546 are both fair for watching cartoons & animation, with the S455 offering fair colors out of the box and poor color gamut, which could lead to less vibrant cartoons. The S546, however, provides a good color gamut and very good color volume for more vivid images, but it has poor colors out of the box and might require adjustments for optimal viewing.
Bright Room
6.0/10
7.2/10
5.1/10
VIEWING ANGLE
5.3/10
6.3/10
SDR BRIGHTNESS SCORE
8.2/10
5.6/10
HDR BRIGHTNESS SCORE
6.8/10
6.3/10
REFLECTIONS SCORE
6.0/10
The TCL S546 (LCD) is good for bright room, while the TCL S455 (LCD) is only fair.
The TCL S546 provides a better experience in bright rooms mainly because it offers higher SDR and HDR brightness levels and superior handling of reflections, which means brighter scenes are more visible and glare from windows or lamps is better mitigated. The TCL S455, while handling reflections adequately, has lower brightness capabilities in both SDR and HDR content, which can make the picture appear more washed out in bright conditions.
Cost
$542
$398
$200
$300
$400
$500
$600
$700
$800
The TCL S455 (LCD) has a price of $542 and the TCL S546 (LCD) costs $398.
The TCL S546 (LCD) and TCL S455 (LCD) are both only fair for sports.
The TCL S455 and S546 both have fair motion processing which is crucial for smooth action when watching sports; however, they differ in performance for reflections handling and viewing angles, with neither excelling particularly in these areas, affecting their suitability for bright rooms and group viewing. They also have fair gray uniformity which slightly impacts the evenness of sports fields on the screen but is less critical than their motion performance and reflection handling.
News, Talk, & Other TV
6.4/10
6.4/10
6.3/10
SDR BRIGHTNESS SCORE
8.2/10
7.5/10
UPSCALING
5.9/10
The TCL S546 (LCD) and TCL S455 (LCD) are both only fair for news, talk, & other TV.
The TCL S455 and TCL S546 are both fair for watching news and TV programs primarily because they offer decent upscaling of low-resolution content, and they have good SDR brightness for daytime viewing. The S546 has a better contrast which makes it superior for viewing in dark rooms, and a wider color gamut that can display more colors more accurately, while the S455 offers a more consistent color output directly out of the box.
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How the TCL S455 (LCD) and the TCL S546 (LCD) compare to other TVs
"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 TCL S455 (LCD) or the TCL S546 (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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