PerfectRec’s gaming score measures a TV's performance when it comes to playing video games. It is based on several factors that can significantly impact the quality of the gaming experience, including screen response time, input lag, and refresh rate. Screen response time is a critical factor that determines how quickly the TV can transition from one color to the next, while input lag measures the delay between the gaming console output and the TV display. Refresh rate refers to the number of times per second that the TV displays a new frame, which can impact the smoothness of the gaming experience. The gaming score also takes into account two other features: local dimming in gaming mode, which can enhance contrast and picture quality, and black frame insertion, which can reduce screen brightness and create a smoother gaming experience.

The TCL R745 is considered fair for watching sports due to its decent viewing angles and reflections handling, which means it can maintain picture quality when viewed from different positions and in rooms with some light. However, its response time and motion processing are rated as fair, which might result in some blur during fast-moving scenes, potentially diminishing the clarity of sports content.

PerfectRec’s news, talk, & other TV score prioritizes upscaling, brightness, contrast, out of the box color accuracy, and screen uniformity. This is because almost all news and talk shows are created in Standard Dynamic Range (SDR) with lower resolutions, such as 720P and 1080P. The purpose of this prioritization is to ensure that lower resolution content looks good on a 4K display and to help you identify which TV will perform best when watching live TV via Cable, Satellite, or Antenna.

The TCL R745 has a good score for colors out of the box but struggles with color volume, which can make animations look less vibrant and appear washed out on screen, especially where vivid and varied color depiction is crucial. The TV's poor color volume suggests it may not represent the full range and intensity of colors, leading to a less engaging viewing experience for content like cartoons that typically feature bright and diverse color palettes.