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---UPDATE---
Just got off the phone with TCL customer service. I was curious about the firmware update, even though I am not experiencing problems, so I tried to visit their website (tclusa.com), which was all jacked up. Apparently they are using tclusa.tv now, in case anyone else is confused about that. Also, he could not confirm whether or not this TV will support HDMI 2.0 in the future via another firmware update. This is exactly the same situation as with Seiki. TCL customer service seems alright though... I was never put on hold and got a real person within a minute of calling!
---END OF UPDATE---
I'm not going to review every feature of this TV. Other people have written great reviews with some great tips. What I want to do is help you decide which which inexpensive 4K TV to go with - TCL or Seiki. Now, I have two other TCL LED TVs which have never given me any issues, but I decided to buy the Seiki 50" 4K TV when it went down in price around black Friday. I got one of the used Amazon warehouse deals, so I expected an imperfect TV. Turns out, the corner was broken, the stand was missing screws, and the screen had a small line of dead pixels, so I ended up returning it. However, I did put it through some tests before returning, and I found that it had great image quality after messing with some settings, and the resolution and upscaling looked great. If it hadn't been broken I certainly would have kept it.
After returning the Seiki, I decided to go with this TCL (one of the warehouse deals again) and I do not regret it one bit. This TV seems to be as good or better in nearly every aspect.
DESIGN:
- The stand feels much more sturdy.
- The front bottom bezel is thinner and more stylish.
- The bezel all the way around is slightly thinner.
- I did not measure but it seems like the TV is marginally thinner overall.
- The LED indicator on the TV is smaller and less obtrusive, but still looks cool.
- Otherwise I'd call it a wash between the two models.
PERFORMANCE:
- The audio from the headphone port sounds much deeper and better for some reason. I tried tweaking the Seiki's EQ and could not get good sound out of the headphone port, but this TCL sounds great with flat EQ. NOTE: I do not review built-in TV speakers, because I never use them, and I don't think anyone should. First thing I do when getting a TV is plug in my sound system and turn off the built-in speakers, because they are always terrible.
- The user interface on the TCL is significantly better in my opinion.
- It has one more HDMI port (4 rather than 3).
- The image quality looks about the same to me after some tweaking (color rendering, motion blur, backlight, etc.). Other reviewers have good tips about which "features" to turn off for better quality. Definitely turn off the energy star backlight thing, that way the backlight will not fluctuate up and down in a dark room. I have not noticed any picture issues as serious as some of the other reviewers have. Maybe just bad quality control and I happened to get a good one?
- Everything else is about as good as the Seiki.
So, if they are roughly the same price, I'd definitely go with the TCL over the Seiki; though if you find a good deal on the Seiki, it's a great TV as well. Both are really awesome to use with true 4K sources (i.e. my computer) and have pretty good upscaling from 1080p sources (my 3rd generation Apple TV looks amazing on both). The clarity, detail, and depth of the image is just unreal. True 4K on a small enough screen (such that you can't see any pixelation) doesn't even require 3D to look realistically deep. I just can't wait for more 4K content and distribution to come out.
I'd recommend this TCL over the Seiki, but either way you go, make sure you put the TV through its paces before the return window on Amazon closes. TCL has OK customer service, and Seiki's is pretty bad from what I hear, but Amazon customer service is second to none, and they will without a doubt get you taken care of if you have problems.
| Brand Name | TCL |
|---|---|
| Item Weight | 44 pounds |
| Product Dimensions | 45 x 9 x 28 inches |
| Item model number | LE50UHDE5691 |
| Batteries | 2 AAA batteries required. (included) |
| Specification Met | Energy Star |
| Special Features | Flat |
| Speaker Type | Built-In |
