By focusing on delivering a solid, quantum-dot 4K picture at an affordable price, the TCL 5-Series is a great choice for anyone on a budget.

With a VA panel, it has an exceptional contrast ratio that displays deep blacks, making it a great choice for watching movies. Despite not having many extra gaming features like VRR support, it's a great gaming TV because it has an incredibly low input lag and a quick response time. Unfortunately, it isn't the best for watching shows or sports with a large group of people because it has narrow viewing angles. Lastly, it displays a wide color gamut for HDR content but doesn't get bright enough in HDR to bring out highlights.

The TCL 5-Series is a great all-purpose TV that serves those who aren’t picky about HDR performance very well. The TV’s use of quantum dots expands the color gamut for a rich picture, while solid full-array backlight control provides better black levels and better-reduced halo effects than nearly any other TV in its price class. While it doesn’t get bright enough to pull HDR off impressively, most folks who just want a solid TV for a decent price aren’t likely to find that a deal-breaker.

The TCL 5-Series (S535) is one of the cheapest QLED TVs on the market, but its lack of brightness and finesse keep it from outcompeting higher-end screens.