TCL 4 Series 55S423 55"

The TCL 4 Series 55S423 is an older budget TV with a great Roku interface but disappointing picture and audio. Its 120Hz panel is a small bright spot, but the $1844 price tag is completely detached from reality. Unless you find this refurb for a few hundred bucks, skip it and buy a modern Hisense or TCL 5-Series instead.

The 55S423 is a mixed bag that leans heavily on its Roku interface as a saving grace. Gaming performance is a solid middle-of-the-pack score, which means it's fine for casual play but don't expect the 120Hz panel to make your PS5 sing. The real letdowns are picture quality and HDR, both landing in disappointing territory. The HDR support is there on paper, but the display lacks the brightness and contrast to make it meaningful, so you'll get a pretty flat image. Audio is one of the worst we've seen, so a soundbar isn't just a nice add-on, it's practically a requirement.

Stacking this TCL against the competition is almost unfair. The LG C5 OLED and Sony BRAVIA XR are in a completely different universe for picture quality, and the Samsung Neo QLED destroys it in brightness and HDR impact. Even the Hisense U8 Series, which is a more direct budget-friendly competitor, offers vastly superior HDR and smart features. The Roku Pro Series is essentially what this TCL wants to be when it grows up, with a much better panel and the same great OS. The only reason to glance at this TCL is if you find it at a deep, deep discount compared to any of those.

This is where things get confusing. The TCL 4 Series was always meant to be a budget king, but at a listed price of $1844, it's a complete non-starter. For that kind of money, you could get a top-tier OLED or a massive, high-end QLED that would run circles around this set in every single category. Even as a refurb, this price makes no sense. If you can find it for a few hundred bucks, it becomes a reasonable deal for a basic big screen. At this price, it's one of the worst values we've ever seen.

The TCL 4 Series 55S423 is a budget 4K TV that's been around the block. It's a refurbished model, so you're getting a tested unit that should work like new, but you're also buying into older tech. The main draw here is the Roku smart platform, which is genuinely easy to use and puts a ton of streaming content front and center.

But let's be real, the performance scores in our database tell a clear story. This TV lands in the bottom third for picture quality, HDR, and smart features compared to everything else we've tested. It's a basic 4K screen that gets the job done for casual viewing, but it won't wow you with brightness or color accuracy. If you just need a big screen for a spare room and don't want to think too hard, it's an option, but the price tag here feels disconnected from reality.

Anyone who cares even a little about picture quality should skip this. If you watch movies in a dark room, the poor HDR and low brightness will be a constant disappointment. Also, if you're not willing to buy a soundbar, look elsewhere because the built-in audio is genuinely bad.

The TCL 55S423 is a basic 4K TV with a great smart platform trapped in a mediocre panel. It's fine for a kids' playroom or a garage where you just need a big, functional screen and love the Roku interface. But the performance is dated, the audio is bad, and the current asking price is frankly insulting. Only consider this if you spot it for a true bargain-bin price, otherwise, run toward literally any modern competitor.