TCL 5-Series 65S525 65"

The TCL 5-Series 65S525 is a 65-inch 4K Dolby Vision TV for $398, and that price is the headline. HDR performance is genuinely strong for a budget set, landing in the 81st percentile. But overall picture quality is middling, audio is weak, and gamers will feel the lack of HDMI 2.1 and true 120Hz. If you want maximum screen size per dollar and mostly stream content, this is a great buy. If you want dark-room contrast or next-gen gaming features, spend more elsewhere.

The picture quality story here is a mixed bag, and the numbers back that up. HDR performance lands in the 81st percentile, which is genuinely strong for a budget set. Dolby Vision content looks properly punchy, with the iPQ engine doing decent work on color accuracy. The HDR Pro Gamma feature helps in bright rooms, which is where a lot of cheap TVs fall apart. If you watch a lot of Dolby Vision content on Netflix or Disney+, you'll be happy with what this panel does.

But the overall picture quality sits at just the 36th percentile, and that's the real story. This is a standard LED panel without local dimming, so contrast suffers in dark scenes. Blacks look more like dark gray, and bright highlights don't pop the way they do on sets with full-array local dimming. The 120Hz CMI is marketing speak for motion interpolation, not a true 120Hz panel, so fast action can look a bit soft. For a $398 65-inch TV, that's expected. Just don't expect it to hang with a $1,000 mini-LED set in a dark room.

Stack this against the Hisense U8 Series 65U8QG and the differences are immediately clear. The Hisense uses mini-LED backlighting with far more dimming zones, so contrast and HDR highlights are dramatically better. But you'll pay for that privilege. The TCL wins on pure value, while the Hisense wins on picture quality. If you watch mostly in a bright room, the gap narrows. In a dark home theater setup, the Hisense is worth the extra cash.

The Sony BRAVIA 5 K55XR50 is a different beast entirely. Sony's processing is best-in-class for motion handling and upscaling, and the build quality is a step above. But it's also a 55-inch set competing against a 65-inch TCL at a lower price. The Roku Pro Series 55R8C5 is interesting because it shares the Roku platform but adds better picture hardware. If you love Roku but want better image quality, that's the upgrade path. The TCL 5-Series is the budget king, but it's not the performance king.

At $398 for a 65-inch 4K Dolby Vision set, the value proposition is hard to beat. Most competitors at this size start well above $500, and you're getting a name-brand panel with a genuinely good smart platform. The Roku integration alone is worth something, since you won't need to buy a separate streaming stick. That's a real $30 to $50 savings right there.

Compared to the competition in our database, this set punches above its weight on price. The Hisense U8 Series and Sony BRAVIA 5 both deliver better picture quality, but you'll pay significantly more for that improvement. If your budget is firmly under $500 and you want the biggest screen possible, this is one of the best options we've seen. Just know that you're trading picture refinement and audio quality for that size and price.

The TCL 5-Series 65S525 is one of those TVs that makes you wonder why anyone pays double for a big screen. At 65 inches with Dolby Vision and Roku built in, it hits the sweet spot for people who want a huge living room upgrade without taking out a second mortgage. We found it listed at $398, which is frankly absurd for a screen this size with these features. TCL has been quietly eating the budget TV market alive, and this set shows why.

This is a TV for streamers first and gamers second. The Roku platform is the star here, giving you access to thousands of channels and a genuinely simple interface. No hunting through confusing menus or dealing with a sluggish proprietary OS. You plug it in, connect to Wi-Fi, and you're watching Netflix in about five minutes. The 4K panel with Dolby Vision means your streaming content actually looks like it should, with proper HDR tone mapping instead of the washed-out mess you get on cheaper sets.

But let's be real about what this is. The 5-Series sits in the middle of TCL's lineup, not the top. You're getting a solid LED panel, not mini-LED or OLED. The audio is weak, the smart platform is aging compared to newer Roku hardware, and the gaming score of 48 out of 100 tells you this isn't a next-gen console monster. Still, for the price, it's hard to argue with what you get.

Serious gamers should skip this one. The lack of HDMI 2.1, no true 120Hz panel, and no VRR support means you're leaving performance on the table with a PS5 or Xbox Series X. The gaming score of 48 out of 100 tells the story. If you're buying a TV primarily for next-gen gaming, look at sets with HDMI 2.1 and true 120Hz panels instead, even if it means going smaller or spending more.

Home theater enthusiasts who watch in dark rooms should also pass. Without local dimming, black levels are mediocre, and the contrast just can't compete with mini-LED or OLED sets. If you're building a dedicated dark room setup, the Hisense U8 Series or an OLED is worth the extra investment. And if you're sensitive to audio quality, know that you'll need a soundbar from day one, which adds to the real cost.

If you want the biggest screen possible for the least money and you mostly stream shows and movies in a moderately lit room, buy this TV. The Dolby Vision support is genuinely good for the price, and the Roku interface makes it painless to use every day. You'll be happy with it as a living room or bedroom upgrade, especially if you're coming from an older 1080p set.

But if you're a serious gamer or a home theater enthusiast who watches in a dark room, look elsewhere. The gaming score of 48 out of 100 reflects the lack of HDMI 2.1, no true 120Hz panel, and no VRR support. Next-gen console owners will feel the limitations. And if you care about audio, budget for a soundbar, because the built-in speakers are rough. For everyone else, this is a lot of TV for not a lot of money.