A number of manufacturers together with TCL, Samsung and LG have began launching Mini LED TVs in India. TCL introduced its C825 mini-LED TV at the start of the 12 months and it’s accessible in India in 55 and 65-inch display screen sizes. We’ve got the 65-inch variant with us for evaluation and lengthy story quick, this TV has unbelievable picture performance together with excellent sound output. However it falls quick in the case of some UI niggles. The TV is feature-rich with two HDMI 2.1 ports (general 4 HDMI ports) and comes with an Onkyo 2.1 system built-in. Let’s dive deep into the performance of this TV.
TCL C828: Specs at a look
Panel Dimension: 65-inch (additionally accessible in 55-inch)
Panel Sort: VA LED
Panel Decision: 3840 x 2160 – 4K
Panel Refresh Fee: 120Hz
HDR 10 help: Sure
Dolby Imaginative and prescient Assist: Sure
HDR10+ help: Sure
Weight (with stand): approx 32kgs
HDMI Ports: 4
USB Ports: 2
Bluetooth: Sure
Wi-Fi: Sure
Ethernet: Sure
Audio system: 60W (15Wx2+30W Subwoofer)
Constructed-in storage: 32GB
Value: Rs 1,49,990
TCL C825: Show and picture high quality
Let’s kick issues off with the performance of the Mini LED TV panel. That is the primary Mini LED TV that we’ve examined. We’ve got the 65-inch variant with us and the TV boasts of a 4K decision with help for all well-liked HDR codecs together with Dolby Imaginative and prescient, HDR 10, HDR 10+ and HLG. The TV can be the primary we’ve examined to return with help for Dolby Imaginative and prescient IQ.
Above: TCL C825 has a peak brightness surpassing 1000 nits.
Beneath: Grayscale Monitoring reveals the TV has a cool bias.
Kicking issues off with our Calman evaluation, this TV is the brightest we’ve examined, crossing the 1000 nits mark on the 5 to 10 p.c window and offers us sustained brightness of over 500 nits which is extraordinarily spectacular. Nevertheless, in the case of colors, the TV has a cool bias even on the cinema preset with a heat color temperature chosen. Nevertheless, the TVs its real-world performance tells a distinct story.
Above: ColorChecker Evaluation, Film preset, rec 709 color house
Beneath: ColorChecker Evaluation, Film preset, rec 2020 color house
TCL C825: 4K and HDR performance
“Holy smokes, this TV can get vibrant!” is the very first thing that may come to thoughts whenever you begin consuming HDR content material. The brilliant highlights can get actually vibrant whereas retaining all the main points in the dead of night areas. We noticed our commonplace slew of Content material on Netflix in Dolby Imaginative and prescient reminiscent of Our Planet, Altered Carbon, and plenty of extra. We additionally noticed The Darkish Knight and Prepared Participant one in Dolby Imaginative and prescient utilizing the Apple TV app. This was the primary time we had Dolby Imaginative and prescient IQ as a setting along with Dolby Imaginative and prescient Vivid and Dolby Imaginative and prescient Darkish. Dolby Imaginative and prescient IQ basically managed the backlighting of the TV to provide you a extra comfy viewing expertise based mostly on the lighting within the room. Whereas this was good and efficient for a pitch-dark room, I nonetheless suggest leaving some bias gentle on within the room and leaving the settings to Dolby Imaginative and prescient vibrant as the intense highlights can actually get punchy on this TV. The main points in the dead of night sequences are additionally very effectively maintained.
Even for HDR 10 content material on Prime Video, in a present like Jack Ryan which has a barely darkish surroundings we use to verify the performance of the TV, the main points had been effectively outlined and visual. For sure, this TV can provide one of the best of one of the best a run for its cash when consuming HDR Content material. Whereas the colors aren’t as correct as what we noticed on the X90J (evaluation), they nonetheless get the job finished very effectively.
TCL C825: FHD & SDR performance
SDR content material additionally seems unbelievable on this TV. From our common reveals like Buddies, Younger Sheldon, to films like Mission Unattainable and Spider-Man Homecoming, all of it seems vivid, albeit with a slight cool bias. In a present like Younger Sheldon, you could have excellent colors, however the pores and skin tones are nonetheless higher on a TV just like the Sony X90J for perspective. The pink and blue in Spider-Man’s go well with are effectively outlined with the black internet design distinctly seen. For sure, even for on a regular basis TV viewing, the TV does a superb job.
Picture presets, like Normal, Dynamic, Film, and so on. do change the settings based mostly on the content material being consumed and in the event you do not wish to mess around with the picture presets, you’ll be able to merely toggle on the clever picture settings and the TV will change the settings to greatest go well with the content material. This labored effectively 8 out of 10 instances, so secure to say, you’ll be able to depart this toggle on.
TCL C825: Gaming performance
Hallelujah! The TCL C825 helps 4K at 120Hz (natively) together with RGB HDR. It has 4 HDMI ports, two of which help HDMI 2.1 together with eARC. The TV additionally helps VRR, however we do not have an Xbox Sequence X (evaluation) to check that. We do nevertheless have a PS5 (evaluation) and performed a number of video games on the console on this TV. In case you are on the lookout for vibrant, punchy colors and a superb gaming expertise, then the TCL C825 can undoubtedly be a consideration. In a recreation like Spiderman Miles Morales (evaluation), when swinging in the direction of the solar, you’ll discover that the pink internet strains in Spider-Man’s black outfit can lose particulars on some TVs however right here, they’re very clearly seen. Even the main points and hues in his go well with to the intense sparks of Spidey’s venom powers, all are clearly seen.
In a recreation like Filth 5 (evaluation), the introduced spotlight of the solar pouring onto the race observe can be an expertise value having. It actually does really feel like driving on a desert observe with the intense solar shining on you.
Even Ratchet and Clank: Rift Aside (evaluation) with its stunning cartoon-like environments and vibrant muzzle flashes of the weapons is an expertise value having. For sure, these of you on the lookout for a gaming TV can undoubtedly take into account the TCL C825.
TCL C825: Audio performance
The TCL C825 comes with 60W of sound output for the 65-inch variant – two 15W drivers and a 30W subwoofer. The subwoofer is behind the TV whereas the 15W drivers are entrance fracking hidden behind this gray cloth materials. The sound from the TV can get actually loud and detailed and until you might be finicky for good bass throughout excessive octave explosion in films, you do not want a soundbar with this TV.
It has excellent channel separation particularly in the course of the race sequence on the 12-minute mark in Prepared Participant One. The bass throughout this sequence together with the grunts and crashes of the automotive to the roar of King Kong all are good and clearly audible. Similar for reveals with dialogues be it documentaries and even films with combined audio.
A advantage of the TV is its clever audio settings. Swap this on and it adjustments the settings based mostly on the content material and this works fairly effectively. Though you’ll be able to go into the TVs settings and manually change the preset to go well with one which works for you. For me, it was principally a film or commonplace. The TV helps Dolby Atmos as effectively, however do not anticipate the sound to return from above or behind you when utilizing the TV audio system.
TCL C825: UI
That is the place the TV suffers and reveals inconsistencies. It runs on Android TV 11 and comes with a inventory UI with the standard bells and whistles like far-field mics, Chromecast built-in, Google Play Retailer providing you with entry to streaming companies, and so on. It is the identical Android TV expertise we’ve seen on many TVs up to now. The TV doesn’t run on the Google TV UI however is predicted to get the brand new UI through an replace.
Whereas the TV UI works effectively, for essentially the most half, there have been instances when Netflix froze, the Google Assistant refused to work and the UI lagged. I used to be compelled to restart this TV on a couple of event till I lastly gave up and consumed content material from my Hearth TV Dice. I hope TCL can repair the bugs within the UI through an replace as it’s the solely Achilles heel in an in any other case good TV.
TCL C825: Distant management
The distant management that comes with the TCL C825 is an easy sweet bar distant management providing perform over type. It has devoted OTT hotkeys for companies like Netflix, Prime Video and Zee5 and in addition comes with conventional channel settings, navigation, supply choice, Google Assistant, and so on. Whereas the distant is ergonomic and good general, I want the mute button had been nearer to the amount rocker and there have been devoted playback controls so as to add extra comfort to it.
TCL C825: Construct and design
Properly-built and premium is the very first thing that involves thoughts when you will notice the TCL C825. It is not the slimmest TV on the market which is okay contemplating the options it packs underneath the hood. There’s a distinguished solely brand on the again the place the subwoofer is housed. The borders have this silver end giving the TV a premium really feel.
The gray cloth end hides the front-firing speaker drivers and it additionally provides a chic look to the TV. You even have an LED indicator out right here and it’s as delicate because the one discovered on the Sony X90J which is excellent.
The stand holding the TV in place is sturdy and is a single central stand. So even in case you have a small desk on which you’ll home this TV, it’s best to have the ability to accommodate a 65-inch one as I’ve.
All of the connectivity choices are on one aspect dealing with outwards and straightforward to succeed in. We’ve got two USB ports, 4 HDMI ports, ethernet, AV In, 3.5mm aux, optical and antenna ports.
Backside Line
The TCL C825 is a unbelievable TV for content material consumption. It might get very vibrant delivering an excellent HDR expertise whereas retaining good particulars in darkish areas. It has excellent color copy for SDR content material as effectively. Whereas the colors aren’t as correct as of the Sony X90J for instance, they do an excellent job for real-world content material consumption. Most individuals might be very happy with the color reproduced by the TCL C825. The TV has excellent sound output. It additionally comes with two HDMI 2.1 ports with help for 4K at 120Hz, VRR and ALLM making it an incredible TV for these trying to play video games on a PS5 or Xbox Sequence X on this TV. Sadly, solely two of the 4 HDMI ports help HDMI 2.1 certainly one of which is eARC enabled. The one place the place the TV falters is with inconsistencies and bugs within the UI. But when you’ll put money into a tool like a Hearth TV Dice or Apple TV, then you’ll be able to anticipate an immersive expertise when consuming content material on this TV. The 65-inch TCL C825 is priced at Rs 1,49,990 as of penning this evaluation making it about Rs 40,000 cheaper than the Sony 65-inch X90J. It’s also cheaper than the LG 65-inch C1 OLED TV by Rs 1 lakh approx. and contemplating the value of the TCL C825, it’s undoubtedly a price for cash proposition in the case of picture and sound performance.
