TCL S5 75-Inch Class S5 75" 2024 Review

The TCL 75-inch S5 with Fire TV is a budget giant. You get a massive 4K screen and a built-in soundbar for around $610, making it a great value for size and simplicity. Just don't expect top-tier picture quality or gaming performance.

If you're looking for a big-screen TV on a budget, the 75-inch TCL S5 with Fire TV is a name you'll run into. For around $610, you get a massive 4K panel and a built-in soundbar, which is a pretty compelling package for the price. It's designed to be a simple, all-in-one solution for streaming movies and shows, and it runs on Amazon's Fire TV platform, so Alexa is built right in. This is a TV that prioritizes size and convenience over cutting-edge picture tech, and for a lot of people, that's exactly what they want.

Our data shows this TV lands in the middle of the pack for most performance metrics. Its picture quality scores in the 45th percentile, which means it's fine for everyday viewing but won't wow you with deep blacks or intense highlights. The built-in 2.1 channel soundbar is a nice touch that saves you from buying separate speakers right away, though its audio performance sits in the 37th percentile. For gaming, it's not a standout, scoring in the 36th percentile, so serious gamers might want to look elsewhere. The real strength here is the smart platform; Fire TV is snappy and user-friendly, landing in the 79th percentile, making it a great choice if you live in the Amazon ecosystem.

At $610 for a 75-inch TV with a soundbar, the value proposition is hard to ignore. You're getting a lot of screen real estate and basic functionality for your money. The trade-off is in peak performance; you won't get the stunning contrast of an OLED or the blistering brightness of a high-end Mini-LED. But if your main goal is to have a big, simple TV for streaming Netflix and watching the big game without breaking the bank, this is a solid pick. Alternatives at this size typically cost hundreds more just for the panel alone.

This TV sits in a different league than its listed competitors. The Sony BRAVIA 5, Hisense U6 Series Mini-LED, and TCL's own QM8 QD-Mini LED are all in a higher performance tier with better HDR and local dimming, but they also cost significantly more, especially at the 75-inch size. The TCL S5's real competition is other basic, large-format LED TVs. Compared to them, the built-in soundbar is a unique advantage that gives it an edge for buyers who want a minimalist setup. If you care more about absolute picture quality than size, a smaller, better TV like a 55-inch Hisense U6 might be a smarter buy.

Skip this TV if you're a home theater enthusiast or a serious gamer. The average HDR performance and slower gaming response won't satisfy you. Also, if you already have a great sound system, the built-in soundbar is redundant. In those cases, look at a higher-performing model like the Hisense U6 Series Mini-LED or save up for an OLED, even if it means getting a smaller screen.

So, should you buy the TCL S5? If you want the biggest screen possible for under $700 and don't want to fuss with external speakers, yes, absolutely. It's a straightforward, good-enough TV that gets the job done. But if you're a cinephile who notices every detail in shadows and highlights, or a gamer who needs the fastest response time, you'll be disappointed. This TV is about quantity (inches) over quality (peak performance), and for the right buyer, that's a perfectly fair trade.