Question:

What are some of the best options for a 120Hz TV in the UK market, with a budget of less than £500? How does the TCL brand compare to other competitors in terms of quality and performance?

Answer:

The best 120Hz TVs under £500 in the UK

If you are looking for a TV that can deliver smooth motion, crisp details and immersive gaming, you might want to consider a 120Hz TV. A 120Hz TV refreshes the screen 120 times per second, which is twice as fast as the standard 60Hz TV. This means that fast-moving scenes, such as sports, action movies and video games, will look more fluid and realistic on a 120Hz TV.

However, not all 120Hz TVs are created equal. Some TVs use artificial techniques, such as motion interpolation or black frame insertion, to simulate a higher refresh rate, while others have native 120Hz panels that can display the content as it is. Moreover, some TVs support HDMI 2.1, which is the latest standard that allows for 4K resolution at 120Hz, as well as other features such as variable refresh rate (VRR) and auto low latency mode (ALLM), which are beneficial for gaming.

In this article, we will review some of the best options for a 120Hz TV in the UK market, with a budget of less than £500. We will also compare the TCL brand, which is one of the leading manufacturers of budget TVs, to other competitors in terms of quality and performance.

The TCL C64K Series is a 4K LED TV that features a native 120Hz panel, as well as HDMI 2.1 ports that support 4K@120Hz, VRR and ALLM. It also has a built-in Roku smart platform, which offers access to a wide range of streaming apps and services, such as Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, Disney+, BBC iPlayer and more. The TCL C64K Series has a sleek design, with thin bezels and a metal stand. It comes in 50-inch and 55-inch sizes, and the 50-inch model costs around £299.

The TCL C64K Series delivers a decent picture quality, with good contrast, brightness and colour accuracy. It supports HDR10 and HLG formats, but not Dolby Vision or HDR10+. It also has a wide viewing angle, which is ideal for watching TV with a large group of people. However, the TCL C64K Series has some drawbacks, such as poor local dimming, mediocre black uniformity and low peak brightness in HDR mode. It also has a mediocre sound quality, which might require a soundbar or external speakers for a better audio experience.

The TCL C64K Series is a good option for gamers, as it has a low input lag, a fast response time and a smooth motion handling. It also supports VRR, which can reduce screen tearing and stuttering, and ALLM, which can automatically switch to the game mode when a compatible console is connected. However, the TCL C64K Series does not support FreeSync or G-Sync, which are adaptive sync technologies that can improve the gaming performance on some devices.

Overall, the TCL C64K Series is a great value for money, as it offers a native 120Hz panel, HDMI 2.1 features and a user-friendly smart platform for a low price. It is suitable for watching movies, sports and gaming, but it might not be the best choice for HDR content or critical viewing.

Samsung CU7100

The Samsung CU7100 is a 4K LED TV that features a 60Hz panel, but uses motion interpolation to create a 120Hz effect. It also has HDMI 2.1 ports that support 4K@120Hz, VRR and ALLM. It has a built-in Tizen smart platform, which is one of the best in the market, as it offers a smooth and intuitive interface, as well as a large selection of apps and features, such as Bixby, Alexa, Google Assistant, AirPlay 2 and more. The Samsung CU7100 has a simple and elegant design, with slim bezels and a plastic stand. It comes in various sizes, from 43-inch to 75-inch, and the 55-inch model costs around £409.

The Samsung CU7100 has a good picture quality, with a high contrast ratio, a decent peak brightness and a wide colour gamut. It supports HDR10, HDR10+ and HLG formats, but not Dolby Vision. It also has a good black uniformity and a good local dimming feature, which can enhance the contrast and the black level. However, the Samsung CU7100 has a narrow viewing angle, which can cause the image to lose accuracy when viewed from the side. It also has a mediocre sound quality, which might need a soundbar or external speakers for a better audio experience.

The Samsung CU7100 is a good option for gamers, as it has a low input lag, a fast response time and a smooth motion handling. It also supports VRR, which can reduce screen tearing and stuttering, and ALLM, which can automatically switch to the game mode when a compatible console is connected. However, the Samsung CU7100 does not have a native 120Hz panel, which means that it cannot display the content at its original frame rate. It also does not support FreeSync or G-Sync, which are adaptive sync technologies that can improve the gaming performance on some devices.

Overall, the Samsung CU7100 is a good budget TV, as it offers a good picture quality, HDMI 2.1 features and a excellent smart platform for a reasonable price. It is suitable for watching movies, sports and gaming, but it might not be the best choice for HDR content or wide-angle viewing.

Hisense E7KQ QLED

The Hisense E7KQ QLED is a 4K LED TV that features a quantum dot technology, which can enhance the colour and brightness of the image. It has a 60Hz panel, but uses motion interpolation to create a 120Hz effect. It also has HDMI 2.1 ports that support 4K@120Hz, VRR and ALLM. It has a built-in VIDAA U smart platform, which is simple and easy to use, but not as comprehensive or responsive as some of the competitors. The Hisense E7KQ QLED has a modern and sleek design, with thin bezels and a metal stand. It comes in 50-inch and 55-inch sizes, and the 50-inch model costs around £379.

The Hisense E7KQ QLED has a very good picture quality, with a high contrast ratio, a high peak brightness and a wide colour gamut. It supports HDR10, HDR10+, Dolby Vision and HLG formats, which can provide a more dynamic and realistic image. It also has a good black uniformity and a good local dimming feature, which can improve the contrast and the black level. However, the Hisense E7KQ QLED has a narrow viewing angle, which can cause the image to lose accuracy when viewed from the side. It also has a poor sound quality, which might need a soundbar or external speakers for a better audio experience.

The Hisense E7KQ QLED is a good option for gamers, as it has a low input lag, a fast response time and a smooth motion handling. It also supports VRR, which can reduce screen tearing and stuttering, and ALLM, which can automatically switch to the game mode when a compatible console is connected. However, the Hisense E7KQ QLED does not have a native 120Hz panel, which means that it cannot display the content at its original frame rate. It also does not support FreeSync or G-Sync, which are adaptive sync technologies that can improve the gaming performance on some devices.

Overall, the Hisense E7KQ QLED is a very good budget TV, as it offers a very good picture quality, HDMI 2.1 features and a quantum dot technology for a low price. It is suitable for watching movies, sports and gaming, but it might not be the best choice for HDR content or wide-angle viewing.

How does the TCL brand compare to other competitors?

The TCL brand is one of the leading manufacturers of budget TVs, especially in the US market, where it has a partnership with Roku, which is one of the most popular and user-friendly smart platforms. In the UK market, TCL also offers some of the cheapest TVs with native 120Hz panels and HDMI 2.1 features, which are rare to find in this price range. TCL TVs generally have a decent picture quality, a good contrast ratio and a good colour accuracy. However, TCL TVs also have some drawbacks, such as poor local dimming, mediocre black uniformity, low peak brightness in HDR mode and mediocre sound quality. TCL TVs are also not very consistent in terms of quality control and customer service, which can vary depending on the model and the region.

Compared to other competitors, such as Samsung, LG, Sony and Hisense, TCL TVs offer a great value for money, as they offer a lot of features and performance for a low price. However, they might not be able to match the quality and reliability of the more established brands, especially when it comes to HDR content, wide-angle viewing and sound quality. Therefore, TCL TVs are a good choice for people who are looking for a cheap and cheerful TV, but not for people who are looking for a premium and flawless TV.