I did, however, encounter an issue connecting to our company network via ethernet. Standard dynamic range material works just fine on this TV. You will see a slight uptick in highlights and contrast in content encoded with Dolby Vision, but not much. If you’re looking for laser blasts that make you jump, again, spend more money.

Also, the edge lighting this TV uses means that black is much closer to charcoal gray. But there’s not a whole lot Dolby Vision can do on a TV that generates just 350 nits of peak brightness. The power cord jack connects on the left-hand side.Īs I mentioned up top, the TCL 43S525 sports Dolby Vision, and that does help somewhat with HDR content. All these ports are located on rear right-hand side of the unit. Also onboard are a single USB 2.0 port for media playback only (keyboards and mice are not supported), analog video/audio input (via an included 3.5mm adapter cable), headphone/line-level audio output, an optical digital audio output, and a coax connection for cable/satellite TV tuner or an over-the-air TV antennea. There are three HDMI 2.0 ports with HDCP 2.2, including one that supports Audio Return Channel (ARC). Home network connectivity is provided via your choice of 802.11ac Wi-Fi and ethernet.

The TV is edge-lit, which is par for the course at this price point. The bezel isn’t super thin, either but if you’re noticing the bezel while watching a movie, watch a better movie. Weighing in at a mere 18 pounds, the TCL 43S525 is not the thinnest TV we’ve seen, but it’s still only 3.1-inches thick, and that only at the bottom. This review is part of TechHive’s coverage of the best smart TVs, where you’ll find reviews of competing products, plus a buyer’s guide to the features you should consider when shopping.

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