Hisense Vs TCL: Which One Should You Get?

The market for smart TVs has become incredibly diverse and competitive in recent years, providing consumers with a plethora of options that cater to various preferences and budgets. Rapid advancements in display technology, such as 4K and 8K resolution, High Dynamic Range, and OLED, have become more accessible. These technologies have improved the overall picture quality, making high-resolution and vibrant displays available across different price ranges. Most smart TVs now come equipped with advanced operating systems like Android TV, webOS, Tizen, etc. These platforms offer access to a wide range of streaming services, apps, and voice assistants, enhancing the overall user experience.

While premium brands are usually available on the front page of selection in most cases, brands like Hisense and TCL should also be checked out when you are making a choice. Similar to many other options, these brands have also invested in building their reputation by delivering reliable products with competitive features. This appeals to budget-conscious consumers who seek both quality and value. Today, we are going to take a look at both Hisense and TCL and compare the 2 based on some of the most crucial features that you would want in your TV.

Hisense

Hisense is a multinational company based in Qingdao, China. This company is globally renowned for its extensive lineup of consumer electronics and appliances, ranging from cutting-edge televisions to household appliances like refrigerators, washing machines, and air conditioners.

Hisense is well-regarded for its high-quality and budget-friendly television sets, featuring various technologies such as LED, OLED, and ULED, as well as smart TVs with 4K resolution and support for HDR. Apart from that, the company also manufactures a wide range of home appliances, including refrigerators, washing machines, dishwashers, and air conditioners, suitable for both household and commercial usage.

Hisense has a strong commitment to innovation and technology, consistently integrating advanced features into its products. The company invests significantly in research and development to stay competitive in the ever-evolving consumer electronics market.

Benefits and Shortcomings of Hisense

Benefits

• Great Viewing Angles: Hisense TVs are known for offering great viewing angles, ensuring that the picture quality remains consistent even when viewed from the sides.
• Powerful Speakers: Hisense televisions often feature powerful built-in speakers, delivering a robust audio experience without the need for external sound systems.
• A Wide Range of Input/Output Ports: Hisense TVs typically come with an extensive selection of input and output ports, offering flexibility for connecting various devices, such as gaming consoles, soundbars, and external hard drives.
• Suitable for Sport and Gaming: Thanks to their great viewing angles and powerful speakers, Hisense TVs are well-suited for sports and gaming, providing an immersive and engaging experience.

Shortcomings

• Old Panel Technologies: Some Hisense TV models may use older panel technologies, which can result in comparatively lower image quality and fewer advanced features when compared to models with more modern panels.
• Expensive TV Models: While Hisense is known for offering affordability in some of its models, the brand also produces high-end, expensive TV models that may not be as budget-friendly for some consumers.

TCL

TCL or Telephone Communication Limited is yet another multinational electronics and appliance company based in Huizhou, China. TCL is also a well-known and respected brand in the global consumer electronics industry, offering a wide range of products that encompass televisions, smartphones, home appliances, and more. Initially, TCL was founded in 1981 as a cassette tape manufacturer. Over the years, it has diversified and expanded its operations to become one of the world’s leading consumer electronics and appliance manufacturers. The brand has a strong presence in over 160 countries.

Today, TCL’s product portfolio includes a variety of consumer electronics and home appliances. However, TCL is mainly recognized for its high-quality, innovative, and affordable television sets. Their TVs feature a range of technologies, including LED, QLED, and OLED, and often come with premium TV features, such as 4K resolution and HDR support. TCL has also ventured into the smartphone market, producing Android-based mobile devices.

TCl is known for incorporating innovative features like quantum dot technology, mini-LED displays, and advanced image processing into their TVs. With that, TCL products are also known for providing good quality and value for money. The brand competes effectively in terms of features and pricing with established brands in the consumer electronics market.

Benefits and Shortcomings of TCL

Benefits

• QLED Technology: TCL televisions incorporate QLED technology, which delivers vibrant and high-quality picture performance with excellent color accuracy and brightness.
• Optimized 4K Content: TCL TVs are optimized for 4K content, providing sharp and detailed visuals, making them ideal for 4K streaming and Blu-ray content.
• Affordable Price: TCL offers competitive pricing, making their QLED TVs an attractive option for consumers seeking advanced display technology without breaking the bank.
• Suitable for Watching Movies in Dark Environments: TCL TVs excel in dark environments, as their QLED displays produce deep black levels, enhancing the cinematic experience.

Shortcomings

• Narrow Viewing Angles: One drawback of TCL TVs is that they have relatively narrow viewing angles, which means that picture quality diminishes when viewed from the side.
• Not Enough Ports: Some TCL TV models may lack a sufficient number of ports, which can be limiting when connecting multiple devices like gaming consoles and streaming devices.

Feature Comparison

Now that you are well aware of both of these brands and what they have to offer, let us compare these brands based on some of the most crucial aspects of a TV set in general. This will allow you to get a clear idea about the actual performance of the TV developed by either of these brands, whether it is the visual performance or the sound output quality. We will be comparing both of these brands regarding each of these aspects so make sure you read this section thoroughly.

1. Image Quality

Both Hisense and TCL TVs have good image quality, but they differ in some aspects. Hisense TVs tend to have better contrast ratios, local dimming, and motion handling meaning they can produce deeper blacks, more uniform brightness, and smoother motion. TCL TVs, on the other hand, have better color production, peak brightness, and viewing angles, which means they can display more vivid colors, brighter highlights, and wider viewing angles. The image quality also depends on the display technology used by each brand, which will be discussed in the next section.

2. Sound Output

Hisense TVs generally have better sound output than TCL TVs, as they have higher wattage speakers and more advanced sound technologies. Some Hisense models have Dolby Atmos support, which creates a more immersive sound experience. TCL TVs usually have lower-wattage speakers and less impressive sound features. However, both brands can be improved by adding external sound devices, such as soundbars or speakers.

3. Display Technology

Hisense and TCL TVs use different display technologies to create their images. Hisense mainly uses LED-LCD panels, which are backlit by LED lights. Some of their models also use Mini-LED technology, which uses smaller LED lights to create more precise local dimming zones. TCL also uses LED-LCD panels, but some of their models use QLED technology, which adds quantum dots to enhance the color gamut and brightness of the panel.

4. Remote Control Features

Both Hisense and TCL TVs come with remote controls that have basic functions, such as power, volume, channel, input, and menu buttons. However, TCL remotes have some additional features that make them more convenient and user-friendly. For example, some TCL remotes have voice control, which allows users to search for content or adjust settings using voice commands. Some TCL remotes also have shortcut buttons for popular streaming services, such as Netflix or Amazon Prime Video.

5. Smart Features & OS

Hisense and TCL TVs both have smart features that allow users to access various online content and applications. However, they use different operating systems to run their smart platforms. Hisense uses Android TV as its main operating system, which offers a wide range of apps and games from the Google Play Store. Android TV also supports Google Assistant and Chromecast built-in. TCL uses Roku TV as its main operating system, which offers a simple and intuitive interface with thousands of channels and apps. Roku TV also supports voice control and screen mirroring.

6. Viewing Angles

Viewing angles refer to how well the image quality is maintained when viewed from different positions or angles. TCL TVs generally have better-viewing angles than Hisense TVs, as they use IPS (In-Plane Switching) panels or VA (Vertical Alignment) panels with a wide color gamut. IPS panels have wider viewing angles than VA panels, but they have lower contrast ratios and black levels. VA panels with a wide color gamut can improve the viewing angles without sacrificing the contrast ratios and black levels.

7. Contrast Ratio

The contrast ratio refers to the difference between the brightest and darkest parts of the image. A higher contrast ratio means a more dynamic and realistic image. Hisense TVs usually have higher contrast ratios than TCL TVs, as they use VA panels or Mini-LED panels with better local dimming. VA panels have higher contrast ratios than IPS panels, but they have narrower viewing angles. Mini-LED panels have higher contrast ratios than LED-LCD panels, as they have more local dimming zones that can adjust the brightness more accurately.

8. Maximum Brightness

Maximum brightness refers to how bright the image can get when displaying bright scenes or highlights. A higher maximum brightness means a more vibrant and vivid image. TCL TVs generally have higher maximum brightness than Hisense TVs, as they use QLED panels or LED-LCD panels with better peak brightness. QLED panels have higher maximum brightness than LED-LCD panels, as they use quantum dots to enhance the luminance of the panel.

9. Color Production

Color production refers to how well the image can display a wide range of colors with accuracy and saturation. A better color production means a more colorful and natural image. TCL TVs usually have better color production than Hisense TVs, as they use QLED panels or IPS panels with a wide color gamut. QLED panels have better color production than LED-LCD panels, as they use quantum dots to expand the color gamut of the panel. IPS panels have better color production than VA panels, with a wider color gamut and viewing angles.

10. Local Dimming

Local dimming refers to how well the backlight can adjust its brightness according to the content on the screen. A better local dimming means a more uniform and detailed image with less blooming or halo effects. Hisense TVs generally have better local dimming than TCL TVs, as they use Mini-LED panels or LED-LCD panels with more local dimming zones. Mini-LED panels have better local dimming than LED-LCD panels, as they use smaller LED lights to create more precise local dimming zones.

11. Motion Handling

Motion handling refers to how well the image can display fast-moving scenes or objects without blurring or juddering. Better motion handling means a smoother and clearer image. Hisense TVs usually have better motion handling than TCL TVs, as they have higher refresh rates, lower response times, and better motion interpolation features. Refresh rate refers to how many times the image is updated per second. A higher refresh rate means a smoother image. Response time refers to how quickly the pixels can change color. A lower response time means a clearer image. Motion interpolation refers to how the TV can create additional frames to reduce motion blur or judder. A better motion interpolation means a more fluid image.

12. Input Lag

Input lag refers to how long it takes for the TV to respond to the input from a device, such as a gaming console or a computer. A lower input lag means a more responsive and immersive gaming experience. TCL TVs generally have lower input lag than Hisense TVs, as they have better gaming modes and features that can reduce the input lag. Gaming mode refers to how the TV can optimize its settings for gaming, such as disabling unnecessary processing or enhancing the contrast and color. Gaming features refer to how the TV can support advanced gaming technologies, such as variable refresh rate (VRR) or auto low latency mode (ALLM). VRR refers to how the TV can synchronize its refresh rate with the frame rate of the device. ALLM refers to how the TV can automatically switch to gaming mode when it detects a gaming signal.

13. Display Refresh Rate

Display refresh rate refers to how many times the image is updated per second. A higher display refresh rate means a smoother and clearer image, especially for fast-moving scenes or objects. Hisense TVs usually have higher display refresh rates than TCL TVs, as they have models that support 120Hz or 240Hz refresh rates. TCL TVs mostly have models that support 60Hz refresh rates, although some of their models also support 120Hz refresh rates.

14. Response Time

Response time refers to how quickly the pixels can change color. A lower response time means a clearer and sharper image, especially for fast-moving scenes or objects. Hisense TVs generally have lower response times than TCL TVs, as they have models that have less than 10ms response times. TCL TVs mostly have models that have more than 10ms response times, although some of their models also have less than 10ms response times.

15. Connectivity Options

Connectivity options refer to how many ports and wireless features the TV has to connect with other devices, such as Blu-ray players, soundbars, gaming consoles, smartphones, or tablets. Both Hisense and TCL TVs have similar connectivity options, but they differ in some aspects. Hisense TVs tend to have more HDMI ports than TCL TVs, which means they can connect more devices at once. However, TCL TVs tend to have more advanced HDMI features than Hisense TVs, such as HDMI 2.1 support, which enables higher bandwidth and resolution for gaming devices. Both brands also support Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, Ethernet, USB, optical audio, and headphone jack connections.

16. Affordability and Durability

Affordability and durability refer to how much the TV costs and how long it lasts without major issues or defects. Both Hisense and TCL TVs are considered affordable and durable compared to other brands, but they have some differences in their pricing and reliability. Hisense TVs are usually cheaper than TCL TVs for similar models and sizes, which means they offer more value for money. However, TCL TVs are usually more reliable than Hisense TVs in terms of customer reviews and ratings, which means they have fewer complaints or problems.

Here’s a quick review of feature comparison between HCL and Hisense

Note: Keep in mind that while this general comparison is based on the majority of TV models available on the market from Hisense and TCL, the actual features may vary based on the latest model as well as the display and audio technology adapted by the brand.

Hisense Vs TCL: Which One Should You Get?

Choosing an option between Hisense and TCL can be a tough decision as both brands offer very similar models for all budget ranges. However, there are a few key factors as you might have observed in our comparison table above which might help you decide which option is better for you. For instance, if you are a tech-savvy individual and are looking forward to installing a variety of features on your TV, you should go with a Hisense model as they are powered by Android OS. On the other hand, TCL TVs are usually bundled with Roku with basic features such as screen mirroring and voice control only. Hisense TVs are also relatively more affordable, meaning you can easily find a better alternative with Hisense in a certain budget range with higher resolution and HDR display capabilities.

Hisense Vs TCL – FAQs

Conclusion

Both TCL and Hisense offer a range of television models with their unique sets of advantages and drawbacks. The choice between these two brands ultimately depends on individual preferences, needs, and budget considerations. Careful consideration of the pros and cons listed in this guide will help you find the television that best aligns with your particular needs and budget constraints. If you have any doubts regarding the aspects covered in this guide, you can reach us via the comment section.