TCL 3-Series Roku TV (32S335) review

Our Verdict

A Television receiver designed for RVs and kitchens, the 32-inch TCL 3-Series does well plenty with Hard disk fare for casual viewing in shut quarters.

For

A well-balanced 720p pic
Easy Roku smart TV interface

Against

Lack of picture brightness

Tom's Guide Verdict

A TV designed for RVs and kitchens, the 32-inch TCL iii-Series does well plenty with Hard disk fare for casual viewing in close quarters.

Pros

+
A well-counterbalanced 720p film
+
Easy Roku smart Television receiver interface

Cons

-
Lack of picture brightness

TCL three-Series Roku Tv (32S335): Specs

Price: $199
Model number: 32S335
Screen size: 32 inches
Resolution: 1280 10 720 pixels (720p)
HDR: Not supported
Refresh charge per unit: 60 Hz
Ports: 3 HDMI (1 ARC); one USB; 1 Ethernet; ane headphone jack; RF; composite; digital sound
Audio: 5 by v watts
Smart Television software: Roku
Size: 28.8 x 17.ii x 2.nine inches [westward/o stand]
Weight: eight.0 pounds [w/o stand up]; eight.two [w. stand]

The 32-inch TCL 3-Serial Roku TV (32S335) proves that there's a identify for modest, cheap TVs, peculiarly those places where a larger set might not fit. Just as you can't use a Corvette to shuttle a gaggle of kids domicile from a little league game, yous also tin can't ever use a 75-inch Ultra 4K TV but to follow a Rachel Ray recipe. How would you fit it in your kitchen and where would you do your prep piece of work? Fortunately, for those situations there are nonetheless some inexpensive 32-inch HD TVs similar the TCL 3-Series Roku Goggle box (32S335) that fit the beak.

Intended for places where a 75-inch or fifty-fifty 55-inch set is impractical–or just apparently ridiculous–TCL's 32-inch iii-Series LCD Tv is for casual viewing environments: kitchens, home offices, RVs, even dorm rooms. It doesn't back up the latest 4K resolutions or handle the brighter, more intense colors offered by high dynamic range (HDR) content. But what it does offering is a solid 720p Hard disk drive picture, in a size that will fit on a countertop or role desk, all for a reasonable toll.

TCL iii-Series Roku TV (32S335) review: Pricing and Availability

With a recommended price of just $199, the TCL 3-Series Roku is the primeval entry point for the visitor'due south extensive line of TVs that extend all the mode up to premium big-screen models that sell for thousands. If you desire something dissimilar, but still want to stick to the $199 price, there's also the TCL 3-Series 32S330, which has the same price, size and resolution, just uses Android TV instead of Roku's smart Tv set software. Also available is a total-HD 1080p version of the 3-Series – the TCL 3-Series Roku TV (32S327) – that sells for $219, simply $20 more than than the model in this review.

If you're interested in getting a total 4K set instead, take a look at our TCL 4-Serial Roku Idiot box (S435) review. At $349, it'due south a significant toll spring, but it gets you lot a bigger film (assuming you have the space) and the ability to take total advantage of 4K streaming content.

TCL three-Series Roku Idiot box (32S335) review: Design

For perching the ready on a countertop there are two small, v-shaped plastic feet at either end of the TCL 3-Serial set up. It's a stable arrangement and the gear up looks lighter and less dominant than other black plastic sets.

TCL 3-Series Roku TV (32S335) review — (Image credit: TCL)

That's considering its feet are thinner than most and the screen's surrounding bezel is relatively svelte for this type of Tv set, less than one-half an inch wide around the top and sides (although the bottom portion is notwithstanding roughly 3 quarters of an inch).

If you're planning to mount this model over a desk or even a sink, information technology accommodates a standard 100 x 100 millimeter VESA mount, including nearly of the selections on our best TV mounts listing. The mounting hardware costs as little every bit $20.

TCL 3-Serial Roku TV (32S335) review: Ports

A square, distended module on the dorsum correct-hand side of the prepare houses all the necessary connections.

The TCL 3-Series has 3 HDMI ports, one of which is audio return aqueduct (ARC) uniform for automatically synching with an ARC soundbar or receiver. Too here you lot'll find the necessary composite audio/video input for hooking up an onetime VCR, and a headphone jack for plugging in a pair of headphones for quiet viewing. To make the requisite connectedness to your home network, the 3-Series has built-in 802.11ac Wi-Fi, but is lacking a wired Ethernet port.

TCL 3-Series Roku Television (32S335) review: Functioning

Selecting but the right Goldilocks movie setting on the TCL iii-Serial is a little tricky. Because information technology's not a terribly vivid display, in that location is a temptation to cull the fix's "Brighter" or "Bright" preset. All the same, to keep some more subtle picture elements visible — and not give faces on screen an unnatural hue — nosotros choose the set's "Dark" preset and the "Movie" picture way for our viewing tests.

We should note from the start that if y'all're accepted to 4K TVs, you lot'll detect the lack of image sharpness in the TCL 3-Series' picture show. Only read any graphic text at the lesser of a screen or the scrolling credits afterwards a movie and you'll see what nosotros mean. The 720p has a fuzziness that 4K images lack. On the other hand, if you're primarily playing streaming YouTube videos and like content, the TCL 3-Serial' resolution is fine and in many cases with older video it produced a clearer motion picture by foregoing the pixelation caused by upscaling on 4K sets.

For a kids room, the TCL 3-Series handled material like Disney's Pirates of the Caribbean Dead Men Tell No Tales in HD with skill. The fleshtones of the sailors and the earnest Will Turner were realistically rendered and the brilliant ruby-red of the British coats were sufficiently saturated without bleeding into the surrounding scene. Conversely, there were some obvious deficiencies in the darker scenes aboard the Dutchman where there was some loss of particular in shadowy images and corners.

That lack of dynamic range in terms of brightness and contrast was also credible in other programs. The early picnic scene in Avengers Endgame, for example, was more done out than usual and the farm looked equally if it were suffering from a serious drought. We too couldn't help merely notice the banding and halo artifacts that appeared around the bright glow of objects like lightsabers.

TCL 3-Series Roku Goggle box (32S335) review: Exam Results

Nevertheless, the 32-inch TCL 3-Series did well enough for a gear up in this price range. With the traditional Rec 709 color spectrum it reproduced 98.28% of the standard color gamut. That'south not up to the near 100 percentage results from bargain 4K sets, such as those seen in our Vizio Five-Series (2020 model) review or TCL's ain 43-inch 4-Series Roku TV (43S435), just information technology is significantly improve than what we saw from some other upkeep 32-inch upkeep HD set, the Insignia Fire Goggle box Edition NS-32DF310NA19. That set simply managed to reproduce 86.95% of the standard colour gamut.

Color fidelity was some other area where the TCL three-Series certainly did well enough. While a score of ii or less is considered a solid issue, the TCL iii-Serial we tested turned in a Delta E of two.17, not far from what we'd look from much more than expensive sets. The similarly priced 32-inch Insignia F20 Fire Tv set Edition had a Delta-E score of 7.65, a disappointing consequence that was visible in our viewing tests.

If there was one noticeable shortcoming with the TCL 3-Series information technology was in the expanse of effulgence. Information technology turned in 207.86 nits in our x percentage pattern test. Most sets manage a significantly brighter epitome, such as the Vizio V-Series with 299.67 nits. So The TCL 3-Series won't be the brightest in, say, a kitchen setting; fifty-fifty the Insignia F20 Fire Television receiver Edition 32-inch bested information technology with 235.92 nits in the same exam.

TCL 3-Series Roku TV (32S335) review: Sound

The TCL 3-Series offers several preset sound modes: normal, oral communication (which was almost painful to listen to), music, theater, big bass, and high treble. Most are self-explanatory and we favored the music and theater modes equally being the near fulsome sound settings.

Challenging the set with a serial of overproduced pop songs, the TCL 3-Series didn't particularly distinguish itself. With high, soaring vocals, the height end was thin and tinny and at that place were virtually no lower notes. Bass kick drums were turned into bongo drums on this Idiot box'southward built-in sound arrangement. Using the large bass mode didn't help; it merely suppressed the high-notes in an attempt to create the illusion that information technology was playing lower notes (it was not). Such sonic limitations extended to movies, as well, where Star Wars' C3PO sounded every bit if he had a common cold.

The TCL 3-Series' downward firing built-in speakers will produce plenty sound pressure to fill an office or kitchen with music (unless y'all have a Xanadu-sized office or kitchen). Oddly, one time you pass the 3 quarters mark on the volume display (virtually 75), it doesn't really get whatsoever louder no matter how high you plow it upwardly.

TCL 3-Series Roku TV (32S335) review: Smart TV

We're not shy virtually pointing out which software is the easiest and simplest when it comes to juggling multiple programming sources: Information technology's Roku. And and then information technology makes perfect sense to use information technology as the software foundation for TCL's 3-Series, which is meant to be a simple, straightforward TV.

The easy-to-follow setup routine is relatively painless, and there's even an introductory video for neophytes on the gear up's features and options. In one case you've entered your domicile'southward Wi-Fi information, you're basically all set. Roku has arguably the widest array of supported streaming services and sources, from the Criterion Channel to Netflix, Acorn to Spectrum. So if you lot're looking for a elementary setup, yous should have everything you lot need in the TCL 3-Series without having to add a separate box.

TCL three-Series Roku TV (32S335) review: Remote Control

TCL includes the basic Roku remote with the 3-Series set. Information technology has a four-manner directional pad for navigating through menus and dedicated buttons for the likes of Netflix, Disney+ and Hulu. The volume controls are on the right side side by side to a mute push.

In that location is no microphone built into the basic remote, so you lot cannot do straight vocalization searches for, say, Sally Field movies or dark Danish detective shows. There is a Roku app for smartphones, however, that offers vocalism search for the TV, or you lot tin replace your Roku Idiot box remote with a model that has voice capabilities built in. And if you have a Google Banana or Amazon Alexa smart speaker you can download the TCL skills for it for basic voice control.

TCL 3-Series Roku Boob tube (32S335) review: Verdict

If you're looking for a basic smaller TV for a kitchen or an RV, the TCL 3-Series is a better choice compared to other Hard disk TVs in this toll range. The quality of the 720p brandish and the superior Roku Boob tube interface brand it a bang-up choice amid similarly cheap small-scale TVs. Similarly, the TCL 3-Series is $50 more than the 32-inch Insignia F20 Fire Tv set Edition but offers a much better picture for the money. All told, the TCL iii-Series Roku Television set (32S335) is the best of its kind, making information technology the sub-$200 smart Tv to get.

John R. Quain has been reviewing and testing video and audio equipment for more than 20 years. For Tom'southward Guide, he has reviewed televisions, HDTV antennas, electric bikes, electric cars, equally well as other outdoor equipment. He is currently a contributor to The New York Times and the CBS News goggle box plan.