The Chinese tech giant TCL has undergone significant changes in the local market in recent months. The company opened a local branch aimed at deepening its brand’s penetration in Israel (similar to how Samsung and LG have operated locally for many years), and also switched its official importer to C-Data. Among the new models launched under this new operation, I chose to review the relatively basic C6K.
Design and Ports: TCL C6K – Legs Positioned Conveniently for a Soundbar
The C6K has a standard design. Two triangle-shaped legs placed on either side give it an interesting look, but the gray plastic frame and the screen’s thickness make it clear this is an entry-level TV – which isn’t necessarily a bad thing. The height of the legs allows for convenient placement of a soundbar underneath on a TV stand.
On the back of the screen are 4 HDMI ports, including HDMI 2.0 with eARC support. Wireless standards include Bluetooth 5.4, outdated WiFi 5, and of course a LAN port.
Interface and Remote: TCL C6K – Google TV with a Netflix Button on the Remote
The C6K comes with Google TV, though it’s an outdated version – Android TV 12. In addition to access to a wide app library (Cellcom TV, Yes+, Netflix, Disney+, Kan Box, and more), the home screen displays recently watched content and allows quick access to continue watching shows from Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, Apple TV+, and YouTube. So from one place, you can see the latest shows or movies you haven't finished yet. Unfortunately, this feature doesn’t support Disney+ or Israeli streaming services (at least not the ones installed on my unit).
What I liked about the interface is that beyond Google TV, TCL added a floating menu to quickly access settings during a movie without diving deep into menus – especially for sound and picture adjustments.
The C6K also supports Apple features, such as integration with Apple’s HomeKit smart home platform, AirPlay for wireless streaming from iPhones, and of course, the Apple TV+ streaming app.
The remote includes quick-access buttons for Netflix, Prime Video, YouTube, and some other TCL services – which I wish had been swapped out by the local importer for more relevant services. There’s also a quick-access button for the Google Assistant voice assistant.
Besides the remote, the TV can be controlled via TCL’s mobile app – TCL Home. It’s a basic app, and if you want to power on the TV with it (not just control it after turning it on with the remote), you’ll need to enable the "Network Standby" option under "Power and Energy" settings. For some reason, this isn’t enabled by default – probably to save power. Beyond basic control, the app also allows screenshots (on some screens, typically not from streaming apps).
Picture and Sound: TCL C6K – Good Image Quality for the Price
Like the more expensive C855 model I reviewed earlier this year, the C6K features QD Mini LED technology. It uses smaller LED lights than traditional ones, allowing better lighting precision, contrast, and brightness (though the C855 has significantly more local dimming zones – about 2304 compared to the C6K’s ~512, depending on screen size). The C6K offers good image quality with decent brightness, peaking at 1,000 nits. That’s not a huge amount, but I had no trouble watching it in a well-lit room with sunlight. Even HD content, like series streamed from Yes, looked good. The blacks weren’t particularly deep (somewhat grayish), and the color richness was a bit lacking, but at this price point, the results are definitely satisfactory.
The processor is TCL’s AIPQ Pro, which uses AI to recognize multiple objects in the image to enhance it, recover details, and reduce noise.
The TV supports a 144Hz refresh rate for gaming. It has 4K resolution and includes a 120Hz MEMC motion smoothing engine. The screen can automatically detect Dolby Vision content (an image optimization method supported by some streaming services) when watching via built-in apps. Besides Dolby Vision, the C6K also supports HDR10+.
As for sound – don’t expect much. It’s flat, lacks bass, and may be adequate for casual use, but a soundbar is recommended. The audio setup includes 2.1 channels with a built-in subwoofer by Onkyo.
Price: ₪3,700 for the 65” model (official importer: C-Data)
Bottom line: The C6K offers solid value for money. You get QD Mini LED display tech that enhances the viewing experience, a Google TV operating system that, despite its outdated version, provides access to many streaming services, and integration with Apple’s ecosystem, potentially saving the need for a separate streamer. It would’ve been nice if the built-in speakers were better – but that’s a common issue with most TVs.
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