Affordable QLED excellence: TCL 43RC650K Roku QLED 4K TV review

Choosing the best TV often means weighing up affordability versus screen quality, but this TCL 43RC650K Roku QLED 4K TV strikes a perfect balance of both. This is a 4K display, so you get gorgeous levels of detail, and the screen technology is QLED, making the colours vibrant and bold. Usually, these features push up the price, but this TCL model manages to remain a budget-friendly TV.

At 43 inches, this is an ideal size for a bedroom TV. If you like the sound of relaxing in bed and watching your favourite shows, this TV has you covered. The Roku operating system (OS) is very easy to understand and use, plus it has plenty of notable streaming services available, such as Netflix, Prime Video, Disney+, and more.

Buying a TV online can be tricky since you can't see it in use like you may in a physical showroom, so it's hard to know if it's the right pick for you. Luckily, we're here to help – we've tested this TCL QLED 4K TV, so we can share what it's like to actually use it and how it performs. We're here to help answer whether or not this TV is as good as it says and if it's worth your money.

One of our tech writers, Kyle Purves, has tested the TCL 43RC650K Roku QLED 4K TV. They've been using the TV for a few weeks now, experimenting with all its different features in order to get a deeper understanding of what it's like to really use it. Now that they've become familiar with it, they're ready to share their findings on its strengths, weaknesses, and unique traits.

The user experience

Based on the size and physical build of the TCL 43RC650K, I decided to set it up for use as a bedroom TV. Sure enough, that's where its features shine best, and it's a great screen that I would recommend for any enclosed space or small room. A 43-inch screen may be too small for some living rooms, but it's the perfect size for getting that "big screen" feel elsewhere.

One quick thing worth noting about the TCL 43RC650K is its legs. I tend to be quite picky when it comes to TV stands and legs, but these are ideal. They provide plenty of support and stability while also keeping ample space available underneath if you want to add a soundbar to your setup. It's a minor detail, but a positive that I feel is often unsung.

The TCL 43RC650K has a Roku OS, which I'm quite a fan of. It's simplistic without being overly basic, with menus that are clearly labelled and laid out and settings that are easy to adjust to one's specific liking. Input delay is minimal, so it never feels slow or laggy.

The remote control is also solid. The buttons are responsive, well-sized, and well-spaced apart. A couple of buttons near the top allow for quick access to prominent streaming services, namely Netflix, Disney+, Apple TV+, and Prime Video.

Watching Freeview and standard TV is practical, but Roku TVs are best for streaming. The built-in selection is excellent, with the previously named major services available, as well as others such as TVX. It's easy to download other apps, which I did to get Crunchyroll and Tubi, providing me with more than enough shows and movies to get a good sense of the TCL 43RC650K Roku TV's capabilities.

The visuals and screen

The TCL 43RC650K Roku TV is visually superb, comfortably competing with TVs twice its price for screen quality. It's a great entry point for those wanting to pick up a 4K display, and after using this for a while now, I very much notice the difference in resolution with other screens. This level of detail is quickly becoming the new standard for quality TVs, and I find even HD content to feel a bit lacking now.

While a 4K resolution is a delight, it's the QLED aspect that I think is particularly noteworthy. Most QLED TVs cost over £500, so I thought I might see a difference with this more affordable model, but there was next to none. Being a QLED TV means there's extra emphasis on the colours, and that was very apparent when watching shows and movies with the TCL 43RC650K. I'm quite fond of animated movies, so I noticed a stark difference between this and the standard LED screen I tend to default to. The colours were significantly more vibrant and bold, which is great in general but also useful for anyone watching TV with less-than-perfect lighting.

While I tend to favour OLED screens when it comes to brightness, I still found the TCL 43RC650K Roku TV to be plenty bright enough. There was at no point any time where I felt the screen was too dark or that I struggled to see what I was viewing. My setup and layout could do with improvement, so I have to give credit to the backlight for keeping everything consistently easy to watch.

Another screen aspect I want to praise is the bezels. These are the framed parts that go around a screen. While they sometimes provide physical stability, they also can be a bit distracting. I prefer a set of thin bezels, and that's exactly what we have with the TCL 43RC650K Roku TV. In fact, it's practically bezel-less, so if you want to get the most out of your screen, you'll have no trouble with this model.

Any downsides?

While the TCL 43RC650K Roku TV is visually excellent, the speakers are somewhat lacking. I felt as though the audio was a bit tinny and lacking the refinement one would usually expect from a 4K QLED TV. The bass was underwhelming, and the sound overall seemed to be lacking a certain oomph.

That said, I don't think the sound is terrible. If you're not an audiophile, it may not even bother you at all. It's more than sufficient for most use cases, especially if you use this as a bedroom TV. Dialogue and sound effects are clear enough, and at this price point, I think it's a fair trade to lose a bit of speaker power in order to get the benefits of the great screen technology.

If you want to improve the sound setup after some use, that's actually an easy fix. It's easy enough to pair this TV up with speakers or even a soundbar, especially since there is ample room underneath it thanks to the leg stands. While it is unfortunate that you may need to resort to an external fix for the audio, I don't consider it a dealbreaker by any means, especially for a budget TV such as this.

Price and competition

QLED screens are most commonly upwards of £500, so the fact that the TCL 43RC650K Roku TV packs a 4K QLED screen into a £329 budget price is all the more impressive. There aren't many other displays of this quality in that price bracket, but there are a few models that are worth discussing.

If you like the Roku OS, then a model such as the RCA Roku TV 4K Smart TV may be worth your consideration. It's not as powerful as the TCL TV, but it is a bit more budget-friendly, so if you prioritise affordability then it might be the right pick for you. The usual Roku strengths are present, so it will be easy to navigate and have plenty of apps to choose from. Just be aware that it's an LED screen, not a QLED one, so the colours won't be quite as good.

If you would rather move away from Roku OS, look towards the Amazon Fire Omni QLED series. It uses the Amazon Fire OS, which is a bit different but still very easy to use. Perhaps most importantly, this is still a QLED display. It is a notable jump-up in price from the TCL TV, but it's still a great price for a screen of this quality.

Who is it for?

The TCL 43RC650K Roku TV is an excellent all-arounder, so just about anyone could use it. Its size makes it best suited for smaller rooms such as bedrooms, although depending on the size of your living room, that may not be an issue. It handles all content very well, but I think those who like anime, cartoons, and animated movies will get the most benefit from the excellent colours.

Would we recommend it?

Absolutely. The TCL 43RC650K Roku TV is one of the most affordable 4K QLED TVs we've encountered, and in practice, it proves to be just as good as any screen twice its price. If you're looking for an inexpensive upgrade, we highly suggest considering this TV.

More items to consider

If you're not quite convinced by the TCL 43RC650K Roku TV, then it's worth taking a look at some similar TVs. Here are a few of our favourites:

Who tested it?

Kyle Purves is a writer who regularly reviews tech products. Having reviewed plenty of monitors and TVs, they know what makes a great screen. As for audio, they have tested many speakers, so they know what to listen out for. As such, they've got a solid understanding of what to keep an eye and ear out for when reviewing a TV like the 43RC650K.

How was it tested?

I tested the TCL 43RC650K Roku TV by primarily using it as a bedroom TV. Since it is a 43-inch model, I decided it would be better suited for a smaller room rather than a central living room. I primarily used it for streaming shows and movies, using a variety of apps to do so. To ensure the audio quality was properly evaluated, I did not use a soundbar or any speakers with it.

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Kyle Purves is a Tech Writer and Reviewer for What's The Best, with an avid interest in all things gaming and tech.

They're well-versed in reviewing a variety of tech products, with a soft spot for speakers and earphones. They're also no stranger to hunting down the best savings, always wanting to get the best deal possible. Outside of work, they can often be found playing through an RPG, listening to Japanese noise rock, or trying to catch up with their ever-expanding list of shows and anime to watch. If possible, they try to play Dungeons and Dragons a couple of times a week, but getting six adults to be free at the same time is easier said than done.

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