TV manufacturer TCL has taken the wraps off a new series of feature-packed QLED TVs for the UK that run on Fire TV as part of a new partnership with Amazon.
The agreement between the two companies is now likely to mean TCL making a shift from its former stance of pre-loading all its smart TVs with Google’s Android operating system, and comes after Amazon announced similar partnerships with manufacturers Hisense and Xiaomi.
Coming in 50-inch and 55-inch variants, the new CF630K range features a metallic frameless design that houses a Quantum Dot LED panel, with the TVs also coming with an Alexa voice remote, allowing commands to be taken by the virtual assistant directly from the flicker.
As is now often the case with TCL displays, the new line up boasts support for both major HDR formats, with Dolby Vision and HDR 10+ onboard, along with support for Dolby Atmos audio.
PS5 and Xbox Series X owners will also be pleased to see the inclusion of Auto Low Latency Mode and TCL’s Game Master option, which auto-adjusts color and brightness, while also minimizing input lag. The refresh rate for the CF630K range only goes up to 60Hz rather than 120Hz, but that's not a huge surprise at this price point.
They're available to buy now from Amazon at a reduced introductory price until November 11, with the 50-inch version available for £339.99 and the 55-inch model costing just £389.99 (after this date the price goes up to a still reasonable £379.00 for the 50-inch and £429.00 for the 55-inch).
This is impressive considering the spec list, and looks like likely to strongly challenge the best TVs under £1000. The CF630K range will be exclusive to the UK, Italy, Spain, and Germany.
Analysis: New TCL QLEDs are a double plus for the affordable TV market
It’s long been reported that both TCL and Amazon have been looking to clinch a partnership like the one just announced for some time, with the terms of the Chinese manufacturer’s agreement with Google for licensing Android TV said to have held back Fire TV from appearing on their sets.
On the face of it, the new arrangement shouldn’t initially mean a great deal for anyone buying one of TCL’s new TV’s – the user experience between Fire TV and Android TV is broadly similar.
But with one of the world’s largest TV manufacturers now onboard with Amazon, a new rivalry is now emerging between the two smart TV platforms. That’s something has us hoping that the new competition will drive further improvements to both Fire TV and Android TV.
While we’ll have to wait and see how well these new TCL models actually perform in practice, it’s still startling to see a QLED TV that boasts both Dolby Vision and HDR 10+,as well as Dolby Atmos and an ALLM mode priced below the £400 mark.
There's going to be a lot of great Black Friday TV deals appealing to people at around this kind of price, so here's hoping TCL's TVs have the image quality to match their great spec sheet.
