{"id":123348,"date":"2021-02-19T22:31:38","date_gmt":"2021-02-19T22:31:38","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.techweekmag.com\/?p=123348"},"modified":"2023-04-16T19:38:28","modified_gmt":"2023-04-16T18:38:28","slug":"tcl-p717-review-captivating-4k-tv-with-a-minimalistic-design","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.hifiratings.com\/tech\/tv\/tcl-p717-review-captivating-4k-tv-with-a-minimalistic-design\/","title":{"rendered":"TCL P717 : Captivating 4K TV with a minimalistic design"},"content":{"rendered":"

Among the best TVs last year by TCL, two series can be noted, which appeared on the market in early autumn 2020. These are TCL C717 and TCL P717 TVs. They are replacing last year’s versions and may be a welcome purchase ahead of Black Friday.<\/p>\n

The letter “C” in the name of the current series speaks of the applied QLED screen technology.\u00a0Let’s recall the models of previous years – then it was difficult to understand the manufacturer’s technological solutions and it was possible to focus only on the series number.\u00a0This time I would like to consider the TCL 50P717 4K UHD TV review as a representative of one of the new products.<\/p>\n

TCL P717 review<\/h2>\n

Since we are talking about the P717 series from TCL, then we must not forget about the existence of a similar version of the TCL P715, which practically becomes one of the list of inexpensive 4K TVs in 2020.\u00a0Unfortunately, the 715 and 717 series did not get Dolby Vision support like the C717 or\u00a0C815\u00a0.\u00a0But now all models of this year are running on the updated Android 9 Pie operating system.<\/p>\n

Design<\/h3>\n

TCL has created the P717 series with aesthetics in mind.\u00a0It’s a minimalist design that demonstrates the appeal of on-screen action without distracting attention to the bezel.\u00a0Here we see the maximum space of the entire matrix, bordered by a thin metal frame.\u00a0This 50P717 design looks great in any room.<\/p>\n

The bezel-less look and silver underside of the TV give the screen a light and beautiful feel.\u00a0One of the advantages is the convenient location of the stand legs, which allows the 50P717 to be placed on a smaller surface than other similar TVs.\u00a0As usual, a VESA 200 \u00d7 200 mm standard is provided for wall mounting.<\/p>\n

The interface part is located on the right side of the back of the TV.\u00a0All connectors are located on the side, so access to them, even when wall-mounted, does not hinder the user.\u00a0The back of the 50P717 is made of embossed plastic.<\/p>\n

\"TCL<\/a><\/p>\n

Picture<\/h3>\n

TCL P715 \/ P71 series TVs have native 4K resolution.\u00a0Naturally, the manufacturer has developed its own algorithm for scaling and optimizing FHD or 2K content up to 4K resolution.\u00a0Self-development is a good thing when it is optimal and has good performance.\u00a0But an important factor in image quality is HDR support.<\/p>\n

And in the P717 series under consideration, of the interesting moments, only HDR10 can be observed.\u00a0Therefore, high dynamic range picture and frame-by-frame intelligibility are accompanied by improved tones, brightness and contrast and are displayed correctly only in this input content standard.<\/p>\n

Next, we can note the automatic optimization of colors on the screen.\u00a0The “Dynamic Color Enhancement” function is another development of TCL, which, in addition to the correct colors, expands the limitations of the source palette to brighter and higher quality scenes.\u00a0Local dimming is done via Micro Dimming and has 1296 separate zones.<\/p>\n

\"TCL<\/a><\/p>\n

This\u00a0Direct LED\u00a0backlight\u00a0control option\u00a0intelligently adjusts brightness and handles blacks no matter where you install the 50P717.\u00a0Despite the declared support for HDR, the applied VA matrix from CSOT cannot produce a maximum brightness higher than 270 nits.<\/p>\n

The TCL P71 series of TVs have a color depth of 8 bits, or rather a pseudo 10-bit is nothing more than\u00a08 bits + FRC\u00a0.\u00a0Matrix model ST5461D07 operates at 50\/60 Hz and with all processing algorithms has a contrast ratio of approximately 4500: 1.\u00a0In the more advanced TCL models, this figure reaches 5000: 1, but not in these series.<\/p>\n

Android TV<\/h3>\n

Android smart TVs have shown significant sales growth in recent years.\u00a0This is most likely due to falling prices and strong demand for streaming content.\u00a0For example,\u00a0Netflix is\u00a0present in almost all modern 4K TV models.\u00a0Based on this, TCL is one of the leaders in the production of affordable 4K models on Android.<\/p>\n

The P717 series comes with all the streaming apps you need from the factory, so streaming content isn’t a problem when looking for entertainment.\u00a0In addition, the manufacturer claims hands-free control via Google Assistant.\u00a0This can be done from any distance using the microphones built into the TV.<\/p>\n

All new TCL models are equipped with Android 9. In general, the operating system performance is at a good level thanks to rather powerful hardware solutions.\u00a0Summarizing the OS and design capabilities, we can say that the cost of this 50-inch model 50P717 is quite justified.<\/p>\n

\"TCL<\/a><\/p>\n

Sound<\/h3>\n

Undoubtedly, TCL’s P71 series Dolby Audio support provides a slightly realistic dialogue clarity and some volume in movie playback.\u00a0The 50P717 has a pair of 9.5 W speakers with a 2.0 sound scheme.\u00a0There is nothing to marvel at in this section, but there is a port for an optical cable.\u00a0Therefore, using a separate soundbar is recommended.<\/p>\n

Connections and input lag<\/h3>\n

The interface part of the TCL P717 series TVs does not differ from similar new models in 2020.\u00a0As we mentioned earlier, all connections are made from the right side of the 50P717 TV.\u00a0The owner gets a pair of USB 2.0 ports and a triple HDMI 2.0.<\/p>\n

A standard Ethernet interface and built-in Wi-Fi provide a LAN or Internet connection.\u00a0AV component and S \/ PDIF ports for video connections.\u00a0From terrestrial connections there are antenna and satellite connectors.\u00a0Complementing all this is a 3.5mm audio output.<\/p>\n

The pixel response time is stated at 9.5 ms, while the input lag in normal playback mode is about 65 ms.\u00a0In game mode, this figure is 19ms, which is quite good for connected game consoles.\u00a0However, due to the limited maximum brightness, games in HDR mode are not as good as we would like.<\/p>\n

Conclusion<\/h3>\n

The TCL 50P717 is ideal for older people who are used to watching TV in close proximity to the screen. For large rooms, classrooms, or clubs, this may not be suitable due to the limited viewing angle.\u00a0Here we need TVs with IPS screens.<\/p>\n

Unlike the P717, a similar TCL P715 series is available in 43, 50, 55, 65, 75, 85 and 100 inch models.\u00a0But there are no functional features in the 715 series.\u00a0Except the TCL 100P715 uses 256-zone FALD dimming technology.<\/p>\n

The limited HDR standard and low sound power are the main disadvantages of the reviewed series.\u00a0On the other hand, the pricing policy of the manufacturer is captivating and the TCK P717 series of TVs can be considered as a starting version of the 4K model.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Among the best TVs last year by TCL, two series can be noted, which appeared on the market in early autumn 2020. These are TCL C717 and TCL P717 TVs. They are replacing last year’s versions and may be a welcome purchase ahead of Black Friday. The letter “C” in the name of the current […] More<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":10402,"featured_media":123362,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[641],"tags":[778],"class_list":["post-123348","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-tv","tag-reviews"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.hifiratings.com\/tech\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/123348","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.hifiratings.com\/tech\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.hifiratings.com\/tech\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.hifiratings.com\/tech\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/10402"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.hifiratings.com\/tech\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=123348"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.hifiratings.com\/tech\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/123348\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.hifiratings.com\/tech\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/123362"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.hifiratings.com\/tech\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=123348"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.hifiratings.com\/tech\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=123348"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.hifiratings.com\/tech\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=123348"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}