TCL vs Hisense (2023): Which is best for you?

You might be on a tight budget and buying your new TV might be a headache. You have come to the best place to know which among TCL and Hisense can be a better affordable option.

In this TCL vs Hisense comparison article, we have tried to keep things unbiased and straightforward so that it would be easy for you to make a decision.

TCL vs Hisense (2023) which is best for you

In this new market, both TCL and Hisense have made a very nice image of them as a reliable as well as an affordable option in the TV industry and so it becomes difficult to choose between the two. Read the entire article to know about all factors that set these TV companies apart.

Price

The price point is a major factor for many consumers as it influences a buyer to a large extent. TCL and Hisense are both cheap alternatives to the expensive Samsung and Roku TVs. Both TV companies offer their products at decent price ranges. If you are on a tight budget then you are going to choose between these two companies. And, these companies have also established their name in the television market as the “better for lesser” brands. However, in some cases, their prices differ as both cannot be equal in all TV ranges.

Most of the time you will find TCL to be even cheaper than Hisense offering about the same configurations. We have found TCL to provide products such as the Quantum Dot TVs or QLED at less price than Hisense. Also, after thorough research, we have found that Hisense typically sells its large-size TVs a bit more expensive than the TCL alternatives.

Now, older TV models from Hisense can sometime become cheap options than TCL but most of the time TCL provides a better option in terms of price point. So, in this factor, TCL becomes the clear winner.

Picture Quality

Both of these companies offer the best picture quality in the price range. Don’t try to compare these TV sets with the expensive Sony or Samsung sets because you won’t get that much better picture quality, but at this price, TCL and Hisense are both good. Diving into the details, you should consider brightness as a major factor because it influences the clarity and all-around color reproduction on the screen. Better brightness provides better quality in high-lit areas. TCL TVs are brighter as compared to Hisense models. Apart from brightness, there is local dimming which is better done by TCL again.


Viewing angles on both TVs are not good and you shouldn’t expect that as well for this reason if you are seeing your TV from an angle that is not directly facing the TV you might see muddy pictures with less brightness and clarity. TCL TVs have more clarity and also they provide better contrast ratios which means the blacks in their picture appear more black and not greyish.


Both companies have Ultra High Definition and High Dynamic Resolution to provide a true 4K experience. The HDR quality in both TVs is good but don’t expect them to surpass expensive televisions from other companies. In HDR both of them are the same. You should also consider the refresh rate of the TV. Higher refresh rates make fast-paced scenes appear smooth and not choppy. Hisense has TVs with only a 60Hz option while TCL has TVs with both 60Hz and 120Hz.


We saw some movies and shows and found that they were looking great on both of them. The problem of viewing angles was definitely there but after neglecting them, everything is just fine. TCL turns out to be better in color reproduction. In some HDR shots, we were also noticing how TCL is showing them better than the Hisense model and this is because of TCL’s improved brightness. In some chase scenes and action scenes, TCL shows the actions and transitions more smoothly than Hisense and it is worth it. Apart from these normal news and sports were all same.


In picture quality, we would like to choose TCL as a better option for more vibrant color reproduction, better contrast ratios, better brightness, better clarity, and higher refresh rates. TCL’s 6-series TVs are amazing and are probably the best in their price range. They have better 4K picture quality, they have Dolby Vision, and also have a game mode.

Audio Quality

It is always better to enjoy movies and shows with good picture quality along with good sound quality. Both TVs offer stereo speakers and with the expensive models, they tend to offer modern technologies like Dolby Digital, Dolby Atmos, and DTS:X. But Hisense speakers are more powerful as compared to TCL speakers. Hisense offers speakers with 16W power that are decent quality and offer a decent audio experience. It is always advised to use external audio devices such as home theatres or soundbars to get better audio and cinematic experience.

TCL offers superior-quality soundbars that are much better than Hisense audio. But you have to spend some extra bucks to buy one. In some offline stores, you might even find a TCL TV that is offered with a soundbar. These are limited-time deals and will help you get good picture quality along with good audio quality as well. There is no feature such as Samsung’s modern technology to pair both Samsung soundbar and TV speaker to offer a mixed set of speakers in TCL or Hisense but at this price, it is good to go.

We were seeing some movies and shows on both the TVs and both lacked some space in the audio quality as we were expecting more but at this price, you won’t get any better. Considering we are only reviewing the TV’s inbuilt speakers we cannot consider TCL’s soundbars so in that case, Hisense is a clear winner in the audio quality section.

Technology and OS

In terms of technology and features both the TVs offer superior quality Ultra High Definition with High Dynamic Range and also Dolby Vision, Dolby Atmos, etc. All of these features will depend on the model you choose, higher priced models will have more features. The low-resolution scaling was not there and we find it a con because it would have been better to see it in these cheap TV options. Now, what is different in both of these TVs is the operating system they are running on.

TCL has a Roku TV interface along with a Roku remote as well. Roku is a very intuitive platform with a simple interface. It does not change often and is very simple to navigate. It also has all the popular streaming platforms installed. You also get Roku’s own app that lets you stream from over 2000 other smaller channels from different countries which you won’t find anywhere else. But, you cannot download any extra app on the Roku TV and power users won’t find this a better option.

On the other hand, Hisense has an Android TV interface which is amazing. You get the popular Android TV from Google where the interface is very intuitive but at the same time is very dynamic. You will notice the interface is very different from Roku and you are recommended many contents as per your liking. You won’t find that extra 2000 channels on Android TV but seldom you would see them anytime. Android TV also lets you download apps from the Play Store which has a huge collection of apps and games.

For power users, Android TV is a better option as you can tweak multiple options in the settings which you cannot do on the Roku TV. Also, Roku TV has a very static interface compared to the dynamic interface of Android TV. Now, this is very personal which operating system you would prefer and for that reason, we leave this part to your decision.

To know more about Android TV and Roku TV read this article – Android TV vs Roku (2023) — Which Have More Value For Money

Connectivity Options

Both TVs have good connectivity options. In the cheap ones, you might find single or double HDMI ports but in higher models, you will find multiple HDMI ports from audio, video, and game console connections. There is an ethernet port only in some models available. A 3.5mm Audio jack is available in all models along with single or multiple USB ports.  

In higher models, you can also find wireless connectivity options such as Bluetooth and Wi-Fi. Dual-band Wi-Fi is available along with Bluetooth version 5.0 or above and both of these options provide convenience. Wireless connectivity is good to have because it helps to connect more devices without the need for area limitation or wired limitation. And also, the setup appears clutter-free to the viewers which is easily manageable.

Build Quality and Design

The Build Quality of both of these is decent considering the price you are paying for them. They are made of plastic which is tough plastic and will last a long time. Both of these are affordable so they are prone to fall damage so when installing your TV be very careful about placing them, a gentle tap can result in a great amount of damage so be very aware. Be very careful with the corners of the TV because it is the place most vulnerable to the durability of the product.

In terms of design, TCL seems to be much better because they offer more slim televisions than Hisense. Hisense TVs are thicker but they are also sturdier than TCL and the weight of both TVs from the brands tend to be quite similar with Hisense’s TVs being a little bulkier. In terms of look, both TVs look nice and modern. TCL TVs look better in terms of modernity.

The higher-end models with QLED displays are better to look and feel because of a very slim build factor and that is good to see in these affordable options. The supporting legs on both of these TV brands are quite good and there is nothing to worry about. The wall mount is also decent but rather than mounting them on the wall you should place them on a tabletop.

Both brands offer a 1-year warranty with some models even featuring a limited lifetime warranty. So, in this section, it is up to you to decide whether you want a slim and modern look or a bulky and sturdier build.

TV selections

Both brands have QLED TVs which are Quantum Light Emitting Diode TVs and use Quantum dots to produce light that is bright and crisp with better color reproduction. There are also ULED TVs which are from Hisense and TCL has not yet come out with a ULED TV. ULED is Ultra-Light Emitting Diode technology and they offer better brightness and better resolution so you’ll get better HDR quality in ULED TVs.

In terms of resolution both brands have come out with UHD resolutions that are 4K and 8K displays and it is good to see these in a lower price segment than that from Samsung and Sony.  Also, TCL and Hisense have both come out with curved displays as well. Curved Displays tend to produce better viewing angles and a larger field of view which is good to see in affordable sets. Now, the picture quality won’t be as nice as expensive TV sets but are decent and good for beginners.  

In terms of selection, Hisense is the clear winner because of more options such as the ULED TVs which TCL is yet to launch.

If you wish to know the difference between QLED and UHD consider reading this article – QLED vs UHD TVs- Which is best for you? (2023)

TCL vs Hisense – Verdict

So, in conclusion, it is evident that TCL is the winner in terms of price, picture quality, and design and Hisense is the winner in audio quality, build Quality and TV options.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is TCL made by Hisense?

No, they are entirely different. TCL TVs are manufactured by TCL Technology Company and Hisense TVs are made by Hisense Group.

Do TCL TVs last long?

Yes, TCL TVs last longer than expected than most TV brands in the same price point.

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