TCL C805 review: an affordable mini-LED 4K TV that gives you real value for money

TCL
C805
review:
Two
minute
review

The

TCL
C805
offers
brilliant
picture
quality,
a
good
stock
of
gaming
features
and
great
overall
performance
for
an
incredibly
affordable
price.
It’s
outperformed
in
all
areas
by
more
premium
examples
of
the

best
TVs,
but
it’s
hard
to
argue
against
the
C805’s
serious
value
for
money. 

Despite
being
an
entry-level
mini-LED
TV
with
fewer
dimming
zones
compared
to
step-up
mini-LEDs
such
as
its

TCL
C855
sibling
and
the

Hisense
U8N,
the
C805
delivers
good
contrast
with
rich
black
levels
and
refined
shadow
detail.
It
also
displays
bold,
dynamic
colours
and
surprisingly
lifelike
and
crisp
textures.
The
C805’s
motion
handling
for
the
most
part
is
strong
but
it
does
require
some
tweaking
in
the
settings.
Viewing
angles
are
limited
and
backlight
blooming
is
present
in
darker
scenes,
but
at
this
price
range,
it’s
tough
to
be
disappointed
with
the
C805’s
picture.
It
really
is
a
strong
contender
for
best
budget
TV.

Sound
quality
on
the
C805
is
acceptable
for
everyday
use,
with
strong
bass
levels
and
clear
dialogue
throughout,
but
it
will
fall
somewhat
short
for
anyone
looking
for
the
full
movie
experience.
Despite
supporting
Dolby
Atmos,
surround
effects
are
limited
and
the
sound
is
confined
to
the
screen.
Directional
effects
are
placed
well
enough,
but
the
C805
doesn’t
match
up
to
the

best
TVs
for
sound
like
the

Sony
A80L
or

Panasonic
MZ2000.
For
those
looking
for
a
punchier
sound,
one
of
the

best
soundbars
is
recommended. 

At
this
price
point,
the
C805
is
a
very
well-equipped
TV
for
gaming.
It
supports

4K
120Hz,
VRR
(AMD
FreeSync
Premium
Pro
included),
ALLM
and
even
Dolby
Vision
gaming.
Graphically,
it
doesn’t
quite
top
more
premium
sets,
but
games
still
look
very
good
on
the
C805.
It
won’t
quite
beat
the

best
TVs
for
gaming
overall,
but,
it’s
worth
considering
for
gamers
on
a
budget. 

The
C805
carries
a
basic,
straightforward
design
and
is
surprisingly
sturdy
given
its
light
weight.
Visually,
its
central
stand
is
appealing
enough
and
although
made
of
cheap
plastic,
it
feels
more
than
adequate
for
this
TV.
There’s
lots
to
like
about
the
C805’s

Google
TV
smart
interface,
too,
as
the
home
screen
provides
useful
recommendations,
albeit
under
large
ads.
There
are
also
plenty
of
settings
for
those
who
like
to
tweak
picture
and
sound. 

Value
is
one
of
the
C805’s
strongest
points.
With
competition
from
the
likes
of
the

Hisense
U6N,

Hisense
U7N
and

Samsung
QN85D
in
the
affordable
mini-LED
market,
the
C805
delivers
stronger
picture
quality
and
more
gaming
features
than
those
models
for
less.
The
55-inch
model
I
reviewed
costs
£649
/
AU$1,395
on
average,
which
is
exceptionally
low
for
what
the
C805
offers. 

TCL
C805
review:
Prices
&
release
date

• 
  Released:
  July
  2024
  (UK) 
• 
  50-inch:
   £579
  /
  AU$1,095 
• 
  55-inch:
   £649
  /
  AU$1,395
• 
  65-inch:
   £799
  /
  AU$1,695
   
• 
  75-inch:
   £1,199
  /
  AU$2,195 
• 
  85-inch:
   £1,499
  /
  AU$2,995 
• 
  98-inch:
   £2,499
  /
  AU$6,995 

The
TCL
C805
is
the
entry-level
mini-LED
TV
in
the
company’s
2024
lineup,
sitting
below
the
TCL
C855
and
the
flagship
115-inch
X955.
It
is
available
in
a
wide
range
of
sizes,
from
50
to
98
inches,
in
both
the
UK
and
Australia,
where
it
is
known
as
the
C755.

The
C805
sits
firmly
in
the
budget
mini-LED
TV
category
and
is
priced
similarly
to
the

Hisense
U6N
(which
costs
roughly
£699
for
the
55-inch
model).
Prices
for
the
C805
have
already
been
discounted
on
varying
online
retailers,
with
up
to
£500
off
the
98-inch
model’s
release
price
of
£2,999. 

TCL
C805
review:
Specs

TCL
C805
review:
Benchmark
results

TCL
C805
review:
Features

• 
  Dolby
  Vision
  IQ
  and
  HDR10+
  HDR
  support 
• 
  4K
  144Hz
  refresh
  rate
  and
  AMD
  FreeSync
  Premium
  Pro
   
• 
  QD
  mini-LED
  panel 

The
C805
features
a
mini-LED
backlight
that
produces
improved
local
dimming
over
LED
and
QLED
TVs,
while
also
delivering
higher
brightness
than

OLED
TVs.
More
local
dimming
zones
come
with
each
step-up
in
screen
size,
with
384
zones
in
the
55-inch
model
I
tested,
and
512
zones
in
the
65-inch
model
–
over
half
the
1,344
local
dimming
zones
found
in
the
step-up
65-inch
TCL
C855. 

HDR
formats
are
well
supported,
with
both
Dolby
Vision
and
HDR10+
featured.
The
C805
also
supports
IMAX
Enhanced. 

Gaming
support
includes
4K
120Hz
(up
to
144Hz
for
PC
gaming),
Dolby
Vision
gaming,
VRR
(including
AMD
FreeSync
Premium
Pro)
and
ALLM.
The
C805
 also
features
a
Game
Bar
to
alter
settings
during
gameplay.
Unlike
some
of
the
best
gaming
TVs,
it
is
limited
to
two
HDMI
2.1
ports
compared
to
the
four
you’ll
find
on
TVs
from

LG
and

Samsung.

For
audio,
the
C805
features
a
2.0
speaker
array
in
the
50-85-inch
models
and
a
2.1
speaker
array
in
the
98-inch
model.
Both
are
designed
in
partnership
with
Onkyo
and
support
the
Dolby
Atmos
and
DTS:X
audio
formats. 

The
C805
uses
the
Google
TV
smart
TV
platform,
which
offers
access
to
a
wide
variety
of
streaming
apps
including
Netflix,
Prime
Video,
and
Disney
Plus.
It
also
provides
access
to
UK-based
Freeview
Play
apps
including
BBC
iPlayer,
ITVX,
Channel
4
and
more.
A
sign-in
to
a
Google
account
is
required
to
use
these
apps,
but
once
that’s
done
movie
and
TV
show
recommendations
on
the
home
page
are
using
your
viewing
and
web
browsing
history. 

• 
  Features
  score:
  4.5/5

TCL
C805
review:
Picture
quality

• 
  Vibrant
  colour
   
• 
  Surprisingly
  good
  shadow
  detail
  and
  black
  levels 
• 
  Some
  backlight
  blooming
  present 

The
C805
is
a
budget
mini-LED
TV
with
a
more
limited
number
of
backlight
local
dimming
zones,
so
it
doesn’t
hit
the
high
brightness
levels
of
more
premium
mini-LED
models.
Measured
on
a
10%
HDR
white
window
pattern,
it
yielded
1,066
nits
and
854
nits
in
its
Standard
and
Movie
modes,
respectively.
For
comparison,
the
more
premium
65-inch
TCL
C855
hit
2,919
nits
and
1,891
nits
on
the
same
tests. 

Those
results
do
beat
the
rival
Hisense
U6N,
which
achieved
612
nits
and
651
nits
on
the
same
tests
in
its
Standard
and
Filmmaker
Modes,
respectively.
They
also
put
it
in
line
with
the
more
premium-priced
Hisense
U7N,
which
hit
809
nits
and
1,074
nits
in
Standard
and
Filmmaker
Modes,
respectively. 

The
C805
delivered
respectable
full-screen
brightness,
measuring
682
nits
and
554
nits
in
the
same
Standard
and
Movie
picture
modes
on
a
100%
HDR
white
window
pattern,
This
means
it
will
generally
succeed
in
brighter
viewing
environments,
although
in
our
testing
lab
with
overhead
lighting,
it
was
subject
to
mirror-like
screen
reflections. 

Moving
onto
real-world
viewing,
standard-definition
pictures,
while
watchable,
generally
had
fuzzy
textures.
But
viewing
a
high-definition
stream
of

Fight
Club
via
Disney
Plus,
skin
tones
and
detail
looked
more
refined
than
expected. 

Colours
on
the
C805
were
satisfyingly
punchy.
Watching
a
4K/Dolby
Vision
stream
of


Star
Wars:
The
Last
Jedi
via
Disney
Plus,
the
vibrant
reds
in
the
throne
room
fight
scene
were
well
controlled,
maintaining
a
natural
but
bold
appearance.
In

La
La
Land,
Mia’s
bright
yellow
dress
during
the

A
Lovely
Night
scene
shone
against
the
dark
backdrop
of
the
street,
again
maintaining
an
accurate
look. 

When
I
measured
both
the
C805’s
BT.2020
and
UHDA-P3
HDR
color
gamut
coverage,
it
gave
results
of
70.9%
and
93%,
respectively.
Those
are
good
results
for
a
TV
in
this
price
range
and
match
those
of
the
Hisense
U6N
and,
surprisingly,
the
much
more
premium
8K

Samsung
QN800D. 

To
evaluate
 black
levels,
contrast
and
shadow
detail,
I
primarily
used

The
Batman,
which,
due
to
its
low
mastered
brightness
(400
nits
as
opposed
to
the
more
typical
1,000
nits),
can
prove
to
be
a
challenge
for
many
TVs.
During
the
opening
crime
scene
investigation,
the
C805
displayed
strong
contrast
with
deeper
black
levels
than
anticipated.
There
were
also
no
signs
of
black
crush,
meaning
details
in
clothing
and
Batman’s
armour
were
still
visible.
The
balance
between
light
from
the
lamps
and
the
dimly
lit
surroundings
was
also
accurate,
again
highlighting
the
C805’s
effective
contrast. 

This
balance
between
light
and
dark
tones
held
up
during
black-and-white
scenes.
with
the
C805
showing good
contrast
and
a
solid
amount
of
grey
tones
in

Oppenheimer,
though
white
highlights
did
sometimes
look
a
little
overblown.

The
C805’s
detail
and
textures
were
surprisingly
refined
and
carried
a
sharp
but
lifelike
appearance
–
particularly
with
Dolby
Vision
movies.
In

Top
Gun:
Maverick,
closeup
shots
of
people’s
faces
revealed
accurate
skin
textures.
The
same
was
also
true
in

The
Batman
and

Star
Wars:
The
Last
Jedi.
The
texture
rendition
wasn’t
as
crisp
as
what
I
saw
on
the
TCL
C855
when
I
tested
that
model,
but
it
was
still
excellent
given
the
C805’s
price. 

When
watching
sports,
I
found
that
setting
blur
and
judder
reduction
to
roughly
3-5
out
of
10
made
games
look
smooth
without
adding
the
dreaded
soap
opera
effect.

With
movies,
the
C805
did
an
admirable
job
processing
fast-moving
scenes
such
as
the
training
and
Darkstar
flight
sequences
in

Top
Gun:
Maverick.
There
was
some
judder
present,
but
the
Movie
motion
preset
did
a
good
job
of
reducing
it. 

When
viewed
off-centre,
the
C805
displayed
obvious
backlight
blooming
and
its
contrast
faded.
The
C805’s
picture
overall
won’t
beat
more
premium
sets,
but
it
more
than
outperforms
its
price.

• 
  Picture
  quality
  score:
  4/5

TCL
C805
review:
Sound
quality

• 
  Weighty
  bass 
• 
  Good
  speech
  clarity 
• 
  Limited
  soundstage
   

The
C805’s
built-in
audio
system
features
2
x
15W
down-firing
speakers
and
supports
both
Dolby
Atmos
and
DTS:X
formats. 

Hefty
bass
was
demonstrated
during
the
Batmobile
chase
in

The
Batman,
with
the
crunching
crashes
and
rumble
of
the
Batmobile’s
engine
given
plenty
of
power.
Dialogue
was
also
clear
in
most
scenes
and
vocals
were
accurate
during
loud
and
hushed
singing
in

La
La
Land.
The
C805
also
delivered
a
good
balance
between
the
instruments
in

La
La
Land’s
bright
score. 

Despite
supporting
Dolby
Atmos,
the
C805’s
limited
speaker
array
meant
Atmos
and
surround
effects
were
lost
in
the
mix.
For
instance,
in

The
Batman,
rainfall
was
non-existent
whereas
one
of
the
best
TVs
for
sound
would
be
able
to
distinguish
it
better.
The
TV’s
sound
also
was
very
direct
and
contained
to
the
screen,
never
extending
beyond
it. 

I
generally
found
Movie
to
be
the
most
accurate
sound
mode,
though
Music
did
work
for
the
likes
of

La
La
Land.
Still,
for
those
looking
for
the
full
cinema
package,
you’re
better
off
adding
a
soundbar.
 

• 
  Sound
  quality
  score:
  3.5/5

TCL
C805
review:
Design

• 
  Exceptionally
  light
  for
  a
  55-inch
  TV
• 
  Basic,
  but
  solid
  design
• 
  Central
  stand
  (50-85
  inch
  models)
      

The
C805
has
a
fairly
basic
design
with
no
real
standout
features.
One
thing
I
did
note
was
just
how
light
it
is
compared
to
other
55-inch
sets
I’ve
tested,
almost
feeling
weightless. 

Thankfully,
that
doesn’t
mean
the
C805
is
any
less
sturdy
or
solidly
built.
Its
central
stand,
which
carries
an
appealing
navy
colour,
is
on
the
cheap
plasticky
side,
but
still
feels
like
it
won’t
move
anytime
soon.
It’s
a
little
deep
compared
to
the
razor-thin
profile
of
more
premium
sets
such
as
the

LG
G4
OLED
TV,
but
it
carries
a
slim
bezel
that
allows
maximum
space
for
the
picture. 

TCL’s
supplied
remote
is
very
cheap
feeling
and
outdated
looking,
especially
compared
to
the
one
supplied
with
the
step-up
C855.
On
the
plus
side,
it
has
plenty
of
buttons
with
shortcuts
to
popular
apps
such
as
Netflix,
Prime
Video
and
YouTube.
 

• 
  Design
  score:
  4/5

TCL
C805
review:
Smart
TV
&
menus

• 
  Google
  TV
  smart
  TV
  platform 
• 
  A
  good
  number
  of
  calibration
  controls
   
• 
  Large
  banner
  ad
  on
  the
  homescreen
   

Google
TV
is
the
C805’s
built-in
smart
TV
platform
and
while
not
perfect,
there
are
things
to
like
about
it.
After
signing
in
with
a
Google
account,
which
is
required
to
use
apps,
the
home
screen
serves
up
recommendations
tailored
to
your
viewing
history
across
different
apps.
It
also
offers
Continue
Watching
options
–
a
very
useful
feature.
Apps
on
the
home
screen
get
coloured
highlights,
which
may
not
be
major,
but
it
does
set
Google
TV
apart
from
other
home
screens. 

Speaking
of
the
home
screen,
banner
ads
advertising
various
TV
shows
and
movies
take
up
a
large
portion
at
the
top.
These
are
based
solely
on
new
releases
and
are
not
recommendations
based
on
your
viewing
history,
so
having
to
see
them
at
all
is
a
bit
frustrating.

There
are
plenty
of
menu
settings
to
experiment
with
for
both
picture
and
sound.
For
those
who
like
to
calibrate
settings,
there
are
even
2-
and
20-point
grayscale
and
colour
point
adjustments.
Menu
navigation
felt
smooth
enough,
and
even
though
there
was
occasional
lag,
it
was
minimal. 

• 
  Smart
  TV
  &
  menus
  score:
  4/5

TCL
C805
review:
Gaming

• 
  4K
  144Hz
  refresh
  rate
  and
  VRR 
• 
  Dolby
  Vision
  gaming
    
• 
  13.5ms
  input
  lag
  time
   

The
C805
has
an
extensive
list
of
gaming
features
given
its
budget
price
–
significantly
more
than
competitors
such
as
the
Hisense
U6N.
It
supports
4K
120Hz
(and
up
to
144Hz
for
PC
gamers),
Dolby
Vision
gaming,
ALLM
and
VRR
(including
AMD
FreeSync
Premium
Pro).
It
only
has
two
HDMI
2.1
ports
compared
to
the
four
found
on
more
premium
sets
although
that’s
the
case
for
all
TVs
that
aren’t
made
by
LG
or
Samsung. 

Gaming
performance
is
relatively
smooth
on
the
C805.
Playing

Battlefield
V,
during
a
chaotic
battle
on
an
airfield
I
found
quickly
moving
the
camera
and
scanning
the
environment
to
be
judder-free.
It
didn’t
feel
as
smooth
as
on
the
best
gaming
TVs,
but
was
still
smooth
enough.
When
I
measured
the
C805’s
input
lag
time,
it
gave
a
result
of
13.5ms
at
4K
60Hz
–
a
perfectly
decent
result,
and
below
the
15ms
most
gamers
look
for. 

Graphics
on
the
C805
carry
the
same
crisp
textures,
bold
colours
and
rich
contrast
as
with
movie
and
TV
show
viewing.
It
isn’t
going
to
beat
the
C855
or
other
more
premium
sets,
but
the
C805
still
has
a
very
impressive
picture
when
gaming.

• 
  Gaming
  score:
  4.5/5

TCL
C805
review:
Value

• 
  Extremely
  good
  value
• 
  Great
  performance
  for
  the
  price
     
• 
  Features
  outweigh
  price
   

In
a
competitive
mini-LED
market,
the
C805
falls
into
the
budget
end
against
the
likes
of
the
Hisense
U6N.
For
the
55-inch
model
I
tested,
the
C805
(or
C755
in
Australia)
costs
£649
/
AU$1,395
on
average
compared
with
the
U6N’s
£749
/
AU$1,295.
At
that
price,
you’re
getting
better
picture
quality
and
more
gaming
features
(the
C805
supports
up
to
144Hz
whereas
the
U6N
is
capped
at
60Hz). 

Overall,
the
C805
is
exceptional
value
for
money,
delivering
maximum
mini-LED
bang
for
your
buck.
To
get
a
significant
improvement
in
picture
quality,
you’ll
be
looking
at
the
step-up
TCL
C855,
which
costs
£1,299
/
AU$2,295
for
a
65-inch
model,
or
the
Hisense
U8N,
which
is
priced
at
£1,799
/
AU$2,699.99,
also
for
65-inch
–
the
two
smallest
sizes
available
in
the
UK
and
Australia.
The
LG
B4
OLED
would
be
considered
an
upgrade,
but
a
55-inch
B4
costs
£999
/
AU$1,995.
 

• 
  Value
  score:
  5/5

Should
you
buy
the
TCL
C805?

Buy
it
if…

Don’t
buy
it
if…

Also
consider

How
I
tested
the
TCL
C805

• 
  Tested
  using
  SDR
  and
  HDR
  sources 
• 
  Tested
  in
  a
  lab
  room
  in
  varying
  lighting
  conditions 
• 
  Measurements
  taken
  using
  Portrait
  Displays’
  Calman
  calibration
  software

I
began
my
tests
of
the
TCL
C805
with
some
casual
viewing
to
establish
its
most
effective
and
accurate
picture
and
sound
modes
–
in
this
case
a
combination
of
Standard
and
Movie
and
Movie
for
sound. 

For
my
subjective
tests,
I
analyzed
the
C805’s
picture
quality,
looking
at
contrast,
black
levels,
detail,
color,
and
motion
using
SDR
sources
such
as
broadcast
TV
and
HD
streaming,
and
HDR
ones
such
as
4K
Blu-ray
and
4K
streaming.
During
these
tests,
I
use
reference
scenes
from
movies
and
TV
shows. 

For
my
4K
Blu-ray
testing,
I
use
the

Panasonic
DP-UB820
4K
Blu-ray
player,
one
of
the
best
4K
Blu-ray
players
available. 

I
also
tested
the
C805’s
gaming
features
and
performance
using
an

Xbox
Series
X
with
the
C805
in
Game
mode. 

For
objective
testing,
I
take
measurements
using
specialized
equipment
including
a
test
pattern
generator
and
colorimeter,
with
Portrait
Displays’

Calman
color
calibration
software
recording
the
measurements.
I
also
use
a
Leo
Bodnar
4K
HDMI
Input
Lag
Tester
to
measure
input
lag
with
the
TV
is
in
Game
mode. 

For
a
full
explanation
of

how
we
test
TVs
at
TechRadar,
check
out
the
link.