TCL Roku TVs are finally making their way to the UK, with a new RP620K range coming in a variety of sizes to Currys this June.
The famed collaboration brings the popular Roku smart TV platform to TCL’s affordable screens, in a marriage of value and accessibility set to entice budget buyers across the nation.
The smallest 32-inch TV starts at just £229, going up to £279 for a 40-inch screen, £349 for a 43-inch screen, £399 for a 50-inch screen, and £549 for the largest 65-inch TV size. It’s exclusive to Currys “for now”, we’re told, but it’s likely the range will roll out to other retailers down the line.
You’re only getting HD (720p) resolution for the 32-inch size, mind you, and Full HD for the 40-inch – which is a bit less than what we’d expect from the best 40-inch TVs, most of which pack in 4K resolution these days. But at these prices, you might not mind all that much, and anyone after a 4K TV can opt for the remaining 43-65 inch sizes, all of which support Ultra HD.
You are getting decent HDR support, including HDR10, HLG, and Dolby Vision, though it’s worth noting that HDR10+ – the HDR format favored by Samsung – isn’t supported here. The RP620K is also Dolby Atmos compatible, meaning you can play Atmos audio content through a connected Atmos soundbar – while a respectable 15ms input lag means it shouldn’t be a hassle to play competitive games.
All new RP620K sizes will benefit from Roku OS 10, the latest iteration of the smart TV platform, which adds Apple AirPlay and HomeKit Support, as well as automatic detection of Wi-Fi networks and configuration for next-gen games consoles (PS5, Xbox Series X, etc).
State of the nation
This marks the first time that TCL Roku TVs have come to the UK, despite the collaboration having kicked off in the US back in 2014, before expanding into Canada and Mexico shortly after. It’s also the first time that an HD Roku TV has launched in the UK.
Given TCL’s aggressive pricing, and the simplicity of the Roku platform – including an easy-to-read tile icon layout, streamlined settings, and customisable menus to optimise for your most-used apps and services – the TCL Roku TV is a great choice for those who are new to smart TVs or want a cheap, easy solution for TV broadcasts and streaming.
Roku is bullish about the need for a straightforward TV platform that manufacturers can license for their screens, saying that it “isn’t sustainable” for each TV brand to create and maintain their own proprietary OS. “Content publishers can only support so many platforms that they develop for, and a TV OS can only support so many content services,” says a Roku rep.
The difference is apparent in the reach of new Roku OS updates. Roku OS 10 will be coming to screens launched as far back as 2014 – which is a lot more support than new iterations of LG’s webOS or Samsung’s Tizen get (usually just models launched in the last two or three years).
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