Expert review of the TCL C743

I tested the 55-inch version of this television. The setup goes smoothly. First, I attach the stand to the television with the 4 included screws. Then, I place it on my TV cabinet. This stylish stand makes it look like the television is floating. After I switch on the TV, I go through the Google TV setup. I then get access to the most important apps right away, such as Netflix and Amazon Prime Video.

Thanks to the 4K resolution and 10-bit panel, the television shows vibrant and bright colors. I notice this when I watch a nature documentary. Red leaves have a deep red color, and green leaves look lifelike. This made me feel like I was walking through that forest myself. In addition, the images look smooth thanks to the 100Hz refresh rate. I can see this while watching soccer, for example. And I can clearly see the ball rolling across the field from every camera angle.

I watched a nature documentary to test the contrast. It shows the how the green of the leaves turns into the shadows of trees. Thanks to Full Array Local Dimming, there are hundreds of zones behind the screen that dim individually. As a result, leaves stand out from the shadows. I do notice that some shadows have a green glow. That's because a small part of the shadow is located in one of the zones. This means that dark colors aren't always truly dark.

The TCL C743 has a wide viewing angle. When I watch TV from an angle, the image looks bright. I do notice that dark shades become brighter when I do that. I'm also hardly bothered by reflections on the screen. That's useful for watching a movie or series with lots of dark scenes during the day. This ensures I won't miss a single detail of a documentary.

I tested the sound with a Tiny Desk concert by Stromae. This concert has many drum beats and guitar riffs. Thanks to the built-in subwoofer, I can enjoy the bass. Unfortunately, I do miss some details in the music. Because of this, I recommend buying a soundbar. Do you only watch television? The sound is definitely good enough for that.

The included remote is slim, so it's comfortable in your hand. With the remote, I can switch channels. I can also control Google TV and go directly to Netflix, Amazon Prime, or YouTube. The remote is made of plastic, so it does feel fragile. As long as I use the remote carefully, this won't be a problem.

The sturdy stand gives the television a luxurious look. Because the stand is attached to the back, it looks like the TCL is floating. Unfortunately, I can't turn the television to my liking. That's because the stand isn't rotatable. In addition, the stand is pretty large, so it doesn't fit on every TV cabinet.