Are you looking for 55-Inch 4K LED TV that support HDR but offered at affordable price, I’m quite sure that TCL 55R617 and TCL 55S405 are two choices that you should consider. Both of those two TVs are offered by TCL although they come from different lineup year. TCL 55R617 is introduced as part of TCL’s 2018 TV lineup, while TCL 55S405 was released as part of TCL’s 2017 TV lineup. Which of them is the model that you should choose? To answer that question, I’m sure that it’s a good idea to talk about their similarities and differences.
TCL 55R617 and 55S405 Similarities
There are several similarities that we can find between TCL 55R617 and TCL 55S405. What are the similarities between those two TVs? Let’s talk about that together.
1. LED Display with 4K UHD Resolution
Both of TCL 55R617 and TCL 55S405 come with LED Display in 4K UHD Resolution. Both of them are also completed with 4K Upscaler technology so that we can enjoy excellent picture clarity both from original 4K content sources or non 4K contents that upscaled into near 4K picture quality.
2. Refresh Rate Technology
We can find that the refresh rate technology of TCL 55R617 and TCL 55S405 are similar. They come with 120Hz CMI as their refresh rate technology. 120Hz CMI is quite basic refresh rate technology, but It still can deliver smooth fast motion images for your favorite action movies and sports. We can also enjoy fluid gaming scenes with 120Hz CMI of those two TVs.
3. Smart TV Platform
The Smart TV Platform of TCL 55R617 and 55S405 are similar. They both come with Roku TV as their Smart TV Platform. Roku TV is able to deliver premium entertainment to your home with easy connection to wide range of premium content providers. We can also enjoy additional apps on the TV screen that can run smoothly with dual-core processor installed on those two TVs. We can also enjoy fast and stable internet connection with 802.11ac dual band wireless installed on those two TVs.
The similarities of TCL 55R617 and TCL 55S405 can be summarized with the table below.
TCL 55R617 | TCL 55S405 | |
Screen Size | 55-Inch | 55-Inch |
Display Technology | LED | LED |
Resolution | 4K UHD | 4K UHD |
4K Upscaling Technology | YES | YES |
Refresh Rate Technology | 120Hz CMI | 120Hz CMI |
Processor | Dual-Core | Dual-Core |
Smart TV Platform | Roku TV | Roku TV |
Built-in Wi-fi | 802.11ac dual band | 802.11ac dual band |
HDMI/USB | 3/1 | 3/1 |
TCL 55R617 and 55S405 Differences
As two different models, We can find that there are a number of differences between TCL 55R617 and 55S405. What are the differences between those two 55-Inch 4K LED TVs? Let’s talk about that together.
1. NBP Photon Technology
The first difference that we can find between TCL 55R617 and TCL 55S405 is NBP Photon Technology. NBP Photon Technology is installed on TCL 55R617, while we can’t find it in TCL 55S405. NBP Photon Technology is able to bring Wide Color Gamut so that we can enjoy richer and more accurate color details in TCL 55R617.
2. Contrast Control Zones
TCL 55R617 is also completed with 96 Contrast Control Zones that we can’t find in TCL 55S405. Contrast Control Zones works as Full-Array Local Dimming that help us to enjoy more vibrant contrast. With 96 Contrast Control Zones installed on its screen, We can surely enjoy better contrast vibrancy in TCL 55R617 than TCL 55S405.
3. IPQ Engine and HDR Pro Gamma
TCL 55R617 also comes with IPQ Engine and HDR Pro Gamma. IPQ Engine is the technology installed on TCL 55R617 to bring more accurate color reproduction on its screen, while HDR Pro Gamma is the technology that can adjust the screen brightness according to the environment. We can’t find both of IPQ Engine and HDR Pro Gamma in TCL 55S405.
4. HDR Support
Both of TCL 55R617 and 55S405 support HDR so that we can enjoy enhanced details and expanded contrast from HDR content sources. But their supported HDR content formats are different. TCL 55R617 support HDR10 and Dolby Vision, while TCL 55S405 only supports HDR10. With Dolby Vision support, We can enjoy Dolby Vision HDR entertainment in TCL 55R617 that we can’t enjoy in TCL 55S405.
5. Remote Control
We can find that the remote control included in TCL 55R617 and 55S405 are different. TCL 55R617 comes with RC580 remote control, while TCL 55S405 comes with RC282 remote. RC580 is more advanced remote that completed with Voice control so that you can control the TV and Roku more conveniently with your voice. While RC282 is only standard remote that can only control the TV with standard control functions.
6. Price
TCL 55R617 is positioned as the higher model than TCL 55S405. So it’s fair that it’s usually offered at the higher price as well. How much is their price difference? As TV prices are changing from time to time, it’s recommended that we check the price of TCL 55R617 and 55S405 before we can find their latest price difference.
The differences of TCL 55R617 and 55S405 can be summarized with the table below.
TCL 55R617 | TCL 55S405 | |
Introduced | 2018 | 2017 |
NBP Photon Technology | YES | NO |
Contrast Control Zones | 96 Zones | NO |
IPQ Engine | YES | NO |
HDR Pro Gamma | YES | NO |
HDR Support | HDR10+Dolby Vision | HDR10 |
Remote Control | RC580 | RC282 |
Price | Higher | Lower |
Conclusion
We have talked about similarities and differences of TCL 55R617 and TCL 55S405 and we can find that TCL 55R617 is the newer model that positioned as the higher model than TCL 55S405. TCL 55R617 comes with more advanced picture technology as well as Dolby Vision support. We can find that TCL 55R617 is completed with NBP Photon Technology that can deliver richer and more accurate details as well as 96 Contrast Control Zones that bring more vibrant contrast on its screen. We can also enjoy Dolby Vision HDR in TCL 55R617 that we can’t enjoy in TCL 55S405. We can also control the Roku and TV more conveniently with RC580 that completed with Voice Control. So if you have more budget, then you should choose TCL 55R617 is you are looking for better picture as well as better HDR support and Remote control in your next 55-Inch 4K UHD TV.
TCL 55S405 is one of the most affordable 55-Inch 4K UHD TV that we can find in the market. Although It comes with less advanced picture technology, but we can still enjoy excellent picture quality from both of 4K and non 4K contents with its 4K Creative Pro upscaling engine. We can also enjoy HDR entertainment as It supports HDR10 contents. So if you have more limited budget and looking for affordable 55-Inch 4K UHD TV, then TCL 55S405 is the model that you should choose.
Where Should You Order One?
Order TCL 55R617 from Walmart here…
or