TCL A300W NXTVision

A300W / A300W PRO / NXTVision

Available screen sizes: 55”65”75”

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Panel type: LCD VA | Brand: TCL | Resolution: 3840x2160 | System: Google TV | Model year: 2024

Our verdict

6.6

Overall rating

At first glance, it is clear that the TCL A300 NXTVision aims to be more than just an ordinary television. It offers an image display mode that – unlike its competitors from Korea, Samsung The Frame – is completely free. Additionally, just like its rivals, it comes with freebies. In the packaging, besides the television, we find extra frames mimicking light wood and a flat wall mount, allowing the television to actually resemble a gallery piece. In terms of everyday use, the standout feature is the Google TV system – extensive, quick, and offering access to a vast number of applications. And if we feel like stepping out of the digital museum and jumping straight into the world of gaming, the A300 can surprise us. Two HDMI 2.1 ports, 144 Hz, VRR, ALLM, and very low input lag ensure that even demanding gamers can feel at home here. Well... perhaps except for those who are sensitive to motion blur – as this remains one of the major issues with this model. There are also downsides. Although the image mode is free – and that is worth appreciating – the quality of the available graphics is clearly lacking compared to what Samsung offers in its paid ART Store. The displayed images resemble photos rather than realistic reproductions of artworks. Unfortunately, the A300 – like the rival Hisense S7NQ – performs poorly here and additionally has certain software issues. The brightness of the television itself also leaves much to be desired – it is the darkest television of the entire "frame trio," which translates to average experiences during the day and limited HDR effect. Nevertheless, the TCL A300 NXTVision is quite a reasonable alternative to Samsung The Frame or S7NQ – especially if we are looking for a cheaper solution without additional fees for access to the "gallery" mode and with an operating system that does not limit us in terms of the number of applications. However, it is essential to remember that this is a proposition with a significant amount of compromises. If we want to save a bit and do not expect top-notch picture quality, then the A300 could be a hit in the picture stakes. Otherwise, it is worth taking a look at its competition.

Advantages

Frames styled like a picture in the set
Mount included
VA panel with decent contrast
Support for all popular HDR formats, including Dolby Vision and HDR10+
Great for gamers: VRR, G-Sync, ALLM, low input lag
High refresh rate - 144Hz
Free "picture mode"
Support for DTS:X and Dolby Atmos
GoogleTV operating system with the largest app base

Disadvantages

Low brightness
Motion blur issues
No recording function on USB or PiP
Inferior image quality in "art mode" compared to Samsung The Frame
Colours and blacks fade significantly under sunlight
No VESA standard
Software bugs

Movies and series in UHD quality

6.2
Classic TV, YouTube

6.0
Sports broadcasts (TV and apps)

5.9
Gaming on console

8.2
TV as a computer monitor

8.2
Watching in bright light

4.7
Utility functions

7.7
Apps

10.0
Sound quality

6.0

TV appearance

HDMI inputs: 2 x HDMI 2.0, 2 x HDMI 2.1 (48Gbps) Outputs: Toslink (Optical audio), eARC (HDMI), ARC (HDMI) Network Interfaces: Wi-Fi 2.4GHz, Wi-Fi 5GHz, Ethernet (LAN) 100Mbps

Review TCL A300W NXTVision Appearance of the TV

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Contrast and black detail

Viewing mode Game mode

5.5/10

Viewing mode Game mode

Local dimming function: No

Review TCL A300W NXTVision Contrast and black detail

Contrast between the black background and the bright spotlight illuminating Jack. Scene from the movie Oblivion (Universal Pictures).

Result

5,000:1

Contrast between the glare on the chameleon's skin and the black near the edge of the screen below. Scene from the Spears&Munsil test disc.

Result

5,450:1

Contrast between the reflection on the helmet and the black on the black film strip. Scene from the movie Arrival (Paramount Pictures).

Result

3,800:1

Contrast between the actress's face and the black film strip at the top edge of the TV. Scene from the movie Gravity (Warner Bros. Pictures).

Result

4,000:1

Contrast between the colorful balloon and the black slice between the falling objects. Scene from the Pioneer Kuro test disc (2008).

Result

3,950:1

Visibility of details in the lights:

The TCL A300, also known as NXTVision, uses a VA panel, so right from the start, one could expect decent contrast. On our test charts, the television indeed showed typical results for this type of panel – in the best case, the contrast reached around 5000:1, which is not a bad result for this segment.

However, it should be noted that the model is not equipped with any local dimming technology, which unfortunately is noticeable in practice. The black levels, though quite deep at times, often lean towards navy blue or grey – especially in darker scenes. In short: for a television without local dimming, it's not bad, but it cannot be compared to models that already have this feature on board.

Halo effect and black detail visibility:

HDR effect quality

Viewing mode Game mode

4.9/10

Viewing mode Game mode

Supported formats: HDR10, HDR10+, Dolby Vision, Dolby Vision IQ, HLG Color gamut coverage: DCI P3: 94.2%, Bt.2020: 71.0%

Luminance measurements in HDR:

Review TCL A300W NXTVision Brightness measurement

The measured point is the setting sun against a bright sky. Scene from the movie Life of Pi (20th Century Fox).

Result

357 nit

The measured point is the moon against a dark, starry sky. Scene from the movie Life of Pi (20th Century Fox).

Result

348 nit

The measured point is the flashlight on the rifle, which shines directly at the camera. Scene from the movie Gemini Man (Paramount Pictures).

Result

338 nit

The measured point is the tail light of a helicopter flying at night. This is a very small light point, the essence of the HDR effect. Scene from the movie Sicario 2: Soldado (Lionsgate).

Result

350 nit

The measured point is the sun visible directly between the clouds. The scene is very bright and should blind the viewer as in nature. Scene from the movie The Meg (Warner Bros. Pictures).

Result

389 nit

When it comes to brightness, the TCL A300W is definitely the darkest television among all frame-style models, such as Samsung The Frame or Hisense CanvasTV – and unfortunately, this is immediately noticeable. In our measurements, the peak luminance reached a mere 400 nits, and on test film patterns, this value dropped to 350 nits. This is definitely too little to experience the true “magic” of bright HDR effects. As a consolation – the television is equipped with a PFS LED coating (which is something like QLED), providing very good coverage of a wide colour gamut, both DCI-P3 and BT.2020. In addition, it has full support for all popular HDR formats – HDR10, HDR10+, HLG, and Dolby Vision – which somewhat compensates for the lack of brightness and helps improve the overall perception of content in this quality.

Scene from the movie “Pan” (about 2800 nits)

Scene from the movie “Billy Lynn” (about 1100 nits)

Now that we know that the TCL A300 has limited capabilities in displaying bright scenes, we checked how it performs in real film clips. In a scene from the film Mr (high-quality material known from Blu-ray discs), the television had noticeable issues adapting to very bright areas of the image. The sun merged into a single bright spot, making it difficult to discern any details.

The scene from the film Billy Lynn (typical quality for streaming platforms) performed significantly better. In this case, the colours appeared natural, and the background maintained the appropriate level of detail. However, returning to the scene from Mr – the situation might have looked somewhat better if the television had a well-functioning dynamic tone mapping feature. Unfortunately, when this was turned on, the image did show more details, but the overall appearance seemed even darker than it should be. Therefore, we do not recommend using this option on the TCL A300.

HDR luminance chart:

As we mentioned earlier, the TCL A300 NXTVision supports all popular HDR formats. However, it is important to remember that the differences between them can be enormous in practice – and this is perfectly visible on our test pattern with horses. Dolby Vision literally saves this television – the amount of detail, background visibility, and overall image depth is significantly better than in the case of standard HDR10, where the picture appears flattened and stripped of information. That is why the presence of dynamic metadata – such as Dolby Vision or HDR10+ – is so important, especially in darker televisions. They can significantly enhance the viewing experience where the brightness of the panel alone is insufficient.

On paper, the Dolby Vision IQ function also looks interesting, which is an HDR mode that should adjust the image to the lighting in the room. Unfortunately, in the case of the A300, this does not work very well – when this option is turned on, the image resembles a dynamic mode, with distorted colours and excessive brightness, which greatly ruins the overall effect. Therefore, we do not recommend using this mode.

Static HDR10

Dynamic: Dolby Vision

Smoothness of tonal transitions

8.6/10

TCL A300 NXTVision is another frame-style television that handles transitions of tones really well. It's hard to find distinct bands or sharp transitions between shades of the same colour – the overall appearance is natural and smooth.

However, it must be admitted that among the three tested models (The Frame and S7NQ), TCL performs the worst in this category. In darker and lighter scenes, slight imperfections can be noticed. Nonetheless, looking at it as a whole, for a television in this price range – it presents itself really solidly. It may not be the best of the bunch, but it maintains a very good level.

Review TCL A300W NXTVision Smoothness of tonal transitions

Image scaling and smoothness of tonal transitions

5.5/10

Smooth transition function

Image without overscan on the SD signal

TCL A300 handles tonal transitions in high-quality films very well, but the question arises – how does it perform with weaker material? The television is equipped with a tonal transition smoothing function, but its effectiveness can be described in one word: "random." In one scene it could work and improve the gradation, but when turned off… the effect remains the same. There is a lack of consistency and predictability.

Image scaling is also not one of A300's strong points. On the test chart, the main character actually looked better than on the raw signal, but with thin lines – such as fonts or background details – there was noticeable jaggedness and aliasing. On the positive side, the television does not crop the image and has no problems with overscan, but the overall quality of scaling is rather average.

Blur and motion smoothness

6.4/10

Maximum refresh rate of the panel: 144Hz

Film motion smoothing option: Yes

Blur reduction option: Yes

BFI function 60Hz: No

BFI function 120Hz: No

Brightness drop with BFI: 0%

The TCL A300 is equipped with a 144 Hz panel, which should immediately satisfy practically everyone – both gamers and sports fans. The motion is smooth and the image is clear even during fast-paced scenes. Additionally, the television offers motion enhancement functionality called "Motion," where we find two sliders on a 10-point scale. These allow you to adjust the effect to your own preferences – from a classic, cinematic look with visible frames to a very smooth (though somewhat unnatural) image reminiscent of soap opera effects. This way, everyone can find a setting that suits them.

Blur (native resolution, maximum refresh rate):

We must say it plainly – the motion blur on the TCL A300 is noticeable and unfortunately ranks the lowest among all the televisions in the frame style that we tested. In the test with the flying “UFO creature,” a distinct trail follows the object, and the alien itself appears quite blurry and unclear. It is precisely the motion blur that is one of the weakest points of this model. Unfortunately, TCL still has a lot to improve in this regard – especially if someone pays attention to the clarity of motion in dynamic scenes.

Console compatibility and gaming features

9.8/10

ALLM: Yes
VRR: Yes
VRR range: 48 - 144Hz
Dolby Vision Game Mode: Yes
Correct implementation of HGIG: Yes
1080p@120Hz: Yes
1440p@120Hz: Yes
4K@120Hz: Yes
Game bar: Yes

TCL A300 is a television designed not only to transport us to a digital art museum but also to a full-fledged gaming world. Here, we find practically everything one could expect from gaming equipment: two full-bandwidth HDMI 2.1 ports, 144 Hz refresh rate, VRR support, and ALLM.

The proper implementation of the HGIG mode also deserves praise – something that competitor Hisense sometimes struggles with. The television easily handles lower resolutions (e.g., Full HD) while maintaining high refresh rates, which older console or PC owners will appreciate.

In addition, there is an attractive and clear GameBar that facilitates quick access to settings for gamers. The A300 is really well-prepared for top-level gaming – it's just a shame that issues with smearing slightly tarnish its overall image as a gaming device.

Input lag

9.7/10

In terms of input lag, the TCL A300 performs really well. Values below 10 ms at a refresh rate of 120 Hz are something many gamers dream of – such low lag is practically unnoticeable, both during everyday gaming and in more demanding e-sports titles. One might criticise the result of 23 ms in Dolby Vision mode at 60 frames, but it is still a sufficiently low value that it's hard to have serious objections. In this category, the A300 really excels.

SDR	HDR	Dolby Vision
1080p60: 18 ms	2160p60: 18 ms	2160p60 DV: 23 ms
1080p120: 9 ms	2160p120: 9 ms	2160p120 DV: 12 ms
2160p60: 18 ms
2160p120: 9 ms

Compatibility with PC

8.2/10

Chroma 444 (maximum resolution and refresh rate): Yes

Font clarity: Good

Readability of dark text and shapes: Average

Input lag in PC mode (4K, maximum refresh rate): 11ms

Matrix subpixel arrangement: BGR

Max refresh rate: 144Hz

G-Sync: Yes

If we plan to use the TCL A300 as a monitor for a computer, we may be pleasantly surprised. The television performs really well in this role. It is equipped with a 144 Hz panel, supports G-Sync, and, as we have already mentioned, offers very low input lag, so gaming on it with a connected PC is a pure pleasure.

Working with text is also possible, though with some limitations. The TCL A300 has slight issues displaying dark fonts and thin lines – this stems from the subpixel structure, which in everyday use can be somewhat bothersome, although it looks better in photos than in reality.

The television supports chroma 4:4:4, but only up to 120 Hz. Therefore, we have indicated that this feature is available, but with a limitation – if we care about perfectly readable fonts, it is advisable to stick to a refresh rate of 120 Hz. At 144 Hz, the sharpness of the text may suffer slightly.

Viewing angles

3.2/10

Brightness drop at an angle of 45 degrees: 79%

The viewing angles on the TCL A300 NXTVision are – let's be honest – mediocre. The television is equipped with a VA panel, which inherently has rather limited angles and unfortunately this is evident here. The video below speaks for itself – even a slight deviation from the axis results in a noticeable drop in contrast and colour saturation. It's a shame that this is yet another frame-style television that has done absolutely nothing about it. After all, we don't always have the opportunity to sit perfectly straight on – especially if the device is also intended to serve a decorative function in the living room.

TV efficiency during daytime

4.7/10

Matrix coating: Matte

Reflection suppression: Good

Black levels during daytime: Poor

The TCL A300 NXTVision is equipped with a matte panel very similar to the one found in one of its Chinese competitors – the Hisense S7NQ model. Such a surface handles reflections fairly well, although it must be said that it performs worse than Samsung's The Frame, which offers a significantly higher level in this regard. As is often the case with matte displays, blacks lose their depth during the day and appear more gray than black – and this is no different here. Unfortunately, the fact that the A300 is the darkest television of the three tested does not help either. As a result, it has a real problem standing out in brightly lit rooms.

Matrix brightness

Average luminance SDR

TCL A300W NXTVision: 388 cd/m2

Details about the matrix

Software version during testing: TVM6.0.1_549fe6714_240813

Image processor: mt5896 2,5GB RAM

Panel uniformity:

Backlight Type: PFS LED

TV features

7.7/10

System operacyjny: Google TV
TV reception: DVB-T, DVB-T2, DVB-S, DVB-S2, DVB-C
Recording to USB (terrestrial TV): No
Recording programming: No
Picture in Picture (PiP): No
Screen mirroring (Windows Miracast): Yes
AirPlay: Yes
Voice search in native language: Yes
Ability to connect a keyboard and mouse: Yes
Possibility to connect Bluetooth headphones to the TV: Yes
Possibility to simultaneously use Bluetooth headphones and the TV speaker: Yes
Audio only mode: Yes
RF remote control (no need to aim at the screen): RF
Backlit remote control: No
Teletext: Yes

The TCL A300 is a television styled to resemble a painting, which can successfully masquerade as a work of art during everyday use, hanging on the wall. It is equipped with a special image display mode, additional frames in a light wood tone, and a flat wall mount that allows the television to be hung like a true picture – flush against the wall.

A significant advantage of the image mode is that it is completely free. We have access to dozens of works from which we can choose the one to be displayed in standby mode – instead of a black screen, the picture we selected remains on the wall. The quality of the graphic reproductions is decent, but it must be admitted that it clearly falls short of that from the Samsung ART Store. Although access to images there is paid, the quality of the scans is significantly better – you can see the texture of the paint, the canvas, and the details. In the TCL A300, it resembles high-quality photographs more than realistic reproductions of artworks. Additionally, the implementation of the image mode in the system leaves much to be desired. For example – if we set the brightness in image mode to 10%, that same value automatically transfers to the normal viewing mode, where we could comfortably set the brightness to 50% or even 100%. This works in the opposite direction too – when we set the brightness to 100% in normal mode, switching to gallery mode displays the images with that same maximum brightness, shining too intensely and losing the entire effect of a “picture on the wall.” These are minor but annoying errors that can ruin the experience of what was intended to be visually subtle and elegant.

Moving on to more classic features – the A300 runs on the Google TV system, which currently offers by far the largest selection of applications (the full list available below). The well-functioning voice assistant with support for the Polish language is also a major plus. As standard – as in most TCL televisions – the USB recording function or picture-in-picture (PiP) mode is missing.

Playing files from USB

Video Photos Audio

8.9/10

Video Photos Audio

Maximum photo resolution:	Supported photo formats:
4 Mpix	JPEG
6 Mpix	HEIC
8 Mpix	PNG
10 Mpix	GIF
12 Mpix	WebP
16 Mpix	TIFF
20 Mpix	BMP
24 Mpix	SVG
28 Mpix
32 Mpix

The built-in player in the TCL A300 works as it should – most popular video and photo files play without any issues. There is a lack of support for the HEIC format from Apple (which is quite common in many televisions), but most users still use AirPlay, so this shouldn't be a major problem. If someone is not satisfied with the default player, the Google TV system offers considerable options – it's easy to install an alternative app that better suits our tastes. Nevertheless, it must be acknowledged that the factory solution is entirely sufficient for everyday use.

Apps

10/10

Sound

6/10

Subjective sound quality

Dolby Digital Plus 7.1

Dolby True HD 7.1

Dolby Atmos in Dolby Digital Plus (JOC)

Dolby Atmos in Dolby True HD

DTS:X in DTS-HD MA

DTS-HD Master Audio

When it comes to sound, the TCL A300W – like its competitors – plays quite... flat, after all, we are talking about a super flat television. For everyday watching of news or series, this level is entirely sufficient, but during film screenings, we may clearly miss depth and space. On the plus side, it is worth noting that the television supports both Dolby Atmos and the increasingly rare DTS:X – which offers more options when connecting an external audio system. It is also worth mentioning that the A300 PRO model has been equipped with a dedicated, flat soundbar. And not just any soundbar – it performs better than most of the televisions we have tested.

Comfortable canvas. Higher image quality Artwork comes to life on the screen without reflections! The matte display absorbs reflections, even in bright lighting conditions. Enjoy excellent image quality without seeing your reflection!
Ultra-saturated QLED colours Experience realistic picture quality and an ultra-wide colour range with vivid colours and striking contrast.
Vibrant, accurate colours and the finest details The best standard for UHD 4K content is High Dynamic Range. HDR PRO delivers excellent High Dynamic Range experiences with great contrast, shadow details, and vibrant, accurate colours. Experience amazing image details as the filmmakers intended. The picture you see is as detailed as the real world. Immerse yourself even deeper into the details!
Instant image response at 144Hz. Enjoy smoothness and clarity of fast-moving images, like sports or action films, with our native 144Hz display. Nothing compares to native 144Hz refresh. 144Hz is the highest refresh rate for a TV screen. With this 144Hz refresh rate, the signal will be processed in the best way, whether the signal is 50Hz, 60Hz, 100Hz, 120Hz, or 144Hz.
Stunning HDR regardless of source Maximise the potential of your HDR television: whether you're watching Dolby Vision content on Netflix, Disney+ or HDR 10+ on Amazon Prime Video, this 4K HDR TCL TV will always handle the best format. Additionally, HDR Dolby Vision IQ optimises picture quality by adapting it to the lighting conditions in the room. With a light sensor, Dolby Vision IQ intelligently adjusts your TV to ensure excellent picture quality in your room at all times. There are many ways to achieve the best HDR picture quality on your television: HDR10, HDR HLG, HDR10+ on Amazon Prime, HDR DOLBY VISION on Netflix, and DOLBY VISION IQ. This TCL television supports them all!
Play like a professional For gamers, a responsive television is just as important as one with smooth and clear images. With HDMI 2.1, ALLM, 144Hz VRR support, and 120Hz VRR, with a gaming bar, FreeSync Premium, and Game Accelerator 240Hz, you'll experience the smoothest action, lowest latency, and the best gaming picture settings automatically. *5.7 ms at 4K 120Hz HDR, requiring the latest generation HDMI 2.1 gaming console or HDMI 2.1 gaming PC device.
Immersive sound moving around you. Sound has never sounded so good. Feel a deeper connection to the stories and music you love, with sound moving around you with breathtaking realism. Dolby, Dolby Vision, Dolby Atmos, and the double D symbol are registered trademarks of Dolby Laboratories Licensing Corporation.
Just for you. Discover new movies and shows from your subscriptions and available content. Suggestions based on what you've watched and what interests you make it easier to find a new favourite title.
Private art gallery for free and ‘’Ai’’ Art A vast collection of world-renowned artworks for free. Featuring classic masters, contemporary innovators, and emerging artists with a variety of visual arts, painting, and photography. When the television is not in use, it displays artistic screensavers, transforming an ordinary black screen into beautiful works of art. For free, in a very simple way, you can enjoy hundreds of famous artworks from a wide range of genres.
‘’Ai’’ Art:
With an exclusive artificial intelligence algorithm developed by TCL, in just a few simple steps you can customise and create painting styles, tones, and various types of content. Enjoy the pleasure of creating your own artworks or drawings and expressing yourself.
*‘’Ai’’ Art images are pre-generated by AI technology, not created in real-time.
*Content is for illustrative purposes. The actual product (including, but not limited to, appearance, colour, size) and displayed screen content may vary slightly. Please refer to the actual product.
Relax and enjoy the personal atmosphere at home! Choose from relaxing dynamic scenes and background sounds that help you unwind. Various scenes are available, such as a crackling fire, raindrops falling on leaves, or waves crashing on the beach, making you feel as if you are truly there, enjoying your personal time. This exclusive content, available for free, featuring beautiful scenes from nature or everyday life, complemented by soothing background music, is sure to help you relax and unwind.
Slim, thin, and tidy wall element. Elegant minimalist design, flush against the wall, and comfortable. A masterpiece in your home décor.
Match or highlight the style of your interior with magnetic TV frames. The TCL NXTVISION television is equipped with a magnetic frame in “Dawn Birch”. Additional frame colours for separate purchase are also available: “Twilight Elm”, “Vernal Mint”, and more…

TCL A300W NXTVision

Our verdict

Advantages

Disadvantages

Competing TVs in this price range

TV appearance

Buy in the best price

Contrast and black detail

HDR effect quality

Factory color reproduction

Color reproduction after calibration

Smoothness of tonal transitions

Image scaling and smoothness of tonal transitions

Blur and motion smoothness

Console compatibility and gaming features

Input lag

Compatibility with PC

Viewing angles

TV efficiency during daytime

Details about the matrix

TV features

Playing files from USB

Apps

Sound