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Quick Take: TCL S3850 series (Roku TV, 2015)

We didn't review the TCL S3850 series Roku TV, but we did review the TCL S3800 series. Here's how they compare.

David Katzmaier Editorial Director -- Personal Tech
David reviews TVs and leads the Personal Tech team at CNET, covering mobile, software, computing, streaming and home entertainment. We provide helpful, expert reviews, advice and videos on what gadget or service to buy and how to get the most out of it.
Expertise A 20-year CNET veteran, David has been reviewing TVs since the days of CRT, rear-projection and plasma. Prior to CNET he worked at Sound & Vision magazine and eTown.com. He is known to two people on Twitter as the Cormac McCarthy of consumer electronics. Credentials
  • Although still awaiting his Oscar for Best Picture Reviewer, David does hold certifications from the Imaging Science Foundation and the National Institutes of Standards and Technology on display calibration and evaluation.
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David Katzmaier

TCL

CNET didn't review the TCL S3850 series of 2015 Roku TVs, but we did review the S3800 series .

According to Roku and TCL, the two series are identical but for external styling. The S3850 series has a metallic gun-metal finish and an all-aluminum quad pedestal stand (the company's name for those little legs splayed to the side), while the S3800 has standard black finish with a black plastic quad pedestal stand. TCL also makes the S3700 series , which has a traditional central pedestal stand with a glass base.

The S3850 series comes in 32-, 40-, 50- and 55-inch sizes, while the S3800 is available in 32-, 40- and 50-inch sizes. In both series the 32-inch model has 720p resolution and the larger sizes have 1080p resolution. The 32-inch sets also have different refresh rate specifications than the larger sizes.

Otherwise the S3850 and S3800 have identical features, and we expect them to evince very similar picture quality. For more details, check out the full review of the TCL S3800 series .