Buying a television used to mean choosing between a good picture and a good price. The TCL 43 Inch Class S4 exists to argue that you do not have to, at least at this size. It is a 4K UHD LED panel with Dolby Vision, TCL's HDR Pro processing, Dolby Atmos support, and the clean, modern Google TV interface, all wrapped in a 43 inch frame that fits any living room, bedroom, or apartment. The 2023 S4 series is TCL's entry point into 4K, which means you trade some premium display technology for a price that stays firmly in budget territory. I spent three weeks watching movies, streaming shows, and gaming on the 43S450G, and this is the honest record of that experience.
Before the details, the standard note. This article contains affiliate links, and if you buy through one of them the site earns a small commission at no extra cost to you. That commission never changes what I test or what I recommend.
Design and Build
TCL's budget sets have steadily improved their looks, and the S4 is a good example. The bezel around the 43 inch panel is thin enough that the screen dominates the front, and the overall silhouette is clean and modern. The build is standard budget fare: plastic panels, a light frame that one person can handle, and two metal tabletop feet that give the set a stable stance without taking up a lot of shelf depth.
Ports are laid out sensibly for a modern setup. There are HDMI inputs with support for the features most people need, USB ports for media playback, an optical audio output for connecting a soundbar or receiver, and an antenna input for free over-the-air channels. The power button is tucked on the lower rear edge, but you will rarely touch it because the Google TV remote and voice assistant handle power and input switching.
Key Features
The 4K UHD panel is the headline, and at 43 inches it delivers a genuinely sharp image from a normal seating distance. Detail in streaming movies and games is crisp, and text on screen stays clean and readable. Dolby Vision support is the bigger deal for picture quality, because it tells the TV how to render each scene frame by frame, and TCL's HDR Pro processing adds brightness and color on top of the standard HDR10 baseline.
Google TV is the operating system, and it is one of the best smart TV interfaces available. Instead of a cluttered grid, Google TV organizes recommendations across your streaming apps into a clean, personalized home screen, and the search unifies results from Netflix, Prime Video, Disney Plus, Max, YouTube, and more. Google Assistant is built in with the voice remote, so you press a button and speak to search, launch apps, adjust volume, or control smart home devices.
The set also works with Amazon Alexa, which makes it platform-agnostic for voice control. Dolby Atmos support rounds out the package, improving audio staging when paired with a compatible soundbar or receiver, and the built-in speakers are tuned better than most budget sets. For a current look at the price and the exact model, the Amazon listing for the TCL 43 Inch Class S4 4K Google TV is a useful reference.
Real-World Performance
My first test was the thing a 4K budget TV is bought for: streaming a Dolby Vision movie in a dark room. The S4 handled it with more poise than its price suggests. Highlights in an action scene stayed bright without blowing out, shadow detail held up in night scenes, and the 4K resolution made the image look crisp and substantial on the 43 inch screen. This is not a mini-LED or OLED picture, and deep blacks fade to gray in a fully dark room, but for everyday viewing the S4 looks far better than a 1080p set.
Gaming was the surprise strength. At 4K, the set handled a console game with solid detail and responsive feel, and the Google TV interface never got in the way of switching inputs. Sports and fast motion showed the expected LED motion handling, which is fine for casual viewing, though not as smooth as high-refresh-rate gaming TVs. Streaming across apps was consistently smooth over Wi-Fi, with the Google TV platform loading apps quickly and the voice search finding titles across services without fumbling.
Audio exceeded my expectations for a budget TV but still benefits from a soundbar. Dialogue stayed clear at moderate volumes, and the Dolby Atmos processing added a little width to the soundstage, but music and action-heavy scenes quickly expose the limits of small built-in speakers. The voice assistant worked reliably: I asked Google to open YouTube, switch to the game console, and set a reminder, and the TV handled each command without a companion speaker. Alexa integration worked as promised too, with an Echo device able to turn the TV on and launch content.
Pros and Cons
Pros:
- Sharp 4K UHD picture that looks far better than 1080p
- Dolby Vision and HDR Pro brighten highlights and enrich colors
- Clean, personalized Google TV interface with unified search
- Google Assistant built in and Amazon Alexa compatible
- Dolby Atmos support for better sound with a soundbar
- Strong value for a 43 inch 4K television
Cons:
- Standard LED panel with limited contrast in dark scenes
- Built-in speakers need a soundbar for serious listening
- No high refresh rate for smooth competitive gaming
- Brightness is moderate in very sunny rooms
How It Compares
The 43 inch 4K space splits into TCL's own tiers and the competing Roku and Fire TV models. I compared the S4 against TCL's higher-end Q series and a budget Fire TV 4K model to show where the value sits.
| Feature | TCL 43 Inch S4 | TCL Q Series 4K | Budget Fire TV 4K |
|---|---|---|---|
| Resolution | 4K UHD | 4K UHD | 4K UHD |
| HDR | Dolby Vision, HDR10 | Dolby Vision, HDR10+ | Dolby Vision, HDR10 |
| Backlight | Standard LED | QLED or better | Standard LED |
| Smart platform | Google TV | Google TV | Fire TV |
| Voice control | Google and Alexa | Google and Alexa | Alexa built in |
| Price | Budget | Higher | Similar |
Against TCL's Q series, the S4 gives up the brighter, more color-rich QLED panel and higher contrast, but it keeps the same Google TV platform at a lower price, which is the right trade for most buyers. Against a budget Fire TV 4K model, the S4 wins on the cleaner Google TV interface and the dual assistant support, while the Fire TV model wins if you prefer Amazon's ecosystem and Alexa-first control. For anyone who values picture per dollar and a modern smart interface, the S4 is the balanced pick.
Who Should Buy It
Buy the TCL 43 Inch Class S4 if you want a 4K television for a living room, bedroom, or apartment without paying premium prices, and you want Dolby Vision content to look its best. It is a strong pick for streamers, casual gamers, and anyone who wants Google Assistant or Alexa to control the TV with their voice.
Skip it if you are a home theater enthusiast who needs true blacks and high peak brightness, if you are a competitive gamer who needs high refresh rate, or if you prefer the Roku or Fire TV interface. For everyone else, this is one of the best-value 4K televisions you can buy at 43 inches. You can check the current price for the TCL 43 Inch Class S4 on Amazon when you are ready to upgrade to 4K.
How We Test
I tested the TCL 43 Inch Class S4 over three weeks in a living room with mixed lighting. I streamed Dolby Vision and HDR10 content from multiple apps, played console games at 4K, watched sports and movies in a dim room, and controlled the TV with both the Google Assistant voice remote and an Amazon Echo.
I also connected a Dolby Atmos soundbar to evaluate the audio output, checked Wi-Fi streaming stability over long sessions, and ran the unified search across services. I did not test the set against a QLED or mini-LED display for peak brightness, nor high-refresh-rate gaming features the panel does not have. For a broader perspective on 4K TV value, independent guides such as Wirecutter's guide to the best TVs explain how budget 4K sets compare to premium ones. The TCL 43 Inch Class S4 Google TV listing on Amazon shows the current price and available sizes.
TCL 43 Inch Class S4 4K Google TV: Questions People Ask
Does the TCL 43 Inch Class S4 support Dolby Vision and HDR?
Yes. The TV supports Dolby Vision and HDR10 through TCL's HDR Pro processing, so supported streaming content gets brighter highlights, richer colors, and better shadow detail than standard video.
Can I control the TCL 43 Inch S4 with Google Assistant or Alexa?
Yes. Google Assistant is built in with the voice remote, so you can search and control the TV by voice, and the TV also works with Amazon Alexa devices, giving you a choice of assistants.
What is the difference between the TCL S4 and higher TCL series?
The S4 is TCL's entry 4K series, so it uses a standard LED panel without full-array local dimming or mini-LED zones. Higher series add QLED color, brighter peak brightness, and better contrast, but they cost more.
Does the TCL 43 Inch S4 support Dolby Atmos audio?
Yes. The TV supports Dolby Atmos, which improves audio staging when paired with a compatible soundbar or receiver, and its built-in speakers deliver clearer dialogue than typical budget televisions.
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