Last Updated: November 25, 2018 (Refresh Now)
TCL 40S305 40 Inch 1080p Roku Smart LED TV 2017 Model
Last Updated: November 25, 2018 (Refresh Now)
8.1
SCORE
/10
Total Reviews
1000
Old Reviews
0
Unverified
144
Spam Test
!
Full HD 1080p
RESOLUTION
LED
TYPE
120 Hz
REFRESH RATE
Yes
HDMI
Review Analysis - 856 recent, verified reviews
Detailed Mode
Picture Quality
163sound, roku, picture and sound, 720p, image
+91%
-9%
" ... Awesome picture, watched Guardians of the Galaxy 2 and was shocked at how the colors popped. ... "
" ... Other than that the picture quality and materials are perfect. ... "
" ... Other than that the picture quality and materials are perfect. ... "
" ... The picture is beautiful and the ROKU 4 has Dolby sound. ... "
" ... We like it, it has good picture, decent enough sound, and the typical Roku customization. ... "
" ... Picture quality HD I love. ... "
" ... The sound quality and picture quality is good. ... "
" ... Picture quality HD I love. ... "
Price
127money, value, beat the price, beat, purchase
+96%
-4%
" ... For the price, this TV is amazing! ... "
" ... I can't believe I got a 2017 model at this price. ... "
" ... Such a good deal! ... "
" ... Excellent product at a great price. ... "
" ... Great product for relatively cheap money. ... "
" ... Overall: good TV for the price, unless you need the best of the best. ... "
" ... Overall: good TV for the price, unless you need the best of the best. ... "
" ... You can't beat this for the price, very satisfied. ... "
Ease of Use
83set, easy, easy to use, interface, easy to setup
+95%
-5%
" ... This was very easy to set up and use. ... Sometimes it will kick me out of what I'm watching and go back to the home screen, but overall it's really easy to use and works quickly to move between inputs. ... "
" ... It was also easy to set up, and despite what I saw some other people say, there is no cost to get everything started up and updated (though some of the Roku streaming channels do have cost associated). ... "
" ... Tv is great smart simple and easy to use. ... "
" ... Easy to set up. ... "
" ... easy to program and connect to Wifi. ... "
" ... Very simple set up. ... "
" ... Instructions on screen walk you thru set up, fast and easy. ... "
" ... I am happy with how easy it is to setup! ... "
Capacity
69room, living room, guest, small room, second one
+93%
-7%
" ... The 32 inch is perfect for my bedroom. ... "
" ... It’s a great TV for a child’s playroom/bedroom. ... I recommend this to parents looking for an affordable smart tv for their kids or a small room. ... "
" ... A 40 in was just the perfect size for my bedroom. ... "
" ... Very cute for a bedroom or maybe small apt. ... "
" ... Perfect size for a bed room, great picture and preforms beautifully. ... "
" ... It’s not a home theater, but a great lil set for the bedroom. ... "
" ... The order comes in at my house and it is a 40". ... "
" ... I would buy another and probably will when the next kiddo wants a TV in her room as well. ... "
Marketplace
68amazon, tcl, expected, return, image
+82%
-18%
" ... Got this on a lightning deal on Cyber Monday. ... "
" ... Other than that the picture quality and materials are perfect. ... "
" ... Other than that the picture quality and materials are perfect. ... "
" ... Works great just as advertised ... "
" ... Works great just as advertised ... "
" ... I will shop with this seller again. ... "
" ... I will shop with this seller again. ... "
" ... The picture is not as good as Vizio or Samsung, but better than expected. ... "
Setup
66easy, setup, easy to set, roku, easy to setup
+95%
-5%
" ... Easy to set up. ... "
" ... After some delivery snafu's we finally got it set up. ... easy to program and connect to Wifi. ... "
" ... Very simple set up. ... "
" ... Set up was quick. ... "
" ... Instructions on screen walk you thru set up, fast and easy. ... "
" ... I am happy with how easy it is to setup! ... "
" ... It takes about 30 minutes to get everything set up. ... "
" ... It takes about 30 minutes to get everything set up. ... "
Product Reliability
63weeks, 3 months, ago, started, tcl
+43%
-57%
" ... I've had it for 3 months and its response time is starting to get pretty slow though. ... "
" ... I want a refund my tv broke with in 3 months ... "
" ... I write this on Dec 10th to say that the wifi capabilities of this tv have completely stopped working and i have exhausted all efforts to get it to work, which includes but is not limited to holding it next to the router and trying to access the wifi. ... "
" ... 8 months old and glitchy . ... "
" ... This television stopped working five short months after purchase. ... "
" ... I bought it from amazon and about 4 months later the picture on the screen started randomly blinking on and off quite a bit. ... I sent it into TCL for repair and after almost 4 weeks of waiting they tell me they’re sending me a new unit. ... So, I get the new unit and it works well for about two months and then all the sudden the part of the TV that connects it to wifi stops working. ... "
" ... Off, it goes right back to failing to sign in. ... "
" ... It works randomly. ... "
Software Platform
61netflix, apps, interface, roku account, hulu
+51%
-49%
" ... The Roku interface is nice. ... It has all the native streaming apps you would expect (including one for Tablo! ... "
" ... The Roku software is intuitive to use and a great selection of online movies and TV shows. ... "
" ... Roku also helps you set up you subscriptions like Hulu and Netflix right away. ... "
" ... You'll need to make a quick Roku account and upload everything. ... "
" ... You'll need to make a quick Roku account and upload everything. ... "
" ... Being really familiar with Roku's made things that much easier. ... "
" ... I love how many apps are available and the fact that I can search across them all. ... "
" ... i was a bit hesitant to buy this because of the roku os but i am glad i did. ... "
Remote
56roku, volume, buttons, easy to use, uverse
+54%
-46%
" ... The remote is well designed and while I miss the 0-9 buttons to directly select a station it is not a big deal if you are using either an antenna (smaller selection of channels) or just wifi. ... "
" ... ROKU is so much better I just can't believe it. ... "
" ... The remote buttons will turn on the set and take you directly into either Netflix or Amazon or whatever it is setup for. ... "
" ... Love this - the only negative I have is the remote has no ability to change cable channels, so a second remote becomes necessary. ... "
" ... The remote is easy to use and in general I like it. ... "
" ... Unlike many of the reviewers, I like the remote. ... "
" ... Easy to use remote. ... "
" ... Smooth interface with nice remote. ... "
Sound Quality
51picture, bar, picture and sound, audio, visio
+84%
-16%
" ... Only downside is the sound, hence the 4 stars. ... "
" ... The picture is beautiful and the ROKU 4 has Dolby sound. ... "
" ... The sound quality and picture quality is good. ... "
" ... The sound isn't extremely great but the quality is good. ... I suppose you could buy a speaker system or a decent sound bar and this is a great set-up. ... "
" ... The sound isn't extremely great but the quality is good. ... I suppose you could buy a speaker system or a decent sound bar and this is a great set-up. ... "
" ... however, the picture and sound quality are pretty high for the price! ... "
" ... Picture and sound are just fone. ... "
" ... I’m a sound snob, so I would recommend a sound bar or surround system for most TV’s. ... "
Apps
51netflix, roku, hulu, youtube, crash
+59%
-41%
" ... It has all the native streaming apps you would expect (including one for Tablo! ... "
" ... Pros - Lots of Features and apps ... "
" ... They have a website that is interactive. ... "
" ... I love how many apps are available and the fact that I can search across them all. ... "
" ... I can confirm that the NetFlix works flawlessly, but can’t speak for the other apps as I have not tested them out yet. ... "
" ... This is my first use of the Roku streaming platform, and have no hesitation in saying how much more intuitive it is than the platform on my Samsung smart TVs I have in other locations of the house. ... "
" ... Apps are preloaded plus you pick your own. ... "
" ... The interface is easy to use and every app on earth exists for Roku so that’s a big plus. ... "
Resolution
45roku, 1080p, 720p, streaming, 4k
+76%
-24%
" ... It's only 1080p, but unless you're stilling pretty close to it, your eyes can't tell the difference between 1080p and 4k (if you're in to all the nerdy comparisons, definitely check out RTings.com). ... I have an AppleTV that I used with my last TV, but if you don't have a streaming box you really don't need one with this TV. ... "
" ... This TV has provided options to channels that provide some free movies, older ones but a lot of good options for viewing different shows. ... "
" ... Even though this TV has ROKU, I still purchased ROKU 4 media streaming box. ... "
" ... Great picture at a very reasonable price and its a smart TV with Roku, Netflix, Amazon, etc. ... "
" ... This TV, although relatively low resolution for modern standards (720p), is a great buy for the price. ... "
" ... This TV, although relatively low resolution for modern standards (720p), is a great buy for the price. ... "
" ... First of all mine can do 1080p. ... In fact my father just bought the 4K version of this guy. ... "
" ... My fourth TCL Roku TV. ... "
Wifi
38wi fi, network, internet, easy to set, networks
+50%
-50%
" ... Stopped finding Wi-Fi after a day. ... "
" ... It won’t detect any wifi networks or connect to anything, even after restarting and resetting it multiple times. ... "
" ... you really have to aim for it to pick up, and over time it seems that the WiFi has degraded. ... "
" ... Every time I try to use this t.v it fails to sign on to my network. ... "
" ... Wi fi not working for this smart TV ... "
" ... Drops off wifi every so often, but that could be my wifi. ... Hard to fix wifi without exiting all the way out. ... "
" ... Drops off wifi every so often, but that could be my wifi. ... Hard to fix wifi without exiting all the way out. ... "
" ... No Ethernet connection on this tv to go around the horrible internal wifi that doesn't work half the time. ... "
Product As Described
36expected, image, exactly, advertised, shows
+97%
-3%
" ... Other than that the picture quality and materials are perfect. ... "
" ... Other than that the picture quality and materials are perfect. ... "
" ... Works great just as advertised ... "
" ... Works great just as advertised ... "
" ... The picture is not as good as Vizio or Samsung, but better than expected. ... "
" ... Just what I expected! ... "
" ... Just what I expected! ... "
" ... It does exactly what it says and the picture quality is good. ... "
Display Clarity
32home screen, roku, picture, screen saver, vertical lines
+47%
-53%
" ... Sometimes a show will only play for 10 seconds and then exit back to the home screen. ... "
" ... This tv displays ads at the bottom of the screen. ... "
" ... The first time you turn on the TV, you encounter a set up screen that locks up the TV until and unless you create a Roku account. ... You literally can't get past that screen without the account. ... "
" ... So I call the customer service number provided and they said they could help me if I let them look at my computer screen. ... "
" ... TV refreshes back to the home screen every time I try to stream, which is all wanted it for. ... "
" ... Unfortunately, my Apple TV passed on and it cost the same without a screen. ... "
" ... Unfortunately, my Apple TV passed on and it cost the same without a screen. ... "
" ... When I turned my TV on though I noticed that the image does not extend to the edge of the screen on the right and bottom sides, to a noticeable degree (about 1 cm, see image 1). ... "
Device Compatibility
31stream, hook, smart CAT, address, wifi
+74%
-26%
" ... easy to program and connect to Wifi. ... "
" ... I never thought I would be able to afford a TV this big, let some a smart TV. ... "
" ... It was purchased as a TV and a computer monitor. ... "
" ... even better if i could hook-up my lap-top . ... "
" ... even better if i could hook-up my lap-top . ... "
" ... Great picture, super simple to set up, and compatible with my other devices. ... "
" ... I got my smartphone set up as the remote, so I can't lose it, and any smart device will be able to hook up. ... "
" ... Especially if you like to stream. ... "
Controls
27remote, buttons, control, roku, tcl
+22%
-78%
" ... Only issue I've had is that it sometimes turns off for no reason or the volume will suddenly mute. ... "
" ... Only issue I've had is that it sometimes turns off for no reason or the volume will suddenly mute. ... "
" ... The menus are also sometimes slow to load. ... "
" ... There is major delay in the functions: pause/play, volume, home button, etc. ... after pressing these buttons, nothing happens for about 5-7 seconds. ... "
" ... The only problem I have with it is that I have to click the remote to move over to the TV icon each time I turn it on. ... "
" ... Buttons are too small and close together. ... "
" ... but the real problem, is called the # on instruction and they had a due date for replacement control . ... "
" ... but the real problem, is called the # on instruction and they had a due date for replacement control . ... "
Delivery
27delivery, shipped, delivered, two days, scratches
+89%
-11%
" ... I love this product, good quality and fast shipping ... "
" ... After some delivery snafu's we finally got it set up. ... "
" ... Television is great, but beware it ships without an outside box. ... "
" ... Television is great, but beware it ships without an outside box. ... "
" ... Excellent product that was delivered immediately. ... "
" ... Excellent product that was delivered immediately. ... "
" ... Price was awesome and delivery was fairly fast. ... "
" ... Shipped on time,easy to set up with excellent customer service to help with any set up issue. ... "
Lagging
26slow, unplug, problems, frequent, day or two
+12%
-88%
" ... I've had it for 3 months and its response time is starting to get pretty slow though. ... "
" ... The tv freezes continuously when I am streaming. ... "
" ... There’s pretty much always a 30-second delay whenever opening a new channel, too, which you get used to over time. ... "
" ... I try several times to reconnect and it fails every time. ... "
" ... Randomly keeps restarting. ... "
" ... Done all the reset nonsense only works for a day or two. ... "
" ... The only complaint is that the Roku is slow. ... "
" ... I have noticed it seems to freeze up now and then for a few seconds. ... "
Network
26signal, network, feet, antenna, wireless
+42%
-58%
" ... It is slow to turn on, and I've had too many problems with the signal (I know that's my WiFi vs. the TV, but my WiFi isn't that bad, and this was not my best investment. ... "
" ... I purchased this tv to use as a streaming only tv located in my basement. ... "
" ... It won’t detect any wifi networks or connect to anything, even after restarting and resetting it multiple times. ... "
" ... Every time I try to use this t.v it fails to sign on to my network. ... "
" ... Gets disconnected from wifi very often. ... "
" ... The feet spacing on the 43 inch is about 26 inches at the narrowest part in the back. ... "
" ... The feet spacing on the 43 inch is about 26 inches at the narrowest part in the back. ... "
" ... An important subplot is that the TV’s WiFi reception is weak, which is a tragic irony for a TV which is only used for Internet connected watching apps. ... "
Video Playback
24watching, netflix, watching netflix, video games, netflix hulu
+75%
-25%
" ... It works very well for watching Netflix, Hulu, or even browsing the web. ... "
" ... The Roku Channel isn't as in depth as other movie services but less movies to endlessly scroll through and the movies provided are actually all watchable and may be old, but were movies we watched when they were new, not like the endless dredge of "filler" movies on our other services that look barely better than VHS home movies. ... "
" ... The Roku Channel isn't as in depth as other movie services but less movies to endlessly scroll through and the movies provided are actually all watchable and may be old, but were movies we watched when they were new, not like the endless dredge of "filler" movies on our other services that look barely better than VHS home movies. ... "
" ... Perfect size for a bedroom so you can put it across the room and don’t have to squint to watch your show/play video games. ... "
" ... I use this mostly as a tv for gaming and watching movies. ... "
" ... Great picture, and great streaming! ... "
" ... Like having a big tablet to watch tv and dvds, stream stuff. ... "
" ... Bought this for my father-in-law to watch Monday night football. ... "
Cables
24connector, antenna, satellite, roku, lines
+75%
-25%
" ... I liked it so much im thinking of ordering one for each of our rooms and getting rid of our cable! ... "
" ... I liked it so much im thinking of ordering one for each of our rooms and getting rid of our cable! ... "
" ... The built in Roku is a big plus - my cable unit broke same day as I received. ... "
" ... I use an antenna and stream with the roku apps, this tv is perfect for those who want to unplug from cable. ... "
" ... I use an antenna and stream with the roku apps, this tv is perfect for those who want to unplug from cable. ... "
" ... This device is in my garage and we have three game consoles plus cable TV hooked to it. ... "
" ... Summary: this TV is definitely NOT for regular, cable viewing. ... "
" ... The tv works fine with cable tv. ... "
Returns
24send, returning, amazon, troubleshooting, tcl
+29%
-71%
" ... I could not get this TV to work and returned it. ... "
" ... I am returning this and will never buy this again. ... "
" ... I had this 2 days and already started the return process. ... "
" ... Having to send it back. ... "
" ... Told to return to Amazon. ... "
" ... I sent it back. ... "
" ... Ordered on June 17. ... "
" ... I purchased this tv because it happened to be the cheapest one on Amazon at the time, but I soon found out why. ... "
For Kids
21son, daughter, kids, teenage, playroom
+100%
" ... It’s a great TV for a child’s playroom/bedroom. ... "
" ... got this for my mom, she loves it ... "
" ... My daughter loves this television!! ... "
" ... My son wanted this TV and he says he loves it so I guess it's good. ... "
" ... Nice TV for my son in college and his roomates! ... "
" ... He loves it. ... "
" ... He loves it. ... "
" ... Bought this for my mother. ... "
Ports
19ethernet port, unplug, hookup, could use, cable
+58%
-42%
" ... I really like how easy it is to use and switch between inputs. ... "
" ... This device is in my garage and we have three game consoles plus cable TV hooked to it. ... "
" ... There is a cable hookup on the back as well as the HDMI. ... "
" ... It has a USB hookup but I'm unsure if you could use it with an USB Ethernet adapter. ... "
" ... It has a USB hookup but I'm unsure if you could use it with an USB Ethernet adapter. ... "
" ... Could use more hdmi ports and the mandatory Roku set up is a pain, but it’s an awesome television. ... "
" ... In my case, I would like to see a 1080P, 120 Hz refresh and an Ethernet port. ... "
" ... Connect my notebook with a HDMI cable for a great picture and oversize monitor. ... "
Volume
18small room, loud, tutorial, suppose, suddenly
+44%
-56%
" ... Only issue I've had is that it sometimes turns off for no reason or the volume will suddenly mute. ... "
" ... Only issue I've had is that it sometimes turns off for no reason or the volume will suddenly mute. ... "
" ... Also the tv locks up say when loading a show and then hitting volume, only a few times though. ... "
" ... So 4 Stars for the lack of instructions or a clear way to find the tutorial, or the volume. ... "
" ... So 4 Stars for the lack of instructions or a clear way to find the tutorial, or the volume. ... "
" ... It's the kind of sound your family will be yelling for you to turn it down from two rooms away but you can't even understand what your listening to right in front of you. ... "
" ... Having a lot of issues with volume. ... "
Color
17vibrant, tcl, super, sharpness, scenes
+82%
-18%
" ... Awesome picture, watched Guardians of the Galaxy 2 and was shocked at how the colors popped. ... "
" ... The image is colorful and the contrast is better then expected. ... "
" ... The picture is very clear and color looks great. ... "
" ... So far the graphics and color on this tv have been really vivid. ... "
" ... Picture is bright and more saturated then my last Visio, which looked muted. ... "
" ... So far I like it, picture is decent but does seem to have trouble with some blacks in a darker setting, may need to adjust the picture some for that. ... "
" ... Brightness is set to high for sure. ... "
" ... We don't have it set up as HD but the color and picture is great. ... "
Features
17light, function, smart, timer, roku
+100%
" ... The features of the TV itself are fine. ... "
" ... Really nice picture with allot of features. ... "
" ... The best thing about the tv is the built in Roku and some of the other features. ... "
" ... Not the greatest picture of all time, but it’s perfectly fine, and all the awesome features make up for it. ... "
" ... This TCL TV is working well, but we still have some difficulty learning all of the various features. ... "
" ... Bargain priced TV with not so bargain features and quality. ... "
" ... The roku features are freaking awesome. ... "
" ... We own several Smart TV's but, none of them have features like this one offers. ... "
Gaming
15xbox, visuals, sophisticated, king, hookups
+87%
-13%
" ... I use this daily for gaming and streaming services, everything's holding up well. ... "
" ... I would have gone with more sophisticated (and expensive) Samsung for things like live TV and gaming but this one is king for your streaming needs. ... "
" ... I would have gone with more sophisticated (and expensive) Samsung for things like live TV and gaming but this one is king for your streaming needs. ... "
" ... My grandson hooked up his XBox 1 to it and was very pleased with the graphics. ... "
" ... You can also play games, listen to music, search the web (download the app), etc. ... "
" ... It is not terribly noticeable, and I will give the TV 2 stars because it is decent for my playing games on my PS4, but in the end I am going to go for the refund because on top of this weird issue with the screen gap, the picture quality suffers heavily when any fast movement or action happens (my experience watching Netflix). ... "
" ... This tv is also good for gaming. ... "
" ... I am using it as a monitor for my Xbox One, Xbox 360 and my PC. ... "
Size
13size, surprisingly, slim, rv, relatively
+92%
-8%
" ... Lightweight TV. ... "
" ... Lightweight TV. ... "
" ... It has everything you could ever want for a great size. ... "
" ... Lightweight too, I'm using this in RV with PSW inverter, ... "
" ... Lightweight too, I'm using this in RV with PSW inverter, ... "
" ... So lightweight that it’s practically portable. ... "
" ... Nice small tv. ... "
" ... And the size is perfect for where it needed to go. ... "
As Gift
12son, loves, bought, thrilled, mom
+100%
" ... Christmas gift, hope my daughter loves it. ... "
" ... My son was thrilled to get this for a birthday gift! ... "
" ... My son was thrilled to get this for a birthday gift! ... "
" ... got this for my mom, she loves it ... "
" ... Merry Christmas to my husband. ... "
" ... I bought this TV as a gift. ... "
" ... I bought this TV as a gift. ... "
" ... My son wanted this TV and he says he loves it so I guess it's good. ... "
Device Stand
12mount, easy to mount, mounted, videosecu, problematic
+83%
-17%
" ... Mounted it using the VideoSecu TV Wall Mount (model # ML14B WS22). ... "
" ... Has a standard 100x100 square mounting pattern that makes it easy to mount with most any mount that can support a 40-inch TV. ... "
" ... It's affordable and is light enough essentially mount one handed on a wall by yourself. ... "
" ... very light easy to mount on a wall. ... "
" ... very light easy to mount on a wall. ... "
" ... Very lightweight, easy to mount on wall. ... "
" ... I bought this with a VideoSecu ML531BE TV Wall Mount for most 22"-55" LED LCD Plasma Flat Screen Monitor up to 88 lb VESA 400x400 with Full Motion Swivel Articulating 20 in Extension Arm, HDMI Cable & Bubble Level WP5. ... "
Build Quality
12center mounted stand, CAT is broke, wobbly, stand, nitpicky
+33%
-67%
" ... Yes the tv stand legs are a bit wobbly and cheap. ... "
" ... Tv is broke already ... "
" ... Tv is broke already ... "
" ... Knock on wood. ... "
" ... What a rip. ... "
" ... This is a very cheap TV. ... "
Cooling
10cool, usage, really, second one
+100%
" ... Great TV huge for the bedroom. ... "
" ... Great bedroom TV. ... "
" ... Great bedroom TV. ... "
" ... My usage is in the bedroom . ... "
" ... My usage is in the bedroom . ... "
" ... cool tv. ... "
" ... I liked it so much I bought a second one for my other bedroom. ... "
" ... Its really very cool TV. ... "
ISP
10requires, connection, connect, speed, ok
+40%
-60%
" ... I have had this tv for less than 2 months and now I am unable to connect to internet. ... "
" ... Could not get it to work unless I paid a fee to activate it. ... "
" ... Have not been able to get TV to work, Cox just out, think something is wrong with TV ... "
" ... BEFORE YOU THINK IT IT IS NOT MY WIFI I CHECKED. ... "
" ... It requires you to connect to the internet right out of the box and "update." ... Then is requires you to log onto the internet and type in a "code" to activate it. ... "
" ... I wish I did. ... "
Design
10lightweight, surprisingly, solution, slim, relatively
+90%
-10%
" ... I had an older, smaller smart TV that I finally replaced - this one is super easy to use and looks beautiful. ... "
" ... It's bright and colorful. ... "
" ... This is a much more elegant solution. ... "
" ... This is a much more elegant solution. ... "
" ... It is surprisingly lightweight, modern looking and relatively slim. ... "
" ... It is surprisingly lightweight, modern looking and relatively slim. ... "
" ... Look up the word smart! ... "
" ... But at 32" it looks great. ... Modern solid state TVs are tougher than we thought. ... "
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Specifications
Connectivity
HDMI: Yes
Number of USB ports: 1
USB: Yes
Display
Resolution: Full HD 1080p
Type: LED
Refresh Rate: 120 Hz
Recommendations
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