Compare: Blaupunkt UGC5500S vs TCL C7L

Blaupunkt UGC5500S is a textbook example of a very cheap television that has primarily two huge advantages: the Google TV system and an extremely low price. It is these two elements that make it an appealing option for many people. During testing, we also found a great alternative use for it, which is working with a computer. Thanks to the exemplary legibility of fonts and good viewing angles of the IPS matrix, Blaupunkt surprisingly performs well as an inexpensive monitor. However, one must be aware that this device is typically budget-friendly, and this cost-saving is evident in the image quality. The matrix is simply dim, making it difficult to excel in challenging lighting conditions, not to mention creating any real HDR effect. Additionally, despite good viewing angles, the black level on this model leaves much to be desired – in the evenings, it will be rather dark grey, which is a typical characteristic of the IPS technology used here. Viewed through the lens of price, this is a device that aims to compete in the market not based on image quality, but rather on the amount on the receipt. Blaupunkt UGC5500S will fit perfectly as an additional television in the home, equipment for the holiday home, or in a less important room where the image simply needs to be present, and we want to enjoy all the benefits and applications that Google TV offers.

The TCL C7L is an incredibly successful Mini-LED television and a fully deserved successor to the hit model C7K. The list of advantages of this device is truly extensive. At the top is the extremely high brightness of the panel. Thanks to this, the television handles brightly lit living rooms without any problems, offering a fantastic and dynamic image in HDR format. Huge applause is also due for the use of the new Super QLED coating – after professional calibration, the colours can be not only natural but also incredibly saturated. The best part is that the screen achieves this regardless of the scene displayed, which is often not the case with all TVs featuring RGB backlighting. The C7L is also a brilliant piece of equipment for gamers; it could even be said that it is a true "multimedia powerhouse." We get full support for consoles and PCs, refresh rates of up to 288 Hz, G-Sync, and low input lag, which doesn’t increase even when activating the demanding Dolby Vision Gaming mode. Everything is tied together by a well-optimised Google TV system, which in this generation of TCL devices operates noticeably smoother and more efficiently (at least that's the impression we got during our testing). Of course, the C7L is not a perfect device, and the manufacturer had to make certain compromises in this model. The biggest drawback of the C7L is the use of a less powerful image processor. Unfortunately, this translates to rather average digital processing and other design limitations, such as only two HDMI 2.1 ports. A more powerful chip has been reserved this year for the higher series, such as the C8L. From a business point of view, this is entirely understandable. Why? Because if TCL had included a better processor here, most people would probably not see any point in paying extra for a higher model. So even if certain compromises exist, the C7L series is once again shaping up to be one of the most cost-effective Mini-LED televisions this year. If you are looking for a versatile, extremely bright screen for movies, series, television, or gaming – literally for everything – and at the same time do not want to overpay for top series, then yes... the C7L is a brilliant choice that we can definitely recommend to you.

To put it bluntly: when it comes to blacks, it is simply very poor. Our measurements on test screens have only confirmed what we saw with the naked eye – a result around 1000:1 is disappointing nowadays, even in this price range. In cinematic conditions, this "black" simply does not exist. To be more specific, we fired up one of our favourite test scenes – a helicopter flyover in “Sicario 2” (you can see this in the video we’ve included below). Instead of a pitch-black, deep night, we got an image that is... navy blue. Everything that should be dark and mysterious on screen actually shines a dark blue. This is the price we pay for using an IPS panel. On one hand, we get fairly decent viewing angles, so if you’re watching television with the whole family from different angles, the picture doesn’t lose much saturation. On the other hand, if you plan to have evening screenings with the lights turned off, this lack of contrast will hit your eyes from the first minute.

The TCL C7L is a Mini LED TV which, in the 65-inch model we tested, is equipped with over 1,000 local dimming zones. Combined with a proprietary VA panel (referred to by TCL CSOT as HVA 2.0), this delivers very respectable results for black levels and contrast. In most of the scenes we measured, black levels and contrast looked very good, and in the easiest shots the blacks were deep enough to even resemble those seen on OLED screens. This, of course, refers to the least demanding shots with large areas of black on screen. When more bright elements appear on screen and black no longer dominates, you can see that the TCL C7L, like most Mini LED TVs, has issues handling its local dimming zones.

This is particularly obvious on the black bars in films shot in the 2.35:1 widescreen format. A distinct halo effect, a bright glow, can appear on the black bars or around small bright objects. Contrast can then drop drastically, from lab-measured values of around 200,000:1 to about 10,000:1, which is quite noticeable in a completely dark room. It’s worth remembering that this should not be treated as a flaw of the TV but rather as a characteristic of Mini LED technology. Of course the effect becomes much less intrusive if you turn on even a small amount of diffuse light in the room, which I strongly recommend doing when watching any LCD TV.

Here, too, we will not mince words – if you are looking for a television strictly for cinematic experiences in HDR, you have come to the wrong place. The Blaupunkt UGC5500S is unfortunately not a machine designed for such challenges. This is primarily due to its very low brightness, which we measured during our tests. A result of around 250 nits on film scenes speaks for itself. It is simply too little to even talk about any real HDR effect. Quite frankly, everything displayed here in this format can be confidently regarded as a somewhat “enhanced” SDR mode. We expected this, as virtually every device in this price range falters in this area, but we feel obliged to warn you about it. Manufacturers love to boast about HDR compatibility with stickers on their boxes, but in reality, this format simply does not exist here – it lacks the “fuel” of brightness.

The situation is particularly difficult for Blaupunkt, as we are dealing with a panel that has a very basic coverage of the DCI-P3 colour palette, reaching only about 80%. You will not find any advanced coatings to extend these capabilities (such as quantum dots), which means that scenes that should ideally burst with richly saturated colours appear simply under-saturated on this screen. Therefore, we have a specific piece of advice for you: do not force the HDR mode on this model. If you have the option in the streaming app settings – simply turn it off. By sticking to the classic SDR mode, you can be sure that the television will not attempt to “enhance” something that it cannot handle hardware-wise.

The TCL C7L is, without doubt, an extremely bright TV. In synthetic tests using static test patterns it can reach peak brightness of around 2800 nits. That's a truly phenomenal result, given the price bracket it occupies. Unfortunately, measurements with real film scenes are not as spectacular as the white-square tests. Brightness in real HDR footage on the C7L falls to around 1200 nits. That's still very good, because the vast majority of modern films are graded to that level. However, when small, pinpoint elements appear on screen, the brightness of those details drops dramatically, even to around 400 nits, which reduces the HDR impact. The TV does this deliberately to preserve black levels and avoid excessive blooming. This is somewhat understandable, but it also shows that Mini LED technology is not completely without compromises in this respect. As for the HDR effect itself, alongside brightness the key factor is, of course, colour. Thanks to the use of new 'super' quantum dots, the colours are simply superb and among the best on the market. The TV is able to achieve very wide coverage of the BT.2020 and DCI-P3 colour gamuts, matching the best RGB Mini-LED screens with ease. Best of all, the C7L can maintain such high colour saturation regardless of the scene being displayed, which is often problematic in competing RGB Mini-LED TVs.

We also took a close look at how Blaupunkt handles colours in movie mode, and here the matter is, in short, twofold. Once again, we need to clearly separate what we see in standard SDR format from what happens when HDR is turned on, as these are two entirely different worlds. Let’s start with the better side of the coin. If you plan to watch classic television, YouTube, or older films on this television, you can count on really reasonably well-tuned colours. In our test unit, the white balance in movie mode performed exceptionally well, which honestly surprised us. Of course, to avoid being overly optimistic, we did notice some shortcomings. Looking at the gamma charts, we observed that the processor struggles with appropriately dimming the image in its brightest areas. Additionally, there is quite a strong, at times excessively aggressive red saturation, which resulted in visible errors in reproducing certain shades. Nevertheless, in general terms, the image in SDR is simply solid and can be watched without a grimace on one’s face. Unfortunately, the charm disappears the moment we again enter the HDR world. Here, Blaupunkt behaves as if we suddenly switched it to shop mode, and in its worst version. The excess blue in the white balance is so significant that it is almost blinding, ruining any realism of the scene. Moreover, the television interprets brightness very loosely, which, when analysing the EOTF curve, clearly showed that for most of the time, the colours appear simply washed out and lacking in depth. This is, by the way, perfectly visible through the colour errors that become evident in this mode. Once again, we are left with the same conclusion: Blaupunkt in SDR mode looks significantly better and more natural than in HDR, which feels forced and lacking appropriate refinement.

When it comes to out-of-the-box colours, what's new in TCL TVs, including the C7L model, is the addition of a picture mode called Filmmaker Mode. This is significant because such a mode was not previously available from this manufacturer. As the name suggests, this setting is meant to present the picture with the filmmaker's full intent. After our tests we can confirm that it is, without doubt, the best built-in mode on this TV if you want faithful colour reproduction straight out of the box. However, we certainly wouldn't say it's perfect. Like most devices on the market, this C7L also had some factory calibration errors. The white balance in Filmmaker mode drifted towards a slightly greenish-yellow tint, caused mainly by an excess of the green component and a noticeable shortfall in blue. Of course, this won't be a major drawback for the average viewer, but if you care about perfect whites, natural skin tones and getting the full potential out of the structure of those new "super" quantum dots, the TV really needs professional calibration.

It may sound like a joke – pulling out professional measuring equipment for a television costing around a thousand złotys / 250 dollars, but we wouldn’t be ourselves if we didn’t check it out. The question is: does such cheap equipment give us any room for manoeuvre when it comes to calibration? To your surprise, the answer is: yes, and very much so. In the Blaupunkt UGC5500S menu, we found surprisingly many options that allowed us to really work on the picture. These are not just empty sliders; they are specific tools that we could utilise using our measuring sensors and software. In SDR mode, the effects were visible to the naked eye. We successfully eliminated the problem we mentioned earlier – that excessive, almost artificial red saturation. We also fixed the issue of improper dimming in the brightest parts of the image. After calibration, the standard format image became significantly more balanced and simply correct. When it came to HDR, the situation was again more complicated. While we managed to 'tame' that aggressive blue tint in the white balance, it was clear that we were fighting somewhat in vain. Even after adjusting the settings, the television still tried to interfere with the image in its own way, as if the electronics knew better than us how the scene should look. Additionally, there is a hardware barrier that no slider can overcome – colours in HDR still remain under-saturated. This is simply due to the quality of the panel itself; it physically cannot produce the most vibrant colours. To sum up this topic: if any of you ask whether it is possible to calibrate a television for a 'thousand', we answer with full conviction: it is possible.

After professional calibration we managed to greatly improve the situation in the factory Filmmaker Mode. After our corrections, the errors in the ColorChecker test and across the wide colour gamut fell below the threshold of human perception, that is below a value of 3, which is a very good result. The TCL C7L definitely benefits from such a procedure in terms of colour fidelity, and it's hard to deny. Brightness management for HDR content looks a little worse after calibration, though. As I described earlier, even though we set this model up correctly, when you play real film scenes the TV can handle its brightness in a rather peculiar way. It often brightens some elements on screen contrary to the creator's intent, which is clearly visible in the EOTF traces measured from specific films. Despite this defect, or rather a specific characteristic of the television, one thing you can't fault is that after calibration the C7L was able to reproduce colours accurately.

Looking at our test photographs, it's really hard to criticise anything. Most of the colours in the attached images blend together almost perfectly, creating smooth gradients without noticeable "steps". And indeed, in most scenes where we captured these shots, it looked surprisingly good. However, the problem arises when we stop analysing still frames and simply start watching the films. In motion, the situation changes dramatically. During dynamic scenes on screen, artefacts begin to appear, which are a direct result of simply using a poor image processor here. Unfortunately, a static photo cannot convey this "jarring" of colours, but you must take our word for it: what looks clean and smooth in the picture can stand out harshly during the screening and is simply annoying. This is precisely why we have a rather low rating in this category.

Another aspect worth discussing is the smoothness of tonal transitions. Here it must be honestly admitted that on the TCL C7L it simply looks good. In most scenes, and especially in the brighter shots, there are absolutely no banding issues. In native 4K HDR content the image is clean and the transitions between shades are very smooth. It looks just as good in Dolby Vision, where during our tests we did not notice any digital artefacts or ugly colour posterisation. You could, if you wanted to be picky, point to very dark scenes where a heavily compressed signal is being displayed on screen. Under those conditions the C7L can sometimes reveal minor imperfections, but in this model that is not something that really catches the eye, especially during everyday film viewing.

If you expect the processor in this model to magically "fix" the poor-quality signal from cable TV or old films from YouTube, we must disappoint you. The capabilities of this television end at absolutely basic upscaling, which is simply stretching the image to a higher resolution. It does this adequately in that the image is not blurry, but there's no mention of any intelligent sharpening or adding details here. Worse still, Blaupunkt is completely devoid of any features for reducing unwanted tonal transitions. If the material being watched has what is known as banding (that is, ugly "steps" instead of a smooth transition of colours, e.g., in the sky), this television will display it in all its glory. Additionally, the television has a tendency to slightly crop the edges of the image. Instead of displaying 100% of what the source sends, Blaupunkt slightly enlarges the frame, causing us to lose details at the very edges of the screen. In summary: in the category of digital "enhancing" of images, Blaupunkt simply performs poorly. We receive a raw, unprocessed signal, with all its flaws.

This can be seen as, to some extent, the Achilles' heel of the C7L. Unfortunately, this TV uses the older MediaTek Pentonic 700 chip, which has never been famed for outstanding digital image processing. You can clearly see that in the behaviour of the progressive smoothing function, the feature responsible for reducing jagged edges and removing digital noise. It simply performs very poorly. When set to low, its effectiveness is almost non-existent. The only small plus is that the algorithm does not further spoil the picture or blur details unnecessarily. Upscaling, that is scaling lower-resolution content to 4K, performs slightly better. It is simply adequate and does not stand out against the competition. There is no denying that the C7L would benefit greatly in this regard if the manufacturer opted for the newer Pentonic 800 processor, which is now appearing in an increasing number of rival models.

When it comes to motion fluidity, Blaupunkt has nothing to defend itself with. A 60 Hz panel at this price is standard, so none of us were expecting an impeccably sharp image in fast action scenes or during a match. However, the biggest drawback of this model is that you won't find any digital motion smoothers in the menu. The manufacturer has not given us any room for manoeuvre – nothing can be smoothed out or adjusted to our personal preferences. The image is always "raw," and we receive it exactly as the source transmits it. For fans of cinematic "jumping" of the image, this might be good, but the rest of us simply have to get used to the lack of any motion enhancement.

The TCL C7L uses a native 4K panel with a 144 Hz refresh rate, which at lower resolutions when connected to a PC can even reach up to 288 Hz. These are, of course, very high figures and impressive on paper, but bear in mind that almost all the dynamic content you’ll watch on this TV will still run at around a maximum of 120 Hz. To rein in that motion, the TV’s menu includes a motion-smoothing system called "Motion Clarity". It offers several preset modes, including a user mode that we strongly recommend you set manually using our tried-and-tested guides on our YouTube channel. There are two key sliders available. The first, "Blur Reduction", is responsible for cutting motion blur and improving sharpness in dynamic 60-fps material, such as sports broadcasts. The second slider, "Flicker Reduction", lets you add artificial frames to films and series shot in cinematic 24 or 30 frames per second. This, of course, can completely eliminate the irritating judder that appears during camera movement.

When it comes to gaming on the Blaupunkt, we weren't expecting miracles, and indeed – the list of features is not very long. However, there are two interesting points worth mentioning, as they might be significant for some of you at this price. The first plus is that the TV quickly detects the connected console. Thanks to the ALLM (Auto Low Latency Mode) feature, the device knows when you start gaming and automatically switches to low-latency mode. This is convenient because you don't have to fiddle with settings each time to prevent input lag from ruining the fun. The second point is a genuine surprise that caught us off guard. Although it has a 60 Hz panel, the Blaupunkt can display images at 120 Hz at Full HD resolution. Sure, you lose the details of 4K, but for those playing more dynamic, online shooters where smoothness is more important than resolution, this is a really nice and unexpected addition in such an inexpensive device. Besides these two points, you won't find anything more here. There are no advanced smoothness enhancement systems for gamers or extensive gaming menu bars. This is a simple screen for occasional gaming.

When it comes to gaming, the TCL C7L is simply an outstanding TV for players. Thanks to two HDMI 2.1 ports with full 48 Gbps bandwidth, you get access to all the key features required by console owners and powerful PC rigs. There’s a well-working ALLM mode with very low input lag and VRR frame synchronisation that operates over an impressive range from 48 to 288 Hz. Importantly, unlike some rivals, TCL has properly implemented the console HDR10 HGIG profile and supports Dolby Vision in games. The package is completed by a very well designed gamer panel, the Game Bar, which even lets you edit its appearance and change the theme so it perfectly matches the style of your console.

The only thing you can, and even should, criticise is that the TV offers only two full-spec HDMI 2.1 ports, while the other two are older HDMI 2.0. That creates quite a logistical problem. Why? Because one of the fast ports also handles the return audio channel eARC. In practice this means that if you connect a soundbar or home cinema system to the TV, you’ll be left with just one free HDMI 2.1 socket. If you have two consoles at home, or a console and a powerful PC, unfortunately you’ll have to give something up or keep juggling cables at the back of the case while trying to maintain convenient control of the audio system.

An important point for every gamer is, of course, input lag, which refers to how quickly the television responds to our movements on the controller. Here, Blaupunkt has something to brag about, although the results are quite specific. At 4K resolution, the lag is just 12 ms. That's an excellent result. With such low lag, gaming feels simply phenomenal, and the response is almost instantaneous. It is a pity, however, that the situation changes when switching to 1080p mode. Here, the input lag increases to about 30 ms. To be clear: this is still not a terrible result. For most people, it will be "more than acceptable," and during casual gaming, you probably won't even notice it. Nonetheless, it is a shame that such good parameters could not be maintained as we saw with full 4K. Nevertheless, in the overall assessment, as a budget screen for consoles, Blaupunkt performs quite admirably in this regard.

It's worth taking a look at the raw numbers here, because in terms of signal latency the TCL C7L is right at the top of the market. Our measurements showed that the input lag is extremely low and for a 60 Hz signal it is only about 10 ms. When we step up and run a game at 120 Hz, the delay drops to an almost imperceptible 6 to 7 ms. More importantly, the TV maintains these figures even after enabling Dolby Vision in games.

If you plan to connect a computer to this television, it is absolutely crucial that you find and enable the PC compatibility option in the menu. Once you do that, magic happens – the implementation of Chroma 4:4:4 and font readability jumps to an exemplary level. The readability of text is simply excellent here. Of course, our editorial meticulousness would not allow us to pass by this equipment without taking a look "under the hood." During very specific tests with thin, dark text, we noticed that the horizontal and vertical matrix masks differ slightly in brightness levels. However, we want to reassure you: this phenomenon is so subtle that during normal use, such as writing emails or browsing the web, you would not be able to notice it with the naked eye. We maintain our opinion that as a monitor strictly for dynamic PC gaming, it is not the ideal choice (as we mentioned in the context of the 60 Hz refresh rate), but if any of you are wondering whether you can comfortably work on such a Blaupunkt – we answer: yes, it is absolutely possible.

As for gaming on PC, as I mentioned earlier, it's genuinely hassle-free. The TV handles high refresh rates without a hitch: full 4K at 144 Hz, and in Full HD it can even reach 288 Hz. On top of that, G-Sync and FreeSync work without any issues. For PC gamers, the C7L can therefore serve as an excellent, gigantic monitor.

Typical office work involving text fares a bit worse, because the panel behaves rather oddly in those circumstances. When the highest refresh modes are enabled, namely 144 Hz and 288 Hz, the readability and sharpness of dark text on a light background are rather mediocre, with fonts becoming slightly blurred and jagged. Fortunately, this can be fixed very easily by changing the display refresh rate in your graphics card settings to a steady 120 Hz. Then the text becomes perfectly sharp again, which is definitely worth remembering if you plan to use the C7L as a work screen.

It’s really very good here. Whether we were sitting directly in front or on the edge of the sofa, the colours did not lose their saturation. This is a big plus if you plan to watch matches or films with a larger group – no one will complain that the picture looks worse for them. Although IPS panels are known for their good angles, in this particular model, when viewed from a sharp angle, the picture noticeably loses brightness. Interestingly, the colour saturation remains intact, but the screen simply becomes darker. This is not something that disqualifies this television, but it’s worth knowing.

Unfortunately, the strong native contrast of the HVA 2.0 panel comes at a price. It's the viewing angles, which on the C7L model are simply poor. That's all, of course, due to the use of the mentioned VA-type panel. It's an inherent characteristic of that technology and something you have to bear in mind when buying. If you sit directly in front of the screen, the picture will delight you with its depth, but just shift a few dozen degrees to the side on the sofa and the colours will immediately start to fade. By choosing this model, you accept a classic market compromise: you get deep blacks and superb contrast, but you sacrifice viewing angles.

In terms of daytime performance, Blaupunkt is simply average. It all comes down to the low brightness of the panel, which – as we have mentioned, hovers around 250 nits. This is definitely too little for the screen to "break through" the strong light coming into the living room. As a result, under strong sunlight, the image loses clarity and appears somewhat washed-out. However, there is one bright spot in this category, the satin finish of the panel. Thanks to this, we do not have to deal with the mirror effect, which often means that instead of watching a film, we are seeing a reflection of our own sofa. The satin nicely diffuses reflections, which somewhat saves the situation. Nevertheless, we cannot cheat physics: while the coating bravely fights against reflections, the low brightness ultimately surrenders in the battle with sunlight. If you are planning a screening in the middle of the day in a very bright room, be prepared for the necessity of drawing the curtains.

It’s also worth mentioning how the TCL C7L performs during everyday viewing in a sunlit living room. As we’ve already established, it’s an extremely bright TV, and it’s precisely thanks to such a huge luminance headroom (up to 2400 nits in SDR!) that it can perform brilliantly in very bright rooms, the picture simply cuts through the light entering the room without any problems. The only thing to watch out for are direct reflections on the screen. The coating used on the panel this year is noticeably glossier than the one we saw on last year’s C7K. The screen suppresses point reflections much less effectively, which, in unfavourable conditions, for example when a window is directly opposite the TV, may be fairly irritating for some users. Even so, in terms of raw brightness the C7L is simply a beast for bright living rooms.

In terms of Smart TV functionality, the Blaupunkt UGC5500S is a classic example of a device where the system is both its greatest asset and its biggest flaw. On one hand, we have full Google TV here, which is a huge plus at this price point. We get access to a massive library of applications and basically all the functionality we know from brands that use this software. Nothing has been cut out forcibly, which is truly refreshing in such an inexpensive television. Unfortunately, we must honestly admit that in Blaupunkt's execution, this system simply works clumsily. This is a typical ailment of budget televisions with Google TV – the processor barely keeps up with the software. Navigation through the menu is not as smooth as we would like, and the remote can respond with a noticeable delay, giving the impression of being "dull." Of course, once you launch a specific application and start playing a movie, everything works stably, but just sifting through the interface requires a bit of patience.

As for traditional television features, Blaupunkt doesn't offer anything extraordinary. It is a simple device for basic tasks. The remote control deserves a plus, as it features a classic numeric keypad, which is simply convenient for flipping through cable channels. We also have Bluetooth, so you can easily connect wireless headphones or a speaker. The television also has a physical mini-jack headphone output. At a time when manufacturers are mass removing this connection, the presence of a "jack" is a nod towards those with older audio equipment or simply those who prefer classic wired headphones. It's a little thing, but it’s appreciated.

Google TV i Smart TV

The multimedia heart of the TCL C7L is, of course, the Google TV operating system, which provides access to a vast app library and all the most popular streaming platforms on the market. The Smart TV in this model runs smoothly, offering full support for useful network features such as Apple AirPlay and Chromecast. A huge and very pleasant surprise, however, is the software's overall polish. We noticed that Google's system on the new C7L runs considerably smoother and faster than on last year's TCL models. This is largely thanks to better optimisation for the launch. Unnecessary pauses and minor interface stutters known from older models seem to be a thing of the past.

Funkcje telewizyjne

As far as traditional over-the-air or cable TV is concerned, the TCL C7L does not offer many additional advanced features. It's simply a basic receiver. The manufacturer has not attempted any revolutionary solutions here, so apart from the traditional programme guide you won't find anything special. A big nod to traditional viewers is the classic remote control. Contrary to the prevailing trend for minimalism, it still features a full numeric keypad, which makes switching channels much quicker.

In terms of playing files from USB, Blaupunkt performs quite well. We checked several of the most popular formats, and basically everything important worked fine on the factory player. Therefore, you're not forced to immediately download additional software right after taking the television out of the box, as the equipment is simply self-sufficient from the start. Nevertheless, taking advantage of the charms of Google TV, we still recommend that you install something external, like VLC or Kodi. The factory player is adequate, but it is in these external applications that you will find the most configuration options, better subtitle support, or simply a more convenient interface. Since the system gives you such freedom, it is worth taking advantage of it to get as much as possible from your multimedia.

Finally, in the multimedia section it is worth mentioning playback from external USB drives. During our tests we did not encounter any unpleasant surprises; the built-in player handles all common video and audio formats exactly as it should. Interestingly, the TCL C7L also had no problem playing photos saved in Apple's native HEIC format. This is an extremely rare feature in manufacturers' built-in TV apps. And although Google TV of course lets you install external media player apps, in the case of the C7L the built-in tool is so well polished that installing additional software is unlikely to be necessary.

In terms of audio, Blaupunkt performs really well, especially considering that this is a typical budget television. It’s evident, or rather audible, that the brand has not forgotten its roots, and for such an inexpensive model, the sound is exceptionally good. Of course, there is a noticeable lack of bass, but the overall output is loud, and surprisingly clear. Most importantly for us – even at higher volumes, the sound is not heavily distorted, which is a rarity and a pleasant surprise at this price point.

The TCL C7L simply sounds fairly good and does the job competently. In terms of sound quality itself, practically nothing has changed compared with last year's C7K model. The manufacturer still uses a Bang & Olufsen-branded speaker system in a 2.2 configuration. The only thing that can be quite irritating during viewing is that when you raise the volume to higher levels, roughly above 50% on the scale, the volume no longer corresponds to the on-screen indicator. The B&O audio system works well for everyday viewing of current affairs or series at moderate volume, but if you're looking for better sound it's worth buying at least a basic soundbar for the C7L.

Blaupunkt UGC5500S vs TCL C7L

Advantages

Disadvantages

Our verdict

TV appearance

Where to buy

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

Daytime performance

Panel details

TV features

Classic features:

Smart features:

Sound connection options

Supported audio formats (external HDMI eARC audio):

Senior accessibility

Google TV i Smart TV

Funkcje telewizyjne

Apps

Playing files from USB

Sound

Sound Quality Test

Acoustic Measurements