Updated 1 Nov 2026
Is the TCL V5D worth it?
Only as a cheap second TV.
It's a 32, 40 or 43-inch Full HD QLED with Fire TV and Freely built in, HDR10 and Dolby Audio, so it streams everything and needs no aerial. No independent lab has tested it, so this verdict rests on TCL's specs and verified owners. Happy owners call it an easy, good-looking second TV, but more of them than usual rate it 3 stars or less, for faults, a slow remote and Freely taking over the set-up. Its HDMI ports are the older 1.4 kind, fine for a Fire Stick or a set-top box.
59%of 27 owners give it 4 or 5 stars
- Fire TV and Freely: no aerial needed
- Full HD QLED in 32, 40 or 43 inches
- Light and easy to wall-mount
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What owners say
Owners are split: the happy ones call it an easy, good-looking second TV, but the main complaint is a faulty set, and others found Freely and the set-up confusing.
Good to know
- Full HD only: at 43 inches a 4K set looks sharper.
- Once Freely is switched on, getting back to plain aerial TV is fiddly.
- Some owners found it slow to start and slow to answer the remote.
- Only two HDMI 1.4 ports, with no 4K input.
From 27 buyer ratings at Currys, every complaint read by us, November 2026. How we do this
What they love
- Good picture for a small TVMentioned a lot
- Easy to set upMentioned a lot
- A good second TV for a bedroomMentioned a lot
- Good valueMentioned often
What they complain about
- Faulty: flickering, switching off or the remote not workingCommon
- Poor or dark pictureCommon
- Slow to start and to answer the remoteCommon
Get it if…
- You want a cheap TV for a bedroom, kitchen or caravan.
- You stream everything through Fire TV apps.
- You already know Amazon's Fire TV menus.
Skip it if…
- It's your main TV: buy 4K.
- You want plain aerial TV without logging in to apps.
- You want a proven, trouble-free set.
More on the TCL V5D
How we reached this verdict
No independent review has tested it yet. TCL's spec sheet gives a Full HD QLED HVA panel, HDR10, Fire TV with Freely, 2×8W Dolby Audio and DTS Virtual:X, and HDMI 1.4. Of the verified owners we read, more than a third rate it 3 stars or less: they report faults like flickering or switching off, a dull picture, slow start-ups and trouble leaving Freely. Its happy owners like the picture and the easy set-up for a second room.
We compared independent expert reviews with the manufacturer's specifications, then checked it's sold at a major retailer where you live. We don't test products ourselves.
Sources: TCL (specs), RTINGS, TechRadar, Tom's Guide, Expert Reviews, Trusted Reviews, manufacturer specifications.
Updated 1 Nov 2026How we decide