The Thomson 43-inch QLED TV with JioTele OS is a solid option in the budget smart TV market, featuring a vibrant 4K QLED display and over 300 free live channels for ₹18,999. However, it has some drawbacks, including occasional bugs in the JioTele OS and a limited app selection compared to Android TV. The audio is loud but lacks depth, and the plastic build feels functional rather than premium. Despite these flaws, it’s a good choice for those looking for a budget QLED TV, especially with launch offers. Future updates, if available, may further enhance its performance.
The Good
- Compact and modern design with a nearly bezel-less display.
- JioTele OS provides seamless access to a rich ecosystem of apps and content.
- Impressive 4K Ultra HD panel with vibrant colors and decent brightness.
- Strong audio performance for a budget TV, suitable for casual viewing.
The Bad
- Build quality is mostly plastic, lacking premium durability.
- Limited gaming performance due to the absence of a dedicated gaming mode.
- JioStore's app selection is limited compared to the comprehensive Google Play Store.
- Occasional slowdowns and crashes in the user interface during initial use.
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Build
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Performance
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Sound
The Thomson 43-inch QLED TV marks a substantial milestone in the Indian smart TV market by integrating JioTele OS. Priced at an attractive ₹18,999, it’s the first television to integrate the JioTele OS, a homegrown operating system developed by Jio. This collaboration between Thomson and Jio aims to deliver a seamless, content-rich, and localized entertainment experience. Combining Thomson’s expertise in affordable yet feature-packed TVs with Jio’s rich digital ecosystem, this TV promises vibrant visuals and smart features. But does it live up to the hype, and is it the best in its segment? Let’s find out.
Design and Build
The Thomson 43-inch QLED TV sports a modern, minimalist design that aligns with current trends in the budget TV segment. Its nearly bezel-less display features thin borders on three sides, while the bottom bezel is slightly thicker and showcases the Thomson logo along with a faux leather design. The TV’s slim profile is due to its lightweight plastic body, weighing just 6.5kg, making it easy to handle during setup. Two sturdy plastic alloy stands provide stable support for tabletop placement, though their design is functional rather than luxurious. The TV includes provisions for wall-mounting, with side-facing ports for easy access.
The back houses a compact compartment for connectivity options, including three HDMI ports (one with ARC), two USB ports, an optical port, an ethernet port, an AV port, and a 3.5mm headphone jack. The side-facing orientation of most ports is a thoughtful touch, especially for wall-mounted setups. The included remote is compact, made of plastic with a comfortable grip, and features rubber keys with dedicated hotkeys for Netflix, YouTube, JioCinema, and JioHotstar. A red LED indicator at the bottom adds a subtle flair, though it is not overly distracting. Although the build quality is decent for the price, the plastic construction lacks the premium durability that is typically expected in this segment.
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Performance and Features
The Thomson 43-inch QLED TV shines in its performance, driven by a 4K Ultra HD (3840 x 2160) QLED panel that supports HDR and boasts 450 nits of brightness with 1.1 billion colours. The panel delivers decent contrast and vibrant colours, making it ideal for everyday content like sports, movies, and regional shows. During testing, colours popped vividly in well-lit scenes, though reds occasionally appeared oversaturated, requiring minor tweaks in the colour settings. The 60Hz refresh rate ensures smooth visuals for casual viewing, but gamers might find it lacking for fast-paced titles due to the absence of a dedicated gaming mode.
At the heart of the TV is JioTele OS, a customized Android-based operating system that feels both familiar and fresh. Built on Android TV’s core, JioTele OS integrates Jio’s ecosystem, including AI-powered content recommendations, universal voice search in over 10 Indian languages via the HelloJio feature, and access to the JioStore with over 200 apps. The user interface resembles Xiaomi’s PatchWall or Google TV, with a clean, tabbed layout (Home, Movies, Shows, Sports, TV Channels) that prioritizes ease of navigation. A standout feature includes over 300 free live TV channels covering sports, movies, music, and regional content, accessible via the pre-installed Jio TV app. This eliminates the need for a DTH connection for many users(including me).
An Amlogic processor powers the TV, paired with 2GB of RAM and 8GB of internal storage (approximately 3.2GB available). Performance is generally snappy, with quick app launches and smooth menu transitions after initial setup. However, the UI experienced occasional slowdowns and crashes during the first few hours of use, which improved with usage and likely future updates. Popular OTT platforms like Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, Disney+Hotstar, and YouTube are pre-installed. However, the JioStore lacks some third-party apps compared to the Google Play Store, which might disappoint users seeking niche applications. Connectivity is strong, featuring dual-band Wi-Fi and Bluetooth 5.0.
From personal experience, JioTele OS feels like a polished version of Android TV with Jio’s localized flair. The voice search in regional languages worked seamlessly, and the AI recommendations were surprisingly accurate after a few days of use. The TV also supports Jio Games, though the limited storage restricts the number of games you can install.
Sound
The Thomson 43-inch QLED TV features 40W stereo box speakers with Dolby Digital Plus and surround sound. For a budget TV, the audio is impressively loud, filling a 15×15-foot room. During testing, the speakers performed well for casual viewing, such as regional shows and live channels, but complex audio tracks in movies like those on Netflix showed limitations. Keeping the volume below 50% minimizes distortion, but audiophiles will likely want to pair the TV with a soundbar, especially since it supports ARC for easy connectivity.