The best TCL TVs drive serious value in the face of some great features. That's why a major question on many a mind might be, "are TCL TVs good now," and the answer is clear — they're perfect for the price, and sometimes even better than even their toughest competition in Hisense.
TCL is vying to take on the likes of OLED TVs with its new and aptly-named QD-Mini-LED technology, which essentially improves upon the Mini-LED formula with enhancements to color accuracy and backlighting. Its also inviting some exciting gaming features in Game Accelerator 240, which drops the resolution for improved frames.
There's no question that the TCL QM8 QLED TV stands as one of the best TCL TVs and is often even better than Sony X90L, leveraging all the most premium specs on a design that doesn't break the bank. That's a $900 value. which is definitely hard to beat, but if you wanna save even more money, the TCL Q6 is the way to go as it's just $319 on discount.
We've been testing and reviewing TVs for some time and know just what to look out for when scoping a well-rounded system. TCL's new models this year are proven powerhouses, delivering exciting new features built with budget pricing. You don't need to pay an exorbitant amount of cash for a well-rounded display anymore, as proven by the following options among the best TCL TVs.
The best TCL TVs you can buy
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You'd be hard pressed to find a better option at this price point for a well-rounded display among the best gaming TVs, as the TCL QM8 QLED TV comes in hot as an icon that screams quality without the exorbitant MSRP.
It's no Sony Bravia XR A95L OLED, but the QM8 still proves to be the gaming beast of the bunch and won't run you clean either, leveraging a sticker price of all but a mere $999 for its 65-inch model. That's why it's one of the best TCL TVs, as you're getting quite the bargain on a 120Hz refresh rate screen with not only Dolby Vision and HDR10+, but also HLG and an input lag of 13ms.
Beyond that, the QM8 QLED TV also comes equipped with VRR and ALLM for perfected anti-screen tearing when gaming. You'll even be able to smash the refresh rate up to 240Hz while using one of the best gaming PCs via the specific port on the TV.
Plus, thanks to its Google TV OS, you're gifted instant and easy access to all of your favorite shows and movies. There's a veritable slew of apps to dive into beyond just entertainment, and setup is incredibly streamlined. If you're in the market for a quality gaming display without the meteoric price tag, the TCL QM8 QLED TV is your best bet and a stellar pick among the best TCL TVs.
Read our full TCL QM8 QLED TV review.
So the QM8 QLED is a bit out of your price range? Don't fret, as its underling and midrange model within the TCL 2023 TV lineup is just as good a pick for its gaming and performance chops: the TCL Q7 QLED TV.
Many of the Q7 QLED TV sizes find themselves among the best TVs under $1,000, and may well see prices slashed even steeper in the wake of TCL's forthcoming launch of its 2024 models. It's got pretty remarkable specs for its price, which more often than not sits at around $700 for its 65-inch model.
It's obviously a bit of a step down from its QM8 cousin, but still offers just as good gaming performance and picture quality with a 120Hz refresh rate and an input lag of 6.7ms in Game mode. For PlayStation 5 fans out there, the Q7 offers incredible performance for Square Enix's brand new "Final Fantasy VII Rebirth."
It also shines like a diamond in its brightness, averaging around 592 nits in HDR brightness and 489 nits in SDR brightness. You can't go wrong with Google TV, either, but the Q7 does come with some drawbacks. Namely, it suffers from limited viewing angles and, like most TCL TVs, doesn't have the most optimal speakers, but it's still one of the best TCL TVs at the mid-range option.
Read our full TCL Q7 QLED TV review.
Taking things a touch further down in price is the TCL Q6 QLED TV, which retails for around $500 for its 65-inch model. But don't let that price fool you, as it's still quite the contender in the industry and proves itself as among the best TCL TVs for its value.
Hulu's brand new period piece "Shogun" will look phenomenal on the Q6 QLED thanks to the TV's powerful color volume. On the Rec709 gamut, it measures around 97.42 percent, while on the UHDA-P3 gamut it can hit 94.51 percent. Gaming will also be a breeze, especially fast-paced games like FromSoftware's "Armored Core VI" or even "Modern Warfare 3" thanks to its 8.9ms of input lag — though, you are slightly stunted due to its limiting 60Hz of refresh rate.
Still, with HDR technologies that include Dolby Vision, HDR10+, and HLG, you're in particularly good hands. It's marked primarily as one of the best TCL TVs as being the perfect secondary display for those looking to nab a quality option that's not too expensive. I mean, how could you pass up one of the best 85-inch TVs at just under $1,000?
Read our full TCL Q6 QLED TV review.
There's no shame in wanting the cheapest TV in the TCL lineup, as long as you know what you're getting. The TCL S4 offers basic 4K performance and three HDMI 2.0 ports. That's good enough for folks just making the leap from Full HD TVs, and its low input lag makes it great for gamers still rocking an older PS4 or Xbox One.
Unfortunately, however, because it doesn't use a 120Hz panel, gamers using modern consoles won't get maximum frame rates, and its low brightness output and poor black levels mean that contrast can be a huge issue here.
This isn't the TV that will be the pride of your living room, but if you just want a standard 4K TV without all the bells and whistles, the S4 fits the bill and your budget.
Read our full TCL S4 S-Class 4K TV review.
What is QLED?
TCL's top models use QLED displays, but what does that mean? QLED is shorthand for displays that use quantum-dots and LED backlight to produce brighter and richer color, using nano-scale crystals that react to light by glowing at different wavelengths, literally creating brighter colors in response to a TV's backlight.
Originally popularized by Samsung, QLED displays offer a big improvement over traditional LCD panels, delivering a brighter picture with a wider color gamut. And when paired with a backlight array that has local dimming zones, the same displays offer better contrast and HDR performance, edging closer to the sort of pixel-perfect lighting you'll get with more premium OLED displays.
Not all TCL TVs have QLED enhancement, but it's a feature that's worth paying a little more to get, since it delivers a noticeably better picture.
What is Mini-LED?
Mini-LED refers to the type of LEDs used in a TV's backlight. With mini-LEDs measuring about one-fifth the size of a standard LED – measuring just 0.008-inch (200 microns) across – the dimming zones that modern TVs use to provide a more dynamic picture and better contrast get shrunk down.
Along with color and contrast, brightness makes a huge difference in how well a TV can display an image. Instead of a single LED backlighting zone illuminating several square inches of a screen, mini-LEDs are limited to a mere handful of pixels, providing tighter lighting control to eliminate haloing and provide better brightness where it's needed.
Back in 2019 TCL introduced the first mini-LED TV, a move that other manufacturers started emulating in 2021. (Finds out more in our article Year of the mini-LED TV: Samsung, LG and TCL getting this huge upgrade.)
It's one of the best innovations TVs have seen in recent years, and we recommend opting for a Mini-LED set if your budget allows it.
How to choose the best TCL TV for you
When it comes to TCL TVs, shoppers can feel safe buying any of the TCL TVs on the market. Though relatively new in the North American TV market, TCL has earned a reputation for offering high-quality TVs that punch above their weight in terms of picture quality, features and affordability.
But the different models in the TCL lineup are also clearly differentiated with specific features and capabilities that make it easy to see not only what makes one better than another, but also how those differences factor into the price-to-value ratio that each set offers.
In the end, a TCL TV delivers a great TV experience at a great price, and the only real question is what features are you willing to pay a little more for. As our testing and reviews have shown, you'll get great quality for a great price on any model.
If you're still trying to narrow down your TV shopping by brand, price range or screen size, check out our picks for the best TVs in each.
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The best TVs under $1000 | The best TVs under $500
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