The best TCL TVs deliver strong performance without breaking the bank

(Image credit: tomsguide)

The best TCL TVs have prices and specs that rival the market leaders. TCL is taking on OLED TVs with its new QD-Mini-LED technology, a more advanced backlighting system that might change the game.

We know how to choose the perfect display from our years of experience and rigorous testing on TVs of all sizes and types. Finding a new TV can be unpleasant and stressful, but we have options for every need, from ultra-premium to economical.

The greatest TCL TV this year is the QM8 Mini-LED, a premium model with many current features on one of the sleekest screens. This is a 2024 display, so if you want something cheaper, try the TCL Q6 Mini-LED TV, a 55-inch $369 choice.

The following TVs range in price and performance. From display kinds to gaming features, these should provide exceptional cinematic experiences at low prices. These TVs are improved by the new Google TV operating system, which should provide you access to all apps.

The best TCL TVs you can buy

Why you can trust Trusty Picked
 Our writers and editors spend hours analyzing and reviewing products, services, and apps to help find what’s best for you.

(Image credit: sea.ign)

1. TCL QM8 QLED TV

The best TCL TV of 2024

SPECIFICATIONS

Available Screen Sizes: 65, 75, 85, 97 inches

Screen Type: QLED

Refresh Rate: 120 Hz

HDMI ports: 4 HDMI, 1 USB

Size: 1.73 x 56.93 x 32.56 inches

Weight: 54.7 pounds

TODAY’S BEST DEALS

Among the finest gaming TVs, you’d be hard-pressed to find a better option at this price range for a well-rounded display than the TCL QM8 QLED TV, which is as hot as an icon and screams quality without the outrageous MSRP.

The QM8, which has a retail price of only $999 for its 65-inch form, is still the gaming beast of the bunch and won’t let you down, even though it’s not the Sony Bravia XR A95L OLED. Because of this, it’s among the best TCL TVs; for a very low price, you can receive a 120Hz refresh rate screen with Dolby Vision, HDR10+, HLG, and a 13ms input latency.

In addition, the QM8 QLED TV has ALLM and VRR for enhanced screen tearing prevention when playing games. By connecting one of the top gaming PCs to the TV’s designated connector, you may even increase the refresh rate to 240 Hz.

Additionally, you get quick and simple access to all of your favourite TV series and films owing to Google TV OS. Beyond merely entertainment, there’s an absolute plethora of apps to explore, and setup is really simple. The TCL QM8 QLED TV is a great option among the top TCL TVs if you’re looking for a high-quality gaming display without the outrageous price tag.

(Image credit: tomsguide)

2. TCL Q7 QLED TV

Unbeatable quality QLED TCL TV

SPECIFICATIONS

Available Screen Sizes: 55, 65, 75, 85 inches

Screen Type: QLED

Refresh Rate: 120 Hz

HDMI ports: 4 HDMI

Size: 48.2 x 28.2 x 2.8 inches

Weight: 28.9 pounds

TODAY’S BEST DEALS

So the QM8 QLED is a little bit too expensive for you? Fear not, as the TCL Q7 QLED TV, its entry-level and midrange model in the TCL 2023 TV collection, is an equally excellent choice for its gaming and performance capabilities.

Many of the Q7 QLED TV sizes are among the greatest TVs available for less than $1,000, and as TCL releases their 2024 versions, prices may drop much further. Its features are quite impressive considering the price, which for the 65-inch model typically hovers around $700.

With a refresh rate of 120Hz and an input lag of 6.7ms in game mode, it’s clearly a little bit of a step down from its QM8 cousin, but it still delivers just as amazing gaming performance and picture quality. For those who prefer the PlayStation 5, the Q7 delivers amazing performance for Square Enix’s recently released “Final Fantasy VII Rebirth.”

Its brightness, which averages about 592 nits in HDR and 489 nits in SDR, makes it shine like a diamond. Google TV is also a great option, but the Q7 does have certain shortcomings. In particular, it has constrained viewing angles and, like other TCL TVs, subpar acoustics, but overall, it’s still among the best mid-range TCL TVs available.

(Image credit: digitaltrends)

3. TCL Q6 QLED TV

Killer QLED value with Google TV

SPECIFICATIONS

Available Screen Sizes: 55, 65, 75, 85 inches

Screen Type: QLED

Refresh Rate: 60 Hz

HDMI ports: 3 HDMI (1 eARC)

Size: 57 x 32.7 x 3 inches

Weight: 70.1 pounds

TODAY’S BEST DEALS

The TCL Q6 QLED TV, which sells for about $500 for its 65-inch variant, is slightly less expensive. However, don’t be fooled by its low price; it remains a strong competitor in the market and ranks among the finest TCL TVs for the money.

With QLED’s high colour volume, Hulu’s brand-new period piece “Shogun” will look amazing on the Q6 QLED. It is around 97.42 percent on the Rec709 gamut and up to 94.51 percent on the UHDA-P3 gamut. Thanks to its 8.9ms input lag, gaming will also be a breeze, even for fast-paced titles like “Modern Warfare 3” or “Armoured Core VI” from FromSoftware. However, you will be significantly limited by its 60Hz refresh rate.

You’re in really excellent hands, though, with HDR technologies like Dolby Vision, HDR10+, and HLG. It’s rated as one of the greatest TCL TVs mainly because it’s the ideal backup screen for anybody trying to find a high-quality, reasonably priced choice. Given that this 85-inch TV is among the best and costs little under $1,000, how could you resist?

(Image credit: flatpanelshd)

4. TCL S4 S-Class TV

The ultra-budget model in the lineup

SPECIFICATIONS

Available Screen Sizes: 43, 50, 55, 58, 65, 75, 85 inches

Screen Type: LED-LCD

Refresh Rate: 60 Hz

HDMI ports: 3 HDMI (1 eARC)

Size: 32.7 x 56.8 x 3.1 inches

Weight: 30.91 pounds

TODAY’S BEST DEALS

If you know what you’re buying, it’s okay to want the least expensive TV in the TCL portfolio. Three HDMI 2.0 connectors and modest 4K performance are features of the TCL S4. That’s plenty for people who are just switching from Full HD TVs, and gamers who are still using an older PS4 or Xbox One will love it for its reduced input lag.

Unfortunately, gamers using newer consoles won’t be able to attain the highest frame rates because it doesn’t employ a 120Hz panel, and contrast can be a major problem due to its low brightness output and poor black levels.

Although it won’t be the focal point of your living room, the S4 meets your needs and budget if all you want is a basic 4K TV without all the extras.

(Image credit: tcl)

5. TCL Q5/Q550G QLED

SPECIFICATIONS

Type LED

Sub-Type  VA

Resolution 4k

Sizes 43″ 50″ 55″ 65″

TODAY’S BEST DEALS

The greatest low-cost TCL TV we’ve tested is the greatest Buy-exclusive TCL Q5/Q550G QLED if you want to avoid paying what TCL is asking for the TCL QM8/QM850G QLED or the TCL Q7/Q750G QLED. Though it lacks some of the features of the more expensive versions, this TV is still rather good for its price. Its high native contrast ratio produces exceptionally uniform blacks with less blooming and deep blacks. Although it lacks local dimming to accentuate highlights, this is a rather bright TV that can readily manage bright spaces. Sadly, it shares the subpar image processing of its brothers, particularly with regard to the insufficient smoothing of low-quality video. A calibrator is necessary if colour accuracy is important to you, as this model exhibits a nearly identical wide colour gamut to the Q7. Using the well-known Google TV interface on the TV makes it simple to locate your preferred apps and content.

But it’s the gaming features on this model that really make it unique. This TV features a 60Hz panel, three HDMI 2.0 ports, and the ability to display 1080p at 120Hz or even 1440p at 120Hz with resolution halving. Its 55″ and 65″ model sizes also have a large VRR range. This is among the least expensive TVs that can play games at 120 frames per second because it’s difficult to notice the reduction in visual quality caused by the resolution halving unless you’re looking for it. It is an excellent option for budget-conscious competitive gamers looking for a TV because of its exceptionally minimal input lag and generally good response time. Although TCL also offers the marginally more costly TCL Q6/Q650G QLED, its performance is about the same as that of the Q5, therefore the price difference is not justified.

What is QLED?

What does it imply to employ QLED displays, like found in TCL’s top models? QLED stands for Quantum-Dot and LED backlight displays, which use nano-scale crystals that glow at different wavelengths in response to light, hence producing brighter and richer colours in response to a TV’s backlight.

QLED screens, which were first made famous by Samsung, are a significant advancement over conventional LCD panels because they produce brighter images with a wider colour spectrum. Additionally, the same displays perform better in terms of contrast and HDR when combined with a backlight array that features local dimming zones, getting you a little bit closer to the kind of pixel-perfect lighting that comes with more expensive OLED displays.

Although QLED enhancement isn’t available on all TCL TVs, it’s a feature that’s well worth the extra money because it produces a substantially better image.

What is Mini-LED?

The term “mini-LED” describes the kind of LEDs used in TV backlighting. Mini-LEDs, which are about 0.008 inches (200 microns) across, are about one-fifth the size of a typical LED. As a result, the dimming zones that modern TVs use to produce a more dynamic picture and higher contrast are reduced.

Brightness, in addition to colour and contrast, has a significant impact on how well a TV displays images. Smaller LEDs are confined to a small number of pixels rather than an entire backlighting zone covering many square inches of a screen. This allows for more precise lighting management, preventing haloing and improving brightness where it’s needed.

TCL debuted the first mini-LED TV back in 2019, and other manufacturers began to copy the design in 2021. (See our piece, Year of the mini-LED TV: Samsung, LG, and TCL receiving this massive improvement, for additional information.)

We think it’s one of the best advancements in TVs lately, therefore if your budget would allow it, we highly suggest getting a Mini-LED screen.

How to choose the best TCL TV for you

Customers can purchase any TCL TV available on the market with confidence. Despite being a relatively young player in the TV industry in North America, TCL has established a solid reputation for providing high-quality TVs that outperform its competitors in terms of functionality, picture quality, and cost.

However, the distinct features and functionalities that set each model in the TCL lineup apart from the others also make it simple to understand not just what makes one model superior to another, but also how those distinctions affect the price-to-value ratio that each set provides.

Ultimately, a TCL TV offers an excellent viewing experience at an affordable price; the only true decision is which features you’re willing to forgo. As seen by our tests and evaluations, every model offers excellent quality at an affordable price.

See our selections for the top TVs in each category if you’re still having trouble focussing your search for a new television by brand, price range, or screen size.