Latest news with #TCLQM8K
Digital Trends
5 days ago
- Digital Trends
TCL QM8K review: the TV to beat in 2025
TCL QM8K MSRP $2,499.00 Score Details 'TCL's new premium flagship is the TV to beat this year' Pros Top of class HDR brightness Outstanding color accuracy Impressive built-in audio Cons Reflective screen 'Why you can trust Digital Trends – We have a 20-year history of testing, reviewing, and rating products, services and apps to help you make a sound buying decision. Find out more about how we test and score products.' Earlier this year, TCL held a briefing to show off its new premium flagship QD-MiniLED unit, the QM8K. As the TCL team walked me through the most exciting features of the new model, it became clear that the Chinese brand is gunning for the high-end TV market like never before. Recommended Videos Everything about the QM8K is designed to compete with the largest players in the game, and the executives spoke of their mission to aggressively grow market share in the premium segment. We were impressed by the TCL QM7K released earlier this year, but the QM8K is a step above in every way as TCL attempts to produce one of the best tvs around. TCL QM8K specs Sizes 65, 75, 85, and 98 inches Pricing $2,499.99, $3,199.99, $3,799.99, and $6,499.99 Display type QD-Mini LED Operating system Google TV Screen resolution 4K Ultra HD (3,840 x 2,160) HDR support Dolby Vision, Dolby Vision Gaming, Dolby Vision IQ, HDR 10+, HDR10, HLG Native refresh rate 144Hz Gaming features Auto Game Mode (ALLM), AMD FreeSync Premium Pro, Game Accelerator 288, VRR (up to 144Hz) Audio support Dolby Atmos, Dolby Digital+, Dolby Digital, DTS: Virtual X (Passthrough Dolby Atmos, Dolby Digital+, Dolby Digital, PCM) Connectivity 4 HDMI (1x eARC), USB 3.0, USB 2.0, Ethernet (LAN), S/PDIF, ATSC 3.0 Tuner A premium build that sheds TCL's budget reputation The QM8K adopts a new ZeroBorder design that lends a premium aesthetic and an almost edgeless appearance when viewed from a normal viewing distance. The combined width of the bezel and border comes in at an impressive 3-4mm. Contributing to the premium build is the QM8K's single-piece aerospace-grade aluminum alloy mold, which lends more rigidity to the body of the TV than plastic-heavy molds like those common in cheaper models. Much of the rear trim of the QM8K is still plastic, however, which helps keep the total weight of the 85″ unit we tested to a reasonable 85 pounds. The cheaper QM7K shipped with a plastic stand that felt a bit flimsy during setup, while the QM8K comes with a metal stand instead. Full transparency here: due to a shipping error, the QM8K we tested came without the new stand, so pictured is the QM8K installed on the QM7K's plastic stand. A check of the specs shows that the 'metal' stand weighs just 1.15 pounds more than the plastic one, so the QM8K stand is likely still a plastic or composite core with metal accenting. Even the remote got an upgrade for the QM8K, sporting a metallic-accent front plate. The button presses are crisp—almost 'clickier' than on the QM7K. Backlighting on the buttons when you pick up the remote ensures it won't get lost in the couch cushions at night. Impressive built-in audio on the QM8K Built-in TV speakers don't often provide audio quality that is all that compelling. I mostly find them to function as a stopgap until you can get a soundbar or speaker system set up. But I have to say, I was truly impressed with the Bang & Olufsen setup on the QM8K. The 85W system provides plenty of power, and I experienced zero distortion when bumping up the volume. Loud action scenes were exceedingly crisp, and dialogue was always clear and intelligible. Near reference color accuracy right out of the box TCL's Filmmaker Mode in SDR offers stunning color accuracy straight from the factory. Right out of the box with zero adjustments it posted an average Delta E of 0.23 (with a max error of 0.94), well below the 'visible' 1.0 threshold. This means a full calibration isn't even necessary for most users. I measured a white-point error of 1.33 against a 6,000 K target, with the meter reading 5,988 K which is still excellent for a preset without any further calibration. Gamut coverage was excellent in Filmmaker Mode, covering over 99% of sRGB, and 83.2 percent of Adobe RGB. The 'Standard Mode' SDR preset on the other hand is a hot mess. Average Delta E leaps to 4.65 (peaks at 7.33) and the white-point shifts to an icy 7,945 K. Colors look blown out, skin tones skew blue and overall accuracy collapses, so swap to Filmmaker Mode immediately. Gamma tracks the 2.2 curve cleanly and the gray balance stays tight across the range, so Filmmaker Mode preserves shadow detail and highlight detail exceptionally well. I measured a native contrast ratio in SDR of 6,470 : 1, which contributes to the gorgeous picture on the QM8K. Overall the top-notch tone mapping, hyper accurate color, and fantastic contrast make this one of the best looking TV's I've ever tested. Performance in HDR was equally impressive, thanks to Dolby Vision modes and a substantial boost in contrast ratio. Bright is an understatement The brightness on the QM8K is nothing short of spectacular. The 85″ model we tested advertises a peak of 5,000 nits in HDR, which places it firmly among the brightest TVs on the market. I have to include a bit of a disclaimer here when it comes to testing brightness on the QM8K. I'm currently working with a Calibrite Display Pro HL, which is a wonderful little piece of machinery. However, it's only rated for brightness readings up to 3,000 nits, meaning that past that point, the sensor gets totally saturated and readings become less accurate. During testing, I was able to consistently achieve peak brightness readings of around 4,500 to 4,600 nits in a 4% window on my device, and because of the way these sensors respond to brightness levels beyond their max, it's likely that the reading is inaccurate on the low side. This makes it completely believable that the panel on the QM8K could achieve 5,000 nits under perfect testing conditions. For peak brightness in HDR while watching actual content, I tested a few different scenes and found that peak brightness readings averaged about 1,400 nits in the brightest spots. My gripe with reflections While the brightness of the QM8K impresses, the reflectivity of the screen was fairly high. The setup in my home has some windows facing the screen from across the room. While I understand these are bound to cause reflections when the sun is pouring in, I wasn't expecting that I would still see them even in the late evening hours with a setting sun and the blinds closed. Even a fairly dim lamp that usually sits in the dining room behind me has to be kept off to avoid reflections. Overall brightness in the room is not an issue, as the QM8K can more than hold its own in a sunlit room. But direct light sources throw substantial reflections. Outro The QM8K is TCL's boldest attempt yet at capturing market share in the premium TV segment and represents a leap forward in both technology and performance over previous models. TCL is coming for everyone's lunch and will compete on price in a way only TCL can. The 85″ model we tested retails for $3,799, and look for that price to come down as we get farther from launch and into the holiday season. QLED Mini-LED TVs are coming after OLED with a vengeance, offering higher brightness, excellent color accuracy, and continuing to push the boundaries on contrast ratios for LED panels. Last year, we were really impressed with the Sony Bravia 9, which was an excellent example of this overall trend. However, the Bravia 9 is not as bright or color accurate out of the box as the QM8K, and the 85″ version still retails for a cool $1,000 more than the QM8K. TCL's new premium flagship will be the TV to beat this year.
Tom's Guide
06-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Tom's Guide
TCL finally added this key feature to its 2025 TVs — here's why you should use it
If you're a stickler for preserving the creator's intent when watching movies and shows at home, this news is for you: TCL has finally added the popular FIlmmaker picture mode to its latest TV lineup. Previously, TCL had been one of the last remaining holdouts to incorporate Filmmaker mode among the biggest TV brands in the industry. For several years, Filmmaker mode has been a common feature among the best TVs on the market. Now, TCL is finally in the fold. As a TV expert, I not only use it everyday when evaluating TVs in my day-to-day duties at Tom's Guide, I also use it when watching flicks at home. In fact, I love Filmmaker mode so much that I recommend it to folks whenever I get the chance. Making its debut in 2019, Filmmaker mode is the brainchild of the UHD Alliance — a group of TV manufacturers and Hollywood studios — along with some of the biggest names in filmmaking, including Patty Jenkins and Christopher Nolan. The goal was (and still is) to bring the cinema experience into the living room by offering a TV picture mode that adheres as close as possible to the reference standards used by Hollywood in the production of shows and movies. In other words, Filmmaker mode ensures that your TV is delivering a picture that falls in line with the creators' intent as much as possible. It achieves this by fixing the TV's white point to the industry standard, disabling motion smoothing and reining in the TV's color saturation. Get instant access to breaking news, the hottest reviews, great deals and helpful tips. As a TV-reviewer and a film buff, I've been an avid user of Filmmaker mode since its inception. As a TV-reviewer and a film buff, I've been an avid user of Filmmaker mode since its inception. Comparable picture modes — like Movie, Cinema, and Theater — often adhere quite close to Hollywood reference standards, but brands frequently enable various picture processing enhancements (like motion smoothing) for these modes, too. Filmmaker mode is stricter in its approach. Compared to over-processed, over-sharpened and oversaturated picture modes like Vivid (a picture mode you should avoid at all costs), Filmmaker mode is a breath of fresh air. In action, Filmmaker mode's impressiveness ultimately comes down to the overall performance of your TV. That said, regardless of the price and performance of your set, there's a good chance that Filmmaker mode will be the most accurate picture mode available to you. In fact, because it's so accurate, Tom's Guide runs several picture-related tests in Filmmaker mode for every TV review we publish. This ensures that we're reaching a valuable conclusion about a TV's ability to produce an accurate picture. At the time of publishing, Filmmaker mode is a confirmed feature across all of the models in TCL's 2025 main TV lineup. This includes the recently announced TCL QM8K, the brand's flagship Mini-LED TV this year (and a follow-up to the superb TCL QM8). The QM8K also arrives with a special Bang & Olufsen sound system and a new 'Precise Dimming' feature for better backlight control, so Filmmaker mode should add to an already-cinematic can also be found on the fantastic QM7K, a mid-range TV that just got way more affordable thanks to a recent discount. In our TCL QM7K review, Matthew Murray made note of how impressive 'Mission: Impossible—Dead Reckoning' and 'Deadpool & Wolverine' look on the QM7K in Filmmaker mode. Take Filmmaker mode out for a test drive on the all-new TCL QM7K, the brand's budget-friendly, mid-range Mini-LED TV for 2025. The QM7K cracks an impressive 1,700 nits of brightness in HDR, pairing these searing highlights with impressive backlight control. When you're done with movie night, switch over to the QM7K's dedicated game mode for smooth gameplay up to 4K/144Hz. Filmmaker mode can also be found on the brand's entry-level Mini-LED for 2025, the TCL QM6K. Given its performance profile, this set benefits greatly from Filmmaker mode's careful guidance. It doesn't offer the high-level brightness you'll find on the QM7K and the QM8K, but you're getting a lengthy list of features for the price, including Dolby Vision and a handful of gaming enhancements. The entry-level QM6K is on a crash-course with our round-up of the best affordable TVs of 2025. While not as bright, colorful and kitted out as higher-end TCL TVs, you're getting plenty of features for the price, including a 144Hz native refresh rate, quantum-dot color and Dolby Vision support. According to FlatpanelsHD, while TCL has not ruled out the addition of Filmmaker mode to models from 2024, there are currently no plans to add the picture mode to older models. If Filmmaker mode made its way to TVs like the 2024 TCL QM7 and last-year's TCL QM78, the feature would arrive in the form of a firmware update. For now, however, picture purists and all-around A/V enthusiasts will have to stick with the brand's latest offerings, should they want a taste of Filmmaker mode on a TCL-branded TV.
Tom's Guide
28-05-2025
- Tom's Guide
TCL launches QM8K Mini-LED TV with 144Hz refresh rate, Atmos FlexConnect and powerful B&O sound system
TCL has finally announced its flagship Mini-LED TV for 2025 in the QM8K, which takes up a slew of incredible features that make it stand out against the rest. Confusing as it might sound, the QM8K isn't an 8K model, but a 4K LCD TV with a 144Hz refresh rate. It replaces last year's QM851G, sporting a whole new panel, "ZeroBorder" design, and an enhanced audio system made by Bang & Olufsen. You can already scoop one up today in both a 65-inch and 85-inch sizes at participating retailers, starting at $2,499. TCL has gifted the new and improved QM8K Mini-LED TV a fresh new VA panel that purportedly improves upon the dreaded off-axis viewing issues on many such TVs. Even some of the best TVs with Mini-LED backlighting have poor angled viewing, but thanks to its WHVA (Wide Horizontal Viewing Angle) panel that leverages sophisticated subpixels, the QM8K amends these complaints. TCL has also gifted the QM8K a new 'Precise Dimming" Mini-LED system that makes HDR content look superb. The technology essentially enhances contrast and also targets minimal lag between Mini-LED zones, specifically in Game mode. We'll have to get the TCL QM8K in for testing before we can nominate it among the best gaming TVs, but all signs are looking positive. Kitted with a 144Hz refresh rate that can even ramp up to 288Hz in 1080p resolution, it's got some serious spunk that's made all the better with its incredibly thin border. Of all the features you can praise the QM8K for, its bear-bezel-less design is an immediate standout. The screen looks as if it's floating in front of you with a 3-4mm "ZeroBorder" framing that will look fantastic when wall-mounted. Get instant access to breaking news, the hottest reviews, great deals and helpful tips. If you thought the design and base specs of this new Mini-LED TV were enough, there's more to love. TCL has partnered with Bang & Olufsen to design a punchy sound system that fills the room using up-firing speakers with Dolby Atmos support. Speaking of Dolby Atmos, the TCL QM8K is the first TV to come equipped with a new FlexConnect feature that aims to rid the entertainment setup of pesky wires. You'll be able to seamlessly combine FlexConnect-supported speakers throughout the living room to expert surround sound directly with your TV. You can already buy the TCL QM8K Mini-LED TV today at Best Buy in both the 65-inch and 85-inch models. TCL says the 75-inch and 98-inch models are bound for official debut in June. At $2,499 for its 65-inch set, the TCL QM8K does have a steep asking price, especially in the face of Hisense's rather budget U8QG that's just $1,397 on Amazon at the time of writing.
Yahoo
27-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
TCL Introduces the QM8K Precise Dimming QD-Mini LED TV
The Company's Cutting-Edge Crystglow WHVA Panel with ZeroBorder Sets New Standard for LCD Color Viewing Angle with Virtually Edge-to-Edge Images IRVINE, Calif., May 27, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- TCL®, one of the world's best-selling and leading consumer electronics companies, today announced the latest addition to its 2025 TV lineup - the QM8K. Successor to the award-winning QM851G, the QM8K introduces the company's own CrystGlow WHVA Panel with ZeroBorder. The QM8K will change the way consumers look at TV by combining new panel technology with the picture accuracy of its Halo Control System, stunning HDR impact from up to 35% more dimming zones and up to 65% higher peak brightness than previous series, and Audio by Bang & Olufsen for exceptional sound quality. "At TCL, we are focused on continual improvement and wanted to put pressure on the market, especially in screen sizes over 75-inches, and our Precise Dimming Series does exactly that," said Chris Hamdorf, Executive Vice President, TCL North America. "The QM8K represents the culmination of TCL's commitment to R&D and its performance delivers market-leading QD-Mini LED television technology, with a thin and elegant design that is worthy of its premium designation." Premium Design with Unmatched Performance Enhancing its next gen QD-Mini LED technology, the TCL QM8K is the first Precise Dimming Series model to incorporate the new CrystGlow WHVA Panel with ZeroBorder. The high contrast anti-reflective panel now offers an ultra-wide viewing angle that virtually eliminates color shift with a 40% wider color viewing angle than its predecessor, while ZeroBorder revolutionizes TV panel design. The combined width of a TV's bezel and border makes a significant impact on its visual appearance, and the TCL QM8K reduces that total width to just 3-4mm through special TV and panel materials and design. The QM8K sports a one-piece aerospace-grade aluminum alloy mold for high structural rigidity, anodized ceramic film for enhanced panel stability, and now small-scale LCD panel driver circuitry along the panel edges without creating any panel deformation or light leakage, to create a new fresh, premium look. The Halo Control System yields three key benefits including enhanced color accuracy, enhanced gray scale accuracy, as well as virtually no blooming, for more natural, stunning picture quality. The new system's Super High Energy LED Chip combines high brightness with increased light efficiency while a Super Condensed Micro Lens uses a narrower light path for more precise light control. Additionally, the new TCL Micro OD reduces optical distance between the backlight and diffuser plate, helping avoid light overlap for virtually no blooming or halo effect, to produce clear, sharp edges between bright whites and dark blacks. TCL's enhanced QD-Mini LED backlight technology works in conjunction with a high contrast WHVA Panel to block out more of the light when the LCD closes for a better dark state, providing up to five times better native contrast. Furthermore, enhanced QLED technology combines a new Color Optimization Algorithm with more vibrant Quantum Crystals for significantly improved color accuracy. Critical to achieve premium picture quality, processing also gets an upgrade in the TCL QM8K with Zero-Delay Transient Response for virtually no lag between the input signal and backlight response, preventing after-image blur and maximizing specular highlights. The Halo Control System also adds a Bi-Directional 23-bit Backlight Controller, allowing the finest granular control of over 65,000 levels of brightness for each LED so gray scale accuracy is elevated. In addition, the system includes a Dynamic Light Algorithm (DLA) that intelligently optimizes the incoming video to render SDR signals at near HDR level, for consistently pristine picture quality regardless of the content metadata. TCL has also added Audio by Bang & Olufsen, to match its more accurate picture with exceptional sound quality. Cosmetically, the QM8K is enhanced with a thinner, flatter cabinet design for truly flush wall mounting, and an elegant pedestal stand for those that want to place it on their home theater furniture. "With its unmatched combination of groundbreaking panel technology, enhanced picture accuracy, stunning HDR impact, and super-large TV value, the TCL QM8K is the new 'Ultimate Choice'," said Scott Ramirez, VP, Product Marketing and Development, Home Theater. "Once you see the ZeroBorder panel, you will never look at TV the same way again. Plus, with our new ultra-wide color viewing angle, the perfect seat is now anywhere in the room." TCL's QM8K series replaces the award-winning QM851G from 2024 and offers: Halo Control System – NEW Super High Energy LED Chip, Super Condensed Micro Lens, Micro OD, 23-bit Backlight Controller, Zero-Delay Transient Response, Dynamic Light Algorithm (DLA), High Contrast HVA Panel, Enhanced QLED & NEW Color Optimization Algorithm NEW CrystGlow WHVA Panel with ZeroBorder Anti-Reflective Panel Up to LD3800 Precise Dimming Up to HDR5000 Peak Brightness TCL AiPQ Pro Processor 144Hz Native Panel Refresh Rate Game Accelerator 288, for up to blistering fast 288 VRR NEW Filmmaker Mode Dolby Vision IQ & HDR10+ IMAX Enhanced & AMD FreeSync PP Certifications Audio by Bang & Olufsen, with Up-firing Dolby Atmos Drivers NEW Backlit Remote Dolby Atmos & DTS Virtual:X Hands-Free Voice Control (Far Field) NEW Art Mode, Art Gallery and AI Art Google TV with Enhanced TV GUI Nextgen TV (ATSC 3.0) NEW Thinner, Flatter, Cabinet with height adjustable pedestal stand (65"- 85") The new TCL QM8K is available at Best Buy in a 65" for $2,299.99 MSRP and 85" for $3,799.99 MSRP. Additional sizes including the 75" for $2,999.99 MSRP and an XXL big screen in 98" for $6,499.99 MSRP will be available next month. About TCL TCL Electronics specializes in the research, development and manufacturing of consumer electronics including TVs, mobile phones, audio devices, smart home products and appliances. Combining thoughtful design and innovative technology to inspire greatness, our lineup delivers must-have features and meaningful experiences. As one of the world's largest consumer electronics brands, our vertically integrated supply chain, and state-of-the-art display panel factory help TCL deliver innovation for all. For additional product information, please visit for the full portfolio. TCL is a registered trademark of TCL Corporation. All other trademarks used herein are the property of their respective owners. View original content to download multimedia: SOURCE TCL North America
