Today, TCL announced pricing and accessibility for its new QM8K series Mini-LED TVs. The latest models replace last year’s flagship TCL QM851G, one of the best TVS Pakinomist tested in 2024, and gives “up to 35% more attenuating zones and up to 65% higher tip brightness” than the Mid-range TCL QM7K series, according to the company.
The new TVs will be sold in 65 to 98-inch screen sizes, with the 65- and 85-inch models available now, and the 75 and 98-inch models arrive next month. Prices for the QM8K series are as follows:
- 65-inch QM8K: $ 2,299.99
- 75-inch QM8K: $ 2,999.99
- 85-inch QM8K: $ 3,799.99
- 98-inch QM8K: $ 6,499.99
A key feature in the QM8K series is TCL’s new Crystglow Whva panel with zero orders. This new panel design boasts an anti-reflective coating to reduce screen blasting along with an ultraicon point of view that TCL claims “practically eliminates color change, with a 40% wider color view angle” than last year’s QM851G series.
Zero orders refer to the vanishingly narrow 3-4 mm width between the TV’s edge and the Display in the QM8K series, a design feature that TCL obtained using an aluminum mold for aluminum alloy and anodized ceramic film to stabilize the display panel.
Another QM8K feature is TCLS Halo Control System. This uses a new “Super High Energy” LED chip along with a “super-condensed” microline, 23-bit backlight control and a dynamic light algorithm to improve color accuracy and reduce mini-joint backlighting “Halo” artifacts. Help in this regard is the increased number of backlight local damping zones in the QM8K series with up to 3,500 in the 98-inch model.
TCL QM8K series -TVs have a 144Hz native update frequency and freesync premium pro for games. They support both Dolby Vision and HDR10+ High Dynamic Range formats and contain sound from Bang & Olufsen, with performed drivers on the TV to deliver Dolby Atmos and DTS Virtual: X Sound.
Google TV is used in the QM8K series as a smart TV platform, and it has an improved GUI, hands-free voice control and an art mode with AI art. QM8K series TVs also have a built-in ATSC 3.0 tuner for NextGen TV shows.
Ultra-wide view angle: A welcome addition
One of the biggest weaknesses of mini-led and ordinary LED TVs is uniform uniformity. This essentially means that both image contrast and colors change when watching the TV from off-center seats, so that a viewer sitting somewhere other than directly in front of the screen experiences reduced image quality.
When I underwent TCL QM851G, I found that its image quality was generally great with a head exception: uniformity without axis. To quote from the review, QM851G’s “colors and contrast were both diminished when you looked from far off the center.” This was the main reason why I gave it a 4.5 instead of a 5-star rating for image quality, and it was the one point that held it back from getting a full endorsement as a recommended TV for sports view.
The best OLED TVs do not suffer from the same off-axis uniformity questions, and some of the best mini-LED TVs also implement features to expand the viewing angle. TCLS specifications for QM8K indicate that it will have a 40% wider point of view, so I’m hopeful that this new model will provide a huge improvement when it comes to off-center view.
Techradar will soon review TCL QM8K, so we have more to say about the case very soon.
