TCL’s new SQD mini-LED TVs finally have a price in the UK and I’d be very tempted to choose one over an LG OLED when the value is so good – we’ve already tested the technology and it’s impressive

TCL’s SQD mini LED TVs get UK prices ranging from £1,099 to £3,999
Sizes from 55 inches to 98 inches
We are impressed with the technology in our first review

TCL’s C8L premium TV and its C7L mid-range TV have been launched in the UK and are very competitive with the LG C-series OLED TVs.

The TVs use mini-LED with TCL’s new Super Quantum Dot (SQD) technology, with sizes ranging from 55 inches to 98 inches. Prices are very aggressive, with the cheapest model coming in at just £1,099 and the range-topper a still reasonable £3,999.

We haven’t tested the UK-focused TCL C8L TV yet. But we’ve spent weeks testing the same technology in the US-focused TCL QM8L TV, and we’re very impressed. It delivers a bright picture, minimizes the light blooming effect of LCD screens in high-contrast scenes and comes with effective hands-free voice control.

Why we are tempted by these TVs in the run-up to the World Cup

Many people will be considering buying a new TV for the World Cup, and the excellent performance of the LG C6 OLED TV will mean it’s likely to be high on people’s lists as an option – but TechRadar’s TV team has discussed it, and we think that for many people the TCL models will be a more tempting proposition.

It is clear that the panel technology is very different, with TCL going for mini-LED rather than LG’s OLED. This means that the TCL is very bright even when backlit, where the LG is self-emitting.

This usually means a dramatic difference in contrast levels compared to the inky blacks of OLED, but in our review of the TCL QM8L (equivalent to the TCL C8L in the UK) we were very impressed with how well it controlled backlight blooming. In fact, we thought it was a pretty strong contender for our best TVs of 2026 lineup.

The C7L model has up to 2,176 precise dimming zones and the C8L up to 4,032, and the two series come with HDR10+, Dolby VIsion HQ and IMAX Enhanced viewing. Sound from Bang og Olufsen delivers a 2.1 channel across the range with Atmos support.

We were also impressed by the color gamut offered in the SQD technology, which is now able to hit the same kind of coverage of the DCI-P3 HDR color gamut that OLED TVs can.

And brightness is an important factor – the QM8L is capable of 760 nits of full-screen brightness, which will really help it overcome reflections if you’re viewing in the daytime. In comparison, the LG C6 hits 245 nits. Yes, TCL can be three times brighter – you’ll really see that difference in practice.

And then it’s all balanced with what screen size you can get for the price, because people are increasingly looking to buy bigger TVs.

The suggested retail prices for the TCL C7L, TCL C8L and LG C6 are:

Swipe to scroll horizontally

UK TCL and LG C6 price comparison
Size	TCL C7L	TCL C8L	LG C6
42 inches	REACH	REACH	£1,299
48 inches	REACH	REACH	£1,399
55 inches	£1,099	£1,199	£1,799
65 inches	£1,299	£1,899	£2,599
75/77 inches	£1,699	£2,299	£3,599 (as C6H)
85/88 inches	£2,299	£2,999	£4,799 (as C6H)
98 inches	£3,299	£3,999	REACH

LG’s range includes two smaller sizes, but comparing like-for-like, you’re looking at £1,799 for a 55-inch C6 and just £1,199 for the same-sized TCL C8L, before the inevitable retail discount kicks in.

That’s a lot of money, and if you’ve been thinking about getting a big TV in time for the World Cup, it means you can get a much bigger and even brighter TV from TCL than you could with an LG OLED: the same £1,799 for 55-inch LG would get you a 75-inch TCL C7L with money to spare.

There are plenty of reasons to still choose the LG OLED: we prefer its smart TV software to the Google TV used on the TCL, and the contrast of the OLED is ultimately better, especially for motion pictures.

But TCL’s technology took a step up this year, and the two are on par in so many ways, including having four HDMI 2.1 ports for gaming. And at these prices, we think many people will be tempted to get a bigger TV for the same price.

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