TCL has long been an advocate of mini-LED and quantum dot technology in TVs, and the company has been able to bring both features to the attractively priced models. The QM8 series is TCL’s flagship model for 2023, and it’s the only one that follows the previous model to combine mini LED backlighting with a quantum dot layer LCD panel – this time in TVs with a screen size of up to 98 inches.
I recently had a chance to See the new TCL TVs in person, and was also given time to conduct a hands-on test of both the 85-inch QM8 series model and the Q7 tiered TV. While the testing situation was more rushed than I would have liked, I did get a chance to run key image quality assessments, as well as tinker with a few features on the new sets.
While the company’s previous flagship Mini-LED TVs, the TCL Series 6Produced in screen sizes of 55, 65, 75 and 85 inches, the new QM8 series starts from 65 inches and ranges up to 98 inches. (TCL’s current XL series offers 98-inch TVs, but those models lack mini LED backlighting.) The 85-inch model I actually used is $2,799.99, while the 65-inch version is $1,699. All of the QM8 series TVs are available now except for the 98-inch model ($9,999.99), which will arrive later this year.
TCL QM8 series TVs use the Google TV smart platform for broadcasting and voice control. They also have the company’s latest Gen 3 AIPQ processor and support for high dynamic range Dolby Vision IQ and HDR10+. TCL’s QM8 series specifications list peak brightness at 2,000 nits and the number of local dimming zones used for the miniature LED backlighting at over 2,300. They are also the only TCL 2023 TVs to feature an anti-glare screen coating.
With a native 120Hz panel, the QM8 is well-equipped for gaming, although, unlike other photo presets, Game Mode wasn’t finished on the block when I ran the hands-on test. Other gaming features include ALLM, FreeSync Premium Pro, and Game Accelerator 240 for VRR gaming at up to 240Hz (at 1440p resolution).
The 85-inch model I reviewed has a bezel-less design and uses a center-mounted, height-adjustable stand. There are four HDMI inputs (including one with 4K 120Hz support and a second with 4K 144Hz support) and an antenna input for the kit’s ATSC 1.0 digital TV tuner. Dolby Atmos and DTS Virtual:X audio formats are supported, and the TV has a built-in 2 x 10W speaker system with an additional 20W for the subwoofer.
QM8 Series TVs also come with a backlit remote control – a rare convenience in the TV world, even for the most expensive sets.
brighter than before
As I usually do when evaluating a TV under time constraints, I went straight to Spears & Munsil Ultra HD HDR 4K Blu-ray test disc, checked test patterns, and visual montage section. I also used a photometer to make peak brightness measurements.
When viewed directly, our full-screen, white test patterns revealed excellent brightness uniformity, but when I checked the patterns used to evaluate off-axis uniformity, contrast faded and colors appeared less vivid—a typical result with many LCD-based TVs like the QM8 series. The visual montage department showed the QM8 to have only minimal backlighting that blooms on tricky sequences like the Ferris wheel against the night sky. When I watched the disc’s starfield test sequence, I noticed a higher degree of blooming, though it wasn’t consistent across all brightness levels. It’s possible that a set of local dimming settings for the TV could have mitigated this, but due to time constraints, I haven’t been able to fully make up my mind.
Measured on a white window pattern that covers 10 percent of the screen in the default movie mode, the 85-inch UM8 reached a maximum brightness of 1,805 nits. While this is lower than the other top 4K TVs With the mini LED backlight we tested like the Samsung QN95C, it’s still a great result, and it’s close to TCL’s specs for the UM8 series. Watch other montage sequences from Spears and Munsell Tweak, the TV’s high peak brightness made the picture’s highlights pop in a really nice way. Combined with the deep, detailed blacks offered by the set, there was a strong sense of depth in many of the clips I watched.
The UM8 offers separate blur and vibrato adjustments to reduce motion artifacts in movies, and with it I was able to create a custom setting that did just that without adding a “soap opera effect” to the images. Watch a scene from the exciting James Bond movie No time to die As Bond (Daniel Craig) walks through the rugged landscape of the Italian mountains as the camera pans along, the image quality improved significantly when I applied my adjustments, from blurry to completely solid.
To test the performance of the Gen 3 AIPQ processor from the QM8, I saw a scene from Dune Where Paul walks in with Lady Jessica after being questioned by the Reverend Mother. The hazy environment in this sequence was shown with minimal noise; Even on an 85-inch screen, I saw no evidence of banding or over-enhancement. The processor also rendered HDR features in a detailed way, colors looked rich and clean, and deep shadows came out as solid blacks.
At $2,799.99, the TCL QM8 is a great deal for a large screen TV capable of delivering a high level of HDR brightness. Its local dimming handling is also effective, though I’ll need to give both this feature and the others a more thorough workout in a full review in the future. But I walked away from a hands-on test of TCL’s feature-packed mini LED flagship with a positive overall impression.
Considering how much you’d pay for a similarly premium set from a competing TV brand with the same screen size — say Samsung’s $4,499 85-inch QN90C — it looks like TCL has something very special on its hands with the QM8.
Are you shopping for a new big screen TV? See our guide to the best 85-inch TVs to find other options.
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