TCL is well known for its affordable larger-screen TVs and currently offers a number of models in the 98-inch screen range that seem to be flying off store shelves due to their affordable prices; which is bad news for the competition in the TV space and also UST category.
TCL is showing its new QM6K TV Series, at the 2025 CES. Designed with the most advanced technologies by TCL for its QLED TV platform, it is putting Samsung, LG, Hisense, and others on notice that they are Tier 1 player in the TV market across all screen sizes, but especially in the 85-inch and higher model category.
The first salvo from TCL’s 2025 QD-Mini LED TVs designed for increased immersion and experiences in cinema, sports, and gaming is the QM6K.
From Chris Hamdorf, Executive Vice President, TCL North America: “I’m proud to say that TCL secured its position as the top 2 best-selling TV brand for the sixth consecutive year and just received a 2025 Circana Consumer Electronics Performance Award for Top Increase in TV Market Share in North America. On the heels of such a successful year, 2025 will take us to new heights as a dominant player in the CE industry, continuously changing the game with TCL’s groundbreaking innovation,…TCL will be doubling down on QLED, QD-Mini LED, and XXL screen sizes, as we deliver even more premium options that meet consumer demand while still providing the unmatched value and quality we’re known for.”
In 2024, TCL debuted its QM8 flagship series QD-Mini LED TVs which we found very impressive both in performance and price. Combining Quantum Dots and MiniLED backlight technology with added support from advanced video processing, TCL is pushing the limits of the image quality of an LCD-based TV.
TCL introduced the first TV to use MiniLED backlight technology in 2016, and it has upped the game considerably since that time with more precision and added Quantum Dot color capability to the mix.
These advancements is the result of the efforts of TCL’s Pangu Lab, which is the world’s first full-process MiniLED development center and the only one of its kind in China.
However, TCL’s Pangu Lab hasn’t stopped with the improvements that resulted in the performance of the QM8 model line. TCL claims that the Pangu Lab has made significant year-over-year advancements in QD-Mini LED picture quality, and for 2025, they are being implemented in select TCL TVs, such as the QM6K being shown at the 2025 CES.
Let’s take a closer look.
For select TCL 2025 TVs, Pangu Lab has developed a new Super High Energy LED Chip which increases brightness output by more than 53%, while also increasing light efficiency by 10%. To control this increased brightness, Pangu Lab developed the Condensed Micro Lens, which is an upgraded version of the 2024 UWA Dual Arch Lens.
A redesigned backlight system (labeled Micro OD) has been developed to further reduce optical distance, or OD, between the backlight and diffuser plate. By shortening that distance, the halo effect (aka Blooming) common on LCD-based TVs is minimized as much as possible so that the TV will display clear, sharp edges, even between the brightest white and darkest black. TCL claims that this results in an 86% improvement in backlight uniformity, and a 67% improvement in blooming control.
TCL’s enhanced QD-Mini LED backlight technology works in conjunction with a high-contrast CSOT HVA Panel. This LCD panel blocks out more of the light when the LCD closes displaying deeper blacks. This supports up to 7,000:1 static contrast, which is up to 5X better than what is being marketed by its competition.
In addition to improved backlight technology, TCL has incorporated Quantum Dot Technology, but with more vibrant Quantum Crystals than previously used. This enables the TV to display over one billion colors, with up to 98%+ of DCI-P3 color gamut, providing 100,000 high-quality viewing hours. A new Color Optimization Algorithm has also been implemented to get the most out of the TV’s color display capabilities.
Because fine signal processing is crucial for creating premium picture quality, TCL is adding several new processing advancements for 2025.
- Zero Delay Transient Response: This reduces lag substantially between the input signal and backlight response. This feature supports higher peak brightness without any after-image.
- Bi-directional 23-bit Backlight Controller: This allows precise control granular control of over 65,000 levels of brightness for each LED in the Mini LED backlight panel.
- Dynamic Light Algorithm: This technology intelligently optimizes the incoming video signal so that SDR signals render at near HDR level, for consistently great picture quality, regardless of the content metadata.
All of the above hardware and processing advancements combine to create the new TCL Halo Control Technology Suite.
From Scott Ramirez, VP, of Product Marketing and Development, Home Theater: “When it comes to Mini LED, no other brand is as completely vertically integrated as TCL. For 2025, we will fully leverage our extensive hardware and processing expertise to create a truly next-gen QD-Mini LED system,…Every aspect of TCL’s new Halo Control Technology Suite has been carefully created and curated to provide stunning picture quality, and our first QM6K Series will now redefine the term affordable premium.”
Powered by the Halo Control Technology Suite, TCL is launching its Precise Dimming Series TVs. The first (and flagship) model in the Precise Dimming series is the QM6K, for which TCL touts the following features and capabilities:
- Display Technologies: High Contrast HVA Panel augmented with Higher Peak Brightness and improved anti-glare/anti-reflection, Enhanced QLED, Precise Dimming (up to LD500)
- Video Processing: TCL AiPQ Pro Processor
- HDR Support: Dolby Vision IQ, HDR10+, HDR10, HLG, DLA, and Dolby Vision Filmmaker Mode
- Surround Sound Support: Dolby Atmos, DTS Virtual:X, IMAX Enhanced
- Gaming Support: 144Hz Native Refresh Rate, Game Accelerator 288 VRR, AMD FreeSync Certified.
- Smart OS: Google TV
- Control Features: Hands-Free Voice Control, Sleep Sounds Mode
- Built-in Audio: Onkyo 2.1 Speaker System (40 watts total output)
- Cabinet Design: Slimmer FullView 360 Bezel-less Design than previous models.
The Bottom Line
TCL is making its mark in two areas – they have successfully penetrated the TV market with extra large screen TVs (85 inches and up) at crazy low prices, and have been successfully narrowing the gap between LCD and OLED-based TVs by improving the ability of LCD-based TVs to produce deeper blacks and reducing halo effects around bright objects against dark backgrounds, which has been a consistent weakness of LCD-based TVs. It looks like TCL’s efforts will be paying off even more in 2025 with the QM6K series.
The significance of this progress should not be underestimated and even though LG’s latest OLED and Samsung’s QD-OLED technology support the display of absolute black without halo effects, when you take the price equation into consideration, most consumers don’t really notice the difference. In other words, LG, who is heavily invested in its OLED TV products (Samsung less so) that seem to carry higher price tags, should be worried.
Now, if TCL could solve the LCD-based TV narrow effective viewing angle issue, they may be able to seal the deal against OLED. Working towards that goal TCL claims that their 2025 QD-MiniLED TVs will have a wider viewing angle than previous models.
Pricing & Availability
TCL’s QM6K Series will be available in the following screen sizes and prices (MSRP):
- 50-inches – $749.99
- 55-inches – $799.99
- 65-inches – $999.99
- 75-inches – $1,299.99
- 85-inches – $1,999.99
- 98-inches – $3,499.99
The TCL QM6K is available for pre-order at TCL.com and the 65, 75, and 85-inch models include a free TCL Q75H 5.1.2 channel sound bar ($599 value).
NOTE: There are more TCL Precise Dimming Series TVs to be released during 2025 as part of TCL’s effort to dominate the Mini-LEDTV category with high-performance sets and attractive price points. All TVs in the lineup are 4K UHD TVs.
Related Reading
- TCL Enters the Video Projector Market with the Portable A1
- TCL Just Bought LG’s LED/LCD TV Plant in China for $1.5 Billion
- TCL Takes On Hisense and Samsung with NXTFRAME TVs That Incorporate Audio by Bang & Olufsen
- Bang & Olufsen Partners with TCL for Premium Sound on TCL TVs
