This Tcl Mini Led Tv Remains One Of My Top Picks, Even As Last Year's Model

ZDNET's cardinal takeaways

• The TCL QM8 (2024) features rich | colors and searing brightness.
• It has enhanced audio complete 2023's model, while still being easy to group up and navigate.
• The viewing angles are somewhat limited, but this high-quality TV still deserves an Editor's Choice award.

As past year's top-of-the-line offering, TCL's 2024 flagship TV, nan QM8, promised to beryllium a notable upgrade from nan 2023 version. I spent immoderate clip pinch it complete nan past period to spot what nan hype was about.

The first pleasant astonishment I encountered was really TCL made it very easy to unbox nan 65-inch exemplary we had sent to nan ZDNET lab. With a azygous portion of cardboard connected nan bottommost of 1 broadside of nan box, nan apical lifted disconnected to liberate nan TV for setup. 

Also: The TCL Mini LED TV I urge to astir group is up to $800 disconnected astatine Best Buy

While this is ace convenient, handling nan TV and attaching its guidelines base -- arsenic pinch immoderate different ample TV -- is champion executed arsenic a two-person job. By nan way, nan 65-inch is nan smallest of nan QM851G series, pinch an astounding 115-inch astatine nan precocious extremity of nan standard (which appropriately comes pinch an astounding value tag.)

One notable alteration compared to nan 2023 exemplary is that nan newer QM8 has a azygous cardinal level for its guidelines alternatively of 2 abstracted feet. This assemblage equates to a sturdy portion pinch plentifulness of stableness and allows nan TV to beryllium connected a java array aliases media guidelines little than nan screen's full width.

Also: I've been reviewing TVs for 10 years and these are nan champion of 2025

Powered off, nan QM8 looks for illustration a sleek, achromatic rectangle pinch virtually nary bezel surrounding its 57 x 32.5-inch frame. The slim sides of nan portion person a brushed gunmetal decorativeness -- giving it a subtle and elegant appearance. You'd usually person to salary a fraction much of nan value to get thing of a akin definition.

The unit's distant feels comfortable to clasp astatine a alternatively constrictive 1.25 inches wide. The keys are afloat backlit and see a mic fastener for sound commands via Google. It besides features shortcut buttons for Netflix, Prime Video, YouTube, Apple TV, Pluto, and, of course, TCL+tv. Naturally, these are nan default apps appearing connected nan location page of nan TV's interface. I recovered it funny that nan TCL+tv app appeared doubly successful nan database of disposable apps (instead of Apple TV aliases Pluto) -- but it is simply a TCL television, aft all.

Knowing very fewer group publication nan instructions for utilizing a TV, I grabbed nan distant and gave it an "intuition test" to spot really quickly I could link to nan net and get started. The QM8's personification interface is cleanable and straightforward, and it runs connected nan Google TV platform, an operating strategy that leans much minimal than feature-rich -- a bully thing, successful my book. Overall, getting started was a reasonably breezy process.

Also: How to clear your TV cache (and why it makes specified a large difference)

Okay, I'll get to nan portion astir capacity and image quality.

The QM8 is simply a QLED TV pinch mini-LED backlighting, meaning it's moreover brighter than astir OLED models. In fact, nan QM8 boasts up to 5,000 nits highest brightness, which is importantly higher than astir of TCL's competitors successful nan aforesaid value range. Many high-end TVs, including different mini-LED models, typically max retired astatine astir 2,000 nits.

Mini-LED TVs usage an array of LEDs to create precise dimming zones, and pinch up to 5,000 section dimming zones, nan QM8 offers superior opposition control. This precocious number of zones allows for much precise backlight modulation and deeper blacks.

Adam Breeden/ZDNET

The QM8's different precocious technologies, for illustration Quantum Dot colour enhancement and Dolby Vision IQ, consequence successful exceptional image quality, precocious contrast, and vivid colors, arsenic proven by our laboratory tests. Ultra-high meaning 4K solution helps, arsenic does its HDR10+ support, which yields a wider scope of colors and brightness levels than nan modular move range. As a boost complete nan 2023 model, nan QM8 comes pinch an upgraded processor (the AiPQ Pro), which leverages instrumentality learning to activate AI-based enhancements specified arsenic AI Clarity and AI Motion.

Positioning myself off-center, however, I recovered nan TV's viewing angles comparatively narrow, degrading nan image value successful position of colour accuracy and contrast. This is simply a insignificant complaint, but thing to see successful mounting up your seating arrangement.

Also: I tested Amazon's Mini LED Fire TV, and it competes pinch much costly Samsung and LG models

The QM8's sheet has an ample magnitude of relationship options, including 4 HDMI 2.1 ports, 2 of which support 4K 120Hz pass-through, FreeSync Premium Pro, and 144Hz VRR. Additionally, location are 3 USB ports and a 3.5mm audio output for connecting headphones.

Other 3.5mm larboard options see a composite video, stereo audio input, and optical integer audio output. It has an ATSC 3.0 tuner jack (in lawsuit nan grid collapses?), but you'll mostly trust connected its Wi-Fi 6 for zippy connectivity. The QM8 besides has an Ethernet port, covering nan bases for those who for illustration wired internet.

Adam Breeden/ZDNET

For gamers, nan QM8 has immoderate charismatic features. It supports up to 144Hz adaptable refresh complaint astatine 4K resolution, which I've recovered very enjoyable erstwhile hooking a PlayStation 5 up pinch nan TV. But it besides has a "Game Accelerator 240" characteristic that tin make gameplay seamless astatine 240Hz VRR -- astatine nan costs of gaming astatine half solution 1080p. No less, mixed pinch nan inherent brightness and opposition successful this model, nan gaming acquisition is secretly 1 of nan QM8's champion assets.

Also: OLED vs. QLED TV: Which sheet type is champion suited for your home?

The QM8's Onkyo-designed speaker strategy has an 80-watt, 2.1.2-channel configuration -- a notable betterment from nan 2023 model, which had comparatively puny 20-watt, 2.1-channel speakers. The caller exemplary includes 2 up-firing Dolby Atmos speakers positioned connected nan near and correct sides of nan frame. In summation to Dolby Atmos and DTS Virtual:X, nan audio value is certified arsenic IMAX Enhanced.

Watching aged episodes of Lost, I recovered nan QM8's sound crisp and bold. What I admit astir is nan TV's car measurement control, which levels retired abrupt decibel boosts for illustration explosions, particularly pesky commercials.

ZDNET's buying advice

Going for nether $1,000 astatine nan clip of this writing, nan TCL QM8 offers crazy worth for its size and assortment of features. Comparable models from nan likes of Sony could beryllium priced doubly arsenic much.

If you prioritize brightness, contrast, and high-level gaming, nan QM8, astatine immoderate size, is simply a coagulated finance for nan cost. Just make judge you tin position nan TV (and yourself) good capable to get nan best, centered viewing perspective and, hopefully, person a helping manus erstwhile first unboxing nan set.