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TCL QM6K: Two-minute evaluate
Reasonably priced Premium is the modus operandi of the TCL QM6K TV, and it suits that invoice fairly effectively. It presents a handful of options that you simply gained’t discover on funds TVs like Dolby Imaginative and prescient IQ and Dolby Atmos help. And the corporate’s personal Halo Management know-how does an incredible job of minimizing backlight blooming in footage.
Mixed with its reasonably priced value, it ought to rank among the many best TVs for these wanting to string the needle between premium efficiency and worth.
This TCL does have some shortcomings that will paint different, barely dearer TVs as price the additional money. The audio system aren’t all that nice, although only a few TVs have mastered this and you need to get one of many best soundbars regardless. Extra regarding is the truth that the display has some minor vignetting within the corners.
That stated, these points are very small ones that you simply in all probability gained’t even discover when you’re not doing a head-to-head comparability. It principally does the whole lot proper, particularly from an end-user perspective. Its image is vibrant and sharp. It has a speedy 144Hz refresh fee. And it’s straightforward to make use of.
TCL QM6K evaluate: Value and launch date
- Launch date: February 2025
- 50-inch: $749.99
- 55-inch: $799.99
- 65-inch: $999.99
- 75-inch: $1,299.99
- 85-inch: $1,999.99
- 98-inch: $2,999.99
The TCL QM6K sequence is TCL’s first TV launch of 2025 and is just obtainable within the US. The sequence ranges in dimension from 50 to 98 inches.
The 65-inch model I examined retails for $999.99, whereas the opposite fashions vary from $749.99 to $2,999.99. At these costs, the worth of the QM6K sequence is nice, however all sizes are already seeing reductions, with the 65-inch mannequin I examined now promoting for round $800.
TCL QM6K evaluate: Specs
|
Display screen sort: |
mini-LED |
|
Refresh fee: |
As much as 144Hz |
|
HDR help: |
Dolby Imaginative and prescient IQ, HDR10+, HDR10, HLG |
|
Audio help: |
Dolby Atmos, DTS:X |
|
Sensible TV: |
Google TV |
|
HDMI ports: |
4 (2x HDMI 2.1) |
|
Constructed-in tuner: |
ATSC 1.0 |
TCL QM6K evaluate: Benchmark outcomes
TCL QM6K evaluate: Options
- Dolby Imaginative and prescient IQ helps in vibrant rooms
- IMAX Enhanced for IMAX content material
- Arms-free Google voice assistant
There’s fairly a handful of options on provide right here. I’ll contact on issues like HDR, hands-free voice help, Halo Management, and the sport accelerator in different sections, however there’s nonetheless lots to speak about.
Dolby Imaginative and prescient IQ is one thing I at all times respect, however particularly with this TCL because the solely logical place for me to set it up was in a room that will get a variety of ambient gentle. What Dolby Imaginative and prescient IQ does is regulate the brightness of the TV in keeping with the extent of ambient gentle in your room so you may nonetheless see what’s on the display when it’s vibrant, after which dim the image for a extra pleasurable viewing expertise at evening.
Together with the ‘Adaptive Brightness,’ as Dolby Imaginative and prescient IQ known as within the menu, you may toggle a blue gentle filter to reduce eye pressure.
In the identical vein as Dolby Imaginative and prescient IQ is the non-IQ model which adapts the brightness in keeping with the content material on the display, whether or not it’s sports activities, a film, or a online game. The QM6K additionally helps the HDR10+ excessive dynamic vary format.
Whereas there are the standard image mode suspects together with Filmmaker mode, there’s additionally an IMAX Enhanced mode to help IMAX content material on 4K Blu-rays and streaming providers reminiscent of Disney Plus.
TCL QM6K evaluate: Image high quality
- Good colour and distinction
- Superb at eliminating blooming
- Some minor vignetting within the corners
Our TCL QM6K benchmarks cite HDR peak brightness at 559.8 nits (Filmmaker mode) and 695.5 nits (Normal mode). For HDR fullscreen brightness, it measured 476.8 nits (Filmmaker mode) and 594.4 nits (Normal mode). Each of these outcomes are about common for a funds mini-LED TV. For colour gamut protection, the QM6K benchmarked at 94.7% for UHDA P3 and 71.2% for BT.2020, each of that are common outcomes.
In use, the outcomes are extra spectacular, particularly for these upgrading to mini-LED from an older normal LED TV. The QM6K’s brightness can’t fairly outmatch the solar in a brightly lit room, and there are display reflections, so concentrate on that when determining the TV placement. Nonetheless, it’s vibrant sufficient for many functions and the distinction with or with out HDR (this TV helps Dolby Imaginative and prescient IQ, HDR10+, HDR10, and HLG) not solely permits colours to pop but additionally reveals shadow particulars in dimly lit scenes. I used the Disney film Coco as a touchstone for colours and located that they had been clear, distinct, and vibrant.
The QM6K’s 500 native dimming zones permit the backlight to show off fully sufficient that deep blacks mix into the TV’s bezel. On a extra funds TV, black would possibly seem as extra of a darkish grey, however right here it got here throughout as a real, deep black.
On high of that, the QM6K makes use of TCL’s Halo Management know-how in order that vibrant objects on the display gained’t bleed into darkish backgrounds, an impact known as halos or blooming. Generally, I discover proprietary tech to be a gimmick or one thing that makes only a refined distinction. That’s not the case right here. Halo Management know-how performs precisely as marketed.
The QM6K has a local 120Hz refresh fee with as much as 144Hz VRR (Variable Refresh Charge). Between this and the movement blur-related settings within the menu, packages had been persistently fairly easy wanting. As an illustration, the testing of this TV began with a Tremendous Bowl get together by way of YouTube TV. The motion on the sector was clear and strong your complete time. I additionally did a little bit gaming and can focus on that under.
About the one problem I’ve with this TV’s image high quality is that there’s some very minor vignetting within the corners of the display. Now, if I’m it head on, I can’t see it, however go off axis just a bit bit and it’s pretty seen. It’s millimeters of vignetting so that you’ll barely discover it, but it surely’s there.
- Image high quality rating: 4/5
TCL QM6K evaluate: Sound high quality
- Constructed-in 2.1-channel Onkyo speaker system
- Audio is boxy-sounding
- Digital spatial audio help
The sound high quality on the TCL QM6K sadly doesn’t buck the development slim trendy TVs have with poor audio. Its 2.1-channel, 40W Onkyo speaker system is usually good, however its limitations are additionally noticeable.
Highs are clear and have loads of decision and element. Should you’re watching a reside efficiency like a Tiny Desks Live performance on PBS, feels like cymbals and flutes are correctly reproduced. Additionally, dialogue could be very simply understood, even with out the dialogue enhance obtainable within the settings, as there’s a little bit little bit of a mid-range enhance. The mid-range is pretty wealthy and full, although a really noticeable frequency dip makes the whole lot sound boxy and a bit low cost.
The bass is there however is pretty muted. Although there’s a built-in subwoofer, you get just a bit little bit of low-end rumble. The soundstage just isn’t exceptionally vast, being confined to the dimensions of the TV’s display, although the trajectory of sounds is precisely tracked.
Lastly, there’s digital processing for Dolby Atmos and DTS: X. It’s good having these options available because it offers a way of house to any supported content material. However as is usually the case, the sound is restricted by the bodily confines of the audio system and their placement.
- Sound high quality rating: 3.5/5
TCL QM6K evaluate: Design
- Comparatively skinny
- Ports together with two HDMI 2.1 with 144Hz help
- No devoted distant play/pause button
The TCL QM6K sequence is available in a variety of display sizes, so whether or not you need one thing for a smaller(ish) setup or a house theater, there are alternatives.
From the entrance, there’s not a complete lot that units it aside from the competitors. The bezels are skinny sufficient to vanish throughout viewing, besides on the underside the place it’s a little bit thicker. It’s a little bit extra fascinating within the again the place it has a barely sloped form that not solely retains it pretty skinny however permits the 2 raised speaker ports located close to the highest room to breathe. Extra importantly, its ports are located in order that they face on to the facet for straightforward entry.
So far as the ports go, there are 4 HDMI inputs (two HDMI 2.1 with one supporting eARC), an optical digital audio output, Ethernet and RF inputs, in addition to USB 3.0 and USB 2.0.
Navigating the TV is usually completed by means of the distant. A lot of the common suspects (by way of buttons) are right here, from a directional wheel with a button within the heart to settings, enter supply, and sponsored buttons (Netflix, and many others.). There’s additionally a voice button for hands-free utilization that in my testing principally went effectively, although I apparently don’t at all times enunciate as clearly because it needs me to. The one factor I don’t like concerning the distant is that there’s no devoted play/pause button for streaming.
TCL QM6K evaluate: Sensible TV and menus
- Good mixture of beneficial content material on house web page
- Menu diving is simple
- Arms-free voice management
The TCL QM6K makes use of Google TV for a Sensible TV interface, and it’s a deal with to make use of. Whereas I’m used to the Roku or Apple TV means of interfacing – particularly, a grid of app tiles – the Google TV Sensible OS offers a pleasant number of info, and is a much less ad-filled OS than one would get with an Amazon Fireplace TV stick. The menu choices are For You (you might want to sign up along with your Google Account to get tailor-made content material suggestions right here), Apps, TCL ( free content material) plus just a few different alternatives on the left facet whereas the extra utilitarian alternatives reminiscent of Settings are on the best.
Beneath that and taking over the higher half of the display is a rotating carousel of featured content material. Persevering with under are varied rows of content material reminiscent of “beforehand watched,” put in apps, “proceed watching,” style groupings, and a number of other different recommendations. The fascinating factor is that many of the alternatives on the display hyperlink to the precise content material as an alternative of the apps to get to the content material, making issues only a bit extra handy.
After all, not the whole lot goes to pop up on this important web page, so that you’ll nonetheless wish to go digging when you’re like me and like extra esoteric content material. I subscribe to the Criterion Channel, for example, and have but to see any recommendations from that service pop up.
The settings menu, which is built-in into the Google TV Sensible OS, is intuitive. So, regardless of there being a bunch of various settings to play with, from completely different modes, and distinction choices, to presets like Gamma, I by no means acquired misplaced once I was within the menu settings.
Being a Google TV, hands-free voice management is offered. Simply say “Hey Google” to work together with the far-field mic array constructed into the TV when you don’t really feel like messing with the distant.
- Sensible TV & menus rating: 4/5
TCL QM6K evaluate: Gaming
- Quick refresh fee that advantages much more from a recreation accelerator
- Ation at all times appears to be like easy and clear
- Has a devoted settings menu when gaming
Gaming on the TCL QM6K TV is a deal with. It not solely has a 120Hz native refresh fee, however helps as much as 4K 144Hz VRR (with Nvidia G-Sync and AMD FreeSync) and 288Hz at 1080p decision. Our benchmarks present an enter lag (Recreation mode) of 13.1ms, which isn’t the perfect we’ve seen, however in observe didn’t have an effect on the gaming expertise.
When testing the TV, I linked a PlayStation 5 and performed a number of video games together with Uncharted Legacy of Thieves Assortment (the one PS5 recreation I’ve been capable of get to run at 120 fps), Journey 5, and Lifeless Island 2. As I mentioned earlier, the colours are vibrant and the distinction lets pictures pop off the display. Irrespective of how briskly the motion, the gameplay was easy and clear regardless of if I used to be turning the nook on a course or attempting to combat off an amazing horde of zombies.
It helped that once I turned on the PS5, the TV mechanically modified to a Recreation Mode that additionally allowed me to mess with the refresh fee in addition to activate greater distinction settings. There’s additionally a devoted ‘Recreation Grasp’ menu overlay which you could pull up utilizing the distant to alter settings with out exiting the sport. It’s a pleasant characteristic.
TCL QM6K evaluate: Worth
- Punches above its weight by way of worth
- Some comparable fashions with related options
- Higher at eliminating blooming than different funds mini-LED TVs
The TCL QM6K punches above its weight by way of worth. And that’s even earlier than contemplating the value has already dropped from the present $999 for the 65-inch dimension to round $800.
For comparability’s sake, the 65-inch model of the Hisense U7N is priced equally at $999 and has lots of the similar options. It has greater peak and fullscreen brightness but additionally suffers from some backlight blooming – one thing TCL has managed to reduce with the TCL QM6K.
The Roku Pro Series TV suits into an analogous worth class however was launched at a barely greater value of $1,199 for the 65-inch. After all, we’re seeing $400 off on the time of writing, which lets the Professional Collection straight compete with the TCL. This TV additionally comes with a number of the most essential options like Dolby Imaginative and prescient IQ and has higher sound due to a shadow field design that additionally permits for it to take a seat flush on the wall when mounted. Nonetheless, the TCL once more has that Halo Management tech and extra in depth gaming help.
Ought to I purchase the TCL QM6K?
|
Attributes |
Notes |
Score |
|---|---|---|
|
Options |
Function-packed, with Dolby Imaginative and prescient IQ, hands-free management, and 4K 144Hz help |
4.5/5 |
|
Image high quality |
Good distinction with minimal blooming and vibrant colours however slight vignetting within the corners of the display |
4/5 |
|
Sound high quality |
The sound high quality is usually good but additionally considerably boxy |
3.5/5 |
|
Design |
Comparatively skinny with loads of ports; the distant might use a devoted play/pause button |
4/5 |
|
Sensible TV and menus |
Google TV is simple and intuitive to make use of, as are the varied settings menus |
4/5 |
|
Gaming |
Stable gaming options like a recreation accelerator that doubles body charges plus a devoted Recreation menu |
4.5/5 |
|
Worth |
Punches above its weight with all of the options on provide and TCL’s personal Halo Management tech |
4.5/5 |
Purchase it if…
Do not buy it if…
Additionally contemplate…
| Header Cell – Column 0 |
TCL QM6K |
Roku Professional Collection |
Hisense U7N |
Samsung Q60C |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Value (65-inch) |
$999 |
$1,199 |
$999 |
$799 |
|
Display screen sort |
mini-LED |
mini-LED w/ QLED |
mini-LED w/ QLED |
QLED |
|
Refresh fee |
As much as 144Hz |
120Hz |
As much as 144Hz |
60Hz |
|
HDR help |
Dolby Imaginative and prescient IQ/HDR10+/HDR10 |
Dolby Imaginative and prescient IQ/HDR10+/HDR10 |
Dolby Imaginative and prescient IQ/HDR10+/HDR10 |
HDR10+/HDR10 |
|
Sensible TV |
Google TV |
Roku |
Google TV |
Tizen |
|
HDMI ports |
4 (2x HDMI 2.1) |
4 (2x HDMI 2.1) |
4 (2x HDMI 2.1 |
3 x HDMI 2.0 |
How I examined the TCL QM6K
- I used the TCL QM6K TV for a month
- Examined with each TV, motion pictures, music, and video games
- Benchmark measurements carried out by Future US testing lab
I used the TCL QM6K TV commonly for a month, testing it with motion pictures, TV reveals, sports activities occasions and video games. I examined the varied options, reminiscent of Dolby Imaginative and prescient IQ, to see in the event that they work as marketed. I additionally hung out listening to the audio in addition to being attentive to the image high quality.
After spending a while with this TV, it’s clear that it’s meant for extra budget-minded customers trying to improve to a premium expertise however don’t wish to spend fairly what most flagship TVs go for.
I’ve examined a variety of tech gear through the years from laptops to keyboards and audio system, and so have been in a position to make use of my experience in the direction of giving an trustworthy and truthful opinion, to not point out a vital eye, to any product I check.
You’ll be able to learn an in-depth overview of how we test TVs at TechRadar at that hyperlink.