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TCL QM6K: Two-minute review
Affordable Premium is the modus operandi of the TCL QM6K TV, and it fits that bill quite well. It offers a handful of features that you won’t find on budget TVs like Dolby Vision IQ and Dolby Atmos support. And the company’s own Halo Control technology does a great job of minimizing backlight blooming in pictures.
Combined with its affordable price, it should rank among the best TVs for those wanting to thread the needle between premium performance and value.
This TCL does have some shortcomings that may paint other, slightly more expensive TVs as worth the extra cash. The speakers aren’t all that great, though very few TVs have mastered this and you should get one of the best soundbars regardless. More concerning is the fact that the screen has some minor vignetting in the corners.
That said, those issues are very small ones that you probably won’t even notice if you’re not doing a head-to-head comparison. It mostly does everything right, especially from an end-user point of view. Its picture is vibrant and sharp. It has a speedy 144Hz refresh rate. And it’s easy to use.
TCL QM6K review: Price and release date
- Release 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 series is TCL’s first TV release of 2025 and is only available in the US. The series ranges in size from 50 to 98 inches.
The 65-inch version I tested retails for $999.99, while the other models range from $749.99 to $2,999.99. At those prices, the value of the QM6K series is good, but all sizes are already seeing discounts, with the 65-inch model I tested now selling for around $800.
TCL QM6K review: Specs
|
Screen type: |
mini-LED |
|
Refresh rate: |
Up to 144Hz |
|
HDR support: |
Dolby Vision IQ, HDR10+, HDR10, HLG |
|
Audio support: |
Dolby Atmos, DTS:X |
|
Smart TV: |
Google TV |
|
HDMI ports: |
4 (2x HDMI 2.1) |
|
Built-in tuner: |
ATSC 1.0 |
TCL QM6K review: Benchmark results
TCL QM6K review: Features
- Dolby Vision IQ helps in bright rooms
- IMAX Enhanced for IMAX content
- Hands-free Google voice assistant
There’s quite a handful of features on offer here. I’ll touch on things like HDR, hands-free voice support, Halo Control, and the game accelerator in other sections, but there’s still plenty to talk about.
Dolby Vision IQ is something I always appreciate, but especially with this TCL since the only logical place for me to set it up was in a room that gets a lot of ambient light. What Dolby Vision IQ does is adjust the brightness of the TV according to the level of ambient light in your room so you can still see what’s on the screen when it’s bright, and then dim the picture for a more pleasurable viewing experience at night.
Along with the ‘Adaptive Brightness,’ as Dolby Vision IQ is called in the menu, you can toggle a blue light filter to minimize eye strain.
In the same vein as Dolby Vision IQ is the non-IQ version which adapts the brightness according to the content on the screen, whether it’s sports, a movie, or a video game. The QM6K also supports the HDR10+ high dynamic range format.
While there are the usual picture mode suspects including Filmmaker mode, there’s also an IMAX Enhanced mode to support IMAX content on 4K Blu-rays and streaming services such as Disney Plus.
TCL QM6K review: Picture quality
- Good color and contrast
- Very good at eliminating blooming
- Some minor vignetting in the corners
Our TCL QM6K benchmarks cite HDR peak brightness at 559.8 nits (Filmmaker mode) and 695.5 nits (Standard mode). For HDR fullscreen brightness, it measured 476.8 nits (Filmmaker mode) and 594.4 nits (Standard mode). Both of those results are about average for a budget mini-LED TV. For color gamut coverage, the QM6K benchmarked at 94.7% for UHDA P3 and 71.2% for BT.2020, both of which are average results.
In use, the results are more impressive, especially for those upgrading to mini-LED from an older standard LED TV. The QM6K’s brightness can’t quite outmatch the sun in a brightly lit room, and there are screen reflections, so be aware of that when figuring out the TV placement. However, it’s bright enough for most applications and the contrast with or without HDR (this TV supports Dolby Vision IQ, HDR10+, HDR10, and HLG) not only allows colors to pop but also reveals shadow details in dimly lit scenes. I used the Disney movie Coco as a touchstone for colors and found that they were clear, distinct, and vibrant.
The QM6K’s 500 local dimming zones allow the backlight to turn off completely enough that deep blacks blend into the TV’s bezel. On a more budget TV, black might appear as more of a dark gray, but here it came across as a true, deep black.
On top of that, the QM6K utilizes TCL’s Halo Control technology so that bright objects on the screen won’t bleed into dark backgrounds, an effect referred to as halos or blooming. Sometimes, I find proprietary tech to be a gimmick or something that makes just a subtle difference. That’s not the case here. Halo Control technology performs exactly as advertised.
The QM6K has a native 120Hz refresh rate with up to 144Hz VRR (Variable Refresh Rate). Between this and the motion blur-related settings in the menu, programs were consistently pretty smooth looking. For instance, the testing of this TV started with a Super Bowl party via YouTube TV. The action on the field was clear and solid the entire time. I also did a little gaming and will discuss that below.
About the only issue I have with this TV’s picture quality is that there is some very minor vignetting in the corners of the screen. Now, if I’m looking at it head on, I can’t see it, but go off axis just a little bit and it’s fairly visible. It is millimeters of vignetting so you’ll barely notice it, but it’s there.
- Picture quality score: 4/5
TCL QM6K review: Sound quality
- Built-in 2.1-channel Onkyo speaker system
- Audio is boxy-sounding
- Virtual spatial audio support
The sound quality on the TCL QM6K unfortunately doesn’t buck the trend slim modern TVs have with poor audio. Its 2.1-channel, 40W Onkyo speaker system is mostly good, but its limitations are also noticeable.
Highs are clear and have plenty of resolution and detail. If you’re watching a live performance like a Tiny Desks Concert on PBS, sounds like cymbals and flutes are properly reproduced. Also, dialogue is very easily understood, even without the dialogue boost available in the settings, as there’s a little bit of a mid-range boost. The mid-range is fairly rich and full, though a very noticeable frequency dip makes everything sound boxy and a bit cheap.
The bass is there but is fairly muted. Even though there’s a built-in subwoofer, you get just a little bit of low-end rumble. The soundstage is not exceptionally wide, being confined to the size of the TV’s screen, though the trajectory of sounds is accurately tracked.
Lastly, there is virtual processing for Dolby Atmos and DTS: X. It’s nice having these features on hand as it gives a sense of space to any supported content. But as is typically the case, the sound is limited by the physical confines of the speakers and their placement.
- Sound quality score: 3.5/5
TCL QM6K review: Design
- Relatively thin
- Ports including two HDMI 2.1 with 144Hz support
- No dedicated remote play/pause button
The TCL QM6K series comes in a wide range of screen sizes, so whether you want something for a smaller(ish) setup or a home theater, there are options.
From the front, there’s not a whole lot that sets it apart from the competition. The bezels are thin enough to disappear during viewing, except on the bottom where it’s a little thicker. It’s a little more interesting in the back where it has a slightly sloped shape that not only keeps it fairly thin but allows the two raised speaker ports situated near the top room to breathe. More importantly, its ports are situated so they face directly to the side for easy access.
As far as the ports go, there are four HDMI inputs (two HDMI 2.1 with one supporting eARC), an optical digital audio output, Ethernet and RF inputs, as well as USB 3.0 and USB 2.0.
Navigating the TV is mostly done through the remote. Most of the usual suspects (in terms of buttons) are here, from a directional wheel with a button in the center to settings, input source, and sponsored buttons (Netflix, etc.). There’s also a voice button for hands-free usage that in my testing mostly went well, though I apparently don’t always enunciate as clearly as it wants me to. The only thing I don’t like about the remote is that there’s no dedicated play/pause button for streaming.
TCL QM6K review: Smart TV and menus
- Nice mix of recommended content on home page
- Menu diving is easy
- Hands-free voice control
The TCL QM6K uses Google TV for a Smart TV interface, and it’s a treat to use. While I’m used to the Roku or Apple TV way of interfacing – namely, a grid of app tiles – the Google TV Smart OS gives a nice variety of information, and is a less ad-filled OS than one would get with an Amazon Fire TV stick. The menu options are For You (you need to sign in with your Google Account to get tailored content recommendations here), Apps, TCL ( free content) plus a few other selections on the left side while the more utilitarian selections such as Settings are on the right.
Below that and taking up the upper half of the screen is a rotating carousel of featured content. Continuing below are various rows of content such as “previously watched,” installed apps, “continue watching,” genre groupings, and several other suggestions. The interesting thing is that most of the selections on the screen link to the actual content instead of the apps to get to the content, making things just a bit more convenient.
Of course, not everything is going to pop up on this main page, so you’ll still want to go digging if you’re like me and like more esoteric content. I subscribe to the Criterion Channel, for instance, and have yet to see any suggestions from that service pop up.
The settings menu, which is integrated into the Google TV Smart OS, is intuitive. So, despite there being a bunch of different settings to play with, from different modes, and contrast options, to presets like Gamma, I never got lost when I was in the menu settings.
Being a Google TV, hands-free voice control is available. Just say “Hey Google” to interact with the far-field mic array built into the TV if you don’t feel like messing with the remote.
- Smart TV & menus score: 4/5
TCL QM6K review: Gaming
- Fast refresh rate that benefits even more from a game accelerator
- Ation always looks smooth and clear
- Has a dedicated settings menu when gaming
Gaming on the TCL QM6K TV is a treat. It not only has a 120Hz native refresh rate, but supports up to 4K 144Hz VRR (with Nvidia G-Sync and AMD FreeSync) and 288Hz at 1080p resolution. Our benchmarks show an input lag (Game mode) of 13.1ms, which is not the best we’ve seen, but in practice didn’t affect the gaming experience.
When testing the TV, I connected a PlayStation 5 and played several games including Uncharted Legacy of Thieves Collection (the only PS5 game I have been able to get to run at 120 fps), Ride 5, and Dead Island 2. As I discussed earlier, the colors are vibrant and the contrast lets images pop off the screen. No matter how fast the action, the gameplay was smooth and clear no matter if I was turning the corner on a course or trying to fight off an overwhelming horde of zombies.
It helped that when I turned on the PS5, the TV automatically changed to a Game Mode that also allowed me to mess with the refresh rate as well as turn on higher contrast settings. There’s also a dedicated ‘Game Master’ menu overlay that you can pull up using the remote to change settings without exiting the game. It’s a nice feature.
TCL QM6K review: Value
- Punches above its weight in terms of value
- Some comparable models with similar features
- Better at eliminating blooming than other budget mini-LED TVs
The TCL QM6K punches above its weight in terms of value. And that’s even before considering the price has already dropped from the current $999 for the 65-inch size to around $800.
For comparison’s sake, the 65-inch version of the Hisense U7N is priced similarly at $999 and has many of the same features. It has higher peak and fullscreen brightness but also suffers from some backlight blooming – something TCL has managed to minimize with the TCL QM6K.
The Roku Pro Series TV fits into a similar value category but was released at a slightly higher price of $1,199 for the 65-inch. Of course, we’re seeing $400 off at the time of writing, which lets the Pro Series directly compete with the TCL. This TV also comes with some of the most important features like Dolby Vision IQ and has better sound thanks to a shadow box design that also allows for it to sit flush on the wall when mounted. However, the TCL again has that Halo Control tech and more extensive gaming support.
Should I buy the TCL QM6K?
|
Attributes |
Notes |
Rating |
|---|---|---|
|
Features |
Feature-packed, with Dolby Vision IQ, hands-free control, and 4K 144Hz support |
4.5/5 |
|
Picture quality |
Good contrast with minimal blooming and vibrant colors but slight vignetting in the corners of the screen |
4/5 |
|
Sound quality |
The sound quality is mostly good but also somewhat boxy |
3.5/5 |
|
Design |
Relatively thin with plenty of ports; the remote could use a dedicated play/pause button |
4/5 |
|
Smart TV and menus |
Google TV is easy and intuitive to use, as are the various settings menus |
4/5 |
|
Gaming |
Solid gaming features like a game accelerator that doubles frame rates plus a dedicated Game menu |
4.5/5 |
|
Value |
Punches above its weight with all the features on offer and TCL’s own Halo Control tech |
4.5/5 |
Buy it if…
Don’t buy it if…
Also consider…
| Header Cell – Column 0 |
TCL QM6K |
Roku Pro Series |
Hisense U7N |
Samsung Q60C |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Price (65-inch) |
$999 |
$1,199 |
$999 |
$799 |
|
Screen type |
mini-LED |
mini-LED w/ QLED |
mini-LED w/ QLED |
QLED |
|
Refresh rate |
Up to 144Hz |
120Hz |
Up to 144Hz |
60Hz |
|
HDR support |
Dolby Vision IQ/HDR10+/HDR10 |
Dolby Vision IQ/HDR10+/HDR10 |
Dolby Vision IQ/HDR10+/HDR10 |
HDR10+/HDR10 |
|
Smart 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 tested the TCL QM6K
- I used the TCL QM6K TV for a month
- Tested with both TV, movies, music, and games
- Benchmark measurements conducted by Future US testing lab
I used the TCL QM6K TV regularly for a month, testing it with movies, TV shows, sports events and games. I tested the various features, such as Dolby Vision IQ, to see if they work as advertised. I also spent time listening to the audio as well as paying attention to the picture quality.
After spending some time with this TV, it’s clear that it is meant for more budget-minded consumers looking to upgrade to a premium experience but don’t want to spend quite what most flagship TVs go for.
I’ve tested a lot of tech gear over the years from laptops to keyboards and speakers, and so have been able to use my expertise towards giving an honest and fair opinion, not to mention a critical eye, to any product I test.
You can read an in-depth overview of how we test TVs at TechRadar at that link.
https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/h34WB27bBVc3y6r2j9tNkZ-1200-80.jpg
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space2occupy@gmail.com (James Holland)
