I Tested A Tcl Tv That Became My Sleeper Pick For Home Theater Setups - And It's $1,000 Off

TCL's 2024 QM8 photographed successful nan ZDNET testing lab.

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Last year's TCL QM8 made our database of nan best 85-inch TVs; nan different exemplary sizes were arsenic impressive. It features a QLED panel, arsenic good arsenic support for some Dolby Vision and Dolby Atmos, for enhanced image value and virtual situation sound. This TV's dedicated gaming mode lets you group nan framework complaint and VRR status. Additionally, our testing confirms that nan QM8 is simply a well-rounded TV -- and astatine a value that is somewhat much wallet-friendly than competing brands.

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I'm judge you've heard of TCL and moreover seen its much budget-friendly TVs astatine Walmart aliases connected Amazon. The QM8 is portion of nan company's midrange line. It boasts a QLED surface supporting Dolby Vision and HDR10+, which helps create bolder colors and deeper contrasts.

Setting up nan HDR is simply a quick, two- to three-minute process. You tin ever make changes later successful nan TV's settings. Additionally, erstwhile mounting up game consoles like nan PlayStation 5, you tin configure game-specific HDR settings.

Taylor Clemons/ZDNET

There's besides a dedicated crippled mode, which you tin entree by holding nan hamburger paper fastener while utilizing a crippled console via HDMI. The mode creates a apical and bottommost barroom that allows you to show your framework and refresh rates, take different colour somesthesia settings, aliases moreover stock screenshots and videos of your gameplay.

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The image value of nan QM8 is importantly amended than I expected, fixed my familiarity pinch TCL's fund TVs. The QLED sheet is bright, clear, and vibrant, making it an fantabulous prime for gaming and rewatching aged favourite shows and movies.

I sat down for my semi-regular re-watch of nan original Teen Titans show from Cartoon Network, and moreover though nan animation is 20 years old, nan solution upscaling was clean, eliminating that overseas "fuzziness" that older, pre-1080p media tin have.

By adjusting nan image settings, I was capable to fine-tune nan opposition and colour to capitalize connected nan move creation style, which features acheronian shadows and bright, colorful superhero costumes.

For gaming, nan QM8 worked wonderfully pinch some my PS5 and Nintendo Switch, offering soft playback and awesome image quality. Keep successful mind that your Switch hardware whitethorn not support 4K output, particularly if it's a first-iteration exemplary (which is what I have).

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Although nan Switch graphics looked chunky pinch immoderate titles, particularly Wheel of Fortune (it added to nan charm), they ne'er looked bad, per se. Other games for illustration Hades looked amazing, pinch soft animations, move on-screen action, and vivid colors.

Taylor Clemons/ZDNET

The QM8's built-in speakers nutrient respectable sound, albeit quietly, truthful I urge pairing it pinch a soundbar for illustration nan TCL Alto 6+ to boost speech and heighten nan sound successful movies, music, shows, and games. 

Another drawback to nan QM8 is that it doesn't automatically move connected erstwhile a connected instrumentality is powered on. I ain respective different televisions, and each of them automatically turns connected erstwhile I powerfulness connected a crippled console aliases DVD player. It's a insignificant gripe, but it's a quality-of-life characteristic that I personally admit successful my TVs.

ZDNET's buying proposal

TCL's QM8 (2024) whitethorn not beryllium nan company's latest model, but it remains 1 of nan champion QLED TVs disposable for acquisition today. Its value constituent undercuts competing models from Samsung, Sony, and LG. For almost each ocular applications, including gaming, nan TV gets nan occupation done. To heighten nan acquisition moreover further, I propose pairing nan group pinch 1 of the top soundbars available.

Looking for nan adjacent champion product? Get master reviews and editor favorites with ZDNET Recommends