The most screen and brightness your dollar can buy

TCL QM8K

Name: TCL QM8K
Brand: TCL
SKU: PG17TVS004
Price: 999.99 USD
Rating: 8.5 (1 reviews)

TCL

8.5/10high confidenceLast checked Jun 20, 2026

Er

Reviewed by

Eran Yorkovsky · Founder, PickGrade

The big-screen value champion: flagship mini-LED brightness and an anti-glare screen for far less than premium OLED — if you can live with only two HDMI 2.1 ports.

TCL's 2025 flagship mini-LED brings genuine bright-room performance and big-screen sizes for hundreds less than premium OLED. A new CrystGlow WHVA panel, Halo Control backlight, and anti-glare screen deliver high brightness with well-controlled blacks — the value pick when you want the most capable big screen per dollar.

$999.99

$1,499.99

Save 33%

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Last reviewed Jun 8, 2026

AI grade·Refined by real owners

What we like

✓Strong brightness for the money
✓Great for large screen sizes
✓Good value for movies and sports

Trade-offs

−Only two of the four HDMI ports are 2.1 (4K/144Hz); the others top out at 4K/60Hz
−Not quite as bright as the QM851G it replaces, and SDR brightness measured less consistently
−Slight vignetting and minor uniformity quirks noted by reviewers
−Google TV interface can feel sluggish at times

Best for

Buyers who want a large, very bright 4K screen for movies and sports in a well-lit room — and the most screen and brightness per dollar — without paying premium OLED or flagship mini-LED prices.

Avoid if

You game on more than two HDMI 2.1 sources, want the deepest OLED blacks in a dark home theater, or want the most polished image processing — premium OLEDs like the LG C5 or the brighter Sony Bravia 9 handle those better.

The three lenses

How we grade →

Value & Longevity · Eran Yorkovsky
8.3/10
Design & Fit · Michal Zucker
9.3/10

Score breakdown

size value9.5/10
brightness room fit9.0/10
picture quality8.5/10
gaming features8.0/10
motion handling8.0/10

Specs

HDR: Dolby Vision IQ, HDR10+, HDR10, HLG
Audio: Audio by Bang & Olufsen, Dolby Atmos, DTS Virtual:X (85W)
Panel: QD Mini-LED (CrystGlow WHVA)
Sizes: 65, 75, 85, 98 in
Tuner: ATSC 3.0
Gaming: VRR, ALLM, Game Accelerator to 288Hz, Filmmaker Mode
Screen: Anti-glare, Ultra Wide Angle, ZeroBorder
Smart OS: Google TV
Backlight: Halo Control System, 23-bit controller
Refresh rate: 144Hz
HDMI 2.1 ports: 2 (of 4)
Peak brightness: ~2,200-2,300 nits HDR (10% window)

How we know

High confidenceLast checked Jun 20, 2026

The QM8K is TCL's 2025 flagship mini-LED and was widely received as a value standout, with Digital Trends calling it the TV to beat in 2025 and CNET noting it nearly matches pricier OLEDs. It uses a new CrystGlow WHVA panel with a Halo Control System and 23-bit backlight controller for tighter local dimming and fewer blooming halos than past TCL sets. TechRadar measured around 2,268 nits peak on a 10% HDR window in Filmmaker Mode with excellent out-of-box accuracy (Digital Trends recorded a Filmmaker-Mode Delta E near 0.23). An anti-glare screen and an Ultra Wide Angle layer make it strong in bright rooms and for group viewing of sports, and the Bang & Olufsen-tuned 85W audio is better than typical built-in TV sound. Trade-offs reviewers consistently flag: only two of four HDMI ports are 2.1 (4K/144Hz), SDR brightness measured less consistently than the flagship billing suggests, and it doesn't reach the peak brightness of the QM851G it replaces. At roughly $1,300 for the 65-inch, it remains one of the best big-screen value picks of 2025.

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