75QM850G 120Hz Smart Google TV
Review Summary
Product Name: QM850G
Product Description: Mini-LED ULTRA | QLED – Quantum Dot Technology with UltraWide Color Gamut | Full Array ULTRA Local Dimming | Game Accelerator 240 for Up to 240 VRR Gaming | High Brightness ULTRA LED Backlight with Up to 2,000 Peak Nits | Game Accelerator 240 for Up to 240 VRR Gaming | HDR ULTRA (Dolby Vision IQ, HDR10+, HDR10, & HLG) | TCL AIPQ Engine with Deep Learning AI | Built-in 802.11ax Wi-Fi6E
Brand: TCL
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TCL QM8
See full review below
Model year: 2023
Screen size reviewed: 75″
Bottom line: The TCL QM8 is a great 4K LED TV and is one of the best TVs currently available in my opinion. Its overall picture quality is stunning and easily rivals the top LED models from Samsung and Sony. The display’s mini-LEDs and implementation are the keys to this TV having contrast and black levels that can appear OLED-like depending on the content being watched. The QM8’s performance is that good.
Add to that the excellent Google TV smart TV platform which provides endless entertainment options and an affordable price point, makes the TCL QM8 one of the TVs to beat for 2023.
Dimensions:
With stand: (W x H x D) 65.8″ x 39.3″ x 11.7″
Without stand: (W x H x D) 65.8″ x 37.9″ x 1.9″
Weight:
With stand: 74.7 lbs
Without stand: 68.6 lbs
Pros
- Mini LED backlighting
- Excellent local dimming algorithm – Full-array backlighting with local dimming (75″ 1,920 dimming zones)
- Note: the 65″ model contains 1,080 dimming zones | the 85” and 98 models contain 2,300 dimming zones
- High peak brightness output
- High brightness output – Good for watching TV shows and sporting events in a bright room
- Outstanding contrast and black levels – allows for deep black levels
- Great blooming performance -minimizes halos around white text (subtitles) and bright white objects in dark scenes.
- Very good black screen uniformity
- Good out-of-box color reproduction
- Excellent HDR wide color gamut
- Excellent picture detail, clarity, and image depth transparency
- Good reflection handling, so screen glare shouldn’t be an issue in a brightly lit room
- Good motion handling with fast action content including sports
- Great gaming TV – has all the latest gaming features
- Low input lag: approx. 14.0 ms with 1080p @ 60Hz and 4K @ 60Hz signals | 14.0 ms with 1080p @ 120Hz signal |6.3 ms 4K @ 120Hz signal
- Google TV smart TV platform
- Wi-Fi 6E connectivity
Cons
- Wide-angle viewing performance was better than average for what I typically see on LED TVs with VA panels. The contrast and color saturation loss were minimal.
- 4K upscaling video processing is inadequate. Meaning 1080p and other lower resolution content won’t be as refined, detailed, or as sharp as other major brands such as Sony and Samsung via the upscaling process. However, this should be a minor issue with 1080p content since 1808p is already of high-quality resolution.
- No ATSC 3.0 NextGen tuner for over-the-air (OTA) 4K broadcast
Intro
TCL’s QM8 line is the company’s premium flagship models which are proving to be some of the best TVs TCL has produced to date. The QM8 lineup is receiving very positive reviews from enthusiasts and consumers alike, as well as TV reviewers like me.
The QM8 series is available in 65” ($1.699), 75” ($1,799), 85” ($2,799) and 98” ($11,999) screen sizes. TCL has been known in the industry as a budget brand TV manufacturer, but with the current pricing of the QM8 series, they are not what I would consider budget-priced displays, and are somewhat expensive when compared to other budget brands. However, once you see one of these TVs in action you may be convinced they are worth the price of admission.
Update: The QM8 series has experienced substantial price drops since its initial release.
This review focuses on the 75” model, yet the results here can be applied to the other screen sizes in the QM8 lineup.
Side View
Design
The QM8 is a good-looking display and features a thin bezel design typically found on modern-day flat-panel TVs. The screen (panel) contains a glossy finish and is illuminated with mini-LEDs. The 75” model is said to contain 1,920 local dimming zones.
The panel is supported by a center-mount pedestal design stand. The stand is made of metal and supports the TV well, with minimal panel wobble. The stand is adjustable with “low” and “raised” positions.
The back panel is made of plastic and houses a small woofer (speaker). Overall, the QM8 has very good build quality and doesn’t feel are appear cheaply made.
Product Features
- 4K Ultra HD Resolution
- QLED – Quantum Dot Technology with UltraWide Color Gamut
- Mini-LED Ultra
- High Brightness Ultra LED Backlight with Up to 2,000 Peak Nits
- Full Array Ultra Local Dimming – 1,920 Dimming Zones 75” model
- 120Hz panel refresh rate
- Motion Rate 480 with MEMC Frame Insertion
- Game Accelerator 240 for Up to 240 VRR Gaming
- HDR Ultra(Dolby Vision IQ, HDR10+, HDR10, & HLG)
- TCL AIPQ Engine with Deep Learning AI
- Google TV Smart OS with Hands-Free Voice Control and Backlit Voice Remote
- Auto Game Mode (ALLM) with AMD FreeSync Premium Pro
- IMAX Enhanced Certification
- Built-in Subwoofer
- Wi-Fi 6
- FullView Metal Bezel-less Design with Height Adjustable Pedestal Stand
- DTS Virtual: X
- Bluetooth Personal Audio
- Chromecast Built-in
- Apple Airplay2
- Works with: Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant, Apple HomeKit
Rear Ports
Connectivity
- 4 HDMI inputs – HDMI 1 – 4K@120Hz/ HDMI 2 – 4K@144Hz | two 2.0 4K@60Hz | HDCP 2.2 compliant
- 1 USB input – 2.0
- 1 RCA audio/video composite input (adaptor required)
- 1 Digital optical audio output
- 1 RF input for cable/satellite TV
- 1 Ethernet (LAN) Input
- eARC (enhanced Audio Return Channel) HDMI 4
- Built-in 802.11ax Wi-Fi6E
- Bluetooth enabled
- 1 Analog audio output (3.5mm)
Performance
Note: For the most accurate picture quality use the “Movie” or “IMAX” modes. These settings are only a guideline. Set the color tone to “Warm”. Nevertheless, you can set the picture mode to your personal viewing preference.
I was very impressed with the overall picture quality of the QM8. And it did just about everything right from a visual perspective and it has certainly earned its place in the class of prestigious high-end TVs.
TCL has done an excellent job implementing the mini-LED zones and the TV’s local dimming algorithm to produce a superb contrast ratio and black that are so deep they could be mistaken for an OLED TV. Contrast is the difference between the brightest whites and darkest blacks, and it’s the most important contributor to TV image quality.
In content that had dark scenes, black levels were pure and impressively deep. Shadow detail was good, but not the best I’ve ever seen.
I was very surprised to see virtually no blooming or halo effects around subtitles or white objects set against a black background. This was very impressive performance for an LED TV and is a testament to TCL’s meticulous design of the TV’s mini-LED zones and the TV’s local dimming algorithm. Great job TCL!
The QM8 black screen uniformity was excellent on this TV which displayed a virtually all-black background. This was some of the best performance I have ever seen from an LED TV.
Next, on to color reproduction. I was blown away by the stunning color palette this TV produced. The richness and vibrancy had me mesmerized with the images I saw on screen. Colors were well-saturated without appearing over-processed. This is the kind of color performance I’m used to seeing from brands such as Samsung, Sony and LG. Color accuracy was good, but can be improved with a professional calibration, yet I believe for most viewers this will not be necessary.
Picture detail, clarity, and image transparency were excellent on this display. This all added up to images that were three-dimensional and true to life.
The peak brightness output in both SDR and HDR was simply amazing. The QM8 produced some of the brightest picture images I’ve seen to date, which makes this TV perfect for watching sporting events and TV shows in brightly lit rooms. Also, with the great peak brightness output this TV has to offer, HDR content looks amazing on the QM8.
*High peak brightness – SDR 10% window 2076 nits/HDR 10% window 2,005 nits
Wide-angle viewing performance was better than average for what I typically see on LED TVs with VA panels. The contrast and color saturation loss were minimal.
The QM8 has above-average sound quality for a flat panel TV thanks to its 2.1 speaker system which provides 2 x 10 watts for the main speakers and 20 watts for the subwoofer. High and mid-range frequencies were presented with good clarity and detail and dialogue was clean and discernible. The subwoofer did add some low-end punch to the midbass frequencies which did help refine the overall audio presentation.
Conclusion
TCL’s QM8 is a great TV. TCL has done an excellent job in designing a TV that delivers on all the key performance metrics and features that make a TV premium-class model.
Its overall picture quality is stunning, delivering outstanding contrast and extremely deep black levels. Its Mini LED QLED TV backlight design is capable of very high levels of brightness in both HDR and SDR. The 75” model has a local dimming zone count of 1,920 zones which allows for more precise local dimming control. This design when implemented well, as is the case with the QM8, allows for excellent black levels and minimal blooming.
The QM8 is a great gaming TV and is equipped with all the latest gaming features including support for all three variable refresh rates (VRR) technologies (120Hz, 144Hz, 240Hz). The QM8 is also compatible with FreeSync and G-SYNC technologies.
Color reproduction is good straight out of the box but can be taken to the next level with professional calibration.
Although not perfect, the TCL QM8 series is currently one of the best TVs of 2023 in my opinion. So if you’re looking for a premium class 4K HDR TV with plenty of bells and whistles, then check out the QM8. You won’t be disappointed.
HDTVs and More recommended.
Check out HDTVs and More’ YouTube video review for the TCL QM8 4K TV here.
Image credit TCL
*Source: Rtings.com
Post updated on 12/19/2023