TV model numbers explained: same name, different TV

Two people can buy "an LG C6" and end up with different TVs. A review of a US model may not apply to the version sold in another country. Understanding model numbers helps you buy what the reviewer actually tested.

What a model number is made of

Most brands pack several facts into one code. LG's US listing for a 65-inch set reads OLED65C6PUA, and the page title also spells out the size, the brand, the C6 name and the year 2026. You can pick out the panel type (OLED), the size (65), the series and year (C6) and a regional ending (PUA). A UK listing for the 83-inch model is OLED83C64LA, and Singapore's is OLED83C6PSA. The pattern is the same, but the ending changes by country.

Years are baked into the series name for some brands. LG's C4, C5 and C6 are the 2024, 2025 and 2026 models in its listings. For Samsung, the review sources show the S95D as a 2024 model, the S95F as a 2025 model and the S95H as a 2026 model, so the last letter changes with the year. That pattern is an observation from these examples, so check the maker's own guide for the full rules.

Why the same name can be different TVs

By size

TechRadar reports that LG's 2026 C6 range comes in two versions. The C6 covers 42, 48, 55 and 65 inches, while the 77-inch and 83-inch sizes are sold as the C6H, which uses a newer, brighter panel also used in the G6. TechRadar adds that the 42-inch and 48-inch C6 sizes are less bright than the other C6 sizes because of the tighter pixels, so there are effectively three brightness tiers under two names. LG's own pricing announcement lists the C6 as available in 42 to 83-inch sizes. Another source, a buyer's guide to the C6 sizes, makes the same split and says shoppers who assume the experience scales evenly with size risk a costly mistake.

The lesson: find the review for the size you plan to buy. A review of the 65-inch does not tell you how the 83-inch looks.

By year

The C6 is, according to TechRadar, extremely similar to the C5 aside from one major upgrade, and both share the same type of panel. A newer model number does not guarantee a big change, so last year's model can be a good value if the differences do not matter to you. See when to buy a TV.

By region

TechRadar's head-to-head says the TCL C7L is the UK and Australian model and that the TCL QM7L is the US equivalent. Likewise, its setup roundup notes the TCL QM6K is known as the C6K in the UK. The measured numbers can differ, too: the same article quotes a different full-screen HDR brightness for the C6K and the QM6K. TechRadar also used LG's B6E, described as a cheaper version of the B6 that performs the same apart from missing some AI picture modes and having a different back panel.

By tier within a line

Brands often use the same series name for a stack of tiers, such as a base model and a step-up model with more local dimming or a better processor. When a retailer's title differs from the review title, check the specification sheet. Pages for models in our database, such as the LG C6, TCL QM7L, TCL QM6K and Samsung S90H, list the family name and sizes.

How to check before you buy

1. Note the full model code from the shelf label or listing, including the ending.
2. Search for that exact code, then its size. Compare with the model in the review.
3. Check the year: look for the series letter or number and the year in the product title.
4. Look at the specs for your region: ports, HDR formats and sizes can differ.
5. Paste the code into the decoder to see what it stands for, and use the compare tool to check the differences between two codes.

Common traps

• Review and box do not match. Reviewers may test a different size or regional version.
• Reusing a name for a new generation. Marketing names persist while the hardware changes.
• Brand panel names. As How to buy a TV explains, names like Neo QLED or QNED hide the backlight type.