The TCL QM8L is Awesome… & Disappointing (Review)
Weighs the QM8L's strengths against its drawbacks, as the title suggests.
TCL · 2026 · Mini LED
TCL QM8L SQD-Mini LED
TCL's second-tier 2026 Mini LED: very bright, wide color, four full-speed HDMI 2.1 inputs, but only so-so Filmmaker Mode accuracy.
Choose a size
Exact model · United States
65QM8L
TCL's page shows this size at a sale price, and its size selector also labels every size sold out or unavailable, so stock is uncertain.
Where to buy the 65″
List $2,499
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The verdict
A strong pick for bright rooms, HDR movies and gaming on a large screen, particularly because its measured brightness and gamut beat many pricier sets. Buyers who care most about out-of-the-box color accuracy should note the 3.7 Delta-E that both Tom's Guide and TechRadar recorded in Filmmaker Mode. TCL's step-down QM7L has only two full-bandwidth HDMI 2.1 inputs and much lower peak brightness.
The QM8L is TCL's 2026 Mini LED TV that sits below the X11L flagship, in 65, 75, 85 and 98-inch sizes. It uses TCL's Super Quantum Dot (SQD) color layer, a 144Hz panel, Google TV and four HDMI 2.1 inputs. Tom's Guide and TechRadar both measured 3,719 nits of peak HDR brightness on the 75-inch, far above the typical Mini LED. The main caveats are less accurate color in Filmmaker Mode and a thick body.
Strengths
- Both Tom's Guide and TechRadar measured 3,719 nits of peak HDR brightness (10% window) on the 75-inch, far above most Mini LED TVs.
- Tom's Guide measured 90.34% Rec. 2020 and 97.97% DCI-P3 coverage, high for an LCD TV, though below TCL's 100% claim.
- All four HDMI inputs are HDMI 2.1, with 4K 144Hz, FreeSync Premium Pro and a measured 9.5ms of input lag.
- Includes an ATSC 3.0 tuner, Dolby Vision IQ and HDR10+.
- Reviewers saw little blooming around bright objects.
Weak spots
- Filmmaker Mode color accuracy was a Delta-E of 3.7 in both labs, and TechRadar measured 9.9 in Standard mode.
- Not slim: Tom's Guide lists about 2 inches of depth without the stand.
- Tom's Guide counted 2,584 dimming zones on the 75-inch, fewer than TCL's 'up to 4,000' headline.
- Google TV setup was glitchy for Tom's Guide, which also flagged the data collection of Google TV.
- Step-down QM7L offers much of the picture at a lower price.
- Some Reddit owners complain about motion handling on TCL's big sets, while others call it fine.
Great for
- Bright living rooms
- HDR movies and sports on 75 to 98-inch screens
- Gamers who want four 4K 144Hz HDMI inputs
Skip if
- Buyers who want the best out-of-box color accuracy
- Anyone who wants a TV smaller than 65 inches
How it fits
Calculated from published specs and independent tests. How this works
Tap a score to see what went into it. These are calculations, not lab results.
Claimed vs. measured
Independent test figures are kept apart from what the manufacturer says. Results vary by tester, test size and firmware.
Measured Claimed
Brightness
HDR peak brightness (10% window)The most-quoted HDR brightness figure. A 10% window is about the size of a bright object in a scene.
- 3,719 nitsTechRadar75″ tested · Filmmaker Mode, 10% window · May 9, 2026
- 3,719 nitsTom's Guide75″ tested · Filmmaker Mode, 10% window · Apr 22, 2026
- 6,000 nitsTCLManufacturer claim · TCL's 'up to' peak brightness claim, window size not stated
SDR peak brightness (10% window)How bright regular, non-HDR content gets, which matters most in a sunny room.
- 229 nitsTom's Guide75″ tested · Filmmaker Mode, 10% window · Apr 22, 2026
Color
DCI-P3 color coverageHow much of the color range used by modern movies the TV can show.
- 97.97%Tom's Guide75″ tested · UHDA-P3 coverage, Filmmaker Mode · Apr 22, 2026
Rec. 2020 color coverageA wider color target than DCI-P3. No consumer TV covers it fully.
- 90.34%Tom's Guide75″ tested · Rec. 2020 coverage, Filmmaker Mode · Apr 22, 2026
Color accuracy out of the box (ΔE)Lower is better. Under about 3 is hard to distinguish from perfect by eye.
- ΔE 9.9TechRadar75″ tested · Standard mode, out of the box · May 9, 2026
- ΔE 3.7TechRadar75″ tested · Filmmaker Mode · May 9, 2026
- ΔE 3.7Tom's Guide75″ tested · Filmmaker Mode · Apr 22, 2026
Gaming
Input lag, 4K 60 Hz (game mode)The delay between pressing a button and seeing it on screen.
- 9.5 msTom's Guide75″ tested · Game mode, Filmmaker Mode · Apr 22, 2026
What changes by size
The same name doesn’t always mean the same TV. Here is every size we’ve confirmed.
| 65″ | 75″ | 85″ | 98″ | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Model number | 65QM8L | 75QM8L | 85QM8L | 98QM8L |
| Lowest price | $999.99 | — | — | — |
| Local dimming zones | Not published | 2,584 | Not published | Not published |
| Width | 56.5″ | 65.3″ | 74.0″ | 85.3″ |
| Weight | 46.5 lb | 62.6 lb | 85.8 lb | 121.3 lb |
| VESA | 300×300 | 400×400 | 600×500 | 600×500 |
Highlighted rows differ between sizes.
Will it fit?
From your seat
Viewing distance8′0″
A good fit. At this distance a 65″ screen fills 33° of your view. Most people like 59″–80″ from here.
Seen from above
Dimensions and mounting
- Without stand
- 56.5 × 32.4 × 2.0″
- With stand
- 56.5 × 33.9 × 14.5″
- Stand footprint
- Not published
- Weight
- 46.5 lb (50.9 lb with stand)
- VESA pattern
- 300 × 300 mm
- Power use
- Not published
Full specifications
From the manufacturer unless noted. Shown for the 65″ model.
Picture
- Display technologyHow the screen makes its picture. OLED types light each pixel on their own for perfect black. Mini LED and QLED are LCDs with a backlight, and tend to get brighter.
- Mini LED
- Panel typeFor LCD TVs: VA panels have deeper black but narrower viewing angles; IPS/ADS panels hold up better from the side but look grayer in the dark.
- VA
- Panel notes
- TCL lists a WHVA 2.0 Ultra panel with its Super Quantum Dot (SQD) color layer. TCL's own table labels the technology as QLED and SQD-Mini LED.
- BacklightFull-array backlights sit behind the whole screen and allow local dimming. Edge-lit TVs are thinner but dim far less precisely.
- Mini LED full-array
- Resolution
- 4K
- Picture processor
- TSR AI Pro Processor
HDR & color
- HDR formatsHDR formats describe how a TV should show bright highlights and rich color. Dolby Vision and HDR10+ adjust the picture scene by scene; a source and TV must both support a format to use it.
- HDR10, HDR10+, Dolby Vision, Dolby Vision IQ, HLG, IMAX Enhanced
- Wide color technology
- TCL claims 100% BT.2020 coverage; Tom's Guide measured 90.34%
Refresh & motion
- Native refresh rateHow many new images per second the panel can really show. Marketing “motion rates” are often double this number, so check the native figure.
- 144 Hz
- Maximum refresh rateThe highest refresh the TV accepts over HDMI. Sometimes only available at reduced resolution or from a PC.
- 144 Hz
Smart platform
- Smart TV platformThe software your TV runs. It decides your home screen, app selection and how often you’ll see ads.
- Google TV
- Voice assistants
- Google Assistant
- Apple AirPlay
- Yes
- Google Cast
- Yes
- Broadcast tunerNeeded to watch free over-the-air TV with an antenna. ATSC 3.0 is the newer US standard; a few TVs have dropped tuners entirely.
- ATSC 3.0 (NextGen TV), ATSC 1.0, ClearQAM
HDMI & connections
- HDMI ports
- 4
- HDMI 2.1 portsPorts with enough bandwidth for 4K at 120 Hz and beyond. If you have more than one current console or a gaming PC, count these carefully.
- 4
- HDMI notes
- TCL's spec table lists four HDMI 2.1 inputs at 4K 144Hz with eARC on HDMI 1. TCL's summary bullet says inputs 1 and 2 run at 4K 144Hz, and Tom's Guide says all four do, so the port-by-port detail is unconfirmed.
- eARCEnhanced Audio Return Channel sends high-quality audio from your TV’s apps and inputs back to a soundbar or receiver over one HDMI cable.
- Yes
- USB ports
- 2
- Ethernet
- 1 x Ethernet
- Wi-Fi
- Wi-Fi 6
- Bluetooth
- Bluetooth 5.4
Gaming
- Variable refresh rateLets the TV match its refresh to a game’s frame rate, which removes tearing and most stutter.
- FreeSync Premium Pro
- Auto Low Latency ModeSwitches the TV into game mode automatically when a console starts a game.
- Yes
- Highest 4K gaming refresh
- 144 Hz
- Highest 1080p gaming refresh
- 288 Hz
- Game menu
- Game Bar
Built-in audio
- Dolby Atmos
- Yes
- DTS supportMany TVs no longer decode DTS. If you play discs or a media server with DTS soundtracks, check here and on your soundbar or receiver.
- DTS:X processing; no DTS Virtual:X
- eARC passthrough
- Dolby Digital Plus Atmos, Multichannel PCM, DTS:X
Accessibility
- Remote
- Backlit Voice Remote (RC933B)
Warranty
- Warranty
- 1 years
- Warranty notes
- 1-year limited warranty, per TCL's US spec table.
Primary source: us.tcl.com
Setup notes
- eARC is on HDMI 1.
- TCL lists 4 x HDMI 2.1; its summary and Tom's Guide disagree on whether all four reach 144Hz.
- Tom's Guide lists an optical digital audio output and RF, LAN, USB 3.0 and USB 2.0 ports.
- The tuner list includes ATSC 3.0, ATSC 1.0 and Clear QAM.
- TCL lists Dolby Atmos FlexConnect support for up to four Z100 speakers and one Z100-SW subwoofer.
- No headphone output is listed.
Video reviews
Each video was checked to exist and to be about the TCL QM8L SQD-Mini LED.
TCL QM8L review: My Beast TV of 2026
A highly favorable full review that calls the QM8L a standout TV for 2026.
TCL 85 QM8L Mini-LED TV Review: Incredible 6,000 Nit HDR & OLED-Like Black Levels!
Reviews the 85-inch QM8L, focusing on HDR brightness and black levels.
TCL QM8L SQD-MINI LED TV Review - This Looks Amazing!
A positive hands-on review of the QM8L's picture.
What reviewers found
Summaries in our own words. Follow the link to read each review in full.
Tested the 75-inch and found very high HDR brightness, wide color and strong black detail with little blooming. The Filmmaker Mode color error was higher than hoped, the default brightness can be overwhelming, and Google TV setup was glitchy.
Read the originalAlso tested the 75-inch for several weeks. Praised its bright picture, limited blooming and gaming features, but noted that its colors are less accurate than ideal, especially in Standard mode, and that TCL's 100% BT.2020 claim is overstated.
Read the originalPuts the two TCL sets side by side in the lab. The QM8L wins on peak brightness, HDMI 2.1 port count and backlight control, while color accuracy, input lag and upscaling are close, so the QM7L is the better value for most buyers.
Read the original
What owners are saying
From Reddit and forums, paraphrased with a link to the original discussion. Community reports are anecdotal.
A buyer who got the QM8L as a PS5 Pro gaming TV liked the brightness but disliked how it handled the picture in use, and planned to return it for an LG OLED.
Read the originalCalls the QM8L nearly excellent but says it shows noticeable inaccuracies in HDR and over-brightens; recommends it only to viewers who value punch over accuracy, and warns against upscaling 1080p on the TV for gaming.
Read the originalAn owner who watches movies and basketball and plays Switch 2 says they love the QM8L and suggests viewing one on a store display.
Read the original
Questions
What are the exact US model numbers?
65QM8L, 75QM8L, 85QM8L and 98QM8L, as printed in TCL's US spec tables.
How does the QM8L differ from the QM7L?
Tom's Guide measured 3,719 nits for the QM8L versus 2,270 nits for the QM7L in a 10% HDR window. The QM8L also has four HDMI 2.1 inputs, while the QM7L has two, and the QM7L adds a 55-inch size.
Is TCL's 100% BT.2020 claim accurate?
Not in lab tests. Tom's Guide measured 90.34% Rec. 2020 coverage and TechRadar reported about 90%, which is still high for a Mini LED TV.
Do all sizes have the same number of dimming zones?
TCL says 'up to 4,000' for the series, but Tom's Guide reported 2,584 zones on the 75-inch. Zone counts for other sizes were not found.
Does it support Dolby Vision?
Yes. TCL lists Dolby Vision IQ with Dolby Vision modes, plus HDR10, HDR10+ and HLG.
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Sources for this page
Last reviewed Nov 9, 2026. Released April 2026. Spotted an error? Tell us.