When it comes to packing the latest technology into an affordable TV, few brands can compete with TCL. That reputation gains even more traction now that the company has opened up pre-orders for its 4K HDR QLED 8-Series Roku TVs. Available in both 65-inch ($2,000) and 75-inch ($3,000) sizes, these models are currently a Best Buy exclusive. Deliveries will happen by mid-November according to Best Buy.
The 8-Series list of features reads like a glossary of the latest audio and video standards. It’s Dolby Vision-compatible for a truly outstanding HDR display and it also supports Dolby Atmos sound for an equally immersive audio experience. As a Roku TV, it benefits from the simplicity of the operating systems and a huge variety of streaming services.
But the real thriller for home theater fans is the 8-Series’ unique take on QLED display technology. In addition to the quantum dots used by Samsung and Vizio to deliver the much-improved color, contrast, and brightness that QLED is known for, the TCL 8-Series employs a mini LED backlight. It’s a series of 25,000 individual mini LEDs — far more than traditional LED or QLED displays — which gives the TV a greatly enhanced ability to perform local-dimming, which is the key to getting genuinely inky blacks.
“There are very few display devices available at any price that can match the cinematic picture and audio quality that these sets can deliver,” Chris Larson, senior vice president at TCL, said in a press release.
Adding to the 8-Series audio and video chops are two TCL technologies for image processing: The machine-learning algorithms-based AiPQ Engine optimizes color, contrast, and clarity, and iPQ Engine, which lets an app for select Android and iOS mobile phones further improve the display’s performance.
Minimalists will likely appreciate the bezel-less design of the 8-Series, which TCL calls FullView, while gamers are going to like the TV’s Auto Game Mode. It’s designed to switch the display to Game Mode as soon as it detects that a game is being played, reducing input lag so that there’s virtually no delay between mashing a button and seeing the results on the screen.
Of course, we’re still waiting for TCL’s promised 8K Roku TV, but in the meantime, it’s great to finally have a chance to grab the 4K QLED 8-Series, which joins the previously released 2019 TCL 6-Series.
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