Skip to main content

TCL 8-Series mini-LED 4K HDR TV Review: Next-gen LED

tcl 8 series mini led 4k hdr tv review 65q825 75q825 db 1
Digital Trends
TCL 8-Series mini-LED 4K HDR TV Review: Next-gen LED
MSRP $2,000.00
“TCL's 8-Series dazzles and delights with every scene.”
Pros
  • Remarkable backlight control
  • Minimal light bleed/halo effect
  • Excellent HDR performance
  • Solid out-of-box color
  • Dolby Vision and Dolby Atmos capable
Cons
  • Poor off-angle performance
  • Audio quality is just ok

“Why you can trust Digital Trends – We have a 20-year history of testing, reviewing, and rating products, services and apps to help you make a sound buying decision. Find out more about how we test and score products.“

It sometimes seems as if TV manufacturers try too hard to innovate. I get it; they feel the need to create something flashy which will generate excitement and a perceived need for the latest and greatest. All too often, “the next big thing” isn’t really that big at all.

Recommended Videos

That’s not the case with the new TCL 8-Series TV, which uses a mini-LED backlighting system. This is a big deal.

You might say that shrinking down the size of an LED backlight and using more of them (lots more) is more evolution than revolution. You’d be right. Yet sometimes the right evolution can bring about a revolution.

I first laid eyes on the 8-Series mini-LED at IFA earlier this year, and even among the bustle of the uncontrolled viewing environment, I knew it was something special.

With the 8-Series now on the market and priced far above any TCL TV and best televisions under $1,000 in the past — the 65-inch 65Q825 is $2000, while the 75-inch 75Q825 asks $3,000 — this is TCL’s first attempt to compete with established names like Sony, Samsung, and LG in high-end televisions. Does it succeed?

The tech behind the tech

If you were to dissect an LCD panel, you’d find up to 14 different layers, but you may be surprised that all those layers are useless without some form of a light source.

Samsung Display

Today, that light source is LEDs, and thanks to progress, we now get a full array of them sitting directly behind the LCD sandwich.

Until now, the number of those LEDs would be in the hundreds. Some very advanced TVs might count them in the low thousands. TCL’s innovation is the use of smaller LEDs, so they now number in the tens of thousands. Over 25,000, in the case of the 75-inch model.

20,000 points of light

Now let’s talk about how the rubber hits the road. What do you gain from having a whole lot more tiny LEDs?

Control.

Since LCD displays have a tough time stopping all of the light shining behind from bleeding through, they struggle to produce deep blacks. And since deep black levels are a fundamental component of contrast, LCD TVs are usually compromised in that area. They just can’t compete with the likes of OLED.

TCL’s tech effectively mimics OLED. An OLED can hit deep black levels because pixels can be turned off entirely. The 25,000 LEDS in the TCL 8-Series use a similar tactic. If a portion of the screen is supposed to appear pitch black, the LEDs illuminating that part of the screen turn off.

That’s the theory. It’s a careful dance, in practice. Dimming all those LEDs and lighting them at just the right time requires a lot of processing power. I was concerned TCL might not have the chops to pull this off. After all, why haven’t we seen this kind of technology from Samsung, LG, Sony, or Vizio?

Turns out, I didn’t need to be worried.

OLED killer?

If you want to see what it’s like to set this TV up (and you should, because there are a few quirks involved) you can watch my unboxing and basic setup video. Now, if you don’t mind, I’m going to skip to the good stuff and help you decide if this TV performs well enough for its price, and why you might choose it over a competing LED/LCD TV or even an OLED TV.

Let’s be clear. This isn’t an OLED killer. First, it isn’t necessarily a cost-effective alternative for most people. The LG C9 OLED TV is just $100 more for the 65-inch screen size. Admittedly, though, if you step up to a larger screen size, the 75-inch TCL  8-series makes more sense coming in a good $2,000 less than LG’s $5,000 77-inch OLED.

Image used with permission by copyright holder

Second, as good as the TCL 8-Series is, it can’t beat an OLED’s black levels. And while the halo effect is lessened, it isn’t completely eliminated. Finally, the TCL 8-Series doesn’t offer gamer-friendly options like auto low latency mode or variable refresh rate, as LG’s OLEDs do, nor does it have eARC for advanced audio pass-through.

Aside from a lack of potential for screen burn-in, the TCL 8-series still bows to LG OLEDs. So, no, it isn’t an OLED killer. But that doesn’t mean it isn’t the better choice for many people.

I love it

For those who want outstanding picture quality with great 4K HDR performance and terrific brightness, the TCL 8-Series is an outstanding choice. If I had to choose between the Samsung Q90R, the Sony X950G, and a TCL 8-Series mini-LED, I’d have a tough time coming to a decision — and so would you.

TCL isn’t kidding around.

All three are excellent TVs, and I enjoy them for different reasons. I like the Sony’s cinematic look. I like the Samsung’s one-connect box, gamer-friendly attitude, and zesty color. I like the TCL’s tight light control and impressive contrast, along with its support for Dolby Vision and other HDR formats.

Still, TCL isn’t kidding around. It’s right in league with the companies that normally dominate flagship televisions.

I don’t usually advocate in favor of first-generation technology, but I am having a tough time coming up with a legitimate reason not to in this case. I suppose the one reservation I have is that I’ve seen variable panel quality with TCL, even with its previously top-tier 6-Series TVs. Some of them had what we call “dirty screen effect.” Large swaths of color can reveal inconsistencies in the LCD panel, which appear as blotches.

I can’t comment on how consistent the 8-Series quality will be in the long run. All I can say is that the review sample TCL sent me looks rock solid after a quick firmware update which took care of some over-brightening of HDR highlights, and a tendency to ramp down from dark grey to black a little too quickly.

Picture this

The 8-Series is not perfect. It suffers from poor off-angle viewing — something the Samsung Q90R deals with effectively — and it can’t clean up nasty cable/satellite signals as impressively as the Sony X950G can. But for streaming entertainment, and Blu-ray discs (4K or otherwise) it looks fantastic.

I tested the TCL 8-Series mini-LED exhaustively using the same test patterns and content with which I’ve tested every other TV this year, and it held its own with the best across color volume, motion resolution, brightness, and upscaling categories. If you want to see for yourself, just check out the video at the top of this review. You can see the rich color, the bright (but not too bright) highlights, and the deep, inky blacks.

Or, you know, you can head down to the closes electronics store that carries one and feast your eyes for a while. I’m confident you’ll see what I see.

Image used with permission by copyright holder

The TCL 8-Series TV’s stand-out feature is its black levels, which should be the envy of every other TV maker. And that might be the most important news. Because whether you have a real interest in purchasing this TV, or you’re just curious to hear how good it is, this TV redefines the LED/LCD TV tech category, and it can only mean others will follow suit. Yes, it is that good.

Our Take

The TCL 8-Series creates a new class of television. It’s a trailblazer, and a remarkable TV in its own right. Standing right alongside the best models from Sony, Samsung, and Vizio, the TCL 8-Series is a landmark achievement for TCL, which improves by leaps and bounds every year. It should come as no surprise I’m adding it to our list of the Best TVs in 2019.

Is there a better alternative?

The Samsung Q90R is a better choice for gamers thanks to its variable refresh rate and auto low latency mode, while the Sony X950G might scratch a cinephile’s itch a bit better than the TCL 8-series. Also, the LG C9 OLED is an outstanding option for those not concerned with burn-in or extreme brightness. If you’re looking at a 75-inch model, however, the TCL 8-Series is the most sensible choice on the market due to its significantly lower price.

How long will it last?

This TV should last well into the next 4-5 years before new technologies leave it behind. My only concern here is the lack of HDMI 2.1 inputs and the features that come with them. This is not an important consideration right now, but it might be in the next couple of year or so.

Warranty

TCL offers a one-year warranty against defects in materials or workmanship to the original owner of the television if purchased from an authorized retailer.

Should you buy it?

Yes. The TCL 8-Series is a fine product and stands right up there with the best TVs you can buy this year.

Alternatively, if you’re concerned about price, you can also check the best 4K TV deals on the market.

Caleb Denison
Digital Trends Editor at Large Caleb Denison is a sought-after writer, speaker, and television correspondent with unmatched…
Amazon Fire TV Omni gets mini-LED backlighting and interactive ambient experiences
Amazon Fire TV Omni Mini-LED Series.

The Amazon-developed Fire TV Omni is now available with mini-LED backlighting, with up to 1,400 nits of peak brightness and up to 960 dimming zones, depending on the screen size. Known as the Fire TV Omni Mini-LED Series, the models also offer Dolby Vision IQ, HDR10+ Adaptive and, for the first time, built-in Dolby Atmos. Amazon is also promising that a future software update will enable a new version of its Ambient Experience that uses onboard sensors to react in real time to movement in the room.

The Fire TV Omni Mini-LED Series are available starting November 14 in four screen sizes:
Buy at Amazon
($820),
Buy at Amazon
($1,090),
Buy at Amazon
($1,500), and
Buy at Amazon
($2,100).

Read more
Best OLED TV deals: Save on LG C4, Samsung S90D, and more
LG's 2023 C3 4K OLED TV.

OLED TVs are tailor-made for movie buffs, gaming diehards, and anyone who wants a TV that can emulate the kind of visuals usually reserved for dark movie theaters. For years, brands like LG, Samsung, and Sony have been making some of the best OLED TVs on the market, including award-winning models like the LG G4 Series, Samsung S95D, and Sony A95L. While some of these sets can be pretty expensive, we’re always on the lookout for the best OLED TV deals, and frequently update this post to shine a light on the best TV prices in town. 

If you’re looking for something on the brighter side, we recommend taking a look at our list of the best QLED TV deals. We also have coverage of the best LG TV deals, best Samsung TV deals, and best Sony TV deals.

Read more
Best Buy TV deals: Save on QLED TVs, OLED TVs, and 8K TVs
The Vizio V-Series 4K TV in the living room.

Best Buy often has some of the best TV deals out there, to the point where deals from the retailer often show up on our various TV deals lists, and if you have a My Best Buy Plus membership, you can sometimes even get steeper discounts. There are a ton of TV deals at Best Buy, and they range from QLED TV deals to OLED TV deals with several other picture technologies in between. We’ve rounded up all of the Best Buy TV deals worth shopping right now, and they include discounts on popular brands such as Sony TV deals, Samsung TV deals, LG TV deals, and TCL TV deals, as well as some other options. Read onward for more details and for a little information on which TV may be best for you. And if you aren't finding what you're looking for at Best Buy you can also check out today’s Amazon TV deals and Walmart TV deals.
Insignia 58-inch F30 4K TV -- $228 $380 40% off

A 58-inch 4K TV is a good size to suit most rooms, and the Insignia F30 has almost everything you could hope for in a TV this size. It presents all of your favorite content in breathtaking 4K resolution, and HDR technology provides a wide range of color details and sharper contrast, making movies more immersive and things like sports more impactful. Versatile connectivity ports make it easy to connect home theater peripherals. This TV also offers smart features like Alexa voice control, DTS Studio Sound, and Apple AirPlay. And because the Insignia F30 is a Fire TV, it will give you instant access to over 500,000 streaming movies and TV episodes, and access to thousands of channels and apps.

Read more