Skip to main content

TCL sets summer launch for world’s first TV with THX Certified Game Mode

Consumer electronics brand TCL has teamed up with audio and video certification and technology company THX on a TV that will look to further immerse players in the worlds created by video games.

TCL and THX have established THX Certified Game Mode, a new industry standard for the gaming performance of big-screen TVs. The standard, which was first showcased at CES 2020, will finally arrive this summer with the next-generation 6-Series TCL Roku TV.

TCL’s new 6-Series TV with THX Certified Game Mode will offer more vibrant colors, as some games are intentionally more demanding than movies, as well as a refresh rate of 120 Hz or higher. The TV will also feature minimal input lag, quick dark-to-light transitions, and improved clarity.

TVs with THX Certified Game Mode will also automatically switch to THX Game Mode once compatible consoles and PCs are connected.

To gain THX Certification, devices undergo more than 400 proprietary tests to check whether they meet the standards of the content creators. For the THX Game Mode, new tests were implemented to quantify the speed of transitions and the TV’s responsiveness, which are important for video games but not for movies.

“TCL is proud to be the first to launch televisions with a dedicated THX Certified Game Mode setting, as we’re always working toward elevating the home entertainment experience through new technology and innovations,” said Chris Larson, TCL senior vice president, in a statement.

TCL has not yet provided any additional details for the 2020 6 Series, nor a price range for the next-generation 6-Series TV with THX Certified Game Mode.

Editors' Recommendations

Aaron Mamiit
Aaron received a NES and a copy of Super Mario Bros. for Christmas when he was 4 years old, and he has been fascinated with…
The 4 best long range TV antennas in 2024
The Antennas Direct ClearStream 2Max mounted outdoors.

You don’t need to pay a cable provider for access to your local stations. As long as you have an HD TV antenna, you’ll be able to pick up broadcasts from whatever towers are in-proximity. But what if the nearest monolith isn’t beaming PBS into your living room? It sounds like you may want to invest in a long range TV antenna.

Where traditional antennas are designed for indoor use, long range models typically do their best work when mounted outdoors, high up on a structure. You’ll also want to make sure it’s aimed toward the towers you’d like to grab stations from.

Read more
Sennheiser’s HD 620S closed-back cans have an open-back soul
Sennheiser HD 620S closed-back headphones.

Sennheiser has a new set of wired audiophile headphones, and while they may look a lot like the brand's famous open-back cans, the HD 620S are completely enclosed. They can be preordered starting May 7 for $350, with shipping beginning on June 6.

The HD 620S are something of a departure for Sennheiser, which has traditionally stuck with open-back headphone designs. The move was prompted by customer feedback, according to the company. “The hi-fi community has clamored for a headphone with the best traits from our 600 series," said Jermo Koehnke, audiophile product manager, "yet isolates them from distractions at work, home, or in-between.”

Read more
Sling TV slips below 2 million subscribers, and it seems OK with that
Sling TV logo on Apple TV.

There’s a fallacy in the term “Streaming Wars” — a phrase I’ve never liked — in that it’s all about growth at all costs. That the only way to “win” said “war” is to be the biggest streaming service. That’s the game we’ve been taught by the likes of the Googles and Facebooks of the world, and it’s undoubtedly a big part of why Google’s YouTube TV sits atop the heap of live-streaming services with more than 8 million subscribers.

Then there’s Sling TV. The legacy service has been slowly, but consistently losing subscribers over the years, while always hovering at just above 2 million. That’s changed, though, according to its first-quarter 2024 earnings, which were announced by new parent company EchoStar. Sling TV finished with 1.92 million subs, down from 2.06 million at the end of 2023, and down about 8.5% from the first quarter of 2023. It hasn't been below 2 million since I started tracking it in 2018.

Read more