The TCL QM9K QD-Mini LED television has arrived, and it’s being billed as the firm’s “ultimate performance” set. It delivers up to 30 percent higher peak brightness, advertising 6,500 nits, and up to 6,000 precise dimming zones, 57 percent more than the QM8K from earlier this year.
The QM9K is the first television to feature Google TV with Gemini, and uses a mmWave presence sensor to wake the TV when someone is present. This allows users to begin using Gemini voice assistant completely hands free.
The QM9K features a “bezel-less” design and a native refresh rate of 144Hz. It also supports Dolby Vision HDR and Dolby Atmos sound, with speakers by Bang & Olufsen.
TCL has been on an absolute tear this year since taking a staggered approach to its latest TV releases and betting on Mini-LED displays to help propel the brand into higher-end markets.
Each release in this year’s staggered lineup has exceeded expectations. The budget-friendly QM6K, mid-range QM7K, and flagship QM8K all delivered impressive color accuracy, brightness and contrast.
But above all it was the value proposition each one brought to its respective markets that felt like a paradigm shift. In almost all cases, and especially so at the higher end, there was no competing model that offered higher image quality at a lower or even equal price.
TCL is trying to do for televisions what lab-grown diamonds did for that most popular sparkly gemstone.
The company is pushing consumers to question whether a $7,000 TV is really worth it when TCL offers one with equivalent or even superior image quality for half the price.
Much like natural diamonds, Samsung and LG have a degree of prestige pricing and built-in consumer perception that will be hard to crack.
This is no secret mission
TCL is not being shy about its ambitions with the QM9K. In the company’s interim 2025 financial report, it clearly states that it is “focusing on its strategy of mid-to-high-end positioning and globalization initiatives.”
The focus on Mini-LED, specifically with its one-two punch of deep contrast with excellent brightness, has been hugely instrumental in the company’s recent growth.
Global shipments of TCL Mini-LED televisions exploded 176 percent year over year, making the Chinese brand the global leader in Mini-LED televisions in the first half of the year.
Global shipments of TCL TVs overall grew 7.6 percent over the same period. TCL’s pace taking market share in the premium segment has been staggering, and the company has played an integral role in Mini-LED’s quest to overtake OLED in sales. TCL has cemented itself firmly as the number two TV brand globally.
Success is never a guarantee
Pricing has not yet been announced for the QM9K, so while it is a safe bet that the TV will offer good value based on previous releases in the lineup, it’s not guaranteed.
An ever-evolving tariff picture also threatens the tight margins under which TCL operates, though when I’ve asked company representatives about this, they have been quick to point out that TCL has manufacturing and assembly in various countries outside of China.
Competition is also not out of the question. Hisense, another Chinese TV brand, has also been stepping up in a big way with its own line of Mini-LED models, and the company will be the first to debut Dolby Vision 2.
Whether Samsung, LG or Sony can claw back some market share by competing on price or raw performance remains to be seen, but TCL is putting everything it has into making sure its reputation as a budget-only brand is a thing of the past.
The QM9K will be available at Best Buy and select regional retailers later this month.
