TCL Q6-Series 85Q651G 85"

The TCL 85" Q6 is a ridiculous value, packing an 85-inch QLED screen, 144Hz gaming, and a top-tier smart platform into a price that usually gets you half the size. Colors are vibrant and HDR is strong, but don't expect OLED-deep blacks or wide viewing angles. The built-in speakers are passable but pairing it with a soundbar is a smart move. For big-screen gamers and movie lovers on a budget, this TV is the one to beat.

The numbers back up the 'spectacle' talk. In our smart TV ranking, this Q6 sits at the very top of the charts, which matches real-world feel. Apps launch instantly, navigation is stutter-free, and content switching is seamless. HDR performance is best-in-class for a budget big-screen set, meaning those Dolby Vision nature docs and HDR10+ blockbusters pop with rich color and respectable highlight detail. The DCI-P3 coverage from the quantum dot layer gives it vibrant reds and greens that make animated movies and live sports look fantastic.

Gaming performance is a standout too. With native 120Hz at 4K, VRR support up to 144Hz, and AMD FreeSync Premium, the Q6 keeps up beautifully with a PS5 or a decent gaming PC. Input lag is low enough that even twitchy shooters felt responsive in our testing. The only real catch is that the direct LED backlight can't do precision dimming, so dark game scenes lose some atmosphere and shadow detail looks a bit flat. It's not a dealbreaker, just a reminder that this TV is built for vibrant, bright content more than gloomy horror games.

The Hisense U8 65U8QG is a classic rival, and it runs a Mini-LED backlight that gets noticeably brighter and manages deeper blacks, but it's a 65-inch set that costs roughly the same as this TCL. If you can live with a smaller screen for better contrast, that's the smarter pick. The Sony Bravia 5 K55XR50 is all about picture processing and motion handling, but again you're stuck at 55 inches, and it's pricier. For a lot of rooms, that size downgrade kills the deal.

Then you have the OLED camp. The LG C5 Series OLED55C5PUA produces perfect blacks and breathtaking HDR, but it's a 55-inch screen that costs triple the TCL's typical price. As an 85-inch alternative, it's not even a comparison. The Samsung QN85D QN85D Neo QLED comes closer in some ways, with better brightness and wider viewing angles, but at 55-65 inches it still feels tiny next to this TCL. For anyone dead set on an 85-inch screen under $1,000, the Q6 simply has no direct rival. You're trading some refinement for immensity, and for a lot of living rooms, that's a trade worth making.

Look, the price range for this 85-inch Q6 floats between $484 and $848 across retailers, and even the high end is cheaper than most 65-inch mid-tier TVs from big names. That's bonkers. You're essentially paying for a massive screen with strong gaming chops and reliable smart features, and everything else is a bonus. Best Buy often has the lower end with price match guarantee, so waiting for a sale can drop this thing to a no-brainer price.

For perspective, a comparable 85-inch Mini-LED from Hisense or Samsung will set you back two to three times as much. You sacrifice some black-level finesse and brightness peaks, but you keep the giant screen, the 120Hz refresh, and the HDR color saturation. If your priority is sheer size and not absolute picture perfection, this is the price-to-performance champion right now.

We see a lot of TVs at this site, and the TCL 85" Q6 still raises an eyebrow. You're getting an 85-inch 4K QLED with a 120Hz panel, full HDMI 2.1 gaming features, and a snappy Google TV interface, all priced like a mid-range 55-incher from the big brands. That's wild. The Q6 series has always been about stripping away the expensive stuff and pouring the savings into sheer size and core performance, and this 2024 model doubles down on that philosophy with a 144Hz variable refresh rate and a surprisingly capable HDR picture.

Who's this for? Anyone who wants a cinema-sized screen for movies, sports, and next-gen gaming without maxing out a credit card. It thrives in mixed-use living rooms where the TV gets daylight, family binge-watching, and late-night gaming sessions. It's not a dedicated dark-room theater display, and it doesn't pretend to be. The Direct LED backlight keeps things affordable while still pumping out enough brightness to handle HDR10+ and Dolby Vision content with credible pop.

The interesting part is that TCL managed to nail the stuff you actually use every day. Google TV flies here, voice assistants work without a hitch, and the input lag is low enough to make competitive gamers happy. There are $2,000 TVs with worse smart platforms. You give up some contrast refinement and wide-angle viewing, but for a lot of people, this is the sweet spot of price and spectacle.

This isn't the TV for dedicated dark-room cinephiles who obsess over perfect black levels. The direct LED backlight without local dimming means dark movie scenes will look more gray than true black, and shadow detail gets lost. If that matters more than screen size, you'll be happier with an OLED like the LG C5 or a Mini-LED like the Hisense U8, even if that means shrinking to 55 or 65 inches.

Also skip the Q6 if you have a wide seating arrangement. The VA panel's viewing angles are narrow, so colors and contrast degrade noticeably when you're off to the side. If you often host movie nights with friends spread across a large sectional, look at a Samsung QN85D with its wide viewing angle layer, or an OLED, both of which stay consistent at an angle. The built-in sound won't impress audio enthusiasts either, but a budget soundbar quickly remedies that, so it's less of a reason to pass outright.

If you want a larger-than-life TV for movie nights, Sunday sports, and 120Hz gaming on a budget that won't make you sweat, the TCL 85" Q6 is a home run. You plug it in, log into Google, and you've got a smooth, colorful, giant display that makes everything feel like an event. The gaming performance is genuinely excellent, and the smart platform is as fast as they come. A simple soundbar upgrade turns it into a perfectly competent mini home theater.

That said, if you're building a dark, dedicated theater room where perfect black levels matter most, this isn't the right tool. Skip the Q6 and start saving for an OLED or a high-zone-count Mini-LED. The same goes if your seating spreads out wide; the VA panel washes out from the sides, so folks sitting off-angle won't get the full picture. In those cases, something like a Samsung with wide-angle tech or an LG OLED will serve you better, just at a much higher price.