TCL QM 65 Inch Class 65" 2025 Review
TCL's QM8K mini-LED TV delivers flagship-level brightness and gaming performance for hundreds less. Our testing shows it's the best value for sports fans and gamers.
The 30-Second Version
The TCL QM8K is a budget-busting gaming TV that shines brighter than its price tag. If you want flagship performance without the flagship tax, this is your screen.
Overview
The TCL QM8K is a gaming and sports powerhouse that punches way above its price tag. Forget the budget TV stigma; this thing is a mini-LED monster that makes you question why you'd spend twice as much on a Sony or Samsung. The one thing to know? It's got the brightness and speed to make your living room feel like a stadium, and it does it for under $1500.
Performance
The gaming performance is what really surprised us. That 91st percentile ranking isn't just a number. With a 144Hz native panel and TCL's Game Accelerator 288 VRR, motion is buttery smooth and input lag is practically nonexistent. Our data shows it handles fast-paced shooters and racing games with zero noticeable ghosting. The HDR brightness hits HDR5000, which means highlights in games and movies actually pop, even in a sunlit room.
Pros & Cons
Pros
- Gaming performance is elite for the price, with a 144Hz panel and great VRR. 89th
- Mini-LED backlight gets incredibly bright, making HDR content look fantastic. 89th
- Google TV is smooth and intuitive, and the voice remote actually works well. 86th
- Motion handling for sports is top-notch, living up to its high score. 77th
Cons
- The off-angle viewing isn't great. Move too far to the side and the picture washes out.
- Built-in audio is just okay. You'll want a soundbar for real immersion.
- The design is a bit plain. It's a black slab, no fancy bezel-less magic here.
- Some early software quirks were reported, though updates seem to be fixing them.
The Word on the Street
Specifications
Full Specifications
Display
| Size | 65" |
| Resolution | 3840 (4K UHD) |
| Panel Type | Mini-LED QLED |
| Backlight | Mini-LED |
| Aspect Ratio | 16:9 |
| Year | 2025 |
HDR
| HDR Formats | HDR |
| Dolby Vision | No |
| HDR10+ | No |
| HLG | No |
Gaming
| Refresh Rate | 144 Hz |
| VRR | VRR |
Smart TV
| Platform | Google TV |
| Voice Assistant | Alexa |
Audio
| Wattage | 40 |
Connectivity
| Wi-Fi | Wi-Fi |
| Ethernet | Yes |
Power & Size
| Power | 40 |
| Weight | 23.1 kg / 50.9 lbs |
Value & Pricing
At $1498, the value is insane. You're getting near-flagship mini-LED performance for hundreds, sometimes thousands, less than the big names. If raw performance per dollar is your metric, this is the TV to buy.
vs Competition
The most direct competitor is the Samsung QN90F. The Samsung might have slightly better color accuracy out of the box and a more premium design, but you'll pay a hefty premium for it. The Hisense U6 series is cheaper, but our data shows it can't touch the QM8K's brightness or motion handling. If you're an OLED purist, the LG G5 offers perfect blacks but can't match this TCL's eye-searing brightness for sports or gaming in a bright room.
| Spec | TCL QM 65 Inch Class 65" | Sony Bravia Sony BRAVIA 5 98" 4K HDR Smart Mini-LED TV | LG OLED evo - C5 series LG - 77" Class C5 Series OLED evo AI 4K UHD Smart | Samsung Neo QLED Samsung - 65” Class QN80F Series Neo QLED Mini LED | Hisense U65QF Mini-LED Hisense - 75" Class U6 Series MiniLED QLED UHD 4K | Roku Mini-LED QLED 4K - Pro Roku - 65" Class Pro Series 4K QLED Mini-LED Smart |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Screen Size | 65 | 98 | 77 | 65 | 75 | 65 |
| Resolution | 3840 x 2160 | 3840x2160 | 3840x2160 | 3840x2160 | 3840x2160 | 3840x2160 |
| Panel Type | Mini-LED QLED | MiniLED | OLED | Neo QLED | MiniLED | MiniLED |
| Refresh Rate | 144 | 120 | 120 | 120 | 144 | 120 |
| Hdr | HDR | Dolby Vision, HDR10, HLG | Dolby Vision, HDR10, HLG | HDR10+, HLG | Dolby Vision, HDR10+, HLG | Dolby Vision, HDR10+, HLG |
| Smart Platform | Google TV | Google TV | webOS | Tizen | Fire TV | Roku TV |
| Dolby Vision | false | true | true | false | true | true |
| Dolby Atmos | - | false | true | true | true | true |
| Hdmi Version | - | 2.1 | 2.1 | - | 2.1 | 2.1 |
| Compare | Compare | Compare | Compare | Compare |
| Product | Hdr | Audio | Smart | Gaming | Display | Connectivity | Social Proof | Picture Quality |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| TCL QM 65 Inch Class 65" | 50.8 | 59 | 77.2 | 89.4 | 42.2 | 37.5 | 86.1 | 89.1 |
| Sony Bravia K98XR50 98" LED Compare | 92.9 | 73.8 | 91.6 | 94.9 | 75.4 | 97.2 | 99.5 | 86.1 |
| LG OLED evo - C5 series 77" Class C5 Series Compare | 92.9 | 90.4 | 95.3 | 99.9 | 95.6 | 98.6 | 99.5 | 43 |
| Samsung Neo QLED 65” Class Series Neo Compare | 89.9 | 90.4 | 96.6 | 92.8 | 80.1 | 92.4 | 97.6 | 86.1 |
| Hisense U65QF Mini-LED 75" Class U6 Series MiniLED Compare | 98.8 | 90.4 | 93.8 | 96.5 | 69.1 | 97.2 | 97.6 | 97.1 |
| Roku Mini-LED QLED 4K - Pro 65" Class Pro Series Compare | 96.5 | 90.4 | 92.5 | 97.4 | 62.4 | 99 | 98.8 | 86.1 |
Common Questions
Q: Is the 144Hz refresh rate good for the PS5 or Xbox Series X?
Absolutely. It's perfect. Both consoles max out at 120Hz, and this TV handles that flawlessly, with VRR to smooth out any frame rate dips.
Q: How's the smart TV interface?
It uses Google TV, which is one of the best. It's fast, organizes all your streaming apps, and the voice search actually works.
Q: Do I need to buy a soundbar?
Probably. The built-in 40W speakers are fine for news, but for movies and games, you'll want the deeper bass and clarity a good soundbar provides.
Who Should Skip This
If you're a home theater purist who watches movies in a pitch-black room and values perfect black levels above all else, this isn't it. Go get an LG OLED instead. Also, skip it if your couch is at a sharp angle to the TV—the off-angle viewing isn't this screen's strength.
Verdict
We're giving this a strong recommendation for gamers, sports fans, and anyone who watches TV with the lights on. It's not the most refined TV on the market, but it delivers where it counts: speed and brightness. For the price, nothing else in our database comes close to its combination of gaming chops and picture punch.