TCL C655 / C69B 98' vs Samsung QN80F 100"

The quality of the HDR effect on TCL C655 / C69B looks quite promising. The average value in the test charts is around 450 nits, which already allows one to feel the brilliance of light effects and better image dynamics. However, as previously mentioned, this effect can be somewhat dampened by slight differences in bright and dark shades due to the lack of local dimming technology. However, the coverage of the DCI-P3 colour gamut at 94% is commendable, and this is possible thanks to the use of a quantum dot (QLED) panel. As a result, the colours are vivid and well-reproduced when watching HDR content.

When it comes to HDR in Filmmaker mode, the QN80F can make a great first impression. Our lab tests showed that under the best conditions, the TV can achieve brightness exceeding 1200–1300 nits. These are truly remarkable results that make HDR effects in many films look incredible. The TV is simply bright enough that it doesn't have to artificially adapt the image – the bright parts of the scene have the right 'power' and actually look like a light source. Of course, the lab is one thing, and everyday viewing is another. In practice, during film scenes, brightness typically hovers around 700–1100 nits. These are still excellent values that, in most cases, provide a strong sense of realism and make the lights on the screen truly blinding. The problem arises in exceptionally difficult sequences, where, like almost every mini-LED, it reveals its limitations. A good example is Sicario 2: scenes with the helicopter in the night sky look much weaker, and the lights lose intensity, dropping to around 370 nits, making it hard to speak of serious awe. Additionally, there's the issue of colours. Although we are dealing with a QLED, the coverage of the DCI-P3 colour gamut is about 90%. This is a rather average result for a quantum dot TV. In practice, this means that some colours may appear less saturated than we would expect, especially in demanding HDR productions.

The TCL C655 / C69B television offers a film mode that has been tested for colour reproduction quality. Although this mode is called film mode, unfortunately, it has quite a few issues that a director would definitely not want to see when filming their work. Starting with image analysis, it's worth examining the white balance – both in HD and 4K HDR content, the white balance has significant errors. In both cases, the red colour dominates, which makes the colours too warm, and the overall effect takes on a pink or yellow tint. The Colour Checker test confirms these errors – the colour samples veer into incorrect shades, which impacts the overall colour fidelity. A less significant issue is the brightness characteristic. However, it is also not free of flaws. The gamma chart shows a strong spike at the beginning, which can cause the image to be overly bright, and the EOTF curve responsible for brightness in 4K HDR materials also shows considerable fluctuations – it is evident that the television struggles to maintain the appropriate brightness, but it does not always succeed effectively.

Samsung QN80F performs best in Filmmaker mode, which is designed to faithfully reproduce the creators' intentions. And indeed – this is the mode where the TV shows its potential. But let's not fool ourselves, it’s far from perfect. In SDR content, a significant issue emerged with white balance. Slight deficiencies in green and a clear excess of red caused the screen to take on a pinkish hue. You don't even need measuring tools to notice this – in everyday viewing, the subtly shifted colour palette could be quite noticeable, and in colour checker tests, the colours nearly "jumped" outside their reference fields. With HDR content, the situation looked a bit better, as the white balance was closer to ideal, but another problem emerged – brightness management. The EOTF curve often caused the image to become too bright, which spoiled the impression of contrast, and in dynamic scenes, it led to a slight "flicker" in perception. We've actually mentioned this before in the sections about black levels and HDR. The good news, however, is that Samsung provides plenty of tools for improvement. The QN80F allows for very detailed calibration, including a 20-point white balance. And since the manufacturer has left us with so many options, we decided to see how the TV would perform after a solid correction.

After calibrating the movie mode of the TCL C655 / C69B television, the white balance has been adjusted, and the colours look as they should – confirmed only by slight deviations in the Colour Checker test. The gamma is really accurate, which means the television shouldn’t have issues with brightness in low-resolution materials. Unfortunately, a similar EOTF characteristic is still visible, which is a natural phenomenon in televisions that do not have local dimming – it’s just difficult for them to "shine" brighter in a given part of the screen. Despite this construction limitation that cannot be bypassed, we recommend adjustments in the settings, as the overall colour presentation looks really very good.

After calibrating the QN80F, it immediately showed that it has much more to offer. The pink hue that used to spoil the viewing experience has disappeared, and the white balance finally looks as it should – natural and without excessive deviations. The colours have gained depth, and the image has become more saturated and coherent, making movies simply more enjoyable to watch. It's a bit like taking a light mist off the screen – suddenly everything appears sharper and clearer. Brightness management has also improved. The TV no longer gets lost so easily in dynamic changes, and the EOTF graph shows that the curve tracking is significantly more stable. Of course, there are no miracles – the limited number of zones still means that small, bright elements can be slightly washed out, but that's just a result of the design rather than the settings. After this adjustment, the QN80F feels like a more mature piece of equipment, and watching movies finally provides the satisfaction expected from even a higher-end television.

The TCL C655 / C69B TV handles tonal transitions well in lower quality materials. The “Gradual Smoothing” function at its lowest setting effectively eliminates visible banding, but it also results in a loss of detail, for example, in the texture of objects. A plus is that it does not interfere with film grain, allowing the image to maintain a natural look.

In terms of digital processing, the TV adds a significant amount of artificial sharpness, which may appeal to those who prefer a vivid image. For those who prefer a more subtle rendering of details, this may be a drawback. Another downside is the quite aggressive overscan – the image is cropped, which leads to the loss of fragments at the edges and limits the field of view.

With lower quality materials, such as YouTube videos or older television recordings, the QN80F can show both its strengths and weaknesses. If strange colour transitions or artefacts start to appear on the screen, it's worth reaching for the noise reduction feature. The best setting is at the "medium" level – it smooths out problematic segments while not blurring the entire image. However, one compromise must be kept in mind: this feature always removes film grain. If someone enjoys its presence in older productions, it's better to leave the reduction off, as regardless of the setting, the grain simply disappears.

Resolution scaling, or upscaling, is another strong point for Samsung. The QN80F may not be the best television on the market, but it performs very well in its price class, which is crucial for such a large size as a 100-inch screen. Even low-quality materials can gain a second life – the image becomes sharper, more readable, and overall, much more pleasant to view. A weak point remains overscan, which is slight cropping of edges in very low resolutions (e.g., 576p), something that has been a longstanding issue for Samsung. Fortunately, in everyday viewing of HD and 4K content, this is practically of no significance anymore.

Unlike the smaller versions, the 98” model stands out with significantly better motion fluidity. Instead of the standard 60 Hz, this colossal screen is equipped with a full 144 Hz panel, which opens up entirely new possibilities – for both gamers and movie lovers. With its full motion smoother, the television delivers incredible image fluidity, eliminating ghosting and improving the comfort of watching dynamic scenes. It's worth noting that this technology operates across the full refresh rate range, meaning there's no need to compromise between fluidity and quality. Additionally, the "Flicker Reduction" feature allows you to adjust the fluidity to your own preferences – you can choose a more cinematic effect with visible frame rate or a maximally smooth image.

QN80F features a 144 Hz panel, and this is evident in practice – with full refresh, the image is incredibly smooth, and motion blur remains at an acceptable, barely noticeable level. However, this mode is mainly aimed at PC gamers. The most important point of reference in everyday use remains the 120 Hz refresh rate, and here a certain crunch arises. During the UFO test, we noticed ghosting of rapidly moving objects – it looked as if the television had the BFI (Black Frame Insertion) feature permanently enabled, which in practice led to an unpleasant effect of double edges. We still don't know if this is a software issue or a peculiarity of this model, but in its current state, it's hard to commend such behaviour.

The 98-inch TCL C655 / C69B is excellently equipped for gamers. Full-featured HDMI 2.1 ports and a 144 Hz panel allow for gaming in 4K at 120 Hz, providing the smoothness and responsiveness that will impress even the most demanding.

The TV supports variable refresh rate (VRR), eliminating screen tearing, while the automatic low latency mode (ALLM) ensures that gaming starts instantly, without the need for manual adjustment of settings. There is also support for Dolby Vision and HGiG, ensuring that the image quality in games is even better – details are sharp, colours are natural, and contrast is perfectly balanced.

Additionally, the TV offers a dedicated gaming panel that allows for quick adjustment of picture settings without the need to exit the game. It’s a device that meets practically all the requirements of the modern gamer.

Samsung QN80F gives the impression of a TV designed for gamers. On the list of advantages, we have a 144 Hz panel, four full-featured HDMI 2.1 ports, full support for VRR and ALLM, and one of the best-designed gamebars on the market. Additionally, there’s the Game Motion Plus motion smoother, which also works in games without actually increasing input lag, making the QN80F an absolute standout in this category. In practice, this means you can enjoy smoother visuals without losing responsiveness, which is a dream for many console gamers!

As is usual with Samsung, there’s no Dolby Vision in games, and that’s nothing new. However, we were much more surprised to find that in the models from 2025… the HGIG function has disappeared. This feature allowed consoles like the PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X to perfectly match HDR tone mapping to the TV's capabilities. In the current firmware, the QN80F simply doesn't have this option – it seems more like an oversight than a conscious decision by the manufacturer, but as of the day of testing, HGIG is not available. Due to this one absence, the QN80F shifts from an almost perfect TV for gamers to a device that is only "nearly" ideal. It's quite a pity because apart from that, Samsung has created a model that truly raises the bar in the gaming hardware segment.