TCL C7L vs LG OLED B6

Direct comparison

B65 / B6E / B6G

Available screen sizes: 55”65”75”85”98”

Available screen sizes: 48”55”65”77”83”

Panel type: LCD VA

Resolution: 3840x2160

System: Google TV

Model year: 2026

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Panel type: WRGB OLED

Resolution: 3840x2160

System: WebOS

Model year: 2026

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Overall rating

7.8

7.8

  • Movies and series in UHD quality

    7.2

    8.0

  • Classic TV, YouTube

    6.8

    8.8

  • Sports broadcasts (TV and apps)

    6.7

    8.6

  • Gaming on console

    8.8

    9.2

  • TV as a computer monitor

    8.4

    7.6

  • Watching in bright light

    8.8

    4.8

  • Utility functions

    7.8

    8.0

  • Apps

    9.6

    9.1

  • Sound quality

    7.7

    6.7

Advantages

  • Very high brightness

  • Good blacks and contrast (VA panel + mini-LED)

  • Excellent colour gamut coverage thanks to the new "Super QLED" filter

  • Full support for HDR formats including Dolby Vision and HDR10+

  • Top specs for gamers (HDMI 2.1, low input lag)

  • High motion clarity with low motion blur (up to 288Hz)

  • Google TV operating system (lots of apps, Gemini voice assistant)

  • Perfect blacks and contrast from an OLED panel

  • Very good HDR performance with Dolby Vision

  • Natural and accurate colours after calibration

  • Excellent motion clarity with no motion blur (120 Hz)

  • Four HDMI 2.1 ports with full 48 Gb/s bandwidth

  • Very low input lag

  • VRR, G-Sync, FreeSync and proper HGiG, a rich feature set for gamers

  • Rich webOS with the Magic Remote

  • Wide viewing angles

Disadvantages

No like
  • Poor digital image processing due to the use of the older MediaTek Pentonic 700 processor

  • Only two HDMI 2.1 ports, one of which is shared with the eARC channel for audio, e.g. a soundbar

  • Sound loses dynamic range above about 40 to 50% volume

  • Worse glare suppression than its predecessor (a characteristic of the OLED SE panel)

  • Average brightness; performs best in a room with controlled lighting

  • No DTS:X support, mainly a downside for Blu-ray disc owners

  • The webOS system isn't the fastest here

Our verdict

TCL C7L is an incredibly successful Mini-LED television and a fully deserved successor to the hit model C7K. The list of advantages of this device is really long. At the top is the extremely high brightness of the panel. Thanks to this, the television handles brightly lit living rooms without any problems, offering a fantastic and dynamic image in HDR format. Huge applause is also due for the use of the new Super QLED coating – after professional calibration, the colours can be not only natural but also incredibly vibrant. The best part is that the screen does this regardless of what scene is displayed on the screen, which is often not the case for all TVs with RGB backlighting. C7L is also an excellent piece of hardware for gamers; you could even say it’s a true "multimedia powerhouse." It fully supports consoles and PCs, refresh rates up to 288 Hz, G-Sync, and low input lag that doesn’t increase even when enabling very demanding modes like Dolby Vision Gaming. The whole package is tied together by a well-optimised Google TV system, which in this generation of TCL devices runs noticeably smoother and more efficiently (at least that’s the impression we got during our tests). Of course, C7L is not a perfect device, and the manufacturer had to make certain compromises in this model. The biggest flaw of the C7L is the use of a less powerful image processor. Unfortunately, this translates to fairly mediocre digital processing and another construction limitation in the form of only two HDMI 2.1 ports. A more powerful setup has been reserved this year for the higher series, such as C8L. From a business perspective, this is fully understandable. Why? Because if TCL had put a better processor here, most people would probably see no sense in paying extra for the higher model. So even if some compromises exist here, the C7L series promises once again to be one of the most cost-effective Mini-LED televisions of the year. If you’re looking for a versatile, incredibly bright screen for movies, series, TV, or games – literally for everything – and at the same time don’t want to overpay for the top series, then yes... C7L is a brilliant choice that we can definitely recommend to you.

LG OLED B6 is a very successful continuation of the B series and a TV that makes a lot of sense as a first step into OLED. It doesn’t try to compete with the most expensive models in every respect, but on the key points it still delivers exactly what many people choose this technology for: perfect black, very high contrast and a picture that can simply look spectacular in movies. Much of that is down to the new budget WOLED panel, the OLED SE. Thanks to it, LG’s cheapest OLED is noticeably brighter than a few years ago, and around 800 nits in HDR is a result you can genuinely see when watching. Bright highlights have more punch, the image copes better in demanding scenes, and combined with OLED black levels the overall look can be really impressive. Films and series from streaming platforms, especially those available in Dolby Vision, benefit in particular. That’s when the B6 makes the most of its strengths and can present a picture that will feel like a big step up for someone moving from a typical LCD TV. This is not a model without compromises. Our biggest concern is how the screen handles reflections. The lack of a classic polariser means the TV fares much worse when placed opposite a large window or a strong light source. Reflections are more noticeable than on other WOLED panels, and the black loses some of its character in a bright room. In controlled conditions that won’t be a problem, but for a very bright living room you should approach this purchase with a bit of caution. There’s also a slight disappointment with webOS. The system itself is still very good, with a rich app library, the convenient Magic Remote and basically everything you’d expect from a modern Smart TV. The problem is that on the B6 it doesn’t always run as smoothly as it should. At times you can feel the new version of the system is more demanding and a bit 'heavier' than before. Despite these remarks, the LG B6 still performs very well. It delivers all the main advantages of OLED while not costing as much as the higher series. It makes the most sense when it appears in a good deal, because then it can become one of the most interesting choices for people who want to step into the world of OLED without overpaying.

TV appearance

HDMI inputs
2 x HDMI 2.0, 2 x HDMI 2.1 (48Gbps)
0 x HDMI 2.0, 4 x HDMI 2.1 (48Gbps)
Other inputs
Outputs
Toslink (Optical audio), eARC (HDMI), ARC (HDMI)
Toslink (Optical audio), eARC (HDMI), ARC (HDMI)
Network Interfaces
Wi-Fi 2.4GHz, Wi-Fi 5GHz, Ethernet (LAN) 100Mbps
Wi-Fi 2.4GHz, Wi-Fi 5GHz, Ethernet (LAN) 100Mbps
Build quality
Good
Premium
Stand type
Central
Legs
Bezel color
Graphite
Graphite
Stand
Height adjustment
Fixed
Accessories
Stand
Stand

Contrast and black detail

7.7/10

10/10

Local dimming function: Yes, number of zones: 1152 (24 x 48)

Contrast:

Review TCL C7L Contrast and black detail

Result

174,100:1

Review TCL C7L Contrast and black detail

Result

25,700:1

Review TCL C7L Contrast and black detail

Result

13,950:1

Review TCL C7L Contrast and black detail

Result

10,900:1

Review TCL C7L Contrast and black detail

Result

9,900:1

Review LG OLED B6 Contrast and black detail

Result

:1

Review LG OLED B6 Contrast and black detail

Result

:1

Review LG OLED B6 Contrast and black detail

Result

:1

Review LG OLED B6 Contrast and black detail

Result

:1

Review LG OLED B6 Contrast and black detail

Result

:1

Halo effect and black detail visibility:

Check the visibility of bright lights on a dark background. Mini-LEDs often struggle with this. The photo does not compare black levels – that’s what the video below is for.

The video accurately shows differences in contrast and black levels between TVs, as well as potential issues: halo around bright objects or Mini-LED zone operation visible as brightness jumps.

TCL C7L is a Mini LED TV, which in the 65-inch variant we tested, is equipped with over 1000 local dimming zones. This, combined with the proprietary VA panel (called HVA 2.0 by TCL CSOT), delivers really decent results in terms of black levels and contrast. In most of the scenes we measured, the blacks and contrast looked really good, and in the easiest shots, the black was deep enough to almost resemble that seen on OLED screens. This is of course referring to the least demanding shots with a lot of black on the screen. However, when more bright elements appear on the screen, and black stops dominating as much, it is evident that TCL C7L – like most Mini LED TVs – has its issues with local dimming zone management.

This can be clearly seen, for example, on the black bars in films shot in the 2.35:1 panoramic format. Then, on the black bars or around small, bright objects, a pronounced halo effect, or a bright light glow, can appear. The contrast then drastically dropped – from laboratory values of around 200,000:1 to about 10,000:1, which is quite noticeable in a completely dark room. It’s worth remembering that this shouldn’t be treated as a flaw of the TV but rather as a characteristic of mini-LED technology. Of course, this effect becomes much less bothersome when we turn on at least some light in the room… which I definitely recommend doing during screenings on any LCD TV.

The blacks on the LG OLED B6 are perfect. It's no surprise, since it's an OLED (WOLED), but this is where you can really see why the technology still has so many fans. Each pixel can switch off individually, so in dark scenes there’s no grey glow or blooming around bright elements. That gives the picture excellent depth and can make it look truly three-dimensional. Shadow detail also holds up well. Nothing blends into a single dark blotch, and fine elements remain visible even in tougher scenes. In that respect the B6 simply delivers everything we love about OLED TVs.

HDR effect quality

6.6/10

6.2/10

Supported formats
HDR10, HDR10+, Dolby Vision, Dolby Vision IQ, HLG
HDR10, Dolby Vision, HLG
Color gamut coverage
DCI P3: 97.3%, Bt.2020: 90.5%
DCI P3: 97.0%, Bt.2020: 72.0%

Luminance measurements in HDR:

Review TCL C7L Brightness measurement

Result

1236 nit

Review TCL C7L Brightness measurement

Result

401 nit

Review TCL C7L Brightness measurement

Result

831 nit

Review TCL C7L Brightness measurement

Result

352 nit

Review TCL C7L Brightness measurement

Result

1204 nit

Review LG OLED B6 Brightness measurement

Result

734 nit

Review LG OLED B6 Brightness measurement

Result

734 nit

Review LG OLED B6 Brightness measurement

Result

804 nit

Review LG OLED B6 Brightness measurement

Result

757 nit

Review LG OLED B6 Brightness measurement

Result

355 nit

Scene from the movie “Pan” (about 2800 nits)

Scene from the movie “Billy Lynn” (about 1100 nits)

The photos show two HDR10 movies. 'Pan' is one of the brightest productions ever made, while 'Billy Lynn' (soldier) has brightness typical of streaming (Netflix, Prime, HBO MAX). Notice the intensity of effects and detail in whites.

Static HDR10

The photos present the visibility of white details in various HDR formats. They do not show brightness differences between TVs (these can be compared in the previous gallery).

Dynamic: Dolby Vision

Dynamic: Dolby Vision

The photos present the visibility of white details in various HDR formats. They do not show brightness differences between TVs (these can be compared in the previous gallery).

HDR luminance chart:

LG OLED B6

TCL C7L

Luminance of RGB colors

The TCL C7L is without doubt an extremely bright TV. In synthetic tests with static patterns it can reach peak brightness of around 2800 nits. That's a phenomenal result, given the price bracket it occupies. Unfortunately, tests with real film scenes aren't as spectacular as measurements using white squares. Brightness in real HDR shots falls in the C7L to around 1200 nits. That's still very good, because the vast majority of modern films are mastered to about that level. However, when small, pinpoint elements appear on screen, the brightness of those details drops drastically, even to roughly 400 nits, which somewhat weakens the HDR effect. The TV does this deliberately to preserve deeper black levels and to avoid a large halo of light. That's understandable to an extent, but it also shows that Mini LED technology is not without compromises in this area. As for the HDR experience itself, alongside brightness the key factor is of course colour. And thanks to the use of new 'super' quantum dots, the colours are simply outstanding and among the best on the market. The TV can achieve very wide coverage of the BT.2020 and DCI-P3 colour gamuts, matching the best RGB Mini-LED displays with ease. Best of all, the C7L can maintain such high colour saturation regardless of the scene shown, which is often a problem for competing RGB Mini-LED TVs.

LG B6 is a moderately bright OLED. After calibration it reaches around 800 nits, roughly 200 nits more than last year's B5. That's down to LG Display's new budget OLED SE panel. In practice this simply provides a bit more headroom and makes HDR look fuller in many scenes than on last year's lower-end OLEDs. That doesn't mean the B6 has no limitations. In very bright shots, when a large part of the screen is brightly lit, brightness can fall below 400 nits. This behaviour is typical of OLED TVs (especially in this segment), and it's then you see the biggest difference compared with pricier models. All the same, we rate the B6's results as really solid. It's still not a TV built to break brightness records, but the HDR effect is strong enough that films really feel like a step up from ordinary SDR picture.

Colour gamut

Using the OLED SE panel has had some impact on wide colour-gamut coverage. Compared with last year's model the figures have dropped by a few percentage points. DCI-P3 reaches about 96%, and BT.2020 around 71%. That doesn't mean the colours on the LG B6 are weak. In most films and TV series they look vivid, well saturated and simply pleasing to the eye. You only notice the difference in very bright, highly colourful scenes. Then colours lose some intensity compared with QD-OLED panels. This is due to the WOLED panel structure. In addition to the red, green and blue subpixels it also uses a white subpixel that helps boost brightness. This comes at a cost: at very high luminance some of the colour is effectively 'diluted' by the white light, so saturation of some hues can be slightly lower. Day-to-day it's not a big problem, but you can see it in the most demanding scenes.

Factory color reproduction

5.6/10

7.2/10

This gallery shows how colors change after professional TV calibration. If you notice the difference, we recommend ordering this service at SkalibrujTV.com.

Factory Mode

After calibration

This gallery shows how colors change after professional TV calibration. If you notice the difference, we recommend ordering this service at SkalibrujTV.com.

Factory Mode

After calibration

When it comes to out-of-the-box colours, a new feature in TCL TVs – including the C7L model – is the presence of a new picture mode called Filmmaker Mode. This is significant news, as such a mode was not previously available from this manufacturer. By design, as the name suggests, the picture in this setting is intended to be delivered with the full intent of the film's creator. After our tests, we can confirm that it is undeniably the best built-in mode in this TV if you value true-to-life colour reproduction straight out of the box. However, we certainly wouldn’t say it is perfect. Like most devices on the market, this C7L also had its factory faults. The white balance in Filmmaker Mode leaned towards a slightly greenish-yellow hue, mainly due to an excess of green component and a noticeable lack of blue. Of course, for the average viewer, this won’t be a drastic flaw, but if you value perfect whites, natural skin tones, and harnessing the full potential of these new "super" quantum dots from the structure, then the TV is begging for professional calibration.

We tested the LG B6 in Filmmaker Mode, the best picture setting available straight out of the box. ISF modes give very similar results, but in our tests we always stick to Filmmaker Mode for better comparison with other TVs. Each of them is a far better starting point than Vivid or Eco, where the picture is heavily boosted and noticeably less natural. For SDR content the factory settings perform really well. Colour errors are small, gamma behaves correctly, and the picture looks natural during regular viewing and does not seem overly enhanced.

It's a bit worse with HDR. Once you start playing that kind of content it's quickly apparent the white balance isn't perfectly set. Too much blue and red makes the image take on a slightly pink tint. Colour gamut measurements and the ColorChecker confirm this, with samples clearly shifting in that direction. It's not a defect that completely ruins the picture, but you can notice it with HDR films. So anyone who wants the most faithful image should consider calibration, which we cover later in the review.

Color reproduction after calibration

7.5/10

9.2/10

The photos show how movies look on the TV. Pay attention to black detail visibility, colors, and shadow tint.

The photos show how movies look on the TV. Pay attention to black detail visibility, colors, and shadow tint.

After a professional calibration we managed to greatly improve performance in the out-of-the-box Filmmaker Mode. After our adjustments the errors in the ColorChecker test and across the wide colour gamut dropped below the threshold of human perception, that is below a value of 3, which is a very good result. The TCL C7L clearly benefits from such treatment in terms of colour fidelity and it's hard to argue otherwise. A bit worse, however, is brightness management with HDR content after calibration. As I described earlier, even though we set this model up correctly, when you play real film scenes on the television it can handle its brightness in a rather peculiar way. It often brightens certain elements on screen contrary to the filmmaker's intent, which is clearly visible on the EOTF curves measured in specific films. Despite this defect, or rather a specific characteristic of this television, one thing is undeniable: after calibration the C7L was able to reproduce colours accurately.

During calibration we focused mainly on HDR material, because that’s where the factory settings needed the most correction. We didn’t neglect SDR, though. After tuning it was brought almost to perfection. Colours are very accurate and brightness is controlled as it should be. The biggest change in HDR came from improving the white balance. After removing excess red and blue the pinkish tint disappeared and the image became much more natural. Skin tones, whites and all colours that had previously leaned towards pink improved. After calibration most errors fell below Delta E 2-3, the threshold at which an average viewer stops noticing differences with the naked eye. So the LG B6 can produce a very accurate picture, especially for the manufacturer’s entry-level OLED model.

Smoothness of tonal transitions

8.6/10

7.3/10

These are selected scenes that show smooth tonal transitions from one color to another. If you see distinct banding, it’s the TV panel’s fault.

These are selected scenes that show smooth tonal transitions from one color to another. If you see distinct banding, it’s the TV panel’s fault.

These are selected scenes that show smooth tonal transitions from one color to another. If you see distinct banding, it’s the TV panel’s fault.

These are selected scenes that show smooth tonal transitions from one color to another. If you see distinct banding, it’s the TV panel’s fault.

The next element worth discussing is the smoothness of tonal transitions. To be fair, the TCL C7L simply looks good here. In most scenes, and especially the brighter ones, we didn’t see any problems with gradients. In native 4K HDR content the picture is clean and transitions between shades are very smooth. It looks just as good in Dolby Vision mode, where during our tests we didn’t notice any digital artifacts or ugly colour banding. One could nitpick very dark scenes where a heavily compressed signal is shown on screen. In those conditions the C7L can sometimes reveal minor imperfections, but in this model it’s not something that really stands out. Especially during everyday movie viewing.

Tonal transitions in the LG B6 are quite good, though some limitations typical of WOLED panels are still apparent. In most scenes colours shift between shades smoothly, without obvious banding or unwanted digital artefacts. It is not always perfect, however. The most problems occur in the darker areas of the image, where WOLED panels have for years tended to perform a little worse. This is partly due to the greater difficulty of driving the panel at very low brightness and to the specifics of a design that uses a white subpixel. Compared with last year’s model there is a slight improvement, but it still is not at the level of the best QD-OLED TVs or more advanced LCD models.

Image scaling and smoothness of tonal transitions

5.5/10

8/10

Image without overscan on the SD signal
OK
OK
Smooth transition function
OK
OK

Smooth transition function

The match photo shows how the TV smooths weak tonal transitions in low-quality video.

Image scaling SD (576i)

The model photo shows how it handles upscaling of SD material.

This could, in a sense, be called the Achilles' heel of the C7L. Unfortunately, this TV uses an older MediaTek chipset, the Pentonic 700, which has never been known for exceptional image processing. You can see that clearly in the operation of the progressive smoothing function, which is responsible for reducing jagged edges and removing digital noise. It simply performs very poorly — set to low, its effectiveness is practically nil. The only small plus is that the algorithm doesn't introduce extra artefacts or unnecessarily blur fine detail. Upscaling, that is scaling lower-resolution sources up to 4K, fares a little better. It's simply adequate and nothing special compared with the competition. It's hard to deny that the C7L would benefit greatly in this area if the manufacturer opted for the newer Pentonic 800 processor, which is now appearing in an increasing number of rival models.

LG B6 copes very well with lower-quality material. Much of that is down to effective digital image processing, which can mask some source imperfections without excessively smoothing the whole scene. The "Smooth Gradation" feature proves particularly useful. It lets you noticeably reduce posterization mentioned earlier, especially in dark parts of the image. The safest choice is to set it to Low or Medium. The feature still effectively smooths out harsh tonal transitions, but doesn't yet interfere too much with fine details. Die-hard purists can of course leave it off. Upscaling to 4K also performs very well. Full HD and 720p content retain a fair amount of detail, and the image is neither overly sharpened nor heavily blurred. Some limitations are only noticeable with very poor sources below 720p, where the smallest text and fine elements aren't always perfectly sharp, but this is true for almost every other TV on the market.

Blur and motion smoothness

7.8/10

8.5/10

Maximum refresh rate of the panel
144Hz
120Hz
Film motion smoothing option
OK
OK
Blur reduction option
OK
OK
BFI function 60Hz
Yes, 120Hz (double contours)
Yes, 60Hz (image flickers)
BFI function 120Hz
Yes, 240Hz (double contours)
Yes, 120Hz
Brightness drop with BFI
52%
50%

Blur (native resolution, maximum refresh rate):

Blur (BFI function enabled):

Blur (4K@144Hz):

Blur ():

TCL C7L uses a native 4K panel with a 144 Hz refresh rate, which at lower resolutions when used with a PC can even reach 288 Hz. These are, of course, very high figures and look good on paper, but in everyday use it's worth remembering that almost all dynamic content you play on this TV will still run at around a maximum of 120 Hz. To tame that motion, the TV's menu includes a motion smoothing system called "Motion Clarity". It offers several preset modes, including a user mode that we strongly recommend you set manually using our tried-and-tested guides on our YouTube channel. You get two key sliders there. The first, "Blur Reduction", reduces smearing and improves sharpness in dynamic 60 fps material, such as live sports broadcasts. The second slider, "Flicker Reduction", lets you add artificial frames to films and series shot at cinematic 24 or 30 frames per second. That, of course, completely gets rid of the annoying judder during camera-move shots.

One of the biggest advantages of OLED panels is their very fast pixel response time. That keeps the picture sharp and prevents visible smearing that often appears on LCD TVs. It does have a downside, though. During slow camera pans motion can look a bit choppier than on LCD screens, where the slower panel naturally masks some of that effect. Fortunately, on the LG B6 this is easy to tame with TruMotion. With the motion smoothing set correctly you can get smoother motion without giving the picture an exaggerated soap-opera effect.

Console compatibility and gaming features

9.8/10

10/10

  • ALLM
    Yes
    Yes
  • VRR
    Yes
    Yes
  • VRR range
    48 - 288Hz
    40 - 120Hz
  • Dolby Vision Game Mode
    Yes
    Yes
  • Correct implementation of HGIG
    Yes
    Yes
  • 1080p@120Hz
    Yes
    Yes
  • 1440p@120Hz
    Yes
    Yes
  • 4K@120Hz
    Yes
    Yes
  • Game bar
    Yes
    Yes

When it comes to gaming, the TCL C7L is simply an outstanding TV for players. With two full‑bandwidth HDMI 2.1 ports at 48 Gbps, you get access to all the key features required by console owners and high‑end PCs. It offers a well‑working ALLM mode with very low input lag and VRR frame sync that operates across an impressive 48 to 288 Hz range. Importantly, unlike some rivals, TCL has implemented the console HDR10 HGIG profile correctly and supports Dolby Vision in games. The package is rounded off by a very well designed player panel, the Game Bar, which even lets you edit its appearance and change the theme so it perfectly matches the look of your console.

The only thing you can — and should — criticise is that the TV only provides two full HDMI 2.1 ports, while the other two are older HDMI 2.0. That creates quite a practical problem, because one of those fast ports also handles the eARC (enhanced Audio Return Channel). In practice, that means if you connect a soundbar or home theatre system to the TV, you’ll be left with only one free HDMI 2.1 input. If you have two consoles or a console and a powerful PC at home, you’ll unfortunately have to give something up or keep swapping cables at the back if you want convenient control of your audio system.

LG OLED B6 has plenty going for gamers; it's a complete base for the PS5, Xbox Series X/S or a solid PC. It comes with four full-size HDMI 2.1 ports with 48 Gb/s bandwidth, so you can forget about annoying cable swapping when you want to connect several newer devices at once. We get a full package of sync technologies, from classic VRR to G-Sync and FreeSync. The panel effortlessly syncs its refresh rate to the frame pacing produced by your console or graphics card. Of course ALLM is present: the B6 automatically recognises when a game is running and immediately cuts latency to a minimum. HDR support is also excellent. The TV supports Dolby Vision, and a correctly implemented HGiG means that after an initial calibration in the console settings the picture won't suffer from blown-out whites or lost detail in bright areas. The icing on the cake is the Game Bar. Instead of digging through the full menu mid-game, a single click lets you correct shadow visibility, tweak chosen parameters or simply check the display's current mode. All of this makes the LG B6 a great choice for gamers.

Input lag

10/10

9.8/10

SDR

1080p60
11 ms
15 ms
1080p120
7 ms
5 ms
2160p60
11 ms
14 ms
2160p120
7 ms
5 ms

HDR

2160p60
11 ms
14 ms
2160p120
7 ms
5 ms
4320p60

Dolby Vision

2160p60 DV
11 ms
25 ms
2160p120 DV
7 ms
13 ms

It's worth taking a look at the raw numbers here, because in terms of signal delay the TCL C7L is an absolute market leader. Our measurements showed that input lag is extremely low and for a 60 Hz signal it's only about 10 ms. When we step up to 120 Hz gaming, the delay falls to an almost imperceptible 6 to 7 ms. More importantly, the TV maintains those values even with Dolby Vision enabled in games.

Input lag on the LG B6 is very low. At 120 Hz it's about 5 ms, and at 60 Hz it rises to roughly 15 ms. Both results are good enough that most gamers won't notice any delay between their inputs and what happens on screen. Dolby Vision performs a bit worse, with input lag sometimes increasing to around 25 ms. It's still not a bad result, but the most demanding gamers using an Xbox may already notice a difference compared with regular HDR.

Compatibility with PC

8.4/10

7.6/10

Chroma 444 (max. resolution and refresh rate)
Yes
Yes
Font clarity
Good
Good
Readability of dark text and shapes
Good
Very Good
Input lag in PC mode (4K, max. refresh rate)
6ms
5ms
Matrix subpixel arrangement
RGB
RGWB
Max refresh rate
144Hz
120Hz
G-Sync
Yes
Yes

The photo shows the legibility of small fonts. Ideally, lines should be the same thickness on both light and dark text, with minimal pixel gaps.

When it comes to PC gaming, as I mentioned earlier, it's really hassle-free. The TV handles high refresh rates without breaking a sweat: full 4K at 144 Hz, and at Full HD it can even reach 288 Hz. G-Sync and FreeSync both work without issue. For PC gamers, the C7L can therefore serve as an excellent, massive monitor. Typical office work with text is a bit worse, though, because the panel behaves rather oddly in those conditions. When you enable the highest refresh modes, 144 Hz and 288 Hz, the readability and sharpness of dark text on a light background are rather mediocre. Fonts become slightly blurred and jagged. Fortunately this can be fixed very easily by changing the display refresh rate to a stable 120 Hz in the graphics card settings. Text then becomes perfectly sharp again, so it's definitely worth remembering if you plan to use the C7L as a work monitor.

The LG B6 also works very well as a computer display. Low input lag, support for VRR, G-Sync and FreeSync, and a high refresh rate mean there’s little to criticise when it comes to gaming. Compared with pricier models it only lacks extra modes with even higher refresh rates. In the best OLEDs and some LCD TVs you can now find 240 or even 330 Hz at lower resolutions. The B6 doesn’t offer that, but for most people it won’t be a major loss.

A more important consideration may be the WOLED panel’s subpixel structure. Because it uses four subpixels, small text in Windows isn’t perfectly crisp and you can sometimes see slight coloured fringing. For occasional web browsing or general computer work this is unlikely to be a problem. However, if someone plans to buy a smaller variant — for example a 48-inch model — and use it as their main monitor on the desk, they should bear that in mind.

Viewing angles

3.7/10

7.5/10

Brightness drop at an angle of 45 degrees
78%
29%

Unfortunately, the HVA 2.0 panel's powerful native contrast comes at a price. It's the viewing angles, which are simply weak on the C7L. That's all down to the use of a VA-type panel. It's a completely natural characteristic of the technology and something you have to accept when buying. If you sit directly in front of the screen, the picture will impress you with its depth, but move a few dozen degrees to the side on the sofa and the colours immediately start to wash out. Choosing this model means opting for a classic market compromise: you get brilliant blacks and superb contrast, but you sacrifice viewing angles.

Viewing angles on the LG B6 are very good, which is typical for almost all OLED TVs. Even when watching from well off to the side, the image retains high colour saturation and doesn't noticeably lose brightness. In that respect, only models with QD-OLED panels really perform better. There is, however, one thing worth mentioning. Some WOLED panels can show a slight greenish tint at steep viewing angles. It's not a rule; some units show this effect more, others hardly at all. It comes down to the individual unit.

Daytime performance

8.8/10

4.8/10

Panel finish
Glare
Satin
Reflection suppression
Poor
Average
Black levels during daytime
Very Good
Good

Panel brightness

LG OLED B6: 313 cd/m2

TCL C7L: 1327 cd/m2

It’s also worth mentioning how the TCL C7L performs during everyday viewing in a sunlit living room. As we’ve already established, it’s an extremely bright TV, and it’s precisely that huge luminance headroom (up to 2400 nits in SDR!) that lets it perform brilliantly in very bright rooms — the picture simply pushes through the light coming into the room. The only thing to watch out for is direct reflections on the screen. The coating on this year’s panel is noticeably glossier than the one we saw on last year’s C7K. The screen is much worse at suppressing pinpoint reflections, which in unfavourable conditions, for example when a window is directly opposite the TV, can be quite annoying for some users. Even so, in terms of raw brightness the C7L is simply a beast for bright living rooms.

With the LG B6, one of the bigger changes comes from the new OLED SE panel. The TV is slightly brighter than its predecessor, but at the same time handles direct reflections worse. The reason is a less effective polariser, so reflections from windows or lamps are less suppressed and blacks in a bright room can look slightly lifted. LG tried to partly mask this effect with a satin screen coating. It does help to gently diffuse reflections, but it doesn't eliminate them as effectively as solutions used previously. And in that respect the B series loses the most compared with the previous generation. During the day the screen no longer looks as clean, and strong light sources can clearly reflect off the panel.

That doesn't mean, of course, that the B6 isn't suitable for a bright living room. The higher screen brightness helps cut through ambient light and during normal viewing the picture remains easy to see. The problem starts when there's a large window or a strong lamp opposite the TV. In those conditions the B6 doesn't cope well. It's therefore best used in a room where you can at least partially control the light falling directly on the screen.

Panel details

Backlight Type
Mini-LED Super QLED (SQD)
WRGB OLED
Software version during testing
v8-0012T01-LF1V626.003089
43.11.79
Image processor
MT5896 2,5GB RAM

Subpixel Structure:

Panel uniformity and thermal imaging:

Review TCL C7L TV Panel details
Review LG OLED B6 TV Panel details

TCL C7L

LG OLED B6

TV features

7.8/10

8/10

  • System
    Google TV
    WebOS
  • System performance
    Very good
    Decent
  • HDMI inputs
    2 x HDMI 2.0, 2 x HDMI 2.1 48Gbps
    0 x HDMI 2.0, 4 x HDMI 2.1 48Gbps
  • Outputs
    Toslink (Optical audio), eARC (HDMI), ARC (HDMI)
    Toslink (Optical audio), eARC (HDMI), ARC (HDMI)
  • Network Interfaces
    Wi-Fi 2.4GHz, Wi-Fi 5GHz, Ethernet (LAN) 100Mbps
    Wi-Fi 2.4GHz, Wi-Fi 5GHz, Ethernet (LAN) 100Mbps
  • TV reception
    DVB-T, DVB-T2, DVB-S, DVB-S2, DVB-C
    DVB-T, DVB-T2, DVB-S, DVB-S2, DVB-C

Classic features:

  • Recording to USB (terrestrial TV)
    No
    Yes
  • Recording programming
    No
    Yes
  • Picture in Picture (PiP)
    No
    No
  • RF remote control (no need to aim)
    Yes
    Yes
  • Backlit remote control
    No
    No
  • Teletext
    Yes
    No
  • Audio only mode
    Yes
    Yes
  • Bluetooth headphones support
    Yes
    Yes
  • Simultaneous Bluetooth headphones & TV audio
    Yes
    Yes

Smart features:

  • AirPlay
    Yes
    Yes
  • Screen mirroring (Windows Miracast)
    Yes
    Yes
  • Voice search
    Yes
    Yes
  • Voice search in native language
    Yes
    Yes
  • Ability to connect a keyboard and mouse
    Yes
    Yes
Review TCL C7L TV features
Review TCL C7L TV features
Review TCL C7L TV features
Review TCL C7L TV features
Review LG OLED B6 TV features
Review LG OLED B6 TV features
Review LG OLED B6 TV features
Review LG OLED B6 TV features

Sound connection options

  • HDMI audio
    eARC (HDMI), ARC (HDMI)
    eARC (HDMI), ARC (HDMI)
  • Other audio outputs
    Toslink (Optical audio)
    Toslink (Optical audio)
  • Wireless audio
    Bluetooth
    Bluetooth

Supported audio formats (external HDMI eARC audio):

  • Dolby Digital Plus 7.1
    Yes
    Yes
  • Dolby True HD 7.1
    Yes
    Yes
  • Dolby Atmos in Dolby Digital Plus (JOC)
    Yes
    Yes
  • Dolby Atmos in Dolby True HD
    Yes
    Yes
  • DTS:X in DTS-HD MA
    Yes
    No
  • DTS-HD Master Audio
    Yes
    No

Senior accessibility

  • Numeric keyboard on TV
    Yes
    No
  • Font size adjustment
    Yes
    No
  • Audio description
    Yes
    Yes

Google TV and Smart TV

The multimedia heart of the TCL C7L is, of course, the Google TV operating system, which provides access to a huge library of apps and all the most popular streaming platforms on the market. The smart TV on this model runs smoothly, offering full support for useful network features such as Apple AirPlay and Chromecast. A very pleasant surprise, however, is the software’s overall responsiveness. We noticed that Google’s system on the new C7L runs noticeably more responsively, more smoothly and faster than on TCL models from last year. This is largely thanks to better optimisation at launch. Unnecessary pauses and minor UI stutters, familiar from older models, seem to be a thing of the past.

TV features

When it comes to traditional over-the-air or cable TV, the TCL C7L doesn’t offer many additional advanced features. It’s simply a straightforward receiver. The manufacturer hasn’t gone for any revolutionary solutions here, so apart from the standard programme guide you won’t find anything special. A big nod to traditional viewers is the classic remote control, which, contrary to the current trend for minimalism, still includes a full numeric keypad, making quick channel switching much easier.

SmartTV: webOS

LG B6 uses webOS, LG’s proprietary platform. Its biggest advantage remains the control method. The included Magic Remote works like a mouse. Just move your wrist to move the cursor across the screen and point at items that interest you. At first it may seem unusual, but it quickly proves very convenient, especially when entering text, selecting apps or navigating a complex menu. The remote itself is quite minimalist and doesn't offer many traditional buttons, but the cursor control largely makes up for that. On the other hand, if you don't want to wave your hand to enter letters, you can simply speak the desired phrase to the remote and the AI voice assistant will provide suitable recommendations.

In terms of available apps, it's hard to fault webOS. You'll find practically all the major streaming services here, as well as extras such as AirPlay, screen mirroring and Chromecast. The TV therefore works well with both Apple phones and Android devices. It's just a pity the system doesn't run on the B6 as smoothly as on higher-tier models. At times it can respond with a slight delay, and the home screen is overloaded with recommendations, tiles and ads. That doesn't make webOS unusable, but it could certainly be more organised.

Classic features

The classic TV features, which many manufacturers are slowly beginning to forget, perform very well. The LG B6 allows, among other things, recording programmes to a connected drive or USB stick. The PVR function also works with a scheduler, so a recording can be planned in advance from the TV guide. This is handy when you want to save an episode, a match or another event broadcast while you're away. There's also a clear channel guide and smooth support for terrestrial, cable and satellite TV. For those who still regularly watch traditional television, the B6 is therefore a relatively complete device, as long as the absence of teletext isn't an issue.

Apps

9.6/10

9.1/10

OK
Disney_Plus
OK
Amazon_Prime_Video
OK
Player_TVN
OK
Polsat_Box_Go
OK
Canal_Plus_Online
OK
TVP_VOD
OK
Apple_TV_Plus
OK
SkyShowtime
OK
Rakuten
OK
CDA_Premium_Browser
OK
Spotify
OK
Tidal
OK
Netflix
OK
YouTube
OK
HBO_MAX
OK
Kodi
No
Apple_music
OK
Eleven_sports
No
Xbox Game Pass
OK
GeForce NOW
No
Amazon Luna
OK
Boosteroid
OK
Steam Link
OK
Disney_Plus
OK
Amazon_Prime_Video
OK
Player_TVN
OK
Polsat_Box_Go
OK
Canal_Plus_Online
OK
TVP_VOD
OK
Apple_TV_Plus
OK
SkyShowtime
OK
Rakuten
OK
CDA_Premium_Browser
OK
Spotify
OK
Tidal
OK
Netflix
OK
YouTube
OK
HBO_MAX
No
Kodi
OK
Apple_music
No
Eleven_sports
OK
Xbox Game Pass
OK
GeForce NOW
OK
Amazon Luna
OK
Boosteroid
No
Steam Link

Playing files from USB

9.4/10

9.1/10

Supported photo formats:

JPEG
Yes
Yes
HEIC
Yes
No
PNG
Yes
Yes
GIF
Yes
No
WebP
Yes
No
TIFF
No
No
BMP
Yes
Yes
SVG
No
No

Maximum photo resolution:

4 Mpix
Yes
Yes
6 Mpix
Yes
Yes
8 Mpix
Yes
Yes
10 Mpix
Yes
Yes
12 Mpix
Yes
Yes
16 Mpix
Yes
Yes
20 Mpix
Yes
Yes
24 Mpix
Yes
Yes
28 Mpix
Yes
Yes
32 Mpix
Yes
Yes

Finally, in the multimedia section it’s worth mentioning playback from external USB drives. During our tests we didn’t encounter any unpleasant surprises: the built-in player handles all common video and audio formats exactly as it should. Interestingly, the TCL C7L also played photos saved in Apple’s native HEIC format without any trouble. That’s an extremely rare feature among manufacturers’ built-in TV apps. Although Google TV of course lets you install third-party media apps, with the C7L the built-in player is so well polished that installing extra software is unlikely to be necessary.

The LG B6’s built-in player handles most common video files played from USB without any major problems. The TV also correctly supports subtitles and the usual audio formats, although it lacks DTS support. Photo handling is a bit worse. The list of supported formats is fairly limited and does not include HEIC, the format in which photos taken on an iPhone are stored by default. Those files therefore need to be converted to JPG beforehand or you can simply use the AirPlay feature.

Sound

7.7/10

6.7/10

  • Maximum volume
    77dB
    87dB
  • Dolby Digital Plus 7.1
    Yes
    Yes
  • Dolby True HD 7.1
    No
    No
  • Dolby Atmos in Dolby Digital Plus (JOC)
    Yes
    Yes
  • Dolby Atmos in Dolby True HD
    No
    No
  • DTS:X in DTS-HD MA
    Yes
    No
  • DTS-HD Master Audio
    Yes
    No

The TCL C7L simply sounds quite good and solid. In terms of sound quality itself, practically nothing has changed compared with last year’s C7K model. The manufacturer still uses a Bang & Olufsen-branded speaker system in a 2.2 configuration. The only thing that can be rather annoying during viewing is that when you increase the volume to higher levels, roughly above 50%, the loudness stops matching the level shown on screen. The B&O audio system is great for everyday watching of current affairs or TV series at moderate volume, but if you’re after better sound it’s worth getting at least a basic soundbar for the C7L.

In terms of sound the LG B6 performs very similarly to last year’s model. It still has a 2.0-channel, 20 W system that is more than enough for everyday viewing. Dialogue is clear and the audio isn’t bad, but there’s none of the soundstage, dynamics or bass you get from higher-end models. The TV supports the Dolby Atmos spatial audio format, but DTS:X is missing. The biggest issue, however, isn’t the speakers themselves but the settings. Compared with its predecessor many of the options that let you tailor the sound to your preferences have gone. A few preset modes remain, including AI and Standard, but customisation options are much more limited than they were a year ago.

Sound Quality Test

Acoustic Measurements

77dBC (Max)

75dBC

87dBC (Max)

75dBC

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