TCL C7L vs LG OLED G6 (G64LW, G66LS)

Direct comparison

G64LW / G66LS

Info

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

Available screen sizes: 55”65”77”83”97”

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

8.7

  • Movies and series in UHD quality

    7.2

    8.6

  • Classic TV, YouTube

    6.8

    8.7

  • Sports broadcasts (TV and apps)

    6.7

    8.6

  • Gaming on console

    8.8

    9.5

  • TV as a computer monitor

    8.4

    8.7

  • Watching in bright light

    8.8

    8.2

  • Utility functions

    7.8

    8.5

  • Apps

    9.6

    9.1

  • Sound quality

    7.7

    8.4

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 black OLED

  • High brightness HDR and SDR

  • Great anti-reflective coating

  • Reference colours (after calibration can be displayed just like on director's equipment)

  • Full support for gamers (HDMI 2.1, 165 Hz, VRR, ALLM)

  • Low Input Lag (below 5ms)

  • Smoothness and sharpness in motion

  • Outstanding upscaling and image processing

  • Full support for Dolby Vision

  • Functional webOS system with Magic remote control support

  • 5-year warranty on the panel included

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

  • Very annoying dithering – graininess and flickering of the image close to black

  • Worse (though still good) viewing angles than its predecessor

  • Lack of support for DTS:X audio codec (useful for Blu-ray owners)

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.

Without a doubt, the LG G6 is an outstanding television in many aspects. Thanks to the new generation 2 Tandem OLED panel, it does something that no other glossy screen on the market has managed so far – it superbly suppresses light reflections while maintaining perfect, unblemished image quality. When we add record brightness and the unique properties of the panel itself, the G6 can produce images that can literally knock you off your feet at times. The excellent webOS system and features for gamers further reinforce the belief that it is a worthy successor to the G5 model. However, this is only one side of the coin... because in a device of this class, the expectations are the highest they can be. During detailed testing, we encountered issues with digital image processing in scenes close to black. We're talking about overly aggressive dithering and slight flickering of details in dark sequences. Although during normal viewing from the couch this flaw does not stand out drastically and does not negate the overall admiration for the contrast, a trained eye will easily notice that LG's engineers stumbled at the last hurdle during the panel tuning. When buying a pretty expensive flagship product right here and now, perfection is simply expected from the first turn on.

Despite this obvious blunder, the LG G6 is still absolutely at the forefront of the market and one of the most interesting televisions of this year. It has a solid foundation to become the ultimate screen. We firmly believe that the manufacturer will quickly diagnose the problem and release an appropriate software update – if that happens, the competition will again have nothing to look for. We promise to keep monitoring the situation continuously, and as soon as a patch appears, we will definitely verify its effectiveness.

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
IR (remote)
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
Super Premium
Stand type
Central
Central
Bezel color
Graphite
Silver
Stand
Height adjustment
Fixed
Flat design
No
Yes
Accessories
Stand
Wall bracket

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 G6 (G64LW, G66LS) Contrast and black detail

Result

:1

Review LG OLED G6 (G64LW, G66LS) Contrast and black detail

Result

:1

Review LG OLED G6 (G64LW, G66LS) Contrast and black detail

Result

:1

Review LG OLED G6 (G64LW, G66LS) Contrast and black detail

Result

:1

Review LG OLED G6 (G64LW, G66LS) 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.

As the LG G6 is based on OLED technology, specifically the WOLED TANDEM 2nd gen matrix, when it comes to black levels and contrast, we’re talking about perfection, which is confirmed by our lab measurements – in every test scenario, the TV achieved an absolute infinity mark. The ability to independently control each pixel gives it a significant advantage over any LCD panel on the market. This translates to a brilliant, plastic depth of image that immediately pulls you into any possible viewing experience. This is clearly visible in the example of a dark, challenging scene with a helicopter from the film Sicario 2. While traditional screens with local dimming (including Mini-LEDs) can generate an annoying “halo” effect in such moments, lighten black bars in films, or lose details in the shadows, the LG G6 handles it flawlessly. Black, where it needs to be black, remains pitch-black and perfectly separated from bright points.

*A small note: during this test, a quite strong grain and flickering of the image are noticeable. However, we do not take this into account when assessing the contrast itself and this part of the review – we will describe this specific issue in the further section. Paragraph: "Smoothness of tonal transitions".

HDR effect quality

6.6/10

9.1/10

Supported formats
HDR10, HDR10+, Dolby Vision, Dolby Vision IQ, HLG
HDR10, Dolby Vision, Dolby Vision IQ, HLG
Color gamut coverage
DCI P3: 97.3%, Bt.2020: 90.5%
DCI P3: 99.5%, Bt.2020: 83.9%

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 G6 (G64LW, G66LS) Brightness measurement

Result

2387 nit

Review LG OLED G6 (G64LW, G66LS) Brightness measurement

Result

2345 nit

Review LG OLED G6 (G64LW, G66LS) Brightness measurement

Result

2418 nit

Review LG OLED G6 (G64LW, G66LS) Brightness measurement

Result

2439 nit

Review LG OLED G6 (G64LW, G66LS) Brightness measurement

Result

1844 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 G6 (G64LW, G66LS)

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.

The LG G6 is currently one of the brightest OLEDs on the market. Its peak brightness reaches nearly 2500 nits and, best of all, this translates directly to real movie scenes. The TV flawlessly extracts details in the bright areas of the image. And this is regardless of whether we are talking about very small points in the form of stars in the sky or slightly larger elements on the screen. Naturally, with full-screen, uniformly white scenes, the brightness of the G6 drops due to the panel protection system (ABL). However, in real, varied movie shots, this value still hovers around an impressive 2000 nits, which can be considered a remarkable result. The coverage of the color palette also deserves praise. The new 2nd generation Tandem OLED panel has brought about only a cosmetic change, but still an improvement. The coverage of the DCI-P3 color space reaches nearly 99.5%, while the ultra-wide BT.2020 is around 84%. These are very good results, although it's important to remember one thing: at extremely high brightness levels, the volume of colors will be lower than in QD-OLED panels from Samsung Display due to the use of white sub-pixels (WOLED). However, in everyday content and most films, capturing this difference will be very difficult.

Factory color reproduction

5.6/10

7.4/10

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 G6 in the best factory mode for colour fidelity, which is FILMMAKER MODE. In the case of our test unit, this mode was reasonably well tuned straight out of the box. In SDR content, the only issue we noticed was the white balance, which leaned towards warmer tones. This made the image occasionally appear slightly yellowish, but overall, it wasn't a significant problem. The G6 performed a bit worse in HDR content. There, the white balance showed too much blue component. This caused the image to veer towards cooler shades, resulting in quite noticeable errors. As can be seen on our ColorChecker chart, the colours shifted towards these cooler registers. Nevertheless, considering the factory settings, the television presented a perfectly decent level. However, we know that OLED screens – particularly those from LG – respond exceptionally well to professional calibration, so we immediately proceeded to do just that.

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.

After completing a professional calibration, we gained complete control over the panel, and we managed to align all parameters to nearly zero. We were able to tune the white balance perfectly, which removed the factory's cool and warm tints from the screen. The effects are visibly clear in the ColorChecker test – the average colour reproduction errors dropped below the critical value of 1-2. And what does this mean? PERFECT colours, without any distortion! However, as a reviewer’s duty, we must point out how the LG G6 arbitrarily manipulates brightness, which is due to the EOTF curve's behavior. When we look at the standard synthetic graph, it might seem that the line is quite straight. However, the situation changes when we turn on the measurement filter, which shows how the television interprets brightness in actual, moving film scenes (EOTF in MOVIES). Then, it is clear as day that some of the smallest fragments on the screen are slightly overly brightened by the algorithm. Of course, for the average viewer, such a deviation will practically go unnoticed, but in the test of such an expensive screen, it’s worth noting – especially since we are talking about a model that has huge aspirations for the title of the best television of the year.

Smoothness of tonal transitions

8.6/10

5.5/10

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.

Unfortunately, we arrive at the least cheerful part of this review. If we were to evaluate solely the fluidity of tonal transitions, the G6 would score high marks. The blending of colours is at a very good level, and at times it resembles what we've seen from Samsung's QD-OLED panels. This is great news because until now, unsightly, layered bands in dark shades have been the bane of WOLED panels. In this category, we would easily give a strong 8.5 out of 10.

Note: Unfortunately, the final score in this section drops significantly, and the culprit is very aggressive dithering. In dark scenes, the image literally "shakes," and in areas close to black/dark grey, the television can flicker annoyingly. We don’t know exactly what this is due to, but looking at the tests from other reviewers around the world – everyone has encountered exactly the same problem. We hope that LG will fix this as soon as possible with some sort of update. We know that LG is capable of responding quickly to negative user feedback, which can already be read online. We will keep an eye on this and will inform you in case of any improvements.

Image scaling and smoothness of tonal transitions

5.5/10

8.7/10

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.

No matter what one might say about the G6's issues with near-black signal, it must be fairly acknowledged that it handles heavily compressed material and lower resolution content extremely well. All unwanted, ugly tonal transitions are effectively reduced here by the "Smooth Gradation" feature. At the "Low" setting, the algorithm works flawlessly – effectively masking the artifacts resulting from strong compression without destroying the sharpness and details in the frame. Higher levels of this feature do further smooth the image, but they start to blur the real texture elements of the objects, so we recommend keeping this slider at a low level. As for the actual upscaling to 4K, the processor does an excellent job – edge sharpness and detail reconstruction are at the highest level, and in this respect, the G6 is on par with the global leaders.

Blur and motion smoothness

7.8/10

8.5/10

Maximum refresh rate of the panel
144Hz
165Hz
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)
No
Brightness drop with BFI
52%
49%

Blur (native resolution, maximum refresh rate):

Blur (BFI function enabled):

Image flickers in this mode

Blur (4K@144Hz):

Blur (4K@165Hz):

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.

The LG G6 is an OLED television, so in the category of motion fluidity, it traditionally deserves the highest marks. The TV supports very high refresh rates of up to 165 Hz in 4K resolution, but most importantly – there are absolutely no signs of blurring on the screen. The response time of the matrix is virtually instant, ensuring that dynamic images remain perfectly sharp.

Console compatibility and gaming features

9.8/10

10/10

  • ALLM
    Yes
    Yes
  • VRR
    Yes
    Yes
  • VRR range
    48 - 288Hz
    40 - 165Hz
  • 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.

The LG G6 is a true beast for gamers and one of the best-equipped TVs on the market in this regard. The manufacturer didn't compromise and equipped this model with four full HDMI 2.1 ports with a maximum bandwidth of 48 Gbps. This means that no matter which port you plug in your PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X, or powerful PC, you'll get the absolute maximum performance out of them.

The TV supports a full suite of gaming technologies: from VRR (Variable Refresh Rate), to AMD FreeSync Premium Pro, and Nvidia G-Sync Compatible. Let's add to that a remarkably low, almost imperceptible input lag and an excellently functioning game panel (Game Optimizer), which allows you to constantly monitor signal parameters. Gaming on this screen, with the perfect black of OLED and powerful refresh rates, is pure pleasure.

Input lag

10/10

9.9/10

SDR

1080p60
11 ms
13 ms
1080p120
7 ms
5 ms
2160p60
11 ms
13 ms
2160p120
7 ms
5 ms

HDR

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

Dolby Vision

2160p60 DV
11 ms
22 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.

When it comes to signal delay, the results are remarkably low. With a standard 120 Hz signal, the Input Lag is just 5 ms. At 60 Hz, this value increases to 13 ms, which is still excellent and completely imperceptible latency. The only thing we need to criticise is the TV’s behaviour when providing the Dolby Vision Gaming signal. In this format, the Input Lag nearly doubles, reaching 13 ms for 120 Hz and 22 ms for 60 Hz. Despite this jump, we believe these values in gaming are so low that absolutely no one will feel any discomfort during gameplay.

Compatibility with PC

8.4/10

8.7/10

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
165Hz
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.

As we mentioned earlier, the LG G6 offers an outstanding display for gamers as well as for casual computer users. With full support for Nvidia G-Sync and AMD FreeSync technology, as well as a high refresh rate of up to 165 Hz, this television performs brilliantly as a massive gaming monitor. However, daily office work with text looks a bit worse (though in our opinion still very good), which is a typical characteristic of every WOLED-type screen. Due to the specific arrangement of four subpixels (with an additional white subpixel), rather than three like in classic computer monitors, system fonts can have an additional, in this case red glow around black or white letters. This is directly due to the new structure of the second-generation Tandem OLED matrix, which now operates in an RGWB arrangement (last year's first generation Tandem OLED used a BWRG arrangement). In our opinion, the sharpness of font edges has slightly worsened because of this, but it is definitely not something that will immediately catch your eye during occasional document work or web browsing.

Viewing angles

3.7/10

7.2/10

Brightness drop at an angle of 45 degrees
78%
28%

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.

As befits an OLED panel, the viewing angles on the LG G6 are really good. A TV viewed from the side does not lose drastically in brightness or colour saturation. In this regard, the image quality is miles better than any LCD TV – and this applies to both IPS panels and especially to VA panels that lack special wide-angle coatings. In this area, the only better screens on the market remain QD-OLED panels from Samsung Display, where the angles are simply perfect, as well as older WOLED panels with MLA (microlens) technology, which LG abandoned in this series two years ago. Unfortunately, we assess the viewing angles in this year's model to be slightly worse than last year. We noticed that the 2nd generation Tandem OLED panel tends to take on a greener hue at a steep angle, while last year's model maintained greater neutrality in this regard.

Daytime performance

8.8/10

8.2/10

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

Panel brightness

LG OLED G6 (G64LW, G66LS): 857 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.

LG G6 will perform wonderfully as a television in a well-lit room. Thanks to its impressive peak brightness, the TV can easily cut through most external light sources. Best of all, the new generation of Tandem OLED panel has brought significant improvements in reducing reflections. Although the screen coating is still glossy (which helps maintain well-saturated colours even in challenging conditions), it effectively dampens glare. It does this far better than traditional OLED screens with a standard glossy coating. We could confidently compare this level to glossy QD-OLED panels, but with one key advantage for LG. Unlike the competition's technology, in this model, deep black in a bright lounge remains intact. There’s no grey or purple tint from ambient light – the black in the G6 during the day is just as perfect as it is at night.

Panel details

Backlight Type
Mini-LED Super QLED (SQD)
WRGB TANDEM OLED
Software version during testing
v8-0012T01-LF1V626.003089
43.10.69
Image processor
MT5896 2,5GB RAM

Subpixel Structure:

Panel uniformity and thermal imaging:

Review TCL C7L TV Panel details
Review LG OLED G6 (G64LW, G66LS) TV Panel details

TCL C7L

LG OLED G6 (G64LW, G66LS)

TV features

7.8/10

8.5/10

  • System
    Google TV
    WebOS
  • System performance
    Very good
    Very good
  • 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
    IR (remote)
  • 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
    Yes
  • 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 G6 (G64LW, G66LS) TV features
Review LG OLED G6 (G64LW, G66LS) TV features
Review LG OLED G6 (G64LW, G66LS) TV features
Review LG OLED G6 (G64LW, G66LS) 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.

webOS System and Smart Features

The television runs on the latest version of the webOS system. Although it is a closed platform, it supports absolutely all the key streaming apps on the market. You can also easily access useful wireless connectivity features like built-in Chromecast, AirPlay, and classic screen mirroring. However, the biggest standout feature of the LG platform is the brilliant Magic remote. While it is quite compact and lacks a physical numeric keypad, it does something that competitors still can't replicate – it functions like a wireless mouse. It is equipped with a gyroscope, allowing you to move an intuitive cursor across the screen, which dramatically speeds up entering passwords or navigating menus. Additionally, LG has one of the best voice assistants for controlling the device, and this combination with the Magic remote provides excellent capabilities for navigating the system. The only thing that can be quite irritating here is the intrusive ads and sponsored tiles, as LG increasingly clutters the main screen of the system. Despite this, the lack of Google TV is not a detriment to the G6 – considering the smooth operation of webOS, one can confidently say it is even an advantage.

Features for Traditionalists

In terms of traditional television, the LG G6 also performs excellently and does not forget about traditional users. Despite the minimalist remote, it includes a plethora of useful features. The manufacturer did not skip on the PVR function, which allows recording programs from the built-in tuners directly to external USB storage or a hard drive. We also have a smoothly functioning TimeShift for pausing live TV and a recording scheduling option. These features can prove to be a great advantage during the upcoming FIFA World Cup, when matches will be played late in the evening and we may not be able to watch them live. Of course, standard features are also included, such as the ability to connect wireless headphones via Bluetooth.

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

9.2/10

Supported photo formats:

JPEG
Yes
Yes
HEIC
Yes
Yes
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 inability to install an external file player (as is the case with systems based on Android) is actually not a problem for the LG G6. The built-in factory player works great and seamlessly supports most audio, video, or photo formats that we provided from our USB drive. However, during testing, we encountered some shortcomings – namely, a rather strange lack of support for subtitles in the popular .txt format. We do believe that this option will soon be available on the G6 with the next software update.

Sound

7.7/10

8.4/10

  • Maximum volume
    77dB
    88dB
  • 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.

Despite its very flat body, the LG G6 sounds surprisingly good. The manufacturer has managed to pack quite decent speakers under the display that can produce a sound that is fairly “spatial” – if you can even call the limited physical capabilities of the TV that 😉. The sound is clear, has good dynamics, and is flawless for everyday viewing of news programmes or series. The TV also supports the very popular Dolby Atmos spatial audio codec without any issues.

Unfortunately, for the second year in a row, there is no support for the DTS:X format. Be that as it may, it has recently been quite unpopular in streaming services, but a premium TV in terms of price and quality, in our opinion, simply should not limit users regarding audio format support. Additionally, we have to criticise LG for somewhat downgrading the audio menu itself. We missed more advanced settings and predefined sound profiles, which were definitely more abundant in last year's model.

Sound Quality Test

Acoustic Measurements

77dBC (Max)

75dBC

88dBC (Max)

75dBC

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