TCL C855 vs Haier K85F

Direct comparison

C855 / C85

K85F / K85FUX

Available screen sizes: 65”75”85”98”

Available screen sizes: 55”65”75”

Panel type: LCD VA

Resolution: 3840x2160

System: Google TV

Model year: 2024

Complete the survey to find out the result

Panel type: LCD VA

Resolution: 3840x2160

System: Google TV

Model year: 2025

Complete the survey to find out the result

Overall rating

7.6

5.4

  • Movies and series in UHD quality

    7.5

    5.2

  • Classic TV, YouTube

    7.1

    5.2

  • Sports broadcasts (TV and apps)

    6.7

    4.6

  • Gaming on console

    8.8

    6.4

  • TV as a computer monitor

    8.6

    6.0

  • Watching in bright light

    7.4

    4.1

  • Utility functions

    6.7

    5.5

  • Apps

    9.6

    9.6

  • Sound quality

    7.2

    4.8

Advantages

  • Very large number of built-in applications

  • High contrast and deep blacks

  • Very good HDR effect in bright scenes

  • Very high brightness - great TV for bright rooms

  • Image quality comparable to much more expensive televisions

  • Low input lag, great for gaming

  • Surprisingly good file player from USB

  • High contrast and decent blacks (VA panel)

  • Good text readability in PC monitor mode

  • Presence of features for gamers: ALLM and VRR

  • Access to many apps thanks to GoogleTV

Disadvantages

No like
  • Poor viewing angles

  • Poor factory colour reproduction (can be improved with calibration)

  • Catastrophic image quality in HDR mode

  • Low quality of workmanship and fit of materials

  • Slow, glitchy, and poorly translated Google TV system

  • Very poor sound quality from built-in speakers

  • Problematic remote (and no batteries included)

  • Poor viewing angles

  • Low brightness and weak anti-reflective coating

  • Low colour gamut coverage

Our verdict

Once again, the manufacturer shows that despite being a relatively young player in Poland (but not globally) when it comes to the RTV market, it certainly cannot be said that it is a second-rate choice. The TCL C855 is an incredibly versatile device that performs well in various applications and excels in its price range. Thanks to Mini LED backlighting, the results for contrast and black levels are very solid, allowing for a deep and vivid image. It is worth noting that the television's algorithm effectively manages to maintain uniformity of blacks, and the blooming effect is rarely noticeable. This backlighting is also a strong point for the television in HDR content, although with some reservations. The TCL C855 can achieve brightness levels of up to 1800 nits, which is an impressive result; however, brightness can drastically drop, even to around 200 nits, when a bright but small element appears on the screen. Another drawback is the boosted mid-tones, which can lead to a loss of contrast and reduce the image's alignment with the director's vision. The television also performs excellently when connected to a console or a powerful PC. In this category, the TCL C855 truly shows its strength, offering extremely low latency and high-quality gameplay, thanks to the full implementation of HDMI 2.1 features. The Google TV operating system is another advantage, providing the user with nearly unlimited possibilities for installing applications, even those outside the official store, thanks to support for APK files.

In summary, the TCL C855 is the ideal choice for those who know what they expect from a television. It is a good, versatile piece of equipment that, although not perfect, offers great picture quality, low gaming latency, as well as a flexible and expanded operating system.

The debut of the Haier brand in the European television market with the K85F model feels quite rushed, and after thorough testing – almost unfinished. Analyzing this product leads to a fundamental conclusion: its biggest problem is not the quality of the panel used. Considering the price segment, it is simply average, with typical VA technology advantages such as high contrast and equally typical disadvantages like poor viewing angles. What truly disqualifies this model as a home entertainment centre is the glaring lack of engineering and, above all, software refinement. The list of shortcomings is long and starts with the first contact with the device. Shoddy assembly, which could have been avoided at the quality control stage, a terribly optimised and poorly translated Google TV system, or annoying issues with basic functions like pairing the remote – all contribute to an impression of a product that seems to have been launched without due diligence. Catastrophic picture quality in HDR mode, resulting not only from low brightness but also from a complete lack of smart adaptation to the signal, only adds to this disappointing picture. However, it turns out that this model has a surprising second face. Just looking at it not through the lens of a home television, but rather as a large and inexpensive display for special tasks, shifts its shortcomings to the background, bringing unexpected strengths to the forefront: a fantastically functioning media player with USB, excellent font readability from a PC, and access to a vast array of applications. In such a role – as a screen in a conference room, hotel lobby or a simple advertising player – the Haier K85F performs surprisingly well. For a typical user searching for a reliable and simply well-functioning television for the living room in 2025, however, the Haier K85F is a proposition that is extremely hard to recommend with a clear conscience. It is a product full of contradictions, which fails in too many areas in its primary, intended function as designed by the manufacturer.

TV appearance

HDMI inputs
2 x HDMI 2.0, 2 x HDMI 2.1 (48Gbps)
4 x HDMI 2.0, 0 x HDMI 2.1
Other inputs
RCA (Chinch)
RCA (Chinch)
Outputs
Toslink (Optical audio), eARC (HDMI), ARC (HDMI)
Toslink (Optical audio), eARC (HDMI), ARC (HDMI), Mini-Jack (Headphones)
Network Interfaces
Wi-Fi 2.4GHz, Wi-Fi 5GHz, Ethernet (LAN) 100Mbps
Wi-Fi 2.4GHz, Wi-Fi 5GHz, Ethernet (LAN) 100Mbps
Build quality
Premium
BuildQuality-Budget
Stand type
stand-type-
Legs
Bezel color
Graphite
Black
Stand
Fixed
Accessories
Stand
Stand

Contrast and black detail

8.6/10

5.6/10

Local dimming function: Yes, number of zones: 1344 (48 x 28)

Local dimming function: No

Contrast:

Review TCL C855 Contrast and black detail

Result

:1

Review TCL C855 Contrast and black detail

Result

176,000:1

Review TCL C855 Contrast and black detail

Result

54,000:1

Review TCL C855 Contrast and black detail

Result

30,500:1

Review TCL C855 Contrast and black detail

Result

13,700:1

Review Haier K85F Contrast and black detail

Result

3,550:1

Review Haier K85F Contrast and black detail

Result

5,200:1

Review Haier K85F Contrast and black detail

Result

5,350:1

Review Haier K85F Contrast and black detail

Result

5,400:1

Review Haier K85F Contrast and black detail

Result

3,500:1

Halo effect and black detail visibility:

Review TCL C855 Contrast and black detail
Review Haier K85F Contrast and black detail
Review TCL C855 Contrast and black detail
Review Haier K85F Contrast and black detail

TCL C855 uses a high-contrast VA panel. The ANSI contrast (without dimming) reached a very respectable 5238:1, which allows for at least very good black levels. Additionally, the panel is equipped with multi-zone Mini LED backlighting, which is divided into 1344 independent dimming zones for the 65-inch model. This number allows for very good results in our tests. It is worth noting that TCL, as one of the few manufacturers, offers such a panel specification without spending excessively, unlike the classic big four manufacturers. As you can see, in the vast majority of scenes we've prepared, the results are impressive, particularly in the first three scenes, as even in the third, with a result of 54,000:1, it cannot be said that the black levels and contrast are weak, as they are more than satisfactory. These worsen in two scenarios: scenes with film strips and when there are many elements surrounded by black on the screen. And just as the last of the test scenes still has excellent contrast, in the final tested scenario, a slight blooming of blacks can be noticed. The frame from the film "Oblivion" performed excellently on TCL C855, and the level of black can even be compared to OLED screens, which is no small feat. It is also worth noting the good separation of lights, which is not an easy thing to achieve. Our flagship scene from "Sicario 2" also performed well in terms of contrast, but it is evident that details are lost in the blacks on the first, second, and third planes. The operation of the backlight control algorithm, which minimizes halo/blooming effects to an absolute minimum, deserves praise as well. However, it is worth noting that very small elements, such as stars, can sometimes be completely dimmed by the TCL C855.

Alright, but let's get to the meat of it, that is, how the Haier K85F handles black and contrast. The key information is that the television uses a VA panel, which is crucial for image quality in dark scenes. Thanks to this, the contrast is really solid – our measurements indicated values around 5000:1, which is much better than popular IPS panels.

However, it is important to remember that we're discussing budget equipment. So, we shouldn't expect any advanced technologies like local dimming. The backlighting operates across the entire screen surface at all times. How did it look during viewing? We took the film "Oblivion" with its cosmic landscapes for a test, and we also checked classic black bars in other productions. The effect was quite decent. The black had good depth, but it wasn't perfectly inky – a slight blue glow could be noticed, indicating that the panel's backlighting was still active.

HDR effect quality

6.6/10

3.4/10

Supported formats
HDR10, HDR10+, Dolby Vision, Dolby Vision IQ, HLG
HDR10
Color gamut coverage
DCI P3: 97.0%, Bt.2020: 79.0%
DCI P3: 81.8%, Bt.2020: 61.4%

Luminance measurements in HDR:

Review TCL C855 Brightness measurement

Result

1472 nit

Review TCL C855 Brightness measurement

Result

445 nit

Review TCL C855 Brightness measurement

Result

754 nit

Review TCL C855 Brightness measurement

Result

237 nit

Review TCL C855 Brightness measurement

Result

1820 nit

Review Haier K85F Brightness measurement

Result

217 nit

Review Haier K85F Brightness measurement

Result

212 nit

Review Haier K85F Brightness measurement

Result

278 nit

Review Haier K85F Brightness measurement

Result

250 nit

Review Haier K85F Brightness measurement

Result

273 nit

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

Review TCL C855 HDR effect quality
Review Haier K85F HDR effect quality

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

Review TCL C855 HDR effect quality
Review Haier K85F HDR effect quality

Static HDR10

Review TCL C855 HDR effect quality
Review Haier K85F HDR effect quality

HDR luminance chart:

Haier K85F

HDR luminance

TCL C855

HDR luminance

TCL C855 delivers a highly varied HDR effect. On one hand, the television truly shines, while on the other, it resembles a lower model with FALD backlighting. Such a state of affairs is regularly observed with this brand, so it was not a surprise for us. The first and last scene, which has large light elements, looks phenomenal, "shining" with brightness levels of 1470 and 1820 nits respectively. Such effects will certainly make many people squint, while simultaneously feeling the extraordinary dynamism of the scene itself. You can truly feel as if you were inside the movie. The situation drastically changes when small or minor elements with high luminance surrounded by black appear on the screen. The TCL C855, to avoid the halo effect, significantly reduces brightness to a level of even 240 nits, which is a disappointing outcome, causing the film to not look like it was shot in HDR. The HDR effect in TCL C855 makes watching dynamic scenes more engaging, and the viewer can feel like they are part of the action. Even with smaller elements of high luminance, the television manages to maintain details without excessive dimming. Moreover, the TCL C855 test shows that the brightness of the image is adapted to scenes with a large amount of detail, increasing viewing comfort.

Let’s now move on to one of the hottest topics in the world of televisions, which is the quality of HDR performance. In the case of the Haier K85F model, we unfortunately have to make it clear: if you’re looking for equipment to watch content in a wide dynamic range, you should steer clear of this model. The main issue is its very low peak brightness, which during our tests barely reached 250 nits. To give you a better idea of what that means – this level is fine for watching standard SDR content, but it’s absolutely insufficient to show any real benefits of HDR. The image simply doesn’t have the "power" to generate bright, striking highlights. All of our measurements and tests on specialised test patterns confirmed this. As if that wasn’t enough, the television also struggles with colour reproduction. In this budget build, there are no technologies that broaden the colour gamut, such as quantum dot layers (marketed as "QLED"). As a result, the coverage of the DCI-P3 colour space, which is crucial for HDR content, is only around 80%. In practice, this means that the image will not only be dark but also devoid of the vibrant, saturated colours that the director wanted to show us.

Factory color reproduction

5.2/10

3.8/10

Review TCL C855 Factory color reproduction
Review Haier K85F Factory color reproduction

Factory Mode

After calibration

Review TCL C855 Factory color reproduction
Review Haier K85F Factory color reproduction

Factory Mode

After calibration

The best factory mode for the TCL C855 is "Film," and it is on this mode that we conducted all our tests. However, like every mode predefined by the manufacturer, it had flaws that are worth correcting to achieve an image that is as close as possible to what the film producer intended. We will look at the colour characteristics in both SDR and HDR materials. Taking the former into account, we see a clear dominance of green in the white balance, which, as you might guess, gave an unpleasant greenish tint to the entire image. Examining a very important gamma chart, responsible for the contrast of the image, we see a significant deviation from the reference line marked at 2.4. From the left, we can observe a strong spike in the measured value, which at this point caused contrast exaggeration and blending of details into a dark blob. This state of affairs persisted for quite a while, up to 20% of the chart’s value, before then diving below the reference. This, in turn, meant that the image was brightened and contrast decreased significantly. The factory mode performed somewhat better in HDR materials, as the white balance looked quite good, except for the second half, where green again took over. Looking at the EOTF curve, which, unlike gamma, shows the rate of brightness increase, we see primarily two errors: the darkest scenes were too dark, and the brightest ones were overexposed. This, by the way, could be observed in the scene from the film "Pan" in the check paragraph for the TV's HDR.

Alright, how does the television handle colours straight out of the box, without any intervention from our side? The Haier K85F offers a whole range of picture modes, such as Dynamic or Eco, but for anyone wanting to watch films according to the creators' intentions, there's essentially only one that matters: Film mode. This is where we focused our tests, and unfortunately, its name has little to do with reality. The picture on factory settings is very far from what we could call cinematic fidelity and requires many adjustments. Let's start with the white balance, which has a clear deficiency of red colour. In practice, this means the entire image has a cool, bluish tint. Even worse is the issue of brightness management, that is, the gamma curves (for SDR) and EOTF (for HDR). Their graph resembles a true rollercoaster, which terribly impacts the viewing experience. This results in unnatural dimming of SDR content, causing details in the shadows to be lost, and in the case of HDR – an excessive brightening that further exacerbates the problem of clipping. Such a combination, which consists of too cool white combined with chaotic brightness and too much blue colour saturation, leads to enormous errors in colour reproduction. Our measurements on a specialist ColourChecker chart showed errors (Delta E) regularly reaching and exceeding values of 8-9. To put it simply: errors above the threshold of 3 are easily noticeable to the naked eye, so such a result means that the colours on the screen are simply heavily distorted.

Color reproduction after calibration

6.9/10

6.2/10

Review TCL C855 Color reproduction after calibration
Review Haier K85F Color reproduction after calibration
Review TCL C855 Color reproduction after calibration
Review Haier K85F Color reproduction after calibration

TCL, just like the vast majority of manufacturers, provides advanced calibration tools in its televisions. Here we find 2- and 20-point grey scale adjustments as well as an advanced colour management system. The results, as you can see, are very good and in SDR materials we have significantly approached the reference image. We eliminated both the green tint and the gamma issue, although there is still a slight "kink" at the very beginning. It went a bit worse with HDR materials, which the television ChooseTV C855 did not allow us to model properly. We only managed to slightly adjust the EOTF curve and significantly improve the colours themselves.

No good, but can anything be done about this picture? Is professional calibration able to save the situation? The answer is both yes and no. It needs to be said clearly that there are certain things we cannot overcome. The limitations of the construction itself, namely a poor panel and its narrow colour coverage, mean that you can forget about a sensible HDR effect – we won't be pulling the wool over your eyes on that. The biggest beneficiary of our adjustments is undoubtedly the SDR mode, and it is for watching such content, after calibration, that this television starts to make sense. We managed to tame the white balance in our own way. Although the television only offers basic, 2-point adjustment (rather than precise, 20-point), it's not perfect, but we successfully eliminated that unpleasant, cold "chill" in the picture. Above all, though, we noted a huge improvement in brightness management. The gamma curve, which previously resembled a rollercoaster, looks like an almost perfectly straight line after calibration. This is a sign that the television can finally display an image without artificially dimming or brightening it. The conclusion is simple: even with such a cheap television, professional setting correction can achieve a great deal and extract the maximum potential from it.

Smoothness of tonal transitions

9.2/10

7.6/10

Review TCL C855 Smoothness of tonal transitions
Review Haier K85F Smoothness of tonal transitions
Review TCL C855 Smoothness of tonal transitions
Review Haier K85F Smoothness of tonal transitions
Review TCL C855 Smoothness of tonal transitions
Review Haier K85F Smoothness of tonal transitions
Review TCL C855 Smoothness of tonal transitions
Review Haier K85F Smoothness of tonal transitions

Nevertheless, an important aspect in assessing image quality are tonal transitions. To achieve a clear image free from posterisation effects, the television must demonstrate very good algorithms for smoothing out colour gradation. We must admit that the applied feature in TCL C855 called "Gradual Smoothing" is one of the better ones we have had the opportunity to test. Practically every scene performs very well here, and nothing can be faulted. The best example of this is the scene from "The Green Knight", which is the most demanding due to the vast number of fine and subtle transitions in the fog. The C855 effectively smooths everything present in the scene and allows the viewer to experience its entire suspense. The only moment where a slight posterisation can be noticed is in a frame from the film "The Green Knight", where the reds in the top left section of the screen contrast against each other.

It's time to address an issue that is often overlooked by many but can be quite irritating to the discerning (and not just discerning) eye. We're talking about the smoothness of tonal transitions, or how seamlessly the screen displays transitions between very similar shades of one colour – for instance, on a clear blue sky. We have to admit that in this category, the Haier K85F, considering its price, performs quite decently. In bright scenes, such as the aforementioned sky or expansive landscapes in the film "The Martian," there are no stark, contrasting bands. Yes, if we scrutinise closely, we can spot minimal imperfections, but generally, the effect is more than satisfactory. However, the situation changes when darker scenes make an appearance on the screen, such as gloomy corridors in games or nighttime landscapes. Here, banding, or the effect of posterization, becomes much more evident. Transitions in shadows and greys are no longer as smooth and can become quite bothersome to a more sensitive eye. It's not a level that would completely disqualify the television, but it is clear that this is an area where costs were saved.

Image scaling and smoothness of tonal transitions

5.5/10

4/10

Image without overscan on the SD signal
OK
OK
Smooth transition function
No
No

Smooth transition function

Review TCL C855 Image scaling and smoothness of tonal transitions
Review Haier K85F Image scaling and smoothness of tonal transitions

Image without overscan on the SD signal

Review TCL C855 Image scaling and smoothness of tonal transitions
Review Haier K85F Image scaling and smoothness of tonal transitions

Once again, we will look at the function of smoothing tonal transitions, but this time also image scaling. The latter is particularly important when watching materials of lower quality, such as some TV programs or older films. We will focus on the function responsible for tonal transitions. Interestingly, just like in the scenes in the previous test, it performed splendidly and smoothed out practically all the choppiness, but here it had problems. Using the menu responsible for the operation of this function, we found that none - not even the strongest - setting helped.

The image scaling in TCL C855 is characterised as one of the best we have had the opportunity to test so far. The image is sharp, but in a way that could be described as natural to our eye. Even small, fine branches do not have jagged contours, and there is no white halo around figures, which is characteristic of weaker scaling systems.

Let’s move on to digital processing and image scaling, specifically how the Haier K85F handles lower resolution signals, such as from regular television. Right off the bat, we encounter an incredibly annoying and completely incomprehensible issue – the overscan is enabled by default. This means the television artificially enlarges the image, cutting off its edges on every source, even 1080p. To see the full frame, you have to dig into the screen settings each time and manually switch the format to "stretch to 16:9." It's a minor detail, but devilishly frustrating. The scaling of content to 4K resolution can be described in one word: acceptable. And that's about it. The image processor doesn't strip detail from the image, nor does it generate jagged edges or other artifacts. It simply does its job, without any bells and whistles. It’s alright, but nothing more. The most significant and noticeable shortcoming in the digital processing section is, however, the absence of a tone transition smoothing feature. This is an algorithm that could significantly reduce the annoying banding effect we mentioned earlier. Unfortunately, the manufacturer did not foresee such a solution, condemning us to watch the imperfections of the panel and low-quality material in all their glory.

Blur and motion smoothness

8/10

4.5/10

Maximum refresh rate of the panel
144Hz
60Hz
Film motion smoothing option
OK
OK
Blur reduction option
OK
No
BFI function 60Hz
Yes, 60Hz (image flickers)
-
BFI function 120Hz
Yes, 120Hz
-
Brightness drop with BFI
51%
-%

Blur (native resolution, maximum refresh rate):

Blur (BFI function enabled):

The maximum refresh rate that we can set on TCL C855 is 144 Hz. Naturally, this is only possible when connecting the TCL C855 TV to a very powerful PC. Otherwise, we will operate at a maximum refresh rate of 120 Hz, which is recommended if we primarily want to watch sports or content with a high level of motion dynamics. For those who require high fluidity of image, the manufacturer has implemented a multi-level motion smoother. It has been divided into two separate sliders that adjust the sharpness of moving images (Blur Reduction) and judder (Judder Reduction). Both sliders can be set in the range of 0 to 10, with each level affecting the degree of smoothing, so everyone can find their sweet spot. We present a setting that allows for slight smoothness without the soap opera effect.

The panel of TCL C855 features a very good response time. This is especially important, as VA panels often have issues with so-called ghosting, which is the effect where a black halo can be noticed behind a fast-moving object.

The panel in the K85F model operates at a native refresh rate of 60 Hz, which sets certain expectations for image smoothness right from the start. However, we must admit that we were very positively surprised when we found two separate motion control sliders in the settings menu: one labelled "Motion Blur Reduction" and the other "De-Judder." Such generosity in this price segment is an absolute rarity, as manufacturers usually offer at most one shared option. Unfortunately, our enthusiasm faded as quickly as it appeared. It soon became clear why Haier was so "generous" – the slider responsible for reducing motion blur is simply a decoy. Sliding it makes absolutely no visible difference on the screen, so only one of the two options works.

Console compatibility and gaming features

9.8/10

4/10

  • ALLM
    Yes
    Yes
  • VRR
    Yes
    Yes
  • VRR range
    48 - 144Hz
    48 - 60Hz
  • Dolby Vision Game Mode
    Yes
    No
  • Correct implementation of HGIG
    Yes
    No
  • 1080p@120Hz
    Yes
    No
  • 1440p@120Hz
    Yes
    No
  • 4K@120Hz
    Yes
    No
  • Game bar
    Yes
    No

The TCL C855 television is equipped with full HDMI 2.1 ports with a bandwidth of 48 Gb/s. During our tests, we confirmed the seamless operation of all functions that come with this standard. As you can see, all the checkboxes light up green, which will certainly be appreciated by gamers, both console and those using the television as a computer monitor. Additionally, the TCL C855 supports both AMD FreeSync and NVIDIA's G-Sync, which can be easily activated in the graphics card settings. Users with very powerful setups can provide a 144 Hz signal to the C855, which the television handles effortlessly. It's also worth mentioning the implementation of the HGIG mode, which, due to the shortcomings of the "Game" mode, is overly bright, making it difficult to configure properly on-screen. Fortunately, the television performs excellently with the Dolby Vision format.

The TCL C855, as one of the first manufacturers, has equipped its televisions with a special GameBar feature that allows extensive setting changes on the fly, without the need to exit the game. It includes functions such as an additional crosshair grid, black level correction, and settings for individuals with disabilities. In the photo, we see the next generation of this solution.

In summary, the TCL C855 television will be an ideal solution for those looking for a screen for any kind of electronic gaming. With all the features supporting such entertainment, it is incredibly engaging. It should also be emphasized that it has very low input lag, regardless of the selected settings, including with the Dolby Vision HDR format.

Let’s move on to the features for gamers, although we must point out straight away that this is more of a proposal for the "occasional" ones. The manufacturer does boast in the specifications about having HDMI 2.1 ports, which looks impressive on paper, but in reality, it’s largely a marketing ploy. What good is a modern port when the heart of the television is a panel with a refresh rate of 60 Hz? It physically cannot display a signal at 120 frames per second, even at lower resolutions, which takes away HDMI 2.1’s key advantage. What a shame. (That’s why in our tests we note this as HDMI 2.0 ports). Another odd issue is the TV's response to an attempt to calibrate HDR from the console. Changes to brightness settings result in very unnatural image behaviour, which could suggest incorrect implementation of the HGiG standard. To be honest, one shouldn’t worry too much about this, as we have repeatedly mentioned, we simply do not recommend using any HDR content on this screen. However, to counterbalance the negatives, the Haier K85F does have two big and unexpected advantages. The first is the presence of ALLM, or automatic game mode, which switches the TV to low latency mode as soon as it detects a connected console. The second, even bigger surprise, is support for VRR, or variable refresh rate. While it operates within a very modest range of 48-60 Hz, its mere presence is commendable. Thanks to this, the image in games can “tear” less, which realistically improves the gaming experience.

Input lag

9.8/10

10/10

SDR

1080p60
16 ms
13 ms
1080p120
7 ms
2160p60
16 ms
13 ms
2160p120
7 ms

HDR

2160p60
16 ms
13 ms
2160p120
7 ms
4320p60

Dolby Vision

2160p60 DV
17 ms
13 ms
2160p120 DV
9 ms

The lag time of the TCL C855 is astonishingly low in every scenario. Even the most passionate gamers will surely appreciate the very low input lag at demanding 4K 120 Hz settings with HDR, clocking in at just 7 ms. Furthermore, the lag at these same settings, but with Dolby Vision HDR enabled, remains at the same level, which isn't so obvious with competing models. Therefore, the TCL C855 deserves the highest rating and recommendation.

We must give credit where it's due – there is one parameter where this television absolutely shines and puts to shame many more expensive models. We're talking about input lag, or signal delay. Our measurements showed a remarkably low result of just 13 ms. This is a huge plus that makes gaming control lightning-fast and incredibly responsive. In this regard, the K85F performs excellently.

Compatibility with PC

8.6/10

6/10

Chroma 444 (maximum resolution and refresh rate)
Yes
Yes
Font clarity
Good
Very Good
Readability of dark text and shapes
Good
Very Good
Input lag in PC mode (4K, maximum refresh rate)
16ms
13ms
Matrix subpixel arrangement
BGR
BGR
Max refresh rate
144Hz
60Hz
G-Sync
Yes
No
Review TCL C855 Compatibility with PC
Review Haier K85F Compatibility with PC

TCL C855 when connected to a computer as a monitor performs very well. This is thanks to the very low latency between the mouse-eye-screen and the excellent readability of fonts, which comes from the proper implementation of chroma 4:4:4 at all resolutions, including 4K@144Hz. The subpixel layout is BGR, which does not negatively impact usage in Windows. However, the situation may change when using macOS or other software that may not be able to adjust fonts to this subpixel layout. Additionally, the TV has minor issues displaying fonts on a black background, for which we deducted some points.

And what if we tried using this Haier as a computer monitor? Here, what was a big surprise for us was that the television performs exceptionally well. For office work, it’s perfect. All thanks to the fact that it correctly handles the so-called 4:4:4 chroma sampling. To put it simply: every little letter on the screen is sharp, without annoying coloured edges or blurriness. Sure, let’s be frank – this is not equipment for PC gamers. 60 Hz is too low for them. But if you just need a big screen for text work, browsing the internet, coding or displaying presentations, the K85F excels in this role. This is one of its strongest and, let’s face it, most unexpected applications.

Viewing angles

3.5/10

2.8/10

Brightness drop at an angle of 45 degrees
73%
67%

A widely known drawback of VA panels without an angle coating is their poor performance regarding viewing angles. The same is true for the TCL C855, where even a slight off-axis shift leads to significant image washout and colour degradation.

At nearly the very end of the evaluation of the panel itself, we left out the viewing angles, which unfortunately are one of its biggest weaknesses. It must be honestly admitted that this is not surprising – it is simply a natural and commonly known feature of VA-type panels. In the unit we tested, interestingly, the brightness of the image did not drop drastically when we moved away from the centre of the screen. However, the real problem lies with the colours, which instantly begin to fade. A slight change in position on the couch is enough for the hues to lose their saturation and become washed out. In this regard, the Haier K85F presents a very average, typical level for this technology.

Daytime performance

7.4/10

4.1/10

Panel finish
Glare
Satin
Reflection suppression
Average
Average
Black levels during daytime
Good
Good
Review TCL C855 Daytime performance
Review Haier K85F Daytime performance
Review TCL C855 Daytime performance
Review Haier K85F Daytime performance

Panel brightness

Average luminance SDR

Haier K85F: 276 cd/m2

TCL C855: 910 cd/m2

The glossy finish of the panel on the TCL C855 prevented it from achieving the highest rating for TV performance during daytime viewing, although it is precisely due to this that the blacks during the day are very good. Thanks to the high brightness in SDR content, the actress's face strongly stands out through reflections. However, a downside of the panel is that light hitting directly on the TV "spills" out rather than being contained in one spot. Generally speaking, if sunlight doesn't hit the panel, the TCL C855 will be a very good choice for brightly lit rooms.

And how does the television perform in confrontation with daylight, for example in a brightly lit living room? Unfortunately, we don't have good news here. As we have established, it is a television with relatively low brightness, which becomes a serious drawback when faced with sunlight. The situation is further worsened by the screen coating used. Instead of effectively suppressing reflections, its satin structure tends to unfavourably scatter them. In practice, this means that the reflection of a window or lamp turns into a large, blurred, milky haze that degrades contrast and effectively hinders viewing. The conclusion is therefore clear: if the television is to be placed in a bright room, the K85F model will not be a good choice.

Panel details

Backlight Type
Mini-LED QLED
White LED
Software version during testing
TV+:TVM6.0.1_926b00935_240329
UKN2.241219.053
Image processor
mt5896
mt5896

Subpixel Structure:

Panel uniformity and thermal imaging:

Review TCL C855 TV Panel details
Review Haier K85F TV Panel details

TCL C855

Haier K85F

TV features

6.7/10

5.5/10

  • HDMI inputs
    2 x HDMI 2.0, 2 x HDMI 2.1 48Gbps
    4 x HDMI 2.0, 0 x HDMI 2.1
  • Other inputs
    RCA (Chinch)
    RCA (Chinch)
  • Outputs
    Toslink (Optical audio), eARC (HDMI), ARC (HDMI)
    Toslink (Optical audio), eARC (HDMI), ARC (HDMI), Mini-Jack (Headphones)
  • 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
    No
  • Recording programming
    No
    No
  • Picture in Picture (PiP)
    No
    No
  • RF remote control (no need to aim at the screen)
    Yes
    Yes
  • Backlit remote control
    No
    No
  • Teletext
    Yes
    Yes
  • Audio only mode
    No
    Yes
  • Bluetooth headphones support
    Yes
    Yes
  • Simultaneous Bluetooth headphones & TV audio
    Yes
    No

Smart features:

  • AirPlay
    Yes
    No
  • 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 C855 TV features
Review TCL C855 TV features
Review TCL C855 TV features
Review TCL C855 TV features
Review Haier K85F TV features
Review Haier K85F TV features
Review Haier K85F TV features
Review Haier K85F TV features
Review Haier K85F TV features
Review Haier K85F TV features

TCL C855 operates on the Google TV system, which is a significant advantage compared to TVs equipped with proprietary systems from manufacturers, where installing applications from a USB drive can be challenging or often downright impossible. With Google TV, we have the option to install almost any application, both from the official store and directly from internet repositories via APK files.

This system also offers many conveniences in terms of control. We can connect a keyboard with a touchpad, which significantly simplifies entering queries. Additionally, thanks to integration with Google, we can utilise voice control features using the remote, which works very well, although there can be minor issues with translating functions and options. It’s worth mentioning that Google TV regularly receives updates that improve functionality and introduce new options. We can also confirm that according to reports from users of older models, the software can have its off days, and sometimes it does have its "bad day".

In summary: Google TV is currently one of the most popular systems on the market. Thanks to its powerful CPU, it runs very smoothly, does not freeze, and has no issues with stuttering for a significant part of its usage. This is definitely the best option for those who want to make the most of the TCL C855 TV’s capabilities and appreciate the openness of the system.

GoogleTV on Haier K85F

The heart of the television is the Google TV system, which in theory should be a huge advantage. Access to thousands of apps and a wealth of features are promises we are familiar with. Unfortunately, in Haier's execution, this is one of the worst implementations of this software we have encountered. The system operates painfully slowly, and the interface notoriously freezes. However, the real nightmare is the incorrect and often downright comical translations of some menu options, making it difficult to figure out what is being referred to at times. To make matters worse, during our testing, we couldn't get the AirPlay feature to work at all.

Classic Features on Haier K85F

Let's move on to the classic functions and ports, because the story here is even more interesting. A plus is definitely the rich array of ports, including four HDMI connections and the increasingly rare mini-jack headphone output. Unfortunately, the television does not offer either USB recording or Picture-in-Picture mode. However, the real ordeal begins with the remote. Our initial attempts to pair it via Bluetooth to activate radio (RF) control and voice functions ended in total failure. After dozens of attempts, we were convinced it was simply a manufacturing defect. And then the surprise: after a long struggle, we discovered that the remote can be paired, but it must be done from the native Google TV settings, completely bypassing Haier's dysfunctional system overlay. This is a perfect example of how terrible software can ruin basic functionality. Oh, and one more thing. In the box... there weren't even batteries for the remote.

Playing files from USB

9.2/10

9.4/10

Supported photo formats:

JPEG
Yes
Yes
HEIC
No
Yes
PNG
Yes
Yes
GIF
Yes
Yes
WebP
Yes
Yes
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

The default media player on the TCL C855 handles practically all the media we've prepared for it very well. Almost every video format is supported. However, an important downside may be the lack of a font colour change feature. There are hardly any issues with photos and their maximum resolution. It's definitely worth noting the absence of support for Apple's HEIC and SVG files. On the other hand, we can play audio files without any problems, and we don't think many of you are using AIFF or DSD64. One undeniable advantage of the C855 and its operating system is that at any time we can download another player from the app store that will play anything.

After all our complaints about the unfinished software, the moment came when we were absolutely shocked. It turns out that within this buggy and slow-running system, there is a function that works almost perfectly and puts industry veterans to shame. We are talking about the built-in media player for USB drives. It is a true multimedia powerhouse that played practically every video format we threw at it without the slightest hiccup – from the most popular to the completely niche. Haier, a newcomer to the TV market, has achieved something that many manufacturers with decades of experience have struggled with for years. Who knows, perhaps it was originally intended as a reliable player for conference rooms? Regardless of its origins, the result is outstanding!

Apps

9.6/10

9.6/10

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
OK
Kodi
No
Apple_music
OK
Eleven_sports
No
Xbox Game Pass
OK
GeForce Now!
No
Amazon Luna
OK
Boosteroid
OK
Steam Link

Sound

7.2/10

4.8/10

  • Maximum volume
    -
    83dB
  • Dolby Digital Plus 7.1
    Yes
    Yes
  • Dolby True HD 7.1
    No
    Yes
  • 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

When assessing the sound on the TCL C855, we pay attention to several key aspects, such as whether the tones are clearly audible and do not interfere with each other, as well as whether none of them dominates the others. In the case of the TCL C855, the sound performs well – it is balanced and does not evoke any negative feelings. Generally, the sound is simply good.

For those with a home theatre system, the TCL C855 offers a wide range of audio codecs, including the two most important ones: DTS-HD Master Audio and Dolby Atmos. This ensures high sound quality that will satisfy users seeking better audio experiences.

When it comes to sound, the review will unfortunately be very short. The biggest advantage of the built-in speakers of the K85F is that they simply exist and produce sound. Other than that, the sound is completely flat, lacking any bass and just anemic. Yes, on the TV's box we will find the Dolby Atmos logo, but against the physical capabilities of these drivers, it is a feature that exists only on paper. Therefore, the verdict can only be one: when planning to purchase this TV, a soundbar should immediately be added to the budget.

Sound Quality Test

No sound test video

Acoustic Measurements

No acoustic data

83dBC (Max)

75dBC