- Matching (Score) |
- Our verdict |
- Competing TVs |
- TV appearance |
- Where to buy |
- Contrast and black detail |
- HDR effect quality |
- Factory color reproduction |
- Color reproduction after calibration |
- Smoothness of tonal transitions |
- Image scaling and smoothness of tonal transitions |
- Blur and motion smoothness |
- Console compatibility and gaming features |
- Input lag |
- Compatibility with PC |
- Viewing angles |
- Daytime performance |
- TV features |
- Apps |
- Playing files from USB |
- Sound |
- Panel details
IFFALCON U85X Review
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Panel type: LCD VA Refresh rate: 144Hz Brand: TCL Resolution: 3840x2160 System: Google TV Model year: 2026
Today we’re taking a look at a truly unique piece of equipment, especially in our market. The brand iFFALCON may be a complete mystery to many of you. These televisions are practically elusive here, and if they do appear in a store, it’s usually in short, limited batches. What exactly is this “exotic” item? It’s a brand that originates directly from the Chinese giant we all know well: we are of course talking about TCL. In the model U85X we tested, we found a multitude of shared features, and at times, even identical solutions as in the “original” products of the parent company. Is this interesting newcomer a hidden opportunity for the savvy, or just a poorer version of known models? We’ve checked this for you in our review!
TCL IFFALCON U85X - Our verdict
6.9
Overall rating
iFFALCON U85X is a device that draws heavily from the technological solutions of its parent brand, TCL. It's hard not to get the impression that in terms of pure technical specs, we are dealing with an almost faithful copy of the successful C6K series (C69K/Q6C), although visually, the designers opted for references to the more budget-friendly P line. This specific combination makes the television do exactly what we expect from a solid Mini-LED, but at an even lower price. It provides very good contrast and a vivid HDR effect, which is directly due to the impressive number of local dimming zones. It’s worth highlighting that like the C series models, the iFFALCON U85X proves to be exceptionally tailored to the needs of gamers. Here you’ll find nearly every feature necessary for comfortable gaming, from full support for HDMI 2.1 ports to ALLM and VRR technologies for console owners, and even excellent compatibility with PCs. As a monitor, the device performs excellently not only due to its support for refresh rates up to 240Hz but also thanks to a very sharp and readable font, which is not always a given in the world of televisions. Of course, it is not a perfect model, as it shares the same set of advantages and disadvantages as its TCL counterpart – mainly concerning issues with the panel, such as noticeable motion blur and aggressive brightness management in HDR. Nonetheless, it creates an incredibly interesting mix that makes us seriously consider the purpose of iFFALCON as a separate entity, since the same product could successfully debut with a full TCL logo on the casing. Despite this, we have no major objections to the device itself; it is truly a model worthy of attention, provided you can buy it, as currently, it's quite difficult to obtain.
Advantages
Good contrast and blacks: VA panel with MINI-LED local dimming zones
High HDR brightness: solid 650 nits
Decent colours: thanks to the PFS filter (according to the manufacturer QLED)
Awesome for gamers: full HDMI 2.1, 144Hz and very low input lag along with VRR/ALLM features
Great as a monitor: 240Hz mode, support for G-SYNC/FreeSync
Powerful sound – dedicated subwoofer delivers a tangible bass experience
Versatile Smart TV – advanced Google TV system with full AirPlay support
Disadvantages
Visible smudging
Backlight management could be better
Poor viewing angles – typical VA panel colour degradation when viewed from the side
Software bugs – inaccurate menu translations and occasional drops in system smoothness
Movies and series in UHD quality6.2
Classic TV, YouTube6.3
Sports broadcasts (TV and apps)6.1
Gaming on console8.4
TV as a computer monitor8.6
Watching in bright light5.6
Utility functions7.6
Apps9.6
Sound quality6.9
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TCL IFFALCON U85X - Competing TVs in this price range
TCL IFFALCON U85X - TV appearance
HDMI inputs: 2 x HDMI 2.0, 2 x HDMI 2.1 (48Gbps) Outputs: Toslink (Optical audio), eARC (HDMI) Network Interfaces: Wi-Fi 2.4GHz, Wi-Fi 5GHz, Ethernet (LAN) 100Mbps
Build quality: Average
Stand type: Legs
Bezel color: Graphite
Stand: Fixed
Flat design: No
Accessories: Stand
Looking at the iFFALCON U85X, it’s hard not to get a strong sense of déjà vu. At times, this model seems almost like a faithful copy of TCL's design, especially evident in the identical finish of the bottom bezel and the distinctive two feet placed on either side of the device. In simple terms, visually, the U85X is a sort of mix of the C and P series from TCL. An interesting feature is the back of the casing, where we find a subwoofer with the proud inscription “Ultra-Bass”. We’ve seen nearly identical solutions in TCL models, with the difference that there, the audio systems were usually branded with Onkyo. Here we have a ‘no-name’ version, albeit visually identical. The device itself is made adequately and aesthetically, but it definitely cannot be said to belong to the premium category. It’s just an ordinarily looking television that doesn’t draw attention to itself and doesn’t try to stand out in any particular way.
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TCL IFFALCON U85X - Contrast and black detail
7.3/10
Local dimming function: Yes, number of zones: 224 (14 x 16)
Result
113,850:1
Result
24,800:1
Result
10,950:1
Result
7,000:1
Result
6,050:1
Visibility of details in the lights:
In terms of black levels and contrast, the 65-inch iFFALCON U85X proves to be almost a faithful replica of the solutions known from the TCL C6K and C69K series, offering the same number of 224 local dimming zones arranged in a 14x16 layout. Thanks to the use of a VA panel and such a solid number of zones, the device can generate an image with impressive depth, where our measurements in real film scenes indicated a contrast exceeding 100,000:1. Of course, at this class of equipment, local dimming doesn’t always exhibit perfect precision, so in more challenging shots with bright details against a dark background, we must reckon with the occurrence of halo effects, or subtle glows around objects. Nevertheless, the overall quality of black levels is very high and will certainly satisfy most users looking for cinematic experiences. The image certainly appears to have greater depth than solutions without any local dimming technology.
TCL IFFALCON U85X - HDR effect quality
4.7/10
Supported formats: HDR10, HDR10+, Dolby Vision, Dolby Vision IQ, HLG Color gamut coverage: DCI P3: 93.7%, Bt.2020: 72.5%
Luminance measurements in HDR:
Result
627 nit
Result
165 nit
Result
390 nit
Result
124 nit
Result
528 nit
iFFALCON U85 handles HDR in a rather dual manner – on one hand, it can surprise with a solid peak brightness of around 650 nits, which places it significantly above average in this price segment. This is particularly evident in bright, full-screen scenes. Examples from movies like Life of Pi or the final test sequences from The Meg prove that the television can maintain the power and essence of the HDR effect when the entire panel needs to “ignite,” providing truly satisfying experiences. However, problems arise in high-contrast scenes, where smaller, bright details appear on the screen; the dimming algorithms prioritise black depth so much that they can crush the brightness of small bright points down to just 100 nits, drastically lowering the image dynamics and depriving us of the real “bite” we expect from HDR standards. However, the question of colours remains a sweetener, as thanks to the use of the PFS phosphor filter (marketed as QLED by the manufacturer), they look very good, achieving nearly 94% coverage of the DCI-P3 colour gamut, which allows for a rich and vivid image in most content.
Scene from the movie “Pan” (about 2800 nits)
Scene from the movie “Billy Lynn” (about 1100 nits)
Further analysing the HDR effect and specifically the performance of the iFFALCON U85X in comparison to the market leaders, we must admit that it performs surprisingly well and has no reason to be ashamed alongside more popular brands. In HDR content mastered to 1000 nits, such as the film Billy Lynn, the image is cohesive and clear, although the TV has a tendency to slightly boost the mid-tones while losing small details in the brightest whites. However, we were even more impressed by the mapping of 4000 nits materials – here the U85X effectively maintains the visibility of details in bright sections of the image (such as the sunset in the film The Father), allowing for just a gentle brightening of shadows, which, while preserving decent colours, creates a really attractive effect. Such effective signal processing is largely due to the dynamic tone mapping feature, specifically a mode called "detailed priority description," which we definitely recommend activating to squeeze the maximum accuracy from this panel.
HDR luminance chart:
In terms of HDR standard support, the iFFALCON U85X is a true frontrunner that doesn't exclude any of the significant formats on the market. On board, we find not only the basic HDR10 and HLG, but also advanced solutions with dynamic metadata, namely Dolby Vision and HDR10+. Although our comparative tests show a certain advantage in the image quality of the Dolby Vision format over the static HDR10, the difference is not overwhelming. This is mainly because the "Detail Priority" feature can effectively "pull" the quality of the regular signal so well that the additional support for dynamic formats becomes a nice complement rather than a necessity. Interestingly, there is the presence of Dolby Vision IQ, which theoretically adjusts the display parameters according to the room's lighting. Unfortunately, in practice, this feature works rather controversially, as instead of limiting itself to intelligently brightening scenes, it can interfere with image elements that it shouldn't touch. Therefore, although the U85 has a full set of certifications, it’s best to stick to the classic Dolby Vision settings, which you will find today in almost every popular VOD production.
Static HDR10
Dynamic: Dolby Vision
Factory color reproduction
4.8/10
We tested the factory colours in the iFFALCON U85X model in “Film” mode, which is definitely the most accurate among all available settings, although it is still far from perfect. The main issue that catches the eye in both SDR and HDR content is the improper white balance – an excess of blue and red contributes to a slight purple tint in the image, detracting from the naturalness of the film scenes. An even greater challenge is how the television manages its brightness. Analysing the gamma chart for SDR signal, we noticed significant instability: instead of adhering to the standard value of 2.4, the device oscillates around 2.2, then suddenly makes an unnatural jump to around 3.0. In practice, this leads to confusing effects – large, bright surfaces on the screen appear too dark, while smaller elements are unnecessarily brightened. A similar characteristic can be found in the EOTF curve, which makes the image unpredictable and loses its cinematic authenticity.
Color reproduction after calibration
7.5/10
After professional calibration of the movie mode, we must admit that the effect is more than satisfactory – the iFFALCON U85X undergoes a true transformation here. Colour errors in SDR content have dropped to a level below 2, making them practically undetectable to the human eye. We managed to set the white balance almost perfectly, and brightness management (gamma) has become almost exemplary. As a result, with standard quality materials, the television simply looks perfect and it's hard to fault it.
In the case of HDR signal, the situation has also improved significantly, although here the nature of the device is a bit more noticeable. Colour errors have been reduced to around 3, which is an outstanding result in this price range. It's worth taking a look at the EOTF chart (available on the right side of the screen in filters: 4K HDR, gamma / EOTF) to see what is not immediately apparent regarding brightness management by the U85. Though the reference line looks decent, in actual film scenes the television still interprets the signal “in its own way” due to very aggressive local dimming zone algorithms. Does that disqualify this model for watching HDR content? Absolutely not. It’s simply a typical issue with nearly every Mini-LED that has to balance high brightness with the attempt to maintain deep blacks. One just needs to be aware of these technical limitations, which are unavoidable in this segment.
TCL IFFALCON U85X - Smoothness of tonal transitions
7/10
In terms of tonal transition fluidity, the iFFALCON U85X performs quite decently. In most scenes, the gradients are nearly unnoticeable, so the annoying "banding" of colours shouldn't be obvious during everyday viewings, for example, on YouTube. However, it must be honestly admitted that in very dark frames, the image is not always perfectly smooth, and certain imperfections in the transitions between shades can be observed. Nonetheless, this result is more than satisfactory and does not spoil the overall impression of the image.
Image scaling and smoothness of tonal transitions
5/10
Smooth transition function
Image without overscan on the SD signal
When it comes to scaling images to 4K resolution, the iFFALCON U85X performs solidly. The device effectively boosts low-quality signals, making even older materials look clean and clear on the 4K panel. At extremely low resolutions, such as 480p, you can notice slightly jagged edges (especially on thin lines), but let’s be honest – this is a scenario you'll only encounter while watching very old recordings, so in everyday use, it’s not a real issue.
On the other hand, the digital processing aimed at smoothing tonal transitions performs significantly worse. Although the menu features a function called “Gradual Smoothing”, its effectiveness is at least debatable. In practice, it does not effectively eliminate banding (colour stepping) and, worse yet, can cause more harm than good. This filter can be too aggressive where it shouldn’t be, artificially smoothing out details that shouldn’t be touched, such as the natural texture of the face or the fine details of skin texture. Instead of improving quality, this function can give the image an unnatural, “plastic” look, so it’s best to use it with caution or, preferably: leave it turned off.
TCL IFFALCON U85X - Blur and motion smoothness
6.8/10
Maximum refresh rate of the panel: 144Hz
Film motion smoothing option: Yes
Blur reduction option: Yes
BFI function 60Hz: Yes, 120Hz (double contours)
BFI function 120Hz: Yes, 240Hz (double contours)
Brightness drop with BFI: 25%
Unlike budget constructions that can resemble a slideshow in dynamic sports scenes, the iFFALCON U85X is a heavyweight player equipped with a panel featuring a native refresh rate of 144Hz. It's worth remembering that in the realm of movies, series, or sports, we'll predominantly operate at 120Hz due to the specifics of image enhancement systems. Such a fast panel is excellent news for gamers and sports fans, as it opens the door to advanced motion settings that simply aren't available in cheaper 60Hz models.
Everything is managed from the menu “Motion Clarity”, where instead of using ready-made, often overly aggressive modes, we strongly recommend a custom configuration based on two sliders. The most important of these, Flicker Reduction, is responsible for fluidity in films – here, it's best to aim for a value around 4, which helps maintain the natural, cinematic character of motion without falling into the artificial “soap opera effect.” Meanwhile, the first slider, Motion Blur Reduction, is key to success in sports broadcasts. In this case, it's worth going all out and setting it to maximum, ensuring that the image remains sharp during fast-paced action on the field, while annoying ghosting is eliminated.
Blur (native resolution, maximum refresh rate):
Blur (BFI function enabled):
Blur (4K@144Hz):
However, one should temper the enthusiasm arising from the mere presence of a 144Hz panel, as the image in the iFFALCON U85X model is not crystal clear like that of OLED televisions. Unfortunately, the panel used here struggles with quite noticeable motion blur issues, which become particularly bothersome in dark scenes. In our UFO tests, it is clearly visible how an unwanted trail stretches behind fast-moving elements, which significantly reduces the sharpness of dynamic objects. A potential solution might be to try to mitigate this effect using the BFI feature, however, in practice, it is not effective enough to completely eliminate ghosting and reduce motion blur to zero.
TCL IFFALCON U85X - Console compatibility and gaming features
9.8/10
- ALLM:
Yes
- VRR:
Yes
- VRR range:
48 - 240Hz
- Dolby Vision Game Mode:
Yes
- Correct implementation of HGIG:
Yes
- 1080p@120Hz:
Yes
- 1440p@120Hz:
Yes
- 4K@120Hz:
Yes
- Game bar:
Yes
iFFALCON U85X is an outstanding piece of gear for gamers that has pretty much everything you could ask for from a modern screen for console or PC. It features two full-fledged HDMI 2.1 ports with a full bandwidth of 48 Gbps, which opens the door to key technologies such as VRR and ALLM, ensuring smooth gameplay without screen tearing and with minimal lag. The TV effortlessly handles high refresh rates at various resolutions, and a real curiosity is the mode that allows for up to 240Hz when dropping down to Full HD quality. Everything is managed by the Game Bar (which is a faithful copy from TCL), allowing for instant switching of picture modes, personalization of the interface appearance, or even adding a virtual crosshair in the middle of the screen.
TCL IFFALCON U85X - Input lag
9.8/10
The complement to the gaming arsenal is the outstanding latency results we measured in our tests. With a standard 60Hz signal, the input lag is just 17 ms, which is a completely safe value for comfortable gameplay, while switching to 120Hz reduces the lag to an impressive 9 ms. A nice fact is that these excellent parameters do not deteriorate even in Dolby Vision mode. In many televisions, activating this format still comes with additional processor overhead and increased lag, but here the engineers at TCL (or iFFALCON) have done a great job.
| SDR | HDR | Dolby Vision |
|---|---|---|
| 1080p60: 17 ms | 2160p60: 17 ms | 2160p60 DV: 17 ms |
| 1080p120: 9 ms | 2160p120: 9 ms | 2160p120 DV: 9 ms |
| 2160p60: 17 ms | ||
| 2160p120: 9 ms |
TCL IFFALCON U85X - Compatibility with PC
8.6/10
Chroma 444 (max. resolution and refresh rate): Yes
Font clarity: Good
Readability of dark text and shapes: Very Good
Input lag in PC mode (4K, max. refresh rate): 9ms
Matrix subpixel arrangement: BGR
Max refresh rate: 144Hz
G-Sync: Yes
iFFALCON U85X is also an excellent candidate for a powerful computer monitor, offering a work culture that's hard to find in typical televisions. The readability of fonts is at an almost exemplary level – although due to the nature of the VA panel, it's not as crystal clear as in IPS panels, the difference becomes practically unnoticeable to the human eye when viewed from a distance of over one meter. The device natively supports a resolution of 4K at 144Hz refresh rate, but the real ace up its sleeve is the 240Hz mode (available at lower resolutions), which makes this giant an excellent tool for dynamic e-sports titles, where refresh rate takes priority over pixel count. Almost most importantly for PC users, such high performance is fully supported by frame synchronization technologies like NVIDIA G-Sync and AMD FreeSync, effectively eliminating screen tearing and ensuring perfect fluidity regardless of the graphics card used.
TCL IFFALCON U85X - Viewing angles
3.1/10
Brightness drop at an angle of 45 degrees: 68%
When it comes to viewing angles, the iFFALCON U85X doesn't surprise us – it's just poor, which is a typical characteristic of VA panels. We have to treat this as a natural and conscious compromise: by choosing a panel with high contrast and deep blacks, we almost always sacrifice wide angles (only in top-tier series do manufacturers use special coatings to improve this feature). You can't cheat physics in this price segment, because while sitting directly in front of the TV the picture looks stunning, it only takes a slight lean to the side for the colours to start losing their saturation. If you're planning evening screenings with a larger group, it's worth ensuring that everyone sits as close to the central axis of the screen as possible.
TCL IFFALCON U85X - Daytime performance
5.6/10
Panel finish: Satin
Reflection suppression: Decent
Black levels during daytime: Good
In a bright room, the iFFALCON U85X performs moderately well, thanks to the satin finish of the panel. It does a quite decent job of suppressing direct light reflections, which helps us avoid the annoying mirror effect, although under stronger lighting, you can notice the characteristic warm "spills" of light around the reflecting objects. It's not quite at the level of top panels with the most advanced filters, but the lack of high gloss makes daytime use much less bothersome. As for pure brightness in SDR mode, which is for television, the TV achieves an average brightness of around 420 nits. This isn't an outstanding result that would allow for battling direct sunlight hitting the screen, but it's more than sufficient for comfortable viewing in a moderately sunny living room.
Panel brightness
IFFALCON U85X: 419 cd/m2
TCL IFFALCON U85X - TV features
7.6/10
System: Google TV
System performance: Decent
- HDMI inputs: 2 x HDMI 2.0, 2 x HDMI 2.1 48Gbps
- Outputs: Toslink (Optical audio), eARC (HDMI)
- Network Interfaces: Wi-Fi 2.4GHz, Wi-Fi 5GHz, Ethernet (LAN) 100Mbps
- TV reception: DVB-T, DVB-T2, DVB-S, DVB-S2, DVB-C
Classic features:
Recording to USB (terrestrial TV): No - Recording programming: No
- Picture in Picture (PiP): No
- RF remote control (no need to aim): RF
- Backlit remote control: No
- Teletext: Yes
- Audio only mode: Yes
- Bluetooth headphones support: Yes
- Simultaneous Bluetooth headphones & TV audio: Yes
Smart features:
- AirPlay: Yes
- Screen mirroring (Windows Miracast): Yes
- Voice search: Yes
- Voice search in native language: Yes
- Ability to connect a keyboard and mouse: Yes
Smart Features
Like products under the TCL brand, the iFFALCON U85X benefits from the Google TV system. This means access to an almost unlimited library of apps, from the most popular VOD services to niche tools, as well as full integration with Google voice assistants and Gemini. Apple ecosystem users have not been overlooked either – the TV easily works with their devices thanks to the built-in AirPlay feature. The system itself runs quite smoothly, although it cannot be denied that it inherits some issues known from TCL models. The interface can sometimes “catch its breath” and needs a moment to think, and the Polish translations in the deeper corners of the menu can be quite strange and at times illogical.
Classic Features
In the realm of traditional television functions, the iFFALCON U85X doesn’t strive for any extravagance and offers the absolute minimum, which may be a disappointment for more demanding users of traditional cable or satellite. One will look in vain for features such as recording programs to external USB storage or picture-in-picture (PiP) mode that would allow tracking two sources simultaneously. From the more “modern” classics, we only get the ability to wirelessly connect headphones via Bluetooth and teletext support. The remote control also doesn’t pretend to be a modern gadget from the future; it’s a classic design with a full numeric keypad that facilitates quick channel switching, but visually it is far behind minimalist trends.
Sound connection options
HDMI audio:
Other audio outputs:
- Toslink: Yes
Wireless audio:
- Bluetooth: Yes
Supported audio formats (external HDMI eARC audio):
- Dolby Digital Plus 7.1: Yes
- Dolby True HD 7.1: No
- Dolby Atmos in Dolby Digital Plus (JOC): Yes
- Dolby Atmos in Dolby True HD: No
- DTS:X in DTS-HD MA: Yes
- DTS-HD Master Audio: Yes
Senior accessibility
- Numeric keyboard on TV: Yes
- Font size adjustment: No
- Audio description: Yes
TCL IFFALCON U85X - Apps
9.6/10
TCL IFFALCON U85X - Playing files from USB
9.2/10
| Maximum photo resolution: | Supported photo formats: |
|---|---|
| 4 Mpix | JPEG |
| 6 Mpix | HEIC |
| 8 Mpix | PNG |
| 10 Mpix | GIF |
| 12 Mpix | WebP |
| 16 Mpix | TIFF |
| 20 Mpix | BMP |
| 24 Mpix | SVG |
| 28 Mpix | |
| 32 Mpix |
Playing files from a pen drive is no challenge for the iFFALCON U85X – the built-in player handles almost every audio and video format we threw at it during testing without a hitch. The only drawback we could point out is the support for external subtitles; while popular formats like .sub and .srt work flawlessly, the TV can be temperamental with .txt files. Fortunately, thanks to the presence of Google TV, this problem can be quickly resolved by installing a third-party app like VLC. Still, for most users, the factory tool will likely be more than sufficient to enjoy their own media library without unnecessary fuss.
TCL IFFALCON U85X - Sound
6.9/10
83dB
Maximum volume
Supported codecs (TV speakers)
Dolby Digital Plus 7.1
Dolby True HD 7.1
Dolby Atmos in Dolby Digital Plus (JOC)
Dolby Atmos in Dolby True HD
DTS:X in DTS-HD MA
DTS-HD Master Audio
iFFALCON U85X proves that the absence of Onkyo or Bang & Olufsen logos on the casing doesn't necessarily mean flat and shrill sound. The audio system in this model delivers surprisingly solid performance, largely thanks to the dedicated subwoofer located on the back of the device. Our acoustic measurements confirm that the low end starts to "respond." This distinct "bump" on the graph is what provides the noticeable bass that often lacks in televisions, adding weight and depth to movies and music. The only criticism might be that such bass can overshadow the high tones, making them seem somewhat recessed. Overall, it can reach a volume of up to 83 dBC, which is more than enough to fill a larger living room.
Acoustic Measurements
83dBC (Max)
75dBC
TCL IFFALCON U85X - Panel details
Software version during testing: V8-0012T01-LF1V543.002503
Image processor: MT5896 2,5GB RAM
Panel uniformity and thermal imaging:
Backlight Type: Mini-LED PFS LED
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