- 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
- TV efficiency during daytime
- TV features
- Apps
- Playing files from USB
- Sound
- Details about the matrix
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Panel type: LCD VA Refresh rate: 144Hz Brand: TCL Resolution: 3840x2160 System: Google TV Model year: 2025
TCL C6K is one of the cheapest televisions with Mini-LED technology, designed for those who want to experience features known from premium models without spending a fortune. How did TCL manage to bring high-end features to the budget segment? You can read about it in our review.
TCL C6K - Our verdict
7.1
Overall rating
TCL C6K is a TV for those who want to combine gaming and watching movies with good contrast, all without breaking the bank. With its VA panel illuminated by Mini-LED, blacks are deep and contrast is high, making evening viewings look truly impressive. Additionally, it boasts decent brightness, which paired with Dolby Vision gives films a cinematic quality. Importantly, the smoothness of the image – the 144Hz refresh rate works wonders for sports and dynamic games, and gamers receive a full package of bonuses: VRR, ALLM, HDMI 2.1, HGiG, and even a 240Hz mode in PC. For daily use, the TV is powered by Google TV, which offers a multitude of apps and the Gemini AI voice assistant, making navigation convenient and flexible. It's also worth mentioning the sound – support for Dolby Atmos and DTS gives the impression that the device is ready not just for gaming. As is often the case, there are a few things that could be improved. The backlighting in challenging scenes can lose details or wash out blacks, and the Polish translations in the menu can be so clumsy that you really have to think about what’s being said. Despite this, the overall package holds up very well, and considering the price, the TCL C6K could be one of the more interesting choices for anyone looking for a versatile TV for movies, sports, and gaming. Especially when a good promotion comes along – and when TCL traditionally fine-tunes the details in updates.
Advantages
Very good contrast and black levels: VA panel and MINI-LED backlighting
Good motion smoothness: High refresh rate of 144Hz
Decent panel brightness
Many features for gamers: VRR, ALLM, HDMI 2.1, HGiG
Additional mode for PC gamers: 240Hz
GoogleTV system with a wide selection of apps
Support for multiple HDR formats including Dolby Vision
Support for Dolby Atmos and DTS
Very attractive price
Disadvantages
Management of the backlighting could be better
Language errors in the system
Movies and series in UHD quality6.7
Classic TV, YouTube6.6
Sports broadcasts (TV and apps)6.3
Gaming on console8.4
TV as a computer monitor8.6
Watching in bright light6.4
Utility functions7.0
Apps9.6
Sound quality6.5
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TCL C6K - Competing TVs in this price range
TCL C6K - TV appearance
HDMI inputs: 2 x HDMI 2.0, 2 x HDMI 2.1 (48Gbps) Outputs: Toslink (Optical audio), eARC (HDMI), ARC (HDMI) Network Interfaces: Wi-Fi 2.4GHz, Wi-Fi 5GHz, Ethernet (LAN) 100Mbps
Build quality: Good
Stand type: Legs
Kolor ramki: Graphite
- Regulacja podstawy: stand-Fixed
- Montaż na płasko: Yes
- Akcesoria: accessories-Stand
At first glance, the TCL C6K looks like most modern TVs – a sleek design with a thin bezel around the screen and a slight thickening at the bottom. Although this is a model from the budget segment, the manufacturer has made an effort to include a few accents that distinguish it from the competition. A characteristic element in the top right corner, known from the more expensive series, has been cleverly hidden behind the bezel this time, giving the overall look a slightly different character. The back of the TV is flat, allowing for a neat, almost flush panel effect when mounted on the wall. It’s hard to have any reservations about the build quality here.
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TCL C6K - Contrast and black detail
7.3/10
Local dimming function: Yes, number of zones: 180 (10 x 18)
Result
114,000:1
Result
17,300:1
Result
16,200:1
Result
9,900:1
Result
4,850:1
Visibility of details in the lights:
The TCL C6K is based on a VA panel, specifically an HVA produced by TCL CSOT, which already delivers a solid native contrast of 6000–7000:1 without the use of local dimming. However, the true strength of this model lies in its Mini-LED backlighting with the ability to dim individual zones. In the tested 55-inch version, we counted around 180 zones, and as the diagonal size increases, this number naturally grows. For a television in this price segment, the contrast is truly impressive. In simpler film scenes, such as segments from 'Oblivion', it looks fantastic, and shots completely filled with black make a great impression. Of course, due to the characteristics of Mini-LED technology, it's not always possible to avoid issues – in more challenging frames with many bright details, halo effects can appear, or some elements may be dimmed too strongly (regardless of local dimming settings). Nevertheless, the contrast can be regarded as a strong point of the C6K.
Halo effect and black detail visibility:
TCL C6K - HDR effect quality
4.9/10
Supported formats: HDR10, HDR10+, Dolby Vision, Dolby Vision IQ, HLG Color gamut coverage: DCI P3: 92.6%, Bt.2020: 71.3%
Luminance measurements in HDR:
Result
612 nit
Result
202 nit
Result
424 nit
Result
144 nit
Result
587 nit
TCL C6K is a moderately bright television that can showcase its full capabilities in the best movie conditions – the maximum brightness is around 600 nits. In scenes with large, intense light sources, the HDR effect can be truly satisfying, providing a sense of cinematic sparkle. However, it's important to remember that with local dimming management, there are situations where some elements become dimmed, and sometimes even barely visible. It is clear that there is a lack of proper optimization of the algorithms, although looking at the technical parameters in this price range, the build quality performs very well.
Scene from the movie “Pan” (about 2800 nits)
Scene from the movie “Billy Lynn” (about 1100 nits)
After just the numbers and test results, we didn't expect much from the TCL C6K, but the final effect turned out to be definitely better than one might assume. In movie scenes that often appear on streaming platforms – such as clips from the film Billy Lynn – and even in productions mastered to around 4000 nits like Pan, the picture looked surprisingly good. Yes, the highest brightness values were naturally toned down compared to the reference effect, which is due to the limitations of the panel itself, but the entire scene was rendered with great precision and accuracy. We also didn't notice any undesirable blurring of details in challenging segments, like the fireworks in Billy Lynn.
HDR luminance chart:
Luminancja HDR
Luminance of RGB colors
During testing, we noticed that in the case of static HDR10, the TCL C6K doesn't always perform perfectly. This is most noticeable in scenes flooded with white – like the test card with horses – where the panel's limited brightness leads to a loss of some details and a flattening of the image. Fortunately, the television supports practically all the most important HDR formats, including the extremely popular Dolby Vision. In this mode, thanks to dynamic metadata, the picture gains a completely new quality. As shown in the comparison on the test images, the same scene looks significantly better – details are preserved, and the contrast and lighting gradation appear natural and much closer to the intended effect of the creators. It is the support for Dolby Vision that allows the C6K to surprise positively in everyday use!
Static HDR10
Dynamic: Dolby Vision
Factory color reproduction
5/10
This year's TCL televisions have introduced the Filmmaker mode, and it must be said that it is definitely the best choice right out of the box. This is the mode we recommend for everyday viewing of movies and series. Unfortunately, as is often the case, the best does not mean perfect. In the case of SDR content, the image was too warm, as the red was quite prominent in the white balance. On the other hand, with HDR content, we had the opposite impression – the image became cooler than it should have been, due to an excess of blue. There is also the brightness characteristic, which at times led to overexposure. In practice, these issues combined resulted in quite noticeable errors in colour tests, which are hard to accept in a mode advertised as “by the creators”.
Color reproduction after calibration
7.5/10
Thanks to the white balance adjustment, we were able to significantly reduce the C6K's tendency to distort colours, which resulted in a very good end result. After calibration, we won't observe the effect of excessive warming of scenes in SDR or overly cooling the image in HDR. However, it is worth taking a closer look at the brightness characteristics. In SDR content, it's hard to have major objections – the picture looks really good, especially in older movies, TV shows, or material from YouTube. It performs significantly worse with HDR content. An analysis of the EOTF curve suggests that everything is fine, but in practice (EOTF in movies), the limitations of the construction become apparent. The television tends to excessively brighten the smallest fragments of the frame, and in other situations, it can overly dim the entire scene. The effect of calibration is therefore noticeable, and regarding colourimetry, the C6K has really gained a lot, but certain limitations resulting from local dimming and actually from its management by the C6K simply cannot be overlooked.
TCL C6K - Smoothness of tonal transitions
9.5/10
The transitions between colours in the C6K are very smooth, and it’s hard to nitpick any banding. The image looks natural, and any minor imperfections can only be noticed on bright test patterns – and only with really careful viewing. In everyday use, the effect is simply fantastic, and it’s safe to say that in this category, the C6K performs outstandingly.
Image scaling and smoothness of tonal transitions
5/10
Smooth transition function
Image without overscan on the SD signal
TCL C6K performs quite well in terms of upscaling. Lower quality materials appear acceptable, and the absence of overscan issues means the image is displayed in full, without cropping. However, one cannot expect miracles – very low quality content won't come to life here, as the image processor has its limitations. On thin lines or details, there is characteristic tearing visible, which indicates a lack of advanced image enhancement algorithms. It is also a shame that the C6K lacks the function of smoothing tonal transitions – in older films or video materials, colour banding can be noticeable and may be distracting during longer viewing sessions.
TCL C6K - Blur and motion smoothness
7.3/10
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: 20%
TCL C6K uses a 144 Hz panel, which is a significant advantage in this price range. It's an important step forward in comparison to the previous model C655 PRO, which only offered 60 Hz in 4K. The difference is especially noticeable when watching sports or playing games – the ball, players, or fast action in the game are displayed more clearly and without losing detail. An interesting fact is the panel's ability to operate at 240 Hz, which the manufacturer doesn't mention in official materials. We will return to this topic when discussing the PC gaming mode.
TCL has also added a feature for movie watchers: "Motion Clarity," which allows users to adjust the image according to their preferences with two simple sliders. You can either keep the visible film frame or opt for a very smooth, almost theatrical effect. This way, everyone can find settings that match their taste.
Blur (native resolution, maximum refresh rate):
Blur (BFI function enabled):
Against the backdrop of the higher model C7K, it's clear that the C6K has slight motion blur issues. During our "UFO" test, a faint halo trailed behind the moving object, revealing the limitations of the panel. Does this significantly detract from the experience? That's a personal matter – some might hardly notice it, while others will pick it up straight away.
TCL tried to circumvent this issue by adding a BFI feature. In theory, it is supposed to improve motion sharpness, but in practice, it creates a double contour effect, and the motion blur remains apparent. While the drop in brightness when BFI is activated is minimal, the gains from this feature are so slight that it's hard to recommend using it.
TCL C6K - 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
The TCL C6K is a television that can confidently be called equipment designed for gamers. We have 4K at 144 Hz, VRR support, an automatic gaming mode (ALLM), and Dolby Vision Gaming. On top of that, there's a practical Game Bar, which is a panel with the most important settings handy – useful when we want to quickly change something during gameplay (e.g. screen ratio: Yes, you can!). Notably, it has a wide range of VRR, reaching up to 240 Hz. However, this option is mainly for PC gamers who drop below the native 4K resolution. In that case, the television can spread its wings and show additional smoothness, especially in fast e-sport titles. For consoles, we stick with the classic limit of 120 Hz, but the possibilities are still quite broad. The only slight drawback is some minor motion blur that can occasionally be seen in dynamic scenes. Other than that, the C6K offers everything gamers expect from a television.
TCL C6K - Input lag
9.7/10
In terms of input lag, the TCL C6K performs excellently. With 120 Hz content, the delay is around 10 ms, and at times even less. This is at a level where the response is practically instantaneous, and it’s hard to find any complaints. For 60 Hz materials, the result is around 18 ms – still a very good result, more than adequate for comfortable gaming.
| SDR | HDR | Dolby Vision |
|---|---|---|
| 1080p60: 18 ms | 2160p60: 18 ms | 2160p60 DV: 18 ms |
| 1080p120: 10 ms | 2160p120: 10 ms | 2160p120 DV: 9 ms |
| 2160p60: 18 ms | ||
| 2160p120: 10 ms |
TCL C6K - Compatibility with PC
8.6/10
Chroma 444 (maximum resolution and refresh rate): Yes
Font clarity: Good
Readability of dark text and shapes: Very Good
Input lag in PC mode (4K, maximum refresh rate): 11ms
Matrix subpixel arrangement: BGR
Max refresh rate: 144Hz
G-Sync: Yes
After connecting the TCL C6K to the computer, it performs excellently. At native resolution, we have 4K at 144 Hz, and if we lower the resolution, we can even achieve 240 Hz. Additionally, the TV works well with Nvidia and AMD cards – it supports both G-Sync and FreeSync. It’s also hard to fault for office work. Fonts are sharp and readable thanks to 4:4:4 chroma support, and any minor imperfections are so negligible that they're simply not noticeable in regular use.
TCL C6K - Viewing angles
3/10
Brightness drop at an angle of 45 degrees: 79%
In the TCL C6K, the viewing angles are typical for VA panels. Sitting directly in front, the picture looks very good, but any movement to the side results in a noticeable drop in colour saturation and brightness. The difference is particularly evident in colourful scenes – the hues become washed out, and the contrast loses its depth. Compared to IPS panels, this is clearly a weaker result, although the better black levels and higher native contrast remain a compensating factor – "you win some, you lose some".
TCL C6K - TV efficiency during daytime
6.4/10
Matrix coating: Satin
Reflection suppression: Decent
Black levels during daytime: Good
TCL C6K performs quite well in bright lighting conditions. The panel offers decent brightness – achieving around 550 nits in SDR content, which allows for comfortable viewing in a moderately lit lounge, even on days with strong light coming through the windows. This means that daytime viewing does not require complete darkening of the room. It's also worth noting that the screen coating does quite a good job of reducing reflections, so the TV doesn't turn into a "mirror" even with bright lighting. However, this is not on the level of top models with more advanced anti-reflective coatings – in very challenging conditions, such as large windows, reflections will be noticeable.
Matrix brightness
Average luminance SDR
TCL C6K: 532 cd/m2
TCL C6K - TV features
7/10
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), ARC (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 at the screen): RF
- Backlit remote control: No
- Teletext: Yes
- Audio only mode: Yes
- Possibility to connect Bluetooth headphones to the TV: Yes
- Possibility to simultaneously use Bluetooth headphones and the TV speaker: Yes
Smart features:
- AirPlay: Yes
- Screen mirroring (Windows Miracast): Yes
- Wyszukiwanie głosowe: Yes
- Voice search in native language: Yes
- Ability to connect a keyboard and mouse: Yes
Multimedia Features: Google TV
The standout feature of the TCL C6K is undoubtedly the Google TV system. It gives the television its character and gives it an edge over many competitors. We have a full suite of services – from support for popular streaming apps, through screen mirroring support, to AirPlay, so iPhone users will feel right at home. Additionally, there's Google Assistant (now in the Gemini AI version), which not only answers questions but also efficiently carries out simple commands like changing channels or searching for content on VOD services. The system itself operates quite responsively, although it’s hard not to mention a certain drawback – the clumsy translations in the Polish menu can elicit a smile but sometimes require a moment of thought to decipher what’s really meant.
Classic Features
When it comes to classic television features, the TCL C6K is rather average. We won’t find USB recording or PiP mode, which may be disappointing for some. However, the manufacturer hasn’t forgotten the basics – teletext television and a clear EPG are available, which still hold significance for some users. In everyday use, support for external audio devices via Bluetooth comes in handy – a straightforward way to connect a speaker or headphones, which could be a practical solution for seniors. Beyond that, it’s hard to spot elements that would distinguish the C6K from its competitors – it’s simply a solid, but standard package of basic features.
TCL C6K - Apps
9.6/10
TCL C6K - Playing files from USB
8.9/10
| 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 |
The built-in media player in the TCL C6K performs really well – practically all popular file formats work without major issues. There are minor exceptions, particularly with less common codecs or unusual video file configurations, but in everyday use, this rarely becomes noticeable. The biggest plus, however, is that the television runs on Google TV, which offers complete freedom in choosing additional software. If someone encounters a file that the standard player can't handle, all they need to do is install an alternative – like VLC – and the problem disappears.
TCL C6K - Sound
6.5/10
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
In terms of audio, the TCL C6K performs quite well. The manufacturer has been boasting about its collaboration with the Onkyo brand for several years, and it indeed reflects on the sound quality. The sound is pleasant, with clear mid-tones and fairly crisp highs, and overall, it gives the impression of being well-balanced. Of course, it won't replace a proper soundbar, especially regarding bass depth, but for built-in speakers in a TV from this price segment – it’s really quite good.
TCL C6K - Details about the matrix
Software version during testing: V8-T653T01-LF1V531.002396
Image processor: MT5896 2,5GB RAM
Subpixel Structure:
Panel uniformity:
Backlight Type: PFS LED
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5/13/2025
