- 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
TCL C8L / QM8L Review
C8L / QM8L
Available screen sizes:
Complete the survey to find out the result
Panel type: LCD VA Refresh rate: 144Hz Brand: TCL Resolution: 3840x2160 System: Google TV Model year: 2026
This review is an English translation of the Polish original. Read the original on Wybierz.tv.
TCL C8L is without a doubt one of the hottest launches in the Mini-LED TV market this year. On paper, this model has everything to become a sales hit: impressive specs, the proven Google TV platform and a full suite of gamer-focused features. And all of that comes at a very affordable price. It's the direct successor to last year's C8K, around which, let's be honest, quite a lot of controversy grew, mainly concerning the backlight's behaviour. What have the engineers managed to change in the new generation, and does the C8L make up for its predecessor's faults? We put that to the test!
TCL C8L - Our verdict
8.3
Overall rating
The TCL C8L is without doubt one of the most intriguing Mini-LED TVs to reach our lab this year. It stands out above all for an excellent price-to-performance ratio. TCL has already got us used to aggressively priced screens, but with the C8 series the company pushes that even further. At a price that would typically only buy a mid-range model—or possibly two models like the C8K—here you get features and specs on par with top-tier sets. A new image processor, four full HDMI 2.1 ports, support for extreme refresh rates and huge peak brightness thanks to a very large number of dimming zones are hard to ignore.
That said, looking at the whole picture, we need to be honest about this TV’s character. The C8L is built more to deliver a “spectacular” image than a rigorously faithful one. What do we mean? The software and algorithms controlling the Mini-LED backlight zones are tuned to favour showiness, so the picture is bright, contrasty and strikingly saturated. And what does that mean in practice? The TV tends to interpret the image on its own rather than stick to certain studio standards. For most users seeking bigger thrills from films or games, that effect will be a plus. By contrast, purists and fans of perfectly natural images (people like us 😉) may find it too aggressive and at odds with the director’s intent. So we’ll leave the final judgement on that to you.
Overall, despite this character, the TCL C8L is a TV we can, and in fact must, recommend with a clear conscience. It’s above all a premium product that gets practically everything right, almost to the point of pain. We’d treat certain imperfections simply as characteristics of the set rather than faults—mainly because of technological limits that all Mini-LED TVs from every manufacturer have already taught us to expect. Ultimately, software polish has done a lot for the new C8, giving us a mature, assured and nearly complete TV.
Advantages
Excellent black levels: Mini-LED backlight
High peak brightness: results reaching nearly 5,000 nits
Outstanding daytime performance: the powerful backlight easily cuts through reflections on the panel
Very good colours: new SQD quantum dots
Pentonic 800 processor: a noticeable improvement in upscaling and digital features
Four full HDMI 2.1 ports
Great gaming specs: impressively low input lag (below 10 ms), up to 288 Hz refresh with VRR, and support for HGiG and Dolby Vision Gaming
Google TV: the system runs fast and lets you install lots of apps
Good sound: audio by premium brand Bang & Olufsen
Disadvantages
Lack of fidelity to the creator's intent: the TV tends to boost brightness
Slight smearing
Movies and series in UHD quality7.7
Classic TV, YouTube7.5
Sports broadcasts (TV and apps)7.2
Gaming on console8.9
TV as a computer monitor8.6
Watching in bright light10.0
Utility functions8.3
Apps9.6
Sound quality8.1
Complete the survey to find out what fits your preferences
TCL C8L - Competing TVs in this price range
TCL C8L - TV appearance
HDMI inputs: 0 x HDMI 2.0, 4 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: Premium
Stand type: Central
Bezel color: Silver
Stand: Height adjustment
Flat design: No
Accessories: Stand
The TCL C8L is essentially a faithful copy of its predecessor. Is that a flaw? Absolutely not. This is a premium design that immediately reveals high build quality. What impresses most is the fit of the screen itself; it’s completely bezel-less and, crucially, free of that characteristic inner black border we see on most LCD panels and even many OLEDs. That makes the image appear to almost flow over the edges of the chassis. The bezels themselves are metal, or finished in a plastic that perfectly mimics graphite-silver aluminium. TCL has also taken a sensible approach to stands: for the most popular screen sizes (55 to 85 inches) it uses a central stand, while the massive 98-inch variant sits on two widely spaced feet. It’s worth noting the rear panel is completely flat, which allows this model to be mounted very close to the wall. The C8L really looks fantastic.
Buy at the best price
Select size:
TCL C8L - Contrast and black detail
8/10
Local dimming function: Yes, number of zones: 2040 (34 x 60)
Result
156,600:1
Result
59,250:1
Result
17,400:1
Result
23,650:1
Result
9,250:1
One thing the C8L certainly can't be denied is its impressive specification. In the 65-inch variant we tested: the manufacturer squeezed in as many as 2,040 independent local dimming zones (that number of course rises or falls with the screen diagonal). Such a dense packing of light-emitting elements has a direct impact on black depth. The contrast we measured in film scenes reached impressive five- and six-figure-to-one values, which for LCD is an outstanding result. Is the algorithm perfect? Not entirely. On small bright elements shown on a dark background a trained eye will still notice a slight halo effect and moments when zones wake up, which is a natural characteristic of Mini-LED technology. That said, the black levels on this model will be more than satisfactory for most viewers.
*Our review applies to the 65-inch variant. We believe results will be similar for larger sizes. The exception may be the 55-inch version, which has the weakest specifications in the series.
Size | Local dimming zones |
55C8L | 1,008 zones |
65C8L | 2,040 zones (tested model) |
75C8L | 2,584 zones |
85C8L | 3,200 zones |
98C8L | 4,032 zones |
Halo effect and black detail visibility:
TCL C8L - HDR effect quality
7.3/10
Supported formats: HDR10, HDR10+, Dolby Vision, Dolby Vision IQ, HLG
Luminance measurements in HDR:
Result
1637 nit
Result
701 nit
Result
1428 nit
Result
405 nit
Result
1728 nit
When it comes to HDR, the TCL C8L turns out to be a hellishly bright television – and I mean that literally. On a synthetic test pattern of 5%, our measuring equipment indicated a result exceeding 4500 nits. That's an almost cosmic result, considering that reference director's monitors, which we often refer to in our materials, usually operate around 4000 nits. Does this mean the C8L breaks barriers and climbs to the technological peak of Mini-LED? Not quite. Dry synthetic tests are one thing, and real film images are another. In real, varied scenes, the C8L hits around 1600 nits at its peak. That's still a very good result, ensuring a very high level of HDR dynamics, but it's clearly lower than what the manufacturer boasts in the specifications. The trouble begins with very small bursts of light – then the brightness can drastically drop to around 600 nits. The algorithm does everything it can to maintain deep blacks and minimise halo effect, but it does so at the cost of HDR impact. This is ideal evidence that laboratory test patterns rarely correlate with what we ultimately see on the screen.
Huge applause is due for colour reproduction, all thanks to the new generation of SQD (Super Quantum Dot) quantum dots. The coverage of the DCI-P3 palette reaches 97%, but the jaw-dropping measurements come from the notoriously demanding BT.2020 space. The C8L achieves an impressive 90% in this area, placing it alongside today’s top screens that feature RGB backlighting. Importantly, unlike some screens with Micro/Mini RGB backlighting, this effect is stable regardless of the scene being displayed. Of course, it’s important to remember that content mastered for such a wide gamut in films or series is still a rarity. However, the very fact that the panel has such a "reserve of colours" deserves huge admiration.
BT.2020 color gamut coverage and primary color luminance
| Data set | BT.2020 | P3 | R | G | B |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Synthetic patterns | 90.0% | 96.7% | 49% | 57% | 56% |
| Film measurements | 90.0% | 96.9% | 81% | 78% | 38% |
BT.2020 BT.2020 and P3 – average color gamut coverage (percent of the target gamut).
R, G, B – average primary color luminance relative to target (percent).
Scene from the movie “Pan” (about 2800 nits)
Scene from the movie “Billy Lynn” (about 1100 nits)
How do these conflicting measurement results translate to real movie screenings? Unfortunately, the picture on the TCL C8L is rather mixed. On one hand, you can't deny it can leave you stunned with its dynamism and colour saturation. Explosions, colourful fireworks and demo material simply look gorgeous, producing a jaw-dropping effect, and the high-end technical specs do a brilliant job here. The reproduction of the director's authentic vision, however, is a different story. TCL's new Mini-LED has been tuned for a "spectacular" image rather than a "faithful" one. Our EOTF measurements on films, which control brightness, confirm this — the TV clearly overshoots the reference scale. That approach has consequences: although bright parts of the image draw the eye, they often lack subtle detail and bright elements are simply overexposed (clipping). This is a well-known, characteristic TCL trait in how it tunes picture settings across its models. For us as users, that leaves accepting it or quietly hoping for a firmware update that will temper the C8L's tendencies in the future.
HDR luminance chart:
Although the TV itself is factory tuned to push brightness as high as possible and has clear trouble matching it correctly to the displayed content (the dynamic tone mapping feature leaves a lot to be desired), full support for premium HDR formats comes to the rescue. TCL has steered clear of format wars for years and the C8L offers support for practically everything: from the open HDR10+ standard to the market-leading Dolby Vision found on almost every streaming platform. And it’s precisely the presence of dynamic metadata that saves the situation with the C8L. Thanks to it the TV receives precise frame-by-frame instructions, which helps recover some of the screen’s lost detail. The image itself becomes more contrasty and noticeably more sculpted and lifelike. This is a huge plus that genuinely masks the shortcomings of the factory calibration. Interestingly, TCL has announced support for Dolby Vision 2 on this year’s models, including the C8L under test. For now, however, there is a lack of consumer content that would allow this new feature to be tested in practice, so we’ll have to wait to verify those promises.
Static HDR10
Dynamic: Dolby Vision
Factory color reproduction
5.3/10
We tested the TCL C8L in the best factory mode available in the TV's menu for picture fidelity. I’m of course talking about Filmmaker Mode, which was introduced into this brand’s software relatively recently (a year ago in the K series). Thanks to it, the average user can get pretty good colour reproduction straight out of the box, although it’s certainly not perfectly tuned. Looking at the factory white balance of our unit, in both SDR and HDR content, there was a clear lack of the red component, which made the picture noticeably cooler and slightly shifted towards bluish‑green hues. The issue of brightness management is also ambiguous, as we mentioned earlier. While in SDR content the linearity of the gamma parameter is really good and consistently holds the reference value of 2.4, things are much worse in HDR. Tracking the EOTF curve clearly shows the TV’s brightness is considerably boosted across the range, which can make the final image overly bright and inconsistent with the creators’ intent, and that is in a mode that by definition should avoid this. Of course, like every unit in our lab, this one was also subjected to professional calibration, and you can find the results below.
Color reproduction after calibration
7.5/10
As you can see, the results of a professional calibration of the TCL C8L are genuinely promising, thanks to the extensive adjustment tools the manufacturer made available in the menu. Most importantly, we were able to fully correct the white balance, eliminating a lack of red so the image finally stopped drifting into unwanted, cool tones. After this step, errors in the ColorChecker test fell to near-reference values, regularly sitting below a Delta E threshold of 2, which is under the level noticeable to the human eye.
Since the test patterns look so perfect, you might ask: why then the lower final score in this category? The answer lies in the brightness management discussed earlier. Although the menu includes sliders that let you precisely straighten the EOTF curve on synthetic signals, when confronted with real film material (I recommend turning the EOTF filter on when watching films), it becomes clear that the TV in most scenarios still responds to HDR metadata in its own way. As a result, the image can be a touch too bright and not in line with the creators' intent, and it was precisely for this lack of repeatability with real-world films that we had to dock the C8L a few points.
TCL C8L - Smoothness of tonal transitions
9/10
We rate the C8L's tonal transitions as almost exemplary. A well-tuned panel together with the algorithms means the TV handles posterization, that ugly, banded separation of individual shades, very well. Subtle, minimal errors and small shortcomings in gradation are noticeable only in extremely dark, demanding scenes. Overall, when watching high-quality content at native resolution, colour transitions are exceptionally smooth and natural.
Image scaling and smoothness of tonal transitions
8/10
Smooth transition function
Image without overscan on the SD signal
This year the C8 series and the higher-end models have probably received the biggest and most eagerly awaited upgrade in TCL's history, and it's to do with digital image processing. The C8L is the entry-level model in the manufacturer's line-up to be fitted with the latest flagship MediaTek Pentonic 800 chipset (shown in the menu as MT9655). It is thanks to its processing power that the feature called "Gradual Smoothing" finally works the way it should. The algorithm effectively removes unwanted posterization (ugly tonal transitions / colour banding) from the picture, doing so intelligently enough that it does not degrade the sharpness of other details.
The processor also handles upscaling lower-resolution content to 4K very well. Although judging this element can be purely academic, because the differences between today's TVs in this class are very subtle. The most important point is that TCL finally has nothing to be ashamed of compared with the competition.
TCL C8L - Blur and motion smoothness
7.7/10
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: 32%
The TCL C8L is equipped with a fast panel with a native 144 Hz refresh rate. That spec will be most appreciated by demanding PC gamers, while most users, relying on consoles or TV broadcasts, will use a steady 120 Hz. And it is at 120 Hz that the motion-processing algorithms take care of image processing for films, series and sports. In the TV's menu you'll find a "Motion Clarity" option that lets you customise the motion smoothing to your preferences. The algorithms handle both cinematic productions at 24 or 30 frames per second and fast-paced sports broadcasts at 50 or 60 frames per second, maintaining the right level of smoothness.
Blur (native resolution, maximum refresh rate):
Blur (BFI function enabled):
Blur (1080p@288Hz):
When it comes to motion blur, the C8L performs quite well, although it's definitely not the fastest panel we've tested. You can notice a slight trail behind moving objects, including our test alien, particularly against darker backgrounds. On the whole the result is entirely satisfactory, given the TV uses a VA LCD panel, which by nature isn't known for the quickest pixel response times.
TCL C8L - Console compatibility and gaming features
9.8/10
- ALLM:
Yes
- VRR:
Yes
- VRR range:
48 - 288Hz
- Dolby Vision Game Mode:
Yes
- Correct implementation of HGIG:
Yes
- 1080p@120Hz:
Yes
- 1440p@120Hz:
Yes
- 4K@120Hz:
Yes
- Game bar:
Yes
For gamers – especially for owners of powerful PCs and multiple consoles simultaneously – the TCL C8L is a true beast. This is the first model in this manufacturer's lineup that is equipped with four full HDMI 2.1 ports with a maximum bandwidth of 48 Gbps. This is directly due to the use of the new Pentonic 800 processor, which we've mentioned before. Additionally, the TV seamlessly supports practically every gaming feature. It has an automatic game mode (ALLM) that reduces latency to minimal levels, as well as full variable refresh rate (VRR) operating in an impressive range of up to 288 Hz. It also supports standards such as G-Sync and FreeSync from Nvidia and AMD. When it comes to image display standards, there are no compromises either: the C8L offers complete support for HDR formats in gaming, including gaming Dolby Vision and the HGiG profile. We can conveniently manage all these features from a very readable gamer bar (Game Bar), which we can customise according to our own preferences. From a purely gaming perspective, the C8L really has no flaws – well, maybe apart from the previously mentioned slight ghosting. But other than that? It’s a no-nonsense machine for gamers.
TCL C8L - Input lag
10/10
In lab tests we measured Input Lag at under 10 ms. For gamers this means a completely imperceptible delay. Importantly, that result can be improved further by forcing the PC to use a refresh rate above 120 Hz. We also give a big plus to the Dolby Vision Game mode, where the lag is just as low as in standard SDR or HDR10 modes.
| SDR | HDR | Dolby Vision |
|---|---|---|
| 1080p60: 14 ms | 2160p60: 13 ms | 2160p60 DV: 13 ms |
| 1080p120: 8 ms | 2160p120: 8 ms | 2160p120 DV: 8 ms |
| 2160p60: 13 ms | ||
| 2160p120: 8 ms |
TCL C8L - Compatibility with PC
8.6/10
Chroma 444 (max. resolution and refresh rate): Yes
Font clarity: Good
Readability of dark text and shapes: Good
Input lag in PC mode (4K, max. refresh rate): 7ms
Matrix subpixel arrangement: RGB
Max refresh rate: 144Hz
G-Sync: Yes
The TCL C8L is very well suited as a large-format monitor. The TV supports refresh rates up to 288 Hz at Full HD resolution, which esports fans and owners of less powerful graphics cards in AAA games will appreciate. It also works seamlessly with AMD FreeSync and Nvidia G-Sync frame synchronisation systems. Importantly for text work, the C8L renders most fonts correctly and legibly. Up close you can notice minimal errors in the rendering of letter edges and a slight grain around them, but the issue disappears (or rather becomes much less noticeable) once you sit at a normal, recommended viewing distance from the screen.
TCL C8L - Viewing angles
4.5/10
Brightness drop at an angle of 45 degrees: 74%
The TCL C8L uses a VA panel, which by nature isn't known for wide viewing angles. In this case the manufacturer has fitted its proprietary WHVA 2.0 panel from TCL CSOT. As a result the viewing angles are noticeably better than with typical VA panels, which is definitely a plus. Colour and contrast don't degrade as drastically when you move slightly off-axis as they do on most LCD screens. Overall it's still a step behind IPS panels, and even more so OLED screens, but for a VA LCD panel the improvement is quite marked.
TCL C8L - Daytime performance
10/10
Panel finish: Glare
Reflection suppression: Decent
Black levels during daytime: Very Good
The TCL C8L is one of the brightest TVs we've tested so far. As you can see on the brightness chart (or rather, you might not), its peak brightness reaches an astronomical 5,000 nits (exactly 4862)! Although that number falls to around 600 nits with a full‑screen white pattern, the TV's daytime performance makes it safe to say this screen is practically perfect for very bright, sun‑drenched living rooms. While the glossy panel used here doesn't suppress reflections as effectively as matte screens, the display's sheer output can cut through most unwanted reflections from windows or other artificial light sources such as lamps.
Panel brightness
TCL C8L / QM8L : 1651 cd/m2
TCL C8L - TV features
8.3/10
System: Google TV
System performance: Very good
- HDMI inputs: 0 x HDMI 2.0, 4 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): RF
- Backlit remote control: Yes
- 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
SmartTV: Google TV
You can still come across older comments online about the TCL brand where users complained about sluggish performance or occasional freezes of the Google TV interface. With the C8L model there’s clearly been a big step forward. Thanks to the new processor and a number of fixes, Google TV’s stability and responsiveness are at a very high level. We can easily compare the polish of this system with closed systems like Tizen or webOS found in competing flagship models. On board is a full feature set, led by the updated Gemini voice system.
Television features
When it comes to traditional TV duties, the C8L simply does its job reliably as a TV 😉. You’ll find classic, standard features such as a Bluetooth module for easy pairing of wireless headphones and the still-present teletext for the built-in tuners. It’s obvious, however, that this model is designed primarily for modern streaming platforms. You can see that in the minimalist, modern remote, which, unlike the cheaper C7L, has no traditional numeric keypad.
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: Yes
- Dolby Atmos in Dolby Digital Plus (JOC): Yes
- Dolby Atmos in Dolby True HD: Yes
- DTS:X in DTS-HD MA: Yes
- DTS-HD Master Audio: Yes
Senior accessibility
- Numeric keyboard on TV: No
- Font size adjustment: Yes
- Audio description: Yes
TCL C8L - Apps
9.6/10
TCL C8L - Playing files from USB
9.4/10
| 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 USB media player handles everyday tests without a hitch. It's pleasing that the TV natively and efficiently opens even less common image formats, such as Apple's HEIC. We did run into a few formats that the stock app couldn't handle, but on Google TV that's not an issue. A huge advantage of this system is the ability to install any third-party player (e.g. VLC) directly from the Google Play store, which often completely solves file compatibility problems.
TCL C8L - Sound
8.1/10
78dB
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
It might seem that, sound-wise, the TCL C8L would perform exactly the same as last year's C8K. After all, on board you'll again find an audio system branded Bang & Olufsen in a 6.2.2 layout, with the same power and the same system features, namely Beosonic technology. Nothing could be further from the truth. The new generation sounded noticeably better in our listening tests. Why is that? Honestly, from a purely hardware point of view we don't know, but it's clear on the charts from our measurements. Perhaps TCL simply managed to improve the speakers' performance with a new software update and better speaker tuning.
But as we always say, they are still TV speakers. We believe anyone who wants to fully enjoy this TV's potential will still need to buy a good soundbar or a home theatre system. The C8L offers full support for audio codecs such as Dolby Atmos and the niche DTS. Only by connecting an external audio setup will you be able to get true, spatial sound from films and games and complement what you see on the TV.
Sound Quality Test:
Acoustic Measurements
78dBC (Max)
75dBC
TCL C8L - Panel details
Software version during testing: V8-0015T01-LF1V080.000644
Image processor: mt9655 2,5GB RAM
Panel uniformity and thermal imaging:
Backlight Type: Mini-LED Super QLED (SQD)
Founder and originator of the "ChooseTV" portal
Journalist, reviewer, and columnist for the "ChooseTV" portal
michal-woloszyn-title
Reader comments
Comments are provided by the external service Disqus (Zeta Global). Once loaded, Disqus may set cookies and process data about your activity.
We will remember your choice on this device. Provider's privacy policy
See articles related to TCL C8L / QM8L :
Our YouTube channel
TCL C7L: review of the cheapest SQD Mini LED TV. Better than...
7/13/2026
5/13/2025
1/22/2026