- 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
Complete the survey to find out the result
Panel type: LCD VA Refresh rate: 144Hz Brand: TCL Resolution: 3840x2160 System: Google TV Model year: 2025
TCL in 2025 is betting on Mini-LEDs like never before, and C9K is the flagship of this line – the highest model in the entire portfolio. If you remember C8K, you can think of it as a stronger sibling – we get a boosted version with even more dimming zones. It also features a WHVA panel and an audio system developed in collaboration with Bang & Olufsen. On paper, it looks like a complete television – with strong image quality and premium sound. But did TCL truly manage to create a king of Mini-LEDs… for a fraction of the price that competitors demand? You’ll find the answer in this review.
TCL C9K - Our verdict
7.7
Overall rating
The TCL C9K is a television that on paper looks like a showcase of the manufacturer's prowess – thousands of Mini-LED zones, a WHVA panel, audio system by Bang & Olufsen, full HDR format support, gaming at 144 Hz, and even 288 Hz at lower resolutions. It’s clear that TCL wanted to pack in absolutely everything they had that was best. And indeed – in many respects, the C9K can impress. The brightness is immense, HDR can be stunning in larger scenes, motion fluidity and gamer capabilities are at a top level, and the sound – for a TV speaker – sounds really good. It’s equipment that can easily be regarded as the hub of home entertainment. But there's also another side to the coin. Brightness management simply falters despite the incredible technical specification – smaller details often get lost in shadows or are burned out. And although synthetic tests of contrast and brightness appear outstanding, in day-to-day watching of films and series the effect isn't as impressive.
To summarise briefly: the C9K is a television full of contrasts – literally and metaphorically. It can deliver experiences close to the top screens, but it’s still clear that TCL needs to work on software and optimisation. If someone is looking for a screen for gaming, sports or spectacular blockbusters – they will be thrilled. However, if they are counting on perfect reproduction of the director's vision and think they have managed to buy an absolutely top model at half the price of the competition, they will unfortunately be disappointed. It’s a pity, because the technological potential here is really immense – just a bit of common sense in its application was lacking.
Advantages
Very good contrast and black levels
Very high brightness
Support for all HDR formats including Dolby Vision
Fast 144Hz panel - for gaming and sports enthusiasts
Many features for gamers: VRR, ALLM, low input lag, etc.
GoogleTV operating system with a wide range of applications
Great sound branded Bang & Olufsen
Improved viewing angles thanks to WHVA panel
Disadvantages
Local dimming needs improvement
Only 2 HDMI 2.1 ports
No recording function from built-in tuners and no PiP
No smaller variants like 55"
Movies and series in UHD quality7.4
Classic TV, YouTube7.0
Sports broadcasts (TV and apps)6.8
Gaming on console8.9
TV as a computer monitor8.6
Watching in bright light7.0
Utility functions7.7
Apps9.6
Sound quality7.9
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TCL C9K - Competing TVs in this price range
TCL C9K - 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: Premium
Stand type: Central
Kolor ramki: Silver
- Regulacja podstawy: stand-Fixed
- Montaż na płasko: Yes
- Akcesoria: accessories-Stand
At first glance, the TCL C9K closely resembles its cousin from the same line – the C8K. The design is almost identical: quite hefty, yet modern at the same time. The difference is visible in the details – the frame colour in the C9K leans more towards silver, while in the C8K we had graphite. Similar to the cheaper model, here we also get the Zero Border technology, which means the screen isn't surrounded by a classic black bezel. The effect from the front is impressive – the image seems to simply 'grow' out of the surface of the TV. The back of the construction remains robust, but it has been designed so that the TV can easily be mounted flat against the wall. The central stand included in the package also earns points – solid, stable, and made with the same level of attention to detail as the TV itself. This is definitely not an 'afterthought' addition, but an element that fits perfectly with the whole.
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TCL C9K - Contrast and black detail
8.1/10
Local dimming function: Yes, number of zones: 3024 (42 x 72)
Result
459,000:1
Result
72,750:1
Result
30,350:1
Result
9,800:1
Result
12,200:1
Visibility of details in the lights:
What immediately sets the C9K apart from the C8K model is the number of local dimming zones. In the 65-inch version, we counted… over 3000! I must admit – it’s a true show of force from TCL, who crammed literally everything they had on hand into this television. On paper, it makes a huge impression and indeed – in less demanding film scenes, the blacks look fantastic. The level is absolutely top-notch, and the separation of lights from dark parts of the image can be astonishing. The problem is that this impressive specification doesn’t always translate into practice. In our tests, we noticed situations where the C9K, despite having a greater number of zones, got caught in contrast traps and performed… worse than the C8K. For instance, it struggles to perfectly dim the true black bars in 21:9 films (those with black bars at the top and bottom). Sounds strange? Unfortunately, this is the result of a lack of optimisation – the hardware is “packed” with technology, but the algorithms don’t always keep pace with exploiting this potential.
Don’t get us wrong – black is a strong point of the C9K and in many scenes, it simply looks fantastic. In synthetic measurements, the contrast performs exceptionally well, coming close to the level of the best televisions on the market. But in real cinematic use, these numbers don’t always correlate with a better experience than that of its cheaper cousin. And that’s perhaps the biggest disappointment – because the potential was enormous.
TCL C9K - HDR effect quality
6.9/10
Supported formats: HDR10, HDR10+, Dolby Vision, Dolby Vision IQ, HLG Color gamut coverage: DCI P3: 96.5%, Bt.2020: 80.5%
Luminance measurements in HDR:
Result
1425 nit
Result
531 nit
Result
1277 nit
Result
331 nit
Result
1424 nit
As we mentioned regarding black levels and contrast – the C9K can make a huge impression in synthetic tests. Our measurements showed that on a screen 10% filled with white, the television can achieve... 4000 nits of brightness! It sounds out of this world, but – and here's where the pattern unfortunately repeats – the numbers say one thing, and the practical experience says another. In real movie scenes, the situation looks different. In the best-case scenario, when light effects occupy a large part of the image and the local dimming algorithm doesn't have to ponder too much about what to do with thousands of zones, the effect is really quite good. At that point, the C9K can hit around 1500 nits, which delivers a pleasant, intense burst and can indeed leave a positive impression.
The problem arises with smaller elements – such as stars in the sky, the moon, or individual reflections. That's when the proverbial cat comes out of the bag: the algorithms are not yet refined, and brightness drops to as low as 400–500 nits. That's a huge difference from the potential 4000 nits we saw in lab tests. Why does this happen? Most likely, the television is trying to protect the black levels in this way and minimize the halo effect around bright objects. Unfortunately, this comes at the expense of detail – some details simply vanish, and the scene loses its nature.
Scene from the movie “Pan” (about 2800 nits)
Scene from the movie “Billy Lynn” (about 1100 nits)
And how does the TCL C9K perform in a real cinema battle when compared to top-tier TVs, like OLEDs? Exactly as our earlier tests showed. In scenes drenched in light and colour – like in the film The Man, which you can see in our pictures – the C9K can shine. The brightness is so impressive that it’s hard to distinguish it from the absolute top screens available on the market. Minor colour discrepancies can sometimes slightly ruin the effect, but the display of intensity can almost dazzle. We had a similar impression during the firework sequence in Billy Lynn’s Long Halftime Walk. Here, both the strong light effects and the face of the protagonist were rendered really well.
Unfortunately, when we shift our gaze to the darker parts of the frame – the faces of secondary actors or shadows in the background – it’s clear that the TV dims them too aggressively. The effect? The contrast looks deeper, but some details simply disappear. For many, this may be an advantage, as the black seems more “cinematic.” However, there are also situations where important things get lost because of this. And then… well, in a horror film, you might get an extra scare because the dark figure lurking in the shadows will appear on the screen too late 😉.
HDR luminance chart:
Luminancja HDR
Luminance of RGB colors
Here, the TCL C9K deserves a big plus – it supports all HDR formats available on the market: HDR10, HDR10+, HLG, and Dolby Vision. This means that no matter the source – whether you're watching Netflix, UHD Blu-ray, or TV broadcasts – you can always count on compatibility and no unpleasant surprises. The television itself is bright enough that even without the support of dynamic metadata, it can make a great impression. However, what's important – since we already have HDR10+ and Dolby Vision onboard, it's worth using them. In scenes where details in bright and dark parts of the image matter, dynamic metadata can indeed extract more details and make the viewing experience look fuller. It's just a pity that the dynamic tone mapping feature in TCL's implementation has been somewhat unfortunately executed – instead of enhancing the effect, it simply brightens the entire screen. In practice, it does more harm than good, so we definitely do not recommend using it. Perhaps if it were refined, static HDR10 material would look better, but in its current form, it's best to just turn it off.
Static HDR10
Dynamic: Dolby Vision
Factory color reproduction
4.5/10
For colour tests, we once again reached for the Filmmaker mode – a new feature in TCL televisions for 2025. While the direction is a step in the right way, the execution leaves a lot to be desired. The white balance in SDR content turned out to be too warm – there was an excess of red. On the other hand, in HDR, it swung in the opposite direction: the image became excessively blue. The Colour Checker test revealed quite a few colour inaccuracies that were noticeable to the naked eye. An even bigger problem turned out to be what we mentioned above – brightness management. Regardless of whether we were watching SDR or HDR content, the image tended to wash out the entire scene, giving it an unnatural, almost grotesque character. Therefore, it’s hard to call this a "director's mode" – because no director has ever seen such an image.
Color reproduction after calibration
7/10
After calibration, we finally managed to tame the white balance – and it immediately translated into a more natural image. Colours finally started to look as they should, and the overall presentation was incomparably better than on the factory settings. In other words – it’s worth taking a moment to improve this, as the gain is really significant. The gamma responsible for brightness management also managed to be brought into order in SDR content, and the effect was more than satisfactory. Unfortunately, when we turned on HDR materials, the situation quickly became complicated. No matter how we set the local dimming, the television had a tendency to do what it liked with the image – either it overexposed everything or darkened the darkest parts too much. Just like we saw in the scene from the movie Billy Lynn. Colour-wise, the improvement after calibration makes a great impression, but brightness management in HDR remains the Achilles' heel of the C9K and presents a certain technological limitation.
TCL C9K - Smoothness of tonal transitions
8.7/10
In terms of tonal transition fluidity, TCL C9K performs quite well. In more challenging movie scenes, there's no typical banding of colours that can break immersion even in more expensive TVs. There may be slight issues in the brightest areas – for example, in scenes from the movie Kingstone – but these are nuances. For the vast majority of viewers, especially with 4K content, colour gradation will appear smooth and practically unnoticeable.
Image scaling and smoothness of tonal transitions
5.5/10
Smooth transition function
Image without overscan on the SD signal
Digital image processing on the TCL C9K is rather average. The smooth tone transition feature seems to be present, but activating it practically changes nothing – colour bands are still visible, and it can unintentionally highlight elements we’d rather keep hidden, such as object textures. Fortunately, it doesn’t remove film grain, but that’s poor consolation given that the effects are still meagre. It’s therefore hard to recommend using this option.
On the other hand, image scaling presents itself much better. Lower quality materials look quite decent – characters and backgrounds are rendered clearly, although of course, with sources like 576p, the laws of physics cannot be fooled. Occasionally, there’s characteristic edge distortion of objects, but that’s the fault of the source itself, not the algorithm. A plus for not having issues with overscan – the image isn't artificially cropped or enlarged.
TCL C9K - Blur and motion smoothness
7.8/10
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: 51%
Similar to the C8K, the C9K is also a really fast TV – both figuratively and literally. It features a 4K panel with a refresh rate of 144 Hz, and at lower resolutions, the panel can even ramp up to 288 Hz. Such speed translates into practice – while watching sports or playing games, the image looks very smooth and clear. Additionally, in movies, we get an extra motion smoother called Motion Clarity, which allows you to adjust the smoothness to your own preferences – from cinematic "judder" to almost theatrical smoothness.
Blur (native resolution, maximum refresh rate):
Blur (BFI function enabled):
Smużenie (1080p@288Hz):
When it comes to smearing itself, the C9K performs quite averagely. You can see the typical “ghosting” found in LCD VA panels, especially on darker backgrounds – regardless of whether we're talking about 144, 120, or even 288 Hz. This effect will be most noticeable to those sensitive to motion fluidity, but it shouldn't really interfere with everyday viewing and does not detract from the overall good impression.
TCL C9K - 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
From a gaming perspective, the TCL C9K is a complete tool. It features two (out of four) full bandwidth 48 Gbps HDMI 2.1 ports, so all the key technologies work: VRR (Variable Refresh Rate) and ALLM (Auto Low Latency Mode). Additionally, the manufacturer has included a really intuitive Game Bar that allows you to quickly check the most important parameters and adjust settings without fumbling through menus. Also, TCL's policy is a plus – the TV isn’t afraid of any HDR formats, even in game mode. Whether it's HGiG or Dolby Vision for the Xbox Series S/X console – everything works as it should, giving the player plenty of freedom.
TCL C9K - Input lag
9.8/10
In terms of input lag, the TCL C9K performs exceptionally well. With 120 Hz content, the lag is only 7 ms, placing it among the very top televisions available on the market. Naturally, with 60 Hz materials, the input lag increases to around 15–16 ms, but in practice, this has little impact on the final responsiveness of the screen to our actions on the controller.
| SDR | HDR | Dolby Vision |
|---|---|---|
| 1080p60: 16 ms | 2160p60: 16 ms | 2160p60 DV: 16 ms |
| 1080p120: 7 ms | 2160p120: 7 ms | 2160p120 DV: 7 ms |
| 2160p60: 16 ms | ||
| 2160p120: 7 ms |
TCL C9K - Compatibility with PC
8.6/10
Chroma 444 (maximum resolution and refresh rate): Yes
Font clarity: Good
Readability of dark text and shapes: Good
Input lag in PC mode (4K, maximum refresh rate): 7ms
Matrix subpixel arrangement: RGB
Max refresh rate: 144Hz
G-Sync: Yes
When it comes to office work, the TCL C9K does not disappoint – thanks to support for chroma 4:4:4, text readability is at a good level, so typing or working with documents shouldn’t be a problem. While there are some minor issues with dimming horizontal lines, in everyday use it’s hard to call this a real flaw. However, the biggest potential of the C9K reveals itself in PC gaming. Here, the television showcases its full capabilities – it can switch to lower resolutions, such as Full HD, and display images at up to 288 Hz. Additionally, it supports both G-Sync and FreeSync, so synchronisation with the graphics card works excellently. It’s hard to have any significant complaints about this setup – it’s truly a top-tier screen for gaming on a computer.
TCL C9K - Viewing angles
4.5/10
Brightness drop at an angle of 45 degrees: 75%
A new feature in TCL televisions for 2025 is the WHVA panel, which is designed to provide better viewing angles than standard VA panels. And indeed – progress is noticeable. When viewing the screen from the side, the image is clearer and the colours do not degrade as quickly as in previous models. However, this does not mean that we are encountering the level of top coatings or solutions found in IPS panels, and certainly not OLEDs. The image remains readable, but the brightness noticeably drops. This is definitely a step forward compared to earlier TCL models, but not a full revolution yet.
TCL C9K - TV efficiency during daytime
7/10
Matrix coating: Glare
Reflection suppression: Decent
Black levels during daytime: Very Good
The new WHVA matrix coating has its strengths and weaknesses. On one hand, it handles smaller reflections quite well, but on the other hand, with stronger light sources, it shows that the suppression of reflections isn't at the highest level. Fortunately, the coating doesn't ruin what's most important: the blacks and colour saturation. This is definitely a plus, as in many competing models, compromises in this area are much more painful. Additionally, it has very high brightness – in SDR content, the C9K can achieve an average of 650 nits in SDR materials. This performance is more than sufficient for watching TV or films in challenging lighting conditions, even on a sunny day.
Matrix brightness
Average luminance SDR
TCL C9K: 642 cd/m2
TCL C9K - TV features
7.7/10
System: Google TV
System performance: Good
- 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: Yes
- 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
Classic TV Features
In terms of basic TV functions, the TCL C9K does not disappoint – it has everything that most users expect. The EPG guide operates smoothly, teletext is available, and pairing Bluetooth headphones, a mouse or a keyboard goes off without a hitch. However, it should be noted that in the Google TV system – just like in other TCL models – there is a lack of more advanced options such as programme recording or picture-in-picture (PiP) mode. Some people may find this unsatisfactory, especially if they have used such features with competitors. It's also worth mentioning that we only have one USB port – it's enough to connect a hard drive with movies or a USB stick, but if someone plans to use multiple storage devices, they may find this lacking.
Smart Features
While in terms of classic solutions the TCL C9K does not stand out, in the field of smart functions it showcases its full potential. The Google TV system is currently the most popular platform and it’s clear why – the app library is enormous. Netflix, YouTube, Disney+, HBO Max, Amazon Prime Video – all are readily available. Only those very attached to more closed ecosystems, like Apple Music, will feel the absence. A significant advantage is the built-in voice assistant – it works quickly, understands natural commands, and allows for convenient control of the TV: from switching channels to opening apps, as well as searching for content or checking the weather. It’s in this area that the TCL C9K shows that a smart TV is more than just a “TV with internet” – it’s a tool that genuinely simplifies everyday use of the device.
TCL C9K - Apps
9.6/10
TCL C9K - 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 |
The C9K had no trouble handling most of the materials we threw onto the USB drive – from MKV formatted films, through older AVI files, to audio tracks in DTS and FLAC. The only issue remains the lack of support for HEIC photos from Apple devices, but this is a problem for practically all manufacturers. However, the most important thing is that if someone is missing support for some exotic format, they can always reach for an alternative player available in the Google Play store. And this is where the advantage of the Google TV system shines through – the ease with which you can expand the television’s capabilities with additional applications.
TCL C9K - Sound
7.9/10
77dB
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
The sound in the TCL C9K is handled by the same setup as in the C8K model – prepared in collaboration with Bang & Olufsen. It features a 4.2.2 configuration with a total power of 90 W, consisting of eight speakers arranged to create a fuller sense of space. And I must admit – the effect is impressive. The dialogues are clear, the highs and mids sound pure, and the bass does not falter, even during louder screenings. Of course, this won't replace a dedicated soundbar or home theatre system, but for built-in speakers – there’s really something to listen to.
*During maximum volume tests, we noticed unusual behaviour from the audio system. With the slider set to 100%, the television reaches around 76–78 dB, but it’s clear that it tries to generate more power, after which the sound level is immediately corrected back to the mentioned value. On the other hand, when we lower the volume to, say, 70%, it initially decreases as expected, but after a moment, it slowly rises back up to that same level of 76 dB. This effect gives the impression of an aggressive limiter at work, which regardless of the slider position always brings the volume back to a single level. We checked this behaviour multiple times, and in each case, the result was the same – no additional functions for 'intelligent' volume adjustment or AI were active during these tests.
Acoustic Measurements:
77dBC (Max)
75dBC
TCL C9K - Details about the matrix
Software version during testing: V8-0012T01-LF1V538.002459
Image processor: MT5896 2,5 GB RAM
Panel uniformity:
Backlight Type: Mini-LED QLED
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5/13/2025
