Compare: LG QNED80A6A (VA) vs TCL C7L

Looking at the QNED80A in the VA version as a whole, we are dealing with a television that has a very specific character. It is equipment that film lovers who enjoy evening screenings will appreciate, provided they... accept certain shortcomings. We get really solid blacks and contrast here, but we pay for it with narrow viewing angles. There’s no point in hiding it: this is a television for those who have their favourite spot in the middle of the sofa. Of course, you can feel some budget cuts here – the 60Hz panel and edge dimming, which sometimes struggles in challenging scenes, are elements that remind you this is not the top tier of televisions. However, LG cleverly compensates for these hardware deficiencies with excellent software. It is quite surprising how well this television manages to extract details in HDR or upscale lower quality material from cable – the processor does a great job here, making the picture appear more expensive than it actually is. If we add to this the excellent WebOS system and gaming features, which, despite the lack of 120Hz, perform admirably, we get a very successful screen for home cinema. It requires a certain understanding, but in return, it rewards you with a truly vibrant image at an affordable price.

The TCL C7L is an incredibly successful Mini-LED television and a fully deserved successor to the hit model C7K. The list of advantages of this device is truly extensive. At the top is the extremely high brightness of the panel. Thanks to this, the television handles brightly lit living rooms without any problems, offering a fantastic and dynamic image in HDR format. Huge applause is also due for the use of the new Super QLED coating – after professional calibration, the colours can be not only natural but also incredibly saturated. The best part is that the screen achieves this regardless of the scene displayed, which is often not the case with all TVs featuring RGB backlighting. The C7L is also a brilliant piece of equipment for gamers; it could even be said that it is a true "multimedia powerhouse." We get full support for consoles and PCs, refresh rates of up to 288 Hz, G-Sync, and low input lag, which doesn’t increase even when activating the demanding Dolby Vision Gaming mode. Everything is tied together by a well-optimised Google TV system, which in this generation of TCL devices operates noticeably smoother and more efficiently (at least that's the impression we got during our testing). Of course, the C7L is not a perfect device, and the manufacturer had to make certain compromises in this model. The biggest drawback of the C7L is the use of a less powerful image processor. Unfortunately, this translates to rather average digital processing and other design limitations, such as only two HDMI 2.1 ports. A more powerful chip has been reserved this year for the higher series, such as the C8L. From a business point of view, this is entirely understandable. Why? Because if TCL had included a better processor here, most people would probably not see any point in paying extra for a higher model. So even if certain compromises exist, the C7L series is once again shaping up to be one of the most cost-effective Mini-LED televisions this year. If you are looking for a versatile, extremely bright screen for movies, series, television, or gaming – literally for everything – and at the same time do not want to overpay for top series, then yes... the C7L is a brilliant choice that we can definitely recommend to you.

The model we tested, with a 55-inch diagonal, is equipped with a VA panel. And here we have great news: this is a huge advantage over the IPS version if you care about deep blacks and a vivid picture. Our measurements showed that in typical movie scenes, the native contrast is really solid, exceeding values around 6000:1. In practice, this means that black is truly black, not grey, which works very well for occasional evening viewing and is not annoying. Interestingly, there were moments when our measurement devices indicated contrast levels of over 20,000:1. Where does such a jump come from? The LG QNED80A is equipped with a Local Dimming system. However, this is an edge-lit setup. This means that the television can dim vertical backlight strips where the image is supposed to be dark. In theory, this sounds great and indeed allows for better numbers in graphs than with a classic LCD screen. Unfortunately, practice can be brutal. The use of edge dimming is a double-edged sword that can spoil the film viewing experience in challenging scenes. An ideal example is the helicopter scene in the film Sicario 2. When there is a lot of black on the screen and small, bright points, the dimming system starts to work very aggressively and... not very precisely. You can clearly see how entire vertical strips of the screen brighten and dim, trying to keep up with the object. Instead of deep blacks, we then see a glow (blooming), which simply looks bad and detracts significant attention from the plot. Although the dimming system improves measurable contrast, in everyday use – especially with the lights off – its aggressive operation can be irritating. Often, a better solution may turn out to be... turning off this feature or setting it to minimum, to enjoy a stable, natural black of the VA panel itself.

TCL C7L is a Mini LED television, which in the 65-inch variant we tested, is equipped with over 1000 local dimming zones. This, combined with the proprietary VA panel (referred to by TCL CSOT as HVA 2.0), yields truly decent results in terms of blacks and contrast. In most of the scenes we measured, the black levels and contrast looked really good, and in the easiest shots, the black was deep enough to almost resemble that seen on OLED screens. Of course, we are talking about the least demanding shots with a lot of black on the screen. However, when a greater number of bright elements appear on the screen and black no longer dominates as strongly, it is apparent that the TCL C7L – like most Mini LED televisions – has its issues with managing local dimming zones.

This is particularly evident in the black bars in films recorded in the 2.35:1 widescreen format. At that point, a distinct halo effect, or bright light glow, can appear on the black bars or around small, bright objects. The contrast then drastically dropped – from laboratory values of around 200,000:1 to about 10,000:1, which is quite noticeable in a completely dark room. It is worth remembering that this should not be treated as a flaw of the television, but rather as a characteristic of mini-LED technology. Of course, this effect becomes significantly less bothersome when we turn on at least some soft, diffused light in the room... which I definitely recommend doing during screenings on any LCD television.

Let's now talk about how this television shines. If you are expecting dazzling light effects, we need to temper your enthusiasm. The LG QNED80A is a moderately bright television. Our measurements in most movie scenes indicated values around 350-400 nits. This is not enough to speak of a full, cinematic HDR experience and the sense of that famous "high dynamism" offered by flagship products. However, brightness is not everything. Although the QNED80A is not a "light monster," it makes up for it in another crucial category: colours. This is where PFS technology comes into play, which LG marketers disguise under the name QNED/NanoCell. Thanks to this approach, the television offers a much wider colour palette than classic LCD designs. In our tests, coverage of the cinematic DCI-P3 palette reached a solid 93-94%. What does this mean for you? That even with lower brightness, when watching movies in HDR, colours will be vivid, deep, and appropriately saturated. The image is not washed out but rather juicy, which is a significant advantage in this price range.

TCL C7L is undoubtedly an extremely bright television. In synthetic tests on static images, it can achieve peak brightness of around 2800 nits. This is an exceptionally phenomenal result, considering the price range it occupies. Unfortunately, tests of real film scenes are not quite as spectacular as measurements of white squares. Brightness in actual HDR shots drops to around 1200 nits in the C7L model. This is still a very good result, as this is the value to which the vast majority of contemporary films are mastered. However, when small, point-like elements appear on the screen, the brightness of these details drastically decreases – even down to around 400 nits – which diminishes the HDR effect somewhat. The television does this deliberately to maintain a better level of black and to avoid a giant light bloom. This is somewhat explainable, but it also shows that Mini LED technology is not entirely uncompromising in this regard. As for the HDR effect itself – alongside brightness, colours are of course key here. And those, thanks to the use of new "super" quantum dots, are simply outstanding and among the best on the market. The television can achieve about 90% coverage of the ultra-wide BT.2020 colour gamut and 99% of the DCI-P3 gamut, easily matching the best RGB MINI-LED screens. Best of all, the C7L can maintain such a high saturation of colours regardless of the scene being displayed, which often poses a challenge for competing RGB Mini-LED televisions.

It might seem that since the QNED80A is one model, regardless of the version, it should offer the same picture. However, practice shows something completely different. Analyzing the variant with a VA panel in the best factory setting – that is, in Filmmaker Mode – we noticed a specific characteristic. This television, “out of the box,” serves us a picture with a clear dominance of red and a deficiency of blue. Overall, it is very warm, even hot. Many users may describe this as a picture that is “too cinematic,” leaning towards sepia. Additionally, there is the issue of the gamma curve – the television has a tendency to slightly artificially brighten scenes (gamma is too low), causing the picture to lose some depth. The good news is that these are not panel errors, but merely software issues. As always in our tests, we conducted professional calibration, which completely eliminated these shortcomings, restoring the natural white balance and correct saturation.

When it comes to colours straight out of the box, a new feature in TCL televisions – including the C7L model – is the presence of a new picture mode called Filmmaker Mode. This is significant news, as such a mode was not available from this manufacturer before. By design, as indicated by the name itself, the image in this setting is meant to be presented with the full intention of the film's creator. After our tests, we can confirm that it is undoubtedly the best built-in mode on this television if you care about faithful colour reproduction straight out of the box. However, we certainly wouldn't say it is perfect. Like most devices on the market, this C7L also had its factory flaws. The white balance in Filmmaker Mode tended to shift towards a slightly greenish-yellow hue, primarily caused by an excess of green and a clear deficiency of blue. Of course, for the average viewer, this won't be a drastic flaw, but if you care about perfect whites, natural skin tones, and unlocking the full potential of those new "super" quantum dots, then the television is crying out for professional calibration.

Was it worth spending time on calibration? Definitely yes. We managed to tame the initial, too warm white balance and, most importantly, correct the gamma curve. The television stopped artificially brightening scenes, which gave the image depth. The greatest improvement is noticeable in SDR content, that is, while watching regular television, YouTube, or playing games without HDR. Here the QNED80A shows its class – colour reproduction errors (DeltaE) have dropped below a value of 2. In technical terms, this means that the errors are virtually unnoticeable to the human eye. The image in everyday use has simply become very attractive, natural, and correct. The difficulties begin with HDR content. Although we managed to improve the white balance, the EOTF curve graph (responsible for brightness at various levels) shows that the television still "interprets" the image in its own way. This stems from the nature of the edge-lit backlight with local dimming and the fact that LG gives the calibrator very little control over this parameter. In short: the television struggles to hide its hardware shortcomings, sometimes ignoring our commands. Nevertheless, the final image is significantly more accurate and pleasant to behold than with factory settings, even if it falls a bit short of studio perfection.

After conducting a professional calibration, we were able to significantly improve the situation in the factory mode Filmmaker Mode. Following our adjustments, errors in the ColorChecker test and across the entire wide colour gamut fell below the threshold of human perception – that is, below a value of 3, which is truly an excellent result. The TCL C7L definitely benefits from such an operation in terms of colour fidelity, and this is difficult to dispute. However, the management of brightness in HDR content post-calibration does not look as good. As I described earlier – even though we set up this model appropriately, when we turn on real film scenes on the television, it manages its brightness in quite a peculiar way. It often highlights certain elements on the screen contrary to the creator's intention, which can be clearly seen in the EOTF graphs measured in specific films. Despite this defect – or rather the specific trait of this television – one cannot deny that after calibration, the C7L was able to reproduce colours completely accurately.

We also have excellent news for those sensitive to digital artifacts. Regardless of which version of the panel you encounter, the LG QNED80A excels at gradation, meaning smooth colour transitions. In this price range, it is often the case that instead of a smooth transition (e.g., from light sky blue to navy), we see ugly, separated bands. Here, this problem is practically non-existent. In our tests, both in very bright areas of the image (like sunsets) and in challenging dark grey shades, the picture remained uniform and natural. We did not notice the irritating effect of "banding" or distinct lines connecting colours.

Another element worth discussing is the fluidity of tonal transitions. Here, one must honestly admit that the TCL C7L simply looks good. In most scenes – especially in the brighter shots – absolutely no problems with gradients can be seen. In native 4K HDR content, the picture is clear, and the transitions between shades are very smooth. It looks equally good in Dolby Vision mode, where during testing, we did not notice any digital defects or unsightly colour banding. One could nitpick about very dark shots, where a heavily compressed signal is displayed on the screen. In such conditions, the C7L can occasionally reveal minor imperfections; however, in this model, it is not something that stands out significantly, especially during everyday film screenings.

In this category, the QNED80A proves to be a true "dark horse." It is an excellent, affordable television for those who frequently watch lower-quality content – for example, traditional cable TV. The processor used here handles upscaling, that is, enhancing low resolution to native 4K, exceptionally well. The image after processing is natural, smooth, and, most importantly, not overly jagged or artificially sharpened. In the menu, we also find a dedicated option for smoothing tonal transitions in low-quality content. This feature works really effectively, eliminating annoying "banding" of colours under heavy video compression. However, we must remain vigilant. Remember that we are not dealing with a top-tier processor known from flagship OLED models. In more challenging scenes, the system may struggle and introduce minor artefacts or distortions. Nonetheless, it is definitely worth giving this feature a chance, as in most cases the quality improvement is visibly apparent.

This point could be called, in a sense, the Achilles' heel of the C7L model. Unfortunately, this television uses an older chipset from MediaTek – the Pentonic 700 – which has never been known for outstanding digital picture processing. This is clearly visible in the performance of the smoothing function, which is responsible for reducing jagged edges and removing digital noise. It simply works very poorly – when set to a low level, its effectiveness is practically nonexistent. A small credit should perhaps be given here for the fact that the algorithm does not additionally ruin the picture or blur details forcibly. The upscaling, which is the scaling of the image from lower resolutions to 4K, fares a bit better. It is simply adequate and does not stand out in any particular way against the competition. However, it cannot be denied that the C7L would greatly benefit in this aspect if the manufacturer decided to use the newer Pentonic 800 processor, which is now found in an increasing number of competing models.

We move on to a matter that may be decisive for many. Unfortunately, here we must point out the biggest "Achilles' heel" of the QNED80A model. This television is equipped with a panel featuring a native refresh rate of 60Hz. There is no denying it – at this price, we expected more as we know that Chinese manufacturers can offer 120Hz screens for a similar price. Due to this parameter, dynamic scenes in sports or fast-paced games are not the strongest aspect of this display. Fortunately, LG has equipped the television with a proven motion smoothing system called TruMotion. It works quite effectively with film material (24 frames). We suggest playing around with the De-Judder slider – from our experience, setting it in the range of 2-4 provides the best compromise: the motion becomes smoother, yet still looks natural, without the artificial "television theatre" effect.

TCL C7L features a native 4K panel with a refresh rate of 144 Hz, which at lower resolutions – when using a PC – can even ramp up to 288 Hz. These are, of course, very high values and commendable on paper, but in everyday life, it is worth remembering that almost all dynamic content you display on this television will still rotate around a maximum of 120 Hz. To tame this dynamism, the television's menu includes a motion smoothing system called "Motion Clarity." It offers several predefined modes, including a user mode, which we definitely recommend setting manually using our tried-and-tested guides on our YouTube channel. There, we have two key sliders at our disposal. The first one, "Motion Blur Reduction," is responsible for reducing blurring and improving sharpness in dynamic 60-frame materials, such as sports broadcasts. Meanwhile, the second slider, "Flicker Reduction," allows for the addition of artificial frames in films and series recorded at cinematic 24 or 30 frames per second. This certainly eliminates the irritating stutter in images during camera movement shots.

Now that we have established that the QNED80A is a television with a 60Hz panel, we must say it plainly: we will not be playing here at 120 frames per second at any resolution. Does this disqualify the equipment in the eyes of gamers? Not necessarily, especially those "casual" ones. LG has decided to sweeten this technical limitation by packing quite a few useful functions inside. We have support for VRR (variable refresh rate) in the range of 48-60Hz and automatic game mode ALLM, which instantly reduces input lag upon detection of a console. All of this is managed from a very convenient, purple Game Optimizer menu, which has already become LG's hallmark. A big plus goes to the manufacturer for consistency regarding HDR. Although the television does not support Dolby Vision in games on Xbox consoles, LG adds a well-implemented HGiG standard. Thanks to this, even on a moderately bright screen, playing in HDR is clear, and the details in shadows and highlights are accurately reproduced, rather than "cut off".

When it comes to gaming, the TCL C7L is simply an outstanding television for gamers. With the presence of two full-bandwidth HDMI 2.1 ports at 48 Gbps, it provides access to all the key features that console and high-end PC owners require. It has a well-functioning ALLM mode with very low input lag and VRR frame synchronization that operates in an impressive range from 48 up to 288 Hz. Importantly, unlike some competitors, TCL has ensured a proper implementation of the console HDR10 HGIG profile and support for Dolby Vision in games. This is complemented by a very well-designed player panel, known as the Game Bar, which even allows you to customise its appearance and change the theme to perfectly match the style of your console.

The only thing that can – and indeed should – be critiqued here is the fact that the television offers only two full HDMI 2.1 ports, while the other two are older HDMI 2.0. This creates quite a significant logistical problem. Why? Because one of those fast ports also supports the eARC audio return channel. In practice, this means that if you connect a soundbar or home cinema system to the television, you will only have one free HDMI 2.1 port left. If you have two consoles or a console and a powerful computer at home, unfortunately, you'll have to give something up or frequently juggle cables at the back of the unit while maintaining convenient control over your audio system.

At the end of the gaming section, let's take a look at how quickly the television responds to our commands. The input lag we measured in the QNED80A model is around 15 ms (at a 60Hz signal). While these may not be values that will revolutionise the market or impress professional e-sports players fighting for every millisecond, they are perfectly sufficient for the average console gamer. During tests in games, we did not notice any irritating "screen tearing" of the crosshair or delay between pressing a button on the controller and the response on the screen. The entertainment is smooth and comfortable, which is the most important thing in home gaming.

It is worth taking a look at the dry numbers here, as in terms of input lag, the TCL C7L is absolute market leader. Our measurements showed that the input lag is extremely low, and for a 60 Hz signal, it is just around 10 ms. When we step up a level and launch a game at 120 Hz, the lag drops to an imperceptible 6 to 7 ms. However, even more importantly, these values are maintained by the television even after activating the Dolby Vision format in games.

Is the QNED80A suitable for connecting to a computer? In the case of the version with a VA panel, the answer is: absolutely. If you plan to use this television as a massive monitor for work, you will not be disappointed. The readability of the fonts is at a very high level – the text is sharp, clear and does not strain the eyes, which is not always a given with large screens. Additionally, there is the low input lag we mentioned earlier. This makes mouse work precise and you do not feel the characteristic "floating" of the cursor. Of course, due to the 60Hz refresh rate, it is not the ideal equipment for e-sports players gaming on PC, but for working with text, browsing the web, or occasional strategy gaming, it will perform excellently.

When it comes to gaming on PC, as I mentioned earlier, it is truly seamless. The television effortlessly supports high refresh rates: full 4K at 144 Hz, and in Full HD resolution, it can even ramp up to 288 Hz. Additionally, both G-Sync and FreeSync synchronization systems work here without any issues. For PC gamers, the C7L can thus serve as an excellent, massive monitor.

On the other hand, typical office work with text is somewhat less impressive, largely due to the rather oddly behaving panel in these conditions. When the highest refresh modes, 144 Hz and 288 Hz, are enabled, the readability and sharpness of dark text on a light background are fairly average – the fonts become slightly blurred and jagged. Fortunately, this can be easily fixed by changing the screen refresh rate in the graphics card settings to a stable 120 Hz. Then the text becomes perfectly sharp again, which is definitely worth remembering if you plan to use the C7L as a work screen.

By opting for the VA panel version, you must be aware of a certain compromise. You get something for something – we enjoy great blacks and contrast, but we pay for it with narrow viewing angles. This is a typical feature of this technology, and the QNED80A is no exception. If you sit perfectly in front of the screen – the picture will be razor sharp. However, it is enough to shift to the side of the sofa or step away to the kitchenette to notice a degradation in the image. Colours begin to lose saturation, becoming washed out, and the deep black that we praised starts to grey. Therefore, this variant of the television is best suited for individuals who have their favourite spot in the middle of the sofa and rarely watch TV in a large gathering spread across the entire living room.

Unfortunately, the powerful native contrast of the HVA 2.0 panel comes at a price. It concerns the viewing angles, which in the C7L model are simply poor. This is obviously due to the use of the aforementioned VA-type panel. It is a completely natural characteristic of this technology and something to consider when making a purchase. If you sit directly in front of the screen, the image will impress you with its depth, but it only takes a slight shift of several degrees sideways on the sofa for the colours to start fading immediately. By choosing this model, you are opting for a classic market compromise: you get brilliant black and fantastic contrast, but you lose out on viewing angles.

How does the QNED80A perform when we don't have the curtains drawn? Let's put it bluntly: it is not the brightest television on the market, so if your living room resembles a glass greenhouse at noon, this screen may struggle to cut through the intense sunlight. For extremely challenging lighting conditions, we would suggest looking for something with higher brightness (e.g. Mini LED). However, the television defends itself with something else – the type of coating applied to the panel. The manufacturer opted for a satin finish (semi-matte) here. This is a great decision. Unlike glossy coatings that act like mirrors, this coating effectively suppresses and diffuses reflections of light. As a result, in typical, moderate lighting conditions, a standing lamp next to it or a window to the side will not be distracting, and the viewing experience will remain pleasant.

It's also worth mentioning how the TCL C7L performs during everyday viewing in a sunlit living room. As we've established, it is an extremely bright television, and it is precisely due to such a powerful supply of luminance (up to 2400 nits in SDR!) that it excels in very bright rooms – the picture easily gets through the incoming light. The only thing to watch out for is direct reflections on the screen. The coating used this year on the panel is definitely glossier than the one we saw in last year's C7K model. The screen significantly worse at suppressing point light reflections, which in unfavourable conditions – for example, when the window is positioned directly opposite the television – can be quite annoying for some users. Nevertheless, in terms of sheer brightness, the C7L is simply a demon for bright living rooms.

Smart TV System and WebOS

A significant advantage of LG televisions – even those in the lower or mid-price range – is that the manufacturer does not neglect them in terms of software. The QNED80A operates under the latest version of the WebOS system, which performed excellently during our tests. The interface was smooth, reacted quickly to commands, and most importantly – was very intuitive. Much of the credit goes to the famous Magic Remote controller, which functions like a computer mouse – we control the on-screen cursor with wrist movements. However, here you will encounter a surprise. In the 2025 model year, the controller underwent quite a drastic transformation. It has been minimised and slimmed down. Modern users will likely appreciate this change, as the remote fits well in the hand and looks more "premium". However, traditionalists may feel disappointed – the miniaturisation has come at a cost, including the removal of the classic numerical keypad, which may make it difficult to quickly switch channels.

Classic Functions and Multimedia

When it comes to so-called classic functions, the QNED80A does not strive to be a revolutionary device. It is simply a solid piece of equipment that does what it was designed for. There are no hidden "gimmicks" here, but we also did not find anything lacking. The traditional Teletext works flawlessly, and the wireless connectivity modules (such as Bluetooth and Wi-Fi) are stable and pair quickly with external devices, such as headphones or a soundbar. In this regard, the television simply does not throw any obstacles in the way – it works as we expect, not standing out in any particular way against the competition, but also not giving us any reasons to complain.

Google TV and Smart TV

The multimedia heart of the TCL C7L is of course the Google TV operating system, which provides access to a gigantic library of applications and all the most popular streaming platforms on the market. The Smart TV in this model works seamlessly, offering full support for useful network features such as Apple AirPlay or Chromecast. However, a huge and very pleasant surprise is the very performance of the software. We noticed that Google's system on the new C7L operates significantly more efficiently, smoothly, and quickly than on last year's TCL models. Much of this is due to better optimisation for the launch. Unnecessary pauses and minor interface stutters, known from older models, seem to have become a thing of the past.

Television Features

In terms of traditional aerial or cable television, the TCL C7L does not offer many additional advanced features. It is simply a straightforward receiver. The manufacturer did not strive for any revolutionary solutions here, so aside from the traditional programme guide, you won't find anything particularly special. A large nod towards traditional viewers is the classic remote control, which, contrary to the prevailing trend for minimalism, still features a full numeric keypad, making it much easier to switch channels quickly.

How does the QNED80A perform as a home multimedia centre? After connecting an external drive or USB stick, the television easily recognises and plays the vast majority of popular video and audio formats. One can confidently say that in daily use, you will rarely encounter a file that refuses to cooperate. However, we must draw attention to a certain catch arising from the software architecture. WebOS is a closed system. What does this mean for you? That if the built-in player struggles with an exotic format, we do not have a "lifeline". We cannot go to the store and download an external application like VLC that "plays everything", as is the case with Android or Google TV. The specific shortcomings we managed to catch mainly pertain to graphic files. The television does not support the HEIC format, which is standard on Apple devices (iPhone/iPad). Photographs with very high resolution (in the range of 20-28 Mpix) also proved problematic – when attempting to open them, the system often capitulated. It is worth keeping this in mind if you plan to view holiday photos directly from the drive.

At the very end of the multimedia section, it is worth mentioning the playback of files from external USB drives. During our tests, we did not notice any unpleasant surprises here – the factory player handles all popular video and audio formats exactly as it should. Interestingly, the TCL C7L also played photos saved in Apple's native format, namely HEIC, without any problems. This is an extremely rare feature in the factory applications of TV manufacturers. And although the Google TV system obviously gives you unlimited possibilities to install external media playback programs, in the case of the C7L, the built-in tool is refined enough that installing additional software will probably not be necessary for anyone.

In terms of audio, the LG QNED80A does not try to enchant us. It simply sounds like... a typical flat TV. The installed speaker system with a total power of 20W may not be the strongest point of this design. If you expect a cinematic punch or depth, known from more expensive models equipped with subwoofers, you will feel a sense of disappointment. There is simply a lack of bass here, and the sound is rather flat. However, we must give this model credit in one aspect: the clarity of the transmission. When scenes based on conversations appear on the screen, the QNED80A performs quite adequately. The dialogues are clear, separated, and – importantly – undistorted. There is no crackling effect at higher volumes. It is sufficient for everyday television, but for movies, we definitely recommend purchasing at least a basic soundbar.

The TCL C7L performs quite well and correctly. When it comes to sound quality, there has been practically no change compared to last year's model, the C7K. The manufacturer continues to use a speaker system branded Bang & Olufsen in a 2.2 configuration. The only thing that can be quite irritating during viewing sessions is the fact that after increasing the volume to higher levels – around above 50% on the scale – the volume no longer corresponds with the scale visible on the screen. The B&O audio system works great for daily viewing of current affairs or series at moderate volume, but if you are looking for good sound quality, it is worth purchasing at least a basic soundbar for the C7L.

LG QNED80A6A (VA) vs TCL C7L

Advantages

Disadvantages

Our verdict

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

Panel details

TV features

Classic features:

Smart features:

Sound connection options

Supported audio formats (external HDMI eARC audio):

Senior accessibility

Smart TV System and WebOS

Classic Functions and Multimedia

Google TV and Smart TV

Television Features

Apps

Playing files from USB

Sound

Sound Quality Test

Acoustic Measurements