Compare Haier K85F vs TCL C7L

The debut of the Haier brand in the European TV market with the K85F model gives the impression of being rushed, and after thorough testing, it feels almost unfinished. Analyzing this product, we come to a fundamental conclusion: its biggest problem is not the quality of the panel used. Given its price segment, this is simply average, with the typical advantages of VA technology in the form of high contrast and equally typical disadvantages such as poor viewing angles. What actually disqualifies this model as a home entertainment center is the glaring lack of engineering and, above all, software refinement. The list of shortcomings is long and starts from the first contact with the device. Careless assembly, which could have been avoided at the quality control stage, a poorly optimized and poorly translated Google TV system, and annoying issues with such basic functions as pairing the remote—these all contribute to the picture of a product that seems to have been released to market without due diligence. The catastrophic picture quality in HDR mode, resulting not only from low brightness but also from a complete lack of intelligent adaptation to the signal, only adds to this disappointing image. However, it turns out that this model has its second, surprising face. It is enough to look at it not through the prism of a home TV, but rather as a large and cheap display for special tasks. Then its shortcomings take a backseat, and unexpected advantages come to the forefront: an exceptionally well-functioning media player with USB, outstanding font readability from a PC, and access to a huge database of applications. In such a role—as a screen in a conference room, hotel lobby, or simple advertising player—the Haier K85F performs surprisingly well. For the typical user seeking a reliable and simply well-functioning TV for the living room in 2025, however, the Haier K85F is a proposition that is extremely difficult to recommend with a clear conscience. It is a product full of contradictions that fails in its primary function intended by the manufacturer on too many fronts.

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 long. At the top is the extremely high brightness of the panel. Thanks to this, the television effortlessly handles brightly lit living rooms, offering an exceptional and dynamic picture in HDR format. Huge praise is also due for the use of the new Super QLED coating – after professional calibration, the colors can be not only natural but also incredibly saturated. The best part is that the screen does this regardless of what scene is being displayed, which is often not the case with all TVs that have RGB backlighting. The C7L is also a great piece of equipment for gamers; you could say it’s a true "media powerhouse." We get full support for consoles and PCs, a refresh rate of up to 288 Hz, G-Sync, and low input lag that doesn’t increase even when the very demanding mode of Dolby Vision Gaming is activated. The whole thing is tied together by a well-optimized 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 tests). Of course, the C7L is not a perfect device, and the manufacturer had to make certain compromises with this model. The biggest drawback of the C7L is the use of a less powerful image processor. Unfortunately, this translates to quite average digital processing and other design limitations in the form of only two HDMI 2.1 ports. A more powerful chip has been reserved this year for higher series, such as the C8L. From a business perspective, this is fully understandable. Why? Because if TCL had put a better processor here, most people would probably see no point in paying extra for the higher model. So even if certain compromises exist, the C7L series once again promises 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 games – literally for everything – and at the same time do not want to overpay for the top series, then yes... the C7L is a brilliant choice that we can definitely recommend to you.

Well, let's get to the meat of the matter, which is how the Haier K85F handles black levels and contrast. The key information is that the television uses a VA panel, which is crucial for picture quality in dark scenes. Thanks to this, the contrast is really solid – our measurements showed values around 5000:1, which is much better than those of popular IPS panels.

However, it's important to remember that we are talking about budget equipment. So, we should not expect any advanced technologies, such as local dimming. The backlighting works across the entire screen at all times. How did it look during viewing? We took the movie “Oblivion” with its cosmic landscapes for a test, and we also checked classic black bars in other productions. The effect was quite decent. The blacks had a good depth, but they weren't perfectly inky – a slight, bluish glow could be seen, revealing that the backlighting of the panel was still active.

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

This is particularly evident in the standard black bars in movies recorded in the panoramic format 2.35:1. In this case, a clear halo effect, or bright light glow, can appear on the black bars or around small, bright objects. The contrast then drastically drops – 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 TV but rather as a characteristic of mini-LED technology. Of course, this effect becomes much less bothersome when we turn on at least some soft, diffused light in the room... which I definitely recommend doing during viewing sessions on any LCD TV.

Now let's move on to one of the hottest topics in the world of televisions, which is the quality of HDR effect. In the case of the Haier K85F model, we must unfortunately make it clear: if you are looking for equipment to watch content in a wide dynamic range, you should steer clear of this model. The main issue is its very low peak brightness, which during our tests barely reached 250 nits. To give you a better idea of what this means – such a value is okay for watching standard SDR materials, but it is absolutely insufficient to show any real benefits of HDR. The image simply lacks the "power" to generate bright, striking bursts. All our measurements and tests on specialist patterns only confirmed this. As if that weren't enough, the television also struggles with color reproduction. In this budget model, we won't find any technologies that expand the color palette, such as quantum dot layers (known in marketing as "QLED"). As a result, the coverage of the DCI-P3 color space, which is crucial for HDR materials, is only about 80%. In practice, this means that the image will not only be dark but also devoid of vibrant, saturated colors that the director wanted to show us.

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

Well, how does the television perform with colors straight from the factory, without any intervention from our side? The Haier K85F offers a full range of picture modes, such as Dynamic or Eco, but for anyone who wants to watch movies according to the creators' intentions, only one really matters: Film mode. This is the mode we focused our tests on, and unfortunately, its name has little to do with reality. The picture in the factory settings is far from what we could call cinematic fidelity and requires many adjustments. Let's start with the white balance, which has a clear lack of red color. In practice, this means that the whole picture has a cool, bluish tint. The situation is even worse when it comes to brightness management, specifically gamma curves (for SDR) and EOTF (for HDR). Their graph resembles a real rollercoaster, which has a disastrous effect on the viewing experience. This results in unnatural dimming of SDR content, causing details in the shadows to get lost, and in the case of HDR – excessive brightness, which further exacerbates the issue of highlights. This combination, meaning too cool white combined with chaotic brightness and excessive blue color saturation, causes enormous errors in color reproduction. Our measurements on a specialized ColorChecker chart showed errors (Delta E) regularly reaching and exceeding values of 8-9. In simpler terms: errors above the threshold of 3 are easily noticeable to the naked eye, so such a result means that the colors on the screen are simply heavily distorted.

When it comes to colors 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 previously unavailable from this manufacturer. By design, as the name itself suggests, the image in this setting is intended to be presented with the full intent 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 color reproduction straight out of the box. However, we definitely wouldn't say that it is perfect. Like most devices on the market, this C7L also had its factory flaws. The white balance in Filmmaker Mode strayed into a slightly greenish-yellow hue, mainly due to an excess of green component and a noticeable lack of blue color. Of course, for the average viewer, this may not be a drastic flaw, but if you care about perfect whites, natural skin tones, and fully unlocking the potential of these new "super" quantum dots, this television is in need of professional calibration.

Well, is there anything we can do about this image? Can professional calibration save the situation? The answer is: both yes and no. It must be clearly stated that there are certain things we cannot overcome. The limitations of the construction itself, namely a poor panel and its narrow color coverage, mean that you can forget about achieving meaningful HDR – we won’t sugarcoat it for you. The biggest beneficiary of our adjustments is undoubtedly the SDR mode, and it is precisely for watching such content, after calibration, that this television begins to make sense. We managed to tame the white balance in our own way. Although the TV only offers basic 2-point adjustment (instead of precise 20-point), it’s not perfect, but we successfully eliminated that unpleasant, cold "chill" in the image. Above all, however, we recorded a significant improvement in brightness management. The gamma curve, which previously resembled a rollercoaster, looks like an almost perfectly straight line after calibration. This is a sign that the TV can finally display images without artificially dimming or brightening them. The conclusion is simple: even in the case of such a cheap television, professional adjustment of the settings can achieve a lot and draw out its maximum potential.

After conducting a professional calibration, we managed to significantly improve the situation in the factory Filmmaker Mode. Following our adjustments, the errors in the ColorChecker test and across the entire wide color gamut dropped below the threshold of human perception – that is, below a value of 3, which is indeed a very good result. The TCL C7L definitely benefits from such an intervention in terms of color fidelity, and it's hard to dispute that. However, the management of brightness in HDR content post-calibration looks a bit worse. As I described earlier – even though we set up this model properly, when we turn on actual film scenes on the TV, it manages its brightness in a rather peculiar way. It often brightens certain elements on the screen contrary to the creator's intent, which is clearly visible in the EOTF graphs measured in specific films. Despite this defect – or rather a specific characteristic of this television – one cannot take away from it that after calibration, the C7L was able to reproduce the colors completely accurately.

It's time to address an issue that many may overlook, but to the trained (and not only) eye, it can be quite irritating. We're talking about the smoothness of tonal transitions, or how smoothly the screen displays transitions between very similar shades of one color – for example, on a clear blue sky. We must admit that in this category, the Haier K85F, considering its price, performs quite decently. In bright scenes, such as the aforementioned sky or expansive landscapes in the movie "The Martian," there are no harsh, contrasting bands visible. Indeed, if we look closely, we can spot minimal imperfections, but generally, the effect is more than satisfactory. However, the situation changes when darker scenes are on the screen, such as gloomy corridors in games or nighttime landscapes. Here, banding, or the posterization effect, becomes much more noticeable. Transitions in shadows and shades of gray are no longer as smooth and can irritate the more sensitive eye. This is not a level that would completely disqualify the television, but it is evident that this is an area where costs were cut.

Another element worth discussing is the fluidity of tonal transitions. Here, it's fair to admit that in the TCL C7L, it simply looks good. In most scenes – especially in the brighter shots – there are absolutely no issues with gradients. In native 4K HDR content, the picture is clear, and the transitions between shades are very smooth. It looks just as good in Dolby Vision mode, where we did not notice any digital defects or unpleasant color banding during testing. One could nitpick very dark shots where a heavily compressed signal is displayed on the screen. In such conditions, the C7L can sometimes show minor imperfections; however, in this model, it's not something that stands out too much. Especially during regular movie viewings.

Let's move on to digital processing and image scaling, that is, how the Haier K85F handles lower resolution signals, for example, from standard television. Right from the start, we encounter an extremely annoying and completely incomprehensible issue – the overscan feature is enabled by default. This means that the television artificially enlarges the image, cropping its edges, and this occurs on every source, even 1080p. To see the full frame, you have to dig into the screen settings every time and manually switch the format to "stretch to 16:9." It's a detail, but incredibly frustrating. The scaling of content to 4K resolution can be described in one word: acceptable. And that's basically it. The image processor does not strip the image of details, nor does it generate jagged edges or other artifacts. It simply does its job, without any fireworks. It's fine, but nothing more. The biggest and most noticeable shortcoming in the digital processing section is the absence of a banding smoothing function. This is an algorithm that could significantly reduce the annoying banding effect we mentioned earlier. Unfortunately, the manufacturer did not implement such a solution, condemning us to watch the imperfections of the panel and low-quality materials in all their glory.

This point can be, in a sense, called the Achilles' heel of the C7L model. Unfortunately, this TV uses an older MediaTek chipset – the Pentonic 700 – which has never been known for exceptional digital image processing. This is clearly evident in the operation of the gradual smoothing feature, which is responsible for reducing jagged edges and removing digital noise. It simply works very poorly – after setting it to low, its effectiveness is practically nonexistent. The only small plus here is that the algorithm doesn't spoil anything additional in the image and doesn’t forcibly blur details. The upscaling, that is, scaling the image from lower resolutions to 4K, performs a bit better. It is simply adequate and doesn’t stand out in any particular way compared to the competition. However, it cannot be denied that the C7L would gain significantly in this aspect if the manufacturer decided to use the newer Pentonic 800 processor, which is now increasingly found in many competitive models.

The panel in the K85F model operates at a native refresh rate of 60 Hz, which already sets certain expectations for smoothness of the image right from the start. However, we must admit that we were very positively surprised when we found not one, but two separate sliders for motion control in the settings menu: one labeled "Blur Reduction" and the other "De-Judder." Such generosity in this price segment is an absolute rarity, as usually manufacturers offer at most one common option. Unfortunately, our enthusiasm quickly dwindled as fast as it appeared. It soon became clear why Haier was so "generous" – the slider responsible for blur reduction is simply a dummy. Moving it does not produce any visible effect on the screen; thus, only one of the two options actually works.

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

Let's move on to the features for gamers, although we must point out right away that this is more of a proposal for "casual" players. The manufacturer boasts in the specifications about the presence of HDMI 2.1 ports, which looks impressive on paper, but in reality, it is largely a marketing gimmick. What good is a modern port when the heart of the television is a panel with a refresh rate of 60 Hz? It physically cannot display a signal at 120 frames per second, even at lower resolutions, which takes away HDMI 2.1's most important advantage. That's a shame. (That’s why we mark it as HDMI 2.0 ports in our tests). Another oddity is the television's response to attempts to calibrate HDR from the console. Changes in brightness settings cause very unnatural behavior of the image, which might suggest an incorrect implementation of the HGiG standard. To be honest, however, you shouldn't worry too much about this, because as we have mentioned multiple times, we simply do not recommend using any HDR content on this screen. However, to make it not so bitter, the Haier K85F also has two significant and unexpected advantages. The first is the presence of ALLM, or Auto Low Latency Mode, which switches the television to low latency mode as soon as it detects a connected console. The second, even bigger surprise is support for VRR, or Variable Refresh Rate. Although it works in a very modest range of 48-60 Hz, its very presence is commendable. Thanks to this, the image in games can stutter less, which truly improves the gaming experience.

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, we have access to all the key features that console owners and powerful PC users require. It offers a well-functioning ALLM mode with very low input lag and VRR frame synchronization that operates impressively from 48 up to 288 Hz. Importantly, unlike some competitors, TCL has ensured proper implementation of the console HDR10 HGIG profile and support for Dolby Vision in games. This is complemented by a well-designed gaming panel, the Game Bar, which even allows for customization of its appearance and theme to perfectly match the aesthetics of your console.

The only thing that can – and indeed must – be criticized 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 theater 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 will have to give up something or constantly juggle the cables at the back of the unit while maintaining convenient audio system control.

However, we have to give credit to Haier – there is one parameter where this television absolutely shines and embarrasses many more expensive models. We are talking about input lag, or signal delay. Our measurements showed a remarkably low result of only 13 ms. This is a huge advantage that makes controlling games instantaneous and extremely responsive. In this regard, the K85F performs excellently.

It is worth taking a look at the dry numbers here, because in terms of signal delay, the TCL C7L is absolutely at the top of the market. Our measurements showed that the input lag is extremely low and for a 60 Hz signal it is only about 10 ms. When we step up to a higher level and launch a game at 120 Hz, the delay drops to an imperceptible 6 to 7 ms. However, what is more important is that these values are maintained even after activating the Dolby Vision format in games.

And what if we try to use this Haier as a computer monitor? Here, what was a big surprise for us, the TV performs exceptionally well. For office work – it’s perfect. All thanks to the fact that it properly supports the so-called chroma sampling 4:4:4. To put it simply: every single letter on the screen is sharp, without annoying colored halos or blurriness. Sure, let’s be straightforward – this is not equipment for PC gamers. 60 Hz is too low for them. But if you just need a big screen for text work, browsing the internet, coding, or displaying presentations, then the K85F will perform excellently in this role. It’s one of its strongest and, to be honest, most unexpected applications.

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

However, typical office work with text looks a bit worse, all due to the panel behaving quite strangely under these conditions. When the highest refresh modes are turned on, namely 144 Hz and 288 Hz, the readability and sharpness of dark text on a light background is rather average – fonts become slightly blurry and jagged. Fortunately, this can be very easily fixed by changing the 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.

At almost the very end of the evaluation of the panel itself, we left the viewing angles, which unfortunately are one of its biggest weaknesses. However, we must honestly admit that this is no surprise – it is simply a natural and widely known characteristic of VA-type panels. In the unit we tested, interestingly, the brightness of the image did not drop drastically when we moved away from the center of the screen. The real problem, however, is the colors, which instantly begin to fade. A slight change in position on the sofa is enough for the hues to lose their saturation and become washed out. In this regard, the Haier K85F presents a very average level, typical for this technology.

Unfortunately, the powerful native contrast of the HVA 2.0 panel comes with a price. It concerns the viewing angles, which in the C7L model are simply poor. This is all, of course, due to the use of the aforementioned VA panel. It is a completely natural characteristic of this technology and something to be aware of when making a purchase. If you sit directly in front of the screen, the picture will impress you with its depth, but just shifting a few dozen degrees to the side on the couch will cause the colors to immediately begin to fade. 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.

And how does the television perform in confrontation with daylight, for example in a heavily sunlit living room? Unfortunately, we don't have good news here. As we've established, this is a television with relatively low brightness, which becomes a serious drawback in the face of sunlight. The situation is further worsened by the applied screen coating. Instead of effectively suppressing reflections, its satin structure tends to unfavorably scatter them. In practice, this means that the reflection of a window or lamp turns into a large, blurred, milky halo, which degrades contrast and effectively hinders viewing. The conclusion is therefore clear: if the television is to be placed in a bright room, the K85F model will not be a good choice.

It is also worth mentioning how the TCL C7L performs during everyday viewing in a sunlit living room. As we have established, this is an extremely bright television, and it is precisely because of such a powerful supply of luminance (up to 2400 nits in SDR!) that it manages to perform exceptionally well in very bright rooms – the image simply pushes through the incoming light into the room without any problems. The only thing to watch out for here is direct reflections on the screen. The coating applied to the panel this year is definitely glossier than the one we saw in last year’s C7K model. The screen significantly worsens the suppression of point light reflections, which in unfavorable conditions – for example, when a window is positioned directly opposite the television – can be quite irritating for some users. Nevertheless, in terms of raw brightness, the C7L is simply a demon for bright living rooms.

GoogleTV on Haier K85F

The heart of the television is the Google TV system, which in theory should be its huge advantage. Access to thousands of applications and a wealth of features are promises we are familiar with. Unfortunately, in Haier's execution, this is one of the worst implementations of this software we have encountered. The system operates painfully slowly, and the interface notoriously freezes. However, the real nightmare is the incorrect and often downright comical translations of some menu options, making it at times difficult to figure out what is being referred to. To make matters worse, during our tests, we were unable to launch the AirPlay function, which simply did not work.

Classic features on Haier K85F

Let's move on to the classic features and ports, because this story is even more interesting. A plus is certainly the rich set of ports, including four HDMI inputs and a rarely found mini-jack headphone output. Unfortunately, the television does not offer either USB recording or PiP mode. However, the real ordeal begins with the remote. Our first attempts to pair it via Bluetooth to activate radio frequency (RF) control and voice functions ended in total failure. After several dozen attempts, we were sure it was simply a manufacturing defect. And here's the surprise: after a long struggle, we discovered that the remote can be paired, but it needs to be done from the native Google TV settings, completely bypassing Haier's non-functioning system overlay. This is a perfect example of how terrible software can ruin basic functionality. Oh, and one more thing. In the box... there weren’t even any batteries for the remote.

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 massive library of apps 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 and Chromecast. However, a huge and very pleasant surprise is the overall performance of the software. We noticed that Google's system on the new C7L operates much more efficiently, smoothly, and quickly than on TCL models from last year. Much of this is due to better optimization at launch. Unnecessary pauses and minor interface hiccups, known from older models, seem to have faded into oblivion.

TV Features

In terms of classic antenna 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 apart from the traditional program guide, you won’t find anything special. A significant nod to traditional viewers is the classic remote control, which, contrary to the current trend towards minimalism, is still equipped with a full numeric keypad, greatly facilitating quick channel switching.

After all our complaints about the unfinished software, the moment came when we experienced absolute shock. It turns out that within this error-prone and slow system, there is a function that works almost perfectly and puts industry veterans to shame. We are talking about the built-in media player for USB drives. It is a true multimedia powerhouse that played virtually every video format we threw at it without the slightest hesitation – from the most popular to the completely niche. Haier, a newcomer to the TV market, has achieved something that many manufacturers with decades of experience have struggled with for years. Who knows, perhaps it was intended to be a reliable player for conference rooms? Regardless of its origin, the result is outstanding!

Finally, it's worth mentioning the playback of files from external USB drives in the multimedia section. During our tests, we didn't 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, HEIC, without any issues. This is an extremely rare feature in manufacturers' factory applications. And while the Google TV system gives you unlimited options for installing external media player programs, in the case of the C7L, the built-in tool is refined enough that installing additional software is unlikely to be necessary for anyone.

Unfortunately, the review regarding the sound will be very short. The biggest advantage of the built-in speakers of the K85F is actually that they are simply there and produce sound. Aside from that, the sound is completely flat, lacking any bass tones and just anemic. Yes, the TV box features a Dolby Atmos logo, but in light of the physical capabilities of these drivers, it is a function that exists only on paper. Therefore, the verdict can only be one: when planning to purchase this TV, one should immediately add a soundbar to the budget.

TCL C7L simply performs quite well and correctly. In terms of sound quality, there has practically been no change compared to last year's model C7K. The manufacturer still uses a speaker system branded with Bang & Olufsen in a 2.2 setup. 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 stops correlating with the scale visible on the screen. The audio system from B&O works great for daily watching of news programs or series at moderate volume, but if you're looking for good sound, it's worth buying at least a basic soundbar for the C7L.

Haier K85F 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

GoogleTV on Haier K85F

Classic features on Haier K85F

Google TV and Smart TV

TV Features

Apps

Playing files from USB

Sound

Sound Quality Test

Acoustic Measurements