Compare TCL MQLED85 / C765 vs SAMSUNG QN80F

TCL MQLED85, or model C765, is a television that can really surprise, especially in this price range. It is one of the cheapest models with mini-LED technology, which is immediately evident in the picture quality. The blacks are deep, and the brightness is sufficient even in a brightly lit room. With a large number of dimming zones, watching movies in the evening is a pleasure – the blacks are truly deep, and the image in dark scenes looks clear. However, it is not perfect – in some shots, minor issues can be noticed with small bright elements, but this is really a minor detail compared to what this model offers. Google TV works wonderfully here – there are plenty of apps, and using the system is simply convenient. Voice control in Polish works flawlessly, which can be particularly useful if you don’t want to type in movie titles using the remote. Of course, there are minor shortcomings, such as the lack of recording, but these are not things that hinder day-to-day use. For gamers, it is also a great option. HDMI 2.1 support, VRR, and low input lag mean that the television handles consoles well and competes without issues with more expensive models from Korean or Japanese manufacturers. In this price range, it is hard to find something better when it comes to smooth and responsive gameplay. During testing, we encountered a few minor software issues, but it’s hard to say if that’s a serious downside. We hope that TCL will release updates, so there is a chance that this issue will be quickly addressed. TCL MQLED85/C765 is an excellent choice if we are looking for a television with good picture quality and modern features at a reasonable price. It is a model that combines affordable mini-LED technology with a user-friendly Google TV system and also performs excellently in gaming. Minor software shortcomings are something one can live with, especially considering what this television offers in its class.

QN80F is the first in the history of Samsung's "eighty" series to feature Mini LED backlighting. And it does this really well. Although the number of dimming zones is not overwhelming, the black level is solid, and combined with high brightness, it allows for a very decent picture in HDR content. Additionally, there's a 144 Hz panel that provides excellent motion smoothness, and the set of features for gamers – VRR, ALLM, Game Motion Plus – makes the QN80F a model practically designed for those playing on console or PC. The television operates quickly and responsively, and the Tizen system runs like lightning – whether you're searching for apps or switching sources. Is there anything to criticize? Of course, as always – there are shortcomings in the system (like recording to USB), there’s no DTS support, and Mini LED is not without its limitations. But the QN80F is a great everyday television – versatile, well-thought-out, and... with significant price potential. Looking at the history of this series, we can expect this "eighty" to shake things up once it hits the first reasonable promotions. And it could be virtually unbeatable at its price – especially if Samsung improves the minor teething issues.

TCL MQLED85/C765 stands out with its use of a VA panel and Mini LED backlighting, which makes a huge difference compared to traditional backlighting systems. Mini LED, thanks to significantly smaller diodes, allows for more precise control of the screen's backlighting, resulting in much better contrast and deeper blacks. The 55-inch model we are testing boasts an impressive number of over 700 local dimming zones, providing exceptional precision in displaying images. It is worth noting that the number of backlighting zones may vary depending on the screen size - for larger diagonals, the number of zones naturally increases due to the larger screen area, allowing larger sizes to achieve better results in terms of contrast and black levels. Thanks to the vast number of zones, the TCL MQLED85/C765 achieved a result comparable to OLED screens on our first test slide from the movie "Oblivion," offering nearly reference-level contrast. But what will happen when we test this model in even more demanding conditions? How will the TV perform in tougher scenarios? Overall, the TCL MQLED85/C765 performs very well in displaying blacks, but in some cases, the local dimming algorithm is not perfect. On dark backgrounds, smaller bright elements can lose sharpness and brightness, as confirmed by our recent slide from the Pioneer Kuro test disc. Despite some imperfections in the local dimming algorithm and the slight presence of the HALO effect (a bright halo around bright objects on a dark background caused by imperfections in the screen's local dimming), the results achieved by the TCL MQLED85/C765 are impressive, especially considering its price. This TV offers contrast and black depth that can compete with models that are even half again as expensive.

QN80F is a representative of the Neo QLED series, which means it's a television with Mini LED backlighting. Unlike its cheaper cousin, the QN70F model, here the diodes are placed directly behind the panel (rather than at the edges), which gives a solid advantage in contrast control right from the start. In the 65-inch variant we tested, we counted 88 local dimming zones – a result that may not be particularly impressive, but as it turned out, sufficient to achieve quite decent results.

In tests based on scenes from movies like Oblivion and The Meg, the QN80F performed well – blacks were deep, and the overall image consistency was eye-catching. However, in more demanding moments (e.g., scenes with a lot of bright details on a dark background), a halo effect appeared. This is where the limitation of the number of zones shows – bright elements could bleed into each other, and some details in dark areas lost sharpness and contrast. In one of the helicopter scenes (The Meg), we even noticed a slight flicker in brightness, as if the television was trying its best to maintain visibility of details at the expense of black depth.

However, these are not problems exclusive to this model – the halo effect or contrast drops in very complex scenes are something most Mini LED televisions struggle with, even the more expensive ones. In its class, the QN80F still performs positively and offers clearly better contrast than the QN70F model with edge lighting. For most users, this will be a level more than sufficient – though not ideal.

The TCL MQLED85/C765 television performs well with HDR handling. In the tested movie scenes, where the screen is covered at 100% brightness, the model achieves impressive results around 1000 nits, providing intense and realistic representation of HDR content. However, similar to contrast, the dimming algorithm may show some limitations. Despite the large number of Mini LED zones, the television does not always manage to "stun" the user with brightness in very challenging test scenes. For example, in a scene from "Life of Pi," where a bright moon appears against a dark background, and in another scene from "Sicario 2," where a very bright light effect is visible against a dark background, the television did not reach maximum intensity. For users expecting perfect HDR performance in such extreme cases, the TCL MQLED may be slightly disappointing. However, regarding colors, the television stands out with a very high color gamut coverage of DCI P3 at 95%, which is an impressive result comparable to much more expensive models. The TCL MQLED85 / C765 offers support for various HDR formats, including Dolby Vision and HDR10+, which is essential for cinema image enthusiasts. Although this model achieves brightness over 1000 nits, the TCL MQLED85 may struggle to reflect details in very high contrast scenes. For better HDR quality control, the C765 is equipped with dynamic tone mapping, making the image more realistic and natural depending on the content.

QN80F is quite a bright screen – in synthetic tests, it achieved nearly 1000 nits, which allows for reasonable expectations with HDR content. And indeed, in many scenes, the television truly shines. Sequences with a lot of light – such as shots from the movie Life of Pi or wide, bright surfaces in The Meg – look spectacular. Brightness maintains around 700 nits, which provides a solid effect, sufficient to feel the true "HDR magic." Unfortunately, not every scene looks that good. In materials with small, bright details on a dark background, like in Sicario 2, the television has problems – it can dim certain elements significantly, sometimes to the point where they disappear from the image. This is the result of a limited number of dimming zones, which forces the device to make compromises: either stick to inky blacks or sacrifice some details. QN80F usually chooses the former. As a consolation, it has quite decent coverage of a wide color gamut – DCI-P3 at 93%. This is not the highest score on the market, but it is more than enough for most content on streaming platforms.

TheTCL MQLED85/C765 television was tested in movie mode, which, although it seems to be the best setting from the manufacturer, is not without flaws. The color reproduction in HD/SDR mode MQLED85 shows certain shortcomings. In the analysis of white balance, there is a significant lack of blue color, which can affect the overall picture quality, especially in bright scenes where blue hues are crucial for natural representation. The overall image may then seem too warm. As for gamma contrast, the graph shows a significant jump above the reference line of level 2.4 at the beginning, which may suggest significant dimming of brightness in darker areas, leading to a loss of detail in blacks. Then, for most of the time, the values are below this line, which can lead to a loss of detail in the brighter parts of the image. Such a distribution can negatively affect the perceived image quality, especially when watching regular HD television.

In the case of 4K HDR image quality of the TCL MQLED85/C765, there is a noticeable excess of red color in the analysis of white balance. Such an excess can significantly affect the viewer's experience, leading to several significant effects. First of all, too much red can make other colors, such as green or blue, appear muted or unnatural. This distortion of color balance can result in an overall impression of "oversaturation," which detracts from the image's naturalness and authenticity. Regarding contrast, the EOTF (Electro-Optical Transfer Function) graph indicates that most values are above the reference line, suggesting an intense boost in brightness in the bright areas of the image. However, the exception is the beginning of the graph, where the EOTF line is below the reference one, which may lead to excessive dimming of small light elements.

Users should be aware that despite using the best mode, which is movie mode, the television is not free from flaws in the context of picture settings, so it is worth considering adjusting the settings to achieve better results.

We always test televisions in the best available factory mode – for the Samsung QN80F, this is the Filmmaker mode, and indeed, it offers the settings closest to the creators' intentions. However, this doesn't mean that everything looks perfect. In SDR content, the biggest issue turned out to be an unbalanced white balance – slight deficiencies in green and a noticeable excess of red led to noticeable color errors, and one could almost say there was a pinkish tint to the screen. This was clearly visible in the color checker test, where colors would "escape" their target fields – to the extent that a sensitive viewer's eye could catch it even without the help of a meter.

In HDR content, the white balance was much better, but another problem emerged – brightness management. The EOTF curve caused an overly bright image most of the time, which could affect the perception of contrast and made the screen slightly "flicker" during dynamic light changes. We have already discussed this in the paragraphs about black and HDR. Fortunately, Samsung leaves the user with plenty of options. The QN80F offers a rich set of calibration options, including a 20-point white balance – that's why we decided to check what this television is really capable of after proper calibration.

After professional calibration of the TCL MQLED85/C765 television, its color properties in movie mode have significantly improved, resulting in much more satisfying visual experiences. Both in SDR and HDR modes, the white balance shows no serious errors, and the graph appears much better harmonized. Users can now enjoy natural color reproduction, which is essential for achieving an authentic experience while watching movies. It is worth noting that in HDR content, there may be minor color reproduction errors at the end of the graph, but they are significantly smaller than before calibration. This makes characters and landscapes more realistic, enhancing the depth of immersion in the story.

Regarding contrast, the gamma curve, responsible for HD quality, has been completely free of drops below the reference line, which means better detail visibility in dark scenes. However, there is still a slight boost at the beginning of the graph, which may affect the perception of bright elements. For HDR content, the EOTF curve also shows smaller errors, although certain issues in reproducing midtones may still be noticeable. The EOTF curve measured on real film scenes still shows a significant brightness boost, making the image appear more intense but artificially brightened. This is a typical issue for TCL brand televisions, which may appeal to untrained viewers but can be annoying for those more familiar with the ideal picture.

What benefits does professional calibration bring for movie enthusiasts? Thanks to it, watching becomes even more realistic and immersive, allowing every scene to be experienced fully, maintaining details and natural colors.

After conducting a thorough calibration, it was possible to bring most image parameters to a really good level. The white balance in both SDR and HDR appears nearly perfect – the image is natural, neutral, and free of the previously noticeable reddening. The colors have gained depth, and the overall visual reception has become more pleasant and cohesive. It was also possible to partially master brightness management, which in the factory version could be problematic. The EOTF chart shows that the television performs significantly better with brightness after calibration – there's no longer excessive dimming of certain elements. In films, it can still be observed that the QN80F has a tendency to slightly brighten the smallest, bright details – this is already a result of the device's construction and the limited number of dimming zones. In short: not everything can be overcome, but what could be improved has been addressed. After calibration, the QN80F makes a really good impression; it simply looks more mature and professional.

The fluidity of tonal transitions in the TCL MQLED85/C765 television is decent, although certain issues are noticeable in both bright and dark test scenes. In particular, color transitions are visible in a scene from the movie "The Green Knight," where the red color of the water transitions to black. Despite these imperfections, the overall quality of gradation is acceptable and does not overly spoil the visual experience. The television handles most scenes well, offering satisfying tonal transitions, which contributes to an overall enjoyable visual experience that will not ruin our cinematic impressions.

In this regard, the QN80F really delivers. The transitions between colors are smooth, nothing is choppy, and there are no annoying bands in the sky or strange blotches in the shadows. Movie scenes in darker tones performed particularly well – and that's where most televisions start to struggle. If one really looks for it, slight banding can be seen in the brightest areas, but that's really just nitpicking. In everyday viewing, no one should have a problem with this. To put it simply: the tonal transitions are so good that you can forget about them – and just enjoy the movie.

We will now take another look at the tone transitions in the TCL MQLED85/C765 television, but in the context of poorer image quality. Despite the presence of the "Gradual Smoothing" option, when set to "low," the effects are practically invisible, disappointing users expecting an improvement in image quality. On the other hand, setting it to "high" brings minimal results, and worse, it can blur significant details, negatively affecting the sharpness and clarity of the displayed image. However, in terms of image scaling, the television successfully displayed the image without overscan, which means we do not lose any part of the view. The image looks quite decent, and details such as tree branches or the outlines of models do not show significant fraying, which positively influences the visual quality.

If, while watching lower-quality materials – for example from YouTube – we notice strange color transitions or unwanted artifacts, it’s worth checking the settings and enabling the noise reduction function. In our opinion, the best setting is at the "medium" level – it effectively smooths out problematic color transitions while not excessively blurring the entire image. However, one must know this: this option tends to remove film grain. If someone cares about preserving this effect (e.g., in older films), it’s better to just turn it off – regardless of the level, the grain always disappears.

When it comes to scaling resolution (i.e., the so-called upscaling), Samsung – as always – performs very well in this area. The QN80F may not compare to the top models worth several thousand, but for its price class, it really performs impressively. Very low-quality materials (e.g., from SD television or older video files) are noticeably improved and look surprisingly decent. The only noticeable drawback is the typical Samsung issue with overscan – that is, slightly cropping the edges of the image at very low resolutions, e.g., 576p.

TCL MQLED85/C765 is equipped with a standard refresh rate matrix of 120 Hz, with the possibility of increasing it to 144 Hz when connected to a powerful computer. The television also offers a multi-stage motion smoother, which mainly serves users who want to improve motion smoothness in films. It allows for the adjustment of the effect's intensity on a scale from 0 to 10, enabling precise matching of image smoothness to individual preferences. The matrix's response time is decent but not perfect. We can observe ghosting occurring behind both dark and medium objects.

QN80F is truly a "fast" television. The applied panel offers a refresh rate of up to 144 Hz, which in practice means that the screen keeps up with the action – whether we're watching a movie, playing games, or browsing dynamic content on the internet. The image doesn't tear, it doesn't excessively blur, and everything simply looks smooth and pleasant to the eye. Of course, the manufacturer hasn't forgotten about movie fans – in the settings, we find an option for motion smoothness adjustment, allowing us to tailor the effect to our personal preferences. You can leave a more "cinematic" look (for those who enjoy a classic film vibe) or crank up the smoothness to a higher level for a theatrical smoothing effect. Importantly, the choice is ours. Watching movies and playing on the QN80F is simply a joy.

TCL MQLED85/C765 has received an impressive rating in the gaming features category, making it an excellent choice for gaming enthusiasts. The television supports all the latest technologies that significantly enhance the gaming experience. Among the key gaming features is ALLM (Auto Low Latency Mode), which automatically switches the television to low latency mode, minimizing response time and ensuring smooth gameplay. VRR (Variable Refresh Rate) supported in the range from 48 to 144 Hz eliminates stuttering and screen tearing in dynamic gaming scenes. Additionally, the television supports Dolby Vision Game Mode, which provides better image quality in games with exceptional color depth and contrast. TCL MQLED85/C765 also features a decent but not the best implementation of HGiG (HDR Gaming Interest Group), optimizing HDR game display, but in the case of TCL, it causes bright details in white, resulting in some elements blending into a white spot - we can read more about this in the color reproduction section. It supports various resolutions such as 1080p@120Hz, 1440p@120Hz, and 4K@120Hz, allowing gamers to take advantage of higher image quality and better fluidity. The Game Bar feature allows for easy switching between game settings and quick control of parameters, significantly facilitating the adjustment of the television to individual needs. With support for G-Sync and FreeSync technologies, users of NVIDIA and AMD graphics cards will be pleased with the synchronization of refresh rates, eliminating tearing and stuttering issues, providing a smoother and more immersive gameplay experience.

MQLED85/C765 is a television that combines advanced technologies and excellent support for gamers, making it an ideal choice for those who want to maximize their gaming experiences.

The Samsung QN80F is a TV that delivers on almost every front when it comes to gaming. We have a 144 Hz panel, four fully-fledged HDMI 2.1 ports, support for gamers in the form of variable refresh rate (VRR), automatic low latency mode (ALLM), and even one of the best-designed game bars on the market. The cherry on top is the motion smoother, which – uniquely in the world – works in games without significantly increasing input lag. Sounds like almost the perfect TV for gamers? And indeed, it is almost that.

As usual, Samsung does not support Dolby Vision in games, but that no longer surprises anyone. However, what is much more surprising is that... the HGIG feature has disappeared – that is, the system that allows the console (e.g., PlayStation 5 or Xbox Series X) to precisely match HDR tone mapping to the TV's capabilities. In the latest firmware update for the 2025 models, this option has simply vanished. It looks more like a bug than a deliberate move, but it must be honestly pointed out that as of the day of writing this review, the HGIG feature is simply not available.

And it is precisely because of this one deficiency that the QN80F goes from being almost the perfect gaming TV to a "nearly" perfect device. It's a shame – because everything else indicated that Samsung could set the bar very high once again in this generation.

Input lag on the TCL MQLED85 television reaches impressively low levels under any conditions. Even the most demanding gamers will surely appreciate the minimal input lag of only 8 ms at 4K 120 Hz settings with HDR. Moreover, the delays remain at the same level even with Dolby Vision HDR turned on, which is not the case with many competitive models.

QN80F does not disappoint when it comes to response time. The input lag for 120 Hz content drops below 10 ms, which can be considered an almost ideal result – it’s hard to expect more in this class of TVs. Gaming is smooth, responsive, and free from delays that could irritate even the most sensitive players. For 60 Hz materials, the lag is higher, around 19 ms, but this is a completely natural phenomenon and still falls within comfortable limits.

TCL MQLED85 performs well as a computer monitor. Thanks to 4:4:4 chroma support, text on the screen is clear and readable, which is important for people working with text documents or spreadsheets. One of the greatest advantages of this model is its exceptionally low input lag in "PC" mode, which is only 8 ms. This is a reference-level result that ensures smoothness and responsiveness, crucial for both gamers and those engaged in video editing. However, it is worth noting that there is a certain issue related to font display on dark backgrounds. When zooming in on the tested font image, it can be seen that horizontal lines are darker compared to vertical ones. This means that the sub-pixels in the television do not fully illuminate in this case, which can affect the quality of the displayed text. Nevertheless, the overall performance of TCL MQLED85 as a computer monitor is very good and will certainly meet the expectations of many users.

Playing on the QN80F with a connected computer is pure pleasure. The TV works seamlessly with NVIDIA graphics cards (thanks to G-Sync support) and AMD (thanks to FreeSync Premium), and the 144 Hz refresh rate only enhances comfort during dynamic gameplay. Everything works right away, without unnecessary fiddling with settings – exactly as it should.

When it comes to work, it is also very good. The readability of fonts is high, and the texts appear sharp and clear. With very thin horizontal lines, one can notice slight imperfections, but really – you have to look closely. Unless, like us, you sometimes enjoy examining the screen with a magnifying glass… then you might spot something 😉.

The viewing angles on the TCL MQLED85 television are not its strongest point. The use of a VA panel means that the picture loses a significant amount of brightness when viewed at an angle. When the viewer's position changes, especially when watching with a larger group, colors may appear less saturated, and the contrast may be less pronounced. For this reason, it is recommended to sit directly in front of the screen to fully enjoy the picture quality. Although the television offers excellent color reproduction from a direct view, the loss of brightness and detail at an angle can be problematic for those planning to use the TV in a larger room or from various positions.

QN80F, like most TVs with VA panels, does not impress in terms of viewing angles. It is enough to lean slightly to the side to notice a significant drop in brightness and lost color saturation. The image loses its "depth" and "vividness," and darker scenes may appear slightly washed out. However, this is a typical characteristic of VA panels, which in return offer significantly better native contrast than IPS panels. In short: something for something. If you are sitting directly in front of the screen – there will be no problem. But when watching together in a larger group, it is worth keeping this in mind.

MQLED85 performs decently in daylight conditions, and it's worth noting the satin finish of the panel. Although it doesn't excel at reducing reflections, it offers satisfactory performance in various lighting conditions. An average brightness level above 600 nits is an impressive result, allowing for comfortable viewing even in well-lit rooms. As a result, the television works well both during the day and for evening movie sessions, providing satisfactory image quality.

QN80F is really a bright TV. The average brightness in SDR materials is around 550 nits, regardless of the scene, which practically means that you can comfortably watch content even in a well-lit room – and you don’t have to close the curtains every time we turn on a movie. The new satin coating of the panel is also a plus, as it handles reflections much better compared to last year's QN80D. Glare is less bothersome, and the screen maintains readability in various lighting conditions. It's hard to find fault with anything here – the QN80F simply performs great during the day.

Brak funkcji PIP, obecne "MultiVision" czyli dzielenie ekranu między tv a urządzenie mobilne

SmartTV QN80F: Tizen

When it comes to smart features, the QN80F has nothing to be ashamed of. On the contrary – Tizen is one of the richest operating systems in terms of functionality. We have voice search, support for AirPlay, Miracast, and all the major streaming platforms at our fingertips. But Samsung's true advantage reveals itself in the smart home – SmartThings. Here, you can not only synchronize light bulbs and vacuum robots but also integrate devices from other manufacturers, thanks to support for the Matter standard. Suddenly, it turns out that the QN80F can serve as a home command center. There is just one "but" – Tizen is a closed system, so we might not find a few lesser-known apps. However, in practice, it still has everything that 99% of users need.

Classic TV features:

When it comes to classic features, it's just as good – well, almost. The QN80F supports picture-in-picture, a rarely seen but still useful PiP feature. We can easily find EPG, the old good teletext (yes, it works!), and the ability to connect external devices via Bluetooth – whether it's headphones or a soundbar. Unfortunately, there is no option to record to USB from the built-in tuners. That's a minor drawback, especially since the competition at a similar price point is increasingly offering this feature. It may not be a must-have function, but since everything else works so well, it's a pity that it missed that final touch.

Thanks to the built-in player, the television is capable of playing most file formats available on external storage devices, making it a versatile tool for consuming multimedia. However, there may be certain limitations in the support of some formats, which can be inconvenient for more demanding users. Fortunately, the Google TV system allows for the installation of other media players from Google Play, which helps eliminate compatibility issues. This gives users the option to choose applications that best meet their needs, significantly increasing the functionality of the television.

The built-in media player in the QN80F handles most popular video formats – from classic MP4 to somewhat more demanding containers. It's not a powerhouse like VLC, but it's sufficient for home use. The situation is worse when it comes to photos – here, unfortunately, it's rather modest. The support is mainly limited to the JPG format, but hey, at least that's the most important one 👌. During our tests, there was also a minor issue with subtitles. The QN80F could only handle the simple text format .txt – other, more advanced formats (like .srt or .sub) were unfortunately not recognized.

The sound of the TCL MQLED85 television can be described as decent, making it sufficient for everyday viewing of movies, TV shows, and games. The speakers branded with Onkyo offer surprisingly good audio quality, and the sound does not hiss or distort even at higher volume levels.

For a TV of this class, the QN80F sounds surprisingly good. It supports Dolby Atmos format, which is worth noting, as this is still not a given in many models in this range. Unlike the thinner QN70F, you can even feel a slight bass here – all thanks to the thicker casing, which simply gives more room for the sound to "breathe." For everyday viewing and series, it's more than enough, and with the right settings, you can even consider listening to music without the need to connect external equipment. However – as is often the case with Samsung, there is unfortunately a lack of support for DTS:X format, so if we are using audio devices that support this format, we will first have to connect them to the receiver and only then to the TV.

TCL MQLED85 / C765 vs SAMSUNG QN80F

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

TV efficiency during daytime

Details about the matrix

TV features

Classic features:

Smart features:

SmartTV QN80F: Tizen

Classic TV features:

Playing files from USB

Apps

Sound