Compare TCL MQLED85 / C765 vs TCL P755

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.

The TCL P755 stands out with its integration of Google TV, providing a smooth, user-friendly experience and access to thousands of apps and streaming services like Netflix, HBO Max, YouTube, and Disney+. The system personalises content recommendations based on the user’s viewing habits, adding a customised touch. Support for AirPlay and Windows Miracast further enhances its appeal, allowing the P755 to act as a central entertainment hub with both convenience and functionality.

In terms of picture quality, the P755 impresses within its price range, with Dolby Vision support for an enriched HDR experience that features deeper colours and enhanced contrast. Its wide colour gamut coverage ensures vibrant and lifelike visuals, making movies and series more immersive. The high native contrast is also notable and rare among similarly priced competitors, offering an attractive viewing experience.

For gamers, the TCL P755 has benefits like low input lag, making it responsive enough for fast-paced games. While the TV’s 60 Hz panel and HGiG limitations may pose minor challenges, it remains a good choice for casual gaming.

However, the P755 has some limitations. Low brightness and narrow viewing angles may impact viewing in brightly lit spaces, and dithering can introduce artefacts in darker scenes and reduce font clarity on a PC.

Overall, the TCL P755 offers premium features like Dolby Vision, a wide colour gamut, and low input lag at an affordable price, with the trade-offs being reasonable given its price bracket.

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.

The TCL P755, with its VA matrix, provides impressive native contrast, resulting in deeper blacks and enhanced detail in darker scenes compared to IPS/ADS panels. This contrast is a standout feature in movie mode, delivering a more immersive experience. However, the lack of local dimming prevents the blacks from reaching true depth, occasionally giving them a navy blue hue that can be noticeable during darker movie scenes. For example, while watching The Revenant, slight overexposure in the lower corners was observed, potentially diverting attention from key details in shadowed areas and slightly reducing the scene's overall impact.

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.

The TCL P755 delivers an average HDR experience, with a maximum brightness of just under 300 nits. This limitation affects the intensity of bright areas in HDR content, reducing the contrast impact, as bright elements may appear less pronounced. However, the TV compensates with an impressive 93% coverage of the DCI-P3 colour gamut, which brings vibrant, saturated colours that enhance the quality of HDR content. Despite the brightness cap, the extensive colour range enriches hues, providing a more lifelike and visually engaging viewing experience.

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.

In Cinema mode, the colour reproduction on the TCL P755, while set to the best factory configuration, falls short of ideal accuracy. The primary issue is the white balance, where the red component is notably elevated and the green is reduced. This imbalance shifts colours towards red, making them appear unnatural, particularly in scenes featuring white or neutral tones. This issue is highlighted in the Colour Checker test, which shows a discernible red bias affecting the realism of the image and diminishing the perception of colour depth.

Examining contrast performance, the gamma graph analysis reveals notable inconsistencies, especially in darker areas, where values dip below the target level of 2.4. Consequently, shadows and darker sections are displayed brighter than intended, impacting overall contrast. Furthermore, the EOTF (Electro-Optical Transfer Function) curve, essential for accurate brightness representation, veers slightly above the reference curve. The data shows a boost in brightness up to around 50% before a gradual levelling off. This creates excessive mid-tone brightness, which can lead to loss of detail and some distortion in brighter scenes, ultimately affecting the clarity and immersion of the viewing experience.

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.

Post-calibration, the TCL P755 delivers a markedly improved colour performance for SDR content. The colour curves now align closely with ideal values, with a more consistent gamma stability across the range. While a slight drop at the beginning of the gamma curve persists, the accuracy in colour reproduction is significantly enhanced. The Colour Checker test reveals most colour samples are now under an error threshold of 2, showcasing much-improved colour fidelity with only minimal deviations, resulting in colours that feel notably more authentic to life.

HDR content benefits from these calibration adjustments as well. White balance corrections lend a more natural tone, with colours appearing more balanced overall. The EOTF curve, while nearer to the ideal reference line, still features a mild brightness elevation at the start, which can cause minor distortions in exceptionally bright scenes. However, overall tonal quality and detail resolution have both improved. Tone mapping also performs more effectively, enhancing detail in bright regions while maintaining better image accuracy.

In summary, while calibration does not bring flawless performance, it makes a substantial difference in the P755’s visual quality. Following these adjustments, the television provides a more accurate, realistic viewing experience in both SDR and HDR content, smoothing out many of the previous colour inconsistencies for a more visually engaging result.

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.

For high-quality content, the TCL P755 provides respectable smoothness in tonal transitions. While there are minor imperfections in colour blending, particularly in complex gradients, these are generally expected at this price point. Testing with film scenes revealed that these issues may occasionally become visible, but in most situations, one would need to observe closely to detect them. These subtle flaws are unlikely to detract from everyday viewing experience.

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.

The "Gradual Smoothing" function on the TCL P755 performs effectively, reducing visible boundaries between shades of the same colour and creating smoother tonal transitions. Unfortunately, this feature is unavailable in HDR mode, which can impact the quality of tonal gradations in high dynamic range content.

In terms of image scaling, the television shows some limitations. There are visible edge cut-offs, especially noticeable around figures and tree branches, which result in some detail blurring and a reduction in overall image sharpness. This is particularly noticeable when viewing lower-resolution content. Additionally, SD-quality images display a slight crop at the top and bottom, which may further impact viewing for standard-definition content.

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.

The TCL P755 delivers satisfactory, though not flawless, motion smoothness. It includes a "Flicker Reduction" feature for films, allowing users to fine-tune motion smoothness on a scale from 1 to 10. This setting offers flexibility in tailoring the image to cinematic or more theatrical preferences, adjusting for a slower or faster appearance according to personal viewing taste.

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 TCL P755 comes equipped with gamer-oriented features like ALLM (Auto Low Latency Mode), VRR (Variable Refresh Rate), Dolby Vision for gaming, and a Game Bar. ALLM automatically activates low latency mode to enhance response times and reduce input lag, while VRR syncs the screen refresh rate with the console's frame output, minimising screen tearing for a smoother gaming experience. Dolby Vision for gamers brings improved colour and contrast for compatible games, and the Game Bar allows easy access to essential settings like response time.

However, the 60 Hz panel limits the display to this refresh rate across resolutions, which may impact the fluidity in high-motion games. The absence of G-Sync also affects PC gamers, as gameplay on computers lacks this technology's extra smoothing. Notably, HGiG mode, meant to optimise HDR game visuals, is not fully functional on this model, which slightly detracts from the HDR gaming experience.

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.

The TCL P755 impresses with its exceptionally low input lag, making it a great choice for gamers. Regardless of mode—SDR, HDR, or Dolby Vision—the input lag remains consistently low at just 11 ms across all resolutions. This outstanding latency performance ensures highly responsive gameplay without noticeable delays, even in the demanding Dolby Vision mode. With this level of responsiveness, the P755 delivers smooth, immersive gaming experiences, ideal for those seeking precision and speed in their gameplay.

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.

When connected to a computer, the TCL P755 initially impresses with its support for chroma 4:4:4, ensuring accurate colour reproduction, which is essential for text and graphic work. However, font readability leaves room for improvement, especially with dark text or shapes against dark backgrounds. This limitation stems from reduced resolution in darker shades due to applied dithering, causing pixels to resemble a Full HD display, which can be particularly bothersome with smaller fonts, making office work on a large screen less comfortable.

On the positive side, the TV offers a very low input lag of 12 ms, making it a viable option for occasional PC gaming, especially in fast-paced games. Ultimately, while the TCL P755 can serve well for gaming purposes, users who need sharp text readability for work might find it lacking in this area.

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.

The P755, equipped with a VA panel, offers average viewing angles. In practice, this means that the image brightness significantly decreases when viewing the screen at an angle. VA panels, although they provide better contrast and deeper blacks compared to IPS panels, have worse properties in terms of viewing angles. IPS panels, known for their wider viewing angles, offer a more stable image from various angles, but usually at the cost of slightly lower contrast and black depth. Although the VA panel contributes to better contrast, the drop in brightness at an angle is noticeable and can affect viewing comfort in larger groups or from different positions in the room.

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.

The TCL P755, featuring a satin finish, performs reasonably well in moderately lit daytime settings. Its SDR brightness of approximately 290 nits is average, but the TV’s reflection suppression is limited, making light reflections quite noticeable in brighter environments. Despite this drawback, the VA panel provides good black levels and improved contrast compared to IPS alternatives, helping to maintain picture quality. In practical terms, while reflections can be distracting, the P755 delivers satisfactory performance during daytime viewing, with decent contrast and black depth to enhance overall image quality.

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

The TCL P755 operates on the Google TV platform, enhancing user comfort with a variety of features. This extension of Android TV offers personalized content recommendations tailored to viewing habits and preferences, making it easier to discover new shows and movies. Users can effortlessly access popular streaming applications like Netflix, YouTube, and Prime Video, while the integration with the Google Play Store allows for additional app downloads. Furthermore, the system seamlessly connects with other Google devices, enabling control through Google Assistant and integration into a smart home setup.

For connectivity, the TV supports screen mirroring via Windows Miracast and AirPlay, facilitating easy sharing of content from other devices. It also accommodates keyboard and mouse connections, and Bluetooth headphones, allowing for versatile audio options. Users can enjoy simultaneous audio from headphones and the built-in speakers, each with separate volume controls. The TV remote operates on an RF basis, eliminating the need to point it directly at the screen, although it lacks backlighting. Additionally, the P755 features an audio-only mode and Teletext functionality, but it does not offer a picture-in-picture (PiP) option.

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 television will play most files and video codecs, and the font size for loaded subtitles can be adjusted. The biggest downside here is the lack of support for less popular image formats.

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.

The sound quality on the TCL P755 is rather average. The high tones can be somewhat distorted and unclear, while the bass is nearly non-existent. The overall sound experience is dominated by mid-tones, which creates a balanced but somewhat hollow audio profile. On a positive note, the TV supports advanced audio codecs such as Dolby and DTS, enhancing compatibility with various sound sources and audio formats. While it may not deliver an immersive audio experience, these features help improve flexibility in connecting to external sound systems.

TCL MQLED85 / C765 vs TCL P755

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

Playing files from USB

Apps

Sound