- Matching (Score) |
- Our verdict |
- Competing TVs |
- TV appearance |
- Where to buy |
- Contrast and black detail |
- HDR effect quality |
- Factory color reproduction |
- Color reproduction after calibration |
- Smoothness of tonal transitions |
- Image scaling and smoothness of tonal transitions |
- Blur and motion smoothness |
- Console compatibility and gaming features |
- Input lag |
- Compatibility with PC |
- Viewing angles |
- Daytime performance |
- TV features |
- Apps |
- Playing files from USB |
- Sound |
- Panel details
TCL C8L / QM8L Review
C8L / QM8L
Available screen sizes:
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Panel type: LCD VA Refresh rate: 144Hz Brand: TCL Resolution: 3840x2160 System: Google TV Model year: 2026
This review is an English translation of the Polish original. Read the original on Wybierz.tv.
TCL C8L is without a doubt one of the hottest Mini-LED TV launches this year. On paper this model has everything to become a sales hit: impressive specs, the proven Google TV platform, and a full suite of features designed with gamers in mind. And all of that at a very affordable price. It's the direct successor to last year's C8K, around which, let's be honest, a fair amount of controversy had built up, mainly related to backlight behavior. What were engineers able to change in the new generation and does the C8L make up for its predecessor's faults? We put it to the test!
TCL C8L - Our verdict
8.3
Overall rating
TCL C8L is undoubtedly one of the most intriguing Mini-LED TVs to come into our lab this year. This model stands out primarily due to its excellent price-to-capability ratio. TCL has accustomed us to aggressive pricing of its screens, but in the case of the C8 series, the manufacturer has managed to push the boundaries even further. For the amount that often allows just the purchase of mid-range models or two models like the C8K with market competitors, here we receive features and specifications equal to those of top models. A new image processor, four full HDMI 2.1 ports, support for extreme refresh rates, and impressive peak brightness thanks to a massive number of dimming zones are arguments that are hard to overlook.
However, analyzing the whole picture, we must honestly summarize the character of this TV. The C8L is a device created more for displaying "impressive" images rather than rigorously faithful ones. What do we mean by that? The software and algorithms managing the Mini-LED backlight zones have been tuned to prioritize spectacle – the image is meant to be bright, contrasty, and strikingly saturated. And what does this mean? The TV tends to interpret images autonomously rather than adhering to certain studio standards. For most users looking for "greater" emotions in movies or games, this effect will likely be an advantage. On the other hand, purists and fans of perfectly natural images (like us 😉) may consider this behavior too aggressive and not in line with the director's intent. Therefore, we leave the final assessment on this issue to you.
Overall, despite this specificity, the TCL C8L is a TV that we can, and indeed must, recommend wholeheartedly. It is primarily a premium-class product that does literally everything correctly... to the point of being painful. We would regard certain imperfections simply as characteristics of this device rather than flaws – mainly due to the technological limitations that all Mini-LED TVs from every manufacturer on the market have accustomed us to. Ultimately, the software refinement has given the new eight a great deal, making it a mature, confident, and nearly complete device.
Advantages
Very deep blacks, Mini-LED backlighting
High peak brightness, results reaching nearly 5,000 nits
Excellent daytime performance, the powerful backlight easily cuts through reflections on the panel
Very good colors, new SQD quantum dots
Pentonic 800 processor, a noticeable quality jump in upscaling and the performance of digital features
Four full HDMI 2.1 ports
Great specs for gamers, extremely low input lag (below 10 ms), up to 288 Hz refresh with VRR, and support for HGiG and Dolby Vision Gaming
Google TV, the system runs fast and allows installation of a large number of apps
Good sound, audio branded by premium Bang & Olufsen
Disadvantages
Lack of creative fidelity: the TV tends to boost brightness.
Slight ghosting
Movies and series in UHD quality7.7
Classic TV, YouTube7.5
Sports broadcasts (TV and apps)7.2
Gaming on console8.9
TV as a computer monitor8.6
Watching in bright light10.0
Utility functions8.3
Apps9.6
Sound quality8.1
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TCL C8L - Competing TVs in this price range
TCL C8L - TV appearance
HDMI inputs: 0 x HDMI 2.0, 4 x HDMI 2.1 (48Gbps) Outputs: Toslink (Optical audio), eARC (HDMI), ARC (HDMI) Network Interfaces: Wi-Fi 2.4GHz, Wi-Fi 5GHz, Ethernet (LAN) 100Mbps
Build quality: Premium
Stand type: Central
Bezel color: Silver
Stand: Height adjustment
Flat design: No
Accessories: Stand
TCL C8L is essentially a faithful copy of its predecessor. Is that a flaw? Absolutely not. This is a premium design that immediately conveys high build quality. What impresses most is the screen fit itself — it is completely bezel-less and, crucially, free of that characteristic inner black border we see on most LCD panels and even many OLEDs. That makes the image seem to almost spill over the edges of the housing. The bezels themselves are metal, or finished in plastic that perfectly mimics graphite-silver aluminum. TCL also took a sensible approach to the stand: for the most popular sizes (from 55 to 85 inches) it uses a central stand, while the massive 98-inch variants sit on two wide-set legs. It’s worth adding that the back panel is flat across the entire surface, which allows this model to be mounted very close to the wall. The C8L really looks spectacular.
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TCL C8L - Contrast and black detail
8/10
Local dimming function: Yes, number of zones: 2040 (34 x 60)
Result
156,600:1
Result
59,250:1
Result
17,400:1
Result
23,650:1
Result
9,250:1
The C8L model cannot be denied one thing: impressive specifications. In the 65-inch variant we tested, the manufacturer packed in as many as 2040 independent local dimming zones (this number obviously increases or decreases with the screen size). Such a dense packing of light points has a direct impact on black depth. The contrast we measured in movie scenes reached impressive five- and six-digit values to one, which is a remarkable result in the LCD world. Is the algorithm perfect? Not entirely. On small, bright elements displayed on a dark background, the trained eye can still notice a slight halo effect and moments when zones come to life, which is a natural feature of Mini-LED technology. Interestingly, in our test scene with the helicopter, the background was noticeably brighter than on competing screens. Unfortunately, TCL has a specific way of manipulating the brightness curve, artificially boosting some scenes, which we do not have full control over from the device menu. This is an evident issue with this model that needs to be taken into account. That said, the black level on this model will be more than satisfactory for most viewers.
Halo effect and black detail visibility:
TCL C8L - HDR effect quality
7.3/10
Supported formats: HDR10, HDR10+, Dolby Vision, Dolby Vision IQ, HLG
Luminance measurements in HDR:
Result
1637 nit
Result
701 nit
Result
1428 nit
Result
405 nit
Result
1728 nit
In terms of HDR, the TCL C8L turns out to be a hellishly bright television – and I mean literally. On a synthetic chart of 5%, our measuring equipment indicated a result exceeding 4500 nits. This is a result that is downright cosmic, considering that reference director monitors, which we often refer to in our materials, typically operate around 4000 nits. Does this mean that the C8L breaks barriers and climbs to the technological peak of Mini-LED? Not exactly. Dry synthetic tests are one thing, and real movie images are another. In real, varied scenes, the C8L achieves a peak of around 1600 nits. This is still a very good result, ensuring a very high level of HDR dynamics, but also clearly lower than what the manufacturer boasts in the specifications. The trouble starts with very small flashes of light – then brightness can drastically drop to around 600 nits. The algorithm tries at all costs to maintain deep black and minimize halo effect, but it does so at the expense of HDR impact. This is perfect evidence that laboratory charts rarely correspond to what we ultimately see on the screen.
Huge applause is due for color reproduction, all thanks to the new generation of SQD (Super Quantum Dot) quantum dots. The coverage of the DCI-P3 palette reaches 97%, but the true jaw-dropper is the measurement of the extremely demanding BT.2020 space. The C8L achieves as much as 90% in it, placing it alongside today's top screens that boast RGB backlighting. Importantly, unlike some screens with Micro/Mini RGB backlighting, this effect is stable regardless of the scene displayed. Of course, one must remember that content mastered for such a wide gamut in films or series is still a rarity. However, the mere fact that the panel has such a "color reserve" deserves immense admiration.
BT.2020 color gamut coverage and primary color luminance
| Data set | BT.2020 | P3 | R | G | B |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Synthetic patterns | 90.0% | 96.7% | 49% | 57% | 56% |
| Film measurements | 90.0% | 96.9% | 81% | 78% | 38% |
BT.2020 BT.2020 and P3 – average color gamut coverage (percent of the target gamut).
R, G, B – average primary color luminance relative to target (percent).
Scene from the movie “Pan” (about 2800 nits)
Scene from the movie “Billy Lynn” (about 1100 nits)
How do these conflicting measurement results translate to real movie sessions? Unfortunately, the picture on the TCL C8L is rather two-sided. On one hand, you can't deny that it can floor you with its dynamism and color saturation. Explosions, colorful fireworks, and demo material simply look gorgeous, generating a jaw-dropping effect, and the demanding technical specifications do a brilliant job here. The matter of faithfully conveying the director's intent is quite different. TCL's new Mini-LED is tuned for a "spectacular" picture rather than an "accurate" one. Our EOTF measurements on films, which control brightness, confirm this, showing the TV clearly exceeding the reference curve. That approach has consequences: although bright areas of the image draw the eye, they very often lack subtle detail, and bright highlights are simply overly blown out (clipping). This is a known characteristic of how TCL tunes the picture in its models. For us as users, the options are to accept this or quietly hope for a firmware update that will rein in the C8L's tendencies in the future.
HDR luminance chart:
Although the TV itself is factory-set to produce as much brightness as possible and has clear problems properly matching that brightness to the content on screen (the dynamic tone-mapping feature leaves a lot to be desired), full support for premium HDR formats comes to the rescue. TCL has long stayed out of format wars, and in the C8L it supports practically everything: from the open HDR10+ standard to the market-leading Dolby Vision found on almost every streaming platform. It’s precisely the presence of dynamic metadata that saves the day in the C8L. Thanks to them, the TV receives precise frame-by-frame instructions, allowing it to recover some lost detail. The picture becomes higher in contrast and noticeably more three-dimensional. This is a huge plus that effectively masks the shortcomings of the factory tuning. Interestingly, TCL announced Dolby Vision 2 support for this year’s models, including the C8L under review. For now, however, there is still a shortage of consumer material that would let us test this new format in practice, so we’ll have to wait to verify those promises.
Static HDR10
Dynamic: Dolby Vision
Factory color reproduction
5.3/10
We tested the TCL C8L in the best factory picture mode available in this TV’s menu for image fidelity. That, of course, is Filmmaker Mode, which appeared in this brand’s software relatively recently (a year ago in the "K" series). Thanks to it, an average user can get a pretty good color reproduction straight out of the box, although it is certainly not a perfectly tuned mode. Looking at the factory white balance of our unit, both in SDR and HDR material, the red component was clearly lacking, which made the image noticeably cooler and caused a slight shift toward bluish-green tints. The issue of brightness management is also ambiguous, as we mentioned earlier. While for SDR content the gamma linearity is actually correct and holds steadily at the reference value of 2.4, in HDR things look much worse. Tracking the EOTF curve clearly shows the TV has a significantly boosted brightness across the range, which can make the final image overly bright and inconsistent with the creators’ intent, and that in a mode that by definition should avoid that. Of course, like every sample in our lab, this one also underwent professional calibration, and its results are shown below.
Color reproduction after calibration
7.5/10
As you can see, the results of a professional calibration of the TCL C8L are really promising, thanks to the extensive adjustment tools the manufacturer put at our disposal in the menu. Above all, we were able to completely correct the white balance — we eliminated the red deficiency, so the image finally stopped drifting toward unwanted cool tones. After that adjustment, errors in the ColorChecker test fell to near-reference levels, regularly landing below a Delta E of 2, which is below the threshold of human perception.
If the test patterns look this perfect, you might ask: why then the lower final score in this category? The answer lies in the brightness management discussed earlier. Although the menu includes sliders that let you precisely straighten the EOTF curve on synthetic signals, when confronted with actual movie material (I recommend enabling the EOTF filter when watching movies), you can see that in most scenarios the TV still reacts to HDR metadata its own way. As a result, the picture can be slightly over-brightened and not faithful to the creators' intent, and it was precisely this lack of consistency with real films that cost the C8L a few points.
TCL C8L - Smoothness of tonal transitions
9/10
The smoothness of tonal transitions on the C8L is nearly exemplary. A well-tuned panel combined with the processing algorithms means the TV handles posterization, the ugly, layered banding where individual shades separate, very well. Subtle, minimal errors and slight imperfections in gradation are noticeable only in extremely dark, demanding scenes. However, overall, when watching high-quality content at native resolution, transitions between colors are extremely smooth and natural.
Image scaling and smoothness of tonal transitions
8/10
Smooth transition function
Image without overscan on the SD signal
This year the C8 series and higher models received probably the biggest and most anticipated upgrade in TCL’s history, and it specifically concerns digital image processing. The C8L is the lowest-end model in the manufacturer's lineup to be equipped with the latest flagship chip, the MediaTek Pentonic 800 (listed in the menu as MT9655). Thanks to its processing power, the feature called "Gradual Smoothing" finally works as it should. The algorithm effectively eliminates unwanted posterization (ugly tonal transitions/color banding), doing so intelligently enough that it does not degrade the sharpness of other details.
The processor also handles upscaling lower-resolution content to 4K very well. Although evaluating this element can be mostly academic, because the differences between today's TVs in this class are very subtle. The most important takeaway is that TCL finally has nothing to be ashamed of compared to the competition.
TCL C8L - Blur and motion smoothness
7.7/10
Maximum refresh rate of the panel: 144Hz
Film motion smoothing option: Yes
Blur reduction option: Yes
BFI function 60Hz: Yes, 120Hz (double contours)
BFI function 120Hz: Yes, 240Hz (double contours)
Brightness drop with BFI: 32%
The TCL C8L is equipped with a fast panel that has a native 144 Hz refresh rate. That spec will be most appreciated by demanding PC gamers, while most users, who rely on consoles or TV broadcasts, will use a steady 120 Hz. It is at 120 Hz that motion processing algorithms handle image rendering for movies, series, and sports. In the TV’s menu you’ll find a "Motion Clarity" option that lets you adjust the motion smoothing to your preferences. The algorithms handle cinematic material at 24 or 30 frames per second (fps) as well as dynamic sports broadcasts at 50 or 60 fps, maintaining appropriate smoothness.
Blur (native resolution, maximum refresh rate):
Blur (BFI function enabled):
Blur (1080p@288Hz):
As for motion blur, the C8L performs quite well, though it's certainly not the fastest panel we've tested. You can notice a slight halo behind moving objects, including our test alien, especially on darker backgrounds. Overall, the result is still entirely satisfactory, given that the TV uses a VA-type LCD panel, which by nature isn't known for the fastest pixel response times.
TCL C8L - Console compatibility and gaming features
9.8/10
- ALLM:
Yes
- VRR:
Yes
- VRR range:
48 - 288Hz
- Dolby Vision Game Mode:
Yes
- Correct implementation of HGIG:
Yes
- 1080p@120Hz:
Yes
- 1440p@120Hz:
Yes
- 4K@120Hz:
Yes
- Game bar:
Yes
For gamers – especially for those with powerful PCs and several consoles at the same time – the TCL C8L is a true beast. It’s the first model in the manufacturer’s lineup equipped with four full HDMI 2.1 ports with a maximum bandwidth of 48 Gbps. This is directly thanks to the new Pentonic 800 processor we wrote about earlier. Additionally, the TV seamlessly supports virtually every gaming feature. It has an automatic game mode (ALLM) that reduces latency to minimal levels and full frame synchronization (VRR) operating in an impressive range of up to 288 Hz. We’re also talking about standards like G-Sync or FreeSync from Nvidia and AMD. When it comes to image display standards, there are also no compromises: the C8L offers complete support for HDR formats in games, including gaming Dolby Vision and the HGiG profile. All of these features can be conveniently managed from a very readable game bar (Game Bar), which we can customize according to our preferences. From a purely gaming perspective, there really isn’t anything to complain about in the C8L – well, maybe aside from the previously mentioned slight ghosting. But other than that? It’s an unflawed machine for gamers.
TCL C8L - Input lag
10/10
In laboratory tests we measured input lag at under 10 ms. For a gamer that means a completely imperceptible delay. Importantly, this result can be improved further by forcing the PC to use a refresh rate above 120 Hz. We also give high marks to Dolby Vision Game mode, where the lag is just as low as in standard SDR or HDR10 modes.
| SDR | HDR | Dolby Vision |
|---|---|---|
| 1080p60: 14 ms | 2160p60: 13 ms | 2160p60 DV: 13 ms |
| 1080p120: 8 ms | 2160p120: 8 ms | 2160p120 DV: 8 ms |
| 2160p60: 13 ms | ||
| 2160p120: 8 ms |
TCL C8L - Compatibility with PC
8.6/10
Chroma 444 (max. resolution and refresh rate): Yes
Font clarity: Good
Readability of dark text and shapes: Good
Input lag in PC mode (4K, max. refresh rate): 7ms
Matrix subpixel arrangement: RGB
Max refresh rate: 144Hz
G-Sync: Yes
The TCL C8L is very well suited as a large-format monitor. The TV supports refresh rates up to 288 Hz at Full HD resolution, which will be appreciated by fans of esports titles and owners of less powerful graphics cards in AAA games. The TV also works seamlessly with frame-synchronization technologies AMD FreeSync and NVIDIA G-Sync. Importantly for text work, the C8L renders most fonts correctly and legibly. At very close range you can notice minimal errors in the rendering of letter edges and a slight graininess around them, but the issue disappears entirely (or rather becomes much less noticeable) once you sit at a normal, recommended viewing distance.
TCL C8L - Viewing angles
4.5/10
Brightness drop at an angle of 45 degrees: 74%
TCL C8L uses a VA-type panel, which by nature is not known for wide viewing angles. In this case, however, the manufacturer used TCL CSOT's proprietary WHVA 2.0 panel. As a result, viewing angles are significantly better than those of average VA panels, which is definitely a plus. Colors and contrast do not degrade as drastically when moving slightly off-axis as they do on most LCD screens. Overall, it's still a level below IPS panels, and even more so below OLED displays, but for a VA LCD panel the improvement is quite noticeable.
TCL C8L - Daytime performance
10/10
Panel finish: Glare
Reflection suppression: Decent
Black levels during daytime: Very Good
The TCL C8L is one of the brightest TVs we've tested so far. As you can see from the brightness chart (or rather, you might not), its peak brightness reaches a cosmic 5,000 nits (exactly 4,862)! Although with a full-screen white image that value drops to around 600 nits, the TV's overall daytime performance lets us confidently say it's an almost perfect screen for very bright, sunlit living rooms. While the glossy panel used here doesn't suppress reflections as aggressively as matte screens, the display's enormous brightness can cut through most unwanted reflections from windows or other artificial light sources such as lamps.
Panel brightness
TCL C8L / QM8L : 1651 cd/m2
TCL C8L - TV features
8.3/10
System: Google TV
System performance: Very good
- HDMI inputs: 0 x HDMI 2.0, 4 x HDMI 2.1 48Gbps
- Outputs: Toslink (Optical audio), eARC (HDMI), ARC (HDMI)
- Network Interfaces: Wi-Fi 2.4GHz, Wi-Fi 5GHz, Ethernet (LAN) 100Mbps
- TV reception: DVB-T, DVB-T2, DVB-S, DVB-S2, DVB-C
Classic features:
Recording to USB (terrestrial TV): No - Recording programming: No
- Picture in Picture (PiP): No
- RF remote control (no need to aim): RF
- Backlit remote control: Yes
- Teletext: Yes
- Audio only mode: Yes
- Bluetooth headphones support: Yes
- Simultaneous Bluetooth headphones & TV audio: Yes
Smart features:
- AirPlay: Yes
- Screen mirroring (Windows Miracast): Yes
- Voice search: Yes
- Voice search in native language: Yes
- Ability to connect a keyboard and mouse: Yes
SmartTV: Google TV
Online you can still come across older opinions about TCL where users complained about slow performance or occasional freezes of the Google TV interface. With the C8L model, however, there's a big step forward. Thanks to a new processor and some fixes, Google TV's stability and speed are at a very high level. We can easily compare the system's operation to closed systems like Tizen or webOS found in competing flagship models. On board it comes with a full package of features, led by the updated Gemini voice system.
TV features
For typical TV-related matters the C8L simply reliably fulfills its role as a television 😉. You'll find classic, standard solutions here, such as a Bluetooth module for smooth pairing of wireless headphones and the still-present teletext for the built-in tuners. However, it's clearly a model designed primarily for modern streaming platforms. One sign of this is the minimalist, modern remote, which, unlike the cheaper C7L, lacks a traditional numeric keypad entirely.
Sound connection options
HDMI audio:
Other audio outputs:
- Toslink: Yes
Wireless audio:
- Bluetooth: Yes
Supported audio formats (external HDMI eARC audio):
- Dolby Digital Plus 7.1: Yes
- Dolby True HD 7.1: Yes
- Dolby Atmos in Dolby Digital Plus (JOC): Yes
- Dolby Atmos in Dolby True HD: Yes
- DTS:X in DTS-HD MA: Yes
- DTS-HD Master Audio: Yes
Senior accessibility
- Numeric keyboard on TV: No
- Font size adjustment: Yes
- Audio description: Yes
TCL C8L - Apps
9.6/10
TCL C8L - Playing files from USB
9.4/10
| Maximum photo resolution: | Supported photo formats: |
|---|---|
| 4 Mpix | JPEG |
| 6 Mpix | HEIC |
| 8 Mpix | PNG |
| 10 Mpix | GIF |
| 12 Mpix | WebP |
| 16 Mpix | TIFF |
| 20 Mpix | BMP |
| 24 Mpix | SVG |
| 28 Mpix | |
| 32 Mpix |
The built-in USB media player handles everyday tests without the slightest problems. It's good to see that the TV natively and smoothly opens even less common image formats, such as Apple's HEIC. We did encounter a few formats that the factory app couldn't handle, but with Google TV that's no barrier. A huge advantage of this system is the ability to install any third-party player (e.g., VLC) directly from Google Play, which often completely resolves file compatibility issues.
TCL C8L - Sound
8.1/10
78dB
Maximum volume
Supported codecs (TV speakers)
Dolby Digital Plus 7.1
Dolby True HD 7.1
Dolby Atmos in Dolby Digital Plus (JOC)
Dolby Atmos in Dolby True HD
DTS:X in DTS-HD MA
DTS-HD Master Audio
It might seem that in terms of sound the TCL C8L would perform exactly the same as last year’s C8K. After all, the Bang & Olufsen-branded 6.2.2 audio system is on board again, with the same power and the same system features, namely Beosonic technology. Nothing could be further from the truth. The new generation performed noticeably better in our listening tests. Why is that? To be honest, from a purely hardware standpoint we don't know, but it's clear on the graphs from our measurements. Maybe TCL simply managed to improve the speakers' behavior with a new software update and better speaker tuning and drive. But as we always say, they're still TV speakers. We believe anyone who wants to fully enjoy this TV's potential will still need to buy a good soundbar or a home theater system. The C8L offers full support for audio codecs like Dolby Atmos and the niche DTS. Only by connecting an external audio setup will you be able to get true, immersive spatial sound from movies or games and complement what you see on this TV.
Sound Quality Test:
Acoustic Measurements
78dBC (Max)
75dBC
TCL C8L - Panel details
Software version during testing: V8-0015T01-LF1V080.000644
Image processor: mt9655 2,5GB RAM
Panel uniformity and thermal imaging:
Backlight Type: Mini-LED Super QLED (SQD)
Founder and originator of the "ChooseTV" portal
Journalist, reviewer, and columnist for the "ChooseTV" portal
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