Skip to main content

Digital Trends may earn a commission when you buy through links on our site. Why trust us?

TCL’s 8K 6-Series mini-LED TVs are shockingly affordable

TCL has been teasing us for months, making us wait to hear how much the company will charge for its 8K resolution 6-Series mini-LED QLED TVs. Now we know, and boy, was it worth the wait. The 75-inch model is just $3,000, while the smaller, 65-inch version rings in at $2,200. They both go on sale today with limited availability at major retailers.

To put those prices in perspective, LG and Samsung — the only other companies that have mini-LED-based 8K TVs in 2021 — charge $3,500 for their most affordable 65-inch models and $4,800 for their 75-inch models.

Yes, you may be able to find older 8K models selling for less than TCL’s 6-Series, but keep in mind, those 8K TVs do not use mini-LED backlights, which can make a significant difference in terms of contrast and black levels. For more on the benefits of mini-LED technology check out our mini-LED explainer, but here’s the summary: Mini-LEDs are far smaller than regular LEDs, which means you can pack more of them into a TV’s backlight system. The more you have (think thousands instead of hundreds), the greater the control you can exert on the brightness at a granular level. TCL’s 8K 6-Series possess up to 240 zones that can be locally dimmed.

Other than possessing a massive boost in resolution, TCL’s new 8K 6-Series looks much like its 4K 6-Series models. They’re powered by Roku’s excellent smart TV software, they support both Dolby Atmos and Dolby Vision technologies for top-notch immersive sound and high dynamic range (HDR) video, and they pack useful extras like Apple’s AirPlay 2 and HomeKit, and compatibility with Google Assitant, Amazon Alexa, and Siri for voice control.

TCL also points out that its 8K 6-Series will be the world’s first 8K TV to sport THX Certified Game Mode. This coordinates several TV settings like picture processing, input lag, variable refresh rate (VRR), and auto low-latency mode (ALLM) to give gamers the best possible experience when playing fast-action titles like Call of Duty.

A TCL 8K 6-Series TV showing Call of Duty Warzone in THX's Certified Game Mode.
TCL USA

TCL was the first company to use mini-LEDs in its backlights when it introduced its 8-Series in 2019. That TV impressed us with its black level performance, as did 2020’s follow-up, the mini-LED-equipped 6-Series. But both of those models had 4K resolution. The new 8K models will be the first time we get to see what TCL can do with a 33 million-pixel panel, and it will be an excellent test of its AiPQ Engine — the processor that is responsible for (among other things) upscaling Full HD and 4K content to 8K resolution.

Want to know if TCL’s first 8K TV is a winner? Read our in-depth TCL 8K 6-Series (R648) review. Spoiler: It’s pretty sweet.

Editors' Recommendations

Simon Cohen
Contributing Editor, A/V
Simon Cohen covers a variety of consumer technologies, but has a special interest in audio and video products, like spatial…
Why TCL’s 5,000-nit X955 is a brightness bomb of QD-mini-LED
TCL X955

TCL just dropped a bomb on the TV market.

Headlining a slate of new product announcements ahead of IFA -- the world's largest consumer electronics show --  TCL has announced its new flagship 4K TV model called the X955.

Read more
TCL’s new QD-Mini LED televisions point to a very bright future
The TCL X955 QD-Mini LED television.

The TCL X955 QD-Mini LED television TCL / TCL

TCL today has taken the wraps off its next generation of televisions, and you're going to want to sit down for this. Or stand up. And maybe cheer a little. Because (on paper anyway), there's a whole lot to like here.

Read more
Hisense kicks off its U8K mini-LED TV availability with deep discounts
A closeup view of an owl displayed on a Hisense U8K TV.

Why wait for a new product to go on sale when you grab a huge discount on day one? That's clearly the thinking behind Hisense's retail launch of its 2023 U8K mini-LED 4K TV, which arrives in stores today. The flagship TV is available in 55-, 65-, and 75-inch screen sizes. Normally, these are priced at $1,300, $1,700, and $2,300 respectively, but for a limited time, Hisense has dramatically reduced all three, which are currently at $800, $1,100, and $1,600.

U8K is the company's flagship TV and marries the impressive benefits of quantum dots with the precise brightness control of mini-LED backlighting. The U8K offers Hisense's best and brightest picture quality -- that is, until (and if) Hisense releases the UX TV it teased at CES 2023. And it's loaded with features that will make it a strong contender if you're looking for a great TV without spending a fortune.

Read more