So far, this home theater review season, I have reviewed some fantastic flagship TVs that might be a bit too opulent in price for some users. But fear not! There is at least one TV I have here that won’t bust your bank account, the TCL QM6K 4K TV. The TCL QM6K comes in sizes from 55″ all the way up to 85.” The QM6K is the type of TV that isn’t exactly cutting edge, but it’s also not bottom of the barrel. This baby is going to do most everything you need in a good way, with a few minor gripes that aren’t really a huge deal for most users.
Estimated reading time: 19 minutes
While those flagship TVs, I’ve reviewed the past few weeks, are spectacular and worthy of your hard-earned money. Sometimes we just don’t feel the need to spend that much on a TV, and that’s why this TV is my Top Pick for most affordable TV with real value. The TCL QM6K 4K isn’t exactly a flagship TV, but it does a number of things good enough that it has ended up becoming the best all-around affordable 4K TV on the market. Let’s get into this review!
The Quick Take
The lightning quick take of this review is this. The TCL QM6K 4K TV is easily one of the best 4K TVs you can get right now for the price and feature set. Especially the 75″ or larger. You’re getting a massive display at a reasonable price. And that display does numerous things really great with very little downside for the price point.
Score and Bottom Line
TCL QM6K
Prices Start At $799
Nailed it
- Simple to set up and easy to move around
- The 4K display is excellent for this price point
- Google TV is really great
- The sound quality is actually very good for this price point
- Performance is spot on, fluid interface
- The price is right and the value is here
Needs work
- There is noticeable glare in certain lighting situations
- Off angle viewing might be an issue for some
- Brightness could be better
Overall, the TCL QM6K is a fabulous 4K TV that delivers performance and a great feature set, for the price they’re asking for it. This TV is easy to unpack and setup, even the 75″ is a breeze! The 4K display with the 144Hz refresh rate (up to 288Hz VRR) makes this not only an excellent movie watching display but also perfect for gaming.
The TCL QM6K also comes with Google TV, which is miles better than previous Android TV interfaces. The sound quality is actually pretty great, again, for the price point. The performance is also spot on, for that price point. The only real complaint I have is the display brightness could be better and the off angle viewing could be better. There is also some glare in certain lighting conditions. But given the price, this is all expected.
It’s really an interesting thing. TCL made a TV that is priced perfectly and does nearly everything well enough to be a midrange TV, but not enough bad to make it not worth buying. It’s not a perfect TV, that doesn’t exist. But the TCL QM6K is a solid investment, and you are getting your money’s worth if you purchase this TV.
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TCL QM6K 4K Specifications
- Model: 75QM6K
- Screen Size: 75″
- Viewable Display Size: 74.5″
- Description: Quantum Premium Performance TV
- Wi-Fi: Wi-Fi 5 (802.11ac)
- Control Buttons: One Button
- Multilingual On-Screen-Display: English, Spanish, French
- Closed Caption: Yes
- Parental Control (V-Chip): Yes
- Accessible Menu System (CVAA): Yes
- Sleep Timer: Yes
- JPEG / MP3 for USB: Yes
- Audio Power (Watts): 40W (2 x 10W +20W)
- Audio Passthrough: Dolby Atmos, Dolby Digital +, Dolby Digital, PCM
- Dolby Processing: Dolby Atmos, Dolby Digital +
- Smart Platform Signal Format Compatibility: Google TV ATSC, NTSC, Clear QAM
- LED Technology: QD-Mini LED
- Display Technology: QLED – Quantum Dot Technology
- Panel Refresh Rate: 144Hz and up to 288Hz variable
- Panel Resolution: 4K Ultra HD (3840 × 2160)
- Display Colors: 1.07 billion
- Local Dimming Type: Up to LD500 Precise Dimming Series
- High Dynamic Range Format: HDR10, HDR 10+, HLG, Dolby Vision, Dolby Vision gaming, Dolby Vision IQ
- Display Brightness: High HDR Brightness
- Connections – Inputs/Outputs
- RF input (NTSC, ATSC): 1
- Ethernet: 1
- USB: 1 USB 2.0
- HDMI: 4 HDMI (1 eARC)
- SPDIF Digital Audio Optical: 1
- Product Size (WxDxH) with Stand: 65.8″ x 40.5″ x 13.4″
- Product Size (WxDxH) without stand: 65.8″ x 37.8″ x 2.2″
- Stand Separation Distance (Wide): 56.90″
- Stand Separation Distance (Narrow): 30.40″
- Product Weight with stand (lbs): 57.8 lbs
- Product Weight without stand (lbs): 50.7 lbs
- Package Size (WxDxH) (inches): 72.8″ x 44.3″ x 6.6″
- Total Package Weight (lbs): 74.5 lbs
- VESA Mounting Specifications:
- VESA Hole Pattern: 300mm x 300mm
- Screw Size: M6 x 4
- Base Stand Specifications Screw Size: M5x4
- Remote Control: Backlit Voice Remote
What’s In The Box
- TCL QM6K
- Power Cable
- Remote Control
- Two AAA Batteries
- Manuals and Documentation
Design
The TCL QM6K is a fairly plain-looking TV. Our 75″ model is pretty large, and it does stick out in a room. But really, at this price point, you can’t expect a sleek, slim design with ultra-premium materials. TCL chose to put the money into the display and features, and I think that was the correct choice.
It’s not even that this is bad design or even a bad-looking design. It’s really a nice plain TV design, mostly made of plastic with very light but sturdy feet. Around the back is the black plastic back with some venting, cable management system, and two speakers mounted towards the top. There’s also the I/O on the back and the power port. The power port is on the left and the I/O is on the right. Here’s what you get for I/O:
- RF input (NTSC, ATSC): 1
- Ethernet: 1
- USB: 1 USB 2.0
- HDMI: 4 HDMI (1 eARC)
- SPDIF Digital Audio Optical: 1
Going around the front of the TCL QM6K, you get the display and the bezel. The bezels are not slim, but they’re also not super thick either. I have seen much thicker bezels and these are just fine. The side profile is also not slim, but surprisingly, the 75″ TCL QM6K isn’t as heavy as I thought it would be.
One of the brighter spots of the TCL QM6K design is the remote. Firstly, it’s backlit and that’s a huge deal as even some flagship TVs don’t even have a backlit remote. It also has gotten rid of some of the dumb shortcut buttons and put shortcut buttons that people will actually use. This remote has shortcuts to Netflix, Prime Video, YouTube, Apple TV, Disney+, and TCLtv (more on that in the software section). The remote has all the other basic buttons, and it’s fairly long, it could have been made a bit smaller, but it’s not bad at all.
Overall, the TCL QM6K isn’t a major design king, and it’s not particularly stunning. But it’s not ugly either, and I am okay with them putting the money into the display rather than the look. This design is good enough, looks good enough, and is robust enough for most users.
Display
Alright, this is where the TCL QM6K shines and why it’s worth the price tag and why it’s one of the best affordable premium TVs you can get right now. There are things about the design and sound that may have been an issue if this display wasn’t as good as it is. TCL sank in the bulk of the money into this display, and that’s an excellent thing for you and me.
I’m not going to sit here and tell you this is the best display on the planet, but for the price point, this is a damn fine display! Before I dive too deep, let me list some of the tech the TCL QM6K packs in.
- Up to LD500 Precise Dimming: Precise Dimming series refers to Mini LED TV with all-domain halo control technology. The new generation of powerful light-emitting chip, condensed Micro lens and Micro-OD make the light shape of individual zones more perfect, and its halo control ability is several times that of ordinary zones. Combined with HVA panel with high native contrast ratio and the world’s leading light and shadow control algorithm, Precise Dimming series shapes the real light and shadow so that the TV’s comprehensive picture quality performance is dramatically improved compared to ordinary TVs, bringing an upscale image experience.
- TCL Halo Control System: The TCL all-domain halo control technology covers the entire path from light generation to imaging. The combination of TCL-developed high-efficiency light-emitting chips and lens technology, Micro-Optical Distance technology, light and shadow control algorithms, and high-end HVA Panel technology, it effectively solves the halo problem and delivers a premium viewing experience through system-level precise control of light.
- High Contrast HVA Panel: HVA Panel technology employs nanoscale film-layer techniques to create a butterfly-wing-shaped liquid crystal molecular microstructure. This structure precisely controls the light passing through the liquid crystal layer, significantly improving the contrast of the panel.
- 144Hz Native Refresh Rate: From signal processing to screen display, the QM6K supports 4K 144Hz ultra-high native refresh rate throughout the entire chain, effectively solving the problem of image stuttering and making moving images clearer.
- Game Accelerator 288: With up to blazing fast 288 VRR, enjoy more responsive gameplay without lag, designed to keep you at the top of any leaderboard.
- QD-Mini LED Technology: TCL’s QD-Mini LED combines the merits of QLED and OLED technologies, transforming the traditional backlight into lighting that is close to pixel-level precision. It also utilizes the world’s leading QLED technology, offering contrast and color gamut comparable to OLED, while also providing higher peak brightness and a longer lifespan.
- High HDR Brightness: Even in midsummer when the sun shines into the room, you can still see clear pictures with vivid colors. Enjoy the details hidden in the sunny or shadowy scene.
- AiPQ Pro Processor: TCL’s self-developed AiPQ Pro Processor incorporates numerous TCL’s unique image quality tuning algorithms. This chip has excellent intelligent sensing capabilities and can make pixel-level adjustments to the image quality, thus providing a top-notch viewing experience.
The mode you select in settings and if you make any changes to the picture settings will play a big part in your display experience. That said, I usually gravitate towards a more vibrant picture setting in all my TV reviews. Though, you can choose Filmmaker mode and Movie Mode, among them. I recommend going through every setting and finding one you prefer, the way the display looks should be a personal thing, it will be in your home, not ours.
The brightness on the TCL QM6K is pretty good, though I do think it could be a tag brighter even. Colors are punchy and vibrant, with blacks being pretty great for this price point. QD-QLED technology really has made Mini LED TVs much better in the blacks. The whites are clean and crisp, and the shadows were nice and provided great contrast.
Gaming is a blast on the 75″ TCL QM6K, and that 144Hz refresh rate really shows. The Game Enhancer seems to work well in racing games and fast-moving games. I highly recommend the 75″ version for everyone.
The one area the display has some issues in is with glare and off-angle viewing. It’s not as bad as some TVs in this price range, but the glare is there in certain lighting conditions and off-angle viewing can get difficult the more off-axis you are. It’s not a dealbreaker, but something to be aware of. The price point of the TCL QM6K is justification to live with some of the smaller issues like this.
Overall, this is an excellent display for the price, and I think the TCL QM6K needs to be on every person’s short list if you’re looking for a new TV. It’s affordable, and it provides high value in its display for the price you pay. As of this review, you can even find it for 20% or more off.
Setup
Setting up the TCL QM6K is a breeze in terms of physically and software wise. The TV is easily moved around by two people, you might need a third with the 75″ or 85″. You should, for certain, always have at least two people to set up, for safety sake and to protect the TV. I love that TCL includes protective pressure pads on the display and a full-screen protector that easily comes off when all setup. This protects the display from fingerprints and potentially cracking the display from too much hand pressure. One thing that can get a bit confusing is the feet. We had to flip them back and forth until we finally figured out how they went on.
Once you have the TCL QM6K physically assembled and in place, setting up the software is next. That is easily done through the interface and using your Google account. You don’t have to set up the TV software if you don’t want to. You can skip it and use an external player like an Apple TV, Roku, or Fire TV. Simply plug those in and choose which input they are in.
We used both the onboard Google TV software and tested an Apple TV with this unit. More on Google TV in the next section. Setting up Google TV is straightforward, and the TV walks you through the process. Downloading apps is also simple and easy. Nothing is hard here at all. Overall, if you’re at all competent, the setup process will bring you no challenges.
Software/User Experience
I have not been kind to Google and its TV operating systems in the past. I have felt that both Android TV and Google TV were a jumbled mess of nonsense. But, over the past year and a half, I have changed my mind and Google TV is actually one of the better TV operating systems out there.
The Google TV interface on the TCL QM6K is one of the best Google TV experiences I’ve ever had. Of course, this isn’t all due to TCL, thankfully Google has been making improvements. Navigation is much nicer and easier this time around. The UI and aesthetic is vastly improved, with things actually making sense and elements that look lovely.
Now, there is the matter of privacy and if you would rather not use Google TV because of privacy, you can still use other streaming boxes via HDMI and skip the Google TV setup. But if you aren’t concerned about those issues, the Google TV interface is actually pretty great.
You can also set up some smart functions with Google TV, screen savers, and other Google-centric things, most of which I never use. But they are there for you. TCL also offers TCLtv, which is the company’s streaming service with a wide variety of VOD channels that also have commercials. Many TV brands have something like this, and it’s honestly, not bad. Sometimes you can find decent content on there.
The TV interface itself, for settings and other onboard navigation, is also very nice. Everything is nicely named and easy to find, and there are shortcuts to display and sound settings. It is all straightforward to take in and learn without a lot of unneeded clutter.
Overall, the software and UI is one of the best I’ve seen. Google TV has improved vastly in the past year, and TCL’s UI is easy to understand and use.
Sound Quality
Sound is one of the most important things on any TV. The TCL QM6K sports several speakers and some massive sound for this price point. The sound quality is better than average, I give them props for making this TV sound pretty great for the money you’re going to shell out.
TCL says the “DTS-HD and DTS Virtual:X makes enveloping sound that appears to emerge above, beside, and behind you, providing an immersive experience in any room.” “TCL QM6K combines the power of ONKYO’s 2.1 Ch. Hi-Fi. Immerse yourself in the captivating stereo sound and thunderous bass, capturing every detail as if you were at a live band performance. Elevate your home theater experience with unparalleled audio excellence.“
But there are some issues, the low end could be better and movies with big things happening sound a little thin. It may seem I am being harsh on the sound here, and maybe I am. But you can easily fix this by adding a decent TCL soundbar with the money you’re saving on the TCL QM6K.
My critique isn’t so much that the TCL has bad sound, it doesn’t, it just cannot handle the complexity of sound that comes from modern movies. However, this is true of any TV, really. It is difficult to make speakers that will fit into a TV enclosure and sound like a movie theater. It’s just not going to happen.
That said, the TCL QM6K does offer great sound for its class and especially for this price point. But I do think you will be better served pairing this TV up with something in the TCL soundbar range.
Overall, the sound performance is good, not fantastic, but not horrible by any means. A soundbar will improve the experience, but this is true of any TV, no matter the price.
Performance
The TCL QM6K runs on TCL’s Quantum Premium Performance AiPQ Pro processor with a 4K resolution and a 144Hz refresh rate with a max of 288Hz variable refresh rate. Let me just say, gaming looks fantastic on this TV, and console gamers are going to love this panel for this feature alone. Movies look wonderful with this refresh rate and everything just looks amazing with no judder or stutter in the picture.
When I started reviewing TVs like the TCL QM6K, many of them were using Android TV as the interface and that was hot garbage. When TCL switched to Google TV, even that had its issues and felt really laggy and slow to respond. Well, Google and the TCL seem to have gotten many bugs out of the system, and now it’s pretty spectacular. The interface is smooth and easy to navigate, downloading and installing apps is easy and hassle-free, and moving between apps was effortless.
Overall, The animations were all clean and easy on the eyes, and the performance of the display was outstanding. I really don’t have a lot to add to this section. Overall, the interface performed well and the playback and animations were flawless.
Price/Value
I mean, come on, I’ve said it over and over in this review. The price to value ratio here is near perfect. TCL is asking a fair price for the performance and feature set you get here. The TCL QM6K is well worth putting on your short list, and it could be your first 75″ or 85″ TV, since those sizes are fairly priced as well!
Wrap Up
Overall, the TCL QM6K is a fabulous 4K TV that delivers performance and a great feature set, for the price they’re asking for it. This TV is easy to unpack and setup, even the 75″ is a breeze! The 4K display with the 120Hz refresh rate makes this not only an excellent movie watching display but also perfect for gaming.
The TCL QM6K also comes with Google TV, which is miles better than previous Android TV interfaces. The sound quality is actually pretty great, again, for the price point. The performance is also spot on, for that price point. The only real complaint I have is the display brightness could be better and the off angle viewing could be better. There is also some glare in certain lighting conditions. But given the price, this is all expected.
It’s really an interesting thing. TCL made a TV that is priced perfectly and does nearly everything well enough to be a midrange TV, but not enough bad to make it not worth buying. It’s not a perfect TV, that doesn’t exist. But the TCL QM6K is a solid investment, and you are getting your money’s worth if you purchase this TV.
