- The good news: TCL launches 163-inch micro-LED for less than $40,000
- The bad: at the moment only in China, and it is also quite big
- TCL is also launching a mainstream SQD mini-LED TV in China
TCL has introduced two huge micro-LED TVs and while they are expensive, they are not as expensive as you would expect.
Micro-LEDs have been tremendously expensive to manufacture, so you would expect a 100-inch micro-LED TV to cost around $100,000. But TCL micro-LEDs are a lot cheaper than that.
As Notebookcheck reports, the more affordable of the two models, the TCL Max163M, is priced in China at 249,999 yuan. That’s around $36,375 / £27,410 / AU$51,615. The most expensive is the TCL Max163M Pro and costs 349,999 yuan, which is roughly equivalent to $50,925 / £38,375 / AU$72,259 before taxes and duties.
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These are incredibly low prices for micro-LED TVs and look like a game-changer. While we can’t assume the Chinese price will directly translate to what it would cost in the US (shipping only…), consider this: the 116-inch Hisense 116UX RGB mini-LED costs $30,000, so paying $36,000 for a 163-inch TV actually seems in line with that.
TCL micro-LED and Super Quantum Dot TVs: Key features
Both TCL Max163M TVs feature a 163-inch micro-LED display that the company says is capable of up to 10,000 nits of HDR brightness and 100% BT.2020 color gamut.
The displays are low-reflective and the smart features are powered by TCL’s Control System 3.0. The ports are four HDMI 2.1, one USB 3.0 and one USB 2.0. The Pro model has a higher refresh rate than the standard model: 4K at 120Hz. TCL hasn’t shared the specs of the other TV yet, but I guess we can assume 60Hz.
Both TVs are currently exclusive to the Chinese market and it is unclear if they will reach other markets.
Chinese customers can also purchase a new quantum dot mini-LED, the TCL Q9M Pro SQD. It will be available in sizes of 55, 65, 75, 85 and 98 inches. SQD stands for Super Quantum Dot and we just measured a version of this technology on the TCL X11L TV. The panel has a native 150Hz refresh rate that can be increased to 300Hz (presumably at a lower resolution).
It’s very similar to the previous generation, the Q9L Pro, and retains the 2.2.1-channel Onkyo sound system of its predecessor, but the panel is brighter, with TCL claiming 5000 nits compared to the Q9L Pro’s 4500. There are four HDMI 2.1 ports and Wi-Fi 6.
As with micro-LED TVs, there is no word yet on pricing or availability outside of China, but pricing in that market ranges from 6,199 yuan for the 55-inch to 19,999 yuan for the 98-inch. That’s roughly equivalent to $898 / £677 / AU$1,275, rising to $2,899 / £2,185 / AU$4,110 for the larger model.
TCL’s current X11L SQD range in the US tops out at just under $10,000 for the 98-inch model, so these new TVs could be significantly more affordable; Based on the name, it looks like it may slot above the TCL Q9M RGB TV but below the super flagship X11L.
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