- TCL’s SQD mini-LED TVs have UK prices ranging from £1,099 to £3,999
- Sizes from 55 inches to 98 inches
- We were impressed with the technology in our first review.
TCL’s premium C8L TV and its mid-range C7L TV have launched in the UK and are very competitively priced compared to LG’s C-series OLED TVs.
The TVs use mini-LEDs with TCL’s new Super Quantum Dot (SQD) technology, with sizes ranging from 55 inches to 98 inches. Pricing is very aggressive, with the cheapest model at just £1,099 and the top of the range priced at a still reasonable £3,999.
We haven’t tested the UK-focused TCL C8L TV yet. But we’ve spent weeks testing the same technology on the US-focused TCL QM8L TV and we’re very impressed. It delivers a bright image, minimizes light blooming from LCD screens in high-contrast scenes, and comes with effective hands-free voice control.
Why these televisions tempt us on the eve of the World Cup
Many people will be thinking about buying a new TV for the World Cup, and the excellent performance of the LG C6 OLED TV will mean it is likely to be high on people’s lists as an option, but TechRadar’s TV team have been discussing it and we think that for many people, the TCL models will be a more tempting proposition.
Obviously, the panel technology is very different, with TCL opting for mini-LED instead of LG’s OLED. That means the TCL is very bright, although it is backlit while the LG is self-emissive.
Typically that means a dramatic difference in contrast levels compared to the inky blacks of OLED, but in our review of the TCL QM8L (the UK equivalent of the TCL C8L) we were very impressed by how well it controlled backlighting. In fact, we thought it was a pretty strong candidate for our best TVs of 2026 lineup.
The C7L model has up to 2,176 precise dimming zones and the C8L up to 4,032, and both ranges come with HDR10+, Dolby VIsion HQ and IMAX Enhanced display. Bang and Olufsen branded audio offers 2.1 channels across the range with Atmos support.
We were also impressed with the color gamut offered by SQD technology, which can now achieve the same type of DCI-P3 HDR color gamut coverage as OLED TVs.
And brightness is an important factor: the QM8L is capable of reaching 760 nits of full-screen brightness, which will really help you overcome reflections if you’re watching during the day. The LG C6, in comparison, reaches 245 nits. Yes, the TCL can be three times brighter; you will really see that difference in practice.
And then all of this is balanced by the screen size you can get for the price, because people are increasingly looking to buy larger TVs.
The recommended retail prices for the TCL C7L, TCL C8L and LG C6 are:
|
Size |
TCL C7L |
TCL C8L |
LG C6 |
|---|---|---|---|
|
42 inches |
N/A |
N/A |
£1,299 |
|
48 inches |
N/A |
N/A |
£1,399 |
|
55 inches |
£1,099 |
£1,199 |
£1,799 |
|
65 inches |
£1,299 |
£1,899 |
£2,599 |
|
75/77 inches |
£1,699 |
£2,299 |
£3599 (as C6H) |
|
85/88 inches |
£2,299 |
£2,999 |
£4,799 (as C6H) |
|
98 inches |
£3,299 |
£3,999 |
N/A |
LG’s range includes two smaller sizes, but if we compare them against each other, you’re looking at £1,799 for a 55-inch C6 and just £1,199 for the TCL C8L of the same size, before the inevitable retail discount takes effect.
That’s a lot of money, and if you’ve been thinking about getting a big TV in time for the World Cup, that means you could get a much bigger and even brighter TCL TV than you’d get with an LG OLED – the same £1,799 for the 55-inch LG would get you a 75-inch TCL C7L with money to spare.
There are still plenty of reasons to choose the LG OLED: we prefer its Smart TV software to the Google TV used in the TCL, and the OLED’s contrast is ultimately better, especially for movie buffs.
But TCL’s technology took a step forward this year and the two are on par in many ways, including having four HDMI 2.1 ports for gaming. And at these prices, we think many people will be tempted to purchase a larger TV for the same price.
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