This TCL QLED Is One of the Best Budget-Friendly TVs I've Ever Used

Some technical breakdowns

Before I get started, this review is going to use some fairly technical terms, so let's break them down, and why they matter.

QLED vs OLED

As stated, the biggest difference you'll notice between OLEDs and QLEDs is the price. OLEDs usually start around a grand (depending on size). The main justification for that price is the virtually infinite contrast ratio that Organic Light Emitting Diode (OLED) can produce. These TVs don’t use a backlight at all. Instead, each pixel lights up individually and can turn completely off, which gives OLEDs their signature perfect blacks (and also helps with energy consumption). The advantage of Quantum Dot Light-Emitting Diode (QLEDS) is that they still produce a good enough contrast without the downsides of OLED. Mainly, the hefty price, low brightness on some models, and the potential for burn-in.

Why Quantum Dots are important

QLEDs, like the TCL QM7, use a different technology from OLEDs. They use a layer of quantum dots—tiny nanocrystals that glow when hit with light—to boost color and brightness. This creates a vibrant and punchy image that often gets way brighter than OLED, letting you watch TV in well-lit rooms or during the day. However, the image quality is generally still inferior to OLED technology, and QLED panels still use a backlight.

What are dimming zones and VRR?

TV snobs who don't have an OLED panel are obsessed with the number of dimming zones and usually use that figure to determine which TV is best for them (if only it were that simple). Dimming zones are the specific parts of the backlight that dim the screen during dark scenes. The more you have, the better it can light up bright spots while keeping dark areas dark, making for OLED-like contrast. TVs with a low number of dimming zones can suffer from a "blooming effect," where bright stuff bleeds into the black parts of the screen.

Gamers, meanwhile, tend to care a lot about Variable Refresh Rate (VRR). This feature syncs your TV’s refresh rate with your gaming console or PC so the screen doesn’t stutter or tear during fast movements. Gamers like TVs that support VRR, since it makes their games snappier, cleaner, and just smoother overall.

TCL QM7 first impressions

The QM7 didn't make a good first impression right out of the box. The plastic build quality was poor and felt cheap and weak. However, as I got more used to the TV, I was willing to accept that these cuts were worth it in the name of value elsewhere. I would much rather have TV companies make cuts on the build than on the specs, ports, formats, or picture quality. Once my TV was set up, none of its physical aspects mattered.

Credit: Daniel Oropeza

Design

The ports on the QM7. Credit: Daniel Oropeza

Thin bezels give this TV a very modern look. The ports on the QM7 are well thought out and will make gamers happy. You have four HDMI ports, two of which are HDMI 2.1, and one of those can handle 4K at 144Hz. Neither of these two is the eARC port, meaning you also get to hook up a soundbar without taking up one of the good HDMI ports. Good job, TCL.

The "Ultra-Bass" subwoofer from Onkyo on the back of the TV. Credit: Daniel Oropeza

The stand on the QM7 is in the center, with a 3.5-inch gap below it to place a soundbar. However, I felt the stand was too wobbly, so I opted to mount the TV using a standard VESA bracket for my bedroom.

I personally recommend getting a soundbar (or surround sound setup) if you value proper audio. The QM7 comes built-in with an "Ultra-Bass" subwoofer from Onkyo, but it was nothing more than a gimmick. I could not hear any difference in audio, much less in bass, compared to any other TV.

Controller of the QM7. Credit: Daniel Oropeza

I really like the remote, though, which has an auto-sense backlight that came in pretty handy when I was looking for the controller in pitch darkness.

Image

Image looks great on a scene from "Lost." Credit: Daniel Oropeza

The two main things that stood out when I first watched the QM7 were the contrast and brightness. The contrast is powerful, with a native contrast of 8,264;1 that can get to 66,900:1 depending on your HDR format or picture mode, which is better than most non-OLED TVs. Deep blacks look very good, too, even when next to bright highlights. This is due to the QM7's abundance of local dimming zones (1,240 to be exact), which is impressive given the price of this TV.

The colors on the QM7 pop. Credit: Daniel Oropeza

This TV is also very bright, hitting up to 2,400 nits of peak brightness. This makes it a great TV for a bright living room or a bedroom with a lot of natural light, which is the case in my bedroom. The highlights in dark scenes really stand out in HDR content, and since it supports HDR10+ and Dolby Vision, I could not think of a better way to put this to the test than by re-watching the darkest episode I could think of, "The Long Night" from Game of Thrones (season 8, episode 3) on Max, which streams in 4K and with Dolby Vision.

Dark scene from Game of Thrones where you can see detail in the caves. Credit: Daniel Oropeza

I was blown away by how much detail I picked up with the QM7 that I missed the first time I watched the episode. With the QM7, I could see details in caves and fight scenes that I never saw before. Even during the darkest scenes, I could make out what was happening on the screen. There was barely any blooming on the scenes with fire or bright highlights against dark backgrounds (even the subtitles looked good).

Another dark scene from Game of Thrones that looks great. Credit: Daniel Oropeza

The image isn't perfect though, since some black and shadow images do look overly bright (you can fix a lot of this in the settings using the "local dimming enabled" option, though). But overall, it does a great job in most cases, especially in HDR content.

Since this is still a VA panel rather than an OLED one, it does lose some detail and color saturation at certain viewing angles, but it's not terrible. I could still enjoy the details, colors, and brightness sitting from the most extreme angles.

Glare is very noticeable on dark scenes Credit: Daniel Oropeza

Reflections can be problematic on the QM7, but mostly when I was watching dark scenes with my my overhead fan light on and the windows open during the brightest time of the day. When I switched over to bright scenes with the same amount of bright light in my room, the glare was barely noticeable.

Glare is barely noticeable on bright scenes Credit: Daniel Oropeza

Features

TCL is one of the TV brands that isn't loyal to one specific HDR format, so you get to enjoy all of them (if your TCL TV can support them). The QM7 offers HDR ULTRA with Dolby Vision IQ, HDR10+, HDR10, and HLG, covering most of the formats used in premium streaming app subscriptions these days. The HDR Ultra with Dolby Vision IQ adjusts the brightness of the light in your room, which can be a cool feature for those who are sensitive to brightness, but I personally don't enjoy it, so I turned it off.

Google TV

The hands-free Google Assistant is responsive and works better than my aging Google Home. Because this is a Google TV, it is compatible with Google Cast, but it's always great to see that it supports others like Apple AirPlay, Alexa, and Apple HomeKit, too.

Google TV Freeplay menu. Credit: Daniel Oropeza

The Google TV OS is also snappy and easy on the eyes. It also comes with many free channels through TCL TV and live Google TV Freeplay. You won't find the latest shows or movies playing—it's mainly reruns or local live TV—but it's free.

Gaming

The Xbox Series X/S is the only console that does Dolby Vision HDR (for now), so your results may vary, but my experience playing on this TV was one of the best I've had. Using the 4K and 120Hz refresh rate option (you can do 144Hz if your computer supports it) in game mode was beautiful (remember you'll need an Ultra High-Speed HDMI cable to do this). The colors are radiant, the movements smooth, and the input lag isn't noticeable (6 milliseconds). My only qualm is with the sound delay. When playing games like Halo Infinite or Call of Duty: Black Ops, there is a noticeable delay when shots are fired and when the sound is heard. This can likely be fixed if you hook up a soundbar and adjust the audio delay settings, but I didn't see an option to adjust this with the TVs built-in speakers.

Halo Infinite on the QM7. Credit: Daniel Oropeza

I also enjoyed having the "information" button on the remote, which shows me if I am actually gaming with the Game Master setting on, which optimizes the resolution, refresh rate, FreeSync or G-Sync VRR settings, and the HDR format (Dolby Vision in my case). You can see what it looks like in the image above.

Bottom line

Credit: Daniel Oropeza

The QM7 is an incredible QLED TV with great value for the money. It is incredibly bright, reaching highs of up to 2,400 nits, has a powerful contrast that makes colors pop while keeping deep darks and very minimal blooming. The up to 1,240 local dimming zones make this TV one of the best value options for picture quality for non-OLEDs. Watching movies or shows is great with HDR support from the most used formats for streaming media. With four HDMI ports, all of which can get 4k, and one of which can support VRR and up to 144Hz (separate from the eARC), gamers also have plenty of ports to use multiple consoles or products at once. If you're willing to look past the cheap plastic build and wobbly stand (mount it and forget it) this is an incredible budget QLED for the money. You can find the 65-inch for under $700, making it a very competitive TV in the mid-tier TV market.

Specs

• Type: QLED with QD-Mini LED technology

• Dimming Zones: Up to 1,240 local dimming zones

• Brightness: Up to 2,400 nits peak brightness

• Ports: 4 HDMI inputs (One 4K/144Hz, one 4K/120Hz, one 4K/60Hz, and one eARC/ARC with 4K/60Hz), 2 USB ports (one USB 3.0 and one USB 2.0), 1 Ethernet port, 1 Digital Audio Optical output, 1 Antenna/cable input, 1 RF Input, 1 Headphone output, 1 AV Input (Composite Video + L&R Audio In)

• Screen Size and Weight: 55-inch model: 28.9 lbs (13.1 kg), 65-inch model: 45.9 lbs (20.8 kg), 75-inch model: 63.1 lbs (28.6 kg), 85-inch model: 81.6 lbs (37 kg), 98-inch model: 130.1 lbs (59 kg)

• Resolution: 4K Ultra HD (3840 x 2160 pixels)

• HDR Support: HDR ULTRA with Dolby Vision IQ, HDR10+, HDR10, and HLG

• Input Lag: Low input lag, enhanced by features like Auto Low Latency Mode (ALLM) and AMD FreeSync Premium Pro, providing a responsive gaming experience.

• Refresh Rate: 120Hz native panel refresh rate, supporting up to 144Hz Variable Refresh Rate (VRR)

• Contrast: Enhanced contrast with 1,240 local dimming zones, delivering deep blacks and bright whites

• Voice Assistant: Built-in Google Assistant; also compatible with Amazon Alexa and Apple HomeKit

• Operating System: Google TV