ZDNET’s key takeaways
- The TCL QM7K (65-inch) is on sale for $999 ($500 off).
- It has distinctive distinction and excellent glare resistance, plus AI options and gaming boosts.
- The setup course of for this beautiful-looking TV is tedious.
extra shopping for decisions
jun / 2025
Proper now you may get the 98-inch QM7K for $2,800 at Walmart. That is $1,200 off!
Not too long ago, I took a take a look at this yr’s base-level Mini-LED set from TCL, the QM6K. After spending a while with its higher-end sibling, the TCL QM7K, I instantly seen some developments over the lesser mannequin, nevertheless it’s as much as you whether or not it is value the additional price (of about $500 extra).
Here is the breakdown after testing it for 3 weeks, together with private observations, lab-tested outcomes, and my definitive shopping for recommendation.
Unboxing and setup
Pretty much as good because the QM7K appears to be like as soon as it is powered up and operating, one among my complaints with the higher-end mannequin is a matter of design reasonably than efficiency, so I am going to get my gripes out of the way in which first. Merely put, I used to be shocked at how troublesome it was to connect the bottom to the monitor, particularly as a result of establishing the QM6K was easy-peasy.
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Maybe aiming for magnificence, TCL opted to make this mannequin’s stand a central pedestal as an alternative of two disparate toes. The issue is, it isn’t straightforward to connect in any respect. The pedestal is definitely composed of three elements you may should puzzle collectively involving twelve screws. The fast-start directions did not visually match the bodily product, and the cable administration clips famous in that little booklet had been lacking.
Whereas metallic plates are built-in into the underside piece, the vast majority of the stand is manufactured from plastic, and I came upon the laborious manner that this plastic just isn’t scratch-resistant. It has a form of laterally brushed plastic look, and simply by utilizing a screwdriver to place the factor collectively, I by accident marred the bottom with a number of indelible marks.
All in all, it took about 45 minutes to arrange this 65-inch mannequin after screwing collectively the stand, connecting to Wi-Fi, and letting the TV’s OS run by means of updates. Your mileage could differ.
Navigating the TV OS
As famous with the QM6K, TCL has consolidated with Google TV to energy most, if not all, of its newest units. Each 2025 mannequin now runs on Google’s OS with built-in Chromecast and entry to all the standard streaming apps like Apple TV, Hulu, and Netflix, and I am a fan.
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After establishing Google TV (which would require you to just accept a couple of disclaimers), the TCL House app, and the AirPlay app for connecting Apple gadgets, you may get the standard aesthetic choices like utilizing your saved photographs because the wallpaper. There is a wholesome number of personalization options to customise the house display, with simply sufficient algorithmic recommendations to spark curiosity.
Fingers-free operation is on the market by means of Google Assistant — you may be acquainted with the “Hey Google” immediate — which I’ve at all times discovered to be, properly, helpful. And whereas perusing by means of the settings, I seen that ACR (automated content material recognition) was defaulted to the off place. Good.
Efficiency and testing
Earlier than even turning on the QM7K, the very first thing that struck me was its shiny, mirror-like display. That is particularly noticeable compared with the extra matte-finish QM6K display.
Once I did flip it on, I tuned into some NFL highlights on YouTube with our studio lights blazing. The image was wealthy with coloration and brilliant sufficient to cancel out any overhead illumination. (I may see why TCL likes to function soccer gamers on display in its advertising.) Regardless of its shiny look — or maybe due to it — the display’s black ranges remained impressively deep even in brighter circumstances.
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Then we ran some lab assessments in our pitch-black testing room to evaluate HDR evaluation. In Filmmaker mode, the QM7K leaned disproportionately towards blue for multipoint grayscale and peak luminance. But, to my bare eye, I discovered the Filmmaker mode to be dimmer and type of “browned out.”
Switching to Cinema mode, the display merely regarded higher, and the multipoint grayscale and peak luminance assessments for RGB coloration evaluation had been way more balanced and more true to expectations.
Along with the elevated variety of dimming zones (over the QM6K) is the mixing of TCL’s “CrystGlow” excessive vertical alignment (HVA) panel. HVA panels are identified for superior distinction ratios and broad viewing angles. The QM7K lives as much as this, though my eyes could not detect the distinction from that of the QM6K. In idea, the “CrystGlow” designation signifies an enhancement to the panel’s mild transmission or reflective properties, which contribute to improved brightness, coloration accuracy, and black uniformity.
TCL is pleased with its Halo Management system, which I can attest minimizes blooming very successfully. When operating by means of the standard battery of visible assessments (soiled display impact check/banding, subtitle blooming, movement smoothness of scrolling textual content), I used to be as glad with the outcomes of the QM7K as I used to be with the QM6K.
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This could come as no shock, given the upgraded construct and corresponding value level of this mannequin. Conversely, nevertheless, this does make me surprise if the midrange mannequin is value the additional price.
Lastly, I ought to point out the audio improve from an Onkyo 2.1 system to a Bang & Olufsen audio setup, with two backfiring 10-watt audio system and a 20-watt subwoofer that helps Dolby Atmos, DTS Digital:X, and DTS:X. Translation? It would not sound significantly better than the QM6K so far as I can inform (or hear), so I’d nonetheless suggest pairing the QM7K with a very good soundbar for one of the best audio expertise.
ZDNET’s shopping for recommendation
So, who can purchase the TCL QM7K? From my testing, it is an incredible choose for customers trying to improve their present finances/midrange TV, because the QM7K’s QD Mini LED know-how ought to yield essentially the most noticeable advantages. Most patrons will likely be glad with the incredible coloration replica and HDR efficiency (which a variety of content material tends to help now), all underscored by a user-friendly Google TV interface.
That mentioned, save for the engineering upgrades centered round image high quality, the lesser-priced TCL QM6K has almost equivalent specs because the TCL QM7K. And for extra folks, you could not discover the visible discrepency until you are viewing each TVs aspect by aspect.
In mild of these items, I would not rush out to seize a QM7K till the inevitable low cost comes alongside. In actual fact, proper now, the 65-inch mannequin I examined is already obtainable on Amazon for $500 off. In the event you can rating a deal on the inferior QM6K mannequin, that may be an excellent sweeter buy.
TCL QM7K’s tech specs
- 144Hz Native Refresh Charge
- 4 HDMI inputs (one with eARC)
- 4K UltraHD Decision
- Apple AirPlay 2
- Audio by BANG & OLUFSEN
- Auto Recreation Mode (ALLM) with AMD FreeSync Premium Professional
- Bluetooth Private Audio
- CrystGlow HVA Panel
- Dolby Atmos Audio
- DTS Digital:X
- Recreation Accelerator 288
- Google Chromecast Constructed-in
- Google TV Sensible OS with Fingers-Free Voice Management and Backlit Voice Distant
- HDR ULTRA with Dolby Imaginative and prescient IQ, HDR10+, HDR10, & HLG
- Excessive HDR2600 Brightness
- IMAX Enhanced Certification
- Movement Charge 480 with MEMC Body Insertion
- QD-Mini LED
- TCL AIPQ PRO Processor
- TCL Halo Management System
- LD2500 Exact Dimming
- Wi-Fi 5
- Works with: Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant, Apple HomeKit
The TCL QM7K deserves an Editors’ Alternative as a result of this QD Mini-LED show delivers gorgeous brightness and spectacular distinction on par with OLED TVs at a much more accessible value. This mannequin is a step down from TCL’s 2025 flagship, the QM8K. However, it is ZDNET’s alternative as a result of it is merely a greater worth in that it provides a stunning image and near all of the options of the flagship for about $1,200 much less.
Present extra
This text was initially printed on Might 7, 2025, and was up to date on June 23, 2025.
