TCL C8K review: Mini-LED mastery at a 'mini' price

TCL might be a less common name in the world of TV, but it's a formidable force, and half of the Chinese duo that's breaking into the elite set. Challenging the old guard such as Sony, Samsung and LG, is Hisense and TCL – brands that are no longer just "cheap and cheerful".

Eschewing OLED in favour of pouring everything into LED, TCL is breaking ground in this technology. From massive screens to budget sets packed full of tech, it's time to take the brand even more seriously – and the C8K on review here happens to be one of the best Mini-LED TVs that you can buy.

TCL's C8K is actually known as the QM8K in the USA, but it's by and large the same. It's the company's flagship TV in the UK – as the C9K is not available here, as it is in some of Europe – and it's frighteningly affordable for the tech that it packs in. Does that make it a serious mainstream contender for those looking for great picture quality without a great-big asking price?

Price & Availability

The TCL C8K was announced in March 2025, and while it launched in Europe soon after, it took its time to come to the UK – not becoming readily available until September 2025.

The 65-inch model launched at £1,599 / €1,999 / $1,699 / AU$2,999. However, the price soon dropped far lower, making it frighteningly good value for a flagship TV. Most rivals – even those less well-specified – cost far more.

If the 65-inch model (on review) is too small for your tastes/space/needs then the C8K also comes in 75-, 85- and 98-inch sizes. Yes, that's right, the 65-inch is the 'small' entry-point for this model!

What's New?

• 'ZeroBorder' design
• Increased brightness
• More dimming zones

The TCL C8K replaces the TCL C855, which was the previous flagship model, introducing a new ZeroBorder design while focusing on two major areas: dimming and brightness.

Yes, that's very much the holy grail of Mini-LED, so it seems, with brightness to boost HDR (high dynamic range) performance and cut through reflection and more dimming zones – to make sure that everything stays looking as it should.

This is really where the C8K makes its move with a new processor – the AiPQ 3.0 – having more power to do the heavy lifting and make everything look nice through processing.

Design

• Central stand design

Core to TCL's design on its premium sets is that ZeroBorder display. It's a slightly confusing concept, because the display is clearly framed by a narrow metal bezel, so at first glance it doesn't seem to make sense.

But TCL isn't talking about the frame – it doesn't have the picture-on-glass appeal of LG's C5 OLED – it's instead talking about the actual edge of the screen. Most TVs have a narrow black border between the edge of the picture and the frame of the TV – but the TCL C8K doesn't. It's a very minor point, but once you notice it, it's hard to look at other TVs because you just stare at the border.

Elsewhere, the design is a little on the hefty side. Mini-LED TVs are thick by necessity, because there is still more going on behind the picture than in an OLED TV. So the C8K is noticeably fatter than the Samsung QN90F, which is its closest big-brand rival. Some of that thickness is to accommodate the pair of rear-firing woofers, making up part of the Bang & Olufsen sound system.

The connections are all on the right-hand side (when facing the screen), while the power cable is to the left, with the option to route cables through the stand to keep things tidy.

The TCL C8K has a central stand, so it's easy to place on furniture, avoiding the sort of silly wide-legged situation seen with the Sony Bravia 8 II.

Finally, the included remote is neat, compact, not overwhelmed with buttons, and is backlit – all of which makes it a pleasure to use.

Picture Quality

• 4500 nits peak brightness
• 1680 dimming zones (65-inch)
• Dolby Vision and HDR10+ support

I was fortunate to have the TCL C8K at the same time as the Sony Bravia 8 II – Sony's flagship OLED TV – and it's remarkable how much brighter the Google TV interface is on the TCL than the Sony. That sets the theme right from the off: this TCL grabs your attention and doesn't want to let go.

This 4K Quantum Dot Mini-LED panel is a great example of the technology's brightness boosting. The cited peak brightness of the C8K is 4500 nits, but brightness isn't about retina-searing viewing, it's about having the power to make those HDR scenes pop.

There's Dolby Vision IQ, HDR10+ and HLG all offered – and for those who find Dolby Vision too dark, there's the option to switch to Dolby Vision Bright, which I prefer.

This works in the context of those 1680 dimming zones (on the 65-inch model) to reduce blooming and increase accuracy in dark handling. Compared to the best OLED TVs the difference is narrowing, rapidly.

Sure, OLED still retains mastery in darkness control over the TCL C8K, and avoids the TCL's blooming (which creeps in to a minor degree), but there's no doubting that this TV is brighter than just about every OLED out there.

There's a sometime downside to brightness though – at times it can look like the TCL is pushing a little too hard. That will come through in Standard mode where some colours don't always look as rich because they are a little too bright.

Standard mode also reveals where the TV's processing can cause more harm than good, with some textural anomalies visible. Switch to Filmmaker Mode (FMM) and, phew, those nasties are gone.

I tracked this down this aberration to the Motion Clarity settings, which I turned off – a recommended tweak for all users.

That's the takeaway about the TCL C8K's picture quality: it's bright, it's beautiful, it's very accomplished, but there's a full range of settings and a lot going on behind the scenes that you'll want to tweak to get the best picture performance.

On top of all that, this display supports 144Hz refresh rates for gamers, although only two of the four HDMI ports are the full HDMI 2.1 type – and one of those is also the eARC, limiting connections slightly, especially if adding one of the best soundbars, too.

Sound Quality

• Bang & Olufsen Beosonic system
• Dolby Atmos and DTS Virtual X support

TCL makes bold claims about the C8K's sound system, saying "better sound than Hi-Fi" on its website. I wouldn't pay much mind to that, but the sound performance from this TV is pretty good.

The form-factor of any TV will limit the performance, but as a standalone device, many will be happy with the C8K sound quality without a soundbar. That's a further cost-saver – or something to save up for later down the line.

There's support for Dolby Atmos and DTS Virtual X here, with appropriate markers appearing on the display when playing audio in Atmos or DTS formats. That's more about enriching the performance rather than giving you the immersion that a surround sound system or soundbar with rear channels would.

This 6.2.2 channel system delivers its 90W with gusto and, thanks to the woofers on the rear, there's substance and depth. It's not bass that will blow you away, but it avoids the tinny sound that some TVs deliver, while the placement of the speakers makes the sound stage a little wider than typical.

Certainly, turning the volume up to enjoy a little more cinematic immersion is well within the scope of this TV, it's just that the rewards for using an external sound system will be so much greater again. As is often the case, it's a good effort, but easily bettered.

User interface

• Google TV
• Freeview tuner

TCL makes TVs across a range of platforms, but turns to Google TV for the C8K. This offers a premium experience with an engaging user interface (UI), fully backed by all the streaming apps and services, while hooking into the Google ecosystem.

That makes it compatible with Google Home (for connected smart home devices, such as cameras), as well as Google Assistant for voice control. I found Google TV to be generally fast and smooth – and for the most part I like the interface, with the "continue watching" rail serving up a range of content from within different streaming apps.

What this TV misses out on – and UK users might want to consider this – is Freely. There's a standard Freeview tuner instead, without the luxury of enjoying cable-free broadcast TV.

The menus are layered up, with many of the controls handled by Google TV, but then breaking out into TCL's controls when it comes to picture and sound quality. It's easy enough to tweak with buttons on the remote to take you directly into the menus to make changes though.

TCL C8K review: Verdict

The TCL C8K offers flagship Mini-LED performance at a very impressive price point. As it's been out a little longer now, that's even more acute as this TV continues to drop in price.

The star of the show is the picture performance, with brightness and dimming control that closes the gap between OLED. Add to that a loaded spec sheet – 144Hz, support for all the HDR formats, a comprehensive sound loadout – and there's a lot on offer.

The C8K is likely to be updated soon (although there's no telling how long it will be until the replacement model is available to buy), but the TCL C8K – after a little settings tweaking – comes highly recommended.

Also consider

The closest rival to the TCL C8K is the Hisense U8Q. It offers a similar proposition, with great value against conventional rivals and pushing high brightness. It has the advantage of offering Freely (as it uses the VIDAA OS – Hisense's own operating system), while also being packed with a hefty sound system, powered by Devialet. Hisense boasts greater specs with a 165Hz display and three HDMI 2.1, but it's priced higher – and the picture quality isn’t as good as TCL.

The mainstream rival for the TCL C8K is the Samsung QN90F. This is Samsung's top Mini-LED TV before getting to its 8K models. Samsung's matte finish to the display eliminates reflections much more effectively, and it offers both 165Hz on all four HDMI 2.1 ports – meaning low input lag for gamers. But it's not as bright, doesn't support Dolby Vision, and has fewer dimming zones, making the picture a little less accomplished.