Walk into any big-box retailer and you’ll see them. Massive screens, glowing with "Mini-LED" stickers, priced at about half of what Sony or Samsung is asking for the same size. You probably wonder the same thing everyone else does: Are TCL TVs any good, or am I just buying a giant paperweight that’ll die in two years?
Honestly, the answer has changed a lot lately.
Back in the day, TCL was the "budget" brand you bought for a guest room or a college dorm. You didn't expect much beyond a picture that moved. But heading into 2026, the landscape looks wildly different. TCL isn't just a budget player anymore; they’re actually the ones pushing the tech envelope in areas where the "big three" have gotten a bit lazy.
The Mini-LED Revolution and Why It Actually Matters
You've likely heard the buzzword "Mini-LED." It sounds like marketing fluff, but for TCL, it’s basically their entire identity now. While brands like LG have spent a decade perfecting OLED, TCL decided to bet the farm on making standard LED screens look almost as good for a fraction of the price.
They do this by using thousands of tiny lights behind the screen instead of a few dozen big ones.
Take the TCL QM8 series, for example. This thing is a beast. In recent testing, these panels have been hitting peak brightness levels of 4,500 nits. To put that in perspective, a standard OLED often struggles to hit 1,000. If you have a living room with massive windows and zero light control, an OLED will look like a mirror during a Sunday afternoon football game. The TCL, however, will basically outshine the sun.
But it’s not just about being bright. The new Halo Control technology they’ve introduced helps eliminate that annoying "blooming" effect. You know, when you see a white subtitle on a black background and there’s a weird glow around the letters? TCL has gotten scary good at minimizing that. Is it perfect like an OLED? No. But for most people watching The Mandalorian in a dim room, the difference is becoming negligible.
Reliability: Will It Actually Last?
This is the big elephant in the room. You’ll find plenty of horror stories on Reddit about a TCL dying after 14 months.
Here is the reality. According to recent 2026 longevity studies from outlets like RTINGS, TCL's failure rates aren't actually higher than Samsung or Hisense. In fact, in some accelerated stress tests, TCL units actually outlasted several premium models from the "old guard" that suffered from power supply failures.
However, there is a "panel lottery" element. Because TCL manufactures so many screens—they literally make the panels for many other brands—their quality control can occasionally slip on the entry-level models.
Pro Tip: If you're buying a TCL, especially a larger 75-inch or 85-inch model, buy it from a place like Costco. The extra year of warranty and the easy return policy basically erase the "budget brand" risk.
The Gaming Secret Nobody Talks About
Gamers are usually told to buy LG OLEDs. And yeah, those are great. But TCL has been quietly eating their lunch in the mid-range gaming market.
Most of their 2026 Q-series sets now support 144Hz refresh rates natively. If you’re a PC gamer or someone lucky enough to have a next-gen console, that’s a big deal. They’ve also integrated a "Game Master" menu that lets you see your actual FPS (frames per second) and adjust black details so you can see campers in the shadows of Call of Duty.
The lag is virtually non-existent now. We're talking sub-10ms input lag in Game Mode. For a TV that costs $600, that’s borderline insane.
The Software: Google TV vs. Roku
TCL is one of the few brands that gives you a choice, though they are leaning hard into Google TV lately.
- Roku TV: This is for your parents. It’s simple, it has big buttons, and it just works. It’s found mostly on their "S" series (the cheap ones).
- Google TV: This is the "smart" one. It’s better at recommending shows and has a much more modern interface. It’s also a bit more demanding on the processor.
One thing to watch out for: The cheaper TCL models sometimes have underpowered processors. This means the menus can feel "janky" or laggy after a year of use. If you notice your TV getting slow, don't throw it away. Just buy a $30 4K streaming stick, plug it into the HDMI port, and use that instead of the built-in software. The screen is still great; the "brain" just needs an upgrade.
The "Art TV" and Ultra-Large Screens
TCL has also started chasing the "lifestyle" market. They have their own version of Samsung’s "The Frame" now, called the TCL NXTFRAME. It’s got a matte screen that doesn't reflect light and looks like actual canvas when it's showing art. It’s significantly cheaper than the Samsung version, though the art library isn't quite as polished yet.
And then there’s the size. TCL is currently dominating the 98-inch and 115-inch market. If you want a screen that covers your entire wall, TCL is often the only brand that makes it affordable. Their 115-inch QM89 is basically a home cinema in a box. You’d have to spend $20k+ to get that size from a premium brand, whereas TCL puts it within reach of a (very dedicated) hobbyist's budget.
💡 You might also like: Why the google logo black and white looks different during times of mourning
Where TCL Still Struggles
It’s not all sunshine and rainbows. If you’re a film purist, you might notice that TCL’s motion processing isn't quite as smooth as Sony’s. Sony has this "secret sauce" in their processors that makes 24fps movies look cinematic without looking like a soap opera. TCL is getting closer, but they still have a tendency to over-brighten certain scenes, which can wash out the "mood" a director intended.
Also, the viewing angles on their VA panels (the type of screen they use for high contrast) aren't amazing. If you’re sitting way off to the side on a sectional sofa, the colors will look a bit "shimmered" or faded compared to an OLED.
Actionable Buying Advice for 2026
If you're trying to decide if a TCL is right for you, follow these three rules:
- Skip the S-Series if you care about picture. The S3 and S4 models are fine for a kitchen or a kid's room, but they lack the brightness for a real movie experience. Start your search at the QM6 or QM7.
- The QM8 is the "Sweet Spot." This is the model that actually competes with $2,000 TVs from other brands. It has the local dimming zones required to make HDR content actually pop.
- Check for "Open Box" deals. Because TCL sells in such high volume at stores like Best Buy, you can often find "Open Box Excellent" units for 30% off. Since TCLs are already cheap, this can get you a 65-inch Mini-LED for the price of a fancy dinner.
Basically, if you want the absolute best motion processing and the status of a legacy brand, keep saving for a Sony. But if you want a massive, bright, punchy screen that handles gaming like a pro and won't make your bank account weep, TCL is more than "any good"—it’s probably the smartest buy on the market right now.