TCL, the Chinese electronics manufacturer, is gearing up to launch a series of QLED TVs in the United States, featuring Amazon’s Fire TV built-in for the first time. The company had previously announced its plans to adopt Google TV in its models, and in 2022, TCL 4K Google TVs finally made their way to the market.
Expanding on its range of premium Google TV models unveiled earlier this year, TCL introduces the new Q6 series, available in 55-inch, 65-inch, and 75-inch variants. True to TCL’s reputation, these TVs offer affordability, with prices starting as low as $450.
Until recently, TCL TVs were primarily associated with Roku’s smart TV platform, while Roku streaming devices were often paired with TCL TVs. However, TCL has now ended its exclusive partnership with Roku and is exploring other smart TV providers in the US market.
The Q6 series, powered by Amazon’s Fire TV, boasts QLED technology with 4K resolution and a 60Hz refresh rate. TCL’s Motion Rate 120 technology enhances motion clarity, delivering an effective motion rate of 120Hz through a combination of signal processing and backlight scanning. The TVs feature 4K upscaling for lower-resolution content and support native decoding of HEVC and AV1 video formats.
With support for Dolby Vision, HDR10/10+, and HLG, the new TCL TVs deliver impressive visual quality. However, as these TVs utilize direct backlighting instead of full-array local dimming, their HDR performance may not match that of top-tier QLED TVs. Some blooming might be noticeable in darker rooms due to limited control over darker areas. For optimal audio experience, investing in one of the best soundbars is recommended, as the built-in Dolby Atmos audio system is typical of budget TVs.
Connectivity options on the new TCL TVs are decent, unless you require ultimate gaming performance. The HDMI ports are HDMI 2.0, and features like Auto Low Latency Mode (ALLM) and enhanced Audio Return Channel (eARC) are available. Additionally, apart from the Fire TV system integration, the TVs also support Apple’s AirPlay 2 but do not offer Google Cast functionality.
Considering the specifications offered at their respective price points, it’s hard to find fault with the TCL Q6 series. Even the most expensive model, the 75-inch variant, comes in at a modest $799.99, while the 65-inch variant is priced $200 lower at $599.99. These TVs provide excellent value for money, and the Fire TV interface offers user-friendly and intuitive navigation. TCL seems to have another potential winner on its hands with this latest offering.
