Premium entry-level
It is that time of year again. New TVs are starting to drop, and TCL is at the forefront with the first TV available the day it was announced. We have not spent some time with their entry-level set for 2025 and come away impressed. The new upgrades to this year’s line are finally trickling down to the QM6K with a new HVA panel and plenty of other upgrades that make it an extremely enticing TV for those looking to save some cash. It also paves the way for their future models and what they have in store. Let’s just say if this is the entry-level of TCL’s 2025 lineup, we are in for a treat for the year.
Design
Let’s kick off with design and what’s included in the box. We reviewed the 55-inch unit for our tests and right out of the gate, this is a very light TV. The design is simple and similar to last year’s models. The bezels are minimal, and they are relatively thin. It comes with two legs that can be attached, which was a little more complicated than I had anticipated. They didn’t set into the grooves the way I expected. There is also a new remote for 2025, and to be completely transparent, I do not like it. It feels light and kind of cheap. It has angles on the sides that don’t feel great in the hand. I do like the streamlined design and of course backlit buttons for the win, but everything else just didn’t gel with me.
Much like last year’s models, the QM6K comes with four HDMI inputs. Two are 120Hz 2.1, with both capable of hitting 144Hz for PCs. The eArc port is once again on one of the 2.0 ports, which is excellent. All other TV manufacturers need to take note. Do not use up a 2.1 input for eArc, it is such a disappointment. We also have two USB ports, an ethernet port, and an ATSC 3.0 tuner, which is awesome. Even my OLED didn’t have this tuner, which is essential if you use an antenna for local broadcasting. Outside of not having four HDMI 2.1 inputs, this part of the TV is excellent.
TCL TVs now run on Google TV and much like last year, it remains mostly the same. This is an example of “if it ain’t broke…” though as Google TV is easily my favorite OS for TVs. It is fast and responsive, has all the apps I could want or need, and the quality is great. I was able to login to my Google account and pull in all my content, scan for channels, and even use the free TCL TV service which has tons of free content to watch. I still prefer Apple TV for my movie watching, but for those a little more budget conscious, Google TV is by far the best platform available.
Picture Quality
Alright, time for the meat and potatoes of the review. How does it look? When new TVs hit the market, it is sometimes hard to recommend over last year’s models, simply because those are cheaper. One thing to always note is that TVs go down in price fairly fast, and when I make comparisons to the QM6K and last year’s QM7, note that this is a positive. Comparing this one to a higher tier model means they have stepped up their game. That said, the QM6K holds its own, and even jumps above the higher models of last year. One of the biggest updates is the color accuracy. Clearly TCL learned a lot from last year, as the QM6K out of the box looks fantastic.
The color accuracy of the QM6K nearly matches the QM7 from last year. Bright highlights on most content really make this TV pop. I used it mostly in my bedroom watching movies and shows before bed, and they looked fantastic. The viewing angles are also great for an entry level TV. This is likely due to the new HVA panel. While not as good as an OLED, and for viewing angles, what is? It held its own against more expensive TVs.
HDR is also fantastic on this set. The colors pop on screen when watching 4K movies. TCL has updated their software this year to include a Filmmaker mode, which looks outstanding right out of the box. Still I spent hours tweaking my settings, I prefer a nice bright image. While the QM6K isn’t going to outperform my favorite from last year, which is the QM8, it does a decent job with its limited dimming zones. This was the case with any type of content from movies to YouTube videos. The picture quality is punching above its weight class for an entry-level TV set.
Get Your Game On
OK, so what about gaming? I spend a lot of time gaming, and TCL has done a fantastic job of supporting all the new consoles and technology. First up, they have the best game bar. I won’t be taking questions on this. It is fast, simple, and easy to use. I can add a frame counter on the screen and even zoom in on mini-maps. It is good stuff. The support here is also fantastic. As mentioned, two HDMI ports support up to 144Hz for PC gaming, and for consoles, Xbox and PS5 look fantastic, especially in HDR.
This panel can double the 144Hz to 288Hz, but I will be honest, I couldn’t feel much at that high. What I do know is that my game of choice, Overwatch, felt fantastic. The response time was superb. It also supports the usual suspects such as ALLM, Freesync Premium Pro, and VRR, which are par for the course, but also necessary. Gaming on TCL TVs just feels fantastic. It is also a bonus that I never have to worry about burn in for static images. Seriously, it cured my anxiety of not having to worry about damaging my TV or having to run a pixel shift.
Finally let’s talk about audio quality. This is one area I was simply not impressed. It sounds fine, but that is the best compliment I can pay it. Usually TCL nails the sound, at least standard TV audio, but this one just lacks anything impactful. The audio mix is just bad in most scenarios. The dialogue is clear, but everything else just sounds muffled and not dynamic at all. I recommend a sound bar with most TVs, but for this one it is a necessity.
TCL has another hit on their hands. Budget conscious people should take note. I think this will be one of the best-selling TVs this year. The value is just amazing. It also fills me with so much excitement for the QM7 and QM8 respectively. If this model is as good as the mid-tier from last year, I cannot imagine how good the other two are going to be. The new HVA panel is fantastic, the viewing angles are impressive, and everything about this TV screams the best bang for your buck. Definitely recommended for people looking for quality without having to break the bank or a second TV for the bedroom/kitchen, hey I won’t judge. I have too many TVs lying around my house, but this one has a permanent spot in one of my rooms.
Review hardware provided by manufacturer.
