The new TCL mini-LED TV are there, increasingly serious competition for the OLED

When writing these lines, the OLED dominates our comparison of televisions from the point of view of image quality, especially in the high -end. That said, the mini-LED has made a notable breakthrough for one or two years and some manufacturers are starting to offer very interesting references. TCL has decided to build your game with its new mini-LED tiles that We had introduced you to CES de Las Vegas and the manufacturer has just unveiled his new C series in Paris.

The C6K, C7K, C8K and C9K models thus wear the 7th generation of QD-Mini LED from TCL, which promises even higher brightness peaks, deeper blacks, better vision angles and reduced energy consumption. We also find of course the key advantages of the mini-LD compared to the OLED: absence of burn-in, a generally more accessible cost, a maximum superior brightness to highlight HDR content, and the possibility of buying very large screens (up to 115 inches) at low prices. The emphasis was put this year on image quality more than on pure brightness gains, but here are the key points to remember on these promising technologies and these models that we have seen in Paris.

Goodbye blooming Thanks to “Halo Control”?

On the backlighting side, TCL particularly highlights three areas for improvement:

• A new type of “condensed” lenses which cover the LEDs and which deliver a more direct light beam than before
• A placement closer to LEDs compared to the LCD panel
• a decrease in the persistence of the LEDs, allowing them to pass more quickly from complete black light

The whole is supposed to reduce the effect of bloomingthis bright halo sometimes visible around clear objects on a dark background (the subtitles for example) which tarnishes the experience of viewing LCD models, especially the most entry levels. According to TCL, this new approach authorizes a more precise management of the retro enclosure areas, enough to improve the perception of contrasts, an essential element to get closer to what the OLED and its infinite contrasts offer.

HVA and quantum dow at the helm

In terms of color management, it is necessary to remember two main elements:

• First the Crystglow HVA technology that we had told you about at the time of CES which should offer a much better viewing experience. The slabs go have the reputation of offering a good contrast, but also much more limited vision angles than an IPS or OLED slab. On this point, TCL intends to move the lines with the HVA, present on the entire C range, even if the C8K and C9K will have an improved coating compared to the more entry -level models. The objective: to maintain the solid contrast that characterizes the VA, while significantly widening the angle of vision in the manner of an IPS slab. On the models we have seen in Paris, the result is quite striking with very little drift and luminous loss by watching the televisions aside.

• To a lesser extent, the improvement of the quantum dots which should offer coverage of the slightly wider colorimetric spaces, which we will not fail to check during our tests, while waiting for the RGB Mini-LED revolution.

• Small bonus for the C8K and C9K whose image becomes almost borderless thanks to the removal of the small black borders generally present inside the frame.

A Bang & Olufsen and Google Gemini audio system in reinforcement

To support these visual performance, TCL has signed a partnership with Bang & Oifsen on the audio side. We will see during our tests if the two manufacturers have gone further than a simple license, and if the speakers of the different models are actually more effective than in previous years. All the ranges will benefit from it except the C6K series which remains under Pavillion Onkyo, just like the C7K in 115 inches.

Finally, the C series also takes advantage of the recent partnership between TCL and Google to integrate the brand new Google TV Gemini. The vocal assistant therefore evolves towards a more fluid interaction, in the manner of what can be done with Gemini on a smartphone without necessarily having to repeat “Ok Google” with each intervention. The idea: ask questions to the television directly, in the form of a conversation to obtain information or modify settings of the TV on the fly.

The battle with the OLED continues

Even if the OLED retains a definite advantage thanks to its ability to completely extinguish each pixel to obtain an absolute black, the mini-LED continues its progression and can compete on other planes, starting with the brightness. The C89B tested in 2024 displayed an impressive brightness at more than 2000 cd/m² in HDR for a television sold for barely 1000 €, and it should be significantly superior this year on the C8K and C9K series in particular.

If the OLEDs like the Samsung S95F have significantly improved on the brightness side at the beginning of 2025, TCL retains a generally more aggressive price positioning: an argument of choice for many households, especially when it comes to XXL diagonals in 85, 98, or even 115 inches announced on the C7K.

On paper, these new C series therefore have everything to appear as very good value for money. There are many promises: improved contrast, record brightness, best vision angles, blooming Reduced, slabs 144 Hz, without forgetting a consumption revised downwards. As always, the final verdict will go through tests in our lab, but if TCL manages to keep its promises, this 7ᵉ generation of QD-Mini LED and its HVA panel could actually bring the mini-LED of the OLED a little more, by reducing the differences on many points.

Finally to find out the prices of all models and their prices, we send you back to our dedicated article.