- TCL’s SQD mini-LED TVs get UK prices from £1,099 to £3,999
- Sizes from 55 inches to 98 inches
- We’re impressed with the technology in our first review
TCL’s premium C8L TV and its mid-range C7L TV have launched in the UK, and are priced very competitively with LG’s C-series OLED TVs.
The TVs use mini-LEDs with TCL’s new Super Quantum Dot (SQD) technology, with sizes ranging from 55 inches to 98 inches. Pricing is very aggressive, with the cheapest model costing just £1,099 and the top of the range at a still reasonable £3,999.
We’re yet to review the UK-bound TCL C8L TV. But we spent weeks testing the same technology on the US-bound TCL QM8L TV, and we’re very impressed. It delivers a bright picture, minimizes the lighting effect of LCD screens in high-contrast scenes and features effective hands-free voice control.
Why we are tempted by these televisions as the World Cup approaches
Many people will be considering buying a new TV for the World Cup, and the excellent performance of the LG C6 OLED TV will mean it’s likely to be high on option lists – but TechRadar’s TV team has discussed it, and we think for many people the TCL models will be a more tempting proposition.
Obviously, the panel technology is very different, with TCL opting for mini-LED rather than LG’s OLED. This means the TCL is very bright, although it is backlit where the LG is self-emitting.
This usually means a dramatic difference in contrast levels compared to the inky blacks of OLED, but in our review of the TCL QM8L (the UK equivalent of the TCL C8L) we were very impressed with how well it controls backlight bloom. In fact, we thought it was a pretty strong contender for our Best TVs of 2026 lineup.
The C7L model has up to 2,176 precise dimming zones and the C8L up to 4,032, and both ranges come with HDR10+, Dolby VIsion HQ and IMAX Enhanced View. Bang and Olufsen-branded audio offers 2.1 channel across the range with Atmos support.
We were also impressed by the color gamut offered by SQD technology, which is now capable of achieving the same kind of DCI-P3 HDR color gamut coverage as OLED TVs.
And brightness is a major factor: the QM8L is capable of a full-screen brightness of 760 nits, which will really help it overcome glare if you’re watching during the day. The LG C6, in comparison, hits 245 nits. Yes, the TCL can be three times brighter – you’ll really see this difference in practice.
And it all comes down to how big of a screen you can get for the price, as people are increasingly looking to buy larger TVs.
The recommended retail prices for the TCL C7L, TCL C8L and LG C6 are:
|
Size |
TCL C7L |
TCL C8L |
LG C6 |
|---|---|---|---|
|
42 inches |
N / A |
N / A |
£1,299 |
|
48 inches |
N / A |
N / A |
£1,399 |
|
55 inches |
£1,099 |
£1,199 |
£1,799 |
|
65 inches |
£1,299 |
£1,899 |
£2,599 |
|
75/77 inches |
£1,699 |
£2,299 |
£3,599 (as C6H) |
|
85/88 inches |
£2,299 |
£2,999 |
£4,799 (as C6H) |
|
98 inches |
£3,299 |
£3,999 |
N / A |
LG’s range includes two smaller sizes, but if we compare you’re looking at £1,799 for a 55-inch C6 and just £1,199 for the same-sized TCL C8L, before the inevitable retail discounts kick in.
That’s a lot of money, and if you’re planning to get a big TV in time for the World Cup, it means you could get a much bigger and even brighter TCL TV than you would with an LG OLED: the same £1,799 for the 55-inch LG would get you a 75-inch TCL C7L with cash to spare.
There are still many reasons to choose the LG OLED: we prefer its smart TV software to the Google TV used on the TCL, and the contrast of OLED is ultimately better, especially for movie buffs.
But TCL’s technology has advanced this year, and the two are on par in many ways, including having four HDMI 2.1 ports for gaming. And at these prices, we think many people will be tempted to get a larger TV for the same price.
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