TCL’s Flagship TV: A Premium Challenger at $7,000+
▼ Summary
– The TCL X11L SQD-Mini LED TV is exceptionally bright and vibrant, delivering the highest peak brightness the reviewer has measured and remarkably realistic colors.
– It represents a significant advancement in mini-LED technology, using blue LEDs with super quantum dots for wide color gamut and offering the best blooming control the reviewer has seen on a mini-LED TV.
– The TV features a high-end design with a solid metal frame and a powerful, clear B&O audio system that includes front-firing speakers and built-in subwoofers.
– While its Filmmaker mode is highly accurate, the TV exhibits a minor, gradual decrease in grayscale accuracy over several hours of use, though this is not noticeable during normal viewing.
– Despite its impressive performance, the TV is very expensive, and the reviewer suggests waiting to see how it compares to upcoming RGB LED TVs and for its price to potentially drop later in the year.
Having spent considerable time with the TCL X11L SQD-Mini LED TV in a real-world setting, it’s clear this is a display engineered to compete at the absolute peak of the television market. The most immediate impression is its staggering brightness and color performance, which combine to create one of the most lifelike and vibrant viewing experiences available. Skin tones, natural landscapes, and cinematic visuals appear with a realism that challenges even the best OLEDs. However, this flagship ambition comes with a flagship price tag, with the 75-inch model starting at $7,000, making it a significant investment.
While much of the industry’s focus is shifting toward new RGB LED technology, TCL has chosen to refine its mini-LED approach for this top-tier model. The X11L utilizes a blue LED backlight system enhanced with super quantum dots (SQD) and an advanced color filter, a combination that delivers the widest color gamut measured on a mini-LED screen to date. This proven technology offers exceptional performance without the potential color crosstalk issues that may affect first-generation RGB LED sets. The design also marks a step up for TCL, featuring a sleek, uniform metal chassis barely an inch deep and a premium B&O audio system with integrated subwoofers for powerful, clear sound.
In terms of picture accuracy, Filmmaker mode provided the best performance during testing. Grayscale tracking was excellent, with a minor tendency to crush near-black details. A simple adjustment, increasing the brightness setting from the default 50 to 70, resulted in near-perfect tracking of the EOTF curve. While not quite matching the absolute grayscale accuracy of an LG G5 OLED, it is comparable to the Sony Bravia 9 mini-LED, all while achieving significantly higher peak brightness. Speaking of brightness, the X11L’s capability is extraordinary. In its most accurate Filmmaker mode, it measured over 8,800 nits on a 5% window with settings maximized, far surpassing other high-end models.
For everyday viewing, such extreme brightness is unnecessary. A more comfortable setting involved lowering the brightness to 70 with local contrast at medium. A fantastic quality-of-life feature is the inclusion of dedicated brightness and picture mode buttons on the side of the backlit remote, allowing for instant adjustments, a small but deeply appreciated touch. It’s worth noting that during extended testing periods, minor drift in the red channel of the grayscale was observed over several hours, though this subtle shift was not perceptible during normal content viewing.
Where the X11L truly shines is with actual movies and shows. Scenes from Mad Max: Fury Road were dazzling, with brilliant explosions against dark desert skies. The blooming control is the best seen on a mini-LED TV, creating sharp separation between bright highlights and adjacent black areas, narrowing the performance gap with OLED. For sports, the dedicated Sports mode was too blue, but using Filmmaker mode with motion compensation set to low provided smooth, natural-looking action for football and figure skating without the soap-opera effect.
The Google TV interface runs smoothly, with apps like Netflix and HBO Max launching quickly. As a gaming display, the X11L is also superb, supporting 4K/144Hz, VRR, and ALLM with no noticeable input lag or screen tearing during fast-paced titles like Forza Horizon 5. The integrated B&O sound system delivers clear dialogue and surprisingly robust bass, eliminating the immediate need for a soundbar for many users.
The central question for potential buyers is one of timing and technology. With a wave of RGB LED TVs promised for later this year, committing to a $7,000 mini-LED TV now feels like a calculated risk. TCL’s decision to champion a refined mini-LED platform suggests RGB LED may not yet be the definitive successor. Furthermore, TCL televisions are known for substantial price reductions as the model year progresses. Last year’s flagship 85-inch model saw a price drop of over 60%. If the X11L follows a similar trajectory, bringing its cost closer to competitors like the Sony Bravia 9, it becomes an exceptionally compelling option. For those seeking the pinnacle of brightness and color performance today, the X11L is a spectacular achievement. For the patient shopper, waiting to see both the RGB LED landscape and the X11L’s price later in the year might be the wiser move.
(Source: The Verge)
