TCL C8L 55-inch SQD-Mini LED (55C8L) review
Best for: Most living rooms · Mid-range
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Pros
- Very bright, colourful picture
- Both Dolby Vision and HDR10+
- Four 48Gbps HDMI 2.1 inputs, 144Hz
- Bang & Olufsen-tuned 2.1.2 sound
Cons
- Glossy-leaning screen in bright rooms
- Fewer dimming zones than the 65-inch C8L
- Eco picture settings need switching off for best brightness
Full review
TCL's C8L is the brand's premium Mini LED for 2026 in the UK and Ireland, using what TCL calls Super Quantum Dots (SQD) to widen the colour range. It replaces the 2025 C8K and sits above the C7L in TCL's line-up.
TCL's pages list four HDMI 2.1 inputs, all at 48Gbps, with 4K 144Hz, VRR, ALLM and Dolby Vision gaming. The UK page also adds a 288Hz Game Accelerator mode at 1080p for PC gamers. Unusually, it supports both Dolby Vision (including IQ) and HDR10+, and TCL says Dolby Vision 2 will follow in a future update.
There are a few things to bear in mind. TCL does not describe a premium anti-glare coating, so treat it as a screen for rooms where you can manage lamps and windows. The eco-style default picture settings are designed to save power, so switch them off if you want the full brightness. The Bang & Olufsen 2.1.2 speaker system is a step above most TV speakers, but a soundbar will still add bass.
The 55-inch is the odd one out in the range: TCL's UK page gives it 1,008 dimming zones and a claimed 3,000 nits, well below the bigger sizes, which narrows the gap to the cheaper C7L. Some UK retailers quote the range-topping 4,032 zones and 6,000 nits for this size, so trust TCL's figures.
Full specifications
| Screen size | 55 inch |
|---|---|
| Panel type | SQD-Mini LED LCD (1,008 zones) |
| Max refresh rate | 144 Hz (288Hz at 1080p) |
| HDR formats | Dolby Vision, Dolby Vision IQ, HDR10+, HDR10, HLG |
| HDMI 2.1 ports | 4 (all 48Gbps) |
| VRR / ALLM / G-Sync / FreeSync | VRR, ALLM, FreeSync Premium Pro, Dolby Vision gaming |
| Picture processor | TSR AiPQ |
| Built-in sound | Bang & Olufsen 2.1.2, Dolby Atmos, DTS:X |
| Smart platform | Google TV |
| Voice assistants | Google Assistant / Gemini, works with Alexa |
| eARC | Yes |
| Resolution | 4K (3840 x 2160) |
| Size without stand (W x H x D) | 1226 x 710 x 56 mm |
| Weight without stand | 13.3 kg |
| VESA wall mount | 300 x 300 |
| Year | 2026 |
| Model code | 55C8L |
| UK model code | 55C8L-UK |
| Peak brightness (TCL claim) | 3,000 nits |
| US availability | Sold as the QM8L in the US |
Spec check note: TCL's UK page gives 1,008 zones and up to 3,000 nits for the 55-inch; Euronics UK quotes 4,032 zones and 6,000 nits, which TCL ties only to the 85 and 98-inch sizes. Euronics lists 14.5 kg; other listings give 13.3 kg without stand, which we use. TCL does not publish audio power; retailer figures vary.
Specifications checked against: TCL UK product page (55C8L)
How it compares with its rivals
| Feature | TCL C8L 55-inch SQD-Mini LED (55C8L) | TCL C7L 55-inch SQD-Mini LED (55C7L) | Hisense UR8S 55" RGB Mini LED (55UR8STUK) | Sony Bravia 7 II 55" True RGB (K-55XR75M2) | Samsung QN80H 55" Neo QLED (QE55QN80H) | Samsung M80H 55" Mini LED (UE55M80H) | Hisense U7S 55" Mini LED (55U7STUK) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Best for | Most living rooms | Best value Mini LED | RGB colour with top gaming spec | Natural colour, Sony processing | Gaming on a mid-range budget | Cheapest Samsung Mini LED | Budget gaming with both HDR formats |
| Price band | Mid-range | Mid-range | Upper mid-range | Upper mid-range | Mid-range | Budget | Budget |
| Screen size | 55 inch | 55 inch | 55 inch | 55 inch | 55 inch | 55 inch | 55 inch |
| Panel type | SQD-Mini LED LCD (1,008 zones) | SQD-Mini LED LCD (800 zones) | LCD, RGB Mini LED (zones not published) | LCD, True RGB Mini LED (zones not published) | Mini LED LCD (Neo QLED) | Mini LED LCD | Mini LED LCD (ULED) |
| Max refresh rate | 144 Hz (288Hz at 1080p) | 144 Hz (288Hz at 1080p) | 180 Hz | 120 Hz | 144 Hz (100Hz native) | 144 Hz (100Hz native) | 144 Hz |
| HDR formats | Dolby Vision, Dolby Vision IQ, HDR10+, HDR10, HLG | Dolby Vision, Dolby Vision IQ, HDR10+, HDR10, HLG | Dolby Vision 2, Dolby Vision IQ, HDR10+ Adaptive, HDR10, HLG | Dolby Vision, HDR10, HLG (no HDR10+) | HDR10+ (Adaptive, Gaming), HDR10, HLG (no Dolby Vision) | HDR10+, HDR10, HLG (no Dolby Vision) | Dolby Vision IQ, HDR10+ Adaptive, HDR10, HLG |
| HDMI 2.1 ports | 4 (all 48Gbps) | 2 (of 4 HDMI) | 4 | 2 | 4 (4K 144Hz on all) | 3 (4K 120Hz VRR; 144Hz from PC) | 4 (VRR listed on HDMI 4) |
| VRR / ALLM / G-Sync / FreeSync | VRR, ALLM, FreeSync Premium Pro, Dolby Vision gaming | VRR, ALLM, FreeSync Premium Pro | VRR 180Hz, ALLM, Dolby Vision and HDR10+ gaming | VRR (HDMI 3/4), ALLM | VRR, ALLM, FreeSync Premium Pro, HGiG | VRR, ALLM, FreeSync Premium, HGiG | VRR 144Hz, ALLM (FreeSync Premium Pro per retailer) |
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