TCL C8L 85" SQD-Mini LED (85C8L) review
Best for: Brightest picture and big sound ยท Upper mid-range
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Pros
- Up to 6,000 nits peak brightness stated by TCL
- All major HDR formats including Dolby Vision and HDR10+
- 240 W Bang & Olufsen tuned sound system
- Four HDMI 2.1 ports with eARC
Cons
- TCL's smart platform and updates are less proven than rivals
- Heavy at 34.1 kg without the stand
- Peak brightness figure is the manufacturer's claim
Full review
The C8L is the specification leader of this group on paper. TCL's page lists up to 6,000 nits peak brightness for the 85 and 98-inch sizes, 3,200 Precise Dimming Zones, and a 144 Hz native panel. A retailer listing adds support for Dolby Vision, Dolby Vision IQ, HDR10+, HDR10 and HLG, so it supports all the main HDR formats, which the Samsung does not.
The gaming list is strong, with four HDMI 2.1 ports, VRR, ALLM and FreeSync Premium Pro, plus a 288 Hz VRR mode when connected to a 288 Hz source. Built-in sound is a big selling point too. The retailer listing gives 240 W RMS with Bang & Olufsen tuning, Dolby Atmos and DTS:X, which is far more than the Samsung's 30 W and may mean you can skip a soundbar. eARC is supported.
Google TV with Gemini is the smart platform, and the tuner list covers DVB-C, DVB-S2 and DVB-T2. The practical points to note are the 34.1 kg weight and the 600 x 500 mm VESA pattern. TCL's brand has a shorter record than Samsung or Sony, so update support is worth checking. The brightness figures are manufacturer claims, not measurements. For a bright living room, it offers a lot of screen for the money.
Full specifications
| Screen size | 85 inch |
|---|---|
| Panel / backlight | SQD-Mini LED (WHVA 2.0 Ultra panel) |
| Local dimming | 3,200 dimming zones |
| Refresh rate | 144 Hz native |
| HDR formats | Dolby Vision, Dolby Vision IQ, HDR10+, HDR10, HLG |
| HDMI ports | 4 (HDMI 2.1) |
| VRR / ALLM | VRR, ALLM, FreeSync Premium Pro (288 Hz VRR from a 288 Hz source) |
| Picture processor | TCL AiPQ Pro |
| Built-in sound | 240 W RMS, Dolby Atmos, DTS:X, Bang & Olufsen |
| Smart platform | Google TV (with Gemini) |
| Voice assistants | Google Assistant, Alexa, Siri |
| eARC | Yes |
| TV tuner | DVB-C, DVB-S2, DVB-T2 |
| Size without stand (W x H x D) | 1880 x 1073 x 53 mm |
| Weight without stand | 34.1 kg |
| VESA wall mount | 600 x 500 mm |
| Year | 2026 |
Spec check note: TCL's page did not load its specification tab, so dimming zones, brightness, panel, refresh rate, Google TV and Gemini come from the page text, and the remaining figures from the Mark's Electrical listing. Other retailers gave different panel names and dimensions, so these figures could vary slightly by region.
Specifications checked against: TCL UK product page (85C8L), Mark's Electrical listing (85C8L-UK)
How it compares with its rivals
| Feature | TCL C8L 85" SQD-Mini LED (85C8L) | Samsung QN80H 85" Neo QLED (QE85QN80H) | Sony Bravia 7 II 85" True RGB (K-85XR75M2) | Hisense U7S 85" ULED Mini LED (85U7STUK) | Samsung Q7F 85" QLED (QE85Q7F) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Best for | Brightest picture and big sound | Bright living rooms and gaming | Film fans with a big budget | Big screen on a smaller budget | The lowest-tier 85-inch screen |
| Price band | Upper mid-range | Upper mid-range | Premium | Mid-range | Budget |
| Screen size | 85 inch | 85 inch | 85 inch | 85 inch | 85 inch |
| Panel / backlight | SQD-Mini LED (WHVA 2.0 Ultra panel) | Neo QLED (Quantum Mini LED backlight) | Mini RGB (RGB LED backlight) | ULED Mini LED (Direct-LED backlight) | QLED |
| Local dimming | 3,200 dimming zones | Supreme Mini LED Dimming | Not stated | Not stated | Not stated |
| Refresh rate | 144 Hz native | 100 Hz native, 144 Hz VRR | 120 Hz | 144 Hz native | 50 Hz |
| HDR formats | Dolby Vision, Dolby Vision IQ, HDR10+, HDR10, HLG | NQ HDR+, HDR10+ (no Dolby Vision listed) | Dolby Vision (full list not stated) | Dolby Vision, Dolby Vision IQ, HDR10, HDR10+, HLG | Quantum HDR (formats not stated) |
| HDMI ports | 4 (HDMI 2.1) | 4 (4K 144 Hz on all four) | 4 (HDMI 2.1) | 4 (HDMI 2.1) | 3 (version not stated) |
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