Skip to main content

Digital Trends may earn a commission when you buy through links on our site. Why trust us?

TCL’s 8K 6-Series mini-LED TVs are shockingly affordable

TCL has been teasing us for months, making us wait to hear how much the company will charge for its 8K resolution 6-Series mini-LED QLED TVs. Now we know, and boy, was it worth the wait. The 75-inch model is just $3,000, while the smaller, 65-inch version rings in at $2,200. They both go on sale today with limited availability at major retailers.

To put those prices in perspective, LG and Samsung — the only other companies that have mini-LED-based 8K TVs in 2021 — charge $3,500 for their most affordable 65-inch models and $4,800 for their 75-inch models.

Yes, you may be able to find older 8K models selling for less than TCL’s 6-Series, but keep in mind, those 8K TVs do not use mini-LED backlights, which can make a significant difference in terms of contrast and black levels. For more on the benefits of mini-LED technology check out our mini-LED explainer, but here’s the summary: Mini-LEDs are far smaller than regular LEDs, which means you can pack more of them into a TV’s backlight system. The more you have (think thousands instead of hundreds), the greater the control you can exert on the brightness at a granular level. TCL’s 8K 6-Series possess up to 240 zones that can be locally dimmed.

Other than possessing a massive boost in resolution, TCL’s new 8K 6-Series looks much like its 4K 6-Series models. They’re powered by Roku’s excellent smart TV software, they support both Dolby Atmos and Dolby Vision technologies for top-notch immersive sound and high dynamic range (HDR) video, and they pack useful extras like Apple’s AirPlay 2 and HomeKit, and compatibility with Google Assitant, Amazon Alexa, and Siri for voice control.

TCL also points out that its 8K 6-Series will be the world’s first 8K TV to sport THX Certified Game Mode. This coordinates several TV settings like picture processing, input lag, variable refresh rate (VRR), and auto low-latency mode (ALLM) to give gamers the best possible experience when playing fast-action titles like Call of Duty.

A TCL 8K 6-Series TV showing Call of Duty Warzone in THX's Certified Game Mode.
TCL USA

TCL was the first company to use mini-LEDs in its backlights when it introduced its 8-Series in 2019. That TV impressed us with its black level performance, as did 2020’s follow-up, the mini-LED-equipped 6-Series. But both of those models had 4K resolution. The new 8K models will be the first time we get to see what TCL can do with a 33 million-pixel panel, and it will be an excellent test of its AiPQ Engine — the processor that is responsible for (among other things) upscaling Full HD and 4K content to 8K resolution.

Want to know if TCL’s first 8K TV is a winner? Read our in-depth TCL 8K 6-Series (R648) review. Spoiler: It’s pretty sweet.

Simon Cohen
Contributing Editor, A/V
Simon Cohen covers a variety of consumer technologies, but has a special interest in audio and video products, like…
Samsung’s CES 2023 TVs get thinner, brighter, healthier, and better for gaming
Samsung 2022 QN900B 8K Neo QLED TV.

On display at CES 2023, Samsung's 2023 TV lineup is getting a wide variety of upgrades, including thinner designs, better sound systems, 4K cloud-based gaming, and some interesting health applications that the company is borrowing from its mobile division. Here's everything you need to know.
MicroLED gets smaller, more affordable
Samsung was an early promoter of microLED display tech, which uses tiny LED lights as individual pixels instead of using them as the backlight on an LCD-based TV (LED TV, mini-LED TV). Unfortunately, microLED TVs have tended to be huge (starting at 110 inches), expensive, and somewhat limited in resolution at smaller sizes.

The company's new Micro LED CX, at 76 inches, is its smallest yet, and Samsung promises it will also be the most affordable microLED TV ever released.

Read more
Marantz’s new Cinema series AV receivers are a stylish way to go 8K
Marantz Cinema AV 10 8K AVR in black.

AV receivers might be the nerve center of every serious home theater setup, but these big (and usually shiny and black) boxes aren't exactly the most beautiful things to look at. However, Marantz's new Cinema line of 8K Dolby Atmos AV receivers might just be the first to give folks a real alternative to the flat-panel-full-of-buttons aesthetic we've become accustomed to. The new models start at $1,200 for the Cinema 70s and go up to $7,000 for the flagship AV 10. They will be available by the end of October, though only the Cinema 50 and 60 will be released initially.

In addition to a textured finish that graces the side portions of the Cinema's front panels, each model has an elegant circular display window that either acts on its own as the main way to see critical status information or can be used to augment a much larger full display hidden behind a hinged cover.  It's a design that Marantz debuted on its Model 30 stereo amplifier. These improvements are more than superficial. The Cinema series also has a new graphical user interface, as well as voice command compatibility.

Read more
Denon updates 8K AV receivers with prices starting at $399
Denon AVR-X2800 8K A/V receiver.

Denon has refreshed its AV receiver portfolio, with seven new models in the  S-, X-, and A-Series lineups. Prices range from $399 for the entry-level AVR-S570BT and go up to $6,499 for the top-of-the-line 15.4 channel Denon AVR-A1H. All of the new receivers offer 8K compatibility, while some models also have support for immersive surround sound formats like Dolby Atmos, DTS:X, IMAX Enhanced, and Auro 3D. Some models are available immediately, while others will be released over the coming months and into 2023.
A-Series

AVR-A1H: $6,499, available in early 2023

Read more