TCL has shocked us all with a brand new TV in its 2025 roster: Meet the TCL QM9K Mini-LED TV, its most premium mannequin but, that includes a slew of enhanced gaming options in tandem with very good brightness and colour quantity. It is one severe new entry and goes toe-to-toe with the Hisense U9QG.
I acquired to see the QM9K in motion at a particular occasion held in New York a number of weeks again. The brand new set was saddled up alongside the TCL QM8K, one in every of this yr’s greatest TVs, to indicate the leaps in brightness and colour management its additional dimming zones supply.
As an enormous fan of the Hisense U9N Mini-LED TV from final yr, I used to be excited to see what TCL may carry to the desk in a premium set like this. Learn on to see my preliminary ideas of TCL’s new 2025 flagship.
TCL QM9K Mini-LED TV: Sizes, pricing and availability
TCL hasn’t given any phrase on pricing simply but, however count on a excessive premium for this set. The 65-inch TCL QM8K launched at $2,499 earlier this yr, however is presently marked all the way down to $1,299 within the midst of Labor Day TV gross sales.
You’ll be able to count on the QM9K to be barely dearer, although it is arduous to say the place the MSRP may find yourself.
The subsequent closest TV we are able to look to for steerage on its potential sticker value is the 75-inch Hisense U9N, which launched at $3,000 final yr. (The U9N is barely obtainable in 75-inch and 85-inch configurations.)
Thus, the TCL QM9K might be anyplace from $2,799 to $3,299 for the 65-inch mannequin, however we should always know extra later this month.
Swipe to scroll horizontallyTCL QM9K Mini-LED TV sizes and pricing
Dimension
Worth
65″
TBA
75″
TBA
85″
TBA
98″
TBA
Luckily, the TCL QM9K will likely be obtainable in a variety of sizes, together with 65-inch, 75-inch, 85-inch, and 98-inch fashions. It could be good to see the show in some additional smaller sizes, however given its premium specs and options, it solely is sensible to maintain it in the next vary.
TCL has given no phrase on any official launch date, apart from a projected launch “later this month.” You can purchase it at Greatest Purchase, Amazon, and different choose retailers in your area.
TCL QM9K Mini-LED TV: Specs
Swipe to scroll horizontally
Sizes
65″, 75″, 85″, 98″
Decision
3840 x 2160
HDR
Dolby Imaginative and prescient/ HDR10+/ HDR10 / HLG
Refresh Charge
144Hz
Audio
TBA
Inputs
4x HDMI 2.1
Sensible TV
Google TV
TCL QM9K Mini-LED TV: Design
(Picture credit score: TCL)
The TCL QM9K is loads like different Mini-LED units available in the market; tremendous skinny with slim bezels. Based on the spec sheet, the 65-inch and 75-inch fashions measure with a depth of simply 2.0-inch with out the stand. The spec sheet additionally lists the load of the TV at simply 50.9lbs with the stand, which suggests you will undoubtedly need some assist setting it up.
TCL has gone with a chrome polish for the framing across the TV, which matches properly with the pedestal stand that is obtainable on all however the 98-inch mannequin. I personally discover the pedestal stands extra optimum over the leg selection, as they’re typically simpler to suit on smaller surfaces. (Even TCL had it positioned on one of many smallest stands within the room on the occasion.)
For those who’re not too eager on utilizing a stand and would slightly mount it to a wall as an alternative, it can come geared up with a 300×300 VESA mounting sample on the 65-inch mannequin. It will range relying on dimension, so you’ll want to test relying on the mannequin you find yourself going with.
(Picture credit score: TCL)
Mirroring different fashions in its lineup, the TCL QM9K is kitted with an audio system made in partnership with Bang & Olufsen. Speaker specs, like channel numbers and energy output, are nonetheless unclear right now, however Tom’s Information has reached out for extra data.
It is also unclear if the QM9K can have a set of 4 HDMI 2.1 ports or simply two units of two.0 and two 2.1. We have additionally requested for additional clarification on this and can replace this web page once we know extra. It does come geared up with a 144Hz refresh price, which is way decrease than the 165Hz introduced throughout Hisense’s 2025 TV lineup.
One specification the QM9K can have that no different TV this yr can declare is a bespoke sensor that detects your presence if you stroll into the room. It is a useful function for individuals who wish to get fast bites of information from their TV widgets, like information and climate forecasts, all with out touching the distant.
Talking of the distant, TCL’s hasn’t modified a lot over its different 2025 fashions. The QM9K can have the identical chrome silver design with backlit buttons and prompt entry buttons to a few of the greatest streaming providers.
(Picture credit score: TCL)
TCL QM9K Mini-LED TV: Efficiency and options
Based on TCL, QM9K boasts over 6,000 dimming zones, gifting it improved management in its brightness and distinction. TCL additionally claims it could actually spit out 6,500 nits of brightness, which undoubtedly sounds unreasonable. We can’t have the ability to affirm that quantity till we get it in for testing, however the QM8K did present a few of the highest we examined this yr at 4,437 nits in HDR.
You’ll be able to inform the QM9K is a step above the QM8K by fairly a big margin, as the previous is way much less vibrant and has extra muted colours in opposition to the brand new flagship.
In our hands-on demo, TCL had the QM9K arrange subsequent to the QM8K and an unnamed OLED TV. The crew performed scenes from “Gemini Man,” in addition to different inventory 4K HDR content material with vibrant, colourful floral patterns on the display screen. It was all carried out in a brilliant darkish room, which gave us an amazing perspective on its distinction management and highlights.
Its 6,000 dimming zone are undoubtedly aiding in enhancing efficiency, because the QM9K had some wonderful contrasts. Colours additionally appeared very good on the display screen. You’ll be able to inform the QM9K is a step above the QM8K by fairly a big margin, as the previous is way much less vibrant and has extra muted colours in opposition to the brand new flagship.
A specific spotlight for me was a closeup of Will Smith sporting a white gown. Smith’s pores and skin tones appeared pure and the white colour of the gown was a flawless enamel, which was much less vibrant and correct on the QM8K. Even the OLED TV struggled a bit on this explicit part, exhibiting a slight tinge of inexperienced on the white gown.
(Picture credit score: Future)
Whereas the QM9K reveals promise in its efficiency, particularly in darker scenes, the problems plaguing most Mini-LED TVs nonetheless persist. These embody some regarding blooming and poor anti-glare mitigation, which have been extra noticeable on the TV that was within the outdoors room, the place extra pure lighting was current.
Though we did not get any hands-on time with the TV audio system, as TCL needed to flex its new Dolby Atmos FlexConnect performance, I can see this being of main concern, as properly. Even with the Bang & Olufsen sound system, the QM9K won’t have probably the most bombastic speaker output. Sadly, even one of the best flagship TVs have lackluster speaker techniques which is why we regularly advocate pairing them with a soundbar or a devoted speaker system.
Regardless of these setbacks, the QM9K undoubtedly reveals promise. From what I noticed, I used to be totally impressed with its efficiency, most particularly in colour quantity and accuracy. Total HDR brightness will even be a selected spotlight for this TV, however we’ll must get it in for testing for a full evaluation.
TCL QM9K Mini-LED TV: Outlook
(Picture credit score: TCL)
As its top-of-the-line Final Sequence TV, the QM9K serves as a window into unparallel efficiency. TCL goals to go to toe-to-toe with a few of the greatest OLED TVs with its new flagship, and it appears a worthy challenger.
With no definitive value for the TV simply but, it is arduous to say the place the QM9K may land available in the market. It has some unimaginable efficiency to my eye, particularly in opposition to the QM8K, plus the QM9K provides extra by way of its options, highlighted greatest in its wrangling of Google Gemini and an ambient sensor that robotically turns the display screen on if you stroll close to it.
Are these options for everybody? In all probability not, however not less than TCL goes barely in opposition to the grain with its new flagship, and that might be what units it aside from the remainder.
