TCL might not be a household name like LG or Samsung, but it's one of the world's biggest TV makers – a recent report says it has a 14 per cent market share of the global TV market. That's a lot of tellies.
But we all know that selling a lot of units is no guarantee of quality. So are TCL's TVs actually any good? And are they worth buying over a model made by Toshiba, Insignia, Amazon or Hisense on Black Friday?
Should you buy a TCL TV on Black Friday? The short answer…
Across the US and the UK, TCL TVs are serious competitors in the budget TV space – especially during Black Friday. You’ll often find TCL TVs with competitive features and specs sold at some of the lowest prices around.
If you’re in the market for a reasonably cheap TV but don’t want to get stuck with a tiny display running at a low resolution, TCL is there for you, offering up a slew of 4K TVs that’ll get the job done when it comes to streaming whatever content you could want on a budget.
In general, premium TCL TVs that run up into the thousands and support Mini-LED tech or 8K might be harder to justify when up against sets from established brands such as Sony, Samsung or LG. But the budget and mid-range TCL TVs on offer are usually tough to beat in terms of value.
Should you buy the TCL P7K on Black Friday?
- Sizes: 43-inch, 50-inch, 55-inch, 65-inch, 75-inch, 85-inch
- Display type: LED
- Resolution: 4K
- Refresh rate: 60Hz
- HDR: Dolby Vision, HDR10, HDR10+, HLG
- Audio: Dolby Atmos, DTS Virtual:X
- HDMI: eARC
The P7K is TCL's second cheapest range for 2025, and it's another winner in TCL's great run of recent reviews. The 43-inch P7K earned four out of five recently, thanks in large part to its low price of just £269 / AU$799 (around $360).
Of course, it has a lot more going for it than just price.
Like a thin bezel (which helps the otherwise rather basic design), Quantum Dot colours, the Google TV operating system and support for the full complement of HDR formats.
True, the screen is only 60Hz at 4K. But that can be upped to 120Hz at 1080p HD using TCL's Game Accelerator technology. Add in VRR and ALLM and it's starting to look pretty good for gamers.
As it does for viewers. The picture is very bright for a TV at this price, giving its colours plenty of vibrancy and volume. Black levels are impressive – again, for the price – while there are good levels of sharpness and detail.
It's not perfect. Viewing angles are a little limited, and light tends to creep in during dark HDR scenes. We also had some issues with the P7K’s Dynamic Contrast feature. But for this price, it's still a great TV. On a Black Friday deal, it's a no-brainer.
Read our TCL P7K review
Should you buy the TCL C6KS on Black Friday?
- Sizes: 50-inch, 55-inch, 65-inch, 75-inch
- Display type: Mini LED
- Resolution: 4K
- Refresh rate: 60Hz
- HDR: Dolby Vision, HDR10, HDR10+, HLG
- Audio: Dolby Atmos, DTS Virtual:X
- HDMI: eARC
If a 50-inch TV for around £400 makes you suspicious, then we don't blame you. But the TCL C6KS won a What Hi-Fi? Award, it's so good. And it's been discounted from £419 to £349 for Black Friday.
Its Mini LEDs give it more brightness and a greater degree of dimming control than most TVs at a similar price. Quantum Dots are also employed to deliver a wider range of colours, and all four HDR formats are supported. Its audio system is designed by hi-fi brand Onkyo, while the Google TV OS delivers the smarts.
There are plenty of gaming features too, including VRR and ALLM. Though it's only a 60Hz screen, and you only get three HDMI ports.
Still, it performs very well indeed. Black levels are "excellent for a TV at this price," we wrote in our review, with minimal backlight blooming. The picture goes very bright, and colours remain true, even when pushed to maximum brightness. Skin tones are natural, and it all looks very organic and subtle.
It will need some tweaking to get the best picture possible, but it's well worth the time. Even the sound is impressively detailed for a TV at this level. A worthy Award winner.
Read our TCL C6KS review
Should you buy the TCL C7K on Black Friday?
- Sizes: 50-inch, 55-inch, 65-inch, 75-inch, 85-inch, 98-inch, 115-inch
- Display type: Mini LED
- Resolution: 4K
- Refresh rate: 144Hz
- HDR: Dolby Vision, HDR10, HDR10+, HLG
- Audio: Dolby Atmos, DTS:X
- HDMI: eARC
The 65-inch version of this TCL Mini LED won an Award at its full price of £899. Now that it's discounted to £749 for Black Friday, it's an absolute steal.
We've also reviewed the 98-inch model (pictured). It too earned five stars and an Award, and it too is discounted – from £2400 to £1900. Bargain.
Why? They both feature sound systems by Bang & Olufsen, for a start, which goes some way to addressing the issue with modern TVs' sound. They also look far more attractive than they have any right to be, and pack some serious high-end features for barely mid-range money (for screens this size).
But the real draw is the picture quality. Contrast is a particular highlight, offering "both extremely intense, vibrant HDR peaks by sub-£1k 65-inch TV standards, and some of the deepest and most neutral, natural-toned blacks and dark scenes the mid-range LCD TV world... has to offer," we wrote in our review of the 65-inch model.
There's ample shadow detail, which combine with a lack of brightness 'jumps' and fluctuating dimming zones to make a very engrossing watch.
The B&O sound system does an admirable job, though even a modest soundbar will still improve upon it.
For big screen thrills on a budget, the C7K is a great buy.
Read our TCL C7K (65-inch) review
And our TCL C7K (98-inch) review
Should you buy the TCL C8K on Black Friday?
- Sizes: 65-inch, 75-inch, 85-inch, 98-inch
- Display type: Mini LED
- Resolution: 4K
- Refresh rate: 144Hz
- HDR: Dolby Vision, HDR10, HDR10+, HLG
- Audio: Dolby Atmos, DTS:X
- HDMI: eARC
The 65-inch version of this earned five stars at £1599, so now it's discounted to just over £1000 for Black Friday, it's phenomenal value. The 85-incher picked up four stars, which is still very good, though UK retailers don't seem to have stock at the moment, which is a shame.
It's slim for a backlit model, with a very narrow bezel. Combined with its aerospace-grade aluminium alloy finish, it makes for a TV that looks far more expensive than it is.
You get a ridiculous 1680 distinct dimming zones, which gives a fantastic level of control over the picture's light levels. Gamers are well served by a 120Hz refresh rate at 4K, which can be upped to 144Hz at Full HD (you'll need a high-end gaming PC to notice any difference). VRR and ALLM also come as standard, and again, the sound is catered for by Danish hi-fi stalwarts Bang & Olufsen.
The image is astoundingly bright for a TV at this price, and even stands out in bright daylight. But it's the way this TV combines this brilliant brightness with tonal subtleties that really impresses. It also offers some of the best blacks ever seen on an LCD TV: "some of the deepest, richest and... consistently deep," was our verdict.
We did find a couple of faults with the C8K, but we had to look pretty hard. You can read those in our review, but our advice would be to snap up this TV, especially on a Black Friday deal.
Read our TCL C8K (65-inch) review
Read our TCL C8K (85-inch) review
Should you buy the TCL C6K on Black Friday?
- Sizes: 55-inch, 65-inch, 75-inch, 85-inch, 98-inch
- Display type: Mini LED
- Resolution: 4K
- Refresh rate: 144Hz
- HDR: Dolby Vision, HDR10, HDR10+, HLG
- Audio: Dolby Atmos, DTS:X
- HDMI: eARC
We haven't reviewed the C6K, but it's a bit cheaper than the C7K, and the specs reflect that.
You get far fewer dimming zones than the C7K (only 512), a lower max brightness (1000 nits), and no 50-inch or 115-inch variants (otherwise, it comes in all the same sizes as the C7K).
It also lacks the B&O sound system of the C7K. Instead, it offers a 2.1-channel 40W Onkyo system.
The HDR support and gaming features are otherwise the same as the C7K, and you get Dolby Atmos FlexConnect support. But the drop in brightness and dimming zones is likely to make quite a difference in terms of picture quality.
Pricing: from £799 for the 55-inch up to £3199 for the 98-incher – but check out the Black Friday deals below.
Should you buy the TCL C805K Series on Black Friday?
- Sizes: 50-inch, 55-inch, 65-inch, 75-inch, 85-inch, 98-inch
- Display type: Mini LED
- Resolution: 4K
- Refresh rate: 120Hz/144Hz
- HDR: HDR10, HLG, HDR10+, Dolby Vision
- Audio: Dolby Atmos, DTS Virtual:X
We gave the TCL 85C805K an Award last year, calling it the home theatre bargain of the year. It's quintessential TCL, packing phenomenal specs into a very affordable package. And it's now even cheaper for Black Friday.
You get all four types of HDR, a Mini LED panel, 120Hz refresh rate for console gaming (and 144Hz for high-end PCs), a dedicated game mode and the Google TV operating system. True, only two of its four HDMI ports are certified as 2.1 for full-fat gaming, but you can't have everything.
And while the picture isn't perfect, it is endlessly watchable, and far better than a screen this price has any right to be. The 85-inch model we tested comes in at just £1575, while the 98-incher is £3000. The smallest model in the range is 50 inches, and will set you back £699. But look at these deals below.
Should you buy a TCL C655K Series on Black Friday?
- Sizes: 43-inch, 50-inch, 55-inch, 65-inch, 75-inch, 85-inch, 98-inch
- Display type: QLED
- Resolution: 4K
- Refresh rate: 60Hz/120Hz
- HDR: HDR10, HLG, HDR10+, Dolby Vision
- Audio: Dolby Atmos, DTS Virtual:X
We reviewed the 55-inch C655K last year. While it offers a lot of telly for a very reasonable price, it only scored three stars.
As we've come to expect from TCL, it offers a lot of features, including a Quantum Dot QLED screen, TCL’s AiPQ with AI processor, all four HDR formats and some very welcome gaming specs (including VRR at 120Hz).
Picture-wise, it's solid rather than compelling. The picture is marred by a bug that affects Dolby Vision sources over HDMI (the same issue as seen on the P755K). But if you're streaming, the image is sharp, brighter than we expected and with plenty of punch. The skin tones are a particular highlight for a TV of this price. It's just a shame the dark scenes are so grey and washed out.
Still, for the money, it's worth considering.
MORE:
The best TV you can buy, including 4K Ultra HD panels
Need help? How to choose the right TV
Save big with our pick of the best TV deals
Black Friday quick links
- Amazon: browse all of today's best deals
- B&W speakers: save £200
- Bluetooth speaker: 48% off five-star JBL
- Bose QC Ultra Earbuds: save £100
- Bravia 8 TV: save 34% on 55in Sony TV
- Denon AV receiver: save £500
- Dolby Atmos soundbar: down to £299
- ELAC Debut 2: five-star speakers now £199
- Headphones: Sennheiser Momentum 4 now £169
- John Lewis: £500 off LG and Sony OLED TVs
- Richer Sounds: browse Black Friday deals
- Sevenoaks: £150 off Award-winning speakers
- TVs, movies, home cinema: browse the best deals
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