TCL QM7K review: impressive picture quality at a budget-friendly price.
“The TCL QM7K delivers an impressive image quality for its price, bringing high-end picture quality to your living space without breaking the bank.”
**Pros**
- Fantastic color accuracy
- Impressive contrast
- Excellent brightness
- Considerably wide viewing angle
**Cons**
- Reflective screen
- Lackluster sound
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We recently got our hands on the TCL QM7K Mini-LED QLED, which won our Top Tech of CES 2025 award. Earlier this year, we reviewed the QM6K and were impressed by its value and performance, so we're excited to test the QM7K. TCL continues to stand out in the midrange market, and I'm pleased to say the QM7K met expectations. The Mini-LED technology results in stunning displays with remarkable contrast that are more accessible to average consumers, and TCL has effectively showcased what this technology can achieve with this latest model.
There’s a good chance this won’t be the last model we hear from TCL this year, as the company has adopted a staggered release strategy for its 2025 models, but for now let’s appreciate what the QM7K has to offer.
**TCL QM7K specifications:**
**Sizes:** 55, 65, 75, 85, 98, and 115 inches
**Pricing:** $1,299.99, $1,499.99, $1,999.99, $2,499.99, $4,999.99, and $19,999.99
**Display Type:** QD-Mini LED
**Operating System:** Google TV
**Screen Resolution:** 4K Ultra HD (3,840 x 2,160)
**HDR Support:** Dolby Vision, Dolby Vision Gaming, Dolby Vision IQ, HDR 10+, HDR10, HLG
**Native Refresh Rate:** 144Hz
**Gaming Features:** Auto Game Mode (ALLM), AMD FreeSync Premium Pro, Game Accelerator 288, VRR (up to 144Hz)
**Audio Support:** Dolby Atmos, Dolby Digital +, DTS: Virtual X (Passthrough Dolby Atmos, Dolby Digital +, Dolby Digital, PCM)
**Connectivity:** 4 HDMI (1x eARC), USB 3.0, USB 2.0, Ethernet (LAN), S/PDIF, ATSC 1.0 Tuner
The affordable price suggests a less premium build quality. The QM7K strikes a balance between budget and premium flagship televisions, making it accessible for most consumers, especially in the smaller 55- or 65-inch sizes. Therefore, it was not surprising to find the construction somewhat flimsy upon unboxing and setting up the QM7K.
The stand supporting the TV is designed as a single central piece, unlike the individual legs of the QM6K, which simplifies attachment. It has a brushed finish resembling metal, though it is plastic. The plastic T-shaped stand weighs around 5 pounds and adequately supports the 85-inch model we reviewed. The TV itself weighs only 75 pounds, primarily due to a frame made almost entirely of plastic. Savings have to come from somewhere to achieve these price points, right? The upside is that assembly is much simpler compared to significantly heavier (yet sturdier) high-end models.
The QM7K might sway a bit when moved or if the furniture it rests on is shifted, but it remains stable enough that it won’t topple over.
**Decent audio, nothing spectacular**
The audio of the TCL QM7K is marketed as being better than the QM6K, featuring an upgrade from Bang & Olufsen, which TCL claims will provide “more accurate sound quality for an enhanced home theater audio experience.” Overall, the 2.2-speaker system performs adequately for a predominantly budget model. It didn’t sound terrible, but it wasn’t exceptional either.
The bass response was lacking, but I didn’t expect a powerful subwoofer to be integrated into the TV. Dialogue occasionally sounded muddled, blending too much with the soundtrack or background noise. This primarily occurred in intense scenes where loud music and sound effects overlapped, creating a chaotic sound mix. The QM7K supports Dolby Digital and Dolby Digital+ audio natively, but the built-in speakers don’t enhance its potential. Since this model allows Dolby Atmos passthrough, you would benefit more from a Dolby Atmos soundbar or a dedicated audio system to fully utilize the Dolby audio available on most streaming platforms.
**Color accurate right out of the box**
The QM7K includes several display profiles for users to choose from, but we’ll concentrate on Filmmaker Mode, which was first introduced
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TCL QM7K review: impressive picture quality at a budget-friendly price.
TCL's QM7K offers excellent value, seamlessly bridging the gap between flagship and mid-range models.