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The vast majority of our reviews come from verified purchases. Reviews from customers may include My Best Buy members, employees, and Tech Insider Network members (as tagged). Select reviewers may receive discounted products, promotional considerations or entries into drawings for honest, helpful reviews.

• Rated 5 out of 5 stars

  Near Perfection: Incredible Display, Awkward Stand

  • Tech Insider Network Member
  • Top 100 Contributor

  For the last week, I’ve been testing the TCL 27" R94 Series 4K UHD HDR QD-Mini LED Gaming Monitor. Overall, this is a fantastic monitor that delivers all the best features I would expect from a flagship display. My only dislike is the wide-legged base. Assembling the monitor is convenient. It comprises three parts, requires no tools, and takes less than five minutes to complete. The stand is nice and sturdy and allows for multiple points of adjustment: it can be raised, lowered, swiveled, and tilted. However, due to the wide-legged stand, the proportions of the monitor look unbalanced and bottom-heavy. The wide stand also prevents me from placing my gaming laptop completely under the screen and interferes with rotating the monitor into portrait mode. To end on a positive note, the wing-shaped RGB lighting on the back of the monitor and stand looks really cool—especially when the back is visible and not placed against a wall. The R94 has excellent IO. Usually, I use DisplayPort to ensure I have the best picture, but this monitor also features two HDMI 2.1 ports and USB-C. All of these inputs are able to provide 165Hz at 4K resolution. While on the topic of USB-C, I love that it provides my laptop with up to 90 watts of power, which is more than enough to ensure full performance and keep the battery charged for most laptops. The built-in speakers are also a welcome feature. Albeit the sound is not the best, it is good enough to get by without needing external speakers. I prefer having built-in speakers over having none at all. As for the display performance, the QD-Mini LED looks gorgeous. The colors are bright and vivid. The contrast levels are excellent, and when local dimming is set to medium or high, the display can easily be mistaken for OLED. Blooming or halo effects are minimal; I had to try really hard to see them. Also, the matte coating on the display does an excellent job of preventing any reflections. While gaming, the monitor performed excellently—I noticed no tearing, artifacts, or ghosting. With all that said, I really like this monitor and wouldn't hesitate to recommend it. Great job TCL.

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  Posted 2 weeks ago by buckbabes

• Rated 5 out of 5 stars

  Persuasive performance ... Outstanding value

  • Tech Insider Network Member
  • Top 10 Contributor

  TCL 27" R94 Series 4K UHD HDR QD-Mini LED Gaming Monitor: You may need to reconsider what you’ve heard about computer monitors. Whether it’s the preferred technology or the go-to brand, TCL has entered the field of high performance and gaming monitors with this impressive challenge to the status quo. The value in this beautiful monitor was not achieved by cutting corners or leaving anything out. Every feature, adjustment, end-user control, or useful input is here. Above all else, TCL has built in seriously impressive performance specifications. And, they even included the calibration report achieved with these monitors. Check out the rear panel light display for the fun side of the TCL, and you’ll be convinced. What a great monitor. SETUP: I plugged in the heavy power brick, used the HDMI cable (one of 3 connection types included), and the screen lit up with my Apple Mini M4 display output. I prefer to mount my screens on a mobile monitor stand, so that’s what is in my accompanying photos. The TCL monitor stand included is supportive and allows for screen height and tilt. Simple and attractive. TCL is ready for whatever PC you have, or whether it uses HDMI, Display Port, or USB-C, with all of them able to deliver a 165Hz refresh, 3840 x 2160 resolution, FreeSync premium, and 1400 Nits, HDR10, and near-perfect color gamut across every standard. Connectivity is complete. One (1) Display Port 1.4, 2 HDMI, 4 USB ports (2 USB-A, 1 USB-B, 1 USB-C), a headphone jack, and the 100mm x 100mm VESA Wall Mount pattern. The stand is adjustable by height and it tilts. There are built-in speakers. SETTINGS: TCL provides a convenient, accessible menu toggle (bottom center of screen frame) that reveals layers of options and choices that give the serious gamer, professional photographer, amateurs and anyone in between the ability to modify the complete suite of image parameters or even the sound. The toggle is so convenient and predictable that you will use it. I discovered I can quickly change settings to reflect my preferred photography parameters, video watching, or gaming performance. You may want to have the monitor calibrated for your purposes or simply adjust it to your liking. I can predict this monitor will become very desirable and attract forums where end users will share their ideal settings. PERFORMANCE: My first comment will be confusing. It is my observation that the very best audio and video equipment is often boring. Perfection is matter-of-fact. It is rarely attention-grabbing because it is so very natural. On this TCL 27R94, viewing an image is like looking through a glass. The TCL 27R94 MiniLED gets out of the way of the image, colors are richly saturated, with contrast that is wide with deep blacks and sparkling bright whites (up to 1600 nits). Flesh tones are naturally variable, and strands of hair and fur are subtly detailed. I couldn’t see blooming, and object edges were just clean. SD programming, right out of the box, was perfectly calibrated for my Mac Mini M4. Those 2304 dimming zones contribute to a great image, easily mimicking OLED, but potentially brighter. Text was so easy to discern at the smallest font sizes. I need to test some more, but for me, with everyday use, brightness at 25 and contrast at 50 worked well; local dimming off, while in the OFFICE MODE. The image retains color accuracy until you shift off axis too far. But my computer use is a one-person activity and it doesn’t bother me. A general comment about the anti-glare coating is that I like it, mostly. While the benefit of a gloss finish for purity of color and contrast is valid, the persistent problems with reflections in all but full dark room viewing is not worth the trouble for me. The MOVIE Mode invited Brightness at 50, medium or high local dimming. I watched several UltraHD movies, being sure to switch to the default resolution and both my wife and I were struck by how brilliant, and cinematic, very life-like, the richly natural images were on selected movies. My fairly new, highly regarded OLED Tv playing the same feature on a larger screen in the background could not match the slightly brighter more saturated picture on the TLC. Size is a difference maker but the picture on the TLC viewed from a couple of feet away was beautiful. GAMES played on my Mac Mini M1 or connected to my gaming PC laptop were wonderful to view. I saw no screen tearing, and like the movies I viewed, colors were spectacular, blooming was not apparent, and game action moved at expected speeds without trailing. There are GAME MENU (and mode) choices for FPS, RCG, and RPG games. TCL even has an adjustment for crosshair changes in shooting scenarios. There is Dark Field Control that identifies and brightens deep shadows. I can turn on Frame Rate readouts so I know how or why screen and computer is performing as they are. MINOR ISSUES: Speakers were just OK, as expected, but at least they were available. As long as I didn’t make extreme movie demands on them, they were perfectly suitable for watching informational or instructional videos. Get a soundbar or external speakers or use earbuds for serious sound quality. That wonderful toggle-controlled menu is great. But who decided to shut it off automatically at approximately 7 seconds? Too short for me to assess the settings I’m fussing with. Maybe I just haven’t found how to vary that. SUMMARY: The TCL 27" R94 Series 4K UHD HDR QD-Mini LED Gaming Monitor can fulfill the needs of many photographers and video media creators, serve as a versatile workstation that you won’t feel uneasy about having on all day, and then become a media delivery station for TV, movie, or game programming. This is premium-tier video quality that competes with the best monitors I’ve been able to survey. This TCL monitor should be on any computer gamer’s shopping list, but for more reasons than you might first consider.

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  Posted 1 month ago by TECHBEENGOOD

• Rated 4 out of 5 stars

  Engaging & Adaptable Monitor Worth Consideration

  • Tech Insider Network Member

  I was looking for a mid-market gaming monitor that would also suit using for productivity work too. It needed to be fast and detailed, but also usable in bright lighting. While TCL is not a brand I would have considered in the past, it’s rise in the TV sector boosted my confidence. It’s 27” R94 (R94) model looked to offer excellent color and contrast in any lighting condition so I gave it a try. My early take is its versatility and visual appeal are excellent, but as a product trying to compete with well-established monitor brands, I’m disappointed it’s missing some convenience bells and whistles. Technically it’s a fantastic monitor and I’m overall happy with it, but its missing extras and other personal nitpicks prevent it from being the 5-star monitor it could be. I’ll explain. I use gaming for short breaks to clear my head rather than as a time-consuming hobby. Twenty minutes will do me and then back to work. That’s my mindset so you’ll understand how I’m judging the R94. Hardcore gamers, like audiophiles, are much pickier about their gear than I am. I want high quality, but practicality reins over state-of-the-art. And that’s where the R94 figures in. It’s QD mini-LED rather than OLED, which is rarer in gaming monitors. Sure, OLED is more popular for gaming with its stunning appearance in dark rooms. But mini-LED performs better in normal and brighter room light, like when I need to be productive. And for my needs, that is why the R94 attracted my attention. USE WITH CONSOLES & STREAMERS Out of the box I was confident the R94’s panel was going to be crisp, lively and accurate, not oversaturated. I’ll get to picture quality, but the first thing I wanted to discover was the R94’s versatility with non-PCs. That is, was it just a PC monitor with gaming specs or could it serve as a DIY TV too for gaming consoles and streaming TV boxes. To test this out I connected an Apple TV, a Nintendo Switch 2, and my trusty ASUS Vivo laptop. The R94 recognized all of these and automatically switched between HDMI inputs too. My hope was HDMI-CEC was silently included for easier volume control with game consoles and steamers, but it’s not. While this functionality is rare in gaming monitors, there are a few major manufactures with models that include it. This is one of those missing “extras” I mentioned. However, since the monitor does sleep or wake when it when the video signal goes off or on, respectively, there is that. You just can’t adjust the monitor volume remotely. This leads me to the other not included “extra” I would appreciate, a remote control. Toggling to get to volume when using a console or streaming stick is painful. But even configuring a monitor’s settings with a single 4-way button on the monitor is exasperating. I’ve seen other gaming monitors that include a remote so this as a “miss” for me. My conclusion regarding use of streamers and consoles is, while the picture quality is great, the overall experience is less so. The R94, at its heart is a PC monitor. AUDIO QUALITY Speaking of speakers, the R94’s are not bad for monitor speakers. They are true stereo and clear at higher volumes. Boring, but practical, which is all I expect from a monitor. PANEL PERFORMANCE Now to the panel. It’s VA, but not your dad’s VA panel. TCL reengineered it and came up with its own HVA, or high-speed VA. These are in their TVs too. HVA is vastly improved from VA by my eyes. Most notable is that the screen maintains good color and detail at an angle. There is color shifting, but it’s in shades, not complete hues. Traditional VA panels are usually unviewable at angle. I’ve attached a photo of the monitor at a position a 3rd or 4th player might be at and how the screen would look to them. A picture of looking direct at the monitor is also included for comparison. Where this panel truly stands out is its insane brightness. It’s VESA HDR 1400 certification is more than marketing. In the well-lit and many windowed room the R94 sits its colors and details are well pronounced whether I’m inches or many feet away. And its contrast/HDR abilities keep the black areas black rather than going gray. The R94 sports a matte screen that minimizes glare and reflections, which I prefer for using as a productivity monitor too. But this also reduces the immersive color “pop” that a glossy screen has, so, this is an important consideration. Games played on a glossy screen, in a dark room where glare and reflection aren’t an issue, can look life like. But when the lights are on the glossy screen becomes mirror-like. The R94’s colors are rich and appealing whether the lights are on or off, but the image quality is less eye catching compared to similar quality level IPS or OLED screen. That is the tradeoff here. The “H” in HVA, as mentioned, is for high speed. The R94 can refresh as fast as 165hz, which is such a fast competitive gaming speed most people don’t have a computer capable of reaching it. 120hz support in a recent computer is more common which means the R94 provides plenty of headroom and a bit of “future proofing” too. To witness the R94’s gaming prowess I played the racing game Forza Horizon 5 on my 4K/120 capable Asus laptop for its fast-paced action, and then moved to the Switch 2 where I played Cyberpunk 2077 for its detailed graphics, and Madden 26 for target accuracy. Of course, the Switch 2 is limited to 4K/60. I started off with Forza Horizon 5. My eyes first focused on finding blur or artifacts, especially during curves or when hitting objects at high speed. I could see none. It was buttery smooth. There wasn’t any blooming that caught my attention here either, but this is just one title, so while hardly conclusive it’s a good start. Cyberpunk 2077, even at a much slower 60hz, looked great on the R94. The screen lighting was even and crisp even in the highest contrast scenes and, again, nothing negative caught my eye. And finally, a few quarters of Madden 26 to assess both how the ball looks in air and throwing accuracy, apart from user error. In kicks and passes the ball naturally floated though the air without any unrealistic blurring. A properly executed passes reached the target bull’s eye and the ensuing run was snappy. Bottomline, 4K game play on the R94 is engaging and enjoyable if you don’t expect OLED-like dazzle. If you buy the R94 for its room light performance and versatility, you’ll be thrilled with its cheerful look. SET UP AND CONNECTIVITY The R94 comes with everything needed to get it up and running out of the box, but with an asterisk attached. There’s room for improvement. Included is a stand, 5ft HDMI 2.1, USB-C with 90w PD, DisplayPort 1.4, and USB-B cables, and power supply and cord. I appreciate all this was included, but the video cables, especially if you want to guide them through the cable management hole in the stand, are only useful if you put your computer. Also, of note, the power supply is on the large side a nearly 8” long. The stand is beefy and easy to attach. It “clicks” in into the monitor’s back and then secured by twisting a bottom screw. Alternatively, there are four VESA 100x100 holes for your own mount. The shell is plastic but attractive and the stand is superbly functional. It tilts, swivels, moves up and down from about 3” off the table to 6.75”, measured at the bottom edge, and can be turned to a vertical position. The feet ruin the experience for me though as they spread out just past the monitor’s footprint and interrupt usable desk space. I prefer mounts with the foot at the center of the monitor. The rear connectivity ports are configured so that the cables slide up into them. This makes it easier to press up against a wall, and prevents accidental disconnections, but it’s also less convenient when connecting new peripherals. The R94 offers a nice set of inputs. For video there’s two HDMI 2.1 (both capable of 4K/165), USB-C with video and 90w PD for charging, and DP 1.4. Then for peripherals there’s two USB-A, USB-B to A, and a 3.5mm headphone jack. With all these connectivity options, one “extra” the R94 does have is a built-in KVM switch which is configured in the menu. And from a gamer’s perspective, there’s also several ambient lighting color options in the menu. The lights are on the back and can be turned off. The R94’s menu is accessed by a toggle below the bottom bezel. Using the menu is intuitive but toggling though the options is annoying. As previously noted, a remote control would be nice here. IN SUM The R94 is a stunning and versatile PC monitor for use in bright or dark rooms for both work and play. Overall performance is top notch in this use case and it’s a model that should be considered. It works fine with gaming consoles, but lacks CEC, something some competitors offer. Additionally, while the menu system is simple, the lack of a remote makes it tedious to use.

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  Posted 3 weeks ago by TechO