TCL - 85" X11L Series 4K UHD HDR SQD-Mini LED Smart TV with Google TV (2026)

First of all let me make it clear that the TCL - 85" X11L Series 4K UHD HDR SQD-Mini LED Smart TV with Google TV (2026) is not PERFECT.... but it's so close to being perfect that it might as well be. The engineers, designers, and everyone else that had a hand in making this TV coordinated and came together to make a product with the least amount of compromises that has ever been acomplishec to this day in a high end television. From the sound system (BANG & OLUFSEN) to the beautiful picture (20,000 local dimming zones) to the incredible thin bezels and screen thickness. This TV is nothing short of a modern miracle! Are there a few things I would like to be improved? Sure... It's heavy and akward to get the stands installed. The directions recommend 3 people, but I was able to do it by myself... but I would recommend using 3 people like the instructions say. I use my TV connected to my Gaming PC, and also as a home theater PC... so basically it's a PC screen that I use for gaming, and for watching media content, but also I use it as a large PC monitor. And as a PC monitor it did need a lot of adjustments and specific settings to get everything tuned in correctly. Otherwise it had issues of the dynamic brightness and automatic dimming features spazzing out. The intelligent screen features just aren't intelligent enough yet to be used as a PC monitor, but fortunately if they are all disabled and the TV is used in a static non auto adjusting mode, then it is able to be manually adjusted to where it works perfectly, and looks amazing. Let me also add that the Smart TV features are out of this world. First of all this TV picks up 74 local channels! And there are over 300 channels available between the Google TV and the TCL tv streaming options. I don't have Apple Air play, but that adds even more TV options if you have it. With this TV there really is no reason to subscribe to cable. While I'm mentioning changing to extra channels etc, let me mention the remote control... hands down the best remote control I've ever recieved with any TV... very intuitive, the exact buttons needed without any of the fluff... lights up discretely just bright enough to see what I'm doing but not to bright so its a distraction. It's minimal, but has everything I need, and is super easy to use. The best feature is the brightness buttons on the side of the remote. I've never had a remote that had those before, but now that I have I never want another remote that doesn't have them! They are so useful! Especially in super dark scenes if you want to brighten it up a bit to see if there are any details in the back ground that you are missing. And as far as back gound details are concerned, if you can't see them with this TV it isn't the TV's fault, it's the source material. I used this TV streaming content in 4k, and then I rewatched the same movies with my Oppo UDP-205 media player. And what at first might look like a flw on the TV's part is actually streaming compression. When watched again with the Oppo UDP-205 I was able to see depth and detail in the background images that I never knew were there before... This TV also revealed things in everyday web pages that I've been viewing for years that I never noticed before. So over all is this TV perfect? No... but is it better than everything else I have ever had the experience to try? Absolutely! This TV is leaps and bounds better than everything else that has come before it, and I look forward to seeing what TCL does in the future! Easily 5 stars, and I highly recommend!

--- SETUP --- This is a heavy TV. At close to 110 lbs, you will need someone to help you carry it. It’s also deceptively long from pictures alone. The width of the product is 74 inches, so plan on having at least 80 inches of space to put it on. Since the factory legs are installed at the edge of the TV, I had to buy a different leg stand compatible with the VESA mount 600 x 400. This made the feet more centered and allowed me to put it on a space less than 74 inches. It also added height to the TV, allowing space for my Sonos Arc soundbar. --- PERFORMANCE AND EXPECTATIONS --- This TV performs like a dream. Because it is a smart TV, you do not need anything else other than a WiFi connection to enjoy apps you already subscribe to. The remote has a Netflix, Prime Video, YouTube, TCLTV, and Free TV buttons. There’s also a STAR button that you can customize to your favorite app or setting. My favorite part of the remote is the side buttons that control the brightness of the TV without having to go deep into the menus. Also, the Google microphone does a great job at doing what you say outloud. You don’t even need the remote for voice activation. You can just say: “Google, TV OFF” and the TV will turn off. Other favorites are: Google, HDMI 1, Google, Xbox, and so on. With modern TVs, you need color calibration. That is a service that Best Buy provides, which I highly recommend. However, it is also possible to calibrate using an Xbox. I used my Series X to calibrate it for video gaming under game mode, and for movies under film mode. After the calibration, the images look very life-like and not too oversaturated. When properly calibrated, some people find the image to be darker than they expect. This is because TV displays at stores raise the saturation to grab your attention. This is where the brightness button on the side of the remote comes in handy, as you can adjust depending on the lighting in your room. The lighting in my room changes because of a window. It’s bright during the day, and dark during the night. The TV supports Dolby Vision, and has both a bright and a dark setting for such occasions. Adjust accordingly. This TV has an HDMI Arc (HDMI 1). What this means is that you can connect a soundbar that also has Arc support and control the volume with the TCL remote. I have a whole Sonos Arc surround sound system. Initially, I couldn’t raise the volume too high. Unplugging and replugging the Sonos sound bar fixed that. For the soundbar to work, you need to allow the audio to “passthrough,” which is a sound setting on the TV. In doing so, the TV itself won’t say that you are listening to Dolby Atmos sound. This is because of the passthrough setting, but the Sonos app should say that you are listening to audio with Dolby Atmos. I can play my Xbox and watch my movies at the highest 4K HDR quality and sound for an amazing theatre-like experience. --- APPROVAL --- If you can afford this TV, it is definitely one to get for an immersive theatrical experience. Pair it up with a Dolby Atmos supported soundbar and surround sound system, and you’ll be golden.

The X11L series is TCL’s latest flagship TV. If you’re in the market for for a high-end TV that gives you the best picture money can buy, this one should be on your shortlist, if not at the top. I had been looking to upgrade my TV and the picture on this is miles ahead of what I currently have. PROs • Picture Quality – This is why you’d purchase this TV. The brightness it can handle is simply stellar. If your room is bright, this TV will easily overcome any ambient light without washing out the image. On the other end, though it won’t get quite as accurate blacks as an OLED TV, you are not going to notice that unless you’re taking serious measurements for some reason. • Remote – It’s a functional remote with backlighting. I really appreciate that there are side buttons to adjust the brightness of the TV, just in case you need to do that manually. Similarly, a side button lets you pick the picture mode. • Sound – The TV has built-in speakers by Bang & Olufsen. You can optionally add wireless satellite speakers and a wireless subwoofer, eliminating the need to also add an external sound bar while getting full surround sound. • Google TV – I personally prefer this operating system over the built-in ones created by TV makers themselves. It’s well integrated into the Google ecosystem. • 144Hz Refresh – This refresh rate combined with TCL’s motion enhancement lets you watch sports with crispness and clarity and reduce blur. A quick way to take advantage of this is by switching the Picture Mode to Sports. CONs • Expensive – This is not to say you don’t get value for the money, but you do pay a premium for getting arguably the best picture available currently. • Remote – While I like the remote, I wish it had a number pad for direct channel input. It does have voice input, though, to counter the need for it. • Heavy – This is an artifact of its size and solid speakers. It’s nearly 113 pounds (116 pounds with the stand). You will need three people to safely mount this to a wall. The bottom line is if it’s in your budget, you will not be disappointed with this TV.

OK first off this thing is massive. I mean the box is intimidating and let me tell you, they are right when they say this is a two-man job but if you are confident enough, you can knock it out by yourself like I did…but ONLY if you’re putting it on a cabinet/stand. I still don’t recommend it! This thing is absolutely stunning, and I’ve never said that about a tv. The thin bezel, the deep rose/copper gunmetal, the beautifully crafted matching Bang & Olufsen speakers, every detail is precise and…pretty. I seriously can’t believe this is how I’m describing a tv. If you’re into varying contrasts & textures, you may really like the aesthetic of the smooth brushed finish along the lower front grille paired against the almost-squared starburst pattern on the back of the panel, supported by metal wedge-shaped support feet with an integrated cord sleeve along the rear of both feet. Setup- talk about a breeze… The initial setup requires a Google account and a TCL account just full transparency. There’s no way to opt out, at least not that I’ve been able to find. But once connected, the process is seamless…..or at least it’s supposed to be. For me, I had trouble creating the tcl account as it cycled through sending verification code via email which never came. I was able to get by this minor hiccup after a few minutes of attempts. The Home Screen is immersive, up front and immediately it’s “you” on a screen. Your accounts, your recommendations, all spread across 85” of mini-led 4k beauty. From the list of “my apps” to the top picks, and all the top watched & new released everything is ready for scrolling. This tv comes loaded with the apps everyone’s on right now. Mixed in are other suggested apps. I can’t stress enough how “known” I feel, almost as if this “homescreen” extends a bit further than the typical homescreens on other smart tv’s. The suggested videos don’t help as they pull from my streaming account, so all in all I’d say this tv makes you feel familiar, which mentally of course is supposed to reduce the learning curve for a new screen. Now, for the view…I have to say this is quite clear…the colors are vivid and bold, that’s actually an understatement. The clarity in everything I’ve watched is unreal…down to the finger prints, the steaks left behind by a towel, water stains while the sun beams on an object, it’s literally crystal clear. And the motion is smooth, I mean silky smooth..Take for example the pic here, this is a pic I took on my phone, while a YT video was on pause, showing the reflection in the eye of a tiger of a person walking by. That clarity is phenomenal! I’ve not missed a single detail while viewing this screen. Though I’m not a tv/visual expert I can tell you this model has seriously amazing black color reproduction, but the white balance needs a little love to get it to the right tone/hue. For some reason the white reproduction is showing really warm, even on objects that should be flat or completely stark white, like “perfect” clouds, they have a slightly yellow hue even after adjusting settings. Or, maybe I haven’t found the right setting yet. When connected to a gaming system the graphics really show through. I have a PS5 so that + HDR10 is beautiful for any gamer. I tested an F1 game and felt fully immersed in the movements through every hairpin turn. I found it pretty impossible to find any fault in the graphic performance. Seriously this thing is beyond amazing. I can’t emphasize enough the depth of the colors, I mean deep vibrant colors. B&O, oh how you’ve wow’d me. For in-unit sound, the bang & olufsen speakers on this beauty are really REALLY good. So good that in my initial test I had touch my subwoofer to make sure it wasn’t on. B&O really came through with great sound. The treble and high frequencies are strong, not harsh or scratchy so even at higher volumes. Mid-bass fills nicely, but the bass….thats the star. I can’t explain enough that the bass response for these speakers….no, flat out the speakers are flat out amazing, like amazing and carry the 1. This tv gives the feeling of sound coming through the screen at all angles and literally leaves you without “needing” a soundbar. But, when you do, this tv takes you to another level of viewing. One gripe I have found is with clarity around an object in-frame, there tends to be a bit of blur and pixelation in instances where there is a zoomed-in view on some objects. I emphasize, SOME, not all. I also haven’t figured out what the specific “thing” is that causes the lapse in clarity and pixelation. If this helps, I noticed it while watching a 4K Blu-ray movie, it wasn’t constant, I noticed it 4-5 times throughout a 2+ hour movie. I’ve yet to find any latency in the refresh rate as all motion has been extremely smooth. Another gripe I have is the lack of volume control when paired with a sound bar via an optical connection. Other TV’s have the ability to control the volume regardless of the connection. With this unit, it tells me it cannot control the soundbar. This is an inconvenience, a minor one, but an inconvenience nonetheless. It would be nice to only use one remote for at least video and audio, for once. Ok, I’ve said a lot. But this tv has a lot to offer. It’s not just a tv, it’s an experience wrapped in elegance. The absolute depth of colors are stunning. That’s me putting it respectfully. It’s actually pretty ridiculous how stunning this tv is. There’s absolutely no way I wouldn’t recommend this tv to anyone that is ready to step into a viewing experience every time you press that power button. Get it, GET IT! You won’t regret this at all, like not even a little bit. Oh, did I say it’s massive!? Because it is!

The TCL 85" X11L Series 4k UHD HDR DQD-Mini LED Smart TV with Google TV has exceeded my expectations. You can tell that this is one of those items that feels worth it from the moment you turn it on. Fromt he size and visual impact to the smart features and overall performace, it delivers a truly impressive experience that make everyday viewing feel elevated. The first thing that stands out is the size. at 85 inches, it completly transforms the room and becomes the centerpiece. Watching anything on this screen feels immersive, whether it's movies, sports, or just the mroning news. The opicture quality is outstanding. The mini LED technology combined with the 4K resolution produces sharp detail, rich contract, and vibrant colors that look natural rather than overdone. Bright scenes really pop, while darker scnend still hold onto importnant details instead of getting lost. One thing I did not expect, but definitly noticed, is how revealing hte large screen can be., You really start to see the age of some of the beloved TV personalities ont he news and mornings shows. It almost scary at times because the clarity is so good that nothing is hidden. it just goes to show how powerful and detailed the picture quality really is and makes me never want to be on on television. Getting the TV set up with the stands was very easy. The instructions were clear, and the process felt straigtforward and manageble. It actually tells you to leave t in the box and leave it on one piece of styrofoam to make it easier to install the stands. The stand itself feels sturdy and well designed. so if you plan to use it on a console or media stand, you will have no issues and can get it set up very quickly. Ours ended up being too small - so we have decided to hang it on the wall. The process of hanging it on the wall was a little more challanging for us - but not because of the TV it self. The TV uses a VESA 600mm by 400mm mount, which I ordered ahead of time. What I didn't realize was my home has steel wall studs instead of wood. We had to spend extra time find the right tools, ordering exta hardward to make sure everything was secure. The design of this TV is sleek and modern with very thin bezels that keep your focus on the screen. Mounted ont he wall, it looks clean and high end, almost like a piece of art. The Google TV interface is another highlight. it is intuitive, easy to navigate, and quick to set up. Logging into apps and streaming servies was simple, and everything is organized in a way that makes it easy to find something to watch. The voice control feature is a nice touch and works well for searching content fo opening apps withour having to push the buttons. The built in sound is awesome. I just remembered I havn't even reconnected my soundbar yet. The sound is clear, and perfectly fine for everyday use. Overall, I am extremely happy with thsi TV. The combination of size, picture quality, and smart features make it feel like a true upgrade in every sense. I hope it lasts for many years! Even with the extra effort to mount it into the steel studs, it was well worth it.