TCL - 65" Class QM9K Series 4K UHD HDR QD-Mini LED Smart TV with Google TV (2025)

I recently bought the TCL QM9K as a gift for my husband. This TV is incredible—the brightness is outstanding, it looks very elegant, and the design is excellent. The sound quality is also impressive. This is the third TCL TV we’ve owned at home, and the first high-end model. The HDR performance is spectacular; I don’t think anything could surpass it. Motion handling on YouTube is very good, and Netflix works well too, although occasionally you can notice some minor distractions or glitches in fast-moving scenes. The serious problem is with Disney Plus: it’s practically impossible to watch content there. The image flickers, lags, and the motion is erratic, and no adjustment seems to fix it. This is frustrating because I also own a 2024 55-inch TCL Mini LED model, and I’ve had no complaints with that one. I didn’t expect to encounter this issue on a high-end model. If I had purchased the QM8K instead, I wouldn’t be facing this problem. I truly hope TCL or Disney Plus can resolve this in the future. I don't suggest you don't buy it until they fix that problem and improve the movement process; you can buy the QMK6 L, K7, or QMK8, which doesn't have these problems.

TCL tv is great . Beautiful picture and sound . Geek Squad was fantastic.

Let’s get to the point. If you're looking for a high-end top of the line TV that pushes the envelope on clarity, brightness, sound quality and smart features, you should consider the TCL QM9K 65 inch. My previous TV was the Vizio M Series 50 inch that I’ve had since 2019. It was and still is a great TV but I thought it was time for an upgrade to see what has changed over the last several years with TV’s, so enter the QM9k. Inside the box came the TV( well protected), the usual paperwork, the stand with necessary screws, cable management clips, the remote( with 2 AAA batteries). Attaching the stand, swapping HDMI cables and placing the TV didn’t take long( ~20 mins) especially if you have two people working on it. You can also mount it if needed but you’ll need the required tools, and likely expertise to get it done properly for your setup. Once powered on you’ll have to go through a few rounds of initial setup options and updates, (it is a smart tv after all), especially if you’re a Google account holder and want to attach your account. This took me around 20~30 mins. I won’t do a spec dumb since that’s easily found on the BestBuy’s page for the QM9K but I will share what I liked. The first thing that struck me was how bright it was. According to TCL it can achieve 6500 nits. This was actually pretty great for me given that my living room gets flushed with a tonne of natural light during the day and based on where I’ve placed the tv the glare would lead me to pull the curtains. But those days are gone, my curtains can now be pulled all day without sunlight affecting my viewing experience. The next thing I noticed was that the screen is near bezel less and it had great viewing angles. When it comes to viewing content, this TV is top notch, especially if you are viewing a lot of HDR content. “Colors pop” would be an understatement , they explode whether you are watching films, sports or gaming. On the topic of gaming this excels! This was set up with my PS5 and no matter what I threw at it, a shooter like The Finals, sports like Fifa or more story driven like Ghost of Yotei (currently playing & loving this) it crushed it. I don’t even know what lag is anymore. Not to forget audio, but the sound from the Bang and Olufsen speakers was definitely an improvement from my previous tv. It is very good but you won’t be getting theater-sounding performance without pairing it with a dedicated sound system, which you can attach either via the HDMI eARC port or through blutooth. So as I’m sure you could have guessed the QM9K is a smart TV but it is just a lil tad bit smarter, as it has Google’s Gemini built. So you can either from the TV’s remote ( ohhh yeah the remote is well designed, intuitive and illuminated!!!) or speaking directly to the TV( it has microphones you can turn off) you can access it just like you would from your phone or computer. The bottom line is you can’t go wrong with the QM9K, you’re getting outstanding performance in many areas and you’ll never wanna look away.

Regarding setup and unboxing the 65 inch TCL QM9K, I am a fairly big guy (6'2") and I was able to set it up by myself although the instructions don't recommend that. The base has two levels you can set it at, one of which is higher in case you have a soundbar which we do. The base/stand provides a convenient area to place our soundbar on. However, it cannot be set back flush with the TV, if it is it will block the sensor on the lower front of the TV so I had to place the soundbar several inches in front of it. Once powered on, the TV will guide you through setting it up which includes logging into your Google account (this is our first Google TV) and that actually goes pretty smoothly in conjunction with your phone. Added bonus, I now have Google Home on my TV so I can change my thermostat or view our security cameras from my television, pretty cool. Our living room has a "cut out" in the wall as was the style of some home builders back in the late 90’s/early 2000's, the intent of which was to recess your TV back into the cutout so its flush with the fireplace. Well, that doesn't really work these days with larger TV screens so ours sits in front of the cutout (see picture). This affects the rear-facing speakers and kind of mutes them. While the Bang and Olufsen speakers are the best sounding built-in TV speakers I've ever heard along with impressive deep bass for such a thin TV, they don't work as good as our front-facing soundbar and subwoofer. According to TCL the screen "features an anti-reflective screen treatment that reduces mirror-like reflections from windows and overhead lights" and this matters in our living room. We have 8 big picture windows which allow tons of light through our living room and its been a problem with previous TVs. But the TCL QM9K has eliminated that, we get no reflections or glaring from our windows anymore. So here's how our TV setup works: we pay for DirecTV service at our cabin up in the Rocky Mountains and we use DirecTV Stream down at our main home since its included with the service. Our previous smart TV did not allow the DirecTV Stream app to be loaded so we had to use a streaming device, in our case a Roku Ultra. When I first setup the TCL QM9K I also connected the Roku Ultra just by default assuming I'd need it. Turns out the DirecTV Stream app is compatible with Google TV so that is convenient. But more importantly, I compared the picture using both methods and the difference is significant. When I first tested this viewing through the Roku Ultra the picture is great, but when viewing directly through the TCL it becomes phenomenal. It is stunningly crystal clear with bright gorgeous colors and deep blacks. When I'd switch back through the Roku Ultra the picture looks duller, more pixelated and the colors are muted. Switching back to viewing through the TCL the picture just comes alive. It is so good it looks almost like 3D, I was amazed at the difference. I also compared the pictures for viewing through the TCL vs Roku for other streaming apps like Netflix and found the differences to be less dramatic with the nod being given to the TCL as it always seemed brighter and clearer but the differences weren't huge, not like the case for the DirecTV Stream app. So to sum this up, the TCL has eliminated the need for our Roku and the picture is simply incredible. Regarding the Ambient Display, I like the idea. Per TCL's description: "With the Ambient Mode Sensor, the TCL QM9K detects your presence and responds. Enter the room and the screen lights up with a clean screensaver or helpful widgets you choose. Step away and it shuts off to save energy and reduce distractions." I have checked and doublechecked all the settings, read and re-read the user guide, searched the internet, watch videos, etc., to ensure its active and setup correctly but I just can't make it work. It has never turned on or off as described and I'm positive my soundbar isn't blocking the ambient sensor but it just does not work as expected. Then this morning as my wife was watching the TV it just shut off without warning. So I’m thinking its user error and I’ve setup something incorrectly in the ambient display settings but it doesn’t matter since my wife asked me to turn off that function and we’ll just stick with old school and use the remote power button. Speaking of the remote, its backlit which I love and works great. For example, using our old Roku remote you’d have to point it directly at the soundbar to adjust the volume as it uses infrared (IR). With the TCL remote that’s not necessary as it uses radio frequency (RF) to adjust volume and that works way better. I also love the screensaver which I configured to my Google Photos. I could sit there and watch it for hours viewing photos I haven't seen in years. However, the screensaver has never actually gone into 'screensaver mode' when I’ve had the TV on. I have had to turn it on manually with a quick click of the power button. I’ve tested it numerous times by leaving the TV idle but it has never come on based on my Screensaver settings. Then last night while my wife was watching a movie and said she got a message from the TV a couple of times saying the screensaver was about to turn on. She had to override that message a few times which was kind of annoying during the movie so I think this is related to my inability to make the ambient display work properly. Pretty sure its user error as I’m still trying to figure that out and why it doesn't seem to work as described. I am certainly not knocking off any stars in my review for that as this is one awesome television with the best picture I have ever seen, a rich feature set that's easy to use and dial it in as I like, and excellent sound (even though I prefer my soundbar). Five stars, no doubt about it.

My previous TVs have all been budget brand. They were great, but they are not even in the same universe as the TCL QM9K. My oldest daughter recently moved out, so my wife and I decided to turn her old room into the movie/game (PS5) room. Being the central area for movies and gaming, we wanted a better TV. The QM9K absolutely delivered. I don't know if there is a better TV out there at the moment. First, it's packaged nicely. I installed it by myself, which was a little tricky. I recommend two people to put the stand on and put it where you want it. To install the stand, I used two of the side protector Styrofoam pieces to lift the bottom corners to install the stand. I will say that the specs list the stand as 47" wide, it's not. It actually measures 15.25" wide by 14.5" deep. It easily fits on a small dresser (our temporary spot until I mount it). It is a compact stand that doesn't take up much space, but it is deep enough to be very stable. Initial setup is easy. If you have the Google Home app, you can add it and it can import settings from the app. It also has Gemini built in. If you have the microphone on, you can say, "Hey Google, turn on/off the TV", plus anything else you want Gemini to do. There is a separate light at the bottom of the center panel where the power light is that comes on when it is listening. You can also set it to ambient mode when you walk in the room. The first thing I did after setup was watch a movie. It was night time and this TV is insanely bright. I also watched during the day and with two windows across from the TV and the sun hitting them, it was still bright and easy to see. I then watched a YouTube video that was 4K HDR of various scenes with a lot of color and contrast. (The pictures are from that video). With this TV having 6,000 local dimming zones, blacks are pure black and colors explode. I've never seen a TV this good with colors, blacks, contrast and saturation. It is absolutely top-tier. I have always had a soundbar for my living room TV, but with these speakers, I don't think I will be getting a soundbar. The sound is loud, clear and deep. It's the only TV that I've seen where you can see speakers on the back. It is plenty of sound for the smaller bedroom that we have it in. The remote is backlit, which I believe should just be the standard now. I will say that for me, the remote is a little lacking. It does have voice control and dedicated buttons for Netflix, Prime Video, Free TV, and YouTube. However, it doesn't have dedicated buttons for rewind, play/pause and fast forward. I would like to still have those buttons. I watch a lot of YouTube videos and to pause it, I have to hit the center button which brings up the progress bar on the video and then press it again to actually pause it. It would be nice if it was just one button press. Fast forward and rewind are the left and right side of the circle. Not terrible, and it's just me being nit-picky. For comparison, my budget TV remote has buttons for Netflix, YouTube, Prime Video, Disney+, Tubi, and a "favorite" button that is customizable to the app of your choice. I have that set to Hulu. It does have a play/pause button, but rewind and fast forward are the left and right of the circle button. Just having that play/pause button is great. I wish the QM9K remote had it. Again, nothing huge, just something I wish it had. Overall, this TV is in a class by itself. If you're looking for a TV, I cannot recommend the QM9K enough. It has absolutely blown me away.