If you’ve been waiting to upgrade your home theater, TCL’s Black Friday/Cyber Monday deals, available through Tuesday, December 2, 2025, are the strongest we’ve seen. These discounts hit every major Mini-LED model – including TCL’s ultra-premium X11K and its newest flagship performance tier, the QM9K.
TCL isn’t playing around this year. Their 2025 sets push Mini-LED tech forward in ways you can actually see: higher backlight precision, tighter optical control to reduce blooming, better off-angle viewing, and cleaner industrial design. And now TCL’s cutting prices across every major series – including their newest flagship, the QM9K – with discounts up to 60% off.
Here’s how the models differ, so you can decide which one should earn a spot in your home.
TCL X11K – Ultra-High-End Mini-LED for the Picture Quality Obsessed
TCL’s X11K series isn’t just another flagship, it’s the statement piece among its Mini-LED lineup. While the QM9K already plays elite, the X11K raises the bar in four critical engineering areas that genuinely affect the viewing experience:
- Peak HDR Brightness & Contrast: The X11K is rated for up to 6,500 nits of HDR peak brightness and boasts an ultra-high native contrast ratio via its CSOT HVA “CrystGlow” panel. That means when sunlit highlights, specular reflections or snowy scenes show up on-screen, they pop with extra brilliance, and deep shadow detail is retained.
- Local Dimming Precision: Where many TVs talk “thousands of zones,” the X11K claims up to 14,000 local dimming zones via TCL’s “Precise Dimming/LD14000” architecture. The result: much tighter control over blooming (bright objects bleeding into dark backgrounds), better shadow fidelity, and a more “theatre-worthy” contrast feel.
- Premium Panel & Optical System: The X11K uses a CrystGlow HVA panel with ultra-wide viewing angle performance and advanced optics (micro-lenses, micro-OD, reduced optical distance) to manage reflections, off-center color fidelity, and light uniformity. In real-world terms, that means if you watch with a group or from the side, the picture holds up better.
- Top-Tier Gaming & Features: A 144 Hz native panel, full QD-Mini LED backlight, Google TV, and high-end audio (Audio by Bang & Olufsen in some models) make this more than just a “bright board.” It’s a complete premium package.
- Where you compromise: Price is very high compared to other TCL lines; sizes are limited (85″ & 98″), so you’ll need space. Also, if you don’t watch in a brightly lit room or sit off-axis, the difference versus the QM9K will be less noticeable, so only go with the X11K if you can exploit its advantages.
- 85″ X11K — $3,499.99 (MSRP $9,999)
- 98″ X11K — $4,999.99 (MSRP $12,999)
Who it’s for: Home theater purists who want the absolute best Mini-LED brightness and contrast TCL can deliver, and who have the room for a screen that becomes the room.
TCL QM9K – Mainstream Flagship with Precision Mini-LED and Wide-Angle Brilliance
The QM9K brings a huge leap forward over last year’s mainstream flagship thanks to major upgrades in backlight precision, optical control, and panel off-axis performance. TCL moved to a 23-bit backlight controller, enabling over 65,000 levels of luminance, so HDR highlights – fireworks, glints of sunlight, chrome reflections – appear more detailed instead of blown-out. And thanks to a redesigned Super Condensed Micro Lens system paired with a shortened optical distance, the light beams stay more focused where they should, dramatically reducing haloing around bright objects.
The QM9K also uses TCL’s CrystGlow WHVA wide-angle panel, which boosts side-viewing performance by about 40% compared to earlier models – colors and contrast stay accurate even when you’re not sitting dead center. TCL’s nearly edge-to-edge ZeroBorder design helps the picture float on the wall, particularly at 85- and 98-inch sizes. In the real world, this all adds up to a cinematic picture that holds up equally well during HDR movie nights and daytime sports with the blinds open.
If you want true flagship performance without stepping into the ultra-premium X-Series pricing, the QM9K is the series that delivers it.
- 65″ — $1,499.99 (MSRP $2,999.99)
- 75″ — $1,999.99 (MSRP $3,499.99)
- 85″ — $2,499.99 (MSRP $3,999.99)
- 98″ — $3,999.99 (MSRP $5,999.99)
Who it’s for: People who want near-A-tier picture performance - class-leading HDR precision, wide viewing angles, and 144Hz gaming - without paying X11K prices.
TCL QM8K – Nearly Flagship Performance, with Some Trade-Offs
The QM8K also gets the 23-bit backlight system, re-engineered lenses, and ZeroBorder design, so HDR movies and contrast still look outstanding. Blooming control and sharpness in highlights are extremely close to the QM9K. You still get 144Hz gaming, Dolby Vision IQ, and Google TV.
Where you compromise:
- The panel isn’t as wide-angle as the QM9K
- Local dimming zones and peak brightness are a step down
- Sound quality is good – but not as premium as QM9K’s tuned system
In practice, the difference shows up if your room is extremely bright or if people sit off-center. For most homes, it’s the better value play.
- 65″ — $899.99 (MSRP $2,499.99)
- 75″ — $1,399.99 (MSRP $2,999.99)
- 85″ — $1,799.99 (MSRP $3,499.99)
- 98″ — $2,999.99 (MSRP $4,999.99)
Who it’s for: Movie lovers and gamers who want flagship visual performance without flagship cost.
Read more: Great Black Friday Deals on Essential Travel Tech
TCL QM7K – Mini-LED Done Right, without the Fancy Stuff
QM7K keeps the core performance benefits – high brightness, strong HDR impact, and 120Hz gaming – but drops some of the premium picture tech:
- Lower local dimming zone count → slightly more blooming in tough scenes
- Standard wide-angle viewing panel → color shifts more off-center
- Doesn’t use the new optical distance reduction or panel refinements
- Design isn’t ZeroBorder – it still looks “TV-ish,” not art-like
You’re still getting a legitimately excellent picture (not just “good for the money”), but you lose the fine-grained precision and wider viewing angles of the QM8K/QM9K.
- 55″ — $599.99 (MSRP $1,199.99)
- 65″ — $799.99 (MSRP $1,499.99)
- 75″ — $999.99 (MSRP $1,999.99)
- 85″ — $1,499.99 (MSRP $3,499.99)
- 98″ — $1,999.99 (MSRP $3,999.99)
Who it’s for: People who want a big, bright screen for sports and movies, without chasing every high-end spec.
TCL QM6K – Your Most Affordable Path into True Mini-LED
QM6K is where TCL brings QD-Mini LED to mainstream pricing. It’s noticeably better than standard LED sets, especially in darker scenes. Compared to TCLs more expensive models, there are trade-offs:
- Fewer dimming zones → less shadow detail in challenging HDR
- Lower peak brightness → highlights don’t “pop” like the QM7K+
- 60/120Hz + VRR varies by size – not a universal gaming powerhouse
- Design is more traditional, not ZeroBorder minimalism
That said, you’re paying entry-level prices for real Mini-LED contrast, which remains rare at this tier.
- 55″ — $399.99 (MSRP $799.99)
- 65″ — $499.99 (MSRP $999.99)
- 75″ — $699.99 (MSRP $1,299.99)
- 85″ — $999.99 (MSRP $1,999.99)
- 98″ — $1,699.99 (MSRP $2,999.99)
Who it’s for: Budget-savvy shoppers who want a big upgrade from basic LED without breaking $1,000.
Wild Card: TCL 115″ QM7K – A Giant Screen with a Giant Price Cut
This monster 115-inch QM7K is a 2024 model, so you’re getting the older picture architecture, but you’re also getting a wall-filling screen for a price that used to buy a mid-size OLED. It remains Mini-LED with solid dimming, just not the newer optical engineering TCL introduced this year.
- 115″ — $9,999.99 (MSRP $19,999.99)
Who it’s for: Sports bars, basement theaters, and anyone ready to go all-in on size over cutting-edge panel tech.
Read next: Meet Samsung’s Largest Neo QLED TV Yet – 115 Inches
[Image credit: TCL]
