TCL 75QM851G 4K QD-MINI LED Smart TV review

Last year I reviewed the 65-inch TCL 65QM850G 4K TV and found it to be an overall excellent TV. While it couldn’t quite match the image quality of the very best 4K sets in the market (viewing angles were limited and upscaling of low-resolution content was subpar), it still proved to be one of the best sets I had evaluated, especially when factoring in the price of $899 U.S. (at the time of the review).  I was therefore eager to discover how TCL’s latest flagship TV, the 75-inch 75QM851G would compare with last year’s model. TCL’s QM851G series was released in May 2024 and offers screen sizes ranging from 65 up to 98 inches.

TCL has long been known for providing budget-friendly televisions with solid performance, but with the launch of the QM8 series, including the 75QM851G, the company says it now wants to become the “ultimate choice” in TV. In this review, I will explore how the 75QM851G compares to last year’s flagship model, focusing primarily on the picture quality, smart features, and gaming performance that have defined the success of TCL’s QM8 line. The direct competitor to the 75QM851G is Sony’s 75-inch BRAVIA XR X90L, which I also had a chance to compare with further on in this review. Both sets currently sell for about $1,300 U.S.

Bigger and Brighter, with Improved Performance

TCL believes that the key to creating a premium Mini LED image is the quality of the optics and the processing. The resolution of a modern 4K TV is roughly 8 million pixels, but when viewing content that is standard HD (1080p often), that content only requires about 2 million pixels or about 25% of the screen. This means that it’s the job of the processor to fill the remaining 75% of the area remaining. To do that the processor has to create nearly 6 million pixels and do so up to 120 times each second and also get the colour just right when it handles the picture processing.

TCL’s new AiPQ Processor does all this and even works with the brightness sensor in the TV to automatically adjust the brightness of the TV to ensure it looks great both at night with all the lights off and during the day, with the sun out and all the blinds open.

The new QM851G series now boasts 5,000 local dimming zones, up from 2,800 on last year’s set and features an industry leading 5,000 Nits peak brightness (up from 2,800). Its new AIPQ PRO processor offers 65,000 levels brightness for each of the set’s Hexa Mini LED chips. TCL says its latest 6-in-1 LED chip technology creates these ultra-high brightness levels by utilizing fine light control, while maintaining power efficiency. Together, these technologies make the QM851G series one of the few LED televisions to rival the picture quality of OLED screens. But TCL’s significant advantage in brightness over OLED means it outperforms OLED in rooms with abundant natural light.

Both the 75QM851G and the 65QM850G feature a minimalist design, with very thin bezels with a brushed metallic frame on the top and sides. The 75QM851G retains the wide support arms that are adjustable for either a low profile or a slightly elevated position, allowing for a soundbar or other AV equipment to fit neatly underneath. This flexibility in the stand design is a nice touch, especially for users who want to enhance their audio setup without the hassle of a separate mount.

In terms of build quality, TCL continues to focus on offering a solid, well-made TV that feels premium, especially considering the aggressive price point compared to high-end competitors like LG, Samsung, and Sony.

The backlit remote closely resembles last year’s model. It features a long, slim, sleek design with a circular navigation pad near the top. Above the pad are buttons for power, input, settings, profile, and Google Assistant, along with a pinhole microphone. Below the pad, you’ll find volume and channel rockers, as well as dedicated buttons for menu and streaming services, including Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, YouTube, TCL TV, Apple TV, and Pluto TV.

The TV includes a full selection of apps and you can easily cast content from your phone onto the TV or play videos directly from a USB stick.

How Does it Compare to Last Year’s Model?

While last year’s 65QM850G impressed with its ability to achieve deep blacks and vibrant HDR, the 75QM851G pushes performance to a new level. I found colours are more vivid and lifelike, especially when watching 4K HDR content on Netflix or Disney+.

Viewing angles, while improved over its predecessor, are still somewhat limited. Sitting directly in front of the screen yields optimal picture quality, but if you are off-center, you may notice a slight decrease in contrast and color accuracy. While this is not uncommon in LED-lit TVs, it’s a consideration if your viewing environment has wide seating arrangements. Furthermore, upscaling of lower-resolution content is still not class leading — while the 75QM851G handles 4K content with ease, older or compressed content can appear somewhat pixelated.

In terms of gaming, the 75QM851G carries over all the excellent gaming features seen in the 65QM850G. With a 144Hz refresh rate, the TV supports smooth motion, and it’s further boosted by TCL’s Game Accelerator Mode, which increases the refresh rate to a maximum of 240Hz. This mode does reduce resolution (down to 1080p from 4K) to achieve this, but it makes a noticeable difference for fast-paced games where smoothness and low latency are key. For gaming enthusiasts this is a level of performance typically reserved for high-end gaming monitors.

Additionally, it features TCL’s Game Master overlay, providing gamers with easy access to a wide range of gaming-specific tools and settings.

Another area where the 75QM851G slightly outperforms its predecessor is in its handling of motion blur and judder. Thanks to the AiPQ processor the 75QM851G makes fast-moving content, like sports or action movies, look clearer and more fluid.

Smart TV Features: Google TV and More

Both the QM851G and QM850G series TVs benefit from the integration of Google TV, a platform that offers a seamless, user-friendly interface for accessing a vast array of streaming services. Whether it’s Netflix, YouTube, Amazon Prime Video, or more niche apps like Twitch, both models support all the major platforms. Google TV’s built-in search function makes it easy to find content across multiple apps, and the addition of Apple AirPlay 2 further enhances its cross-platform versatility, allowing users to stream from iPhones, iPads, and Macs.

One of the standout features of the 75QM851G (as well as last year’s 65QM850G) is the Google Assistant integration. If you lose the remote (as many of us often do), you can use voice commands to control the TV directly. By simply saying “Hey Google,” you can change channels, adjust volume, or even search for specific content without needing the remote. This is an especially helpful feature for users who enjoy hands-free control or for those with accessibility needs.

The 75QM851G builds upon the previous model’s robust smart features with faster processing and a more responsive interface. The transition between apps and settings is smooth, and the Google Assistant functionality is highly refined. Plus, both TVs can control compatible smart home devices, such as cameras or doorbells, through the integrated Google ecosystem.

The 75QM851G also features better sound with an Onkyo-designed 2.1.2-channel speaker system with two 20W left and right speakers, a 20W subwoofer, and two 10W up-firing Dolby Atmos drivers. Although the audio quality surpasses that of most built-in TV speakers, it still can’t compete with the performance you can achieve with a standalone surround-sound speaker system.

Competing with Other Premium Brands

I also compared the TCL 75QM851G with direct rival Sony’s 75-inch BRAVIA XR-75X90L. In my testing I compared them using a variety of streamed 4K content and 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray content. I found that the TCL 75QM851G consistently outperformed the Sony XR-75X90L,offering superior contrast, improved blooming performance, and looked better with HDR-enabled content.

For those of you with rooms that receive significant sunlight you should note that TCL’s flagship TV, in addition to being much brighter than the Sony, also excels in handling reflections. While I would give the Sony a slight edge in upscaling, the TCL with the new AiPQ Pro Processor is noticeably better at upscaling content compared to last year’s model.

An Impressive Upgrade

Overall, the TCL QM851G series is an impressive upgrade over last year’s QM850G in several important areas. With its increased brightness and improved contrast it delivers a more immersive and vibrant viewing experience, particularly when it comes to HDR content. The expanded number of dimming zones adds further depth and contrast, improving black levels that even rival OLED TVs.

Price

TCL 75QM851G

1.299 U.S. of 1.230 EUR

If you’re in the market for a large-screen TV with great picture quality, gaming features, and smart TV capabilities, the 75QM851G is hard to beat, especially considering its price. It’s a strong contender for those looking for OLED TV performance but at a fraction of the cost.

9.2/10

PERFORMANCE [60]

9.2/10

Features | Functionality [20]

8.8/10

Design | Build Quality [10]

9.1/10

Price | Performance [10]

10.0/10

Pros

• Amazingly bright, especially with HDR content
• Lifelike image quality
• Excellent HDR color gamut
• Best in class contrast
• Deep blacks with almost no blooming
• Competes with the best OLED TV's
• Very low input lag for gamers

Cons

• Slightly warm colors out of the box
• Calibration required for best image quality
• Moderate upscaling
• Moderate viewing angles

TCL 75QM851G