TCL has confirmed it is planning to launch its first ever OLED TV - QD-OLED, to be more precise - later this year, giving fans of the Chinese brand an alternative to its usual lineup of Mini-LED and QLED LCD TVs. 

The announcement means that every major TV brand has now embraced OLED display technology in some form or other. TCL was the last big holdout, remaining steadfastly committed to QLED for many years even as its rivals embraced what many believe to be a much superior display technology. 

Indeed, TCL was one of the founding members of the QLED Alliance that was established in 2017, along with Samsung Electronics and Hisense. The intention of that organisation was to position QLED, and then Mini-LED, as a more attractive alternative to OLED displays, which have certain weaknesses such as noticeably lower brightness and the risk of burn-in. 

However, it seems that OLED has well and truly won the battle. Long supported by LG Electronics, Sony, Panasonic, Philips and others, OLED was embraced in 2018 by Hisense too, which launched its first set just one year after the QLED Alliance was born. Samsung held out for longer, but finally accepted the inevitable last year when it launched its own flavour of OLED. 

Now, TCL is also embracing OLED, promising to launch its first such TVs in the second half of the year. The company is still maintaining its unofficial alliance with Samsung though, as its new TVs will be equipped with QD-OLED displays supplied by Samsung Display, as opposed to LG Display’s White OLED panels. QD-OLED is said to have an advantage over traditional OLED, being capable of higher brightness. However, LG’s most recent advances suggest that the two technologies will be much more evenly matched this year. 

TCL announced at CES 2023 that QD-OLED, along with Mini-LED, will hold a “premium position” in its 2023 TV lineup, but we’ll have to wait and see exactly what it has in store. The QD-OLED TV was announced by TCL North America, so it’s not clear if we will see them in Europe or other regions, and we can expect sizes of 55-inches, 65-inches and 77-inches to be available. 

There will be larger options within TCL’s Mini-LED range, though, as the new QM850G, Q750G and Q650G TVs announced by TCL North America will be available in sizes that go all the way up to 98-inches. 

These models will be Google TVs, with features including quantum dots and Mini-LED backlights, with the higher-end models boasting a record-breaking number of local dimming zones for a consumer display, the company said. 

The flagship model is the TCL QM8, which comes in sizes starting at 65-inches, all the way up to 98-inches. TCL says its Mini-LED backlights will deliver twice the peak brightness, and five-times as many local dimming zones as its 2022 flagship Mini-LED TV. All told, there will be 2,300 local dimming zones. The TV features a native 120Hz panel and comes with a built-in subwoofer for more dynamic sound effects. 

As for the Q7 series, this will be TCL’s mid-range model with a quantum dot layer. Available in sizes ranging from 55-inches to 75-inches, the sets feature full array LED backlight with local dimming, and offer game-friendly features such as 120Hz, VRR and FreeSync Premium Pro support. 

Finally, there’s the TCL Q6 series TVs, which will be the most affordable option. TCL said it will be capable of 66% higher brightness than standard, non-QLED displays, with a 60Hz panel that supports gaming features like VRR and FreeSync Premium Pro.