While all of its rivals are jumping on the RGB LED bandwagon in 2026, TCL is once again doing its own thing as it strives to prove it can build better TVs than other brands. At CES 2026, it announced the all new TCL X11L as its new flagship model.
It’s based on “SQD-miniLED” technology, which stands for Super Quantum Dots miniLED, with the backlight making use of blue LEDs combined with red and green conversion layers found in the enhanced “super” quantum dots.
TCL first teased the X11L last year, and it's doubling down on some extraordinary claims it made back then, saying that it's capable of hitting 10,000 nits brightness and 100% coverage of the BT.2020 colour space. It also said there are 20,000 local dimming zones.
What’s impressive is that TCL has done this without using an RGB LED backlight like many of its rivals, but it’s also not surprising that the company is doing things differently. It’s also notorious for refusing to embrace OLED display technology in any of its TVs, preferring to manufacture its own panels instead. In the case of the TCL X11L, it uses TCL CSOT’s 4K resolution WHVA Ultra 2.0 LCD panel, which is the next evolution of last year’s WHVA LCD panel that supports expanded viewing angles.
TCL North America Executive Vice President Chris Hamdorf said at CES that the industry has spent years debating if OLED’s darkness or LED’s brightness is the better compromise to make. “The X11L ends that debate by harnessing 20,000 dimming zones and 10,000 peak nits to deliver both simultaneously," he added.
TCL specified an exact figure, saying the 98-inch version of the X11L will come with 20,736 local dimming zones to ensure unparalleled HDR picture quality. There are also 75-inch and 85-inch versions with an unspecified number of dimming zones. All three will be powered by the company’s new TSR AI Processor.
"2026 will be the year of extraordinary color, and SQD-Mini LED will set the bar high with maximum color, accurately, and more consistently," promised Scott Ramirez, VP of Product Marketing & Development at TCL North America.
Like its rival Hisense, TCL is claiming that the X11L will be the first TV in the world to support Dolby Vision 2 once it receives a firmware update later in the year. This apparently confirms that the company is using a MediaTek Pentonic 800 chipset, as that’s the only one in the world that’s configured to support the enhanced HDR specification. It also allows TCL to add four HDMI 2.1 ports to the TV.
Other details include the Google TV operating system, which brings access to all of the usual streaming apps, and an audio system that’s tuned by Bang & Olufsen to output high quality Dolby Atmos surround sound. The company also talked about Gemini AI integration for enhanced voice controls and search, as well as the new FlexConnect system that enables users to hook up wireless Dolby Atmos external speakers.
Another way TCL stands out from its rivals is that it’s the first to publish specific pricing details for its 2026 flagship. The X11L is available to pre-order in the U.S. now, with the 75-inch model priced at $6,999, the 85-inch model at $7,999 and the 98-inch version set to cost $9,999. That translates to around £5,170, £5,900 and £7,400, respectively. There’s no specific release date, but the company promised they’re “coming soon”.
