The Sony A90K is an OLED TV, which generally provides superb picture quality, with perfect blacks and great viewing angles, making it an excellent choice for dark room viewing and a wide-seating arrangement. It's also a strong contender for gaming due to its low input lag and quick response time. However, it's not as bright as some LCD TVs, so it might not be the best choice if you plan to watch TV in very bright rooms.
On the other hand, the TCL QM8 is an LCD TV with miniLED technology that tends to be brighter and may suit bright room conditions better. It's larger, which can be great for an immersive experience, and less expensive than the Sony. However, the overall picture quality, especially in dark rooms and viewing angles, might not quite match up to what you get with the Sony's OLED screen.
Ultimately, if budget and bright room performance are priorities, the TCL QM8 is a strong option. If superior dark room performance, wider viewing angles, and gaming experience are more important to you, and you're okay with a smaller screen, the Sony A90K might fit your needs better. Give Feedback
this description is based on the product variant with some specs and product variant with some specs. At the time of writing, the variant with some specs cost some dollars and the variant with some specs cost some dollars.
Advantages of the Sony A90K (OLED)
Excellent for movies & TV
Excellent for sports
Very good for news, talk, & other TV
Very good for use as monitor
Best in class for upscaling
Best in class motion processing
Very good viewing angle
Advantages of the TCL QM8 (LCD)
Best in class for bright room
Key differences
Movies & TV
9.1/10
8.3/10
10.00/10
CONTRAST
8.00/10
10.0/10
BLACK UNIFORMITY
8.5/10
10.0/10
UPSCALING
4.8/10
Yes
HDR10 SUPPORT
Yes
No
HDR10+ SUPPORT
Yes
Yes
DOLBY VISION SUPPORT
Yes
The Sony A90K (OLED) is excellent for movies & TV, while the TCL QM8 (LCD) is very good.
The Sony A90K excels in watching movies and cinematic TV due to the inherent strengths of its OLED technology, which renders perfect black uniformity and a contrast ratio that makes it superior to most LCDs, while its excellent viewing angles ensure color consistency across different seating positions. In contrast, the TCL QM8, despite having very good image quality, can't match the Sony's performance because of its LCD technology which, while offering commendable contrast and local dimming, falls short in black uniformity and viewing angles compared to OLED TVs.
Sports
9.1/10
6.5/10
10.0/10
MOTION PROCESSING
4.6/10
120Hz
REFRESH RATE
120Hz
7.0/10
INPUT LAG SCORE
7.6/10
10.0/10
UPSCALING
4.8/10
6.3/10
SDR BRIGHTNESS SCORE
10.0/10
Yes
HLG SUPPORT
Yes
The Sony A90K (OLED) is excellent for sports, while the TCL QM8 (LCD) is only fair.
The Sony A90K's excellent performance for watching sports is due to its outstanding response time, superior motion processing, and better handling of reflections, combined with wider viewing angles which provide a more consistent image when viewed from the side. The TCL QM8, with a lower response time and less effective motion processing, doesn't keep up as well in these areas, making fast-paced sports content appear less clear, particularly when viewed at an angle or in a room with many reflections.
News, Talk, & Other TV
8.7/10
6.8/10
6.3/10
SDR BRIGHTNESS SCORE
10.0/10
10.0/10
UPSCALING
4.8/10
The Sony A90K (OLED) is very good for news, talk, & other TV, while the TCL QM8 (LCD) is only fair.
The Sony A90K excels in upscaling lower-resolution content, making its performance for watching news and TV programs generally impressive due to clearer images. In contrast, the TCL QM8 shows weaker upscaling, which can affect the clarity of such programs, and it also has poorer performance in handling standard dynamic range content's brightness, making it less suitable for viewing in well-lit environments.
Bright Room
6.7/10
9.9/10
8.8/10
VIEWING ANGLE
5.3/10
6.3/10
SDR BRIGHTNESS SCORE
10.0/10
6.2/10
HDR BRIGHTNESS SCORE
9.3/10
8.9/10
REFLECTIONS SCORE
8.9/10
The TCL QM8 (LCD) is best in class for bright room, while the Sony A90K (OLED) is only fair.
The Sony A90K OLED has lower brightness levels in both SDR and HDR and its performance in bright rooms is impacted despite having very good reflection handling. In contrast, the TCL QM8 LCD offers the best SDR and excellent HDR brightness which, combined with very good reflection handling, makes it more suitable for bright room viewing although it has a lower contrast ratio and color volume than the Sony A90K OLED.
Cost
$1,398
$1,545
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
$2,500
The Sony A90K (OLED) has a price of $1,398 and the TCL QM8 (LCD) costs $1,545.
The Sony A90K (OLED) and TCL QM8 (LCD) both have very good picture quality.
Gaming
8.8/10
8.3/10
9.4/10
RESPONSE TIME SCORE
8.1/10
7.0/10
INPUT LAG SCORE
7.6/10
10.0/10
MOTION PROCESSING
4.6/10
100.0/100
GAMING LOCAL DIMMING
90.0/100
6.2/10
GAME HDR BRIGHTNESS SCORE
9.3/10
The Sony A90K (OLED) and TCL QM8 (LCD) are both very good for gaming.
The Sony A90K offers an outstanding gaming experience with its excellent response time and good input lag, ideal for fast-paced gaming where quick reactions are crucial. The TCL QM8 also delivers a very good gaming experience with a high refresh rate for smooth motion, although its response time and input lag are slightly less optimal compared to the Sony A90K, which may be noticeable in competitive gaming scenarios.
Cartoons & Animation
8.4/10
8.9/10
8.3/10
COLOR GAMUT SCORE
8.1/10
8.0/10
COLOR VOLUME SCORE
9.2/10
6.3/10
SDR BRIGHTNESS SCORE
10.0/10
7.7/10
COLORS OUT OF THE BOX SCORE
7.6/10
9.6/10
GRAY UNIFORMITY
7.5/10
The TCL QM8 (LCD) and Sony A90K (OLED) are both very good for cartoons & animation.
The Sony A90K excels in displaying animations with accurate colors straight out of the box and an impressive color gamut, making vibrant cartoon colors pop on screen. Meanwhile, the TCL QM8 also provides a very good color gamut complemented by excellent color volume, ensuring bright and diverse hues in animated content, but it may require some adjustments for optimal out-of-the-box color accuracy.
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How the Sony A90K (OLED) and the TCL QM8 (LCD) compare to other TVs
Spec Comparison
Sony A90K (OLED)
TCL QM8 (LCD)
GENERAL
Price
Price
$1,398
$1,545
Brand
Brand
Sony
TCL
Release Date
Release Date
June 2, 2022
May 1, 2023
Full name
Full name
48A90K
65QM850G
Screen Size
Screen Size
48"
65"
Screen Resolution
Screen Resolution
4K
4K
Screen Type
Screen Type
OLED
LCD
Screen Sub-type
Screen Sub-type
WOLED WBE
miniLED FALD VA
Smart TV
Smart TV
Yes
Yes
TV FEATURES
Operating System
Operating System
Android TV
Google TV
Sound Quality Score
Sound Quality Score
7/10
7/10
NextGen Ready
NextGen Ready
Yes
No
HDMI Ports
HDMI Ports
4
4
Coax Ports
Coax Ports
1
1
Refresh Rate
Refresh Rate
120Hz
120Hz
Variable Refresh Rate
Variable Refresh Rate
Yes
Yes
HDR Supported formats
HDR Supported formats
HDR10, Dolby Vision, HLG
HDR10, HDR10+, Dolby Vision, HLG
Accessibility
Accessibility
None
Voice Commands
DISPLAY QUALITY SCORES
Picture Quality Score
Picture Quality Score
8.6/10
8.6/10
Bright Room Score
Bright Room Score
6.8/10
9.9/10
Gaming Score
Gaming Score
8.8/10
8.4/10
Movies & TV Score
Movies & TV Score
9.1/10
8.3/10
Sports Score
Sports Score
9.2/10
6.6/10
News, Talk, & Other TV Score
News, Talk, & Other TV Score
8.8/10
6.9/10
Cartoons & Animation Score
Cartoons & Animation Score
8.4/10
8.9/10
Use as Monitor Score
Use as Monitor Score
8.5/10
8/10
PHYSICAL
Dimensions w/o Stand (H x W x D)
Dimensions w/o Stand (H x W x D)
24.6" x 42.1" x 2.4"
32.6" x 56.9" x 1.7"
Dimensions with Stand (H x W)
Dimensions with Stand (H x W)
24.9" x 42.1"
34.1" x 56.9"
Weight without Stand
Weight without Stand
29.6 lbs
50.1 lbs
VESA Mount
VESA Mount
300 x 300
300 x 400
DISPLAY
Color Depth
Color Depth
10 bit
10 bit
Black Frame Insertion
Black Frame Insertion
Yes
Yes
Auto Low Latency Mode
Auto Low Latency Mode
Yes
Yes
Contrast
Contrast
10/10
8/10
Local Dimming
Local Dimming
10/10
8/10
Gaming Local Dimming
Gaming Local Dimming
10/100
9/100
Game HDR Brightness Score
Game HDR Brightness Score
6.3/10
9.4/10
SDR Brightness Score
SDR Brightness Score
6.4/10
10/10
HDR Brightness Score
HDR Brightness Score
6.2/10
9.3/10
Gray Uniformity
Gray Uniformity
9.7/10
7.5/10
Black Uniformity
Black Uniformity
10/10
8.5/10
Viewing Angle
Viewing Angle
8.8/10
5.4/10
Reflections Score
Reflections Score
9/10
9/10
Upscaling
Upscaling
10/10
4.8/10
Motion Processing
Motion Processing
10/10
4.6/10
Color Gamut Score
Color Gamut Score
8.3/10
8.2/10
Color Volume Score
Color Volume Score
8/10
9.3/10
Response Time Score
Response Time Score
9.4/10
8.2/10
Input Lag Score
Input Lag Score
7/10
7.7/10
Colors Out of the Box Score
Colors Out of the Box Score
7.7/10
7.6/10
Quality Control
Quality Control
10/10
6.3/10
Chroma Subsampling Score
Chroma Subsampling Score
8/10
10/10
SOUND
Speaker Setup
Speaker Setup
2.1
2.1
Speaker Power
Speaker Power
25 W
40 W
Dolby Atmos
Dolby Atmos
Yes
Yes
DTS:X
DTS:X
Up to DTS Digital Surround, Bypass only
Yes, Bypass only
Get a great deal on the Sony A90K (OLED) or the TCL QM8 (LCD)
About Sony
Sony stands as a highly experienced and widely trusted TV manufacturer, earning a reputation that surpasses all others. A Japanese company, Sony has been making TVs for far longs than it has been making Playstation game consoles. Sony's high-end TVs are often regarded as the ultimate choice for videophiles, representing the epitome of quality, albeit at a premium price point. Renowned for their advanced and precise motion handling, as well as their cutting-edge local dimming algorithms, Sony consistently delivers unparalleled performance in these areas. They include Google TV software with all their TV sets, which grants access to the largest selection of apps available and they also include Bravia Core which is a movie streaming platform specifically for Sony TVs that offers higher picture quality by using more bandwidth.
About TCL
TCL, the highly recognizable TV brand from China, has firmly established itself as the second-largest manufacturer in terms of sales volume. Renowned for striking an impressive balance between affordability, picture quality, and design, TCL TVs deliver a compelling overall package. While they have traditionally excelled in the low-end and midrange TV segments, TCL has recently made remarkable strides in the realm of high-end televisions, introducing impressive models that rival top competitors. Most TCL TVs use Roku software which is very user friendly and easy to use, but they have a few other models that use Google TV which has the largest app selection, but is not as user friendly as Roku.
This information was produced and vetted by the PerfectRec TVs team. We are a product research and recommendation organization that meticulously reviews and evaluates the latest TV information and makes it digestible for you.
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