The Sony X80K is well-suited for sports content with a decent performance in bright rooms, but it doesn't fare well in dark rooms, which might make it less ideal for watching movies. If cost is a significant factor and you watch a lot of different content, it's a versatile choice.
On the other hand, the TCL Q7 offers superior performance for movies and gaming due to a higher contrast and better dark room performance. It also has a better response time which is great for gaming. However, it has a limited viewing angle which could be an issue in a wide seating arrangement.
Both TVs have similar price points, so your decision should be based on your primary use: sports and varied content for the Sony X80K, or movies and gaming with the TCL Q7. 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 X80K (LCD)
Good for sports
Good for news, talk, & other TV
Best in class for upscaling
Best in class motion processing
Good viewing angle
Advantages of the TCL Q7 (LCD)
Good for bright room
Good for dark room
Very good for gaming
Good for movies & TV
Good for use as monitor
Key differences
Picture Quality
6.0/10
7.8/10
5.06/10
CONTRAST
7.88/10
6.6/10
COLOR VOLUME SCORE
7.5/10
LED
PANEL TYPE
LED FALD
IPS
PANEL SUB-TYPE
VA
The TCL Q7 (LCD) has good picture quality, while the Sony X80K (LCD) has only fair picture quality.
Movies & TV
5.5/10
7.7/10
5.06/10
CONTRAST
7.88/10
5.2/10
BLACK UNIFORMITY
8.7/10
10.0/10
UPSCALING
4.8/10
Yes
HDR10 SUPPORT
Yes
No
HDR10+ SUPPORT
Yes
Yes
DOLBY VISION SUPPORT
Yes
The TCL Q7 (LCD) is good for movies & TV, while the Sony X80K (LCD) is poor.
The Sony X80K has poorer contrast, lacking local dimming and demonstrating uneven black uniformity, which affects its performance in dark scenes typical for movies and cinematic TV. The TCL Q7, on the other hand, has better contrast with effective local dimming and more uniform blacks, resulting in a more immersive viewing experience in dark rooms.
Sports
7.4/10
6.4/10
10.0/10
MOTION PROCESSING
4.6/10
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
120Hz
8.7/10
INPUT LAG SCORE
7.3/10
10.0/10
UPSCALING
4.8/10
7.5/10
SDR BRIGHTNESS SCORE
8.6/10
Yes
HLG SUPPORT
Yes
The Sony X80K (LCD) is good for sports, while the TCL Q7 (LCD) is only fair.
The Sony X80K offers better motion processing and reflection handling, which are crucial when watching sports, providing a clear picture in fast action scenes and various lighting conditions. The TCL Q7 has narrower viewing angles and is fair in handling reflections, which could reduce viewing quality during dynamic sports events, especially if viewed from the side.
Gaming
5.8/10
8.2/10
6.2/10
RESPONSE TIME SCORE
8.0/10
8.7/10
INPUT LAG SCORE
7.3/10
10.0/10
MOTION PROCESSING
4.6/10
0.0/100
GAMING LOCAL DIMMING
90.0/100
6.3/10
GAME HDR BRIGHTNESS SCORE
8.2/10
The TCL Q7 (LCD) is very good for gaming, while the Sony X80K (LCD) is poor.
The Sony X80K displays slower response time and higher input lag compared to the TCL Q7, which means it won't be as smooth or responsive during gaming. Additionally, the TCL Q7 has a higher refresh rate, enhancing fluidity and motion handling in games, while the Sony X80K's lower refresh rate might result in more motion blur.
Cartoons & Animation
7.2/10
7.8/10
7.1/10
COLOR GAMUT SCORE
7.6/10
6.6/10
COLOR VOLUME SCORE
7.5/10
7.5/10
SDR BRIGHTNESS SCORE
8.6/10
8.5/10
COLORS OUT OF THE BOX SCORE
6.5/10
8.0/10
GRAY UNIFORMITY
7.5/10
The TCL Q7 (LCD) and Sony X80K (LCD) are both good for cartoons & animation, though the TCL Q7 (LCD) is somewhat better.
The Sony X80K is praised for its very good colors straight out of the box, which is essential for the rich and vibrant landscapes often found in animations, and it also has a good color gamut ensuring a wide range of hues can be displayed. On the other hand, the TCL Q7, while having a good color gamut comparable to the Sony, has only fair performance for colors out of the box, meaning colors might not be as immediately accurate or vibrant without adjustment.
News, Talk, & Other TV
7.2/10
6.3/10
7.5/10
SDR BRIGHTNESS SCORE
8.6/10
10.0/10
UPSCALING
4.8/10
The Sony X80K (LCD) is good for news, talk, & other TV, while the TCL Q7 (LCD) is only fair.
The Sony X80K is considered good for watching news and TV programs mainly due to its excellent upscaling capabilities and decent SDR brightness, ensuring that lower-resolution content looks sharp and that the screen remains visible in brighter rooms. In contrast, the TCL Q7, while offering better contrast and a very good SDR brightness, is rated fair largely because its upscaling is not as capable, meaning standard definition content may not look as clear, which can affect the viewing experience for regular TV programs and news.
Bright Room
6.4/10
7.6/10
7.5/10
VIEWING ANGLE
5.2/10
7.5/10
SDR BRIGHTNESS SCORE
8.6/10
6.1/10
HDR BRIGHTNESS SCORE
7.6/10
6.0/10
REFLECTIONS SCORE
5.9/10
The TCL Q7 (LCD) is good for bright room, while the Sony X80K (LCD) is only fair.
The Sony X80K has a fair reflection handling capability, which can be a drawback in bright rooms, and its SDR and HDR brightness are just fair, meaning it may not overcome glare in well-lit environments. On the other hand, the TCL Q7 offers good reflection handling and has very good SDR and good HDR brightness, making it more suitable for bright rooms as it can better handle ambient light and provide a clearer picture. Both TVs have a fair color volume and gamut, which affects how rich and accurate colors look, but it's less important in bright room conditions compared to brightness and reflections.
"The Sony Bravia X80K is an inexpensive LCD TV that turns out pleasing visuals and is armed with a number of other desirable features. Sony’s robust internal processing, results in generally better picture quality than you’ll usually get for this price. In practice, the X80K is satisfying to watch. You’re not going to get as sumptuous a picture as you may with other TVs from Sony or other companies, but we didn’t encounter anything that looked bad on it."
Get a great deal on the Sony X80K (LCD) or the TCL Q7 (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.
By the numbers
385
TVs evaluated
33,110
TVs stats compiled
21
Proprietary TVs ratings developed
121,230
Recommendations made
18,185
Consumer hours saved
About the TV team
Joe Golden, Ph.D
CEO and TVs Editor
Joe is an entrepreneur and lifelong electronics enthusiast with a Ph.D in Economics from the University of Michigan.
Jason Lew
Staff Expert & Software Engineer
Jason is a staff expert and software engineer that has been making laptop recommendations for 7 years and moderates one of the largest laptop subreddits.
Chandradeep Chowdhury
Staff Expert & Software Engineer
Chandradeep is a staff expert and software engineer and expert in televisions and monitors. He’s been making monitor recommendations for ten years.
Jaime Roldán
TVs Expert
Jaime is a Colombia-based TV expert. He is an electronics engineer with 8 years of experience in the telecom sector and has been making TV recommendations for 12 years.