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Updated January 10, 2024·
If you prioritize gaming and are willing to spend more, the TCL QM8 may be a better option due to its higher performance in that area. However, for watching sports, both TVs are quite similar, with only a slight edge to the R646. The QM8 provides a better experience in bright rooms and has an overall higher picture quality, but it comes at a higher price. For movies and series, the QM8 slightly outperforms the R646. If price is a concern, the R646 offers good quality for movies, TV shows, and gaming, but with a bit less brightness and picture quality compared to the QM8. Both TVs support similar features like Dolby Vision and use similar screen technology (miniLED FALD VA), so the main differences are in performance metrics where the QM8 generally outperforms, but it costs more. 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 TCL QM8 (LCD)
- Best in class for bright room
- Very good for dark room
- Very good for movies & TV
Advantages of the TCL R646 (LCD)
- Good for news, talk, & other TV
Key differences
Picture Quality
8.5
7.9
8.00/10
CONTRAST
8.43/10
9.2/10
COLOR VOLUME SCORE
7.6/10
miniLED FALD
PANEL TYPE
miniLED FALD
VA
PANEL SUB-TYPE
VA
The TCL QM8 (LCD) has very good picture quality, while the TCL R646 (LCD) has good picture quality.
Movies & TV
8.3
7.8
8.00/10
CONTRAST
8.43/10
8.5/10
BLACK UNIFORMITY
6.8/10
4.8/10
UPSCALING
5.9/10
Yes
HDR10 SUPPORT
Yes
Yes
HDR10+ SUPPORT
Yes
Yes
DOLBY VISION SUPPORT
Yes
The TCL QM8 (LCD) is very good for movies & TV, while the TCL R646 (LCD) is good.
The TCL QM8, with its excellent local dimming and black uniformity, provides a more immersive cinematic experience, especially in dark scenes, while the TCL R646, though slightly better in contrast, may not deliver the same depth in blacks due to its good (but not outstanding) local dimming and black uniformity. Furthermore, both TVs offer pleasing colors right out of the box and sufficient color volume for movies and cinematic TV, but the QM8 generally fares better in terms of color delivery and gray uniformity, which is crucial for consistent picture quality across the screen, although neither are exceptional when it comes to viewing angles.
Cartoons & Animation
8.9
8.4
8.1/10
COLOR GAMUT SCORE
7.6/10
9.2/10
COLOR VOLUME SCORE
7.6/10
10.0/10
SDR BRIGHTNESS SCORE
9.1/10
7.6/10
COLORS OUT OF THE BOX SCORE
7.2/10
7.5/10
GRAY UNIFORMITY
8.0/10
The TCL QM8 (LCD) and TCL R646 (LCD) are both very good for cartoons & animation, though the TCL QM8 (LCD) is somewhat better.
The TCL QM8 is noted for having very good 'colors out of the box', which means it displays vibrant and accurate colors without needing adjustments, and its 'color gamut' is rated as excellent, ensuring a wide range of colors that are essential for animations. On the other hand, the TCL R646, while also providing good 'colors out of the box', doesn't have as wide a 'color gamut' as the QM8, indicating a slightly more limited range of colors; however, it still performs well for animated content.
News, Talk, & Other TV
6.8
7.5
10.0/10
SDR BRIGHTNESS SCORE
9.1/10
4.8/10
UPSCALING
5.9/10
The TCL R646 (LCD) is good for news, talk, & other TV, while the TCL QM8 (LCD) is only fair.
The TCL R646 offers better upscaling and superior SDR brightness compared to the TCL QM8, resulting in crisper images and better visibility in well-lit environments, which is crucial for daytime news watching. Conversely, while both feature good colors out of the box and sufficient color gamut, the QM8's local dimming and contrast performance are lower than the R646, which might affect the depth of images and overall viewing quality for TV programs.
Bright Room
9.9
8.9
5.3/10
VIEWING ANGLE
5.3/10
10.0/10
SDR BRIGHTNESS SCORE
9.1/10
9.3/10
HDR BRIGHTNESS SCORE
8.3/10
8.9/10
REFLECTIONS SCORE
8.1/10
The TCL QM8 (LCD) is best in class for bright room, while the TCL R646 (LCD) is very good.
The TCL QM8 is better suited for a bright room due to its higher SDR and HDR brightness making it the best for watching standard dynamic range content and excellent for high dynamic range content, which should counteract glare and maintain picture quality. In contrast, the TCL R646, while still very good, has slightly lower SDR and HDR brightness which, despite being very good, means it is marginally less effective in handling bright room conditions.
Cost
$1,498
$800
$0
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
$2,500
The TCL QM8 (LCD) has a price of $1,498 and the TCL R646 (LCD) costs $800.
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Key similarities
Sports
6.5
6.6
4.6/10
MOTION PROCESSING
5.3/10
120Hz
REFRESH RATE
120Hz
7.6/10
INPUT LAG SCORE
7.6/10
4.8/10
UPSCALING
5.9/10
10.0/10
SDR BRIGHTNESS SCORE
9.1/10
Yes
HLG SUPPORT
Yes
The TCL R646 (LCD) and TCL QM8 (LCD) are both only fair for sports.
The TCL QM8 and TCL R646 both have a very good response time, ensuring minimal blur during fast-moving sports scenes, but their reflections handling is only fair, which can be distracting in bright rooms. While both models have similar limitations, the TCL R646 performs slightly better in motion processing, which is a key aspect when watching sports; however, its viewing angles and gray uniformity are only marginally better than the QM8, which are somewhat important for a consistent image when viewed from different positions.
Gaming
8.3
8.2
8.1/10
RESPONSE TIME SCORE
8.0/10
7.6/10
INPUT LAG SCORE
7.6/10
4.6/10
MOTION PROCESSING
5.3/10
90.0/100
GAMING LOCAL DIMMING
70.0/100
9.3/10
GAME HDR BRIGHTNESS SCORE
8.7/10
The TCL QM8 (LCD) and TCL R646 (LCD) are both very good for gaming.
The TCL QM8 and TCL R646 are both recognized for their excellent gaming performance due to their very good response times, which is crucial for smooth motion portrayal. However, the R646 edges out slightly with its input lag performance considered 'best', offering a slightly more responsive gaming experience than the QM8.
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How the TCL QM8 (LCD) and the TCL R646 (LCD) compare to other TVs
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| TCL QM8 (LCD) | TCL R646 (LCD) |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$1,498 | $800 | ||
Brand | |||
Brand | TCL | TCL | |
Release Date | |||
Release Date | May 1, 2023 | August 2, 2021 | |
Full name | |||
Full name | 65QM850G | 65R646 | |
Screen Size | |||
Screen Size | 65" | 65" | |
Screen Resolution | |||
Screen Resolution | 4K | 4K | |
TV FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Operating System | |||
Operating System | Google TV | Android TV | |
Sound Quality Score | |||
Sound Quality Score | 7/10 | 10/10 | |
NextGen Ready | |||
NextGen Ready | No | No | |
HDMI Ports | |||
HDMI Ports | 4 | 4 | |
Coax Ports | |||
Coax Ports | 1 | 1 | |
DISPLAY QUALITY SCORES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Picture Quality Score | |||
Picture Quality Score | 8.6/10 | 7.9/10 | |
Bright Room Score | |||
Bright Room Score | 9.9/10 | 9/10 | |
Gaming Score | |||
Gaming Score | 8.4/10 | 8.2/10 | |
Movies & TV Score | |||
Movies & TV Score | 8.3/10 | 7.8/10 | |
Sports Score | |||
Sports Score | 6.6/10 | 6.6/10 | |
PHYSICAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Dimensions w/o Stand (H x W x D) | |||
Dimensions w/o Stand (H x W x D) | 32.6" x 56.9" x 1.7" | 33.3" x 56.9" x 3.6" | |
Dimensions with Stand (H x W) | |||
Dimensions with Stand (H x W) | 34.1" x 56.9" | 35.7" x 56.9" | |
Weight without Stand | |||
Weight without Stand | 50.1 lbs | 63.5 lbs | |
VESA Mount | |||
VESA Mount | 300 x 400 | 300 x 300 | |
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 | 8/10 | 8.4/10 | |
Local Dimming | |||
Local Dimming | 8/10 | 6.5/10 | |
SOUND | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Speaker Setup | |||
Speaker Setup | 2.1 | 2.0 | |
Speaker Power | |||
Speaker Power | 40 W | 30 W | |
Dolby Atmos | |||
Dolby Atmos | Yes | Yes | |
DTS:X | |||
DTS:X | Yes, Bypass only | Yes, Bypass only | |
Get a great deal on the TCL QM8 (LCD) or the TCL R646 (LCD)
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.
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