The TCL QM8 is often significantly less expensive and offers better overall picture quality, making it well-suited for movies and streaming content. However, it may not perform as well in very bright rooms. If you prioritize overall picture quality and cost savings, the QM8 may be the better option for you.
On the other hand, the TCL R648 is more expensive and delivers excellent sound quality with its great speakers, making it a good choice if you value audio performance. It also supports a higher resolution of 8k compared to the QM8's 4k. If you are willing to invest more for better sound and future-proofing with 8k resolution, consider the R648. 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 R648 (LCD)
Good for news, talk, & other TV
Key differences
Picture Quality
8.5/10
7.7/10
8.00/10
CONTRAST
7.00/10
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 R648 (LCD) has good picture quality.
Movies & TV
8.3/10
7.6/10
8.00/10
CONTRAST
7.00/10
8.5/10
BLACK UNIFORMITY
6.5/10
4.8/10
UPSCALING
5.9/10
Yes
HDR10 SUPPORT
Yes
Yes
HDR10+ SUPPORT
No
Yes
DOLBY VISION SUPPORT
Yes
The TCL QM8 (LCD) is very good for movies & TV, while the TCL R648 (LCD) is good.
The TCL QM8 provides excellent contrast, superior local dimming, and better black uniformity, which makes it very good for watching movies and cinematic TV, featuring deep blacks and stark contrasts necessary for a richer viewing experience. Meanwhile, while the TCL R648 also offers good local dimming and contrast, it falls short in black uniformity compared to the QM8, making it less ideal but still sufficient for those immersive movie sessions.
News, Talk, & Other TV
6.8/10
7.5/10
10.0/10
SDR BRIGHTNESS SCORE
9.0/10
4.8/10
UPSCALING
5.9/10
The TCL R648 (LCD) is good for news, talk, & other TV, while the TCL QM8 (LCD) is only fair.
The TCL R648 excels in upscaling content and provides brighter SDR quality, both very important for watching news and TV programs, enhancing clarity and visibility especially in brightly lit rooms. In contrast, the TCL QM8, while still performing well with a fair upscaling capability, does not match the brightness levels of the R648, which could result in slightly less vivid images under similar conditions.
Bright Room
9.9/10
8.1/10
5.3/10
VIEWING ANGLE
5.2/10
10.0/10
SDR BRIGHTNESS SCORE
9.0/10
9.3/10
HDR BRIGHTNESS SCORE
7.9/10
8.9/10
REFLECTIONS SCORE
8.0/10
The TCL QM8 (LCD) is best in class for bright room, while the TCL R648 (LCD) is very good.
The TCL QM8 outshines the R648 in SDR and HDR brightness while handling reflections similarly well, making it more suitable for bright rooms. While both models have similar performance in terms of contrast and color, the QM8's higher brightness may provide a more vibrant picture in well-lit environments.
Cost
$1,545
$2,000
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
$2,500
$3,000
The TCL QM8 (LCD) has a price of $1,545 and the TCL R648 (LCD) costs $2,000.
The TCL R648 (LCD) and TCL QM8 (LCD) are both only fair for sports.
Both the TCL QM8 and TCL R648 have response times and motion processing that are adequate for sports, but not excellent; this could lead to some blur during fast-paced games. The QM8 offers a slightly better reflections handling which is helpful in well-lit rooms, but both have limited viewing angles that could reduce picture quality when watching from the side; the QM8 has a slight edge in gray uniformity, important for displaying sports fields without uneven shades.
Gaming
8.3/10
8.2/10
8.1/10
RESPONSE TIME SCORE
8.2/10
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
8.3/10
The TCL QM8 (LCD) and TCL R648 (LCD) are both very good for gaming.
Cartoons & Animation
8.9/10
8.6/10
8.1/10
COLOR GAMUT SCORE
7.8/10
9.2/10
COLOR VOLUME SCORE
7.6/10
10.0/10
SDR BRIGHTNESS SCORE
9.0/10
7.6/10
COLORS OUT OF THE BOX SCORE
9.0/10
7.5/10
GRAY UNIFORMITY
7.0/10
The TCL QM8 (LCD) and TCL R648 (LCD) are both very good for cartoons & animation.
The TCL QM8 is praised for cartoons & animation due to its very good color gamut, ensuring a wide range of vibrant hues, while its colors out of the box are rated as good, indicating minimal need for calibration. In contrast, the TCL R648, while rated excellent for colors out of the box, offering an immediate optimized color experience, has a slightly lesser color gamut, which means it might not display as wide a range of colors as the QM8.
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How the TCL QM8 (LCD) and the TCL R648 (LCD) compare to other TVs
Spec Comparison
TCL QM8 (LCD)
TCL R648 (LCD)
GENERAL
Price
Price
$1,545
$2,000
Brand
Brand
TCL
TCL
Release Date
Release Date
May 1, 2023
May 1, 2021
Full name
Full name
65QM850G
65R648
Screen Size
Screen Size
65"
65"
Screen Resolution
Screen Resolution
4K
8K
Screen Type
Screen Type
LCD
LCD
Screen Sub-type
Screen Sub-type
miniLED FALD VA
miniLED FALD VA
Smart TV
Smart TV
Yes
Yes
TV FEATURES
Operating System
Operating System
Google TV
Roku TV
Sound Quality Score
Sound Quality Score
7/10
8/10
NextGen Ready
NextGen Ready
No
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, HDR10+, Dolby Vision, HLG
HDR10, Dolby Vision, HLG
Accessibility
Accessibility
Voice Commands
None
DISPLAY QUALITY SCORES
Picture Quality Score
Picture Quality Score
8.6/10
7.8/10
Bright Room Score
Bright Room Score
9.9/10
8.2/10
Gaming Score
Gaming Score
8.4/10
8.3/10
Movies & TV Score
Movies & TV Score
8.3/10
7.7/10
Sports Score
Sports Score
6.6/10
6.6/10
News, Talk, & Other TV Score
News, Talk, & Other TV Score
6.9/10
7.6/10
Cartoons & Animation Score
Cartoons & Animation Score
8.9/10
8.6/10
Use as Monitor Score
Use as Monitor Score
8/10
7.5/10
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"
32.7" x 57" x 3"
Dimensions with Stand (H x W)
Dimensions with Stand (H x W)
34.1" x 56.9"
35.1" x 57"
Weight without Stand
Weight without Stand
50.1 lbs
70.1 lbs
VESA Mount
VESA Mount
300 x 400
400 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
8/10
7/10
Local Dimming
Local Dimming
8/10
6.5/10
Gaming Local Dimming
Gaming Local Dimming
9/100
7/100
Game HDR Brightness Score
Game HDR Brightness Score
9.4/10
8.3/10
SDR Brightness Score
SDR Brightness Score
10/10
9/10
HDR Brightness Score
HDR Brightness Score
9.3/10
7.9/10
Gray Uniformity
Gray Uniformity
7.5/10
7/10
Black Uniformity
Black Uniformity
8.5/10
6.5/10
Viewing Angle
Viewing Angle
5.4/10
5.2/10
Reflections Score
Reflections Score
9/10
8/10
Upscaling
Upscaling
4.8/10
5.9/10
Motion Processing
Motion Processing
4.6/10
5.3/10
Color Gamut Score
Color Gamut Score
8.2/10
7.9/10
Color Volume Score
Color Volume Score
9.3/10
7.7/10
Response Time Score
Response Time Score
8.2/10
8.3/10
Input Lag Score
Input Lag Score
7.7/10
7.7/10
Colors Out of the Box Score
Colors Out of the Box Score
7.6/10
9/10
Quality Control
Quality Control
6.3/10
7/10
Chroma Subsampling Score
Chroma Subsampling Score
10/10
8.8/10
SOUND
Speaker Setup
Speaker Setup
2.1
2.1
Speaker Power
Speaker Power
40 W
50 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 R648 (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.
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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