Updated January 12, 2024·Prices updated 24 hours ago
The TCL QM8 has a superior display with miniLED technology, better for dark room viewing and high dynamic range content, offering a more immersive experience for movies and gaming, especially since it supports higher refresh rates. It’s also future-proofed with better connectivity options and has voice command features. In contrast, the TCL S446 is more affordable but with a simpler LED display, which might not be as impressive in a dark room but still adequately serves for casual viewing and gaming. The S446 would be less suited for brightly lit rooms due to its screen type. Give Feedback
This comparison is based on the 65" TCL QM8 (LCD) and the 65" TCL S446 (LCD). At the time of writing the 65" TCL QM8 (LCD) cost $1,148 and the 65" TCL S446 (LCD) cost $400.
Advantages of the TCL QM8 (LCD)
Best in class for bright room
Very good for dark room
Very good for gaming
Very good for movies & TV
Very good for cartoons & animation
Good for use as monitor
Very good reflections
Advantages of the TCL S446 (LCD)
Good for upscaling
Good viewing angle
Key differences
Picture Quality
8.5/10
5.8/10
8.00/10
CONTRAST
5.37/10
9.2/10
COLOR VOLUME SCORE
6.0/10
miniLED FALD
PANEL TYPE
LED
VA
PANEL SUB-TYPE
IPS
The TCL QM8 (LCD) has very good picture quality, while the TCL S446 (LCD) has poor picture quality.
Movies & TV
8.3/10
5.4/10
8.00/10
CONTRAST
5.37/10
8.5/10
BLACK UNIFORMITY
4.8/10
4.8/10
UPSCALING
7.5/10
Yes
HDR10 SUPPORT
Yes
Yes
HDR10+ SUPPORT
No
Yes
DOLBY VISION SUPPORT
No
The TCL QM8 (LCD) is very good for movies & TV, while the TCL S446 (LCD) is poor.
The TCL QM8 excels in watching movies and cinematic TV due to its high contrast, effective local dimming, and excellent black uniformity, which enable deep blacks and a richer picture. In contrast, the TCL S446 falls short in these areas with lower contrast, no local dimming, and poorer black uniformity, leading to a less immersive viewing experience.
Gaming
8.3/10
5.8/10
8.1/10
RESPONSE TIME SCORE
6.2/10
7.6/10
INPUT LAG SCORE
8.0/10
4.6/10
MOTION PROCESSING
4.6/10
90.0/100
GAMING LOCAL DIMMING
0.0/100
9.3/10
GAME HDR BRIGHTNESS SCORE
5.6/10
The TCL QM8 (LCD) is very good for gaming, while the TCL S446 (LCD) is poor.
The TCL QM8 excels in gaming due to its very good response time and good input lag, which means it can display fast-moving content with minimal blur and respond quickly to gaming controls, and is supported by a 120Hz screen refresh rate that enables smoother motion. In contrast, the TCL S446 has only a fair response time and very good input lag, which makes it less responsive and more prone to motion blur during gaming, and its performance is further limited by a lower 60Hz screen refresh rate.
Cartoons & Animation
8.9/10
6.4/10
8.1/10
COLOR GAMUT SCORE
5.8/10
9.2/10
COLOR VOLUME SCORE
6.0/10
10.0/10
SDR BRIGHTNESS SCORE
6.0/10
7.6/10
COLORS OUT OF THE BOX SCORE
9.1/10
7.5/10
GRAY UNIFORMITY
6.0/10
The TCL QM8 (LCD) is very good for cartoons & animation, while the TCL S446 (LCD) is only fair.
The TCL QM8 is very good for watching cartoons & animation because it offers good colors out of the box and a very good color gamut, which means vibrant and accurate colors for animated content. On the other hand, the TCL S446, while delivering excellent colors out of the box, its color gamut is rated poor, resulting in less vivid and comprehensive color representation.
Bright Room
9.9/10
5.8/10
5.3/10
VIEWING ANGLE
7.5/10
10.0/10
SDR BRIGHTNESS SCORE
6.0/10
9.3/10
HDR BRIGHTNESS SCORE
5.4/10
8.9/10
REFLECTIONS SCORE
7.2/10
The TCL QM8 (LCD) is best in class for bright room, while the TCL S446 (LCD) is poor.
Cost
$1,498
$400
$0
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
$2,500
The TCL QM8 (LCD) has a price of $1,498 and the TCL S446 (LCD) costs $400.
The TCL QM8 (LCD) and TCL S446 (LCD) are both only fair for sports.
The TCL QM8 is better suited for watching sports in a room with reflections and has a very good response time for fast-moving content, but its viewing angles are limited, making it less ideal for group viewing. On the other hand, the TCL S446 has better gray uniformity, which helps in presenting a more consistent image across the screen, and wider viewing angles suitable for larger audiences, but it falls short in handling reflections and motion processing, leading to potentially more blur during fast action.
News, Talk, & Other TV
6.8/10
6.4/10
10.0/10
SDR BRIGHTNESS SCORE
6.0/10
4.8/10
UPSCALING
7.5/10
The TCL QM8 (LCD) and TCL S446 (LCD) are both only fair for news, talk, & other TV.
The TCL QM8 is praised for its very good upscaling and best-in-class SDR brightness, making it a solid choice for news and talk shows in well-lit environments. In contrast, the TCL S446, while offering excellent colors out of the box, has poorer SDR brightness and lacks local dimming, which might result in less impressive contrast and a dimmer screen, affecting its performance in brightly lit rooms.
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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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