The TCL QM8 is an upper midrange priced TV with better overall picture quality, making it more suitable for gaming and movie enthusiasts who are looking for high performance and can afford to spend more. It is also equipped with MiniLED technology and is better suited for bright rooms.
In contrast, the TCL S455 offers a budget-friendly option and still provides satisfactory performance for general TV viewing, but won't excel in gaming or in bright areas as much as the QM8. If your budget is limited and your viewing habits are casual, the S455 might be the wiser economical choice. 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 gaming
Very good for movies & TV
Very good for cartoons & animation
Good for use as monitor
Very good reflections
Advantages of the TCL S455 (LCD)
Good for upscaling
Key differences
Picture Quality
8.5/10
6.5/10
8.00/10
CONTRAST
6.43/10
9.2/10
COLOR VOLUME SCORE
6.3/10
miniLED FALD
PANEL TYPE
LED
VA
PANEL SUB-TYPE
VA
The TCL QM8 (LCD) has very good picture quality, while the TCL S455 (LCD) has only fair picture quality.
Movies & TV
8.3/10
6.0/10
8.00/10
CONTRAST
6.43/10
8.5/10
BLACK UNIFORMITY
9.2/10
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 S455 (LCD) is only fair.
The TCL QM8 excels in watching movies and cinematic TV because it has higher contrast, effective local dimming, and better black uniformity, ensuring deep blacks and vibrant picture quality. In contrast, the TCL S455, despite having decent black uniformity, lags behind due to lower contrast, minimal local dimming, and less impressive color performance, resulting in a less immersive viewing experience.
Gaming
8.3/10
5.7/10
8.1/10
RESPONSE TIME SCORE
6.0/10
7.6/10
INPUT LAG SCORE
10.0/10
4.6/10
MOTION PROCESSING
4.6/10
90.0/100
GAMING LOCAL DIMMING
10.0/100
9.3/10
GAME HDR BRIGHTNESS SCORE
5.8/10
The TCL QM8 (LCD) is very good for gaming, while the TCL S455 (LCD) is poor.
The TCL QM8 has a higher response time and lower input lag, which is preferable for gaming since it provides smoother motion and quicker reaction to inputs, whereas the TCL S455, despite having lower input lag, is hindered by a lower response time, leading to less fluid motion in games.
Cartoons & Animation
8.9/10
6.0/10
8.1/10
COLOR GAMUT SCORE
5.9/10
9.2/10
COLOR VOLUME SCORE
6.3/10
10.0/10
SDR BRIGHTNESS SCORE
6.3/10
7.6/10
COLORS OUT OF THE BOX SCORE
6.6/10
7.5/10
GRAY UNIFORMITY
5.8/10
The TCL QM8 (LCD) is very good for cartoons & animation, while the TCL S455 (LCD) is only fair.
The TCL QM8 delivers a better experience when watching cartoons & animation than the TCL S455 primarily due to its superior color performance. The QM8 has good colors out of the box and a very good color gamut, allowing it to produce more vibrant and accurate hues, while the S455 is only fair in both respects, leading to less striking and accurate colors.
Bright Room
9.9/10
6.0/10
5.3/10
VIEWING ANGLE
5.1/10
10.0/10
SDR BRIGHTNESS SCORE
6.3/10
9.3/10
HDR BRIGHTNESS SCORE
5.6/10
8.9/10
REFLECTIONS SCORE
6.3/10
The TCL QM8 (LCD) is best in class for bright room, while the TCL S455 (LCD) is only fair.
The TCL QM8 is better for bright rooms because it has an SDR Brightness and HDR Brightness that are among the best, coupled with very good handling of reflections, which are crucial for maintaining picture quality in well-lit environments. In contrast, the TCL S455, while fair, doesn't reach the same levels of brightness in either SDR or HDR and has only fair reflection handling, which can result in a less optimal viewing experience in bright rooms.
Cost
$1,545
$542
$0
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
$2,500
The TCL QM8 (LCD) has a price of $1,545 and the TCL S455 (LCD) costs $542.
The TCL QM8 (LCD) and TCL S455 (LCD) are both only fair for sports.
The TCL QM8 is fair for watching sports with a faster response time suitable for fast-paced action and effective reflection handling for better visibility, but its limited viewing angles may make it less ideal for a wide seating arrangement. In contrast, the TCL S455 also offers a fair experience for sports with similar motion processing capabilities, but its lower reflection handling and narrower viewing angles mean it might not perform as well in brighter rooms or with larger groups spread across different viewing positions.
News, Talk, & Other TV
6.8/10
6.4/10
10.0/10
SDR BRIGHTNESS SCORE
6.3/10
4.8/10
UPSCALING
7.5/10
The TCL QM8 (LCD) and TCL S455 (LCD) are both only fair for news, talk, & other TV.
The TCL QM8 delivers strong contrast and effective upscaling, necessary for a good TV watching experience, but might lack brightness if you often watch TV in very well-lit rooms. In contrast, the TCL S455 offers adequate brightness for well-lit environments and good upscaling for standard definition content, yet it falls short in contrast and color reproduction, resulting in a less vibrant image for news and talk shows.
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How the TCL QM8 (LCD) and the TCL S455 (LCD) compare to other TVs
"A highly affordable but reliably kitted-out 4K Roku TV that, while far from perfect, still punches above its price and delivers a great user experience. If you want to soup up movie night for a bargain, the 4-Series won’t let you down. You may never need to plug in a set-top box or streaming device."
Get a great deal on the TCL QM8 (LCD) or the TCL S455 (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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