If you prioritize overall picture quality and gaming performance and are willing to pay more, the TCL QM8 is a solid choice. It performs better in bright rooms and offers superior contrast and color performance, which is great for movies and gaming.
On the other hand, the TCL S546 is more budget-friendly and still delivers decent performance for various content including movies and TV. However, its picture quality is not as strong as the QM8, and it's less suited for bright rooms and gaming. It also has lower speaker power.
Both models support similar HDR formats and use VA type panels known for good contrast. 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 S546 (LCD)
The TCL S546 (LCD) has no clear advantages over the TCL QM8 (LCD).
Key differences
Picture Quality
8.5/10
7.4/10
8.00/10
CONTRAST
8.21/10
9.2/10
COLOR VOLUME SCORE
8.0/10
miniLED FALD
PANEL TYPE
LED FALD
VA
PANEL SUB-TYPE
VA
The TCL QM8 (LCD) has very good picture quality, while the TCL S546 (LCD) has good picture quality.
Movies & TV
8.3/10
7.0/10
8.00/10
CONTRAST
8.21/10
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 S546 (LCD) is good.
The TCL QM8 is particularly suited for movies and cinematic TV due to its high contrast, effective local dimming which enhances black uniformity, and superior color volume, making dark scenes and vibrant colors stand out. The TCL S546, while still offering good performance with a similar contrast ratio, falls short in local dimming and black uniformity, impacting its ability to render deep blacks and has a less impressive color volume, resulting in slightly less vivid colors.
Gaming
8.3/10
6.6/10
8.1/10
RESPONSE TIME SCORE
7.6/10
7.6/10
INPUT LAG SCORE
8.0/10
4.6/10
MOTION PROCESSING
4.6/10
90.0/100
GAMING LOCAL DIMMING
60.0/100
9.3/10
GAME HDR BRIGHTNESS SCORE
6.9/10
The TCL QM8 (LCD) is very good for gaming, while the TCL S546 (LCD) is only fair.
Cartoons & Animation
8.9/10
6.6/10
8.1/10
COLOR GAMUT SCORE
7.8/10
9.2/10
COLOR VOLUME SCORE
8.0/10
10.0/10
SDR BRIGHTNESS SCORE
8.2/10
7.6/10
COLORS OUT OF THE BOX SCORE
4.4/10
7.5/10
GRAY UNIFORMITY
7.0/10
The TCL QM8 (LCD) is very good for cartoons & animation, while the TCL S546 (LCD) is only fair.
The TCL QM8 has a good rating for colors out of the box, implying that it displays colors accurately without the need for user adjustments, and its very good color gamut indicates a broad range of colors it can display, which enhances animation viewing. The TCL S546, on the other hand, has a poor rating for colors out of the box, meaning colors may not be as vibrant or accurate initially, and while its color gamut is good, it may not represent as wide a spectrum of colors as the QM8, which could affect the vividness expected in cartoons & animation.
Bright Room
9.9/10
7.2/10
5.3/10
VIEWING ANGLE
5.3/10
10.0/10
SDR BRIGHTNESS SCORE
8.2/10
9.3/10
HDR BRIGHTNESS SCORE
6.8/10
8.9/10
REFLECTIONS SCORE
6.0/10
The TCL QM8 (LCD) is best in class for bright room, while the TCL S546 (LCD) is good.
The TCL QM8 is better suited for bright rooms due to its top SDR brightness, excellent HDR brightness, and very good reflections handling. This means that the QM8 handles ambient light better and offers a more vibrant picture in both SDR and HDR content compared to the less bright and less reflective-resistant S546.
Cost
$1,545
$398
$0
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
$2,500
The TCL QM8 (LCD) has a price of $1,545 and the TCL S546 (LCD) costs $398.
The TCL QM8 (LCD) and TCL S546 (LCD) are both only fair for sports.
The TCL QM8 provides better motion processing for sports viewing, with very good response time and motion handling, however, it may be less suitable for bright rooms due to fair reflection handling. Conversely, the TCL S546 offers very good reflection handling that's beneficial in well-lit environments but has good response time, which may not handle fast motion in sports as smoothly as the QM8.
News, Talk, & Other TV
6.8/10
6.4/10
10.0/10
SDR BRIGHTNESS SCORE
8.2/10
4.8/10
UPSCALING
5.9/10
The TCL QM8 (LCD) and TCL S546 (LCD) are both only fair for news, talk, & other TV.
The TCL QM8 offers better upscaling and brighter SDR content, making it a good fit for watching news and TV programs in well-lit environments, while it also delivers good colors straight out of the box. In contrast, the TCL S546, while also capable of upscaling and bright SDR performance, doesn't produce colors as accurately without adjustments, which may be less rewarding for those who want good picture quality from the start without extra tuning.
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How the TCL QM8 (LCD) and the TCL S546 (LCD) compare to other TVs
Spec Comparison
TCL QM8 (LCD)
TCL S546 (LCD)
GENERAL
Price
Price
$1,545
$398
Brand
Brand
TCL
TCL
Release Date
Release Date
May 1, 2023
August 3, 2021
Full name
Full name
65QM850G
65S546
Screen Size
Screen Size
65"
65"
Screen Resolution
Screen Resolution
4K
4K
Screen Type
Screen Type
LCD
LCD
Screen Sub-type
Screen Sub-type
miniLED FALD VA
LED FALD VA
Smart TV
Smart TV
Yes
Yes
TV FEATURES
Operating System
Operating System
Google TV
Android TV
Sound Quality Score
Sound Quality Score
7/10
5.9/10
NextGen Ready
NextGen Ready
No
No
HDMI Ports
HDMI Ports
4
3
Coax Ports
Coax Ports
1
1
Refresh Rate
Refresh Rate
120Hz
60Hz
Variable Refresh Rate
Variable Refresh Rate
Yes
Yes
HDR Supported formats
HDR Supported formats
HDR10, HDR10+, Dolby Vision, HLG
HDR10, HDR10+, Dolby Vision, HLG
Accessibility
Accessibility
Voice Commands
None
DISPLAY QUALITY SCORES
Picture Quality Score
Picture Quality Score
8.6/10
7.4/10
Bright Room Score
Bright Room Score
9.9/10
7.2/10
Gaming Score
Gaming Score
8.4/10
6.7/10
Movies & TV Score
Movies & TV Score
8.3/10
7/10
Sports Score
Sports Score
6.6/10
6.4/10
News, Talk, & Other TV Score
News, Talk, & Other TV Score
6.9/10
6.5/10
Cartoons & Animation Score
Cartoons & Animation Score
8.9/10
6.6/10
Use as Monitor Score
Use as Monitor Score
8/10
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"
32.9" x 56.9" x 3"
Dimensions with Stand (H x W)
Dimensions with Stand (H x W)
34.1" x 56.9"
34.8" x 56.9"
Weight without Stand
Weight without Stand
50.1 lbs
47.4 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
8.2/10
Local Dimming
Local Dimming
8/10
5.7/10
Gaming Local Dimming
Gaming Local Dimming
9/100
6/100
Game HDR Brightness Score
Game HDR Brightness Score
9.4/10
6.9/10
SDR Brightness Score
SDR Brightness Score
10/10
8.2/10
HDR Brightness Score
HDR Brightness Score
9.3/10
6.8/10
Gray Uniformity
Gray Uniformity
7.5/10
7/10
Black Uniformity
Black Uniformity
8.5/10
6.9/10
Viewing Angle
Viewing Angle
5.4/10
5.4/10
Reflections Score
Reflections Score
9/10
6/10
Upscaling
Upscaling
4.8/10
5.9/10
Motion Processing
Motion Processing
4.6/10
4.6/10
Color Gamut Score
Color Gamut Score
8.2/10
7.9/10
Color Volume Score
Color Volume Score
9.3/10
8/10
Response Time Score
Response Time Score
8.2/10
7.6/10
Input Lag Score
Input Lag Score
7.7/10
8/10
Colors Out of the Box Score
Colors Out of the Box Score
7.6/10
4.4/10
Quality Control
Quality Control
6.3/10
6.3/10
Chroma Subsampling Score
Chroma Subsampling Score
10/10
7/10
SOUND
Speaker Setup
Speaker Setup
2.1
2.0
Speaker Power
Speaker Power
40 W
16 W
Dolby Atmos
Dolby Atmos
Yes
Yes
DTS:X
DTS:X
Yes, Bypass only
No
Get a great deal on the TCL QM8 (LCD) or the TCL S546 (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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