TCL’s New Q-Series TVs and Soundbars Are Making Waves at CES 2023
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It didn’t take long to find one of 2023’s hottest home theater releases. The confetti had barely stopped falling when TCL unveiled its brand-new Q-Series QLED TVs and soundbars at CES 2023 in Las Vegas. And since we’re in Vegas, it seems only right to put down a big bet that these will be on 2023’s Best Of lists all year long.
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This is much more than an annual lineup refresh for TCL, which has been one of the top two best-selling TV brands in the US for four years running. In addition to the new high-end line of Q-Series TVs, TCL has also made notable improvements to the smart S-Series TVs. The soundbars have been similarly reconfigured, with TCL dividing their products into an upgraded S-Series and upscale Q-Series. They have a strong chance at being some of the best TVs this year.
TCL gave us an early walkthru on their CES 2023 reveals rolling out today at CES and rolling into the big-box retailers soon after. Details on pricing have not yet been released. Here’s the rundown:
TCL Televisions At CES 2023
TCL has broken out its Q line of televisions into the new Q-Series — the “Q” is for Quantum — and for the first time the entire Q-Series line of TVs will be custom-installation compatible, with discrete IR codes, RS232C capability and IP control, allowing the Q-Series to be spec’ed into most high-end home-theater setups by professional installers.
The biggest news coming out of this CES unveiling? The massive 98-inch QM8 TV, TCL’s largest mini-LED TV and the flagship of their home theater offerings. With the Super Bowl a mere five weeks away, TCL is promising aggressive deals on this goliath-sized screen to celebrate their new official partnership with the NFL.
The QM8 line of big screens boasts TCL’s mini-LED 4K HighBright ULTRA displays, which doubles the number of peak nits from TCL’s award-winning mini-LED series of only a year ago. (“Nits” are a measurement of light intensity — the more nits, the brighter the image.) The QM8s, which range in size from 65 to 98 inches, now have over 2,000 dimming zones to create unparalleled image contrast. Wi-Fi 6 compatibility and built-in subwoofers add to the huge home-theater appeal of this spectacular 4K full-view bezel-less display.
The TCL Q7 line of TVs is also a home-theater heavyweight, but it’s also aimed squarely at gamers. Ranging in size from 55 to 85 inches, the Q7s have doubled the number of peak nits and quintupled the dimming zones from last year’s model.
By far the biggest takeaway with the Q7 is the Game Accelerator 240 mode, which takes the set’s already impressive 120Hz variable refresh rate and doubles it to 240Hz VRR. TCL’s the official television of Call of Duty, so their attention to gaming detail is bona fide. Serious gamers will be satisfied, and casual gamers will be blown away at the lack of lag. Add in TCL’s AIPQ Engine, which allows this set to earn IMAX Enhanced certification, and the Q7s will also be in high demand for watching sports and action movies.
The Q6 is the base model of the Q-Series but it’s anything but basic. Like the Q7 and QM8, the Q6 features a bezel-less full-view picture, ranging in size from 50 to 75 inches. The new Q6 also has Quantum Dot tech for optimal color performance, and HighBright display that delivers 66% more brightness than non-QLED sets. The Q6 also gets in on the Game Accelerator mode, but at 120Hz compared to the 240 of the Q7.
The “S” in TCL’s S-Series TVs likely stands for smart, but sensible is another good word for them. Both the S3s and S4s now have the same bezel-less full-display look of the Q-Series, and the S3’s 1080p Full HD resolution and 32- to 43-inch size makes it an ideal candidate to double as a big beautiful PC monitor. The S4 has undergone a serious transformation and now features Dolby Vision HDR and Dolby Atmos audio to make it a far more immersive experience than its previous iterations. The Ultra HD 4K S4 sets range in size from 43 inches all the way up to 85 inches. Both S-Series sets will likely be strong contenders in the budget category when those Best of 2023 lists start popping up.
TCL Soundbars At CES 2023
The other half of TCL’s 2023 drive to create the ultimate home theater comes from their soundbars. As with their big-screen TVs, TCL has divided their lineup of soundbars into a redesigned S-Series and a new top-level Q-Series.
The new flagship of the TCL soundbar lineup is the Q6 series, with separate tweeters, a larger subwoofer, and automatic room calibration. The Q6510 delivers 460 watts of true surround sound coming from 5.1 audio channels, and the Q6310 clocks in at 420 watts.
The S4 series of soundbars received a full revamp, both inside and out. A sleek and streamlined new look is featured across all three S models, starting with the new 24-inch S4210. The S4310 has enhanced dialog with a third channel delivering sound from the center of the bar, and the S4510 adds rear speakers for true surround sound. All of the S4 speakers now feature the immersive DTS Virtual:X processing, Dolby Audio, and Bluetooth connectivity.
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