TCL Adds Mini-LED to Budget 6-Series Sets

A highlight of Thomas J. Norton’s recent review of TCL’s 75-inch 8-Series LCD UHDTV was that set’s “class-leading local dimming.” The deep blacks and punchy HDR performance delivered by the 8-Series model was made possible by its mini-LED backlight, a feature found only in the company’s 8-Series TVs for 2019. In 2020, TCL plans to expand mini-LED backlights to its 6-Series, a more valued-oriented line that also features the same built-in Roku streaming platform found in the 8-Series.

While it’s still touted as a budget TV option, new 6-Series sets will offer other premium features such as Dolby Vision and HDR10+ high dynamic range, Quantum dots for expanded color, Variable Refresh Rate plus a 120Hz input for PC gaming, and voice control via Google Assistant and Amazon Alexa. TCL didn’t confirm a specific number of local dimming zones for the new TVs, or whether any HDMI 2.1 features such as Enhanced ARC would be supported.

Specific screen sizes for the 2020 6-Series weren’t announced, but a company rep suggested they would offer 55-, 65-, and 75-inch models. The sets are likely to arrive mid-year, and while pricing also wasn’t announced, given the affordable prices of TCL’s earlier models — a 65-inch 6-Series TV from 2019 cost $800 — they should be appealingly low.

X