TCL C8L Review: What the Brightest Mini LED TV Offers
The TCL C8L spans five sizes from the 55C8L to the 98C8L, and brightness and dimming zones vary a lot between them. Here is what each model delivers and what it costs in the Baltics.
TCL has launched the C8L, its 2026 Mini LED TV series that replaces last year's C8K in Europe (the same set is sold as the QM8L in the US). The headline change is a new-generation SQD Mini LED panel that pairs a quantum-dot layer with a very dense Mini LED backlight. This TCL C8L review breaks down what each size — 55C8L, 65C8L, 75C8L, 85C8L and 98C8L — actually delivers, and what it costs in the Baltics.
Screen and brightness
The "up to 6,000 nits" headline applies only to the largest 85- and 98-inch sets, which also carry the most local dimming zones. Smaller models scale both back, so the 55-inch is rated at 3,000 nits and the 65-inch at around 5,000 nits — still very bright, but worth knowing before you buy. Every set in the range covers close to 100% of the BT.2020 colour gamut and supports Dolby Vision IQ, HDR10+ and HLG, while All-Domain Halo Control keeps the light halo around bright objects on dark backgrounds in check.
For gaming
The panel runs at a native 144 Hz refresh rate that can be pushed to 288 Hz in gaming mode, with variable refresh rate (VRR) support. Four HDMI 2.1 ports and a MediaTek Pentonic 800 processor let you connect the latest consoles without compromise.
Sound and design
The audio is a 2.2-channel system tuned by Bang & Olufsen, and the cabinet is just 5 cm thick with near-invisible bezels, making it easy to wall-mount.
Which size to choose: specs and prices
Dimming zones and peak brightness climb steadily with screen size, which is the main reason the bigger sets look more controlled in HDR:
| Model | Dimming zones | Peak brightness | From (PriceBee) |
|---|---|---|---|
| TCL 55C8L | 1,008 | 3,000 nits | 877 € |
| TCL 65C8L | 2,040 | ~5,000 nits | 1,324 € |
| TCL 75C8L | 2,584 | 5,500 nits | 2,297 € |
| TCL 85C8L | 3,200 | ~5,700 nits | 2,394 € |
| 98C8L | 4,032 | 6,000 nits | not yet in Baltic shops |
The 65-inch 65C8L is the sweet spot for most living rooms, while the 75-inch 75C8L and 85-inch 85C8L jump to a far higher zone count for serious home cinema. That makes the C8L a direct rival to the Samsung Neo QLED and other high-end televisions. You can compare the full TCL TV range by price on PriceBee.
If you want a very bright TV for a bright room or HDR content, the C8L is one of the strongest choices of 2026 — just pick the size whose zone count matches how seriously you take dark-room contrast.
