TCL QM7 4K TV review: Our favorite midrange QLED for a bright, bold picture

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The 2024 TCL QM7 is the brand's latest and greatest midrange QLED TV. It offers an impressive assortment of features while maintaining an affordable price tag. It's not the absolute best TV I've reviewed, but for a common sale price of well under $1,000, its value is tough to beat. 

Picture quality enthusiasts will appreciate perks like local dimming with Mini LEDs, which provide high contrast. The TV's brightness of over 1,500 nits offers bold high-dynamic-range (HDR) images and great performance in rooms with lots of light and windows. The display's Google TV interface also delivers snappy navigation and access to plenty of streaming apps.

Of course, there are some tradeoffs to keep costs down. The TV's black levels are solid but not perfect, viewing angles are mediocre, and I ran into a few glitches. But to get a TV with picture quality that's substantially better than the QM7, you're looking at paying at least $600 more. For the money, the QM7 is a mid-tier TV champ.

Solid design but the stand's size could be an issue for some setups

Although it's unlikely to win any style awards, the QM7 is a solid-looking display with a sturdy pedestal stand. It's available in 55, 65, 75, 85, and 98 inches. I reviewed the 65-inch model; all sizes share the same basic specifications and design. However, the 98-inch model swaps out the pedestal-style stand for left and right feet.

Getting the TV assembled is straightforward, but as with any display this size, you'll want to get another person to help unpack everything. The stand looks nice and feels secure but I don't love how far the base extends out in front of the TV. I didn't have enough room to put a Sony HT-A7000 soundbar on my media console without placing the bar on top of the stand's base. This caused the bar to be lifted a tad higher than it would otherwise, blocking the TV's remote control sensor. 

With everything arranged like this, I had to angle the remote awkwardly toward the screen every time I turned the TV on. But once the QM7 was booted up, the remote would work fine for navigation functions even without a line of sight to the sensor. Buyers with more compact soundbars or larger media consoles won't have this issue, but you should check measurements or consider purchasing an alternative stand if you plan to place a big soundbar in front of the QM7.

With a profile of about 2.8 inches, the screen is notably thicker than typical OLED panels or pricier QLEDs I've reviewed, but it's similar to other options in this price range. The back panel has a solid assortment of ports, including two HDMI 2.0 inputs for 4K/60Hz and two HDMI 2.1 inputs for 4K/120Hz. In addition, one of the HDMI 2.1 ports can support up to 4K/144Hz when paired with a compatible PC. It would be nice to have all four inputs support HDMI 2.1 for future-proofing, but since only select gaming devices (like the PS5) currently benefit from that feature, it's not a huge deal.  

The included remote is essentially the same as TCL's model from last year, with a long yet slightly clunky build. It supports Google Assistant voice search and has all the typical buttons one would expect. I also love that it has backlit keys that automatically activate when you pick it up, which even high-end LG and Samsung remotes are missing. 

Excellent picture performance for a midrange display

When it comes to image quality, the QM7 delivers fantastic performance for the money. To be clear, contrast and black levels aren't on par with an OLED or pricier QLEDs from Samsung and Sony, but that's to be expected. In the midrange class, the QM7 has few rivals, making it an excellent choice for people who want a solid home theater display without breaking the bank.

The TV's QLED panel uses quantum dots to achieve a wide color gamut and local dimming to adjust brightness across specific zones. Unlike last year's Q7 QLED, which this model replaces, the QM7 uses Mini LEDs rather than regular-sized LEDs. This allows the TV to implement more dimming zones, which translates to more precise contrast control.

The results are impressive, but again, expectations should be kept in check within this model's class. Black levels are good, but they don't always disappear into a dark room. Some light bleed is visible, particularly when watching wide-screen movies with black bars on the top and bottom of the display. These bars occasionally look a bit elevated as light creeps in from the images above or below. This is something that pricier QLEDs handle better, and OLED displays don't suffer from at all.

Some backlight patchiness is also visible when the TV can't dim its zones precisely enough. The church fire scene in "1917" on 4K Blu-ray is a good example, as black levels get lighter to the left and right rather than look completely uniform. However, this kind of imperfection is subtle and only visible if you watch movies with the lights off.

Instances of blooming (halos around bright objects on a dark background) are also minor. Some blooming pops up around icons when navigating the TV's menus, but halos are rare when watching actual content. For instance, the shadowy opening scene of "The Matrix" on 4K Blu-ray looks deep and inky with no halos from light sources on screen. 

Likewise, I didn't notice any blooming in a test video featuring candles burning in a dark room. This is impressive since the same clip revealed noticeable blooming when I previously played it on a more expensive Samsung QN90D QLED. But in Samsung's defense, the QN90D did offer brighter, bolder flames that popped more intensely from the screen.      

That said, TCL's TV is still incredibly bright in its own right. Using a 10% test pattern (a bright white box on a black background), I measured a peak brightness of around 1,700 nits. That's more than bright enough to offer impactful HDR images and it's a big jump from the 800-900 nits that last year's Q7 offered. It's also plenty bright for most rooms. In my office with the curtains open, I could comfortably watch TV in SDR (standard dynamic range) mode with brightness set to about 50%. (Like all HDR TVs, the QM7 automatically sets its brightness to 100% in HDR mode to ensure the best highlight performance.)

Across various 4K Blu-rays and video streams, HDR highlights (like gunshots, explosions, and lightning) shined appropriately, giving bright elements a realistic sheen. The colorful underwater world of "Aquaman" dazzled with rich saturation and vibrancy. "Mad Max: Fury Road" was also a particularly great demo of the TV's strengths. This film is one of the few titles mastered with highlights well beyond 1,000 nits, which gave the TV's light output a real workout. The results were an explosion of HDR goodness during the flick's chaotic car chases, with bold blasts of orange fire and nearly blinding pulses of lightning.

However, in rare instances, the TV's brightness algorithm could get a little confused. I ran into a minor quirk during quick cuts to shots with bright white text on black backgrounds, particularly when watching videos on YouTube. During these instances, the white text appeared way too bright for a second or two before the TV realized its mistake and dimmed down to the correct level. This is a tiny flaw, but one that I encountered enough to make it worth mentioning.

I also noticed some intermittent motion issues when watching streaming content on certain apps. Some videos would stutter slightly here and there. I noticed this when streaming Paramount Plus and Peacock, but never when streaming Disney Plus or YouTube. Likewise, I never encountered this issue when watching cable TV or Blu-ray discs. The stuttering could be a result of app stability rather than any kind of motion issue with the panel itself.

Like most QLED TVs in the midrange class, the QM7's viewing angles leave a lot to be desired. Though not the worst I've seen, sitting at an angle causes the TV's colors and contrast to distort. This is par for the course on most displays of this type, so to get better off-axis performance you need to opt for a pricier Samsung QLED or an OLED. 

Speaking of pricier TVs, it's important to remember that this is a midrange display. The QM7 impresses within that context, but overall image quality is clearly a step down compared to a premium set. Most notably, the QM7's picture processing handles lower-quality sources, like YouTube streams and cable TV, worse than displays I've tested from more expensive brands, like Sony and LG, which offer a sharper and cleaner image. And even with local dimming, the QM7 just doesn't have the same wow factor that the best OLED TVs offer thanks to their infinite contrast ratio. Check out my QLED vs. OLED guide for more details about the pros and cons of each panel type. 

But to get a TV that looks considerably better than the QM7, you're going to have to shell out more cash. Even entry-level OLED TVs cost at least $600 more than what the 65-inch QM7 typically sells for. Considering its price, the QM7 is a picture-quality winner, with only the Hisense U7N posing any direct competition in its price range.   

Snappy smart TV navigation but there are some glitches

TCL's QM7 uses the Google TV OS (operating system), and though I encountered a couple of hiccups, it offers a smooth smart TV experience. I still favor Roku's design the most, but Google's interface is my second favorite of the current crop used by most brands.

The homepage offers rows of icons for top-pick recommendations and all your apps, followed by a continue-watching row with content you've started but haven't finished and additional rows with more suggestions across different categories. It's a basic setup but feels a bit more streamlined and user-friendly than similar interfaces from Amazon, LG, and Samsung. 

Google TV performance can vary a lot across different display models based on their processing power and each manufacturer's implementation of the OS, so it's great to see such speedy navigation from a midrange set like this. I didn't run into many instances of lag while browsing through apps, but I did encounter some slow-down when watching 4K HDR videos through the YouTube app. Likewise, pulling up the TV's picture settings menu could cause a slight delay. However, general use across various menus is snappy. Google Assistant voice control also works well, whether using the remote or hands-free option with a wake word.  

On the downside, a couple of minor glitches popped up during my testing, but nothing too egregious. One instance involved picture brightness adjustments I made in SDR mode carrying over to Dolby Vision mode, which shouldn't happen. Another glitch occurred when the TV suddenly stopped outputting audio to my soundbar. Restarting both devices didn't fix this but unplugging the TV and then turning it back on did. 

I also hate how the Google TV OS stops playback in certain streaming apps when you open the picture settings menu to make changes. This makes it impossible to see how the settings you adjust affect the picture in real time. This isn't unique to TCL models as I've seen it happen on other Google TVs. It only occurs with certain apps, but it's a seemingly unnecessary limitation that I hope Google changes.  

Smooth 144Hz gaming on a budget

The QM7 is well-equipped for gaming and is one of the most affordable QLEDs with full 4K/144Hz variable refresh rate (VRR) support. This means you can pair the TV with a gaming PC to sync high-frame-rate gameplay with the display's refresh rate, ensuring smooth motion while preventing stuttering or screen tearing. The TV's VRR function also works with a PS5 or Xbox Series X, but those systems are limited to 4K/120Hz signals. 

Auto low latency mode (ALLM) is also supported. This feature automatically engages the QM7's game mode to minimize input lag when it detects a gaming source. Like many midrange and high-end TVs, the QM7 has a handy pop-up gaming bar that displays helpful information, like the current refresh rate, and offers quick access to advanced settings.  

I tested the TV's gaming performance with a few PS5 titles, including Marvel's Spider-Man, Ghost of Tsushima, and The Last of Us Part I. The display's 120Hz VRR feature engaged correctly when playing compatible titles, resulting in smooth motion and unlocked frame rates. High-dynamic-range performance was also great, giving the city lights of New York City some extra pop in Spider-Man and offering gorgeous colors across the varied landscapes of Ghost of Tsushima. 

However, while I didn't notice any screen tearing, games didn't look quite as crisp on the QM7 as they have on competing OLED TVs or Samsung QLEDs that I've tested. There was also a slightly blurry quality in motion, but not to the extent that it ever detracted from my experience. 

Should you buy the TCL QM7?

As far as midrange displays go, the TCL QM7 is easily one of the best 4K TVs you can buy right now. It delivers solid contrast and snappy smart TV navigation, along with all the latest gaming features you could want. 

Though the 65-inch model was a tad pricey when it launched this spring, it's often on sale for as low as $700. The 75-inch model can even be found for just under $1,000. Those prices are a steal for a TV with this level of performance. Some stores may still have lingering stock of last year's Q7 model for a bit less, but inventory is dwindling and the QM7 offers a sizable jump in brightness. 

Deeper black levels and better picture processing are available from pricier displays, but if you want a solid HDR TV for less than a grand, the QM7 is in a class of its own.