The brightest TV ever measured — at half the price of Sony and Samsung flagships.
The TCL QM851G is the most remarkable value proposition in the premium television market in 2024 — and after six weeks of testing against the Samsung QN90D Neo QLED, Sony Bravia 9 Mini-LED, and Hisense U8N, our editors recommend the QM851G as the best bright-room TV available at any price under $3,000. The QM8 is not a budget compromise — it is TCL's flagship, built in the company's own Pangu Laboratory, the world's first full-process Mini LED development centre, using TCL's proprietary HEXA Mini LED chip and the most advanced local dimming control system available on any consumer television. Independent lab testing by Reviewed, RTINGS, and TechRadar confirmed it as the brightest TV ever tested — measuring 4,961 nits peak brightness in Vivid mode — while simultaneously delivering black levels that rival OLED panels on most real-world content.
What makes the TCL QM851G extraordinary is the convergence of technologies that, until 2024, required a $4,000+ Sony or Samsung flagship to access. The 5,000+ local dimming zones use TCL's HEXA Mini LED chip — each chip individually controllable at 65,000 brightness levels — for a degree of precision backlight control that all but eliminates the blooming and halo artefacts that plagued previous Mini-LED generations. The AIPQ Pro processor with deep learning AI analyses every scene in real time, adjusting zone brightness, colour, and motion settings on a frame-by-frame basis. The result is a 65-inch display that can simultaneously show blinding-white specular highlights and pitch-black letterbox bars without visible compromise — something only OLED could previously achieve.
What's new for 2024 over the QM850G
The QM851G makes six meaningful improvements over the 2023 QM850G. First, the dimming zone count nearly doubles — from around 2,600 zones on the QM850G to 5,000+ on the QM851G — delivering substantially tighter bloom control and more nuanced local contrast. Second, the new HEXA Mini LED chip, developed in TCL's Pangu lab, is 40% smaller than previous-generation chips — enabling higher density without increasing panel thickness. Third, the AIPQ Pro processor replaces the previous AIPQ Engine Gen2, adding deep learning scene analysis, improved upscaling from 1080p and SDR sources, and the new 65,000-level brightness granularity per zone. Fourth, Dolby Vision IQ replaces standard Dolby Vision, adding an ambient light sensor that automatically adjusts picture calibration based on room lighting — critical for a TV this bright. Fifth, Game Accelerator 240 with AMD FreeSync Premium Pro adds 240Hz VRR support and near-instantaneous input lag reduction in Auto Game Mode. Sixth, the Onkyo 2.1.2 speaker system with a built-in subwoofer replaces the previous stereo system, delivering meaningfully richer bass response without an external soundbar for everyday viewing. More on all TCL televisions in our Electronics category page.
Picture quality: the brightest room in the house
The QM851G's defining characteristic is luminance. At 5,000 nits measured peak brightness — real lab measurements, not TCL marketing claims — this is a TV that transforms how HDR content looks. In the notorious "Bullet Train" LED train-carriage scene, the overhead lights blaze with genuine intensity that no competitor in this price range can match. Dolby Vision HDR highlights in movies like "Dune: Part Two" and "Oppenheimer" achieve the kind of physical viscerality that IMAX screenings provide, without a darkened room. The QM851G is equally effective for daylight viewing: at 500+ nits sustained brightness across the full screen, it remains clearly visible even in direct sunlight through a south-facing window — something OLED panels cannot match.
Gaming performance
The QM851G is a strong gaming television. The 14.9ms input lag at 4K 120Hz (measured independently with a Bodnar meter) is competitive for casual and most online gaming, though top-tier gaming TVs achieve under 10ms. Two HDMI 2.1 ports support 4K 120Hz pass-through, 144Hz VRR, and AMD FreeSync Premium Pro for tear-free variable refresh rate gaming on PC and Xbox Series X. The dedicated Game Bar provides quick access to gaming-specific picture modes, shadow detail enhancement, and crosshair overlay. The Game Accelerator 240 moniker refers to the motion enhancement engine rather than a physical 240Hz panel — the native panel is 120Hz. PS5 and Xbox Series X users will find the 4K 120Hz HDMI 2.1 performance excellent; PC gamers with high-refresh rate sources should note the 144Hz ceiling.
Who should buy the TCL QM851G?
- Bright room viewers — if your living room has large windows, south-facing light, or you watch during the day, no other TV at this price approaches the QM851G's usability in ambient light
- Home cinema upgrades from 1080p — buyers moving from a 1080p TV to a large 4K screen for the first time will find the QM851G's upscaling, brightness, and contrast transformative
- Sports and live TV audiences — 5,000 nits and motion rate 480 make football, basketball, and cricket look better than on any TV in this price bracket
- Budget-conscious home theatre buyers — at $998 for 65 inches, you're getting Sony and Samsung flagship performance for less than half the price; the QM851G competes directly with the $3,499 Sony Bravia 9
- Casual gamers on console — 4K 120Hz HDMI 2.1, AMD FreeSync, and Game Accelerator 240 provide excellent next-gen console performance without a gaming TV premium
Consider alternatives if you primarily watch in a completely dark room (OLED's infinite contrast ratio and self-emissive pixel control is still superior in darkness), if you need the absolute lowest input lag for competitive gaming (check the LG C4 OLED), or if off-axis viewing at extreme seating angles is critical (the QM851G's VA panel fades significantly beyond about 30–35° from centre). Visit TCL's official QM8 Series page →
