Samsung is among the main and most acknowledged manufacturers within the TV market, making it a well-liked alternative for folks on the lookout for a brand new TV. And whereas it could be good if we may all purchase the flagship OLED or a big-screen mini-LED, it is not an possibility for many of us.
While the most effective OLED TVs and the most effective mini-LED TVs will provide you with the most effective expertise, there are many nice reasonably priced TVs accessible and, with Black Friday already on the horizon, meaning potential extra financial savings on these cheaper fashions.
So, I made a decision to match the Q8F to one in all these mini-LEDs to see how they fared facet by facet, touchdown on the 75-inch TCL Q6C (which is basically the identical mannequin because the TCL C6K). Why 75 inches? Because within the UK (the place I stay) the 75-inch Q6C mini-LED is cheaper than the 65-inch Q8F QLED, and the Q6C is priced at £799, regardless of being a bigger display with extra superior backlight expertise. You had to determine if the worth hole was justified and see which one needs to be in your listing of potential Black Friday offers.
Battle of backlights
The TCL Q6C (left) exhibits how the mini-LED is simpler at controlling the backlight in comparison with the Samsung Q8F (proper)
What grew to become instantly clear after I put the TCL Q6C and the Samsung Q8F facet by facet (and this can come as no shock to TV fanatics) is how a lot brighter and the way rather more depth the Q6C had, and the sturdy distinction additionally improved the perceived sharpness.
This is because of its mini-LED backlighting, which makes use of extra superior native dimming to supply higher gentle and darkish management in comparison with customary LED backlighting.
View scenes in darker circumstances, even essentially the most colourful ones from motion pictures like WickedThe Samsung QLED backlight produced a clouding impact on the display, which is the place the mini-LED’s superior native dimming can cut back and even eradicate this clouding. Although in darkish scenes, mini-LEDs at this finances degree can nonetheless endure from backlight blooming, the place a halo of sunshine seems round vivid objects on a darkish background.
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One space the place each TVs succeed is in shade replica. Watching the scene from ‘The Wizard and I’ WickedBoth televisions reproduce effectively the deep pinks of the tree’s flowers and the inexperienced of Elphaba’s pores and skin. The Q8F, nonetheless, suffers from a scarcity of brightness in comparison with the a lot brighter one, making these colours seem considerably bolder and extra eye-catching.
Thanks to the Q6C’s stronger perceived distinction because of its mini-LED backlighting, colours additionally seem to have extra depth. The blue of the opposite college students’ uniforms in Wicked It has a richer tone, making it stand out extra on the Q6C in comparison with the Q8F.
Placing the Q8F subsequent to the Q6C, with each set to their default Movie mode setting, makes the Q8F look flat compared and makes the cheaper Q6C (in the event you purchase them the identical dimension) look much more spectacular.
A fast dive into the Q8F’s image settings reveals that there are methods to enhance the colour. Interestingly, altering the HDR tone mapping from Active to Static truly provides brightness and element to the Q8F (you’d usually count on this to flatten it) and there is a Color Booster Pro function. Set to Low, this provides a bit extra vibrancy to the Q8F’s colors; If set to High, colours explode on the display. They’re oversaturated for my style, however they undoubtedly assist make the Q8F look extra placing.
Dark scenes and dim show.
With darkish motion pictures like the batmanThe Q6C’s mini-LED backlight (left) gives higher distinction and native dimming
the batman It’s been a staple drive for my TV testing throughout my time at TechRadar. Due to its low brightness, it acts as a form of “torture take a look at” for a lot of televisions. It usually reveals whether or not a TV has issues with uniformity (the flexibility to uniformly show massive areas of the identical shade, black or grey on this case) and is an ideal take a look at for distinction, black tones and shadow particulars.
Viewing it in simulated dimmed front room circumstances, with the ceiling lights off and only a lamp to the facet, it was right here that the Q6C’s mini-LED backlighting thrived. Not solely had been the darkish tones a lot richer and extra genuine than the Samsung, however the distinction between darkish and light-weight tones in sequences, such because the crime scene at Mayor Mitchell’s home, was a lot stronger on the Q6C.
On the Q8F, blacks grew bigger and took on a grey forged, and the distinction between gentle and darkish wasn’t as convincing.
But the true flaw within the Q8F’s QLED backlight was the clouding impact I discussed earlier. the batman actually confirmed the benefit of the mini-LED’s superior native dimming, with no indicators of cloudiness from gentle to darkish, leading to a extra genuine and correct picture.
I discovered that adjusting the distinction enhancer on the Q8F made the picture brighter and with higher distinction, which took among the ache out of its cloudiness, however sacrificed black tone and distinction accuracy to get there.
Positive facets of Samsung
Both TVs require some movement changes, however the Q8F (proper) arguably has essentially the most constant movement.
While this comparability has appeared one-sided, and in lots of instances it has been, the Samsung Q8F does have some positives. Its colours have a pleasant authenticity and the textures look actual, even underneath cloudy backlighting. The pores and skin, facial options just like the beard, and clothes all have good particulars, rather more than you’d discover on a extra fundamental QLED.
While neither the Q8F nor the Q6C have the smoothest movement, with the best settings each strike a superb stability between wanting easy and feeling pure.
However, I discovered that the Q8F was truly extra correct wanting, even when it wasn’t at all times the smoothest. The Q6C typically confirmed movement artifacts and blur throughout quick movement, one thing I’ve encountered earlier than with extra entry-level TCL units.
Which one to purchase?
Both TVs have their benefits, however the TCL Q6C (left) is definitely the most effective worth possibility.
It’s value noting now that each the Samsung Q8F and TCL Q6C have their positives of their picture, with refined textures and good shade replica, in addition to stable distinction.
But the Q6C’s mini-LED leads to larger brightness, stronger distinction, and bolder colours total. And it is not simply the picture, as a result of the Q6C has extra gaming options than the Q8F. The Q6C has 4K 144Hz, variable refresh price together with FreeSync Premium and Dolby Vision gaming, whereas the Q8F caps at 60Hz and there is no VRR or Dolby Vision.
It’s components like this, plus the TCL’s higher worth, with the bigger 75-inch Q6C priced at £799 and the QM6K priced at $848 (solely barely larger than the Q8F), in comparison with the $799/£869 worth of the 65-inch Q8F, that make the Q6C a straightforward suggestion.
