TCL's new Mini LED TVs are coming next year – how much of an upgrade are they?
TCL's X925 and X925 Pro models will hit the UK in 2022
TCL's next slate of Mini LED TVs are coming "early next year", it seems, with another pair of 8K TVs with Mini LED lined up for release in the UK.
The X925 and X925 Pro are largely similar, both packing in 8K resolution and the latest iteration of TCL's Mini LED backlights – which TCL claims are more advanced than ever, with a negligible "0mm" distance between its diffuser and backlight plates, helping to drive down the thickness of the screen while cramming in tens of thousands of compact Mini LEDs.
Alongside that, the Pro model makes the X925's built-in Dolby Atmos subwoofer detachable – with an audio boost from 60W to 160W in a 5.1.2 channel system – and is available in an 85-inch size rather than the 65-inch and 75-inch options for the basic model.
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HDMI 2.1 is firmly standardised here too, with VRR and ALLM support for smooth gaming across current-gen consoles like the PS5. You're getting a 120Hz-capable panel too.
What's interesting is that both TVs have launched in Australia already, but will take a little more time to come to the UK market – where they'll be carrying Android TV instead of the sleeker Google TV alternative in Australia.
We assume that's a licensing issue on the part of TCL, and most manufacturers carrying Android-based smart TV platforms are mixing and matching a bit. (We do, however, expect Google TV to become the norm in the coming years.)
Analysis: Quirky features keep TCL at the cutting edge
Any TV shopper after a highly-specified TV may well be tempted by TCL's Mini LED screens – and the brand deserves recognition for being the first TV maker to commercialise the technology, before the likes of Samsung, LG or Philips got in on the action.
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The audio capability is certainly notable on the Pro model, with 25 speakers crammed into the lightweight screen, and as ever TCL is at pains to stress the overall experience of using its displays – as a home cinema, a massive speaker, and even a smart display. A bundled 'magic camera' accessory will turn your X Series TV into a video call device, much like the Portal TV, with Google Duo support and the ability to read basic 'gestures' to pause or mute the screen too.
The average picture quality on a TCL TV tends to be a touch below leading TV makers, though pricing tends to be very competitive, and the smorgasbord of features thrown in makes a series like X925 hard to ignore.
Henry is a freelance technology journalist, and former News & Features Editor for TechRadar, where he specialized in home entertainment gadgets such as TVs, projectors, soundbars, and smart speakers. Other bylines include Edge, T3, iMore, GamesRadar, NBC News, Healthline, and The Times.