Which is better for a bright living room?

The QM8K. Its higher brightness and anti-reflective CrystGlow panel hold up better against windows and daylight. The QM6K is fine in a dim or average room.

Is the QM8K worth stepping up to from the QM6K?

Yes if you care about black levels, HDR punch or daytime viewing. The extra dimming zones and brightness are visible. If you watch mostly in a dark room, the QM6K is close enough.

Which is better for gaming?

The QM8K, on paper: 144Hz native and Game Accelerator 288 versus 120Hz native and Game Accelerator 240. Both have VRR, low lag and four HDMI ports, so casual gamers will be happy with either.

Which has better sound?

The QM8K has Bang & Olufsen tuning with Dolby Atmos, and the QM6K has ONKYO 2.1 with a subwoofer. Owners of both still call the built-in sound basic, so a soundbar helps either way.

Neither has a documented edge in lifespan. Both are LED-backlit sets with similar build. The QM6K has far more owner ratings, which gives more evidence of long-term reliability.

Do both run Google TV?

Yes. Both use Google TV with Google Assistant, and both work with Alexa and Siri. Streaming apps and the interface are essentially the same.

TCL QM6K QD-Mini LED Google TV vs TCL QM8K QD-Mini LED TV

The QM8K is the better TV: far more dimming zones, much higher brightness, a CrystGlow WHVA anti-glare panel and Bang & Olufsen audio. The QM6K costs less and still gives you Mini LED, 144Hz gaming and Google TV, but its brightness and sound are a step down. Buy the QM8K for a bright room or a serious home theater; buy the QM6K if you want most of the picture tech for less and can add a soundbar.

Choose the TCL QM6K if you want Mini LED contrast, 144Hz gaming and Google TV without paying for flagship brightness.
Choose the TCL QM8K if your room gets a lot of light or you want the best picture and sound TCL makes in this range.

Prices

TCL QM6K QD-Mini LED Google TV: $427.99 at Amazon (checked today)
TCL QM8K QD-Mini LED TV: $1,199.99 refurbished at Amazon (last seen Nov 8)
Difference: the TCL QM6K QD-Mini LED Google TV is $772.00 cheaper than the TCL QM8K QD-Mini LED TV at the latest prices (Nov 8 and Nov 11)

TCL Class QM6K Series QD-Mini LED QLED 4K UHD Smart Google TV

What separates them

	TCL QM6K QD-Mini LED Google TV	TCL QM8K QD-Mini LED TV
Backlight	QD-Mini LED with Local Dimming Pro	QD-Mini LED with up to 3800 dimming zones
Peak brightness	High Brightness Pro, lower than the QM8K	Up to HDR5000 brightness
Panel and glare	Standard panel, no anti-glare claim	CrystGlow WHVA anti-reflective panel, 178-degree viewing angles
Native refresh rate	120Hz (144Hz with Game Accelerator 240)	144Hz native, Game Accelerator 288
Audio	ONKYO 2.1, 40W with subwoofer	Bang & Olufsen with Dolby Atmos and DTS Virtual:X
HDR formats	Dolby Vision IQ, HDR10+, HDR10, HLG, Filmmaker Mode, IMAX Enhanced	HDR10+ and Dolby Vision support, IMAX Enhanced
Smart platform	Google TV with Google Assistant, Alexa and Siri	Google TV with Google Assistant, Alexa and Siri
Owner feedback	4.6 from 3,500 ratings; sound called basic	4.5 from 529 ratings; picture praised, sound and value criticized

Specs compared

Spec	TCL QM6K QD-Mini LED Google TV	TCL QM8K QD-Mini LED TV
Resolution	3840 x 2160	4K
High Definition	Yes	Yes
HDTV Format	4K	4K UHD
Color	Black	Black
Screen Form	Flat	Flat
Display Type	LED	LED, QLED
Assistant Support	Google Assistant, Amazon Alexa, Siri	Google Assistant, Amazon Alexa, Siri
HDR	Yes	Yes
Refresh Rate	120 Hz	144Hz (native)
Connectivity	Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, USB, HDMI, Optical Audio	Wi-Fi, USB, HDMI, Optical Audio
Screen Size	50 inches, 55 inches, 65 inches, 75 inches, 85 …	75 inches
Weight	31 lb	67 lb

Show all 40 specs

Spec	TCL QM6K QD-Mini LED Google TV	TCL QM8K QD-Mini LED TV
HDMI Ports	4 HDMI ports	4
High Dynamic Range (HDR)	true	true
Series	QM6K Series	QD Mini LED - QM8K
Smart TV	true	Yes
Supported Streaming Services	Hulu, Netflix, Prime Video, YouTube, Spotify, D…	—
Width	43.7 in wide	—
Depth	2.7 in deep	—
With V-Chip	Yes	—
Outdoor	false	—
Remote Control Type

TCL QM6K QD-Mini LED Google TV vs TCL QM8K QD-Mini LED TV

Prices

TCL QM6K QD-Mini LED Google TV vs TCL QM8K QD-Mini LED TV

Prices

TCL QM8K QD-Mini LED TV

What separates them

Price history

Prices at every store