TCL QM6K: Review of one of the best smart TVs for video games in 2025

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After reviewing the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5090 graphics card, we determined that a monitor or TV capable of matching its power was necessary. Most current 4K displays are limited to 120 Hz and are meant for consoles like the PS5 Pro or Xbox Series X. However, they are ill-equipped to handle what a high-end GPU can deliver. That’s where the new TCL QM6K comes in. The Chinese brand’s QM6K line offers a TV that meets the needs of the average gamer and positions itself as an excellent option for those who want to take their gaming to the next level, especially on PC.

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Read on for our review of the 65″ QM6K Smart TV.

What type of user is the TCL QM6K Smart Tv’s for?

Although it is affordable, the QM6K includes premium technology.

These features make it a complete entertainment center. Here, however, we will focus on what it offers for gaming. Considering that smart TVs are sometimes the entertainment center of our home, it has features that will keep it current for years to come. Although it is not the focus of the analysis, we will focus on the features related to video games since it has the necessary technology to fully exploit the visual characteristics of current generation consoles, such as 120 Hz and VRR.

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What is VRR and what is it for?

Variable Refresh Rate technology dynamically adjusts the monitor’s refresh rate to match the frames per second sent by the console or graphics card. In other words, they are synchronized in real time to prevent screen flickering, particularly when displaying fast-moving images. The TCL QM6K has this technology and adds AMD FreeSync Premium Pro, which users of this brand’s GPUs will appreciate.

Computer users will have several resolution options, such as 1080p, 1440p, and 4K. The interesting thing is that we will be able to have 144 Hz at the maximum resolution. If you need a higher speed, you can play at 288 Hz with VRR, but only at a 1440p resolution. We really liked this because both 4K at 144 Hz and 1440p at 288 Hz allowed us to push the NVIDIA GeForce 5090 to its limits. We ran these tests with several games, but we saw the most significant difference with Apex Legends. With the highest visual settings in both resolutions, Apex Legends reached the maximum FPS allowed by this TV.

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What technologies does the TCL QM6K have?

Its QD-Mini LED panel is compatible with Dolby Vision HDR and HDR10 formats, has 4 HDMI inputs, two 2.0 version at 60 HZ (one of these is the eARC) and two 2.1 at +144Hz.

Something that caught our attention is that its input lag is within the lowest standards for gaming on Smart Tv’s and has the Auto Low Latency Mode (ALLM) function. For example, in 1080p at 120Hz it reaches 5.6 ms and in 4k at 144 Hz 4.7 ms.

Another point that we must not forget is the audio, because through eARC we have Passthrough of:

On the optical digital cable side we have compatibility with:

In terms of connectivity, the TCL QM6K supports 2.4 and 5 GHz Wi-Fi. The maximum Ethernet speed is 100 Mbps, and the HDMI 2.1 supports up to 48 Gbps.

There are two USB ports, one 2.0 and one 3.0, both with 5V voltage. In fact, we were able to power a Saturn HDMI adapter directly from one of the ports.

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Image quality

The TCL QM6K has good contrast and surprisingly deep blacks, especially when the local contrast is set to “Low.” This is due to its 500 illumination zones. Although HDR brightness falls a bit short, SDR color accuracy is good in the default calibration, with slightly saturated colors and a white balance that could be better.

However, if presets are applied to taste, the picture quality improves considerably, even in HDR modes. This is where this smart TV really shines.

As for image processing, the CPU does a very good job of smoothing low-quality content. As we mentioned, we connected a SEGA Saturn, and although there is a slight loss of detail, the scaling is acceptable. This makes it an ideal smart TV for playing retro consoles.

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Software

Although it has the simple menus typical of Google’s platform, the gaming-focused features that you can activate directly from the remote are appreciated. You can activate a crosshair, the magnifier function, image mode (FPS or RPG), ALLM, VRR, shadow enhancement, the FPS monitor, HGIG (a color standard developed by the HDR Gaming Interest Group), the aspect ratio, and the menu style. Although the menu style is not the most eye-catching, it has everything a gamer needs.

Design, sound quality, remote control and contents in the box

The TCL QM6K has a typical mid-range design, with a bezel-less screen and a subtle top bezel. It has a thin metallic border, as well as a subtle rectangular module at the bottom center that houses infrared sensors, far-field microphones for voice control, and an LED status indicator. However, the panel reflects light if it is near a window or other light source.

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It has two gray V-shaped legs for mounting on a table. There are two placement options: near the ends for a wide base, or more in the center for smaller tables.

The sound quality is acceptable. However, at a medium volume, the bass falls short because it lacks depth. The volume is moderate, so we don’t recommend it for very noisy places.

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The remote control is practical and made of black plastic. Its rectangular design gives it a premium look. The backlit buttons are especially useful in dark environments. The remote control also has a navigation pad, an integrated microphone for Google Assistant, and volume, channel, and direct access buttons for popular services as:

The box contains the Smart TV, a start-up guide, a remote control with two AAA batteries, and a power cable.

Score: 9.5

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