TCL has dropped Google TV and instead opted to launch a series of QLED TVs based on Amazon’s Fire TV instead. It comes after TCL first dropped Roku OS for Google TV in some of its models in 2021.
The company hasn’t said why it’s now going for Fire TV, but the new TCL Q6 Series TVs build on a range of premium Google TV modes announced earlier this year, and come in 55-, 65- and 75-inch variations. They’re available only in the U.S, with reasonable prices starting at just $450.
For a long time, buying a top-end TCL TV meant buying one powered by Roku TV, but that marriage has now well and truly ended, and TCL seems to have decided to offer consumers a choice of operating systems instead.
The TCL Q6 Fire TV is a QLED model with 4K resolution and a 60Hz refresh rate, though the Chinese company says it can deliver an effective motion rate of 120Hz, thanks to its Motion Rate 120 technology. So it’s not real 120Hz that viewers will see, but instead a combination of signal processing and backlight scanning will persuade their eyes that it’s the same thing.
The TV also provides 4K upscaling for lower resolution content and native HEVC and AV1 decoding, and there’s support for Dolby Vision, HDR10+, HDR10 and HLG, though don’t expect the HDR quality to be the best, as these are not directly backlit LEDs like some higher-end QLED models are. In other words, they cannot offer the same control over darker parts of the image, meaning some blooming will likely be visible in darker scenes. As far as audio goes, Dolby Atmos is supported but probably best experienced with a soundbar or external speaker setup.
In terms of connectivity, TCL says the Q6 models come with three HDMI 2.0 ports, with support for Auto Low-Latency Mode and eARC, but not VRR. Apple AirPlay 2 is supported, but Chromecast is not.
Maybe not the best specifications, but the TCL Q6 Series is not so shabby either, and with its price tag being well within the budget range, it will no doubt expect to find its market niche.
