Technology

IMAX comes home: TCL 115-inch Mini LED monster is the biggest, brightest 4K TV I’ve ever seen

TCL X95K Mini LED TV makes UK debut

Introducing the TCL X95K, a jaw dropping 115-inch  QD Mini LED 4k TV. TCL wasn’t kidding when it sent out invites to its Time to go Big UK technology showcase.

In a designer home decked out with TCL products, including screens, smartphones and kitchen appliances, this magnificent monster stole the show.

Positioned right by the door in a fashionably large hallway, it was the first thing I saw when I arrived. Now this probably isn’t the ideal location for such a big telly, but it made quite a statement. Even on a bright, sunny day, the set’s pictures were bright, vibrant and contrasty.

The X95K is the largest Mini LED television you can buy in Europe right now, and it comes with a suitably sizable price tag…

The X95K is the largest Mini LED television you can buy in right now, and it comes with a suitably sizable price tag, £25,000 – but that does also include professional installation. Weighing around 100kg, it’s a six man lift.

The set is formidably well specified. With an average screen brightness of 900 nits, it can cope with any brightly lit environment, while peak HDR brightness is quoted at 5,000 nits.

There’s also support for frame rates up to 144Hz VRR, so this is going to make a heck of a gaming display. A Game Master feature suite offers Freesync Premium Pro and ALLM, as well as an onscreen Game Bar for quick access to key settings.

Big sound is similarly guaranteed. The X95K has a built-in Onkyo-designed 6.2.2. Dolby Atmos sound system, with integrated side and height speakers. 

The screen looked terrific at the event, with sumptuous colours (the X95K covers 98 per cent of DCI-P3), deep black levels (even in high ambient light) and enormous contrast.

Key to this performance is a backlight with 20,000 LEDs, each individually controllable, ideal for high precision HDR, and covers HDR10+, Dolby Vision IQ, HDR10 and HLG standards. There’s an integrated sensor to monitor ambient light and colour, and adjust the picture accordingly.

The TV also board IMAX Enhanced certification, and that certainly feels appropriate here. Just like an IMAX cinema screen, it’s not difficult to fill your field of vision for a fully immersive viewing experience.

Obviously the X95K is at its best with native 4k content, but Deep Learning AI is used to upscale HD and lesser resolutions. The set can classify the type of content and focus processing both inside an object and more importantly edges, to make the upscale look natural.

Arsenal sponsor TCL says you even opt to watch sports in smooth 240Hz with motion interpolation, however you’ll need to sacrifice resolution.

TCL is putting a big push behind super large screen TVs this year. If the flagship 115-incher is a touch too much, there’s a range of 98- and 85-inch models with similar visual impact, that sell for less than £4,000. 

The set is built on the Google TV smart platform, and comes with all the usual streaming apps, including Netflix, Prime Video, BBC iPlayer, and Disney+.

There’s also Apple Airplay 2 connectivity, and Amazon Alexa/Matter support.

Also on display at the TCL range reveal was the C85K QD Mini LED TV, available in 98-, 85-, 75 and 65-inches, and the C80K Mini LED TV, which adds 55- and 50-inch models to the mix.

Both offer lower peak brightness and fewer dimming zones than their super-sized stablemate, but still impressed with colour intensity and black level performance.

At the more affordable end of the market TCL is offering two Android-based smart screens, the C65K, available in sizes from 43- to 98-inches, and P75K, available in screen sizes from 43- to 75-inches.

The 115-inch X95K Mini LED TV will shortly be available from Richer Sounds. Time to clear the hallway…