TCL C8K Review - India

[Vikash Malya]

My Detailed Experience With the TCL 75" C8K (After 1 Week of Use)

I received my 75" TCL C8K last week, and wanted to share a detailed hands-on experience for anyone considering this model. I ordered it on Flipkart, and delivery happened the very next day. Installation was completed smoothly the day after.

For peace of mind, I also opted for TCL’s 2-year extended warranty and OneAssist Complete Protection for another 2 years. So the TV is covered for a full 4 years, which I think is important for a large flagship Mini-LED panel.

Picture Quality
I initially switched to Filmmaker Mode as recommended by Rtings, but after using it for a day I felt that Standard Mode actually produced more natural skin tones in my room lighting without requiring any manual calibration. Brightness, contrast, and shadow detail all looked surprisingly accurate out of the box.

I also have the full Rtings calibration sheet for the US-equivalent TCL QM8K, but honestly, I haven’t applied it yet — the panel has a very clean, uniform look and I’m quite happy with the default tuning.

A few highlights:

• Mini-LED brightness is outstanding, even during daytime viewing.

• Local dimming works very well with minimal blooming.

• HDR content (Dolby Vision, HDR10+) looks punchy and dimensional.

• Upscaling for regular DTH/YouTube HD content is noticeably better than what I had on my older Sony X90K.

• Smooth motion handling with almost no soap-opera effect on Standard mode.

For movies and OTT content, I genuinely felt this TV competes with much more expensive premium brands.

Audio Performance
The built-in Bang & Olufsen speakers are good enough for everyday viewing — dialogues are clear, and mids are pleasantly warm. But since I already have the Sony Bravia Theatre System 6, I connected it via the eARC port. The handshake was instant:

• No additional settings required

• ARC → eARC switch was automatic

• TV immediately routed audio in the correct format

With the Sony system, the soundstage opens up beautifully. For movies and streaming apps, the combination feels cinema-like.

Gaming Experience (PS5)
This is where the C8K really impressed me. The moment I connected my PS5, the TV automatically switched to Game Mode and enabled:

• ALLM

• VRR

• Optimized gaming HDR

• Low input lag mode

Menus feel fluid, motion clarity is great during fast gameplay, and HDR gaming looks vivid without crushing blacks. The PS5’s auto-calibration also worked perfectly with the panel’s high peak brightness. For anyone gaming on PlayStation or Xbox, this TV is simply plug-and-play.

Software, UI & Build

• Google TV UI is smooth and snappy.

• Apps load quickly with no lag.

• No overheating or flickering experienced so far.

• Build quality is solid for a 75-inch — the metal frame and minimal bezels give it a premium look.

Even the packaging and open-box delivery by Flipkart was handled professionally.

Comparing With My Previous TV (Sony X90K)
I used the Sony 65" X90K for quite some time, and while it served me well, the C8K has genuinely surpassed it in the areas that matter to me:

• Much higher brightness

• Better local dimming

• Smoother gaming experience

• More accurate HDR

• Far larger and more immersive screen

With everything working seamlessly — especially with my PS5 and Theatre System 6 — I honestly don’t miss the Sony anymore.

Final Verdict (After 1 Week)
If you want a large screen with excellent HDR, great gaming features, a clean panel, strong brightness, stable Google TV, and overall premium performance at a very competitive price, the TCL C8K is tremendous value.

I’ll update this after a month of usage, but first impressions have been extremely positive.

 

[LaidToRest2020]

Its a bummer that TCL does not sell the equivalent of QM8K in India, C8K seems to be a downgrade.
On top of it all, The C8K misses out on 98inch model, and is online only.

I am on the market for 100inch TV, and really very confused.

 

[TechHead]

QM8K and C8K are identical - what makes you think they're different?

 

[Vikash Malya]

Its a bummer that TCL does not sell the equivalent of QM8K in India, C8K seems to be a downgrade.
On top of it all, The C8K misses out on 98inch model, and is online only.

I am on the market for 100inch TV, and really very confused.

As far as i know QM8K and C8K are identical, though the tuning could be different. However, the technology specs such as Panel, Refresh rates, dimming zones, speakers, remote are more or less same. I couldn't find spec by spec comparison, but when compared side by side on both US and India TCL sites, both look pretty much similar. What makes you think they are different and C8K spec is inferior?

 

[Onri]

yes

Are you sure? I can only see 75 and 85 C8K on Flipkart.

 

[HE-MAN]

Are you sure? I can only see 75 and 85 C8K on Flipkart.

offline and its rare coz of stock issue..

 

[mathan]

My Detailed Experience With the TCL 75" C8K (After 1 Week of Use)

I received my 75" TCL C8K last week, and wanted to share a detailed hands-on experience for anyone considering this model. I ordered it on Flipkart, and delivery happened the very next day. Installation was completed smoothly the day after.

For peace of mind, I also opted for TCL’s 2-year extended warranty and OneAssist Complete Protection for another 2 years. So the TV is covered for a full 4 years, which I think is important for a large flagship Mini-LED panel.

Picture Quality
I initially switched to Filmmaker Mode as recommended by Rtings, but after using it for a day I felt that Standard Mode actually produced more natural skin tones in my room lighting without requiring any manual calibration. Brightness, contrast, and shadow detail all looked surprisingly accurate out of the box.

I also have the full Rtings calibration sheet for the US-equivalent TCL QM8K, but honestly, I haven’t applied it yet — the panel has a very clean, uniform look and I’m quite happy with the default tuning.

A few highlights:

• Mini-LED brightness is outstanding, even during daytime viewing.
• Local dimming works very well with minimal blooming.
• HDR content (Dolby Vision, HDR10+) looks punchy and dimensional.
• Upscaling for regular DTH/YouTube HD content is noticeably better than what I had on my older Sony X90K.
• Smooth motion handling with almost no soap-opera effect on Standard mode.

For movies and OTT content, I genuinely felt this TV competes with much more expensive premium brands.

Audio Performance
The built-in Bang & Olufsen speakers are good enough for everyday viewing — dialogues are clear, and mids are pleasantly warm. But since I already have the Sony Bravia Theatre System 6, I connected it via the eARC port. The handshake was instant:

• No additional settings required
• ARC → eARC switch was automatic
• TV immediately routed audio in the correct format

With the Sony system, the soundstage opens up beautifully. For movies and streaming apps, the combination feels cinema-like.

Gaming Experience (PS5)
This is where the C8K really impressed me. The moment I connected my PS5, the TV automatically switched to Game Mode and enabled:

• ALLM
• VRR
• Optimized gaming HDR
• Low input lag mode

Menus feel fluid, motion clarity is great during fast gameplay, and HDR gaming looks vivid without crushing blacks. The PS5’s auto-calibration also worked perfectly with the panel’s high peak brightness. For anyone gaming on PlayStation or Xbox, this TV is simply plug-and-play.

Software, UI & Build

• Google TV UI is smooth and snappy.
• Apps load quickly with no lag.
• No overheating or flickering experienced so far.
• Build quality is solid for a 75-inch — the metal frame and minimal bezels give it a premium look.

Even the packaging and open-box delivery by Flipkart was handled professionally.

Comparing With My Previous TV (Sony X90K)
I used the Sony 65" X90K for quite some time, and while it served me well, the C8K has genuinely surpassed it in the areas that matter to me:

• Much higher brightness
• Better local dimming
• Smoother gaming experience
• More accurate HDR
• Far larger and more immersive screen

With everything working seamlessly — especially with my PS5 and Theatre System 6 — I honestly don’t miss the Sony anymore.

Final Verdict (After 1 Week)
If you want a large screen with excellent HDR, great gaming features, a clean panel, strong brightness, stable Google TV, and overall premium performance at a very competitive price, the TCL C8K is tremendous value.

I’ll update this after a month of usage, but first impressions have been extremely positive.

Very nice and detailed review. Hope you can upload some pics of the TV and your setup. My only grudge against TCL is their service. They are beyond pathetic. They still do not have direct service and mostly their service is done by third party service centers. The TCL I bought had a panel problem during warranty period and the service center was not able to procure a new panel and refused to change for a new TV. Had to go through legal way to get the refund back. This ordeal puts me off even though the TV is excellent.

 

[Vikash Malya]

Very nice and detailed review. Hope you can upload some pics of the TV and your setup. My only grudge against TCL is their service. They are beyond pathetic. They still do not have direct service and mostly their service is done by third party service centers. The TCL I bought had a panel problem during warranty period and the service center was not able to procure a new panel and refused to change for a new TV. Had to go through legal way to get the refund back. This ordeal puts me off even though the TV is excellent.

Thanks for sharing your experience — that sounds genuinely frustrating, and I can understand why it would leave a lasting impression. Service quality can make or break the ownership experience.

From my side, I’ve noticed a few things:

1. Even brands like Sony, while very responsive, aren’t perfect.
They do send technicians quickly, but their repair costs are extremely high, especially once you're out of warranty. And even within warranty, Sony also tries to repair first — they don’t replace panels or TVs immediately unless the issue is unfixable or recurring. I’ve been through that cycle before with both LG and Sony, so it’s not something unique to TCL.

2. Service quality is heavily dependent on location.
Some cities have strong brand-owned service networks, while others rely on third-party centers even for major brands. I’ve seen cases where TCL service in metro areas is actually quite prompt, while the same brand struggles in smaller towns — and vice versa. It’s not consistent across India for almost any brand.

3. TCL’s service ecosystem is still growing, which explains mixed experiences.
They’ve been expanding rapidly, so some regions still rely on outsourced partners. This leads to inconsistent experiences like the one you faced, while others report very smooth replacements. Hopefully, this stabilises as they scale - fingers crossed.

4. Your point about panel procurement is valid for all brands.
Panel shortages affect every manufacturer. Even LG, Samsung, and Sony occasionally delay replacements because the part isn’t available — but they usually communicate better, which is where TCL needs to improve. I also underwent similar incident with my Sony X90K.

That said, I completely understand your hesitation. A bad service episode, especially involving legal escalation, would make anyone wary. For now I’m hoping my experience stays positive — and with the 4-year combined warranty I’ve taken, I should be reasonably covered. I’ll definitely post pics of my setup soon.