00:00Hey guys, just ahead of CES, I got to check out what feels to me like TCL's most ambitious TV
00:07launch to date. In this video, I'm excited to introduce to you the TCL X11L SQD Mini-LED
00:14because this TV is doing something a little different.
00:23I think it makes the most sense to start with what is SQD Mini-LED. SQD is super
00:29quantum dot, so still mini-LED, but just basically souped up. There are three parts to what
00:35distinguishes SQD from QLED or more traditional mini-LED. First, new quantum dots, reformulated,
00:42bigger, and allegedly capable of 100% of the BT2020 spectrum, which is the standard for color space
00:49for HDR content. Then, TCL developed a new CSOT Ultra color filter that controls color pixel by pixel
00:57up to 4,000 pixels per dimming zone. Finally, software-wise, the X11L runs a color purity
01:04algorithm that keeps colors consistent even in bright whites.
01:10It's probably important to give you guys some context of SQD Mini-LED being TCL's answer to
01:16all of the RGB hype you've been hearing lately. TCL actually is making an RGB TV, more on that later
01:23in this video, but SQD came from hopes of actually making something better than RGB. Instead of blue
01:30LEDs plus quantum dots, RGB Mini-LED uses red, green, and blue LEDs directly. That promises bigger color
01:37volume, wider OLED-esque viewing angles, and color saturation that can approach 100% of BT2020.
01:44Note that most of the TVs that come into this lab that we test on our bench don't even hit 90%.
01:49But the trade-off to RGB is control, and I say that not based on my personal viewing experience.
01:56There simply haven't been enough extended hands-on testing opportunities with any RGB TV,
02:02and they're just not mainstream in the U.S. market yet. But technologically speaking,
02:06because RGB LEDs have to mix colors to make white, they need a little bit more space to do so,
02:13which can lead to color blooming or color overlap, also called crosstalk,
02:17actually making colors look more muted and blend into each other more than what you would like.
02:23TCL says that the elements of SQD that I already outlined should help avoid that very color crosstalk,
02:29and visually, from what I did get to see, it actually does kind of check out.
02:33I wasn't able to film some of the most telling demos. What you're seeing here in the video is
02:38basically just a sample model running the same stock footage. But in those more interesting demos,
02:44what I saw was really clean contrast between bright, bold colors, greens, reds, you know,
02:50colors that typically challenge TVs. And not only that, the blacks look deep, neon colors pop without
02:56that bleeding, logos look sharp. It was a noticeably more vibrant picture next to TCL's own RGB mini-LED
03:03prototype. Side note, that one actually looked pretty great though too, because it uses that same new
03:08ultra color filter that we're getting on the SQD model. But an unnamed competitor RGB set next to it
03:15looked a lot more muted, especially in those darker scenes. TCL said that comes down to having made a color
03:22filter designed to keep up with SQD. One big thing I noticed was the competitor RGB crushing blacks,
03:29while the X11L kept detail and color. It was a truly phenomenal demo.
03:39Now I'm not saying that SQD is objectively better than RGB. This was a demo orchestrated by TCL. And
03:46again, we just really haven't had the chance to get RGB or now SQD into objective testing environments.
03:53Hopefully that will change this year. So make sure you're subscribed to the channel. I'll just leave it at
03:58that. In the meantime, there actually are a couple of other specs I can share about the X11L at this
04:04time. It uses TCL's new WHVA 2.0 panel, which claims to improve viewing angles, contrast, and
04:10uniformity. It features up to 20,000 dimming zones, 10,000 nits peak brightness, and a 26-bit backlight
04:18controller. Audio by Bang & Olufsen, support for Dolby Vision 2.0 Max, and for HDMI 2.1 inputs are other
04:26premium specs to look out for. It'll come in 98 inch, 85 inch, and 75 inch sizes, with the bigger two
04:33actually launching pretty much right now. By the time I'm filming this video, I actually don't have
04:37the pricing details, but I'll update them in the description and also throw some links in, in case
04:42you're interested in being an early adopter of TCL's SQD mini-LED technology. But TCL isn't betting on just
04:49one approach for 2026. TCL is still doing RGB mini-LED with a set called the RM9L. We don't have any
04:57specs or anything for that one yet, but I do find it interesting how they're balancing RGB while also
05:03leaning into SQD across the rest of the lineup. In fact, later this year we're also getting sets that
05:09are going to be called the QM8L and QM7L with SQD. And then, if you guys remember the QM6K we first
05:17saw at CES last year, that will be sticking around in the lineup. What do you think of TCL's TV
05:24strategy going into 2026? It feels to me like TCL is zagging while the rest of the TV space is
05:30zigging towards RGB so wholeheartedly. And I guess that's part of the fun of Tom's Guide to CES, right?
05:36We get to see trends as they're developing and seeing who's setting the tone, who's trying to
05:40be different, all that good stuff. So, if you want to see more from CES, make sure to keep it locked
05:46to this channel. I appreciate you guys for watching and I will catch you next time.
06:06you
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