TCL X11L Mini LED Review - Best TV of 2026 (So Far)

Описание: Thank you to TCL for loaning me an X11L (Affiliate Links V)
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Check out Portrait Displays’ Calman color calibration software: https://www.portrait.com/
As part of their reviewer program I gain access to Calman Ultimate.

The TCL X11L is my most anticipated mini LED TV of 2026: a 98-inch 4K panel (up to 144Hz) with a claimed 20,000 local dimming zones, TCL’s new SQD mini-LED panel, alleged 10,000 nits peak brightness, and “100% BT.2020” coverage, plus four full-bandwidth HDMI 2.1 ports at 48Gbps for Dolby Vision HDR and modern sources.

Contrast + blooming (the headline feature)
This is the mini-LED contrast king. In real scenes it can look OLED-like straight on, with very little blooming even in hard content. Measured contrast hits around 149,545:1 in a 10% window and over 62,000:1 in a 1% window—blowing past every other mini-LED I’ve tested.

HDR brightness (insane, but not 10,000 nits “always”)
It’s one of the brightest TVs I’ve measured, even if it doesn’t consistently deliver 10,000 nits in Filmmaker Mode. I saw about 5,369 nits in a 10% window, ~904 nits full-field, and over 7,000 nits in certain patterns. In a real HDR test (Baldur’s Gate 3), it hit about 3,379 nits on highlights and ~1,243 nits on terrain.

Color + accuracy (very strong, not perfect)
SDR out of the box is decent and improves with basic tweaks, reaching an average Delta E around 1.1 after adjustments. HDR is good but shows undertracking and some shadow detail crushing (common for mini-LED). BT.2020 measured around ~92.19% on my gear—lower than the 100% claim, but still extremely wide gamut and very impactful.

Gaming + motion (big weakness)
For gaming, this TV takes a massive L. Pixel response is slow and motion can look very blurry, and VRR caused issues where 144Hz wasn’t reliable (often stuck at 120Hz). Input lag around ~32ms is okay for casual play, but overall this is not a good gaming TV—OLED (or other mini-LEDs) look much clearer in motion.

Viewing angles + clarity (good center-seat TV)
Viewing angles are improved versus older panels and are solid around ~30–45 degrees, but degrade hard past ~60 degrees. Clarity is excellent thanks to an RGB subpixel layout and a glossy coating, and ambient light handling is strong (very low measured black floor in bright rooms).

Upscaling + processing + sound
Motion interpolation/de-judder is decent, but upscaling doesn’t impress much. Built-in sound was disappointing (thin/metallic, weak bass and mids), so a soundbar or full system is basically required at this price.

Verdict + pricing
For movies and HDR, it’s the best mini-LED I’ve ever reviewed—contrast, brightness, and color are a blowout win for TCL, even compared to prior champs like the Sony Bravia 9. But motion/gaming performance, off-angle limits, a 1-year warranty, and the price ($8,000 for 85-inch, $10,000 for 98-inch) make it niche; most people should wait for price drops unless they specifically want the best huge-screen mini-LED under $10K.

Watch Display Tips:    • Best 4K Monitor Size - 27" vs 32 & 42 Inch  
Watch 4K HDR Display Reviews:    • The King - LG 5K2K OLED Ultrawide (45GX950...  

Specs & Price - 0:00
Contrast & Blooming - 1:56
HDR Brightness - 4:42
Color & Accuracy - 5:41
Gaming & Motion - 7:24
Viewing Angles - 8:52
Clarity, Coating, & More - 9:43

Best OLED TVs
Sony 65" (4K 120Hz OLED) Bravia 8 II: https://howl.link/xg27w84upe0zo
LG G5 65" (4K 165Hz OLED): https://howl.link/w2osbfw86056d
Samsung 77" (4K 144Hz OLED) S90F: https://amzn.to/4d4xtDN
LG C5 77" (4K 144Hz OLED): https://amzn.to/4cXXzbi
TV Stand I Use: https://amzn.to/4pAfj2B

My Favorite Mounting Hardware. Affiliate links below. Commission earned.
VESA Wall Mount (For TV Mounting): https://amzn.to/3xvAFYc
VESA Monitor Arm (For Heavy Displays): https://amzn.to/4aqiDoT
VESA Extender Plates: https://amzn.to/4cIG3Y2

Music
https://www.davidcuttermusic.com

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