It's been a week since we announced the 2026 What Hi-Fi? Awards, but we're still seeing new deals on several winners.

This week sees a new low on the Samsung HW-Q990H courtesy of a huge cashback offer, as well as a repeat winner, the Triangle AIO, returning to its lowest price.

That's not all though – there are several excellent discounts on former Award winners and five-star favourites also, with three TV deals that are definitely worth considering.

As always, these are all products that have been tried and tested by our expert review teams. Only products that have earned four stars or above get our coveted recommendation – and everything below has received the full five-stars.

Take a look for yourself:

You'll want to properly partner the Q Acoustics 5050, but if you do, you'll be rewarded with a pleasing rhythmic drive and strong dynamics with particularly impressive bass. They're one of our top picks in the mid-range and come with a free Fell Audio cable too.

The Sony Bravia 8 II may have missed out on an Award this time around, but the former Product of the Year winner is still a fantastic buy, especially with this discount. Use the code SHSTV200 and then claim £100 cashback from Sony to get this deal price – full cashback details are here.

The Samsung HW-Q990H is a new Award winner, supplanting its predecessor, the HW-Q990F. Despite looking largely the same, this new model adds more nuance, detail and scale. Claim a whopping £400 cashback from Samsung to get the full saving – full details here.

We declared the TCL C7L to be ridiculously good value at full price, so it's even better with £120 off. Tick the voucher box to get this saving, and you'll get all the features of a premium Mini LED TV for only £1079.

The LG G6 is a five-star flagship OLED TV from LG, and comes with a punchy picture, flawless gaming specifications and excellent app support. If that wasn't enough to tempt you, you can get £841 off by using the code TV200 and then claiming 10 per cent cashback from LG – full T&Cs here.

The Triangle AIO Twin has hung into its Awards spot for another year, with its superb performance, competitive price and easy setup proving tough to beat. Get it at its lowest price of £599, but only in maple, blue or black finish.

MORE:

Our pick of the best wireless headphones you can buy

And the best TVs for all budgets

Interested in the bigger picture? Here are the best projectors we have tested

The headphones category is always one of the most contested at the What Hi-Fi? Awards, and this year has been no different.

While there are a few regulars and old reliables in there, we have had a few shake-ups this year, courtesy of a clever USB-C dongle, the revival of a six-year-old classic, and a surprise £35 budget offering.

Whether you’re after the convenience of wireless, a trendy wired pair or are open to either, there’s an Award winner whatever your budget.

We have found some great deals on several of them too – so why don’t you take a look?

Our budget wireless pick for another year, the Sony WF-C510, continues to impress by nailing the basics for the price of a round of drinks. We have seen them as low as £28 before, but £34 at Smart Home Sounds for an Award-winner is still quite the bargain.

If you want to go wired and can live without noise cancelling, then the Austrian Audio Hi-X15 is unmatched at this price. Austrian Audio headphones rarely go on sale, but they are great value headphones anyway and well worth £87 at Scan.

If you want budget buds but can’t live without noise cancelling, then the Sony WF-C710N are the cheapest headphones that we recommend with the feature. But they also sound rather good and have several impressive features, all for £67 at Amazon.

The Røde NTH-100 are consistently among our top budget recommendations, wired or otherwise, thanks to their eloquent, revealing sound. We’ve seen them as low as £89 over Black Friday, but they are still great value for £115 at Amazon.

Don’t let the 2024 in Bose QuietComfort Earbuds (2024) put you off – their third What Hi-Fi? Award proves they are still the best wireless buds at this price range. We have seen them at £109 over Prime Day, but you won’t be disappointed for £150 at Amazon.

As long as you don’t mind an open-back design, the Beyerdynamic DT 990 Pro X remain class leaders and are the finest and most comfortable wired headphones we have heard at this price. Discounts are rather rare, so don’t hold your breath for an imminent drop from £189 at Amazon.

A new entry, the Sony WF-1000XM6 are Sony’s latest flagship earbuds and were well worth the wait, with a wonderfully musical sound, superb noise cancelling and great call quality. Get them now for their lowest price of £209 at Very.

It may surprise you that the best wired in-ear headphones are the £35 Sennheiser CX 80U, but just wait until you hear them. The USB-C buds offer a big, dynamic and surprisingly sophisticated sound, and are available for a new low price of £28 at Amazon.

Another new kid on the block, the Sony WH-CH730N replace their Award-winning predecessors, the WH-CH720N, and add a more premium, folding design, a monster 50 hours of battery with ANC on and an even more engaging sound. They have yet to receive a discount, but you can pick them up for £100 at Amazon.

As much as we loved the Sony WH-1000XM4 from 2020, we never expected them to win a What Hi-Fi? Award six years later. But here we are, with the revamped Sony WH-1000XM4C bringing back an old classic with tweaked tuning and a lower price of £219 at Amazon.

How do you overcome the sonic shortcomings of wireless headphones? With a nifty little USB-C dongle, according to the Sennheiser HDB 630. The result is a new standard of wireless sound at this level, all within a well-built, feature-rich and competitively priced package, available for £399 at Richer Sounds.

If money is no object and you want style as well as substance, may we recommend the Focal Bathys MG. They are undeniably premium for £999 at Richer Sounds, but they will reward you with a wireless noise-cancelling headphones performance that’s on a whole new level.

MORE:

Check out our best wireless headphones buying guide

The What Hi-Fi? Awards 2026 winners have been revealed!

Check out our best wired headphones buying guide

Want your hard-earned cash to stretch as far as you possibly can?

Then you might want to consider the TCL C7L. This performance-per-pound champ brings you all the features of a premium Mini LED TV at what is barely a mid-range price.

And that price just got even better. Our review, where we tested the 65-inch C7L at £1199, went live only yesterday. But you can now scoop up the C7L for £1079 at Amazon – just make sure to tick the voucher price box before you head to checkout.

The TCL C7L boasts an awful lot of features, with two big improvements over its predecessor, the C7K.

First up is TCL’s new Super Quantum Dots, an upgrade on traditional Quantum Dots that should result in more stability, better colour accuracy, and improved efficiency.

There are also 10 per cent more local dimming zones than in the C7K – 1152 to be precise, which is very generous at this price level.

But what is the impact on the all-important picture quality? Well, we’re pleased to report that the C7L is a shining star for its price.

“The shining starts quite literally, with levels of both full-screen brightness and small peak brightness that you won’t find anywhere else for the C7L’s money,” our TCL C7L review reads. “The radiance with which the TV can deliver bright HDR content is a phenomenal spectacle in the set’s excellent Standard preset, but also contributes to a really eye-catching light range with the set’s Filmmaker Mode.”

This is thanks to some seriously impressive light control, with bright whites and colours delivered on the same frame as deep, rich blacks without major light haloing. There’s a lovely colour performance too, with the Super Quantum Dots generating impressive subtlety and nuance in the darkest and brightest colours.

The C7L is stuffed with gaming features also – there is support for 4K at frame rates of up to 144Hz, and HD at a whopping 288Hz. This is backed up by VRR, a Dolby Vision game mode, ALLM switching and a respectably low 13.4ms of input lag.

Dolby Vision Game Mode is just the tip of the C7L’s HDR support – Dolby Vision IQ, which adjusts the picture in response to ambient light, is also on board, along with HDR10+, HDR10, and HLG.

Google TV provides the smart features, with TCL going the extra mile to ensure catch-up services for the UK’s main terrestrial broadcasters are included too.

The Bang & Olufsen 2.2-channel, 60W system sound system is rather premium for such an affordable 65-inch TV, and has the power and speaker quality to produce a substantial soundstage. There’s room for improvement when it comes to some harsh treble and unenthusiastic bass, but it’s a decent performance overall.

The TCL C7L is absolutely stuffed with features, then, particularly for gaming; but it also comes with a bright, colourful and contrast-rich display that excels in Filmmaker mode. It’s an absolute bargain for £1079 at Amazon.

MORE:

Read our TCL P8L review

Also consider our TCL C7K review

Best TVs: flagship OLEDs and budget Mini LED sets tried and tested

Every year, when it comes to the What Hi-Fi? Awards, the TV category is always hotly contested, and 2026 has been no different. Our list of winners is packed with new entries, from LG, Samsung and TCL, all of which have managed to knock old favourites off their perch.

It was a great year for LG, with the C6 winning four Awards over several different sizes. Samsung swooped in and took the best premium TV Award, while TCL took home the best budget TV gong.

If you'd like to see them in all their glory, we have all the Award-winning TVs below, as well as their best prices at the time of writing...

If you're short on space, it's LG's mid-range 42in OLED that is our top pick this year. The small-screen wonder delivers contrast and detail in abundance, proving you don't need a huge TV to have a big cinematic impact. LG's usual stellar gaming specs are on offer too, all of which make up for the middling sound. For the best LG C6 42-inch price of £899 at Amazon, claim 10 per cent cashback from LG – full T&Cs here.

For the mid-size 48-50inch category, it's the LG C6 once again. The LG C6 48-inch is arguably the most interesting of LG's new OLEDs, with a surprisingly bright, colourful picture that pushes vibrancy to impressive levels.

Rumours suggest this size sports an RGB Tandem OLED panel, though LG refuses to confirm – either way, though, it's a fully featured TV that's talented in the picture and sound departments. Use the code RSTV50 to bring the price down to £1049, and once again you can claim 10 per cent cashback from LG for a total of £944 at Richer Sounds.

For our budget 55-77inch TV Award, it's a TCL model. For £749 at Amazon, the TCL P8L is an incredible value TV that punches well above its weight in terms of picture quality and specs, and sounds pretty good too. Those with super-bright rooms may struggle with the reflective coating, but otherwise the P8L offers a balanced and authentic picture as well as strong gaming specs.

With our mid-range 55-77inch TV Award, the LG C6 makes it a trifecta. The LG C6 65-inch delivers a bright, rich and refined picture that sets a new benchmark for step-down OLEDs. Sound is very good for this level, while the typically awesome gaming specs return. Save £100 with the voucher code GDTV100, and once again you can claim 10 per cent cashback from LG for an overall total of £1619 at Sevenoaks.

Given how much we've mentioned the LG C6's gaming specs, it may not surprise you to hear that the set has won the best gaming TV Award also. All three sizes sport four full-bandwidth HDMI 2.1 sockets capable of handling signals up to 4K/165Hz with VRR and ALLM, which, along with its stellar picture, makes it the top choice for hardcore gamers and prospective GTA 6 owners.

The flagship OLED to beat, it's the Samsung S99H, which has surprisingly unseated the Sony Bravia 8 II for our premium 55-77inch TV Award. The punchy, wonderfully three-dimensional picture is hard to beat, while the feature set blows most other TVs out of the water.

Add in a greatly improved sound system compared with last year’s model, and you've got Samsung's best TV to date, and the best premium model of 2026. For the £1749 at Richer Sounds price, use the code RSTV100 and then claim £150 cashback from Samsung to get this price – full T&Cs here.

MORE:

Check out our Best OLED TV buying guide

The What Hi-Fi? Awards 2026 winners have been revealed!

Our pick of the best TVs for every budget, including flagship OLEDs and budget Mini LED sets

Pound for pound, the TCL C7K was arguably last year’s best value TV.

So, with added local dimming zones and TCL’s fancy new Super Quantum Dots on board, you’ve got to hope that this successor, the C7L, is going to be more than up to the job of repeating its predecessor’s success.

Price

The £1199 / AU$1790 price for the 65-inch C7L we’re testing is broadly in line with what last year’s 65C7K cost at the same stage in its life cycle.

That is pretty impressive, given that the newer model introduces a host of substantial hardware and software improvements – not least the step up to new Super Quantum Dots for colour reproduction.

In the US, the equivalent model is the QM7L, which costs $1200. However, while the C7L and QM7L are apparently identical in terms of hardware, we understand that the tuning is different, so this review shouldn’t be considered as applying to the QM7L.

Strangely, in the UK, the 65C7L costs a fairly whopping £700 less than TCL’s step-up 65C8L – a much more significant price gap than we see at other screen sizes (the 55-inch C7L, for instance, is only £200 cheaper than the 55C8L).

Similarly specified 65-inch TVs in the 65C7L’s price ballpark are tough to find. Recent price cuts make Hisense’s 2025 but still widely available 65U8QTUK probably the closest rival, though the 65-inch version of Hisense’s 2026 RGB LED UR8 TV currently costs £1699.

Samsung’s new 65QN80H model also costs £1199, though this doesn’t feature new SQD or RGB LED technologies, sticking with a relatively straightforward Mini LED backlighting system.

Design

The C7L features a premium design distinguished by its metallic finish and the extreme trimness of the bezel around the screen.

It’s not the slimmest TV around the back by today’s svelte standards, though, and the build quality is reasonable rather than fantastic.

You only notice this when you’re setting it up, though; from a normal viewing distance, there’s nothing cheap about the way it looks.

Happily, the C7L avoids the current trend of sitting big-screen TVs on feet placed under their bottom corners, going instead for a square plate stand under the screen’s middle that makes it easy to position the set on even the narrowest cabinets and tables.

The C7L doesn’t ship with the glamorous silver metallic handset you get with the C8L. Its remote instead sports a relatively plasticky black finish and a slightly cluttered-feeling full button count, including a set of numeric keys.

It does helpfully still retain, though, both a dedicated mic button for voice instructions and direct buttons for Netflix, Prime Video, YouTube, Disney+ and TCL’s own TCL Channels service of streamed TV.

Features

We should start this section with the two main areas where the C7L delivers clear claimed hardware improvements over its illustrious predecessor.

TCL’s new Super Quantum Dots might not wear capes, but they do feature no fewer than five different structural layers compared with the two used in traditional Quantum Dots. This results, it is claimed, in more stability, better colour accuracy/purity, and improved efficiency.

The 65C7L also features around 10 per cent more local dimming zones than its predecessor: 1152 versus 1008, to be precise. That’s a very generous number for the C7L’s price level.

TCL claims a peak brightness of 3000 nits for the 65C7L, too – though while this is another very high number for such an affordable TV, it doesn’t represent an increase on the claim of last year’s C7K.

The Super Quantum Dots have been applied to the second generation of TCL’s WVHA panel design. This ushered in a plethora of picture-enhancing features to great effect last year, including increased transient response for improved motion sharpness, advanced blooming controls beyond the mere dimming zone count, enhanced light control for subtler shading and premium shadow detailing, and substantial power consumption savings.

TCL’s AiPQ processing has been optimised for the new colour and backlight system, of course, while the C7L’s panel joins that of the C8L in supporting playback of 4K at frame rates up to 144Hz, and HD at frame rates up to 288Hz (thanks to Direct Line Gate technology).

These excellent gaming features are backed up by support for VRR, including in the AMD FreeSync Premium Pro format; a Dolby Vision game mode; ALLM switching; a respectably low 13.4ms of input lag in the screen’s fastest response Game mode; and a dedicated game menu screen offering a mix of graphics information and gaming aids.

The only disappointment from a gaming perspective is that only two of its four HDMI ports support the full range of cutting-edge gaming features, but at this price, that feels fairly forgivable.

The Dolby Vision gaming mode is just a small part of the C7L’s extensive HDR support. It also supports Dolby Vision IQ, where the picture adjusts in response to ambient light conditions, as well as the alternative HDR10+ premium HDR system, and, of course, the core HDR10 and HLG formats.

Smart features come courtesy of Google TV, but TCL has gone the extra mile to make sure that the C7L carries all of the catch-up services for the UK’s main terrestrial broadcasters that Google itself does not cater for.

The 65C7L’s startlingly advanced picture technology for its price is joined by a sound system that’s the result of another collaboration with premium AV brand Bang & Olufsen. This 2.2-channel, 60W system is short a few watts and a channel versus the 65C8L’s system, but it’s still a premium design for such an affordable 65-inch TV.

Picture quality

The first thing to say about the C7L’s picture quality, albeit rather unfairly, is that this year it falls some way short of the more expensive C8L. This is absolutely fair enough, of course, given the price difference between the two models. But we mention it because last year the C7K’s pictures arguably outperformed those of the C8K, at least in some areas.

Crucially, though, the bigger picture difference this year is down solely to the C8L improving so much; there’s certainly not been any sort of drop-off in the C7L’s performance. On the contrary, it’s still a shining star for its price.

The shining starts quite literally, with levels of both full-screen brightness and small peak brightness that you won’t find anywhere else for the C7L’s money. The radiance with which the TV can deliver bright HDR content is a phenomenal spectacle in the set’s excellent Standard preset, but also contributes to a really eye-catching light range with the set’s Filmmaker Mode. This is despite Filmmaker Mode understandably adopting a much dimmer baseline brightness to ensure it matches today’s most common video mastering values.

The 65C7L can deliver such compelling pictures in both its screen-tech-showcase Standard mode and accuracy-based Filmmaker Mode because it possesses some seriously impressive light control to go with the brightness. Intensely bright whites and colours can be delivered by the new SQD screen at the same time – as in, literally in the same image frame – as the screen is producing deep, rich blacks without generating major light haloing around the bright highlights. The resulting contrast is a marvel for a TV at the C7L’s price point.

The exceptional brightness and light management feeds into another lovely TCL colour performance, too. In fact, presumably thanks to the new ‘Super' Quantum Dots, there’s even more subtlety and nuance in the darkest and brightest colours than there was with last year’s C7K. That’s despite the fact that the screen’s contrast is even more extreme.

While the C7L’s Filmmaker Mode delivers a beautifully nuanced, accurate and cinematic image, where colours still look rich and HDR highlights still look punchier than they do with any other LCD TVs we can think of at this price, the 65C7L’s colours still look balanced and believable even when you’re watching the TV in its much brighter, bolder Standard preset. So whether you fancy a lights-down movie night or you want a picture that still looks spectacular in a bright living room, the C7L has you covered.

The C7L also serves up an impressively vibrant, responsive, crisp and clean video game performance (provided you use one of the two full bandwidth HDMIs), as well as crisp, detailed images with both native 4K and upscaled HD sources.

The Natural Cinema motion processing mode TCL provides does a good job, too (a better job, strangely, than it seems to on the C8L), of retaining sharpness and clarity over and around moving objects, without causing excessive unwanted processing side effects or the soap opera effect.

We mentioned above, though, that there is a clear gap between the C7L and the C8L in performance terms, so we now need to get into the cheaper model’s (relatively tiny) limitations.

First, extreme contrast content does reveal a little more backlight blooming than the C8L exhibits, especially in the black bars that are present above and below wide aspect ratio content. Blooming becomes much more noticeable, too, if you’re viewing the TV from a wide angle.

The Dolby Vision Dark and Standard HDR10 presets can both cause a few subtle shading details to become lost in the blackness of extremely dark scenes, too – though with HDR10 sources you can improve this artefact of the TV’s slightly over-enthusiastic dynamic tone mapping system by nudging up a provided Black Level setting. You can’t go too far with this, however, as the feature also raises black levels.

While some AV fans will like the glossy finish of the C7L’s screen compared with the matte look of some of this year’s key rivals, it can leave some quite obvious reflections if you have a direct light source anywhere opposite the TV.

Finally, TCL’s implementation of its new Eco features is a bit obscure and complicated, leaving us worried that at least a few C7L buyers will end up leaving their shiny new TV delivering pictures with only a fraction of the impact the screen is capable of with its Eco features turned off.

None of these issues, though, are remotely serious or common enough to stop the C7L from being, like its predecessor, arguably the best all-round value TV we’ve seen all year.

Sound quality

The C7L’s Bang & Olufsen audio co-production is good in some ways, but also not without its flaws.

The best thing about it is the way it has the power and speaker quality to produce a substantial soundstage that spreads right across your room from left to right, rather than remaining locked in the TV’s bodywork. There’s even a reasonable sense of height to the C7L’s sound ‘wall’, helping it get more benefit than most mid-range TVs from Dolby Atmos’s overhead effects.

There’s lots of detail in the spacious soundstage, too, making the world of whatever you’re watching feel busy and involving, and for the most part, effects – including individual voices during dialogue sequences – are placed with decent accuracy. Or, to be more precise, they’re placed quite accurately within a soundstage that mostly seems to be happening behind the screen, as the C7L doesn’t push its sound forward as much as we’d like.

Treble sounds, though, while clear, can sound a little harsh and brash at times, and bass doesn’t reach as deep or get as actively involved in the mix as we had hoped. In fact, low frequencies can drop out almost completely during the heaviest movie rumbles.

Overall, the sheer scale and clarity of the C7L’s sound, together with its ability to get seriously loud, ensure it’s a decent performer overall. We just can’t help but think, though, that TCL’s collaboration with B&O is capable of more – especially given the obvious quality of the core speaker components being used.

Verdict

The TCL C7L’s picture quality is really unfathomably good for a 65-inch TV that costs just £1199 / AU$1790.

It is bright, colourful and rich in contrast, but also balanced, subtle and natural, regardless of whether you’re watching it in its spectacular Standard preset or its more cinematically authentic Filmmaker Mode. It’s an excellent gaming display, too, provided you don’t need more than two full-bandwidth HDMI 2.1 ports.

SCORES

• Picture 5
• Sound 4
• Features 4

MORE:

Read our review of the TCL P8L

Also consider the TCL C7K

Read our TCL C8L

Best TVs: flagship OLEDs and budget Mini LED sets tried and tested

In case you somehow hadn't noticed, we announced the What Hi-Fi? Awards 2026 winners earlier this week.

It was an interesting mix of returning favourites, new entrants and surprise upsets across the various categories.

Out of the 111 winners, however, we're pleased to report that several of them are on sale.

This includes repeat winners such as the Sony WF-C510 and Cyrus 40 ST, which are now back to their lowest price, as well as savings on the newly victorious Sennheiser CX 80U and LG C6 42-inch.

There's plenty more, though – take a look for yourself:

Budget OLED TVs are tough to get right, but Samsung has made a mighty good go of it with their offering this year. The Samsung S85H is one of the best cheap OLEDs we've tested thanks to a punchy, three-dimensional picture, high brightness, and solid app and gaming support. Get this price by using the promo code RSTV50 and then claiming £75 cashback from Samsung – full T&Cs are here.

It's hard to go wrong at £28, but the Sony WF-C510 seriously overdeliver at this price. The budget buds have just won their third What Hi-Fi? Award in a row, thanks to their compact, comfortable design, solid, musical sound and 11-hour battery life.

If you prefer your budget headphones wired, then the Sennheiser CX 80U are the pair we recommend. Their small, lightweight design, comfortable fit and rich, solid sound make them the best budget wired earphones we have tested in years.

The LG C-series regularly makes an appearance in our launch line-up, and this year is no different. The LG C6 took home the gong for best 40-43-inch TV thanks to its crisp, three-dimensional and contrast-rich picture, along with excellent motion handling and gaming features. You’ll need to claim 10 per cent cashback from LG to get this full discount – full details here.

The Cyrus 40 ST is our favourite high-end music streamer, and has just received its third What Hi-Fi? Award in a row. It may not be cheap, but it's an incredible piece of kit with expressive, punchy and exciting sound, excellent rhythmic drive and a classy look.

The Samsung HW-Q990H is also a new Award winner, thanks to its detailed, full-bodied cinematic sound, immersive and spacious sound and superb connectivity. We tested it at a rather pricey £1599, but you can now pick it up for £999 thanks to a £400 cashback offer – full T&Cs here.

MORE:

Our pick of the best wireless headphones you can buy

And the best TVs for all budgets

Interested in the bigger picture? Here are the best projectors we have tested

While it’s always a thrill to review the latest and greatest flagship TVs, there’s something really satisfying about discovering an affordable model that punches above its weight.

That’s precisely what we have here. Having tested myriad budget sets as part of our Awards judging process, one model stands head and shoulders above its rivals: say hello to the TCL P8L.

Price

The 65-inch TCL P8L we’re testing launched with a price tag of £849, but it can now be bought for an even more attractive price of £749.

If you want to go a little smaller and/or cheaper, there’s a 55-inch P8L with a price tag of £649, and the range goes up to a whopping 98-inch model, although pricing for that one has not yet been revealed.

The P8L series is designed to offer a more budget-conscious alternative to LG's C-series, but the specs still look very attractive for the price, with Mini LED backlighting, Quantum Dot colours and 4K/144Hz gaming all on the menu.

If you’re wondering about US and Aussie pricing, there isn’t any, as the P8L isn’t available in either of those regions. We understand that the US QM6K model is at least very similar, but the potential for differences means this P8L review shouldn’t be considered as also applying to the QM6K.

Design

The TCL P8L is a pretty good-looking TV for its price. Plastic features heavily, of course, but it’s been largely successfully disguised to look like metal.

The thin bezel is black on three sides, with a slightly thicker silver lip at the bottom. There's a TCL logo at the centre of this bottom lip, and another badge that says ‘Premium QLED’ close to the top of the right edge. It looks rather like a cuff at the top of someone’s ear, and it really bothers some of our reviewers.

In the box are two silver feet that can be positioned either fairly close together, giving the TV a footprint that’s just 56cm wide, or further apart to make more room for a soundbar. The amount of clearance beneath the bottom of the screen is just 6.5cm, though, so do bear that in mind.

At its thickest point, the TV is a not inconsiderable 7cm, but this tapers at the edges in a fairly attractive way. This thickness serves a purpose, too, as in the centre of the rear of the TV is a large Onkyo-branded ‘Ultra Bass’ subwoofer that will hopefully give the TV’s audio some low-end heft.

Features

Also on the back of the P8L is a recess for the physical connections, which include four HDMI sockets, through two of which the TV can handle 4K/144Hz (and 4K/120Hz) gaming. VRR, ALLM and Dolby Vision gaming are all supported, too, even via the two 4K/60Hz ports.

Dolby Vision is of course supported for movies and TV shows, too, but so are HLG, HDR10 and HDR10+, which means the P8L scores a clean sheet of high dynamic range format support – something that no TV from Samsung, Sony or LG offers, regardless of price.

As is the norm for TCL TVs, the P8L runs the Google TV smart platform, which brings with it a huge app selection. TCL has also gone out of its way to support all four of the UK’s terrestrial catch-up apps.

In fact, of the 32 apps we check every TV for, just four are absent from the P8L: the Amazon Luna and Xbox cloud gaming apps, Apple Music and Amazon Music. Not only is everything else on board, but every app that should support 4K, HDR and/or Dolby Atmos does so.

In terms of core panel tech, the P8L is of course an LCD set, but it features Quantum Dot colours and a Mini LED backlight with, according to our count, 72 independent dimming zones.

The P8L also boasts one of TCL’s HVA panels, which launched last year and have quickly garnered a reputation for providing better viewing angles and less blooming than typical VA panels. TCL says that this is backed up by a ‘Bionic Lighting Algorithm’ that is designed to optimise details of light and dark scenes.

‘Transient Response’, meanwhile, is designed to reduce ghosting caused by backlight lag, and there are, as is the norm in 2026, umpteen AI picture processing features on board, though we elect to avoid these in favour of a more authentic picture that’s truer to creative intent.

It’s worth noting that the P8L’s panel features quite a reflective glossy coating that can prove a little troublesome in very brightly lit rooms. Of course, that also means it doesn’t have the raised black issue that is common with TVs with matte coatings.

For sound, TCL has teamed up with Onkyo, which has produced a 2.1-channel system comprising the aforementioned rear-mounted, 15W subwoofer, and two 10W speakers built into the TV's underside. Dolby Atmos is supported via this speaker system and the HDMI eARC port.

Picture quality

At the P8L’s level, we still see lots of TVs with no local dimming, and yet more with very poor local dimming. The TCL’s Mini LED backlight, though, is a breath of fresh air.

While blooming around bright objects on black or very dark backgrounds (studio logos at the start of movies, for example, and the spotlights during the bomb test scene of Oppenheimer) certainly isn’t non-existent, it’s subtle and diffuse enough not to distract, and while blacks certainly aren’t OLED-deep, the P8L skillfully avoids producing the flat, grey image that’s typical of similarly priced rivals.

In fact, this is a pleasantly dynamic performer that delivers punchy highlights and impressive depth for the money. It skilfully balances the requirements for sparkling stars and deep, dark space in the opening of Alien: Romulus, for example.

This knack for balance is evident in the way the P8L handles colours, too. The reds and oranges of the recovery ship’s cockpit lights are punchy and vibrant against their dim, metallic housings, but character skin tones are rendered in natural hues and shades.

This balance is achievable with very little user input required, too: the Filmmaker Mode has been really well tuned to deliver impressive cinematic authenticity without the lifelessness that can afflict this same preset on other budget-oriented TVs.

That said, if you prefer a bit more pop, the Standard preset provides a crisper, cooler, brighter picture that’s still surprisingly nicely judged – just remember to reduce the Motion Clarity setting to Low or Off if you choose this preset, as the default Medium setting over-smooths motion in that soap opera fashion we all know and loathe.

On the subject of settings to watch out for, be sure to delve into the TV’s Energy Dashboard to switch off Dynamic Brightness, as this can artificially dim the picture.

Even when uninhibited, the P8L isn’t the brightest TV. It’s bright enough to deliver the benefits of HDR, but in a very bright room, it can struggle somewhat to punch through, even in its brighter presets.

And while we’re talking flaws, while the P8L’s black levels are satisfyingly deep considering the price of the TV, there’s also a little black crush, with some fine details lost to dark shadows. Raising the Black Level setting just a touch can resurface this lost detail at the expense of some depth, but it’s tricky to find the perfect balance. We find 53 to be the sweetest spot, but it still doesn’t quite provide the perfect blend of depth and shadow detail.

These really are minor niggles considering the price of the TV and the overall picture quality it provides at that price, and that remains true when we drop from the 4K HDR movies used so far to an HD SDR stream of The Turkish Detective from BBC iPlayer, which once again demonstrates the TV’s considered approach to colours and contrast while also proving it to be capable of clean, detailed upscaling.

The P8L is a strong option for gamers, too, with those impressive specs being backed up by a punchy, responsive performance. Gamers looking for a big, budget TV to accompany their PS5 or Xbox Series X should put this TCL to the top of their lists.

Sound quality

Considering the down-firing nature of the drivers, the sound they produce is impressively well anchored to the screen, with the dialogue of The Turkish Detective appearing to come directly from the characters. And while voices aren’t projected particularly far out into the room, they’re still clear, relatively detailed and reasonably emotive by the standards of affordable TVs.

That said, there’s a bit of a lack of lower midrange that can make deeper voices sound a little more lightweight than they should.

Switch to a Dolby Atmos movie, and the P8L has a surprisingly successful stab at supplying cinematic width and height, with effects stretching reasonably far to the left and right, and even a little way above the TV. And while the lower-midrange might be a little lacking, the subwoofer provides a useful bit of upper-bass that gives the presentation some additional solidity.

Of course, while the P8L sounds pretty good for a TV in its price range and will do the job with everyday content, you really need to budget for a dedicated audio system if at all possible. One of the best budget soundbars will boost your overall movie enjoyment substantially.

Verdict

The TCL P8L is a rare find. It’s not the cheapest TV, but it punches well above its weight in terms of picture quality and specs, and it sounds good by general TV standards, too.

Those with super-bright rooms might find its unspectacular brightness and reflective coating a slight issue, but for everyone else, this is the new benchmark for large, sub-£1000 TVs.

SCORES

• Picture 5
• Sound 4
• Features 4

MORE:

Read our review of the Amazon QL65F602U

Also consider the TCL C8L

Best TVs: flagship OLEDs and budget Mini LED sets tried and tested

Yes, Amazon Prime Day (or Prime Big Deal Days) has been and gone.

But that doesn't mean the deals have ended. Some are still live, new ones have sprung out of the woodwork, and some old classics are stubbornly clinging to their lowest prices.

Now that Prime Day is over, we're firmly on the road to Black Friday and peak shopping season, so we're going to see plenty of great deals over the coming weeks.

This week, we've got a trifecta of five-star TVs, an Award-winning soundbar system back to its lowest price and long-running headphones seeing a new low now that their successor is available.

As always, these are all products our team of experts have reviewed and rated themselves. We've been giving buying advice for 50 years, and we only recommend the best.

Let's take a look:

We only tested the 48-inch LG C6 last week, but we've already spotted a tasty discount. It's a stellar set and a night-and-day upgrade over the older C5, with significantly higher peak brightness, more balanced colours and better colour volume. Use the code GDTV50 to save £50 and then claim 10 per cent cashback from LG to get this deal price – cashback deals are here.

Prime Day may have ended, but this Amazon device deal is still going strong, perhaps due to the imminent arrival of the Amazon Alexa Tablet. The Fire HD 8 64GB was already incredible value at full price, so it's an absolute steal with 48 per cent off. The 32GB model is also available for £50 at Currys if you don't mind collecting it yourself.

Our TV and AV editor has long named the Sony Bravia 8 II as the best OLED around, but it's now been pipped by the Samsung S99H. It might be the best TV we've ever tested, thanks to its dazzlingly bright highlights, awesome contrast and excellent three-dimensional depth. Use the promo code RSTV100 and then claim £150 back from Samsung to get this price – full details here.

The Hisense AX125H is an Award-winner and perhaps the biggest Dolby Atmos bargain around, offering an immersive, fun and enthralling experience for under £200. If you're short on cash, this is the system to get.

The Sony WH-CH720N is a What Hi-Fi? favourite, routinely getting a recommendation during the sales and winning one of our coveted Awards. It's now at its lowest ever price, but only in pink. Its successor, the five-star Sony WH-CH730N, is now available and features several sonic upgrades, but will set you back nearly twice as much.

The TCL C8L earned five stars from our expert TV reviewers only days ago, so a 20 per cent discount is very welcome indeed. Use the code TCL20PERCENT to nab a Mini LED TV with outstandingly bright, colourful picture quality, advanced local dimming and great gaming performance.

MORE:

Our pick of the best wireless headphones you can buy

And the best TVs for all budgets

Interested in the bigger picture? Here are the best projectors we have tested

We all love a comeback story.

Last year the TCL C8K was mildly disappointing, and instead its step-down sibling, the C7K, took most of the glory (and a What Hi-Fi? Award).

Not this year, though. With groundbreaking new Super Quantum Dot technology and a significant increase in dimming zones, its successor, the C8L, is now back in the running.

We declared as much when we awarded the TV five stars only two days ago – yet there is already a hefty discount. Just use the code TCL20PERCENT to save 20 per cent and get the C8L for £1519 at Richer Sounds.

The TCL C8L certainly looks promising on paper, with a claimed peak brightness of a huge 5000 nits, a high local dimming-zone count of 2040 and TCL’s new Super Quantum Dots. These represent a major update on traditional Quantum Dots, with claimed increases in efficiency, stability, brightness, colour range and colour accuracy.

That should establish the C8L as a cut above the LCD TV norm, but how does it actually translate to performance? Well, we found that it had a transformative effect compared with its predecessor, the C8K.

“This colour blend finesse feeds into an impressively three-dimensional look to pictures, regardless of whether you’re using the TV’s Standard or as-the-director-intended Filmmaker Mode preset, as well as an outstandingly crisp, detailed look to native 4K images where you feel like you’re appreciating the full and accurate weight of every single pixel,” our TCL C8L review reads.

“Its Mini LED plus advanced local-dimming backlight system also plays a huge part in the feeling of precision and, in the Filmmaker Mode’s case, accuracy, by being able to deliver not just extreme brightness highlights and remarkably inky black colours, but every imaginable shade in between.”

Gamers have a lot to look forward to: an input lag of just 10.1ms, 4K/144Hz support, VRR, support for refresh rates at HD resolution up to 288Hz, and ALLM switching.

The built-in Google TV also has all the key global video streaming services – including the main UK terrestrial broadcaster catch-up apps – while the TV also supports the four big four high dynamic range formats: HDR10, HLG, HDR10+ and Dolby Vision.

The Bang & Olufsen 2.1.2-channel sound system is also good by TV standards, crafting a soundstage that extends beyond the screen’s outer frame and creating an open, immersive sense of space for movies. It can, though, sometimes lose coherence and give the wrong elements too much emphasis.

Overall, the outstanding picture quality of the TCL C8L is hard to beat, especially with 20 per cent off at Richer Sounds. If you’re after a backlit TV bargain, put this on your list.

MORE:

Read our Hisense UR9 review

Also consider our Sony Bravia 7 II review

Best TVs: flagship OLEDs and budget Mini LED sets tried and tested

The phenomenal bang for your buck offered by TCL’s 2025 C7K left that year’s C8K feeling a little underwhelming in comparison. Especially as, in one or two picture areas, the C7K actually performed slightly better than its costlier sibling, too.

For the 2026 C8L, though, TCL has introduced both its groundbreaking new Super Quantum Dot technology and a significant increase in dimming zones, applied to a new-gen version of the already excellent WHVA LCD panel designs introduced last year.

Price

Given that the C8L is the most premium TCL TV you can buy without trampolining up in price to the ‘technology showcase’ X11L and RM9L models, it generally looks like good value, both in terms of how it lines up against rival premium screens and TCL’s step-down C7L.

Ironically, given that it’s the version we’re looking at here, the one exception to this is the 65-inch set. At £1899 in the UK, it costs a whopping £700 more than the 65-inch C7L at the time of writing, while the price gaps at other sizes are much smaller.

As we’ll see, the 65C8L is still good enough to just about hold its own over the 65C7L, but its unusually large price gap is still something we have to mention.

The 65C8L’s price holds up better against those of rival backlit sets. Sony’s 65-inch Bravia 9 II costs £3499, for instance, while Hisense’s 65-inch UR9 costs £1999 and Samsung’s 65-inch R95H Micro RGB TV costs £3000.

Perhaps a bigger concern is that a 65-inch LG C6 OLED can now be bought for under £2000.

In Australia, the 65-inch C8L will set you back AU$2295, while in the US, where the set is called the QM8L, heavy discounting has already taken the price down to a very appealing $1700.

Design

The C8L isn’t the most instantly glamorous premium TV around. It’s slightly chunky around the back by modern standards, and sits somehow rather heavily on its centrally attached desktop bass. The depth is excused, though, by the fact that it provides room for both a premium direct LED lighting engine and up-firing speakers built into the screen’s top edge.

The stand, meanwhile, benefits from an appealing metallic finish and a neck attachment that lets you hide cabling behind a clip-off/on cover.

The set’s rear tapers back steeply from the screen’s outer edges, too, helping to hide its depth from normal viewing angles, while the frame around the screen is both remarkably slim and features a crisp metallic finish.

All in all, once the TV is in place, its design lets you focus on the pictures it’s producing rather than the technology producing them. Which always counts as a win with us.

The C8L ships with two remote controls. Most people will settle into using the smart metallic silver one with its stripped-back button count and built-in voice mic, but the long, thin full-number button alternative is also easy on the eye and comfortable to hold if, for some reason, you prefer all those extra buttons.

Features

The 65-inch C8L has some impressive numbers to share, starting with a huge claimed peak brightness of 5000 nits, a high local dimming zone count of 2040, and support for almost 100 per cent of the AV world’s most extreme BT.2020 colour spectrum. This is enough in itself to establish the C8L as a cut above the LCD TV norm, but it’s really just the start of this TV’s initial charms.

It also uses, for instance, TCL’s new Super Quantum Dots. These represent a major update on traditional Quantum Dots, with five different layers being squeezed into their tiny form rather than the previous two. This is claimed to result in increased efficiency, stability, brightness, colour range and colour accuracy.

These new SQDs have been integrated into the second-generation version of TCL’s new WHVA LCD panel, which introduces a whole host of advantages, including more efficient and accurate Mini LED lighting for enhanced contrast and brightness, reduced blooming from the local dimming system, extra image clarity courtesy of a reduced ‘throw distance’ from the backlighting to the screen and a faster transient response from the LEDs, plus enhanced shadow-detail handling to stop dark scenes looking hollow or flat.

As the name suggests, WHVA screens are based on VA technology, which is known for giving better contrast than the rival IPS panel technology. The W bit, though, also indicates that this premium take on VA tech from TCL is designed to support wider viewing angles than VA panels customarily do.

TCL has also introduced a mild anti-reflection filter to the C8L, though we might as well say right away that this doesn’t operate on nearly the same reflection-removing level as those on the latest top-end TVs from Samsung and Sony.

The C8L’s hardware attractions are controlled by a new version of TCL’s TSR AiPQ processor specifically optimised for the new SQD WHVA panel.

Gamers, meanwhile, can look forward to input lag of just 10.1ms, 4K/144Hz support, VRR (including in the AMD FreeSync Premium Pro format), support for refresh rates at HD resolution right up to 288Hz via HDMI’s Direct Line Gate system, and ALLM switching when a game source is detected.

All four of the C8L’s HDMI ports can handle 4K/120Hz signals, while other connections comprise a single USB 3.0 port, an optical digital audio output, an Ethernet port and RF inputs for both satellite and (Freeview HD) aerial connections.

Wireless connectivity is also available, of course, in wi-fi, Bluetooth and AirPlay 2 flavours, while the TV’s use of Google TV for its smart operating system adds built-in Chromecast.

On the subject of Google TV, TCL has ensured that, as well as all the key global video streaming services the platform usually supports, the C8L’s interface also carries the key UK terrestrial broadcaster catch-up apps that Google TV doesn’t typically offer.

The C8L supports all four of the main high dynamic range formats, too: HDR10, HLG, HDR10+ and Dolby Vision. So it will play the best version available of any HDR content you feed it.

Last but not least on the C8L’s lengthy list of attractions is its audio system. Designed with Bang & Olufsen, no less, it features 2.1.2 channels, including two up-firing speakers (to aid Dolby Atmos delivery) and dedicated bass drivers. There’s no direct forward-facing ‘soundbar’ along the bottom edge as you get with TCL’s flagship X11L series, though.

Picture quality

Adding more dimming zones and, especially, Super Quantum Dots to the C8L has had a transformative effect on its picture performance compared with its 2025 predecessor.

As we did with last year’s TCL C7K and C8K series, we look at the C8L alongside its step-down sibling – but this time there is no repeat of the peculiar colour inconsistency issue with the C8K, which could sometimes cause some of its colours to actually look less vibrant and natural than those of the cheaper model. On the contrary, the C8L’s colours are even punchier in the TV’s excellent Standard preset than those of the C7L – despite the C7L itself being streets ahead of most of its similarly priced rivals in the colour department.

This doesn’t mean that the C8L’s colours look overblown or inconsistent, though. TCL has seemingly taken great care to ensure that any amplification of colours its TV is delivering in its relatively vibrant presets maintains the tonal balance and overall ‘feel’ of the source content remarkably well.

The C8L’s SQD and processing capabilities ensure, too, that colours retain full saturation even in the brightest HDR picture areas, rather than brighter colours fading away as can happen with lesser TVs. Nor do the brightest, most heavily saturated HDR colour areas become cartoonish thanks to any loss of subtle shading details.

This colour blend finesse feeds into an impressively three-dimensional look to pictures, regardless of whether you’re using the TV’s Standard or as-the-director-intended Filmmaker Mode preset, as well as an outstandingly crisp, detailed look to native 4K images where you feel like you’re appreciating the full and accurate weight of every single pixel.

This sense of depth and detail isn’t just down to the C8L’s new colour engine, though. Its Mini LED plus advanced local dimming backlight system also plays a huge part in the feeling of precision and, in the Filmmaker Mode’s case, accuracy, by being able to deliver not just extreme brightness highlights and remarkably inky black colours, but every imaginable shade in between. That includes the faintest dark colour and grey details; nothing gets lost in the darkness here.

Subtle shadow details are delivered without looking noisy or exaggerated, too, revealing a level of local light control and backlight intelligence that’s still very rare in the LCD TV world.

Given how well the C8L handles the subtlest of dark scene details, it comes as little surprise to find that it also exhibits scarcely any backlight blooming at all around even the most starkly stand-out bright highlights. That’s despite those bright highlights not obviously being dimmed down when they appear against even black backdrops, and the screen’s general brightness being consistently spectacular for a fairly mainstream TV.

The C8L’s intense brightness can be felt in highlights of both Standard and Filmmaker Mode images, and it makes all bright or mid-bright scenes look breathtakingly intense and vivid in Standard mode without the results looking forced.

That isn’t to imply, though, that the Filmmaker Mode looks in any way drab. It is, of course, less bright than the Standard preset, especially with SDR content, in keeping with the relatively dim brightness values used by most of today’s content mastering studios. But Filmmaker Mode actually looks more dynamic with both SDR and HDR than such modes usually do, purely as a result of the screen’s hardware strengths and software support helping to deliver the picture attributes Filmmaker Modes demand.

With motion processing set to Low, the C8L delivers 24fps content with good sharpness, while keeping it free of excessive hardware judder, soap opera effect or general unwanted processing side effects, and the WHVA panel definitely helps the screen retain richer colours and better contrast from wide viewing angles than your average LCD TV.

The C8L’s picture heroics aren’t limited to video playback, either. It’s also an excitingly crisp, bold and responsive gaming display that you can’t help but become immersed in. Even if you’re playing the scary Silent Hill: Townfall and might want to be a bit less immersed…

The C8L’s pictures in both its Standard and Filmmaker Modes combine punchiness with naturalism, consistency and nuance so well that it’s hard to find anything serious to complain about.

However, while viewing angles are good in most ways, blooming becomes much more obvious from angles of around 30 degrees and more. The screen is also quite reflective of bright light sources in your room, even if it suppresses more general ambient light quite well.

The noise reduction features are all a bit over-aggressive and basically unnecessary (so turn them off), and the Natural Cinema motion processing mode that sounds like it should be the best option for film fans… isn’t.

Finally, we can’t help but think that the rather complicated way TCL has integrated its new ‘Eco’ power-saving features into the TV’s menus in its out-of-the-box mode might result in more than a few C8L buyers leaving their new television hobbled with greatly reduced brightness and colour. Hopefully anyone who’s read this review, at least, will take the necessary steps to make sure this unfortunate situation doesn’t happen to them.

Sound quality

The C8L continues to benefit (mostly) from TCL’s working relationship with Bang & Olufsen when it comes to its premium TVs’ sound systems.

The 2.1.2-channel sound system does a particularly good job of crafting a soundstage that extends further beyond the screen’s outer frame than most TVs manage, creating an open, immersive sense of space for movies into which the TV then places specific effects with good positional accuracy.

These effects are very clean and crisp, too, even at loud volumes, which gives the overall tone of the sound an almost hi-fi quality. That’s testament, no doubt, to the physical quality of the B&O speaker design.

There’s plenty of clean and expansive power to go with the detail and large soundstage, too, and bass is handled tastefully, for want of a better word, staying clean, even when Hollywood really hammers the low-frequency knob.

As with last year’s C8K, though, the soundstage presentation can sometimes lose a little coherency as the wrong elements in a mix get too much emphasis, and the sound generally feels like it’s happening more behind the screen than in the room with you, costing it some immediacy and directness.

Dense soundtrack moments ebb in and out at times too, and, finally, while bass is clean, it doesn’t hit quite the sort of depth we feel that it perhaps should be able to with such large low-frequency drivers available to it.

Overall, the C8L’s sound is good by prevailing TV standards, and improves on its predecessor, but it somehow still doesn’t feel like it’s getting the optimal impact from all of its undoubtedly premium audio parts.

Verdict

While the 65-inch model doesn’t represent quite such excellent value as other screen sizes in the C8L range, the addition of Super Quantum Dots and a clearly much improved backlight system still delivers a hard-to-resist upgrade from last year’s mildly disappointing C8K.

SCORES

• Picture 5
• Sound 4
• Features 4

MORE:

Read our review of the Hisense UR9

Also consider the Samsung R95H

Read our Sony Bravia 7 II review

Best TVs: flagship OLEDs and budget Mini LED sets tried and tested

Home appliance brand Haier is known for its glossy fridge-freezers, washing machines, and dishwashers, and more widely for producing medical equipment, gaming peripherals, and industrial robotics; but now it’s entering one of the trickiest markets of all.

That’s right, after years of testing the waters elsewhere, Haier is hoping to break into the TV market in the UK and Europe. It may be the newest player in a crowded and competitive market, but the brand has both huge aspirations and a plan to carve out an identity among its fellow super successful Chinese technology giants.

I sat down with Haier’s TV Business Director, Steve Macdonald, at IFA 2026 in Berlin to discuss where the brand wants to go next after launching its first QLED TV range in the UK earlier this year.

Competing with TCL and Hisense, or aiming higher?

The biggest takeaway from our conversation is that Haier knows it needs something special to differentiate itself from TCL and Hisense, which are currently dominating the market.

Haier is also well aware it is launching into a tough market, which is why it’s setting its sights on the premium segment. It is testing the waters with a fairly affordable QLED range at the moment, but I was reliably informed that this is just the first step for the brand.

Macdonald confirmed that Haier is open to adopting more advanced panel technology. Mini LED TVs are apparently already in the works, and I spotted an RGB Mini LED model on the show floor at Haier’s humongous stand at the Berlin Messe.

OLED is also on the table according to Macdonald. And that’s an interesting distinction, considering TCL and Hisense are both almost completely OLED-avoidant.

In fact, Macdonald says that Haier isn’t looking to tussle with the kings of budget TVs. Instead, it is looking to build a more premium reputation akin to those of Samsung and LG.

“I think the mindset we have is that what we would like to be is a more premium brand – and that will take time – but more akin to what the Korean brands are doing than some of the other brands,” says Macdonald.

He then clarifies that Haier isn’t looking to “become the new TCL or Hisense” when pressed on the matter.

Macdonald follows this by conceding this is a big aspiration and that the brand needs to have “an edge, otherwise we’re not going to survive in that area”.

Premium panels, KEF sound systems and accessibility upgrades…

To sharpen that edge, Haier is working hard to establish its own premium features, including a more powerful chipset to appeal to gamers, adding more potent accessibility features through its partnership with Amazon’s Fire TV platform (including visual and audio enhancement modes and easier navigation settings), and enhancing its anti-glare display coating.

Haier also wants to win over the hearts of serious AV fans (such as ourselves). And what better way to do that than to partner with one of the biggest names in audio?

For Haier’s latest TV range sports speakers tuned by legendary British hi-fi manufacturer KEF, a fact that inevitably piqued our interest almost immediately.

There was a pretty big emphasis on this partnership at IFA, with Haier hosting a dedicated sound-room experience with a KEF-branded TV and soundbar system, but Haier isn’t the first brand to get a big name in hi-fi on board for its TV sound systems.

Hisense has recently partnered with Devialet, TCL TVs sport Bang & Olufsen sound systems, Philips has a Bowers & Wilkins-equipped TV in its lineup, and Panasonic continues to leverage its Technics division for premium sound systems. So Haier can’t rely on this partnership alone to make its TVs appeal to home cinema enthusiasts.

But, unlike Hisense and TCL, Haier is open to exploring OLED panel technologies. Given What Hi-Fi?’s experience with even the most premium of backlit TVs, including the new RGB Mini LED variants, this could be a unique selling point for the brand.

An OLED TV with a KEF sound system sounds pretty good, after all. Especially if it has a similar sonic character to the five-star KEF XIO.

Making big strides, but also taking things one step at a time…

Haier’s wider strategy to gain some ground in the UK also involves a huge sports partnership with the Champions League and appealing to UK retailers by taking a specialised approach.

Macdonald notes that the KEF partnership will be a vital tool in appealing to home cinema retailers such as Richer Sounds, whereas Haier will take a different approach to its broader retail partners.

Most importantly, Macdonald confirms that Haier is constantly re-evaluating its position and direction, and it won’t be going all guns blazing quite yet. He says that “every couple of months, we have to reset what we’re doing and understand, and it’s not going to be an easy journey.”

Haier is unquestionably launching into the UK TV market at a turbulent time. But with its sights set high and a major audio partnership already in place, it could be the next brand to challenge the likes of Samsung, LG and TCL.

MORE:

Check out our picks for the best Mini LED TVs

As well as our TCL C7L hands on review

And our picks for the best OLED TVs

There are plenty of reasons you might want to connect your phone to your TV.

Perhaps you’re watching something on your handset and want to transfer it to the bigger screen in your living room; maybe you want a big display to show off the snaps from your latest holiday; or you might want to play some music via your TV.

Whatever you’re trying to achieve, there’s generally a way to do it. Allow us to show you how.

Cast video from your phone

If you want to watch a video from your phone on the big screen, casting is usually the easiest and best way to do it.

Rather than sending everything on your phone's screen to the TV, casting tells the TV to play the content itself, with your phone essentially acting like a remote control. That means you can usually carry on using your phone without interrupting playback, and in many cases you can even turn its screen off while the video continues playing.

Google's technology is now called Google Cast, although you might still see it referred to as Chromecast.

Google Cast is built into Chromecast devices, the Google TV Streamer and TVs running Google TV or Android TV. In the UK, that includes compatible TVs from brands such as Sony, Philips and TCL.

Other manufacturers have also added Google Cast to some models: newer LG TVs support it, for example, while compatible Panasonic Android TVs do, too.

But don't assume that every TV from a particular brand supports Google Cast: Samsung’s Tizen TVs, Hisense's VIDAA TVs and Panasonic's Fire TV models, for example, use different systems.

If your TV doesn't support Google Cast, don't worry: you may still be able to send content to it using AirPlay or the manufacturer's own casting/mirroring system.

How to cast a video

First, make sure your phone and TV are connected to the same wi-fi network. Then open the app containing the video you want to watch and look for the Cast icon – it's a little rectangle with three curved lines in the corner.

Tap it, select your TV from the list of available devices, and the video should start playing on the TV.

Once you're connected, your phone becomes a convenient remote control: you can pause, skip and adjust playback from the app, while the TV does the actual streaming.

The catch is that the app needs to support casting. Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, Disney Plus, YouTube, BBC iPlayer and many other popular streaming services do, but you won't necessarily find a Cast button in every app.

If there isn't one, you might be able to use screen mirroring instead, but some apps restrict this, too. Sky Go, for example, doesn't support casting of any kind, so you can't simply send its live football or other content from your phone to a Cast-equipped TV.

What about iPhone?

iPhone users can also use Google Cast with compatible apps and TVs, but Apple's own AirPlay system is also an option if you have an AirPlay-compatible TV or an Apple TV 4K streamer.

The principle is much the same: start playing a video, tap the AirPlay button (a rectangle with a triangle pointing into it) and select your TV. Your iPhone and TV generally need to be on the same wi-fi network.

So, as a rule of thumb: if the app has a Cast or AirPlay button, use it. It's generally a better option for watching video on your TV than mirroring your entire phone screen.

Mirror your phone screen

If the app you want to use doesn't support casting, or you simply want to show something that's on your phone rather than stream a particular video, screen mirroring is the next option.

As the name suggests, mirroring shows what's happening on your phone's screen on your TV. Open a website, look through your photos or start an app on your phone, and you'll see the same thing on the big screen. It's particularly useful for things that don't have a dedicated TV app or don't offer a Cast button.

The exact method depends on your phone and TV. iPhone uses Apple's AirPlay system, while Android phones can use different systems depending on the manufacturer. Samsung calls its version Smart View, for example, while LG uses Screen Share on compatible models.

How to mirror your phone

On an iPhone, make sure your phone and TV are connected to the same wi-fi network, then open Control Centre, tap Screen Mirroring (the icon with two rectangles, one in front of the other) and select your AirPlay-compatible TV or Apple TV 4K. If a passcode appears on the TV, enter it on your phone.

On Android, look for a screen-mirroring option in your phone's quick settings. The name varies: Samsung phones use Smart View, while other manufacturers may call it Screen Share, Cast, Wireless Display or something similar. Select your TV from the list of available devices and accept the connection on the TV if prompted.

You'll generally need the phone and TV to be connected to the same wi-fi network, although the exact requirements vary between devices.

Mirroring generally isn't the best option for video

There's a reason we recommend casting where possible. With mirroring, everything on your phone is replicated on the TV, so a notification, incoming call or change of app can appear on the big screen.

And some streaming services restrict mirroring of protected video content, so don't assume that an app without a Cast button will necessarily work when mirrored.

For watching Netflix, YouTube, iPlayer and other supported services, casting or using the app directly on your TV is generally the better solution. Use mirroring when you want to show something that's actually on your phone, such as your photos or a presentation.

Play music through your TV

If you're listening to music, you're generally better off sending it directly to a wireless speaker, soundbar or AV system than using your TV. But there can be good reasons to put your music on the big screen, particularly when you're listening with other people.

The simplest option is to use your music service's TV app, if it has one.

Spotify, for example, has apps for many smart TVs, and you can use Spotify Connect on your phone to control what's playing. The TV can then display album artwork, track information and the playback queue, while everyone can see what's playing and take part in choosing the music.

But you don't necessarily need a TV app. Services including Spotify, Tidal and Qobuz can send music from their phone apps to compatible TVs using Google Cast, while AirPlay provides a similar option for iPhone users with a compatible TV.

So if your TV doesn't have a native app for the music service you use, check whether its phone app supports Google Cast or AirPlay before assuming you're out of luck. You may still be able to get your music onto the big screen.

Connect your phone with a cable

If a wireless connection isn’t an option, you can always connect your phone to your TV with a cable.

It's not as convenient as casting or mirroring, but a wired connection can be useful if you want a direct connection between your phone and TV, particularly if low latency is important – for example, when playing games.

Most modern phones use USB-C, so you'll generally need a USB-C-to-HDMI adaptor or cable, with the HDMI end connected to an HDMI input on your TV. Older iPhones with a Lightning connector require a suitable Lightning-to-HDMI adaptor instead.

Just bear in mind that not every USB-C phone supports video output, so check your phone's specifications before buying an adaptor.

Once connected, your phone will usually mirror its display on the TV, although the exact behaviour depends on the phone and adaptor.

And while a cable removes some of the potential complications of a wireless connection, it doesn't necessarily get around content restrictions: some streaming services can still block video output, or require the adaptor and TV to support the appropriate copy-protection standards (which they often don’t).

MORE:

Here are the best TVs you can buy right now

How far away should you sit from your TV?

Ah, university. A transformative period of living on your own for the first time, studying your passion and maybe the odd bit of partying.

But given the realities of a student budget, which we're sure you'll want to save for drinks books, that leaves precious little to dedicate to your TV and audio setup.

Luckily, we've compiled a list of some of our favourite tech products on the more affordable – and portable – end of the scale. This includes noise-cancelling headphones for studying, Bluetooth speakers for partying and brilliant budget TVs and projectors for flat movie nights.

These are all devices we've tested ourselves, and all come highly recommended by our expert review team. Products must earn at least four stars in our rigorous testing process to get the What Hi-Fi? seal of approval, so you can be sure that even if they're cheap, they offer an impressive performance for the price.

So take a look at the tech below – and you'll soon be the envy of your dorm...

We're sure you don't need an introduction to Apple AirPods. If your budget can't stretch to the AirPods Pro 3, then the AirPods 4 with ANC are more than up for the task as an alternative – they're effective sound blockers for studying, but also offer a detailed, neutral and agile sound, flagship features and seamless iOS integration.

The best budget on-ear wireless headphones on the market, the Sony WH-CH520 have a robust, comfortable build, 50 hours of battery life and balanced, engaging sound. If you can stretch to an extra £40, then the Sony WH-CH720N add ANC and a few extra features, but the CH520 are easy to recommend at the bargain £25 price.

Want to join the wired headphones trend? It's not the Apple EarPods all the celebrities have been spotted with, but the SoundMagic E11C offer far better sound as well as a comfortable fit.

If you prefer your wired headphones in an over-ear form factor, then the Austrian Audio Hi-X25BT are one of our top budget picks. The feature set may be light, but the real draw here is the awesome detail retrieval, clarity and sonic nuance.

Any university flat needs a good Bluetooth speaker for pre-drinks, BBQs or just everyday use. If you want to go super cheap – or want a speaker that's super portable – then the JBL Go 5 offers an engaging, surprisingly musical sound and a great feature set for under £40.

If you want a step up in sound quality, then the JBL Flip 7 is tough to beat at the price. It's also packed with features, from 14 hours of battery life to a mighty IP68 water and dustproof rating.

The TCL C6KS is currently our top choice of the best cheap TVs. Despite being considered budget-friendly, this TCL TV boasts excellent brightness and contrast, comprehensive HDR support, and plenty of features. If your student house needs a TV, this would be our recommendation.

If you'd rather a projector, the Xgimi Vibe One is a fair bit cheaper and much more portable. Despite being the cheapest projector we've reviewed, the Vibe One delivers a detailed, natural-looking picture that goes reasonably dark and is highly compact.

The Denon D-M41DAB is a convenient and affordable way to get into the world of hi-fi. DAB, CD playback, Bluetooth streaming, and a remote control are all included and sound quality remains superb for the money. This deal is for the unit only, so you'll need to add speakers separately.

If you're new to vinyl or just looking for an affordable turntable, then the Sony PS-LX3BT is an excellent starting point. It’s ridiculously easy to use, produces an accomplished and enjoyable sound, and has built-in Bluetooth functionality.

If your student accommodation has an old TV with no smart features, then an Amazon Fire TV Stick should be your first port of call. The Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K Max is a powerful plug-and-play streamer that adds Amazon’s feature-rich Fire OS to your TV, and we gave it a What Hi-Fi? Award because we liked it so much.

A multi-Award-winning pair of in-ears, the Sony WF-C510 delivers where it counts: sound quality. They serve up a rich, full-bodied sound, packed with detail and clarity, but also pack in 22 hours of battery life, IPX4 splash resistance, Bluetooth 5.3 and an Ambient Aware mode. The best budget wireless earbuds out there at this price.

MORE:

Looking for a bargain? Here are the best budget soundbars

Our pick of the best wireless headphones you can buy

And the best TVs for all budgets

Big displays have been the focal point of the AV world this decade, and if you’re looking at super-sizing your screen, chances are you’re choosing between either a projector or a 100-inch (or bigger) TV.

The question is this: which one is actually better?

You might be surprised how often the debate as to which of these options is better comes up here at What Hi-Fi?, but this time we decided to take the discussion to YouTube. Our latest video weighs up the pros and cons of each, as I take on Team Projector, while our TV and AV editor, Tom Parsons, is heading up Team TV.

Your first option is going down the traditional route: a projector. These have been the trusty go-to option for home-cinema purists for a long time, offering screen sizes well north of 100 inches and delivering the “movie magic” we associate with visiting the cinema.

That beam of light hitting your projector screen, with sound coming from a dedicated surround sound package, is almost impossible to beat, but it comes with some impracticalities and, as you can expect, large price tags.

Which is why we are seeing more projectors launch with smaller footprints and bigger feature sets, all at lower prices. They’re not perfect, as it’s usually picture quality that takes a hit to cram in these features, but they are certainly making projectors more approachable.

That said, what if you just don’t want to deal with any of the hassle that comes with a projector?

That’s where the recent phenomenon of XXL TVs comes into play. Popularised by Hisense and TCL, 100-inch TVs are starting to become more common, while the likes of Sony, Samsung and LG have jumped on the bandwagon to deliver TVs reaching 115- and 130-inches.

The benefit here is that everything is built in, including picture, sound and streaming; and prices are dropping surprisingly low. They do take up quite a lot of space, of course, and, as mentioned in our discussion, you won’t find our favourite panel technology at this size.

Ultimately, it’s worth noting that there isn’t a “one size fits all” answer to this debate, and personal preference will play a substantial role in your decision; but whichever one you pick, be sure to consult our best projectors and best TVs lists to choose the right models.

MORE:

Read our full Sony VPL-XW5000ES review

As well as our TCL C7K 98-inch review

And check out our list of the best Mini LED TVs

TCL's latest flagship soundbar has two major selling points: 360-degree spatial sound and tuning in collaboration with longstanding hi-fi brand Bang & Olufsen (via John Archer on X).

Launched in China at the does-what-it-says-on-the-tin TCL Flagship New Product Launch conference, the Q95K has 11.1.4 channels of sound, with 1420W of peak power across 22 speaker units, and includes a wireless subwoofer and two wireless surround speakers.

The 'bar itself has seven horizontal channels, two overheads and a subwoofer, while the wireless surround speakers have rear surround, rear side surround and rear overhead channels to complete the spatial audio experience.

The three-way physical acoustic unit and independent sound chamber design help the Q95K cover a frequency range of 30Hz to 20kHz, with overall distortion kept under 1 per cent. Neodymium iron boron magnets paired with aluminium diaphragms help maintain detail and vocal clarity.

TCL says that the subwoofer's bass should remain stable even at higher volumes thanks to the dual 7-inch opposed units with a long-stroke damping design. The opposed movement aims to minimise cabinet resonances that can affect the bass.

Audio crosstalk is also reduced with 12 independent power amplifier chips driving the different speaker units separately.

B&O has helped create the audio profile, collaborating in terms of both hardware and the algorithm. Sound can be adjusted using the built-in Beosonic Mood Mixer. The algorithm can also be optimised to reduce the soundbar's reliance on room acoustics or wall reflections to deliver 360-degree spatial sound.

Using the TCL app, you can activate adaptive sound calibration to personalise the audio to your room. 4K HDR video passthrough is supported, as are wi-fi and AirPlay 2 wireless technologies.

It also has a floating base to reduce desktop resonances and a grille to keep dust out. It can be placed on a cabinet or wall-mounted, and will adjust its audio accordingly.

It's not the only new soundbar TCL announced. It also unveiled the Q85K, with 7.1.2 channels and 1180W of peak power, and the Q75K with 7.1.2 channels and 580W.

They are all available in China, with the Q95K costing 7999 yuan (around £889 / $1200 / AU$1700), the Q85K 5999 yuan (around £666 / $886 / AU$1300) and the Q75K 4699 yuan (around £520 / $700 / AU$1000).

We've contacted TCL regarding wider availability and will update this if we hear back.

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The best soundbars money can buy

Adventures in AV: 2026 is the year of weird and wacky soundbar systems

Does your soundbar really need a subwoofer? Find out here

There hasn't been a buzzword like Dolby Atmos in home cinema audio for some time.

We're happy to report, though, that Dolby Atmos is not just a buzzword, but one of the biggest home cinema developments of the last decade and an immersive experience that will surround you in a bubble of sound.

It's important, therefore, that you get a good Dolby Atmos system that can showcase the technology properly.

So we've rounded up some of the very best Dolby Atmos soundbars we've tested and currently recommend. There's a mix of everything here, from budget to premium, solo soundbars and multi-speaker systems.

And the best news? Many of them are still at their Prime Day sale prices.

These are all soundbars that we've reviewed and rated ourselves, so we can attest to their Atmos abilities. Every product below has earned at least four stars from our expert review team, with a smattering also winning a prestigious What Hi-Fi? Award.

Take a look at the Atmos offerings below – we'll go into detail about why we like them so much underneath.

We declared the Hisense AX5125H to be the Dolby Atmos bargain of the year in our review – and that bargain got even better with healthy price drops over Black Friday and Prime Day. The AX5125H offers amazing weight, scale and spaciousness for the money, and can still be picked up at its Prime Day price.

The Sonos Arc Ultra is our overall pick of the best soundbars, with terrific detail for a soundbar and a clean, precise, spacious and three-dimensional sound. If your budget stretches this far, it's our performance-per-pound soundbar choice.

The JBL Bar 1000MK2 is a Dolby Atmos soundbar with a difference – the surround speakers can magnetically attach to the main soundbar, be used as rear surrounds or taken into another room to be used as a wireless speaker. It sounds pretty good too, with a bold, bassy performance.

If your space and budget are limited, then the Sonos Beam (Gen 2) might be your soundbar of choice. It boasts impressively spacious movie sound that works just as well with music, and is the Dolby Atmos soundbar we recommend at this price point.

Yes, it has a premium price tag, but the KEF XIO has the premium performance to match. For the serious cinephiles out there who want the very best in sound, the KEF XIO is now available with a rare £200 cashback offer. Full details here.

For bassy bombast and room-filling sound, look no further than the Sony Bravia Theatre Bar 6. With a wireless subwoofer included, this mid-range package isn't exactly subtle but comes with a weighty sound and a lot of kit for the money.

Our current soundbar Product of the Year, the Samsung HW-Q990F is our go-to recommendation for a package if your budget stretches this far. It's seen some steep drops since its £1699 test price, so is quite the bargain at well under £800.

For a cheap solo soundbar with Dolby Atmos, we'd recommend the Sony HT-S2000. This five-star soundbar is exceptional value for the money, offering a clear upgrade from your TV speakers and a simple plug-and-play functionality.

If you're a gamer with multiple consoles, then the Sony Bravia Theatre Bar 9 might be for you. The dedicated HDMI 2.1 input supports 4K/120Hz signals, VRR and ALLM, while the sound is up there with the Sonos Arc Ultra, with superb clarity, detail and punch on offer.

MORE:

Looking for a bargain? Here are the best budget soundbars

Check out the latest and cheapest Sonos deals available now

And the best TVs for all budgets

Here at What Hi-Fi?, we are often sharing our opinions to make sure you buy the best hi-fi and home cinema equipment for your needs.

But we’re always interested in what you, the readers, are choosing to give precious space to on the shelves and stands of your beloved homes.

• View all the Prime Day deals on Amazon

So it has been gratifying to see one of our recent recommendations climbing the charts of Amazon’s best-selling TVs – namely the TCL Q6C, now discounted to £529 at Amazon as one of the many Prime Day deals.

And while I am pleased, I’m definitely not surprised. The UK public clearly knows a good deal when they see one – not only is this a new lowest price on an already great value TV, but it’s also one of, if not the, top budget choice for playing a little game called GTA 6.

So what makes the TCL Q6C such great value? The headline is that you get a 65-inch TV with Quantum Dot colours and a sophisticated Mini-LED backlight system with local dimming for only £529.

This is technology we usually see in TVs that cost far more than this, resulting in a picture far more sophisticated than you might expect at the price.

We were particularly impressed by the TV’s contrast and black-level performance. Dark scenes look surprisingly deep and convincing – more so than some far more expensive TVs – while bright HDR highlights have real punch.

“Colours impress, too,” our TCL Q6C review reads. “There’s more vibrancy and lustre on tap than we usually see with such affordable TVs, yet at the same time, in most presets, the impressive vibrancy doesn’t look forced or unnatural.

“Skin tones look believable, there’s practically zero HDR colour striping, and subtle shading differences are rendered with enough finesse to ensure that even the most colourful images feel three-dimensional and realistic.”

Gamers are exceptionally well catered for when GTA 6 arrives this November. We still await the specification for Rockstar’s long-awaited game, but the Q6C supports 4K/144Hz (including the current console cap of 4K/120Hz) gaming on its two HDMI 2.1 sockets, as well as VRR and low input lag.

There are plenty of extra features to enhance your trip to Leonida, with a gaming menu that can add a superimposed crosshair, magnify the minimap or enhance shadow details to make enemies easier to see. The Q6C also comes with support for Superwide aspect ratios, should GTA 6 support them once it finally comes to PC.

The Q6C’s sound is also better than that of most, if not all, other TVs in its price class – but it would still be improved vastly by a soundbar. Our best budget soundbars guide can help there.

Our TV & AV editor has declared the TCL Q6C to be the best cheap 65-inch TV deal in the Prime Day sales, and the public seems to agree, going by Amazon’s sales charts. See what all the hype is about with the TCL Q6C for £529 at Amazon.

Or if your budget stretches a little further, consider these alternatives:

MORE:

Find the best Amazon Prime Day home cinema deals here

Check out our picks for the best gaming TVs

As well as the best Dolby Atmos soundbars

If you want a satisfyingly cinematic or sporting experience at home, there really is no substitute for screen size.

The good news is that a big TV needn't cost big money. These days, 65-inch TVs go for much less money than you might imagine, and if you wait for a big sales event, your cash can go even further.

And it just so happens that we're right in the middle of a big sales event – Amazon Prime Day – and I've sifted through all of the deals to find three super-cheap 65-inch TVs that I can recommend as great buys.

• View all the Prime Day deals on Amazon

What do I know about it? I'm so glad you asked!

I've been testing TVs for almost 20 years now, so I know the good from the bad (and the ugly, for that matter). I've also been personally involved in every What Hi-Fi? TV review in probably the last 10 years – and that includes the reviews of the three models I'm recommending here.

Happy with those credentials? Excellent! Here are my three picks, ranked in order of quality.

1. TCL Q6C

Deal price UK: £529 at Amazon
Deal price US: n/a

If you're looking for the best-value 65-inch TV in the Prime Day sales, this is the one I'd buy.

The TCL Q6C impressed us so much in testing that we awarded it five stars and described it as "an absolute steal". That's high praise for any TV, but it's especially impressive when you're talking about a 65-inch set that's currently selling for well under £600.

What makes the Q6C stand out is that it brings technologies normally associated with much more expensive TVs down into the budget category. It uses a Mini LED backlight with local dimming, alongside Quantum Dot colour technology, and the result is a picture that's far more sophisticated than the price suggests.

In our review, we were particularly impressed by the TV's contrast and black-level performance. Dark scenes look surprisingly deep and convincing, while bright HDR highlights have real punch.

Colours are another strong point, delivering plenty of vibrancy and richness without tipping into the sort of exaggerated look that often plagues cheaper TVs.

It's also an excellent option for sport and gaming. Motion is handled confidently, helping fast-moving action stay clear and composed, while gamers get features such as 4K/144Hz support, VRR and low input lag.

No TV at this price is perfect, of course. The sound is merely decent rather than exceptional (something that can be rectified with one of the best budget soundbars), and you'll get the best results by spending a little time tweaking the picture settings. But those are minor caveats when the overall performance is this strong.

Simply put, if your budget stretches to the TCL Q6C, it's the best cheap 65-inch TV I've seen in the Prime Day sales.

2. Amazon Ember QLED

Deal price UK: £600 at Amazon
Deal price US: $710 at Amazon

The TCL Q6C is my top pick, but the Amazon Ember QLED isn't far behind, given its current Prime Day price.

In fact, one of my colleagues recently described the deal on this TV as "impossible to ignore", and it's easy to see why. Amazon has cut the price dramatically, turning what was already a solid mid-range TV into one of the most tempting bargains in the sales.

The Ember QLED is a significant step forward from Amazon's previous QLED efforts. It features a full-array backlight with 160 dimming zones and a panel that's considerably brighter than its predecessor, resulting in a picture that's sharper, punchier and more three-dimensional than you might expect at this sort of money.

During testing, we were particularly impressed by its detail levels and colour performance. Images look crisp and vibrant, while upscaling of lower-quality content is handled well enough that everyday broadcast TV remains enjoyable.

The TV also supports every major HDR format, including Dolby Vision IQ and HDR10+ Adaptive, so you're covered regardless of which streaming service you use.

Another advantage over many budget rivals is the sound. Built-in TV audio is rarely worth talking about, but the Ember QLED produces a fuller, clearer and more spacious presentation than most affordable sets manage.

Why isn't it above the TCL? Primarily because the Q6C's Mini LED backlight delivers superior black levels, contrast and gaming performance. The Amazon also tops out at 60Hz, making it less appealing to serious gamers.

Still, if you're heavily invested in the Amazon ecosystem or simply want a big, capable and easy-to-use 65-inch TV for as little money as possible, the Ember QLED is an excellent Prime Day buy.

3. Samsung U8000F

Deal price UK: £367 at Amazon
Deal price US: $400 at Samsung

The Samsung U8000F is the TV I recommend if your budget is as tight as possible.

At £367/$400 during Prime Day, it's substantially cheaper than both the TCL Q6C and Amazon Ember QLED, and that price difference is impossible to ignore. In fact, it's one of the least expensive big-brand 65-inch models you can buy.

Of course, some compromises are inevitable at this sort of money. Unlike the TCL and Amazon models above, the U8000F doesn't have a Mini LED or full-array backlight, and its picture isn't as bright or as impactful when displaying HDR content. Black levels are also less convincing, meaning movie nights won't have quite the same cinematic punch.

That said, Samsung has done a commendable job with the fundamentals. In our testing, we found the U8000F delivered a balanced, natural picture that avoids many of the exaggerated traits often seen on budget TVs. Colours are pleasingly authentic, detail levels are respectable, and standard-definition and HD content are handled particularly well.

Samsung's excellent Tizen smart platform is another big plus. It's packed with streaming apps, easy to navigate and generally feels more polished than many rival smart TV systems.

The biggest reason to choose the U8000F over the TVs above is simple: value. While the TCL Q6C is undoubtedly the better performer and the Ember QLED offers a more advanced specification, both cost considerably more. If spending £500-£600 on a TV still feels like a stretch, the Samsung gives you a huge screen from a trusted brand for comfortably under £400.

No, it's not the best TV in this list. But when price becomes the priority, the U8000F makes a very strong case for itself.

MORE:

Here are all of the best TVs and the best TV deals you can get right now

Don't forget the sound: here are the best budget soundbars

Looking for a big new TV for Amazon Prime Day? Then I've got you covered.

65 inches is rapidly becoming the new standard TV size, offering a cinematic size without overwhelming your living room (or your eyeballs).

A 65-inch size has also become much more affordable over the years – now more than ever, with Prime Day in full swing.

• Shop the whole Amazon Prime Day sale

I've handpicked the highlights from the summer sales event, including several What Hi-Fi? favourites and even an Award winner or two. There's a bit of everything here, from great-value Mini LEDs to flagship OLEDs, but all are excellent TVs sure to enhance your living room.

These are all TVs that have been tried and tested here at What Hi-Fi?, and every set below has been awarded the full five stars. I'll go into more detail about why we like them so much below, with links to our in-depth reviews.

For now, though, let's get to the deals:

The TCL QM7K won a What Hi-Fi? Award at our most recent ceremony, partially for offering far more than it had any right to for the price. A Mini LED screen with 1008 dimming zones, Quantum Dot colour and a claimed 2600 nits of brightness are just some of the features you'll enjoy, now with $750 off.

The LG C5 is another What Hi-Fi? Award winner, taking home not one, not two, but three gongs – including best gaming TV, so it's an ideal choice for GTA 6. Whatever you use the C5 for, it will deliver a superbly detailed, contrast-rich picture, and it is the best value OLED in the Prime Day sales right now.

The TCL QM8K is a step-up model from its QM7K sibling, offering more dimming zones for better contrast control and a higher claimed brightness of 4500 nits. Combining brightness and punch with refinement and naturalism, it's a stunning TV that's even better value now that it's under $1,000.

We were recently bowled over by the new Samsung S99H, but last year's Samsung S95F is now available at an excellent discount. The five-star stunner boasts a stunningly bright, vibrant and sharp picture, four HDMI 2.1 sockets for gaming and one of the best-looking designs on the market.

The Sony Bravia 8 II is our reigning TV Product of the Year, and with good reason. Cinephiles in particular will love the stunning, authentic picture quality, but it's also one of the best-sounding OLEDs available and our go-to benchmark for testing TVs.

The Sony Bravia 8 is a tad older than the other TVs on this list, but still an excellent buy and now with a whopping 43% discount. Our 2024 TV Product of the Year, the Bravia 8 offers a balanced, immersive picture, good audio by TV standards and Sony's typically great motion handling.

MORE:

These are the best projectors out there

Check out the best TVs we have reviewed

And here are the five best OLED TVs

If you have been looking for a way to bring the big-screen experience to your home, countless projectors and large TVs claim to deliver just that. And, with Amazon Prime Day now in full swing, plenty of different brands are offering tempting discounts across a range of products.

But which models will get you the best large screen, all while saving you some of your hard-earned cash? We have found two products to fit that particular bill – that will deliver an immersive screen size and have similar price tags. Each offers something different, but both can bring the big-screen experience to your home.

A super-sized TCL TV

First up, the gigantic 98-inch TCL C7K is a king-sized 4K TV at a jaw-droppingly low price. The five-star set would usually cost a respectable £2399, but Prime Day has seen this crash to a remarkable £1999 at Currys. Don’t get us wrong, that is still a lot of money. But for the sheer size and quality of the TV, this is a bargain price.

You get 3000 nits of brightness controlled with 2000 dimming zones, plus TCL’s Halo Control features, which aim to reduce the effect of backlight blooming. This is aided by an anti-glare film that reduces reflections.

It received a What Hi-Fi? Award last year, thanks to its spectacular brightness and colour, as well as its excellent gaming specifications. The dimensions of the TV alone are enough to blow your socks off, as we say in our review: “We’ve seen a few 98-100-inch TVs now, but the raw cinematic impact of seeing our favourite test movies and TV shows writ so large across our field of view never seems to grow old.”

The brightness is intense, especially at this size, with small HDR highlights looking every bit as dazzling as on pricier TVs. TCL’s Halo Control also does a stellar job of suppressing any unwanted blooms of light emerging.

In terms of sound, the TV offers a 6.2.2-channel system designed by Bang & Olufsen. It is detailed and clear, and never becomes overstated, harsh or brittle. It does, however, lack the levels of bass and immersion that a decent, dedicated Dolby Atmos soundbar would provide.

It’s very well equipped for gamers, with VRR, ALLM, and a 144Hz refresh rate. You get a full complement of HDR format support, but only two HDMI 2.1 ports.

Of course, a 98-inch screen will take up a fair bit of room in your home. If you don't have the space to accommodate, the option below might be a better fit for you.

And a more compact projector from BenQ

TCL’s super-sized TV is certainly a large beast to behold, but it is simply not a realistic addition to many people's homes. It measures 218cm wide, which is quite a challenge if you are working with a compact space. There is the option to wall-hang, but of course you need to have a wall capable of supporting its 55kg weight.

If that won’t work for you, there’s another way to get the big-screen experience. The BenQ W2720i is a 4K projector that holds the crown as the best mid-range model in our best projectors guide. The price for the What Hi-Fi? Award-winning projector has dropped from £1999 to £1799 at Richer Sounds, saving you a reasonable £200.

It offers a more compact option than the TCL C7K, as it measures 14 x 42 x 31cm (hwd) and weighs just 6.5kg. You can push the screen size up to a claimed 300 inches, which knocks the 98-inch TV out of the park.

When we reviewed the projector, we were met with a clean, detailed picture that still looked natural. We say in our review: “So crisp, detailed, pristine and full of texture and density are the W2720i’s pictures that they really do look 4K, even if pushed to prodigious image sizes.”

The Award-winner's connections go further than those of most projectors, by including three HDMIs, one of which provides ARC support for passing sound out to a connected AVR or soundbar, and one of which supports 4K/120Hz.

There are some limitations to consider with a projector compared with a TV. Any projector that costs less than £10,000 will struggle to produce deep black levels, especially compared with a Mini LED such as the C7K. The W2720i is still a great performer in this area when compared with rival projectors, but the TCL TV does a better job at recreating proper black depth.

You will also have to deal with a weaker picture performance in any sort of ambient light compared with a TV screen.

But the BenQ’s smaller footprint and impressive specifications may well suit your home cinema set-up better. It depends on which big-screen experience works best for you, but these stellar bargains on both products are worth looking into.

MORE:

These are the best projectors out there

Check out the best TVs we have reviewed

And this is our full review of the 98-inch TCL C7K

If you need a good TV, but are tight on cash, then there’s only one TV deal I’d recommend right now.

Specifically, Argos's current deal on the TCL C6KS. The deal lets you grab the Award-winning 50-inch TCL C6KS for £343 (save 20 per cent) when you use the TCLTV20 discount code at checkout.

Why this TV in particular, especially with Prime Day about to start at the stroke of midnight? Because it’s the best cheap TV money can buy, even at full price.

Offering a Mini LED panel, the set delivers the best performance we’ve experienced on a TV at its price. Delivering atypically high, but controlled peak and operating brightness levels, solid HDR support and a nicely balanced picture that punches well above its weight, you won’t find better set this cheap.

That’s why the TCL C6KS earned a five-star rating when we tested it and then went on to win the best budget 48-50in TV trophy at the 2025 What Hi-Fi? Awards.

It’s also why, even now, we stand by our verdict: “TCL’s latest ultra-affordable TV is even better than its specs suggest and fixes pretty much everything that was wrong with its predecessor. The price seems like it must be too good to be true – but it isn’t.”

Our only word of warning is that, as is always the case at this end of the market, there are some compromises. For gamers, its framerate is capped at 60Hz, so you won’t be able to run a current-generation games console or PC at full speed.

There is also some minor motion blur during particularly animated scenes. And finally, again, like all TVs at this price, its speakers are middling. You should budget for a soundbar if you don’t already have one, as a result. We’d recommend the Sony HT-SF150 / HT-S100F featured as the top budget option in our best soundbars guide, if you don’t currently have one.

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Prime Day 2026 Home Cinema Deals LIVE: all the top savings recommended by our experts

These are the best cheap TVs we’ve tested

We rank the best soundbars money can buy

Another Prime Day is on the horizon – or perhaps that should be Prime Days, with the sales event spanning from 23rd to 26th June.

Not content with four days of discounts, Amazon has started a week early, with some genuinely early Prime Day deals popping out of the woodwork.

With the World Cup happening simultaneously, there have been some great deals on home cinema, with Amazon’s own Ember TV range seeing up to £450 off.

That’s not all, though – an elusive AirPod discount is also upon us, as well as a saving on an Award-winning Audio Pro wireless speaker.

As always, these are all products we have reviewed and rated ourselves, and must have earned at least four stars to get our sought-after recommendation.

So take a look at the offers below – and make sure to check back next week, where we’ll be hunting for the best deals during the main event itself.

Formerly known as the Amazon Fire TV Omni QLED, the Amazon Ember QLED with Fire TV is Amazon’s latest QLED and a solid, affordable TV. We reviewed the 65-inch model only back in March and it has already got a £450 saving in an early Prime Day deal.

The Audio Pro C20 W is currently our favourite premium wireless speaker. With a broad, clear, and detailed sound, it is easy to use and immensely versatile – it can stream music, serve as a turntable speaker, or function as a soundbar for your TV. You’ll need to be a Richer Sounds VIP member to get this discount, but it’s completely free to sign up.

If you don’t like eartips but still want noise-cancelling in your earbuds, then the AirPods 4 with ANC are for you. Jam-packed with features and a clean, detailed, and powerful sound, the brilliant buds are available at their lowest-ever price in this early Prime Day deal.

If you want a 4K projector that is just portable enough to take outside, then the Nebula X1 is a great choice. The X1 has a class-leading audio for a projector, so there’s no rush to buy speakers, and the claimed 300-inch maximum image size will be great for World Cup matches.

The TCL C6KS is our favourite budget TV, and was such good value for money that we gave it a What Hi-Fi? Award. The code TCLTV20 brings the price down to £336, and for the money you’ll get a 50-inch Mini LED with excellent brightness and contrast as well as comprehensive HDR support.

The Anker Nebula Mars 3 Air is our favourite portable projector. It doesn't boast the 4K resolution or the audio quality of the X1, but it’s a fair bit cheaper and comes with a built-in battery, an ultra-portable design and surprisingly good picture and sound quality.

MORE:

Our pick of the best wireless headphones you can buy

And the best TVs for all budgets

Interested in the bigger picture? Here are the best projectors we have tested

You never feel the need to upgrade your TV like you do during the FIFA World Cup.

The 2026 tournament features 48 teams for the first time, meaning if you were dedicated (and temporarily nocturnal) you could watch 104 matches of high-quality football.

That's a lot of time to be staring at your TV – but luckily, if you do want to upgrade, you don't have to break the bank.

We've rounded up some of the best TVs under the £1,000 mark, all of which have been reviewed and rated by us and earned at least four stars – or in some cases, five stars and even a What Hi-Fi? Award.

This also clashes rather nicely with early Prime Day deals, so there are particularly good savings available right now on all the models below.

We'll go into more detail on what we like about the TVs below, but for now, have a look at our expert picks.

The LG C5 OLED won multiple gongs at the most recent What Hi-Fi? Awards, thanks to its excellent picture quality and flawless gaming specification. If you’re going for OLED under a grand, this is the model to get – the 42-inch LG C5 and 48-inch LG C5 are just as good and even cheaper.

We only reviewed the Amazon Ember QLED with Fire TV in March, but it has already received a staggering £450 discount for Prime Day. Have no fear, this has nothing to do with the quality; Amazon’s latest QLED offers a sharp and detailed picture with minimal fuss, as well as audio that defies expectations.

The TCL C6KS was already exceptional value for money at full price – we liked it so much we gave it a What Hi-Fi? Award – and now it’s available for even less. A good Mini LED at this price is hard to find, but the C6KS has a rare all-around ability thanks to its 160 dimming zones, support for all four HDR formats and user-friendly Google TV operating system.

Samsung has had a lot of competition in the budget TV market in recent years, but the 65-inch U8000F shows it can still do big-screen on a budget. The Standard mode is enjoyably punchy and bright, and there is a lot of smart TV content available in one great value package.

The TCL C7K is the current Award-winner for the best large-sized budget TV, thanks to more features than you have any right to expect for the money. For less than £720 now, you’ll get a 65-inch Mini LED with Quantum Dot colour and excellent gaming support. That’s before we even mention the 1008 dimming zones and support for all four HDR formats.

Previously known as the Amazon Fire TV Omni Mini-LED, the 65-inch Amazon Ember Mini-LED with Fire TV is a solid entry to the mid-range market with a sharp picture and excellent app support. And with an early Prime Day discount, it’s now quite the bargain.

MORE:

Best LG C5 deals for all sizes

And the best TVs for all budgets

Prime Day Predictions: The What Hi-Fi? team’s hopes, fears and dreams for Amazon Prime Day

We’re a week into the World Cup, and England fans already have a reason to celebrate as the competition heats up to see which nation will hold up the iconic golden trophy.

This deserves to be seen on an Award-winning screen, of course – and the TCL C7K already has a trophy of its own. The Mini LED picked up our gong for the best budget 55-77in TV at our 2025 Awards, offering value that similarly priced rivals just could not beat.

And now that value has just got even better. The 65-inch TCL C7K is now on sale for £719 at Richer Sounds, the best price we’ve seen yet.

Just use the code TCL10PERCENT to unlock this new lowest price!

TCL has been on a roll recently with its excellent value TVs. And the C7K is so jam-packed with features for the price that it’s our performance-per-pound pick.

The 65-inch model boasts a Mini LED screen with 1008 independent dimming zones, Quantum Dot colours and a claimed 2600 nits of brightness. That’s flagship-level features for a lower mid-range price.

The C7K also includes TCL’s innovative new ‘Halo Control’ technology to deliver better dark-scene consistency and reduce pesky light halos.

All of which builds to a picture that punches well above its weight. As our TCL C7K review reads: “In its Standard picture preset, colours across a huge spectrum look radiantly beautiful, combining vivid intensity with a level of blend and tone subtlety that feels too good to be true on a TV as affordable as this.”

Gaming support is rich too, especially for this price. Two of its four HDMI sockets meet the HDMI 2.1 specification for high frame-rate gaming with support for 4K/144 Hz, VRR and ALLM. There is also a Dolby Vision game mode and support for a whopping 288Hz (though only at HD resolution).

All the HDR bases are covered with all four formats on board: HLG, HDR10, HDR10+ and Dolby Vision.

World Cup viewing is sorted thanks to Google TV, which includes all the UK’s main catch-up TV services as well as the big international streamers. Bear in mind that Freeview Play and Freely are missing, however.

The Bang & Olufsen speakers support Dolby Atmos and DTS: X, and the sound is clean and detailed in the midrange and treble. We would like more punch in the low-end, but it’s still a very commendable sound for the price.

Even at full price, the TCL C7K was phenomenal value with more features than we would have any right to expect at this level. If you’re after a last-minute TV for the World Cup, you’ll have no regrets about the TCL C7K for £719 at Richer Sounds.

MORE:

Read our full 65-inch TCL C7K review

Check out the best TVs: flagship OLEDs and budget Mini LED sets tried and tested

And the best OLED TV: five incredible sets for serious movie fans reviewed by our experts

The World Cup is now officially in full swing, and you've likely had a taster of what your home cinema set-up can do when it comes to football.

But do you wish it could do a bit better? Well, we have you covered. This week has seen plenty more TV deals, from brand new RGB mini LEDs to budget 2026 OLEDs at head-turning prices.

Not that hi-fi has been left out – we've only just reviewed the stunning five-star Wharfedale Diamond 12.3i, but they've already got a tasty discount.

So what are you waiting for? We'll go into more detail on each product below, but for now, happy shopping!

The Hisense UR9 is one of the first mainstream RGB Mini LED TVs to hit the market, and the technology delivers an impressively controlled and consistent backlight performance. Enter the code RSTV100 at checkout to save £100, and you can also claim a 40-inch QLED TV absolutely free. Ts and Cs here.

The newly reviewed Wharfedale Diamond 12.3i replaces the Award-winning 12.3 model, offering a more exciting and dramatic listen as well as greater bass authority and punch. Excellent for beginners or those on a budget, especially with £30 off.

We haven't tested the LG B6, but we were impressed when we saw it in action and we're fans of previous B-series models. For £879 you'll get a brand new 2026 OLED, with superb gaming specs and plenty of features. Use the code LG20PERCENT to get this price.

The TCL C7K is mightily impressive, offering explosive brightness, contrast and colour as well as rich gaming support. What might be most impressive, however, is that it offers this picture quality and features for under £720. The code TCL10PERCENT gets you this deal price.

We've only just reviewed the Soundcore Nebula P1, and we were particularly impressed by the clean yet punchy sound. The code WS24D2431UK will get you a £51 saving, but bear in mind you'll have to cast from your phone or use a streaming stick to get BBC iPlayer.

If you're looking for the ideal blend of quality, portability, and affordability, then the recently discounted Tribit StormBox Micro 2 is a great choice. You'll get an abundance of features and a booming sound level for only £46.

MORE:

Our pick of the best wireless headphones you can buy

And the best TVs for all budgets

Interested in the bigger picture? Here are the best projectors we have tested

The World Cup kicks off in less than a week, and we bet that plenty of people are making some last-minute upgrades to their set-ups, including splurging on a new TV.

TV shipments are up six per cent year on year, according to global technology market research firm Omdia, and while we hope that everyone buying a new set is consulting our carefully curated list of the best TVs, the likelihood is that there is a fair amount of impulse purchasing happening.

We don’t judge here, and we understand that many people will walk into a shop and pick the biggest and cheapest 4K TV that you can get, but we urge you to take stock before swiping your card and calling it a day.

The World Cup is running for just over a month, but your TV will last a whole lot longer; maybe not for life, but multiple TV manufacturers tell us that the average person replaces their TV every seven years.

With that in mind, I have devised a simple three-question system that anyone primed to make an impulse purchase this weekend should ask themselves.

Question 1: is this TV good value?

A cheap 4K TV is one thing; a good value 4K TV is something else completely.

Yes, we are seeing the likes of Hisense and TCL line shelves with super-affordable 4K sets, and some of them are truly great TVs – take the Award-winning, sub-£400 TCL C6KS, for example. But some of these super cheap sets can cut corners.

Panel technology becomes more basic at this level. That’s fine for those who want to catch the game, but for cinephiles who appreciate films as much as they do footy, you might want to consider looking up towards the mid-range Mini LED models at least.

Picture processing also tends to be more pared back at this level, too. Motion and upscaling are two processing factors to be mindful of – the former to accommodate fast-moving players springing across the pitch, while the latter can deal with sharpening up standard-resolution feeds from terrestrial broadcast channels.

Gaming specification also takes a hit here, with very few TVs at this level offering HDMI 2.1 support. While they are not entirely barebones, you can expect to miss out on high-framerate console gaming at 4K, and some budget 4K sets sport fewer HDMI sockets overall.

While opting for an affordable 4K set is by no means a bad decision, you also have to remember that you will be using this TV for plenty of years to come, so future-proofing is always advisable.

If you’re looking for TVs that tread the line of cheap and good value, you should check out our list of the best cheap TVs for some inspiration.

Question 2: will it stand the test of time?

Nearly every TV we see these days features a smart platform. Google TV is used by TCL and Philips, Tizen OS is featured on Samsung, webOS is on LG TVs, and Hisense uses its Vidaa platform on its sets.

Not all operating systems are made equal, and updates and app support can vary greatly between brands. While we are seeing decent coverage of the major streaming apps such as Netflix, Amazon Prime Video and Disney+, we have seen some worrying gaps.

BBC iPlayer, for example, is missing on Philips’s current suite of TVs, which is quite an issue when we take into account that a considerable number of World Cup matches will be streamed free on BBC iPlayer.

Longevity is also, once again, something to be mindful of. Notably, Samsung and LG have both committed to supporting their respective TVs with seven years of software support.

If you want a TV that lasts, and you rely on built-in streaming apps, then we recommend going for a TV from one of these brands, or instead investing in an external streaming device.

Question 3: am I leaving room in my budget for a soundbar?

Our advice to anyone buying a new TV is to budget for a soundbar to pair with it.

TV sound, unless you’re looking at the upper-echelon of OLED TVs that feature speaker systems tuned by notable hi-fi brands, is almost always a let down.

And if you’re preparing to listen to commentators for hours on end, the last thing you want is a built-in sound system that is thin, tinny, and fatiguing on the ears.

A good soundbar doesn’t have to cost the Earth. Take the Sony HT-SF150, which delivers a solid cinematic sound experience for less than £100; or the Award-winning Hisense AX5125H, which includes Dolby Atmos support, surround speakers and a subwoofer for under £200.

While a good sound system will undoubtedly give you a more authentic experience during the matches (think of audiences chanting and cheering), you will also find a range of benefits, including a better audio experience when it comes to music and movies.

MORE:

Here are the ultimate World Cup tech deals

Check out our picks for the best budget soundbars

As well as the best OLED TVs

Temperatures might have dropped, but so have prices, with yet more products enjoying their lowest prices and five-star savings over the past seven days.

With less than a week to go until the World Cup starts on Thursday, there are only a few days left should you wish to get some home cinema equipment delivered and installed before Mexico and South Africa kick off to launch the festival of footie.

Luckily, the retailers have saved some of their best deals until now. There are great savings on brand new 2026 OLEDs, Award-winning 4K projectors, and Dolby Atmos soundbars, so you can kit out your home cinema any way you see fit.

Not that hi-fi has been left out – there is also a great value deal on some five-star Sony headphones.

All of these products have been tried and tested by our expert review team, and must earn at least four stars to get our sought-after recommendation. We’ll go into more detail on each product below.

The LG C6 is our favourite TV of the year so far, with its new processor resulting in brighter, richer and more refined pictures than the C5. Use the code LG20PERCENT to get this deal price.

The Epson EH-TW7100 was one of our 2024 Award winners, and still holds up thanks to its excellent contrast-handling and good connectivity options. A brilliantly well-judged and affordable 4K projector.

The Sony WH-CH520 headphones are the top budget choice from our pick of the best wireless headphones, thanks to their balanced and engaging sound, extensive control app, and whopping 50-hour battery life.

The 48-inch LG C5’s bright, detailed picture makes it a great choice for the World Cup, while the flawless gaming specifications and strong app support make it a great all-rounder. Use the code KICKOFF100 to get 46 per cent off our testing price.

It’s hard not to like the five-star JBL Bar 300MK2. It’s powerful and bassy, produces clear dialogue and has a rather convincing Dolby Atmos effect for a solo soundbar.

We have seen the TCL C6KS cheaper before, but even at full price, the Mini LED is one of the biggest bargains in television. For a shade under £400, you get excellent brightness and contrast, comprehensive HDR support, and plenty of features.

MORE:

Our pick of the best wireless headphones you can buy

And the best TVs for all budgets

Interested in the bigger picture? Here are the best projectors we have tested

Chinese brand Haier is launching its latest range of affordable TVs, all boasting 4K resolution.

The new release is being led by the flagship S90 series, which the brand claims will combine “dynamic visuals, immersive audio with ultra-reactive gaming experience”.

This “immersive audio” comes in the form of Dolby Atmos support, delivering “three-dimensional and cinematic audio quality”. The two 10W speakers are employing technology from British hi-fi brand KEF as well.

The S90 uses QLED panel technology with AI picture optimisation, with Haier saying this results in “rich tones and smooth colour transitions”.

In terms of physical connectivity, you will find four HDMI ports, with one supporting eARC. We assume that means the TV can handle 4K/120Hz signals, given its 240Hz DLG feature, but when we asked a Haier representative for confirmation, they couldn’t provide a clear answer.

Haier is also launching the entry-level K85 and the mid-range S80 models. These step-down TVs do not have Dolby Atmos, but they do offer Dolby Audio for “clearer voices and more balanced sound”. The S80 features a QLED panel, like the S90, while the K85 uses a 4K LED backlight.

All of the TVs come with Freely built-in. That gives you access to streaming services such as BBC iPlayer, Channel 4 and ITVX in the UK. Fire TV acts as the smart platform for all the models, offering access to Disney+, Netflix and Amazon Prime Video.

Each range offers slightly different sizing options. The S90 goes from 55- to 85-inches, with the latter being the biggest screen size across all the models. The K85 is available in 43- to 65-inch sizes, and the S80 from 43- to 75-inches.

If you want to get your hands on the 65-inch S90, it will set you back £580. That is certainly aiming at the affordable end of the market, so Haier has TCL firmly in its sights. The S90 is up against the likes of the TCL Q6C, which launched at £649 for the 65-inch model. When we had the TCL set in our test room earlier this year, we praised its excellent picture quality and gaming performance which meant we awarded it a five-star rating.

We are yet to see how the flagship Haier model compares, but its affordable price tag and comprehensive smart platform could spell trouble for the current market leaders.

MORE:

Check out our TCL Q6C review

These are the best budget TVs

And here are the best budget soundbars

We're in the home run in the lead-up to the World Cup – and that means retailers are ramping up the deals on products that can upgrade your home viewing experience.

With only a few weeks to go and payday weekend upon us, now really is the time to bite the bullet if you're thinking of upgrading your living room setup for the upcoming games.

There's been some stellar savings over the last few weeks, so to help you out, we've rounded up the biggest discounts we've seen.

There's a real mix on offer here – portable projectors, Award-winning OLED TVs, Dolby Atmos soundbars and big-screen Mini LEDs – all of which offer tremendous value for money right now.

As always, we've reviewed and rated all of the products below, with our expert testing team giving them the hard-earned What Hi-Fi? recommendation.

If you want a really big screen or are looking to watch the World Cup outside, then the Samsung The Freestyle (2nd Gen) might be for you. You can get £50 off with the code 'RSTV50' and then claim 15 per cent cashback from Samsung to get this deal price. Full T&Cs can be found here.

If you're likely to be watching the World Cup in a bright room, then consider the 65-inch Samsung QN90F. The Mini LED's seriously high brightness and remarkable anti-glare filter are transformative in bright rooms, with a punchy, detailed picture and outstanding backlight control to boot.

If you have a smaller living room or are after OLED on a budget, then the Samsung S90F is one of the best 48-inch TVs we've tested. To get the lowest price, use the code 'RSTV100' at checkout to drop the price to £849, then claim 10 per cent back directly from Samsung. Full T&Cs can be found here.

If you want a good OLED for the lowest possible price, you're not going to do much better than the 42-inch LG C5. A 10 per cent discount is applied at checkout, giving you an Award-winning OLED TV for only £656.

The Sony Bravia 8 was our TV Product of the Year in 2024, and still holds up now thanks to its balanced, immersive picture, great motion handling and good built-in audio. Bear in mind the 8A variant doesn't include a backlit remote and offers fewer free months and credits for Sony Pictures Core than the regular 8 model.

The Sony Bravia 8 II, however, is our current TV Product of the Year and our testing benchmark thanks to its exceptionally bright, vibrant and three-dimensional picture quality. You can secure an extra £100 off at Richer Sounds by using the code 'RSTV100' at checkout.

The JBL Bar 1000MK2 is a unique proposition, as the detachable surrounds can be taken into another room to act as a wireless speaker – so you won't miss any of the action. The package also includes a main soundbar and subwoofer, which together create an exciting, reasonably detailed sound.

The Sonos Arc Ultra is our pick of the best soundbar overall for most people, thanks to its precise, spacious and three-dimensional sound. Available now with £200 off with this limited-time deal.

The TCL Q6C doesn't have the biggest discount, but it was already phenomenally priced and incredible value. The Mini LED offers excellent picture quality for the money, as well as a good gaming performance and solid features all around.

And now you're all set for kick off...

MORE:

And the best OLED TVs for all budgets

Looking for a bargain? Here are the best budget soundbars

And here's the best projectors: budget, 4K and ultra-short-throw

Sony has finally announced its full 2026 TV range, and guess what’s missing? That’s right – OLED.

It was long suspected that the brand’s new flagship model would be an RGB Mini LED set to replace the Bravia 9 ‘standard’ LED model. And, sure enough, that’s precisely what we’ve got, in the form of the technically formidable Bravia 9 II.

What I wasn’t expecting, though, was no new OLED in the range at all.

No replacement for the Bravia 8 II is no surprise: Sony works on two-year lifecycles for most of its models, and the company’s awesome QD-OLED set is only a year old.

And I’m beyond expecting a replacement to the A90K, which launched way back in 2022 but appears to have been sentenced to lifetime imprisonment in the warehouses of Amazon, Currys and John Lewis.

I was, though, expecting the Bravia 8 to get a replacement. Now two years old, Sony’s W-OLED model is struggling to justify itself against last year’s LG C5 and the newer C6. Surely a nip-and-tuck upgrade would be worth it, both for Sony and consumers who want meaningful choice when buying a step-down/mainstream OLED TV.

Alas, though, there’s not a single new OLED in Sony’s new range, with all three of its existing models expected to run for at least another year.

And that’s prompted in me a dreadful thought: what if Sony plans never to launch another OLED TV? Sadly, the more I think about it, the more I feel that’s a very realistic possibility.

It’s all about profit, of course, which is understandable; it’s saddening nonetheless.

You see, Sony buys all of the panels for its OLED TVs from its rivals: it buys the W-OLED panels for the A90K and Bravia 8 from LG, and the QD-OLED panels for the Bravia 8 II from Samsung.

This, inevitably, eats into the money the brand can make from these OLED TVs, especially while it tries to compete on price with those brands that both make the panels and sell the TVs.

Meanwhile, Sony’s Home Entertainment division, which is responsible for the design, development and manufacture of its TVs (and home theatre products), is about to become a joint venture between Sony itself and TCL, the latter of which will hold a 51 per cent share.

TCL is, of course, the biggest manufacturer of LCD TV panels in the world. It’s famously uninterested in OLED where TVs are concerned, and while it is in the process of building a huge factory where it will produce OLED panels via inkjet printing, these will be for smartphones, tablets and laptops, at least in the first place.

So, once the Sony/TCL joint venture begins operations at the start of 2027, will it have any interest in buying expensive OLED panels from its rivals so that it can produce Sony OLED TVs from which it receives very little profit? Or will it entirely focus on producing TVs using the in-house panel technology supplied by the TCL side of the merger?

Sadly, it’s not hard to imagine the answer to that one.

Of course, Sony says it is very much not done with OLED, and I sincerely hope that’s true, as I’m yet to test a backlit TV that beats an OLED overall. But Sony also needs to operate as a business, which means making profits. And that, I suspect, means saying goodbye to OLED.

With any luck, I’m wrong, but if the Bravia 8 II really does turn out to be Sony’s last OLED TV, at least it’s an awesome one.

MORE:

Check out our Sony Bravia 9 II hands-on and Sony Bravia 8 II review

Here are all of the best TVs you can buy right now

With a bank holiday weekend coming up, there is now plenty of time to decide on that all-important World Cup TV.

Luckily, this week has seen some stellar deals on all sorts of great TVs. Whether you’re after a new-release OLED or a budget LCD, we’ve got those and everything in between.

Hi-fi hasn’t been left out either: the Award-winning Cyrus 40 ST music streamer is on offer again; and Sonos is running a sale that includes its five-star spatial-audio Era 300 speaker.

As always, these are products that we have tested ourselves. And they have to have received at least four stars to receive our coveted recommendation here.

We’ll go a bit more in-depth on why we like these products so much below, but for now, happy shopping!

The LG C6 is the latest in LG’s hugely popular OLED C-series, and has the brightest, richest and most refined picture quality yet. We only reviewed it in March, but you can get 20% off with the code ‘LG20TV’ – you have to be a My John Lewis member, but it’s free to sign up.

The Cyrus 40 ST may not be cheap even with this discount, but it’s worth every single penny. The What Hi-Fi? Award Winner is the top dog out of the high-end music streamers and an incredible piece of kit.

We reviewed the TCL Q6C just two days ago, and we call it “ridiculously good value for money”. Well, the 65-inch version of this Mini LED set is already on sale – and it offers far more than a TV at this price has any right to.

If you want to go big-screen on a budget for the World Cup, then the 65-inch Samsung U8000F is an excellent choice. The Standard mode is enjoyably punchy and bright, with lots of smart TV content available in one great value package.

The Sonos Era 300 is a former What Hi-Fi? Award winner, and offers an immensely immersive experience thanks to its engaging sound and convincing spatial-audio effects. And now it can be yours with a rare £90 discount.

The 48-inch Samsung S90F made headlines for its low prices over Black Friday, but now it’s available for even less. The five-star OLED can be yours for only £764, but first you’ll have to use the code ‘RSTV100’ at checkout and then claim 10 per cent back directly from Samsung. Full T&Cs can be found here.

MORE:

Our pick of the best wireless earbuds you can buy

And the best OLED TVs for all budgets

Interested in vinyl? Here are the best turntables we have tested

Want a great World Cup TV but still want to make sure you get great value?

Then you may well want a TCL TV. The electronics firm has spent the past few years delivering good picture and sound quality at unbelievably low prices – and the trend continues with the release of the new TCL Q6C.

We gave the Mini LED five stars in our glowing review just two days ago, declaring the TV to be “ridiculously good value for money” – and now it’s even cheaper! The TCL Q6C is now yours for £559 at Amazon.

That’s already more than £90 off the test price, and it would be a good price for a 65-inch TV in pretty much any circumstance. But it’s remarkably rare to get a 65-inch TV at this price that’s just this good. The Q6C could cost twice as much and we would still be impressed.

The headline here is that you get a 65-inch TV with features such as 4K/144Hz gaming support, Quantum Dot colours and even a sophisticated Mini-LED backlight system with local dimming for only £559.

Now, specifications aren’t everything, but during our testing we found that, here, it does all add up to something pretty special.

The most impressive part of the Q6C is the black-level performance. We’ve seen 65-inch LCD TVs costing thousands more in some cases that fail to deliver black tones so effectively.

As our TCL Q6C review says: “Colours impress, too. There’s more vibrancy and lustre on tap than we usually see with such affordable TVs, yet at the same time, in most presets, the impressive vibrancy doesn’t look forced or unnatural.

“Skin tones look believable, there’s practically zero HDR colour striping, and subtle shading differences are rendered with enough finesse to ensure that even the most colourful images feel three-dimensional and realistic.”

As with all TCL TVs, sophisticated Google TV streaming smarts are on board. All the main global streaming services and key terrestrial UK broadcaster catch-up apps, including the oft-missed BBC iPlayer, are available (though Freeview Play and Freely are missing).

Gamers are well catered for too, with the refresh rate reaching 4K/144Hz (and the console-friendly 4K/120Hz) on its two HDMI 2.1 sockets. You can even increase the frame rate all the way up to a huge 288Hz if you’re prepared to accept a drop to Full HD resolution. VRR is supported, too, including the AMD FreeSync Premium Pro format, and there’s even support for Superwide aspect ratios if you’re playing a PC game that supports them.

The TCL Q6C’s sound is better than that of most, if not all, other TVs in its price class, too. DTS:X and Dolby Atmos mixes especially result in ambient effects and off-screen details appear well beyond the TV’s left, right and even top edges without the staging becoming incoherent or thin.

If you’re looking for a TV in this price range, you’re going to struggle to get better value than the TCL Q6C. It’s a formidable all-rounder with features that similarly priced rivals could only dream of, and now it’s got this generous discount, with £90 off at Amazon.

MORE:

Read our review of the TCL C7K

Also consider the Samsung U8000F

Best TVs: flagship OLEDs and budget Mini LED sets tried and tested

TCL has achieved phenomenal critical and commercial success over the past couple of years thanks to an (almost) unerring ability to deliver good picture and sound quality at prices so aggressive they’ve had rival brands quaking in their boots. And, on paper at least, the Q6C looks to keep the winning streak going.

After all, features such as Mini LED backlighting, local dimming and a Quantum Dot colour system all sound surprisingly close to the specs found in TCL’s What Hi-Fi? Award-winning C7K series – yet the Q6C costs significantly less.

We guess there must be a catch somewhere, but on TCL’s current form we wouldn’t be at all surprised if whatever catch we find really isn’t that big a deal.

Price

Normally, if you spend £650 on a 65-inch TV, you would expect to get… not very much. Not for the first time in recent years, though, TCL is here to rewrite the TV value rulebook.

The set in question this time is the Q6C, the 65-inch version of which usually only costs £649 yet manages to carry such features as 4K/144Hz gaming support, Google TV smarts, Quantum Dot colours and even a sophisticated Mini-LED backlight system with local dimming.

We’ve been around the block enough times to know that such specifications aren’t automatically a guarantee of great picture quality – but at the risk of showing our hand too early, in the Q6C’s case they really do add up to something pretty special for the money.

TCL also sells 55-, 75-, 85- and 98-inch Q6C models for £409, £819, £949 and £1499 respectively. These are all pretty remarkable prices for screens built on the same key specs as the 65-inch model, where the only major difference is the number of dimming zones (more for the bigger screens).

The Q6C’s main competition, really, is TCL’s own C7K step-up model, which costs £200 more at the time of writing.

TCL also sells a C6K model which, it says, is identical to the Q6C. However, further up the range, TCL's ‘C’ variants often have a different panel coating to their “identical” ‘Q’ counterparts. The fact that matte vs glossy coatings can make a significant difference to picture quality, and that we haven’t specifically tested the C6K, this review only applies 100 per cent to the Q6C.

Design

At first glance, the TCL Q6C looks like a chip off the old TCL block. A narrow black frame runs around the screen, boasting a reasonably premium finish, and the screen sits on a pair of simple arched blade-style feet. These angle out slightly, bringing more attention to themselves than they would otherwise, but this stance also helps the set feel pretty sturdy and wobble-free.

As you go about screwing on the feet in either of the provided wide or close position options, though, you can’t help but notice first that the set sticks out around the back quite a long way by today’s TV standards, and also that the screen is significantly lighter than TCL’s more premium sets.

Most folk don’t spend their lives looking at the back of their TV, though, and the rather lightweight and plasticky nature of its build quality isn’t something you really feel aware of once the TCL has been set in place.

The Q6C’s remote control apes the TV it partners by quite effectively disguising an essentially rather lightweight and plasticky build behind a cute brushed finish, a sleek, long, thin shape, and an ergonomic button layout. That button layout includes direct access buttons for Netflix, Prime Video, YouTube, Disney+ and TCL’s own collection of live-streaming ‘channels’.

Features

Despite its aggressive price, the Q6C is built around a native 4K screen with Mini LED backlighting and a local dimming system that works, in the case of the 65-inch model we’re testing, across 242 independently controlled zones. At this price, local dimming of any kind is a rarity, so getting 242 dimming zones is a real treat. That said, the not vastly more expensive C7K features more than a thousand dimming zones.

The Q6C produces its colours using Quantum Dots, with which TCL claims to cover 93 per cent of the DCI-P3 colour spectrum used for most HDR mastering. The HDR support extends to both the Dolby Vision and HDR10+ premium formats, with their extra scene-by-scene image information, as well as the core HDR10 and HLG formats.

The set is also IMAX Enhanced certified, meaning it’s been judged capable of doing justice to the special noise-limiting IMAX Enhanced mastering system used on a few 4K Blu-rays and a fair number of films (especially Marvel releases) on Disney+.

Impressively for its money, the Q6C also gets one of TCL’s new HVA panels. These introduce a variety of innovations, including a faster transient response for enhanced clarity; a new light-emitting chip claimed to deliver 50 per cent brightness and 10 per cent efficiency boosts over its predecessor; and a new condensed micro lens system over the LEDs, that apparently focuses light better for greater backlight uniformity, optical stability and halo control.

Smart features on the Q6C, as with most of TCL’s current TVs, are provided by the Google TV platform. Unlike most other brands that use Google TV, though, TCL has managed to get BBC iPlayer on board alongside the other key terrestrial UK broadcaster catch-up apps, and all of the main global streaming services. The only things you don’t get that some rival smart systems offer are Freeview Play and Freely.

Gamers are exceptionally well catered for by the Q6C. It supports 4K/144Hz (and the console-friendly 4K/120Hz) gaming, and can even increase the frame rate to 288Hz if you’re prepared to accept a drop from 4K to Full HD resolution. VRR is supported, too, including in the AMD FreeSync Premium Pro format, and there’s even support for Superwide aspect ratios if you’re playing a PC game that supports them.

A special gaming menu becomes available when the TV knows you’re gaming, too, offering information on the incoming gaming signal as well as easy access to a selection of gaming aids that include a superimposed crosshair, the option to magnify part of the image to give, say, a mini-map more prominence, a couple of genre-specific picture presets, and an option to enhance shadow details in dark game sequences to make it easier to spot lurking enemies.

In a perfect world, all four of the Q6C’s HDMIs would support the full gamut of today’s gaming features rather than just two of them, but you don’t get perfect worlds on 65-inch TVs that cost this sort of money.

The Q6C’s sound system, finally, isn’t one of the Bang & Olufsen-designed systems found higher up TCL’s range. It’s still designed with another acclaimed audio industry brand, though, Onkyo, and still includes a couple of dedicated bass woofers on its rear panel to underpin the sound from its main stereo speakers. This sound system is capable of playing both Dolby Atmos and DTS Virtual:X sound formats.

Picture

While the Q6C doesn’t quite hit the giddy picture-quality heights of TCL’s C7K, it gets closer than the price gap would lead you to expect. This means that it also comfortably outguns pretty much every other 65-inch TV around at the same sort of price point – including Samsung’s recently reviewed U8000F.

The single most impressive thing about the Q6C's supposedly budget pictures is their black level performance. Once again, TCL’s particular combination of an HVA panel, local dimming, Mini LED lighting and local dimming processing results in excellent blacks in both dark scenes or dark picture areas and the black bars of widescreen content.

Hardly a hint of greyness slips into dark scenes, and backlight haloing around stand-out bright objects during dark shots is also remarkably well controlled for a 65-inch TV at the Q6C’s price point. We’ve seen 65-inch LCD TVs costing hundreds, even thousands, of pounds more than this TCL fail to deliver black tones so effectively.

As well as instantly giving the Q6C an outstanding foundation for the rest of its images to build on, its excellent black levels are also achieved without causing shadow details to become crushed out of the darkest areas. Dark scenes thus look as three-dimensional and immersive as bright ones, creating a sense of consistency that makes it easy to remain fully immersed in what you’re watching.

The Q6C’s remarkable freedom from the sort of hardware and/or processing issues that almost always to some extent plague the picture quality of other similarly affordable TVs continues across pretty much every other aspect of its picture performance, too. Images look crisp, clean and detailed enough to leave you in no doubt that you’re watching a native 4K screen, for starters – especially if you leave the set’s Precision Detail feature on (which you might as well, as it doesn’t seem to cause any negative side effects) and turn the Digital and regular Noise Reduction features off (at least when watching native 4K sources). Even the Q6C’s upscaling of HD sources is well above par for its level of the market.

Colours impress, too. There’s more vibrancy and lustre on tap than we usually see with such affordable TVs, yet at the same time, in most presets, the impressive vibrancy doesn’t look forced or unnatural. Skin tones look believable, there’s practically zero HDR colour striping, and subtle shading differences are rendered with enough finesse to ensure that even the most colourful images feel three-dimensional and realistic rather than cartoonish and flat. The nuance in the Q6C’s colours contributes in no small measure to the image's impressive sharpness, too.

The Q6C is not as bright as TCL’s step-up C7K model. It’s bright enough, though, to do arguably better justice to HDR images than any other similarly affordable 65-inch TV we’ve seen, combining good full-screen brightness with strong brightness peaks. All delivered alongside those excellent black levels we described earlier.

There are signs beyond its lower brightness that remind you that the Q6C is a step down from the C7K. While it’s faint, where backlight haloing does occasionally become noticeable, it spreads further beyond the bright highlight that’s causing it than it does with the C7K. That includes spreading very occasionally into the black bars of a movie if a really intensely bright object appears right next to them.

The very brightest highlights of bold HDR masters can also cause clipping, where subtle shading and colour details are lost in a sort of ‘white out’ effect, and skin tones can occasionally teeter on the edge of coarseness where they happen to catch bright sunlight, too – though they seldom if ever actually tip over into a distracting level of roughness.

Motion, once you’ve either turned the set’s motion processing off or left it on its low setting (to avoid unwanted over-smoothing or processing side effects), is marginally more prone to judder and blur with 24p movie sources than the C7K’s images are. But again, compared with the vast majority of rivals at its price point, the Q6C’s motion performance is actually pretty easy on the eye.

Colours can desaturate quite noticeably if you watch the screen from a steep angle of around 45 degrees or more, and blooming becomes slightly more noticeable. These problems are usually much more noticeable with budget VA LCD TVs, though, and from narrower angles.

To finish on the high note the Q6C’s pictures deserve, it’s a pretty stellar big-screen gaming display for its money. Graphics look crisp, bright and colourful, while the high frame rate support ensures gaming also feels fluid, smooth and responsive. The responsiveness is further bolstered by a measured input lag of just 13.1ms at 60Hz.

Sound

The Q6C’s Onkyo-designed sound system isn’t as ‘hi-fi’ in tone or as well-rounded as the B&O systems found higher up TCL’s current range. It’s not bad at all, though, for such an affordable TV.

Particularly surprising is the size of the soundstage it produces with DTS:X and, especially, Dolby Atmos mixes. Ambient effects and off-screen details appear well beyond the TV’s left, right and even top edges without the staging becoming incoherent or thin.

Dialogue seems to be coming from the screen rather than somewhere beneath or behind it, helping it sound impressively clear and clean. It still sounds contextualised enough, though, rather than bright or sharp.

Movie scores exist outside the scope of the main in-scene sound, just as they (usually) should, and sound effect detail levels are high enough to point to more quality in the speakers than you’ve any right to expect for this sort of money. Specific location details aren’t, to be clear, placed with the sort of accuracy you get with premium TV sound systems from the likes of Samsung, Philips and Sony, but the Q6C certainly does more with them than most similarly priced rivals.

There’s plenty of volume available, too, and while the sound density and power tend to level off during escalating action or horror scenes rather than continually expanding right to a scene’s climax, at least the sound doesn’t actively collapse under pressure.

Bass levels aren’t quite as rich and deep as we might have hoped, given the presence of two subwoofers on the set’s rear, which occasionally causes some high-pitched ambient effects to sound a little too dominant. Even the epic bass drops of Blade Runner 2049, though, don’t cause the bass speakers to seriously distort or drop out. In fact, the only distortion during Blade Runner 2049’s famous opening soundtrack dynamics comes from the treble, which causes a slight ‘buzzing fly’ effect when the speakers are under their greatest pressure.

The bottom line, though, is that, as with its pictures, the TCL Q6C’s sound is better than that of most, if not all, other TVs in its price class.

Verdict

If the Q6C cost twice as much as it does, we’d still class it as good. In fact, for a 65-inch TV at its price, it’s nothing short of ridiculous. If this is how TCL signs off its current range, we seriously can’t wait to see what the brand brings to the table next.

SCORES

• Picture 5
• Sound 4
• Features 4

Read our review of the TCL C7K

Also consider the Samsung U8000F

Read our Mitchell & Brown QLED1811 review

Best TVs: flagship OLEDs and budget Mini LED sets tried and tested

We've gone hands-on with both the TCL C8L and C7L already, and now we have UK prices ahead of them going on sale this month. And it's good and bad news.

The C7L is £100 cheaper than the C7K at 65 inches. Which is cause for celebration. But pooping the party somewhat is the C8L, which is £300 pricier than the C8K. Boo!

The C8K and C7K both earned five stars, with the latter also picking up a What Hi-Fi? Award.

As you'll see below, some prices have risen, while others have fallen. Both new models are quite a bit cheaper at their largest 98-inch sizes.

Both models boast TCL's Super Quantum Dot technology, which eschews the pivot to RGB Mini LED that most manufacturers are making this year.

This includes TCL's new Deep Colour System, which should reduce colour bleed between light and dark areas, boost colour gamut performance and colour dot accuracy, and minimise the halo effect that comes with blooming.

The full model names are the C8L-UK SQD-Mini LED TV and C7L-UK SQD-Mini LED TV. In the US, they're called the QM8L and QM7L.

Here's how they compare to last year's equivalents.

Of course, these are only RRPs – the actual prices are likely to drop throughout the year. The big question is, will the discounts be as significant as last year? The 65-inch C7K ended up selling for just £899, and is currently available for £50 less than that. Which, coupled with its excellent performance, helped it on its way to an Award.

Stay tuned for our best TV deals for a bargain. We'll have full reviews of both models soon to see if they can equal their five-star predecessors.

MORE:

The best TVs money can buy

Big screen, small price: get a brilliant budget TV ahead of the FIFA World Cup 2026

A load of five-star OLED TVs we recommend are disappearing – will they come back?

Roku and TCL have been accused of knowingly selling TVs with defective software that stops them working. The accusation was made in a class action lawsuit in California, USA.

The Roku OS operating system features on TCL's more affordable TVs. It's accused that faults with the former are affecting the latter, as well as other Roku TVs.

Plaintiff Terri Else alleges that Roku's software updates left the TVs inoperable. Issues include the TVs being 'bricked' (i.e. showing a black screen and unable to operate), restarting over and over, the screen flashing on and off, and freezing.

The lawsuit was filed against Roku Inc. and TTE Technology Inc. (trading as TCL North America) in the United States District Court, Central District of California.

It states that "Roku's software updates are repetitively defective, materially impairing the functionality of Roku Products, rendering many consumers' televisions either entirely unusable ("bricked"), blacked out, or otherwise substantially degraded in terms of device performance".

It also accuses the firms of failing to issue a fix to the problems they have introduced.

It says that Roku is a platform "which cuts corners, failing to ensure that the software updates are actually free of defects both in testing stages and at scale, failing to adequately invest in software updates which harmonise with the Roku Products, and failing to take appropriate remediative and corrective action once a defective software update is released".

Models affected include – but are not limited to – the Roku Select Series, Roku Plus Series, and TCL 3/4/5/6 Series Roku TVs.

The lawsuit points to complaints on Roku's official community forums, highlighting issues, and the responses that amount to "often unsuccessful self-guided troubleshooting instructions".

It says that the firms' failure to take action is a breach of express and implied warranties, as well as California's Unfair Competition Law and Consumers Legal Remedies Act.

The lawsuit demands a jury trial and requests declaratory and injunctive relief plus damages and restitution for members of class action.

Apple recently settled a class action lawsuit in California that could see affected customers paid $95 each (around £70 / AU$130).

It's early days yet in the suit, so it's likely to be a while until any conclusion is reached.

A Roku spokesperson told us: "We believe the claims are meritless." We've contacted TCL for comment and will update this if we hear back.

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The best TVs you can buy

A load of five-star OLED TVs we recommend are disappearing – are they coming back?

Big screen, small price: get a brilliant budget TV ahead of the FIFA World Cup 2026

The FIFA World Cup is fast approaching, which means the countdown is on to get a shiny new TV before Mexico takes on South Africa on 11th June.

With 48 teams competing, it's set to be the biggest World Cup yet – which surely demands to be seen on the biggest TV possible.

Luckily, big sporting events tend to generate great deals on TVs, and it's coinciding with last year's models starting to see some significant discounts.

This means there are plenty of decent-sized TVs available without breaking the bank, all of which would be great for a World Cup watch, either for their motion processing, explosive colours, wide viewing angles or sheer size.

Take a look below, and we'll explain why we're such big fans of these TVs underneath.

The TCL C6KS is our favourite budget TV, offering Mini LED lighting, 160 dimming zones, and universal HDR support for a single low price. It was already a bargain at its £419 launch price – the code CLEARANCE10 can now get you the even lower price of £314.

The Sharp GK4245K is a 70-inch TV for £440. If that wasn't enough to convince you, the GK4245K is also a good TV despite its low price, with an excellent Tivo smart system and picture quality that has no business appearing on such an affordable home cinema-sized TV.

The Amazon Ember QLED is a somewhat confusing rebrand of the Amazon Fire TV Omni QLED, which we gave a glowing review to recently. Whatever the name, the e-commerce giant has delivered another compelling, affordable sound system, with a crisp, detailed picture on offer with minimal fuss.

If you can up your budget a little, the TCL C7K is our favourite budget large TV – so much so that we gave it a What Hi-Fi? Award. With the 65-inch model boasting 1008 dimming zones, Quantum Dot colours, and a claimed peak brightness of 2600 nits, these are flagship specs at budget prices. A great choice to watch nail-biting matches in explosive brightness, contrast and colour.

The 55-inch LG C5 is a tad more expensive than the others on this list, but it is also an OLED to give your World Cup matches incredible contrast and wider viewing angles. The LG C5 offers a rich, solid and engaging picture that balances vibrancy and authenticity, and is now available with some heavy discounts now that the LG C6 is available.

If you want to go really big, the 85-inch TCL C805K is a great option if your budget can stretch. It's bright, great with HDR and has very good gaming specs. Oh, and did we mention it's huge? It's ridiculously good value for cinematic scale.

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Fancy a big screen? Check out the best 65-inch TVs

Discover the benefits of Dolby Vision

Classy OLED TVs that won't break the bank

TCL has announced its latest answer to the art TV craze, and it's packing an upgrade that could see it produce a better quality picture than most of its rivals.

The A4000 Pro NXTVISION blends style and substance, with a frame-like chassis that challenges Samsung's super popular The Frame and Hisense's Canvas TV.

It's designed to blend seamlessly into your living room environment, and when paired with the Art Gallery mode (which features curated artwork and AI-generated content) and included walnut woodgrain frame, it doubles as a versatile piece of wall art when not in use.

Sounds familiar so far, right? Well, TCL hopes to set its offering apart by bringing the picture quality up to standard, as some of the frame TVs on the market sacrifice panel tech for the sake of design.

Not TCL, though, as it has included its precise QD-Mini LED backlight on this TV, and paired it with a matte HVA panel, which should improve viewing angles. That's quite a step up over Hisense's edge-lit QLED Canvas TV.

TCL claims to have included up to 488 dimming zones (presumably this refers to the largest 75-inch screen size), and the A4000 Pro also supports both Dolby Vision and HDR10+.

Furthermore, this TV can support gaming signals up to 4K/144Hz over HDMI 2.1, with VRR and ALLM supported, making this a solid choice for gamers and home decor aficionados alike.

TCL has also included the Google TV smart platform and an Onkyo-tuned 2.0 channel sound system, which supports Dolby Atmos and DTS Audio. It says that "dialogue is clear and immersive without requiring an external audio set-up" on the A4000 Pro NXTVISION, which will appeal to minimalists who don't want trailing cables.

This TV comes in four sizes, starting at 43 inches, and it undercuts both of the rivals we've mentioned above. The 55-inch model starts at £899, which seems like a bargain compared to the equivalent Hisense, which we reviewed at £1099.

Samsung's 2026 Frame Pro (which is also billed as a Mini LED art TV), comes in at a staggering £1699 for the 55-inch model, which makes the TCL also look like a steal by comparison.

The TCL A4000 Pro NXTVISION is set to launch later this year, and you can see pricing for all sizes below:

• 75A400 PRO-UK – £1,399
• 65A400 PRO-UK – £1,099
• 55A400 PRO-UK – £899
• 43A400 PRO-UK – £599
  

MORE:

Read our full Hisense Canvas review

Check out our picks for the best Mini LED TVs

And read our full TCL C7K review

Not all large TVs have to break the bank, as evidenced by the 65-inch TCL C7K, which is now discounted down to £749 at Currys. That's £150 off and a return to the price we saw during Black Friday sales.

And despite the budget price, there are very few compromises in performance. We love it so much that we gave it a What Hi-Fi? Award in the 'best budget 55-77in TV' category.

We praised its explosive brightness, contrast and colour alongside impressively rich gaming support. If it's a 65-inch set you're after, and your budget is limited, we think the TCL C7K should be at the top of your list.

The TCL C7K is so jam-packed with features that £749 is truly a steal.

To start with, the C7K boasts a Mini LED screen with 1008 independent dimming zones and 2600 nits of brightness, specifications that some high-end TVs would struggle to match. It also includes TCL's innovative new 'Halo Control' technology to deliver better dark-scene consistency and reduce pesky light halos.

All of which builds to a picture that punches well above its weight, as we highlighted in our review: "In its Standard picture preset, colours across a huge spectrum look radiantly beautiful, combining vivid intensity with a level of blend and tone subtlety that feels too good to be true on a TV as affordable as this."

Gaming support is rich also, with two of its four HDMI sockets meeting the HDMI 2.1 specification for high frame-rate gaming. Talking of frame rates, the C7K can even support a whopping 288Hz (only at HD resolution, though), with VRR supported all the way up to this maximum.

All the HDR you'll need is also included, with HDR10, HLG, Dolby Vision and HDR10+ all supported.

The UK’s main catch-up TV services are all provided thanks to Google TV, with only the slight omission of no Freeview Play or Freely.

Speakers are provided courtesy of Bang & Olufsen, offering a clean, detailed sound and support for Dolby Atmos and DTS: X. We found the speakers to be somewhat bass-light, but they still provide commendable sound for the price.

We called the C7K a "performance-per-pound champ" in our review, because there are, quite frankly, more features here than you have any right to expect for the price. That price has just got even better – the TCL C7K is now just £749 at Currys.

MORE:

Read our full 65-inch TCL C7K review

Check out the best TVs: flagship OLEDs and budget Mini LED sets tried and tested

And the best OLED TV: 5 incredible sets for serious movie fans reviewed by our experts