In 2026, TV manufacturers are pitching RGB MiniLED as the hot new technology for rich, intense colors, but TCL has its own solution: Super Quantum Dots. The flagship TCL X11L is the first "SQD-Mini LED," and the company says it is capable of achieving 100% of the BT2020 color space, which is a lot.
TCL says its TV is capable of a very high brightness, and in my hands-on testing, I found it it did get eye-scorchingly bright, especially in Standard mode. Where all of its extra light output is most likely to show up in gaming on next-gen consoles.
I watched the X11L with a mix of Blu-rays and streaming, as well as performing some gaming tests, and I did find that the TCL performs well. Yet, with a starting price of $7,000, does anyone want to spend this much on a TV? For instance, the excellent 77-inch Samsung S95F plasma may not get as bright as the X11L, but it boasts a fantastic picture, works better in a lit room, and is half the price. Read on for my thoughts on the first Super Quantum Dot TV.
Also read: Best TVs of 2026
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Jesse Orral/CNET
I performed an in-person evaluation of the 85-inch TCL X11L, but this hands-on also applies to the other screen sizes in the series. All sizes have very similar specs and should provide very similar picture quality.
The TCL X11L is a 4K TV that features three different technologies for deeper color: Super Quantum Dot Crystals (Super QLED), a TCL UltraColor Filter, and TCL's Advanced Color Purity Algorithm.
The TV uses a MiniLED backlight, which, when combined with the company's Halo Control system, is designed to reduce haloing artifacts in high-contrast images. The company says its TV is capable of achieving a brightness of up to 10,000 nits, which, if accurate, would make it one of the brightest TVs ever made.
The screen features a WHVA 2.0 Ultra Panel with an anti-reflective edge-to-edge ZeroBorder, which minimizes the visible bezel.
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