The annual International Consumer Electronics Show (CES) is one of the most popular venues for showcasing innovative achievements. Since 1995, it has been held annually in Las Vegas and this year was no exception.
Despite the tough competition, more than 90% of sales volume is accounted for by a few companies, including:
– Japanese Sony and Panasonic – mainly premium segment;
– South Korean Samsung and LG – all segments;
– Chinese Hisense and TCL – all segments.
As a rule, Sony and Panasonic offer quite expensive innovative models with a guarantee of impeccable quality. Samsung and LG are mainly active in the upper mid and premium price segments. Their prices are also quite high (Samsung is slightly more expensive), but the companies additionally offer superb service. Until recently, Chinese Hisense and TCL confidently dominated only in the budget-friendly segment. But over the past few years, representatives of Celestial Empire have decisively invaded the premium segment, offering quite premium specs at very affordable prices. Moreover, this success is largely due to innovative technologies developed in Chinese labs. To be fair, they are still significantly inferior in service, but several tens of percent gain in price fully compensates for this aspect. Therefore, interest in the Chinese pavilions at CES has already become traditional.
This year, the Chinese giants have once again amazed the imagination with several fantastic models, including, for example, the 116-inch Hisense 116UX mini LED, 136-inch 136MX Micro LED panel, and 98-inch TCL QM6K mini LED for only $ 3,500.
Hisense TVs
Of course, the 116-inch Hisense 116UX TriChroma mini LED TV became the main sensation from this Chinese giant. According to the company, it uses an improved mini LED backlight, providing higher brightness and energy efficiency. The company calls this version RGB Local Dimming Display technology.
As known, modern LED TVs convert blue light into color with microscopic nanocrystals, which are called ‘quantum dots’. Hisense uses harnesses clusters of tiny lenses, each reacting to red-, green- and blue-colored LEDs.
The company promises coverage of up to 97% of the BT.2020 color space. To be fair, the Hisense 116UX TriChroma mini LED TV can only be positioned as a promising concept. It will only be available in a huge 116″ size.
In addition, Hisense entered into competition with Samsung. Until now, it has been developing insanely expensive micro LED consumer panels with stunning image quality in splendid isolation. For example, the price of the 77-inch Samsung micro LED CX panel announced in 2023 reached $ 90,000. However, it did not appear on the market. This year, Hisense introduced its first consumer 136-inch micro LED panel.
The new flagship uses an array of over 24.88 million microscopic LEDs and is powered by Hisense’s Hi-View AI Engine X chipset. According to the developer, the panel covers 95% of the BT.2020 color space at brightness up to 10,000 nits. The display has a ‘black nanocrystal’ coating and runs on a proprietary VIDAA OS smart platform.
Of course, the 136MX supports most popular technologies, including:
– Dolby Vision IQ;
– HDR10+;
– Filmmaker Mode;
– Dolby Atmos and DTS Virtual X;
– Amazon Alexa & Google Assistant;
– Gaming 120Hz VRR, Auto Low Latency Mode (ALLM), FreeSync Premium Pro;
– HDMI 2.1, including eARC;
– WiFi 6E.
Hisense L9Q Laser TV
As known, Hisense has been dominating the innovative leadership in the ultra-short throw (UST) segment for several years now. Today company offers ‘Laser TV’ with a built-in receiver and ALR screen included, and cheaper ‘Laser Cinema’ without a receiver and screen.
At CES 2025, the company introduced the new L9Q Laser TV with a full set of premium specs, including:
– brightness and color gamut – ALPD 4.0 – based (Advanced Laser Phosphor Display) triple-laser TriChroma light engine provides an unprecedented 5,000 lumens and covers 110% of the BT.2020 color space;
– screen size (focus range) – from 100 to 150 inches;
– native contrast ratio – 5,000:1.
For reference, even 3,000:1 is considered very high contrast for DLP and 3LCD projectors. Of course, LCoS (Liquid Crystal on Silicon) technology provides significantly higher contrast, but the price of JVC DLA or Sony SXRD models with this technology is radically higher;
– the company offers 5 sizes of Ambient Light Rejection (ALR) screens. According to the company, it provides 1,500 nits of full-screen brightness;
– 6.2.2 surround sound system with Dolby Atmos and DTS Virtual X support is tuned by the reputable French acoustical engineering Devialet company. However, for music lovers, the projector has an eARC output for transmitting audio in digital format to an external soundbar;
– luxury design, including a Black Walnut Décor Panel, Star Orbit Ambient Lighting, and brushed metal finishes.
– Google TV provides access to over 800 free channels, 10,000+ apps, and popular streaming platforms, including Netflix, YouTube and Disney+;
– built-in voice assistant is compatible with Google Assistant, Amazon Alexa, and Apple HomeKit;
– connectivity options (HDMI 2.1, Wi-Fi 6E and NEXTGEN TV/ATSC 3.0).
TCL QM6K
As a pioneer of mini LED backlight, TCL continues to improve this technology. As known, in 2018, the company introduced the first LED TV with backlight from miniature LEDs. Further evolution was rapid:
– 2018 – TCL 6-Series Roku TV (Contrast Control Zones, 120 zones@65-inch panel);
– 2019 – TCL 8-Series Roku TV (Quantum Contrast technology, ~ 1,000 zones);
– 2020 – announced Vidrian “Glass on LED” technology;
– 2021 – TCL OD-Zero (Optical Depth Zero) mini LED technology (TCL C825/C725);
– 2022 – TCL OD5 version.
This year the company introduced the QM6K QD-mini LED with mini LED backlight and QD technology, which is available for preorder right now.
The popularity of this brand is largely due to the superb price-quality ratio and the new series is fully consistent with this tradition:
– 50″ (50QM6K) – $ 749;
– 55″ – $ 799;
– 65″ – $ 999;
– 75″ – $ 1,299;
– 85″ – $ 1,999;
– 98″ – $ 3,499.
The series supports Dolby Vision, Dolby Vision IQ (adaptation to the ambient light), HDR10+, Dolby Atmos and DTS Virtual:X, has Google TV OS, hands-free voice control, 40W Onkyo 2.1 sound system and improved TCL AiPQ Pro processor. The HDMI 2.1 inputs, 144Hz@4K and AMD FreeSync Premium Pro will be useful for gamers. Moreover, Game Accelerator 288 support increases variable refresh rates (VRR) up to 288Hz.
TCL Halo Control Technology Suite
The list of innovations is impressive. The company calls this combination the Halo Control Technology Suite.
The QM6K is the first time using the Zero-Delay Transient Response feature to reduce lag between input signals and backlight response, According to the company, its innovative Super High Energy LED Chip developed in TCL Pangu Lab increases brightness by 53% and can control up to 500 local dimming zones. In addition, the developers use a new Condensed Micro Lens, which narrows and sharpens light paths, improving the quality of HDR content playback. The improved Micro OD backlight system almost completely eliminates the traditional ‘halo effect’ for LED TVs. In fact, it reduces the distance between the backlight and the diffuser plate from 25mm to just 8mm, minimizing light scattering, which increases image contrast.
According to the developer, it improves blooming control by 18% and enhances backlight uniformity by 143%, providing more uniform brightness on the screen surface. The new High Viewing Angle (HVA) panel more effectively blocks light in darker scenes, providing a perceptible static 7,000:1 native contrast ratio. For comparison, even 3,000:1 is considered high for VA panels. As known, this spec significantly affects the detail when viewing in low light conditions.
Improved QD technology-based TCL Quantum Crystals expanded the color gamut to 98% of the DCI-P3 color space.
Motion handling and brightness precision:
– Zero-Delay Transient Response reduces input lag;
– 23-Bit Bi-Directional Backlight Controller (smoother transitions with control for 65,000 brightness levels).
– Dynamic Light Algorithm – converts standard dynamic range (SDR) signals into near-HDR quality.
Conclusion
The Chinese giants have once again confirmed their right to a place among the innovative leaders of the industry. The fantastic Hisense 116UX mini LED and 136MX Micro LED will impress even the most reserved Scandinavians. The 98-inch TCL QM6K mini LED for only $ 3,500 is unlikely to leave most potential buyers indifferent, and the TCL Halo Control Technology Suite is ideal for AI fans.
Of course, they will have to compete with no less formidable rivals. In particular, this year’s incomplete list, for example, includes superb Samsung and LG TVs, as well as the Panasonic Z95B OLED.
But given the overall pricing strategy of Chinese companies and the already announced prices for the TCL QM6K, they are unlikely to offer the best value for money.
The video shows Hisense TVs at CES 2025.
