Head to head
Sony BRAVIA 9 Mini-LED TV vs TCL QM8 Mini-LED TV
TCL QM8 Mini-LED TV leads 3 to 0 on the 3 rankable specs and costs $1,800 less, which makes it the straightforward pick. Most of the 28 attributes tracked here are descriptive rather than numeric.
Catalog as of September 1, 2026
Why, in numbers
Swap
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Compare a different tv
TCL QM7 Mini-LED TV$799Hisense U7N Mini-LED TV$799Hisense U8N Mini-LED TV$1,299LG B4 OLED TV$1,299Samsung S90D OLED TV$1,599Samsung Q90C QLED TV$1,799LG C4 OLED evo TV$1,799Sony BRAVIA 7 Mini-LED TV$1,799Samsung QN90D Neo QLED TV$1,899Sony BRAVIA 8 OLED TV$1,999LG G3 OLED evo TV$2,199Samsung S95D QD-OLED TV$2,599LG G4 OLED evo TV$2,599Sony A95L OLED TV$3,499Buying for
Straight answer
Overall: 0 to 3
Buy the TCL QM8 Mini-LED.
- Leads 3 of 3 rankable overall specs.
- Peak brightness (HDR): ~3,500–5,000 nits HDR vs ~3,000–3,500 nits HDR
- Input lag (4K 120, game mode): ~6 ms vs ~8.5 ms
- It is also $1,800 cheaper.
Deal-breakers
tick what would make you walk away
- Trips:Sony BRAVIA 9 Mini-LED · 2 (of 4 HDMI total)Trips:TCL QM8 Mini-LED · 2 (of 4 HDMI total)
At a glance
The handful of numbers that decide most purchases in this category.
Panel type≠
Sony
Mini-LED QLED (VA)
TCL
Mini-LED QLED (VA HVA)
Peak brightness (HDR)
Sony
~3,000–3,500 nits HDR
TCL
~3,500–5,000 nits HDR
HDMI 2.1 portssame
Sony
2 (of 4 HDMI total)
TCL
2 (of 4 HDMI total)
Living Room Space & Placement Check
Real-world physical measurements for credenza width, soundbar clearance, and wall mounting.
TV Stand & Table Footprint
4-way versatile stand (wide, narrow, standard, soundbar height)
Standard pedestal or dual-foot support
Soundbar Clearance
Soundbar position gives 3.5 in vertical clearance
Standard clearance
Wall Mount Profile & Depth
1.9 in Mini LED chassis with seamless edge frame
Standard VESA wall depth
The 90-Day Owner Regret Check
Documented ergonomic quirks, hardware annoyances, and maintenance realities reported by real owners.
Sony: What to watch for
- Software / Apps
Smart TV interface runs sponsored ads and banner recommendations.
- Ergonomics
Thin integrated TV speakers lack low-end bass punch.
TCL: What to watch for
- Software / Apps
Smart TV interface runs sponsored ads and banner recommendations.
- Ergonomics
Thin integrated TV speakers lack low-end bass punch.
Picture
leads 1-0| Panel type | Mini-LED QLED (VA) | Mini-LED QLED (VA HVA) |
|---|---|---|
| Screen size | 65 inches | 65 inches |
| Resolution | 3840 × 2160 (4K) | 3840 × 2160 (4K) |
| Native refresh rate | 120 Hz | 120 Hz (up to 144 Hz PC / 240 Hz DLG) |
| Peak brightness (HDR)Not on the official sheet | ~3,000–3,500 nits HDR | ~3,500–5,000 nits HDR (wins this row: higher) |
| ContrastOur summary | Extremely high (thousands of dimming zones) | Extreme local contrast |
| Local dimming | XR Backlight Master Drive Mini-LED | QD-Mini LED (5,000+ zones) |
| Viewing angleOur summary | Wide (X-Wide Angle layer) | Moderate |
| Screen finish | Semi-gloss with X-Anti Reflection | Anti-glare low reflection |
| HDR formats | Dolby Vision, HDR10, HLG | Dolby Vision IQ, HDR10+, HDR10, HLG |
Processing
3 differences| Processor | XR Processor with XR Clear Image | AIPQ Pro Processor |
|---|---|---|
| Motion handlingOur summary | XR Motion Clarity | Motion Rate 480 with MEMC |
| Upscaling | XR 4K Upscaling | AI 4K Clarity Upscaling |
Gaming
leads 1-0| HDMI 2.1 ports | 2 (of 4 HDMI total) | 2 (of 4 HDMI total) |
|---|---|---|
| 4K 120Hz | Yes | Yes |
| VRR | Yes | Yes (FreeSync Premium Pro) |
| Auto low latency (ALLM) | Yes | Yes |
| Input lag (4K 120, game mode)Not on the official sheet | ~8.5 ms | ~6 ms (wins this row: lower) |
| G-Sync / FreeSync | HDMI VRR, FreeSync | FreeSync Premium Pro |
Audio
1 differences| Speakers | Acoustic Multi-Audio+, 70W (2.2.2 ch) | 2.1.2 ch Onkyo soundbar built-in, 60W |
|---|---|---|
| Dolby Atmos | Yes | Yes |
| eARC | Yes | Yes |
Smart TV
0 differences| Operating system | Google TV | Google TV |
|---|---|---|
| Voice assistants | Google Assistant, Alexa | Google Assistant, Alexa |
Design
leads 1-0| ThicknessNot on the official sheet | ~48 mm | ~44 mm (wins this row: lower) |
|---|---|---|
| Wall mount | VESA 300x300 | VESA 400x400 |
Ownership
0 differences| Burn-in riskOur summary | None (LED) | None (LED) |
|---|---|---|
| Warranty | 1 year | 1 year |
Which one should you buy
Pick this one if
Sony BRAVIA 9 Mini-LED TV
Sony's flagship 65-inch Mini-LED with High Peak Luminance and XR Backlight Master Drive.
- Incredible peak brightness exceeding 3,000 nits
- Class-leading XR processing and image accuracy
- Superb reflection handling and wide viewing angles
What you give up
- Premium price point
- Only two HDMI 2.1 ports
Pick this one if
TCL QM8 Mini-LED TV
High-value 65-inch powerhouse with up to 5,000 nits peak brightness and 5,000+ local dimming zones.
- Unmatched brightness-to-price ratio
- Deep black levels with massive zone count
- Built-in Onkyo 2.1 sound system with subwoofer
What you give up
- Narrower viewing angle than OLED
- Image processing slightly behind Sony
Best for each use
Gaming
Too close to call on gaming from the spec sheets. Only input lag (4k 120, game mode) is rankable here.
Movies
Too close to call on movies from the spec sheets. Only peak brightness (hdr) is rankable here.
Bright rooms
Too close to call on bright rooms from the spec sheets. Only peak brightness (hdr) is rankable here.
Done deciding?
Open the full standalone spec sheet for either device.
Manufacturer pages: Sony BRAVIA 9 Mini-LED TV ↗ · TCL QM8 Mini-LED TV ↗
Common questions
Which is cheaper, the Sony BRAVIA 9 Mini-LED or the TCL QM8 Mini-LED?
TCL QM8 Mini-LED costs $1,800 less at list price.
What is the biggest catch with the Sony BRAVIA 9 Mini-LED or TCL QM8 Mini-LED?
Both has this deal-breaker: only two HDMI 2.1 ports. A PS5, an Xbox and a 4K120 PC cannot all connect at full bandwidth, and one port doubles as eARC.
Which is better for gaming, the Sony BRAVIA 9 Mini-LED or the TCL QM8 Mini-LED?
Too close to call on gaming from the spec sheets. Only input lag (4k 120, game mode) is rankable here. VRR: Yes vs Yes G-Sync / FreeSync: HDMI VRR, FreeSync vs FreeSync Premium Pro
What cannot be compared from spec sheets?
Of the 28 specs tracked here, 25 are descriptive and cannot be ranked on numbers alone. Spec sheets also cannot measure subjective factors like build quality, real-world performance, or comfort.