TCL 85C805K: A comprehensive review for the ultimate home viewing experience

Unlocking value and quality: TCL's latest 85-inch TV transforms your home into a cinema

TCL 85C805K 4K TV pictured from front on table showing water effects on screen
(Image: © What Hi-Fi?)
last updated May 22, 2024

Verdict

Although not at the level of a flagship, this generously sized and budget-friendly TCL TV exceeds expectations with its cinematic experience.

Pros

  • + Unbeatable price
  • + Vivid images
  • + Superb for gaming and videos

Cons

  • - Colors less vibrant
  • - Images may appear soft
  • - Missing some streaming services

Discover the incredible value and astonishing performance of the TCL 85C805K, a television that challenges industry norms and sets a new benchmark for affordable luxury. It's not just the eye-popping 85-inch display that sets it apart; it's the phenomenal price tag of £1575 (roughly $1970 / AU$2980) that turns heads and raises eyebrows.

The surprise doesn't stop with its size and price. The 85C805K brings to the table an exceptional viewing experience, demonstrating that TCL is not just about making large screens affordable but ensuring those screens deliver quality that exceeds expectations.

Get More Bang for Your Buck

Pinch yourself because it's real: snagging a colossal 85-inch screen, specifically the 85C805K model, is currently as wallet-friendly as £1575. This price is a steal compared to the chunkier tags on many mid-range 65-inch TVs, and it's astonishingly less than half the cost of the latest high-end 65-inch models from giants like LG and Samsung. But the 85C805K isn't just about its impressive size; this powerhouse of a panel offers far more than what meets the eye.

Let's emphasize the game-changing aspect of owning an 85-inch screen. Forget the usual 65-inch experience; this is your ticket to a nightly cinema-esque adventure right from the comfort of your living room. Considering the skyrocketing costs of cinema tickets, this is an unbeatable offer.

Given TCL's practice of varying model numbers by region, it's hardly a shock that the 85C805K remains elusive in the US and Australian markets.

TCL 85C805K 4K TV remote on TV stand with bottom of screen and TCL logo
(Image credit: What Hi-Fi?)

Design Overview

When you first lay eyes on the 85C805K, its grand size immediately captures your attention. It's a true behemoth that can take over any standard living space, turning into either the primary point of family gatherings or the star of an exclusive home theater. Its sheer presence commands attention, making it a focal point in any setting.

Despite its impressive dimensions, the 85C805K doesn't quite match up in build quality. The extensive use of plastic in its construction makes it lighter than expected, which is a silver lining for those concerned about installation and mounting logistics.

The aesthetics of the TV might not break new ground, but its size does. Encased in a glossy black bezel, it represents the affordable segment of the market without compromising on screen real estate. The back of the TV, somewhat bulky, hints at a more pragmatic design approach.

Convenience has been considered with the inclusion of a robust central base stand, eliminating the need for an extra-large TV console – a thoughtful touch for integrating such a large screen into your home effortlessly.

In a surprising twist, the remote control elevates the user experience. Its sleek, silver metallic design stands out against the more common budget-friendly options, adding a touch of sophistication to the overall package.

Revolutionizing Large Screen Viewing: The Surprising Excellence of the TCL 85C805K

At first glance, the TCL 85C805K might just seem like another value-packed TV offering a grand 85-inch display at an affordable price. But, delve a little deeper, and you'll discover it's so much more. This is not just any large-screen TV; it's a gateway to unparalleled cinematic experiences right in your living room.

Imagine having a screen that not only delivers 4K resolution but also brings to life the entire spectrum of HDR video. With support for HDR10, HLG, HDR10+, and Dolby Vision, the TCL 85C805K ensures you're getting the richest, most dynamic visuals, regardless of the content. This level of HDR compatibility is a rare find, even among the top-tier models from giants like LG, Samsung, or Sony.

The real surprise, however, lies in the technology behind the scenes. Unlike the common IPS panels, this TV boasts a VA panel, renowned for its superior contrast ratios. But that's not all. The TCL 85C805K steps it up with Mini LED backlighting and local dimming technology – features you'd typically expect from the most luxurious of televisions. And with an impressive 880 dimming zones, this TV is setting benchmarks well beyond its price range, offering deep blacks and vibrant colors without the common backlight bleeding issues.

Moreover, this TV is also breaking the mold with its native 120Hz refresh rate and Quantum Dot color technology. Covering an incredible 96% of the DCI-P3 color spectrum, the visuals are not just smooth; they're strikingly vivid and accurate. This superior performance is steered by TCL's AiPQ 3.0 Engine, a testament to the power of AI in enhancing picture quality, even on such an expansive display.

Connectivity is another area where the TCL 85C805K shines. With four HDMI ports, including two outfitted with the latest gaming tech like 4K/120Hz, VRR, and ALLM, gamers are in for a treat. This TV doesn't just play games; it elevates the gaming experience, slashing input lag and providing a peek into the gaming world via the intuitive Game Bar 2.0 menu.

Despite its avant-garde features, the TCL 85C805K encounters a hiccup with its smart system, missing some key UK broadcaster catch-up apps. However, TCL's commitment to customer satisfaction is clear—they offer a free Roku streaming stick to those missing these services, ensuring viewers have absolutely everything they need.

In conclusion, the TCL 85C805K is far more than its price tag suggests. It's a testament to TCL's commitment to delivering high-end features at a fraction of the cost, making premium viewing experiences accessible to everyone. This TV doesn't just meet expectations; it defines them.

TCL 85C805K 4K TV showing stand and bottom of screen
(Image credit: What Hi-Fi?)

Discover the Visual Marvel: TCL 85C805K Review

Imagine a screen so vast and vibrant, it feels like your very own private cinema. The TCL 85C805K does just that, exceeding expectations and delivering an experience that's as close to perfect as one could hope for from an affordably priced TV. It's not just big; it's smartly designed, producing an image quality that rivals and in some aspects surpasses, its pricier counterparts.

What sets this screen apart is its breathtaking brightness. It shines with peak HDR highlights and full-screen brightness that matches, and in some cases, outdoes the best mid-range and premium smaller LCD TVs. Even the most advanced OLED TVs struggle to keep up with the luminosity this TCL model offers. It's a beacon of brightness in the large-screen arena, rewriting the rules of what's expected at its price point.

However, it's not just about the light. The TCL 85C805K marries this astonishing brightness with deep, rich blacks thanks to its Mini LED technology and local dimming system. This dynamic range of contrast ensures that both the brightest and darkest parts of the picture are delivered with precision, creating a viewing experience that’s immersive and true-to-life.

Concerns of common LCD issues such as backlight clouding or blooming are significantly minimized, offering a clean, distraction-free view even in the darkest scenes. This control over blooming, especially, is a testament to TCL's commitment to quality, ensuring that the picture remains clear and coherent from any angle.

Color reproduction is another triumph for the TCL 85C805K. Its Quantum Dot color system ensures that images remain vibrant and full of life, countering the tendency of bright images to wash out. The accuracy and vibrancy of colors are consistent across the board, bringing a realism to the display that captures the imagination.

While no product is without its limits, this TCL model showcases a remarkable ability to deliver high-quality HDR effects, surpassing what many projectors can offer, especially in lit conditions. It’s an ideal choice for any setting, offering flexibility without compromise on performance.

The TV does face challenges in terms of ultra-refinement in imagery compared to some premium models, evident in slight motion blur and upscaling of sub-4K content. However, its performance in gaming is notably impressive, providing a fluid, dynamic, and immersive experience that's hard to beat, especially with the allure of an 85-inch display.

In essence, the TCL 85C805K represents a feat of visual engineering, offering a consistently enjoyable and high-quality viewing experience across all content. It stands as a robust, value-packed option for those seeking cinematic immersion without breaking the bank.

Sound

Teaming up with the acclaimed audio experts at Onkyo, the 85C805K television brings an impressive audio performance with its 2.0-channel speaker system, boasting a robust 30W power output. The collaboration aims to elevate your visual experience with a soundscape that surprisingly stretches beyond the physical edges of the TV, creating an immersive viewing atmosphere without appearing forced or disjointed.

The brilliance of this system lies in its balanced soundstage, where dialogue and pivotal sound effects maintain a central focus, ensuring clarity and coherence. Ambient sounds and off-screen effects gracefully complement the primary audio, enhancing the overall sensory experience without overwhelming the core essence of your favorite shows or movies.

While experiencing Dolby Atmos soundtracks, the 85C805K subtly layers different sound effects, with a distinct separation between the score and ambient sounds, creating a rich, dimensional audio landscape. Voices retain their crispness and clarity, even amidst bustling background scenes, mitigating the common issue of dialogue seeming disconnected from the on-screen action—a frequent challenge with larger television models.

However, despite its commendable midrange reach and clarity, the 85C805K could benefit from a boost in bass to match its otherwise expansive sound. Additionally, similar to its visual performance, the audio occasionally lacks the finesse one might expect, with some sounds coming across as slightly rough around the edges.

TCL 85C805K 4K TV side/rear angle showing connections
(Image credit: What Hi-Fi?)

Verdict

Despite its budget-friendly price, comparable to some 55-inch TVs, the TCL 85C805K delivers an enormous impact with its 85-inch display, boasting top-notch gaming features and a viewing experience that's both cinematic and immersive in nature. It's an ideal scenario for home cinema enthusiasts seeking high-caliber entertainment without breaking the bank.

TCL 85C805K 4K TV slight angle on wooden dining table
(Image credit: What Hi-Fi?)
TCL 85C805K 4K TV slight angle on dining table showing aircraft on screen
(Image credit: What Hi-Fi?)
TCL 85C805K 4K TV bottom corner of TV showing Onkyo branding
(Image credit: What Hi-Fi?)
TCL 85C805K 4K TV on wooden dining table showing Google TV OS on screen
(Image credit: What Hi-Fi?)
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