TCL Q77L Series 65Q77L 65"

The TCL Q77L Series 65Q77L is a 65-inch 4K QLED TV built for gamers on a budget. Its 144Hz native refresh rate, VRR, and HDMI 2.1 support deliver excellent gaming performance, and HDR support is top-tier. Overall picture quality and audio are mediocre, but at around $400 USD, this is a lot of gaming TV for the money.

The 144Hz native refresh rate is the star of the show here, and it's not just marketing fluff. With VRR, ALLM, and HDMI 2.1 support, this TV is built for high frame rate gaming. Our gaming score puts it in the 87th percentile, which translates to one of the better gaming TVs on the market right now. Motion Rate 480 with MEMC frame insertion helps smooth out fast action, and the Game Mode keeps input lag low enough that competitive players won't feel like they're fighting the display.

HDR is where this panel really shines. The HVA panel technology delivers contrast that's genuinely impressive for a non-OLED set, and the HDR score in the 95th percentile backs that up. Dolby Vision and HDR10+ both being supported means you're covered regardless of which streaming service or disc format you prefer. But here's the catch: overall picture quality sits at the 36th percentile. That's mediocre territory. The quantum dot layer helps with color volume, but the Direct LED backlight without local dimming means you'll see some blooming and less precise light control than you'd get from a mini-LED or OLED set. Sports viewing lands at 55.6 out of 100, which is about average, and streaming content scores 54.2, so this isn't the TV we'd recommend for movie night purists.

Against the Hisense U8 Series 65U8QG, the TCL Q77L holds its own on gaming specs but falls behind on overall picture quality. The Hisense uses mini-LED backlighting with local dimming, which gives it better contrast control and higher brightness for HDR content. The TCL's HVA panel does a solid job with contrast, but without local dimming, it can't match the precision of the Hisense. If you're mostly gaming, the TCL's 144Hz panel and lower price make it compelling. If you're splitting time between gaming and movie watching, the Hisense is worth the extra cash.

The LG OLED evo OLED55C5PUA is a different beast entirely. It's smaller at 55 inches and costs a lot more, but OLED delivers perfect blacks and pixel-level contrast that no QLED can match. The TCL wins on size and price, and its 144Hz refresh rate actually beats the LG for high frame rate gaming. But for pure picture quality, the OLED is in another league. The Samsung The Frame Pro LS03HW is more of a lifestyle product with its art mode and design focus, so it's really for a different buyer. The Roku Pro Series 55R8C5 is closer in spirit to the TCL, but it's smaller and doesn't offer the same gaming chops.

At $400 USD for a 65-inch QLED with a 144Hz panel, the value proposition is hard to ignore. You're getting gaming features that typically cost two or three times this much. The Hisense U8 Series 65U8QG and Sony BRAVIA 7 K65XR70 both offer better overall picture quality, but they also cost significantly more. If gaming is your primary use case and you want a big screen without emptying your wallet, this TCL delivers a lot of hardware for the money. Just know that you're trading away some picture refinement and audio quality to hit this price point.

The TCL Q77L Series 65Q77L is a 65-inch 4K QLED TV that sits in that interesting middle ground where gaming features punch way above the price tag, but some other areas feel a bit more budget-conscious. It's built around a high contrast HVA panel with quantum dot color, and TCL is leaning hard into the 144Hz native refresh rate as the headline feature. If you're shopping for a 65 inch TV that can keep up with a PS5 or Xbox Series X without costing OLED money, this one's on your radar.

We're looking at a Fire TV-powered set here, so Alexa is baked in, and you also get Apple AirPlay 2 for the iPhone crowd. HDR support is genuinely impressive on paper: Dolby Vision, HDR10+, HDR10, and HLG all make the list. The HDR performance lands in the 95th percentile of our database, which is the kind of result that makes us sit up and pay attention. But picture quality overall sits at the 36th percentile, so there's a gap between how this TV handles HDR content and how it handles everything else.

At around $400 USD, this is aggressively priced for a 65-inch QLED with a 144Hz panel. That's the kind of spec sheet that usually costs quite a bit more. The question is whether the compromises in other areas are worth the savings, and that's exactly what we're here to figure out.

Skip the TCL Q77L if you're a movie buff or care deeply about overall picture quality. The 36th percentile picture quality score and lack of local dimming mean this TV won't satisfy someone who notices blooming or wants the best possible HDR experience. If you're buying primarily for streaming and cinema content, the Hisense U8 Series 65U8QG or Sony BRAVIA 7 K65XR70 are better choices, though pricier. Also skip it if you rely on built-in audio, since the 38th percentile audio performance means you'll almost certainly want a soundbar. And if you need a TV for portable use, well, this 15,694 gram 65-inch panel isn't exactly going anywhere.

Should you buy the TCL Q77L Series 65Q77L? If you're a gamer who wants a big 65-inch screen with a 144Hz refresh rate, VRR, and HDMI 2.1 without spending a fortune, yes. This TV delivers gaming performance that's genuinely impressive for the price, and the HDR support is better than most sets in this bracket. The high contrast HVA panel helps with dark scenes, and the quantum dot layer keeps colors vibrant.

But if you're primarily a movie watcher or you care about overall picture quality, this isn't the best choice. The mediocre picture quality score and weak audio mean you'll want a soundbar, and the lack of local dimming holds back HDR performance in bright scenes. For mixed use, the Hisense U8 Series is a better all-rounder, just at a higher price. For pure gaming value, though, the TCL Q77L is tough to beat.