TCL QM6K

The TCL QM6K closes out this list not because it's a bad TV, but because it's an honestly entry-level one wearing the mini-LED name at a genuinely budget price. TechRadar measured 700 nits on a 10% HDR window on the US 65-inch model — the lowest measured brightness of any TV here, roughly a sixth of the Sony Bravia 9 II's measured 3,990-nit peak — and its claimed 500 zones, among the sparsest backlights on this list and second only to the LG QNED92A's 486, mean visible blooming is a real and expected tradeoff, not an occasional flaw. Reviewers who cover the segment tend to frame it as delivering most of the flagship mini-LED experience at half the price, which is a fair characterization as long as buyers understand exactly which half is missing: contrast punch and peak brightness, not the core gaming and smart-platform feature set. What the QM6K gets right is real and worth crediting: it's a genuine mini-LED backlight, not a conventional edge-lit LED panel dressed up in mini-LED marketing, running at a proper 144Hz native refresh with HDMI 2.1 VRR and ALLM support — gaming features that are rare at this price point and that put it ahead of plenty of non-mini-LED TVs costing the same money. HDR10+ is supported, though notably Dolby Vision is not, the same format gap that also affects the pricier Samsung QN90F. Google TV handles the smart-platform side capably. Sound is base TCL audio with no premium tuning — the weakest built-in speaker system on this list; even the QM7K's 40W Bang & Olufsen-tuned 2.2 setup is a clear step up. At $649.99 list, often found between $500 and $800 by sale, the QM6K is the clear budget pick for anyone who wants an authentic mini-LED backlight and legitimate 144Hz gaming without flagship money — just go in with realistic expectations about blooming and peak brightness.