TCL X925: Outrageous 8K TV

TCL has unveiled its new flagship 8K TCL X925 PRO TV. This is an 85-inch model with mini LED backlighting (OD Zero), HDMI 2.1 and 5.1.2 Dolby Atmos sound system from Onkyo. In this case, the X in the X925 series stands for “eXcellence”, i.e. impeccability. So TCL is positioning it as the best of the best TVs.

The 8K X925 Pro series TV features TCL’s OD Zero lighting, which now has no optical distance between the mini LEDs and the light distribution layer. This makes the panels very thin and brighter at the same time. This can only be achieved with mini LEDs, which are 700 times smaller than conventional LEDs. In the TCL 85X925PRO 4K HDR TV review, we will tell you about all the features of the new product.

TCL X925 Preview

Design

The appearance of the TCL 85X925 Pro TV is absolutely unique and futuristic. Thanks to the miniaturization of the backlight LEDs, the TV panel is no more than a centimeter thick. A thin frame made of matte duralumin at the bottom supports the protruding soundbar, and at the top – the screen itself, folded back for stability. The back support is a built-in subwoofer.

The inactive soundbar is covered with a metal panel with the Onkyo logo. When watching TV, the bezel slides down to reveal the sound emitters covered in stylish microfiber imitation leather. Of course, the X925 Pro series is not wall-mountable due to the nature of the speaker system.

Image quality

The X925 Pro TV is based on a VA matrix, which, unlike the  IPS panel itself, has a high contrast ratio. Approximately 100,000 blue mini LEDs are divided into 240 local dimming zones. With the ability to locally control the backlight intensity, this QLED panel is close to OLED in black depth. Typical contrast is 5000: 1 and brightness is 1800 nits.

This is especially useful for playing HDR content that is available in HLG, HDR10, HDR10 +, Dolby Vision formats. Supports Dolby Vision IQ , which enhances the look of Dolby-exclusive content by displaying more colors, increasing contrast and raising brightness levels. In addition, a built-in ambient light sensor intelligently optimizes content based on room brightness.

With this subtle dimming separation, the TCL X925 Pro also “combats” two major disadvantages of LCD technology. On the one hand, the black level on the panel is improved, and on the other hand, there is a significant reduction in clouding (clouding) around bright objects. Perhaps not at the OLED level, but at the 85-inch diagonal, “bloom” is noticeable only if you are looking for it or if critical content is played (the moon in a black sky).

Game functions

To prevent negative effects such as ghosting or streaking when watching moving content, the X925 PRO 8K is equipped with a 120Hz refresh rate panel. Live broadcasts of sports or games benefit from high frame rates that can be fully utilized with HDMI 2.1.

This means 4K @ 120Hz and 8K @ 60Hz content runs natively on the TCL X925 PRO and is supported by HDMI 2.1 features such as ALLM (Auto Low Latency Mode), VRR (Variable Refresh Rate ) and eARC (Enhanced Audio Return Channel) ). Returning uncompressed audio formats like Dolby Atmos over HDMI eARC will of course not be used as often – the model has an extensive integrated audio solution.

Sound quality

The 5.1.2 sound system is what truly makes the 85X925 Pro a true home theater. The speaker system supports Dolby Atmos, an audio reproduction technology that enables multidimensional audio that goes beyond channel limitations. The 25 speakers that make up the audio system deliver a total of 160 watts of sound power.

The subwoofer at the rear of the TCL X925 Pro alone, with its 7 liters “displacement”, delivers the bass frequencies you would expect from other TVs only from an external audio system. Fine tuning is the responsibility of the Onkyo specialists with whom TCL has worked for many years. Using the principle of reflection through the subwoofer plate, the sound of the side channels is reflected forward, greatly enhancing the surround effect.

Smart TV

Even when it comes to the operating system, TCL does nothing half-heartedly and ships the X925 Pro and the “little brothers” from the X925 series with the latest Google TV user interface (Android 10). Intuitive operation and support for over 7000 apps via Google PlayStore provide everything that can satisfy your audiovisual taste. Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, Disney +, Youtube are just a few examples.

As a feature of the TV, we must separately mention the Magic Camera. The included remote provides standard controls including voice commands via Google Assistant and Amazon Alexa. And Magic Camera also allows you to control using voice or gestures. The camera is convenient, for example, for video calls via Google Duo. And don’t panic: the camera lens will be covered when not in use. Its opening can be locked manually with a switch on the rear panel.

Connections

All ports on the flagship X925PRO TV face sideways for easy access. There are four HDMI connectors on board – 2 version 2.1, 2 more – version 2.0b. There is a USB 3.0 port for playing media files from external sources. In addition to the LAN connector, you can connect to the network using dual-band Wi-Fi.

There is a Bluetooth 5.2 connection. The sound can be output digitally through the optical audio output, or through the headphone minijack in analog form. There are sockets for terrestrial and satellite antennas.

Conclusion

In addition to a bright panel with high-quality local dimming, the TCL X925 Pro TV has a premium sound system from Onkyo. It is perhaps even more capable of taking content viewing into a whole other dimension. And the magic camera makes this model a good communication tool. These flagship TVs have the main drawback, perhaps, is the low availability due to the exorbitant price tag.

TCL X925 Pro specifications