The Sony Bravia 8 Mark II meets
the TCL QM6K
The reference display disguised as a consumer TV. We tested it head-to-head against the TCL QM6K ($500) across 7 key dimensions.
Head-to-Head Breakdown
Strengths & Weaknesses
Sony Bravia 8 Mark II
- HDTVTest's blind shootout winner: closest to a $30,000 reference monitor in color accuracy and near-black handling
- Cognitive XR processor is reference-level according to RTINGS, upscales 720p cable and removes macro-blocking without losing detail
- Acoustic Surface audio projects sound from the screen itself, eliminating the need for a soundbar in many rooms (B The Installer)
- Dimmest flagship OLED tested by RTINGS, drops to 224 nits full-screen SDR, struggles in bright rooms
- Only 2 HDMI 2.1 ports (one doubles as eARC), capped at 120Hz, and screen dims noticeably in Game Mode
- Only available in 55-inch and 65-inch sizes, no 75" or 77" option for larger rooms
TCL QM6K
- The Viewing Angle called it their 'most pleasant surprise of the year'. Mini-LED, quantum dots, and 144Hz gaming for around $500
- Supports both Dolby Vision and HDR10+, covering every streaming service and disc format without compromise
- Skin tones impressed The Viewing Angle so much they ran a blind test with a $1,400 Sony, the TCL won with their spouse
- VA panel means narrow viewing angles, colors fade quickly if you're not sitting dead center (Audioviser)
- Blooming around bright objects on dark backgrounds is noticeable in HDR movie scenes (Stop the FOMO)
- Processing can't match premium sets, upscaled old content and low-bitrate streams look rougher than on Sony or LG
The Verdict
Our Bottom Line
The Sony Bravia 8 Mark II won HDTVTest's annual shootout by outscoring every other TV in a blind comparison against a $30,000 Sony BVM reference monitor. That test measured color accuracy across scenes from Knives Out, La La Land, and 1917, and the Bravia 8 II aligned closest to the reference display in every category: white color gamut, HDR10 color fidelity, and 1,000-nit tone mapping.
Sony Bravia 8 Mark II
The Sony Bravia 8 Mark II won HDTVTest's annual shootout by outscoring every other TV in a blind comparison against a $30,000 Sony BVM reference monitor. That test measured color accuracy across scenes from Knives Out, La La Land, and 1917, and the Bravia 8 II aligned closest to the reference display in every category: white color gamut, HDR10 color fidelity, and 1,000-nit tone mapping.
- You watch movies in a dark or light-controlled home theater and care about accurate shadow detail and color
- You stream a lot of lower-quality content (cable, older shows) and want it cleaned up to near-4K quality
- You value Sony's Google TV interface and Acoustic Surface speakers enough to skip buying a soundbar
- You prioritize cinematic accuracy over raw brightness and don't need a screen larger than 65 inches
- You don't game seriously or are fine using a separate gaming monitor for competitive play
TCL QM6K
The TCL QM6K forced The Viewing Angle to reframe their expectations for budget displays. They called it their "most pleasant surprise of the year" and ran a blind test: their spouse preferred the QM6K's skin tones over a $1,400 Sony. For around $500 at 65 inches, you get genuine Mini-LED backlighting with quantum dots, 144Hz native refresh, and support for both Dolby Vision and HDR10+. Three years ago, these specs lived in the $1,500 tier.
- Your budget is under $700 and you want the most TV possible for the money at 65 or 75 inches
- You watch in a daylight-heavy living room where Mini-LED brightness fights glare effectively
- You game on console or PC and want 144Hz, VRR, and both FreeSync and G-Sync at this price
- You want full HDR format coverage. Dolby Vision and HDR10+, without compromise
- You're upgrading from a 4-5 year old TV and will be blown away by the leap in picture quality