TCL A65K vs TCL Q85H
Get the TCL Q85H. Unless you have no room for rear speakers: then the slim A65K.
TCL A65K
A very slim 3.1.2 Dolby Atmos bar tuned by Bang & Olufsen, with a wireless sub. Good for smaller rooms; surround is weak.
TCL Q85H
A 7.1.4 Dolby Atmos system with a sub and two rear speakers, for much less than the big names.
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For about the same money in the US, the Q85H gives you a bar, a sub and two rear speakers for real 7.1.4 surround and overhead sound, and it gets loud with clear dialogue. The A65K is a slim 3.1.2 bar with a sub; its surround and height effects are weak.
- —You have no space behind the sofa.
- —You want something small and tidy.
- —Your room is small.
- —You want real surround sound.
- —You watch lots of action films.
- —You have space for rear speakers.
Key differences
Pros and cons
- +Very slim bar with a wireless sub
- +Real up-firing Atmos drivers, tuned by Bang & Olufsen
- +Room tuning with your phone
- −Surround and overhead effects are weak.
- −Some music sounds washed out and muddy.
- −Voices can drown under film music until you raise the centre level.
- −Bluetooth only: no Wi-Fi, and an old USB-A port.
- +7.1.4 surround with a sub and rears
- +Real overhead Atmos from up-firing drivers
- +Room correction and clear dialogue
- −Wireless is Bluetooth and AirPlay 2 only, with no voice assistant.
- −Audio lags over optical; use HDMI eARC.
- −It plays stereo music through every speaker, rears included.
- −The sound tweaks are fairly basic.
- Is the TCL A65K worth it?
- Is the TCL Q85H worth it?
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How we reached this verdict
We compared independent expert reviews with the manufacturer's specifications, then checked it's sold at a major retailer where you live. We don't test products ourselves.
Sources: RTINGS, What Hi-Fi, What Hi-Fi, manufacturer specifications.