Updated 21 Oct 2026
Is the TCL C7L worth it?
Yes — the best-value big TV of 2026.
It gets brighter than anything else at its price, keeps blacks deep with little blooming, and its colours look rich but natural, both in the punchy Standard mode and the accurate Filmmaker Mode. It's a strong gaming TV at up to 144Hz. Only two of its four HDMI ports are full HDMI 2.1, the glossy screen shows reflections from a lamp opposite, and its Eco settings can quietly dim the picture until you switch them off.
Good to know
- Eco settings dim the picture out of the box; turn them off in the energy menu.
- Only two of the four HDMI ports do 4K at 144Hz.
- The glossy screen reflects lamps facing it.
- Built-in sound is wide and loud but light on bass.
- Brighter than anything else at its price
- Deep blacks with little blooming
- 4K 144Hz gaming and Dolby Vision
We earn a commission from these links.
Get it if…
- You want a big, bright, cinematic picture for far less than an OLED.
- Your room gets daylight but you also watch films at night.
- You game on a PS5, Xbox or PC.
Skip it if…
- You have more than two consoles to plug in.
- A lamp or window sits right opposite the screen.
- People sit well off to the sides: blooming shows more from an angle.
More on the TCL C7L
How we reached this verdict
What Hi-Fi rates it five stars for picture: unmatched brightness and contrast at £1,199 for 65 inches, natural colours in every mode and strong gaming, with only two full HDMI 2.1 ports, confusing Eco settings and occasional backlight blooming against it. It calls it arguably the best all-round value TV of the year, as the C7K was before it.
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: What Hi-Fi, TCL (specs), RTINGS, TechRadar, Tom's Guide, Expert Reviews, Trusted Reviews, manufacturer specifications.
Updated 21 Oct 2026How we decide