TCL took advantage of CES 2025 to unveil several major innovations that will revolutionize the field of TVs and gaming displays. The Chinese manufacturer is counting on a new LCD panel technology and its latest generation of mini LED backlighting to gain the upper hand over its main competitors. TCL also intends to make its mark on the gaming monitor market with its very first models equipped with an Inkjet Printed OLED panel. The manufacturer also presented two compact projectors, which will be officially launched at the forthcoming MWC.
Number two in the global TV market for the second year running in 2024, the Chinese giant also ranks second on the podium of LCD panel manufacturers, via its subsidiary TCL CSOT. Thanks to the TCL Pangu Lab, its R&D laboratory, TCL is constantly innovating to improve its top-of-the-range QD-Mini LED TVs, and offer XXL screens measuring 75″, 85″ and 98″ in all its 2025 TV ranges.
HVA: the best LCD TV panel ever produced
TCL announces the integration of a brand-new HVA panel technology in 80% of its QLED and QD-Mini LED 2025 TV catalog. Combining the best of VA (Vertical Alignment) and IPS (In Plane Switching) LCD panels, they can block more light when the LCD cells close, to offer a static contrast ratio of up to 7,000:1, five times greater than competing LCD panels.
These HVA panels offer deeper blacks, better uniformity and better contrast than VA panels, while ensuring wider viewing angles than IPS panels. This new generation of LCD screens, for which TCL CSOT holds all the patents, is so powerful that it should soon be at the heart of competing Mini LED TVs!
Brighter, more precise Mini LEDs
TCL engineers also unveiled a new generation of Super High Energy LED chips that are both brighter (+53%) and more energy-efficient (+10%). They are combined with a new micro-lens using specially formulated optical materials to ensure more precise light control. The optical distance between the mini LEDs and the panel has also been reduced to virtually eliminate blooming. The contours of the various in the image are displayed with clear, sharp edges, even between the brightest white and the darkest black. The manufacturer claims a 143% improvement in backlight uniformity and an 18% improvement in blooming control.
Colors that are even more vivid
TCL’s new 2025 TVs feature its new Quantum Dot technology, with higher-performance quantum crystals with a longer lifespan. Capable of rendering over a billion colors, they enable equipped TVs to cover up to 98% of the DCI-P3 color gamut, and ensure up to 100,000 hours of high-quality viewing. A new color optimization algorithm also makes its appearance to ensure that the new TCL TVs make the most of all this colorimetric richness. Note that QLED technology will be present on virtually all TCL 2025 TV ranges.
Partnerships with B&O for sound and Google Gemini for AI
Initiated on the TCL NXTFrame A300 Pro range of Lifestyle TVs, the partnership with Bang & Olufsen is continuing in 2025. High-end TCL TVs and soundbars, as well as mid-range TCL TVs, now benefit from an audio section designed and optimized by the Danish brand.
As Smart TV features, the Chinese manufacturer renews its confidence in the Google TV system and now integrates the Gemini assistant to improve content search and recommendations according to different user profiles.
Printed OLED monitors
Today, TCL CSOT is the only manufacturer to master the production of OLED panels using inkjet printing (InkJet Printed OLED, or IJP OLED), and it’s determined to let everyone know! The company has presented several monitors, including a 21.6″ IJP OLED 4K professional display and a 27″ 120Hz 4K IJP OLED gaming monitor.
Currently reserved for monitors and small screens (tablets, smartphones), IJP OLED technology is expected to be incorporated into the first TCL TVs in 2026, starting with 43″ and 50″ models. By 2027, the manufacturer should be able to offer a full range of IJP OLED TVs, with 55″, 65″ and even 75″ models. The aim is to offer IJP OLED TVs with picture quality that’s equal to or better than QD-OLED TVs, at prices similar to conventional OLED TVs.
2025: the year of TCL projectors!
Compact and connected projectors have been on a roll for several years now, and TCL intends to make a name for itself in this field! The manufacturer plans to launch two models in 2025, the first of which will be officially launched at the next MWC.
Called TCL PlayCube in the U.S. (the name may be different in Europe), this portable HD projector is designed for indoor and outdoor use, and features a rechargeable battery. It’s made up of two modules that swivel together like a Rubik’s Cube, allowing it to be tilted if required. It offers HDMI and USB connectors, as well as WiFi, Bluetooth and Google Cast. No price has yet been announced.
Another model could be presented at MWC next February, with more high-end specifications. We don’t know whether it will be a Full HD or 4K model, but it would offer more cinema-like pictures, and feature a 16-watt Dolby-compatible audio section. To be continued!
Summary
Chinese manufacturer TCL once again demonstrated its commitment to technological innovation at CES 2025. With its new HVA panels, improvements in Mini LED and Quantum Dot backlighting, and an audio partnership with Bang & Olufsen, TCL is pushing the boundaries of picture and sound quality for its TVs. The integration of Google TV with Gemini also promises an even more intelligent and personalized user experience.
The manufacturer’s breakthrough in inkjet-printed OLED technology paves the way for a new generation of potentially more affordable and high-performance displays. Last but not least, the brand’s entry into the compact projector market shows just how competitive it is, and seems to promise a year of new releases in a fast-growing sector.
