What it gets right
- new colour technology bright-screen television at an aggressive price
- extra-smooth movement and automatic smoothing for games gaming
- a widely used film-picture format and a film-picture format+
- Onkyo 2.1 audio system
The compromises
- control over bright and dark parts of the picture zone control is not independently verified
- Budget processing may expose poor broadcasts
- Google television home screen is busy
- High listed features can hide uneven factory settings
Buy it—or leave it?
- Your budget is below £900
- Sport and gaming matter
- You want broad the extra brightness used by modern films support
- You need proven control over bright and dark parts of the picture quality
- Most viewing is poor-quality broadcast television
- You prefer a simpler smart interface
What would you like to do now?
Choose the route that matches how confident you feel. The free review stays free whichever route you choose.
Check today’s price
£849 for 65 inches
Confirm the exact model and screen size with the retailer before paying.
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01Picture quality
new colour technology bright-screen television should improve both brightness and black control over a basic screen technology with a light behind it model, while a widely used film-picture format and a film-picture format+ provide broad compatibility. The strict unknowns are zone count, halo suppression, colour accuracy and low-quality clean up older or poorer-quality programmes. A Movie or Filmmaker-style preset is likely the sensible starting point.
02Gaming and motion
an extra-smooth movement screen, automatic smoothing for games, automatic game setting and TCL's Game Bar make the P8L unusually ambitious at £849. The advertised 288Hz accelerator uses picture detail trade-offs and should not be confused with native high-detail at 288Hz. Console owners should focus on stable high-detail extra-smooth movement and input delay.
03Living with it
Google television provides a broad app catalogue and casting. The Onkyo 2.1 system should give dialogue and bass more weight than a basic two-speaker television, though it is not a replacement for real surround sound. The price leaves room for a later audio upgrade.
Price and value
The exact 65-inch TCL P8L was listed at £849 in the UK when we checked on 17 August 2026. That 65-inch price is used throughout this review and by the buying guide; a cheaper 55-inch version cannot improve its value score. Prices and promotions can change, so confirm the model number and final basket total before buying.
Price last checked 17 August 2026This price check is more than two weeks old. Use the retailer link for the latest price; this review is temporarily excluded from the buying finder until the price is refreshed.
Who will notice the difference?
Budget gaming room
extra-smooth, automatic smoothing for games and bright-screen television are unusually accessible here.
Daytime streaming
Brightness and quantum-dot colour should suit lively content.
Fussy film buyer
Wait for measured black, colour and motion results.
What else should you consider?
£849 · LG's QNED86 costs more but offers four advanced inputs, TCL's C8K has stronger independent evidence and basic screen technology with a light behind it televisions are cheaper. The P8L occupies the high-feature, evidence-pending value tier.
Our review process
This research-based review uses TCL's exact UK product listed features and 65-inch price. It explains Game Accelerator correctly and withholds finder eligibility because no dependable independent test of the exact P8L model was available.
Read our editorial standards