TCL Q77K Review: Costco QLED TV Worth Your Money in 2026?

Do you want a big 4K TV without spending a lot? The TCL Q77K might have caught your eye at Costco. A 65 inch QLED with a 144Hz screen and Dolby Vision for about $400 sounds almost too good to be true.

Reviews of this TV are split. Some owners say it looks close to an OLED after a few setting changes. Expert testers say it has real weak spots in HDR and bright rooms.

This review covers the good parts, the bad parts and the details most people miss. By the end, you will know if the Q77K suits your room, your habits and your budget.

In a Nutshell

• What it is: The TCL Q77K is a 2025 entry level 4K QLED TV, sold only at Costco in North America. It comes in sizes from 55 to 85 inches and runs Google TV.
• Best feature: You get a native 144Hz refresh rate, up to 288Hz at 1080p, and four HDMI 2.1 ports with VRR and ALLM. Most TVs at this price stop at 60Hz.
• Biggest weakness: It has no local dimming, so blacks look grayish in dark scenes. HDR highlights also lack punch, and the glossy screen reflects a lot of light.
• Great value extras: The Costco bundle gives you 5 years of total coverage plus a 90 day return window. That gives you a lot of peace of mind for a budget TV.
• Price check: At the time of writing, the 55 inch costs about $349.99 and the 65 inch about $399.99 at Costco. Sales have pushed these prices even lower in the past.
• Who should buy it: It suits bedrooms, dim living rooms, casual gamers and anyone upgrading from an old 60Hz TV. Movie fans and bright room viewers should look at a Mini LED model instead.

What Is the TCL Q77K?

The TCL Q77K is a budget 4K QLED TV that TCL released in early 2025. In North America, you can only buy it through Costco, in warehouses or online.

TCL sells it in 55, 65, 75 and 85 inch sizes. All sizes share the same main features, so this review applies to each one.

The Q77K uses an HVA panel with a direct lit backlight. HVA is TCL’s version of a VA panel, and VA panels usually give better contrast than IPS panels.

The TV has no local dimming, and this matters a lot. Local dimming lets a TV dim parts of the screen while other parts stay bright. Without it, the Q77K lights the whole screen at one level.

TCL makes up for this with a long feature list. The Q77K supports Dolby Vision, HDR10+, HDR10 and HLG. It also has a 144Hz native refresh rate, which is rare for a TV in this price range.

Think of the Q77K as a TV with a fast engine and a basic frame. Its gaming and smart features feel modern, but its picture is still entry level.

Rtings called it “surprisingly feature packed for the price.” Many owners agree, and most say it beats the old 60Hz TVs it replaced.

TCL Q77K Key Specs

Here are the main specs for the 55 inch model, taken from Costco’s listing. Larger sizes share the same features and only differ in size and weight.

Display: 4K UHD (3840 x 2160) QLED screen with an HVA panel and direct lit backlight. There is no local dimming.

Refresh rate: 144Hz native at 4K and up to 288Hz at 1080p. Costco lists Motion Rate 480 with MEMC frame insertion.

HDR formats: Dolby Vision, HDR10+, HDR10, HLG and TCL’s HDR Pro+. Few budget TVs support both Dolby Vision and HDR10+.

Inputs: Four HDMI 2.1 ports with ALLM and VRR. Ports 1 and 2 run 4K at 144Hz, and port 4 supports eARC for soundbars.

Other ports: Two USB ports and one digital optical audio output. It also has an ATSC 1.0 tuner for antenna TV.

Smart platform: Google TV with WiFi 5 and Bluetooth. It works with Alexa, Google Assistant and Apple HomeKit.

Audio: 20W speakers on the 55 inch model. They are fine for news and shows but are not built for movie nights.

Size and weight (55 inch): 48.2 x 27.9 x 2.7 inches without the stand. It weighs only 24.3 pounds and uses a 300 x 300 VESA mount.

On paper, this spec sheet looks like it belongs on a TV costing twice as much. The real question is how these specs hold up in daily use.

Design and Build Quality

The Q77K has a clean and simple design. The bezels are thin, so the picture fills most of the front of the TV.

The 55 inch model is 2.7 inches deep and weighs about 24 pounds. One person can move it, though two people make setup safer.

The stand uses feet placed near the edges of the TV. Measure your TV stand before you buy, because the bigger sizes need a wide surface.

Wall mounting is easy with the 300 x 300 VESA pattern on the 55 inch. Many common mounts fit this pattern without adapters.

The body is mostly plastic, which is normal at this price. It does not feel premium, but it feels solid enough for daily use.

The ports sit on the back and side, so cables are easy to reach. The backlit voice remote is a nice extra, since it helps you find buttons in a dark room.

The screen has a glossy finish. It looks rich in a dark room but turns into a mirror near lamps or windows. We cover this more in the HDR and brightness section.

Overall, the design will not wow you, but it does not get in the way either. It is a quiet and modern TV that fits most rooms.

Top 3 Alternative for TCL Q77K

The Q77K is not on Amazon, and some buyers want better HDR anyway. These three TVs fix the Q77K’s biggest weakness by adding Mini LED local dimming.

TCL QM6K

Last update on 2026-10-17 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API

The TCL QM6K is the most natural step up. It has the same 144Hz refresh rate and gaming features as the Q77K, but it adds Mini LED local dimming.

Rtings calls the QM6K significantly better than the Q77K. It gets much brighter and gives HDR scenes far more punch. It usually costs only $100 to $150 more.

TCL QM7K

Last update on 2026-10-17 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API

The TCL QM7K is a big jump in picture quality. Rtings praises its fantastic contrast, very bright SDR image and good handling of reflections.

It adds an anti reflective screen and Bang & Olufsen audio. It costs much more than the Q77K, but it suits people who watch a lot of movies in bright rooms.

Hisense U7 (65U75QG)

Last update on 2026-10-17 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API

The Hisense U7 is a strong pick for gamers. It offers a native 165Hz refresh rate, Mini LED full array local dimming and Dolby Vision.

Hisense rates its peak brightness at up to 3000 nits. That makes it a better choice for sunny rooms where the Q77K struggles.

Picture Quality and Colors

The Q77K gives you a sharp 4K picture that looks good with most everyday content. Streaming shows, YouTube and sports look clean and detailed.

The HVA panel offers decent native contrast for an LCD. In a dim room, the picture looks deeper than on most cheap IPS TVs.

The missing local dimming still shows up. In dark movie scenes, blacks look slightly gray instead of truly black. One owner who compared it with a QM7K said blacks looked like “lots of grays.”

Colors look vivid with cartoons, nature shows and games. The QLED layer helps colors pop more than a basic LED TV.

Still, the color range is not very wide. An Rtings reviewer explained that the Q77K uses a cheaper type of quantum dot for greens and a different method for reds. That limits how rich deep HDR colors can get.

Upscaling works well. Cable TV and 1080p streams look clean, though very low quality video still shows some blur.

Real owner feedback is mostly positive. Many people coming from 5 to 10 year old TVs call the upgrade huge. One owner who also has an LG C1 OLED said the Q77K looks close to OLED in games after tuning.

Our take: the picture is very good for the price, but it is not near OLED quality for movies.

HDR, Brightness and Reflections

HDR is the Q77K’s weakest area. The TV supports every major HDR format, but supporting a format differs from showing it well.

Good HDR needs bright highlights and dark shadows at the same time. Without local dimming, the Q77K cannot boost a bright spot while keeping the rest of the screen dark.

An Rtings reviewer put it simply. On the Q77K, bright highlights in a movie like Avatar 2 have the same brightness as everything else, because the backlight stays fixed.

Brightness is also modest. Owners say HDR scenes can look too dark with stock settings. Changing the color temperature to Warm 5 and raising brightness helps a lot.

Reflections are the second big problem. Rtings calls the Q77K a sub par choice for a bright room because the glossy coating does little to stop direct reflections.

One owner returned a 75 inch Q77K because lamps and windows showed up in dark scenes. He switched to a model with an anti reflective screen.

Here is a simple rule. If your room is dark or dim, the Q77K looks great. If sunlight hits the screen during the day, you will notice glare.

So check your room before you buy. Your lighting matters as much as the TV itself.

Viewing Angles

Viewing angles are a pleasant surprise on the Q77K. VA style panels usually lose color and contrast when you sit off to the side.

The Q77K does better than expected. Rtings gave it a 6.9 viewing angle score, which is higher than the 6.4 score of the more expensive QM6K.

How can a cheaper TV win here? An Rtings reviewer explained that simpler TVs sometimes spread light wider. The LCD layer sits closer to the screen surface, with fewer layers in front.

In real life, this means people on the edge of a sofa still get a decent picture. Colors fade a little at wide angles, but not badly.

This makes the Q77K a good fit for family rooms. Kids on the floor, parents on the couch and guests in side chairs can all watch together.

A YouTube reviewer also said its viewing angle is “better than it should be” for the price.

It still does not match an OLED or a good IPS screen. Even so, for a budget VA TV, the viewing angle is a real strength, not a weakness.

Gaming Performance

For gamers, the Q77K has a feature list you rarely see at this price. It supports 4K at 144Hz and 1080p at up to 288Hz.

Two HDMI ports handle 4K 144Hz, and all four HDMI 2.1 ports support VRR and ALLM. VRR stops screen tearing, and ALLM switches the TV to Game Mode on its own.

Input lag is very low. In the Rtings comparison, the Q77K even scored higher than the QM6K for input lag.

Owners report smooth play on the PS5, PS5 Pro and Xbox Series X. One owner played Assassin’s Creed Shadows in balanced mode and said it ran like a dream.

There is a catch. Rtings rated it mediocre for gaming overall, despite all the features. Some owners notice motion blur in fast scenes and dark game worlds.

The weak HDR also affects games. Night scenes can look dark in HDR mode, so you may need to adjust brightness or color temperature.

Owners advise turning on the faster frame mode option in game settings. Also turn off extra motion processing for a cleaner image.

For casual and competitive players on a budget, the Q77K is a great value. For HDR showcase games, a Mini LED TV will look better.

Smart Features and Sound

The Q77K runs Google TV, one of the best smart platforms right now. You get easy access to Netflix, YouTube, Disney+, Prime Video and many more apps.

Google TV shows your favorite shows and suggestions on one home screen. You do not need to jump between apps to find something to watch.

Most owners say the menus feel snappy. One owner called the Q77K “very snappy” and not sluggish at all, even when switching inputs.

The backlit voice remote lets you search with your voice. The TV also works with Google Assistant, Alexa and Apple HomeKit, so it fits most smart homes.

Built in Chromecast lets you send videos from your phone to the TV. Bluetooth lets you pair headphones for late night viewing.

The 55 inch model has 20W speakers. Dialogue sounds clear for news, talk shows and sitcoms.

Bass is thin, though, and big action scenes lack impact. This is normal for thin budget TVs.

If you care about sound, add a soundbar. The eARC port on HDMI 4 makes setup simple and supports Dolby Atmos passthrough on compatible soundbars.

Best Picture Settings for the TCL Q77K

The Q77K looks dark and flat out of the box. A few quick changes make a big difference, so do not skip this section.

Change the color temperature to Warm 5. Rtings recommends this setting. One owner said HDR went from too dark to “almost perfect” after this change.

Raise the brightness. Rtings notes that a brightness of 77 gives about 200 nits in SDR. That works well for a dim room.

For a brighter room, owners suggest the Intelligent picture mode. Set brightness to 100, gamma to 2.2 and turn on Brightness Plus.

Turn off extra motion processing if motion looks smeared or fake. One owner said turning off all the motion extras finally fixed the blur.

For gaming, use Game Mode and turn on the faster frame option. This keeps input lag low and makes motion smoother.

For movies at night, try a Movie or Filmmaker style mode. These modes give more accurate colors, though they look dimmer.

Take time to test settings with your own shows. Every room has different light, so the best setting for your neighbor may not suit you.

You can also check the Rtings calibration page for the Q77K. It lists full SDR, HDR and gaming settings in detail.

Price, Warranty and Value

Price is where the Q77K really shines. At the time of writing, Costco lists the 55 inch at about $349.99 and the 65 inch at about $399.99.

Sale prices have gone lower. Owners report paying $269 for the 55 inch, $379 for the 65 inch and $479 for the 75 inch during holiday sales.

The warranty adds big value. Costco sells the TV in a bundle with a 3 year Allstate protection plan, which gives you 5 years of total coverage.

Costco often takes $35 off when you buy this bundle. That cancels out the plan’s cost, so the extra coverage is basically free.

You also get Costco’s 90 day return window. If the TV does not suit your room, you can return it with little hassle.

Costco also runs multi item deals. Recent promotions took $100 off when you bought two eligible items.

So how does it compare? The QM6K usually costs $100 to $150 more for much better HDR. The QM7K often costs about double.

If your budget is tight, the Q77K gives you modern features and long coverage. If you can stretch a little, a Mini LED model gives you more picture for each dollar.

Pros and Cons

Pros

• Very low price for a 4K QLED TV with a 144Hz screen, especially in the 65 and 75 inch sizes.
• Strong gaming features, including 4K 144Hz, 288Hz at 1080p, VRR, ALLM and very low input lag.
• All major HDR formats, including both Dolby Vision and HDR10+, which many rivals skip.
• Four HDMI 2.1 ports, so you can connect a console, PC and soundbar without swapping cables.
• Better viewing angles than most VA panel TVs, which suits wide family seating.
• 5 years of coverage with the Costco bundle, plus a 90 day return window.
• Google TV feels fast and supports Alexa, Google Assistant and Apple HomeKit.

Cons

• No local dimming, so blacks look gray in dark scenes and HDR lacks impact.
• Glossy screen that reflects lamps and windows, which makes it weak for bright rooms.
• Modest brightness, so HDR can look dim without adjusting settings.
• Narrow color range compared with Mini LED TVs, which limits rich HDR colors.
• Motion blur in some fast content, according to some owners.
• Costco only in North America, so you cannot buy it on Amazon or at Best Buy.
• Thin bass from the built in speakers.

Final Verdict

The TCL Q77K is a smart buy for the right person. It gives you a big 4K screen, a fast refresh rate and modern gaming features for a very low price.

Its biggest strength is value. Few TVs give you 144Hz, four HDMI 2.1 ports, Dolby Vision and 5 years of coverage for around $400.

Its biggest weakness is HDR performance. Without local dimming, dark scenes look gray and bright highlights look flat. The glossy screen also struggles in sunny rooms.

Buy the Q77K if you want a bedroom TV, a second TV or an upgrade from an old 60Hz set. It also suits casual gamers and dim living rooms.

Skip the Q77K if you watch many HDR movies or your room gets lots of daylight. In that case, the TCL QM6K is worth the small extra cost.

Many owners are honestly happy with it. As one buyer put it, “Sometimes good enough is good enough.” For most budget shoppers, the Q77K is more than good enough.

Just set your expectations right, change the settings on day one and enjoy the screen.

FAQs

Is the TCL Q77K a good TV?

Yes, the TCL Q77K is a good TV for its price. It offers strong gaming features and a sharp 4K picture. Its HDR and bright room performance are weak, though.

Does the TCL Q77K have local dimming?

No, the TCL Q77K does not have local dimming. It uses a direct lit backlight that lights the whole screen at one level. This is why blacks can look gray in dark scenes.

Is the TCL Q77K good for PS5 and Xbox Series X?

Yes, it works well with both consoles. It supports 4K at 144Hz, VRR and ALLM on its HDMI 2.1 ports, and its input lag is very low.

Can I buy the TCL Q77K on Amazon?

No, the TCL Q77K is a Costco exclusive in North America. You can buy it in Costco warehouses or on Costco’s website.

What is the difference between the TCL Q77K and QM6K?

The QM6K adds Mini LED local dimming and gets much brighter. This gives it better contrast and HDR. The Q77K costs less and has slightly wider viewing angles.

What are the best picture settings for the TCL Q77K?

Set color temperature to Warm 5 and raise the brightness. For bright rooms, owners like Intelligent mode with brightness at 100, gamma at 2.2 and Brightness Plus turned on.

How long is the TCL Q77K warranty?

The Costco bundle includes a 3 year Allstate protection plan. Together with the standard coverage, you get 5 years of total coverage.

Is the TCL Q77K good for a bright room?

It is not the best choice for bright rooms. The glossy screen reflects light, and brightness is modest. It works best in dim or dark rooms.