Updated 9/13/2024: TCL told Tom's Guide that the TVs involved in these reports are not US models

Despite the fact that some of TCL's QLED TVs are advertised as having quantum dots (nanocrystals that create bright, rich colors in the display), a new study conducted in Korea suggests that they may not have them [The claim first appeared on the Korean news site etnewscom, citing an analysis conducted by two independent certification bodies, SGS and Intertek Hansol Chemical, a quantum dot manufacturer that supplies QLED panels for many of Samsung's top-of-the-line TVs, commissioned the study TCL, however, published its own analysis that refuted Hansol Chemical's findings

But which analysis is correct and what does this mean for the future of TCL's QLEDs?

The QLED TVs in question are TCL's C755, C655, and C655 Pro According to both SGS and Intertek, there are no traces of indium and cadmium in these models These are the elements used to produce quantum dots

The first question arose when Hansol Chemical, a Korean quantum dot manufacturer, asked SGS and Intertek to investigate TCL QLED TVs It was concluded that the aforementioned TVs, C755, C655, and C655 Pro, had no chemical traces of cadmium and indium, two elements used in the manufacture of quantum dot displays

TCL is not going to ignore the fuss: in a copy of its own chemical analysis sent to etnewscom, TCL's quantum dot film supplier, Guangdong Region Advanced Material, commissioned a contrary report by SGS The report cites It concluded that the designated TVs contained trace amounts of cadmium and that the spectrogram of the QD film also confirmed the presence of quantum dots [There is, however, an important difference between the two studies Hansol's report was done by literally breaking TCL's TV TCL, on the other hand, used its own QD films to support its claims

In other words, TCL only tested materials supplied by other vendors (of which there are quite a few), while the competing report tested actual TVs It is possible that TCL procured defective QD film when manufacturing these TVs Unfortunately, even if this were the case, TCL's quality control efforts are questionable

For buyers looking to get the best TVs, especially when it comes to QLED TVs, this confusion is sure to lead to skepticism The OLED vs QLED TV debate comes from many angles

According to Digital Trends, a new “QLED Alliance” may be established to counter this confusion (and potential misinformation) by validating the legitimacy of QLED TVs and granting a certificate of approval to those that meet certain requirements (ie, incorporation of quantum dots)

The formation of this alliance is still undecided Buyers looking to overcome their doubts about their next large-screen TV purchase are advised to take a look at some of the best OLED TVs that offer the best viewing experience Many OLED TVs, like the impressive LG C3, are available at relatively low prices