SQD Mini LED vs RGB Mini LED vs QD Mini LED vs OLED: TV Technology Guide 2026

When choosing a new TV in 2026, the battle is between four advanced display types: QD Mini LED, OLED, the emerging RGB Mini LED, and TCL's flagship SQD Mini LED. This guide explains what each technology does best, where the trade-offs are, and how TCL's 2026 lineup fits in, helping you match the tech to your room, budget, and viewing habits.

How This Guide Works

This article explains current TV technologies and how TCL's models use them, focusing on common, real-world questions like "Which TV works best in a bright room?" and "Should I worry about OLED burn-in?" rather than just raw specs.

Where specific performance numbers or capabilities are mentioned (for example, brightness or colour coverage), they are based on:

• Independent testing and reviews from outlets like RTings, What Hi-Fi, Tom's Guide, and Australian publications including CyberShack
• Manufacturer specifications for TCL's current and upcoming TVs, including QD Mini LED ranges, next-gen RGB Mini LED models, and the new SQD Mini LED flagship
• Industry announcements from CES 2026 and other technology events

Actual performance can vary between brands, models within the same range, and depending on your room lighting and TV settings. We strongly recommend checking current independent reviews and in-store demos before purchasing.

Meet the Four Main TV Technologies

QD Mini LED (The Proven All-Rounder)

What is QD Mini LED?

QD Mini LED is an advanced form of LCD TV that combines:

• A backlight made from thousands of tiny "Mini" LEDs, grouped into many local dimming zones for better control of dark and bright areas
• A Quantum Dot layer (the "QD" part) that converts light into vivid, accurate colours

Modern QD Mini LED TVs, including TCL's premium C-series ranges, can reach very high peak brightness. Independent testing has verified flagship models achieving 4,500+ nits in real-world measurements, with some models claiming up to 5,000 nits peak brightness, making them excellent in bright rooms and for HDR content.

Pros

• Very bright: Stays punchy in sun-lit Australian living rooms and open-plan spaces
• Strong contrast for an LCD: Thousands of dimming zones (TCL's C8K offers up to 3,840 zones in the 98" model) can deliver deep blacks with far less "washed out" look than older LED TVs, though some blooming (haloing around bright objects) can still appear in demanding scenes
• No burn-in risk: Great for long gaming sessions, sports channels with static logos, and news tickers
• Often better value at large sizes: Big screen QD Mini LED models typically cost less than equivalent-size OLEDs

Cons

• Not perfect black: Black levels are excellent for LCD, but in demanding dark scenes OLED still has the edge
• Viewing angles: Picture quality depends on panel type; VA panels (including TCL's improved HVA/WHVA panels) can soften or wash out more from extreme side angles compared to OLED, though performance has improved significantly
•  

OLED (The Contrast King)

What is OLED?

OLED is a self-emissive technology where every pixel produces its own light and can switch completely off, which means:

• True black pixels (no backlight glow)
• Exceptionally high contrast and very smooth shadow detail

Pros

• Perfect blacks and "infinite" contrast: Amazing for dark-room movie nights and cinematic content
• Superb viewing angles: Colours and contrast stay consistent even if you're sitting off to the side
• Ultra-slim designs: With no separate backlight, many OLED TVs are extremely thin and stylish

Cons

• Lower peak brightness than the brightest Mini LED sets: Modern OLEDs typically reach 1,000-1,500 nits peak brightness. While newer OLEDs are brighter than older generations, Mini LED typically still wins in very bright rooms and harsh glare
• Burn-in risk: Modern OLEDs from 2022 onward include aggressive protections—pixel shifting, logo dimming, and automatic pixel refresh cycles. Independent testing shows burn-in is far less common than with earlier generations, but it remains a consideration if you leave static elements on screen for extended periods
• Price: Premium pricing is common, especially at larger screen sizes

RGB Mini LED (The Colour Purist)

What is RGB Mini LED?

RGB Mini LED is an evolution of Mini LED backlighting where the backlight uses separate red, green, and blue LEDs instead of the more common blue LEDs with colour-conversion layers or filters.

By generating primary colours directly: Less light is lost in filters, colour can be more precise, and the available colour gamut can extend further into the BT.2020 standard than traditional LCD systems.

Early RGB Mini LED implementations vary significantly by manufacturer. Hisense's 116UX achieves 95% BT.2020 colour gamut coverage with up to 8,000 nits peak brightness. TCL's announced Q10M Ultra claims 100% BT.2020 coverage with up to 9,000 nits.

Pros

• Extremely wide colour gamut and purity: Designed to cover a very large portion of BT.2020, giving more saturated, lifelike colours when content supports it
• Very high brightness: Can reach very high peak brightness levels—making bright HDR highlights stand out even in daylight
• Minimises colour crosstalk: Independent RGB LED control reduces the colour bleeding
• No burn-in: Like other Mini LED/LCD technologies

Cons

• New and premium: Early models carry higher prices
• Still LCD-based: Contrast control by zones rather than per-pixel
• Limited Australian availability: Models like Hisense 116UX and TCL's Q series not yet widely confirmed for Australia

SQD Mini LED (The New Flagship)

What is SQD Mini LED?

SQD Mini LED is TCL's flagship display technology for 2026 (Super Quantum Dots). It refines how light is filtered at the colour level to reduce "colour crosstalk" and maintain colour accuracy.

Unlike RGB Mini LED which changes the backlight itself, SQD Mini LED uses traditional blue LED backlight but combines newly formulated quantum dots with TCL CSOT's UltraColor Filter. This allows models like the X11L to achieve full coverage of BT.2020, DCI-P3, and Adobe RGB colour spaces.

TCL claims a 33% boost in colour gamut performance and a 69% improvement in quantum dot accuracy compared to previous generations.

Pros

• Exceptional brightness and colour: Flagship SQD models like the X11L can reach up to 10,000 nits peak brightness with over 20,000 dimming zones (on the 98" model)
• Cinema-grade colour: Engineered to achieve 100% BT.2020 with minimal crosstalk
• No burn-in: Like all Mini LED technologies
• Wide viewing angles: WHVA 2.0 Ultra Panel promises consistency
• Slimmer design potential: More compact than RGB setups

Cons

• Premium pricing: Flagship models command the highest price points (US pre-orders for X11L start at ~$7,000 for 75")
• Australian availability to be confirmed: Announced at CES 2026, but local pricing/launch not yet official

Head-to-Head: Key Differences at a Glance

Below is a comparison based on typical characteristics and verified specifications. Exact numbers vary by brand and model.

Which One Fits Your Home?

Because each technology shines in different conditions, the "best" choice comes down to your room, habits, and priorities rather than a single winner.

Choose SQD Mini LED if…

• You want the absolute best picture quality TCL offers in 2026, with no compromises on brightness, colour, or contrast
• You are a home cinema enthusiast who watches a lot of HDR content and wants cinema-grade colour and extreme brightness
• You have a bright living space and want a picture that still pops during the day
• You're willing to wait for Australian availability confirmation and accept flagship pricing

Choose RGB Mini LED if…

• You want cutting-edge LCD tech with a strong focus on future-facing HDR colour and the widest colour gamut
• Your main viewing area is bright during the day, and you want extreme brightness (7,000+ nits)
• You're interested in early-adopter, ultra-premium products

Choose QD Mini LED if…

• You want a versatile, high-performance TV for a bright family living room that handles sports, streaming, and gaming equally well
• You like very high brightness (up to 5,000 nits), strong contrast, and vivid Quantum Dot colour at a more accessible price
• You're concerned about burn-in because you watch channels with logos or game with static HUDs
• You want proven, widely available technology with strong Australian retail support

Choose OLED if…

• You mostly watch in a dark or dimly lit room and care most about deep blacks and cinematic look
• You value ultra-slim design and are comfortable with basic care habits to minimise burn-in risk
• Modern protections give you confidence for mixed-use viewing

TCL's Role in the 2026 TV Landscape

TCL has been developing and shipping QD Mini LED TVs for several years, with thousands of local dimming zones and peak brightness levels verified at 4,500+ nits on flagship models. For 2026, TCL is pushing further with SQD Mini LED and RGB Mini LED technologies.

TCL's global TV lineup for 2026 includes:

• SQD Mini LED in the flagship X11L series — up to 10,000 nits, over 20,000 dimming zones (98"), 100% BT.2020, Dolby Vision, Google Gemini AI
• Next-gen RGB Mini LED models (e.g., Q10M Ultra) — up to 9,000 nits, 100% BT.2020 on large sizes
• Award-winning QD Mini LED ranges (C8K, C7K, C6K) — versatile bright all-rounders widely available in Australia

Currently available in Australia (2025/2026): The TCL C8K Premium QD Mini LED range is at major retailers like Harvey Norman, JB Hi-Fi. Up to 5,000 nits, thousands of zones, 144Hz gaming, strong value (e.g., 65" ~$1,655 to 98" ~$7,995 approx.).

Disclaimer: Australian availability, exact specs, and pricing for 2026 SQD (X11L) and RGB models are subject to confirmation. Always check TCL Australia and local retailers.

FAQs

1. What is the difference between SQD Mini LED and RGB Mini LED?

They take different approaches. RGB changes the backlight to separate red/green/blue LEDs. SQD refines Quantum Dot and filter layers for greater purity, reduced crosstalk, potentially more zones, and slimmer designs.

2. Is SQD Mini LED the same as MicroLED?

No. MicroLED is self-emissive like OLED but with inorganic LEDs. SQD is advanced LCD with Mini LED backlight and Super Quantum Dot layer.

3. Will these new technologies make my current QD Mini LED or OLED TV obsolete?

Not at all. Current premium models deliver excellent quality for years. New tech is a step forward in brightness/colour, especially for HDR and bright rooms.

4. Are these TVs good for gaming?

Yes — high refresh rates (120-144Hz+), HDMI 2.1, VRR. Mini LED options excel for long sessions with no burn-in risk.

5. Do I need special content for SQD or RGB Mini LED?

No — improvements visible on regular HDR. Full BT.2020 benefit grows as more content supports wider colour.

How to Use This Guide When You Shop

Decide your room (bright lounge vs dark media room) and main content → shortlist tech → compare models with independent reviews, in-store demos, and current TCL Australia pages.

The future of TV really is brighter, more colourful, and more flexible than ever. Whether you land on SQD Mini LED, RGB Mini LED, QD Mini LED, or OLED, aligning the technology with your home and viewing style is the key to getting a screen you will love for years.