TCL’s sub-brand FFALCON has introduced a new line of QD-Mini LED televisions under the Thunderbird name. The 2026 Crane 7 Pro series arrives in four screen sizes — 65, 75, 85, and 98 inches — and is initially launching in China. Pre-orders have already opened, with the official retail release scheduled for March 12.
Pricing starts at 6,099 yuan for the 65-inch version, which translates to roughly $850 before promotional discounts. During the early sales period, coupons lower the entry price to around 5,999 yuan (about $869 depending on exchange rates). The larger models increase gradually in price, with the 75-inch version listed at 7,799 yuan, the 85-inch model at 9,999 yuan, and the largest 98-inch configuration reaching 14,999 yuan.
The Thunderbird 2026 Crane 7 Pro series uses a QD-Mini LED display architecture built around what TCL describes as a Butterfly Wing HVA panel. The panel delivers a reported static contrast ratio of 7000:1, which aims to produce deeper black levels while maintaining bright highlights in high-contrast scenes. TCL has also applied a low-reflection coating designed to reduce glare to approximately 1.8 percent, a feature intended to improve visibility in brightly lit rooms.
Mini LED backlighting is a key component of the display system. The largest 98-inch model includes up to 3,840 local dimming zones that dynamically adjust brightness across the panel. According to TCL, the system can reach peak brightness levels of up to 5,000 nits under its XDR brightness system. Combined with the company’s Quantum Dot Pro 2026 technology, the television is rated to cover roughly 98 percent of the DCI-P3 color space, a common benchmark used in film and streaming content.
The display supports 4K resolution and a native refresh rate of 150Hz. For gaming scenarios, the television also includes variable refresh rate support that can scale up to 300Hz under certain conditions. Additional gaming features include motion interpolation (MEMC), automatic low-latency mode, and AMD FreeSync Premium Pro, all of which are intended to reduce motion blur, input lag, and screen tearing during gameplay.
The television is compatible with several HDR standards including Dolby Vision, HDR10+, and IMAX Enhanced. These formats allow the display to adjust brightness and color levels dynamically based on the content being viewed, although the final experience still depends on the source material and streaming platform.
Audio is handled through a built-in Onkyo 2.2.2 speaker system. The setup includes eight drivers arranged to produce both forward and upward sound projection. The upward-firing channels are designed to support Dolby Atmos spatial audio effects, while dedicated subwoofers are included to provide additional bass response.
On the software side, the televisions run TCL’s Lingkong UI 3.0 interface. The platform emphasizes a simplified layout with customizable home screens and multitasking capabilities. TCL says the interface is designed to operate without built-in advertisements, which may appeal to users looking for a less cluttered smart TV experience.
Hardware specifications include a MediaTek MT9655 processor paired with 4GB of RAM and 128GB of internal storage. Connectivity options include four HDMI 2.1 ports, Wi-Fi 6, and USB 3.0 support. The televisions also support media playback protocols such as FTP and WebDAV, which can allow users to stream content from local storage or network servers.
The Crane 7 Pro series expands TCL’s broader push into Mini LED displays across both televisions and gaming monitors. Earlier this year, the company also introduced the 27P2A Ultra Mini LED gaming monitor, which advertises an extremely high 1040Hz refresh rate, as well as the 27C3A Pro QD-Mini LED monitor capable of switching between 4K at 165Hz and Full HD at 320Hz.
