How Big Is Too Big? I Reviewed TCL’s 98-Inch TV, and My Living Room May Never Be the Same

UPDATE (18/9/24): This review was originally published almost a year ago. It has been updated to reflect changes in pricing and other factors.

Think money can’t buy happiness? Money has never seen TCL’s Class XL Collection 98R754. This 98-inch behemoth transforms your home into a full-fledged movie theater, and let me tell you: you’ll be happy. Yes, it’s expensive (although less than you might think), and there are logistical considerations, like where it’s going and who’s going to deliver it there.

But with a screen size previously reserved for projectors and built-in Google for easy streaming and voice controls, this is a TV worth jumping over the hoop for a little — or a lot, if that’s what you need to do. Here’s my TCL 98R754 review.

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TCL Class XL 98R754: Let’s talk price

We can’t have a conversation about big-screen TVs without talking about big-screen TV prices. The 98R754 lists for a whopping $10,000 , but its actual retail price is usually around $4,200 — but it’s been as low as $2,700. (As of this writing, I’m seeing it for $3,000. Moral of the story: wait for a sale.)

You could spend the same on a 4K projector setup, but that usually requires a complicated setup and may not include ‘smart’ streaming or voice control features. Projectors also tend to require a fairly dark viewing room; a TV always wins when it comes to brightness.

Of course, you’re still paying a hefty premium for this screen size. Unless you’re serious about maximizing the theater-going experience at home — and have the space for it (see below) — consider this: You can pick up an 85-inch TV for half the price, or even less than half. (As an example, as of this writing, TCL’s 85-inch Q65 is on sale for just $998.)

Meanwhile, Walmart’s Onn brand just introduced a 98-inch Roku TV for a whopping $1,498 , though it won’t go on sale until October. Low refresh rate, no QLED or Dolby, but still a giant screen for a relative bargain.

And I have to say, a TV of this size is truly magical, assuming you can get it in the doorway.

Is there even room for a TV of this size in your home?

I wasn’t sure if mine could handle that. My living room barely has room for the 85-inch Hisense I reviewed earlier. I think if I tried to move anything bigger, my partner would move out. Luckily, I already had a home theater setup in my basement — a projector pointed at a 100-inch screen on the wall — so I figured this would fit in there.

First problem: It had to be carried from the garage where it was delivered to the basement—no easy feat considering its size (think: a queen-size mattress, only about a foot longer) and weight (about 140 pounds). With the help of some slings and my 21-year-old son, I managed—but only because the stairs were straight. If there had been a bend halfway up, I’m not sure we would have made it. Moral of the story: Make sure this thing actually fits through a door, up or down the stairs, etc. in your home. And unless you have Ethan, be prepared to enlist at least one sturdy helper.

Just as important is to consider where the TV is going to be placed. While it can be wall-mounted, not many mounts can support that much weight or accommodate the unusual 400mm x 850mm VESA hole pattern. (Here’s one that should work.) I would highly recommend hiring a professional if you decide to go this route, as this not something you want to drop from the wall because it is not properly anchored.

I needed a furniture option instead, but that comes with its own challenges: The two feet that hold up the TV are mounted on either end of the screen, just over 85 inches apart. And they’re nearly 17 inches deep. Few TV stands are large enough to accommodate those dimensions.

But I had a brainwave: there was already an IKEA Brimnes TV stand down there — way too small to hold the TCL by itself, but I bought a second one and put them side by side. Presto! They were just now wide and deep enough for the job. Key Point: Before you spend a small fortune on one large piece of furniture, consider two smaller pieces.

TCL Class XL 98R754 setup and operation

Despite its size and heft, the 98R754 is as easy to set up as any other TV: plug it in, connect it to your Wi-Fi, and start watching. There’s a fair amount of protective packaging to remove, but that’s to be expected. Less expected: the power cord is oddly short, only about four feet. That’s fine if you want to place the TV near an outlet, but inconvenient for a wall-mounting situation that requires fishing through drywall. Fortunately, it’s a standard cord, so you can easily purchase a longer one if needed. I’m just surprised it’s so short.

Around the back of the TV are the usual ports and inputs, most notably four HDMIs, one of which is eARC for use with a soundbar or similar. (After testing the built-in speakers, which I cover below, I connected the excellent Sonos Arc ; child’s play, no problems.)

Whether you already have a few Google devices in your home or this is your first, be prepared for a fairly lengthy setup process. In addition to the Google Home app on your phone, you’ll need to connect to Wi-Fi, wait for software updates, choose the apps you want to install, and so on. This can easily take 15-20 minutes, depending on your options.

TCL’s remote is disappointing. It’s not backlit or rechargeable, which seems stingy for a $10,000 TV, and it doesn’t have a dedicated play/pause/shuttle control. Instead, you use the directional pad for those functions — fine once you get used to it, but definitely not my preference. Several of the buttons have confusing labels, and the power button is in the corner across from a menu button; good luck remembering which is which in the dark. (The power buttons should always be in the center and separate from the others.)

Because this is a Google TV, though, you can rely on voice commands for just about everything — and while the remote has a dedicated button for that, the TV itself supports hands-free control. Without even looking at the clicker, you can turn the TV on or off, change the volume, open an app, play a particular show, and so on.

If you prefer, you can also switch to voice commands via Alexa. That’s a nice option for anyone already familiar with Amazon’s smart home ecosystem.

TCL Class XL 98R754 performance

Testing TVs is fun because you get to watch a lot. (“It’s for work, honey!”) To put the 98R754 through its paces, I tested the following devices:

• Detroit Lions football (now, you know, they’re not so bad anymore)

• Friends reruns (RIP Matthew Perry 😢)

• The Shield (probably the best police series ever)

• Soul (very underrated Pixar gem)

• Daisy Jones and the Six (almost as good as the book, surprisingly)

• Solo: A Star Wars Story (see below)

Without exception, everything looked fantastic. Beautiful colours, astonishing clarity. To me, the mark of a good TV is that there is nothing to distract you from what you are watching: a scene that is too dark, colours that seem oversaturated, noticeable banding in colour transitions. With those criteria in mind, this is a terribly good tv. Sure, you’ll probably want to tweak a few settings to get everything just the way you want it, but I found the 98R754 to be nearly perfect right out of the box.

Almost. It took some digging to find the settings necessary to disable motion smoothing, otherwise known as the dreaded soap opera effect. (It’s the first thing I do on every TV.) Indeed, TCL’s picture menus are among the most confusing I’ve encountered, in part because certain settings are inaccessible (or outright hidden) when certain modes are selected. I eventually figured it out, though, and it was smooth—nay, glorious—sailing from there.

There is one movie that confuses many TVs (and projectors too), and that is Solo: A Star Wars Story. For whatever reason, it’s consistently dark — sometimes so dark that you have to dig deep into the picture settings to make it watchable. On the 98R754, Han’s origin story was nearly perfectly balanced (at least in terms of visual quality; I can’t say the same for the plot). I didn’t have to adjust anything.

Another pleasant surprise: the built-in speakers. Modern TVs tend to have poor speakers, largely because there’s not enough room in the cabinet for good speakers. The 98R754 not only has room for a pair of 15-watt speakers, but also for a 20-watt subwoofer. Are they still pretty underpowered for the centerpiece of the home theater experience that this TV is? Yes. Are they better than most, and good enough to tide you over until you pick up a great soundbar to go with it? Also yes.

TCL Class XL 98R754: Should You Buy This?

It can be argued that a 98-inch TV is impractical, difficult to install, and will overwhelm most living rooms – not to mention most budgets. A similar argument can be made that you’d be just as happy with an 85-inch model; you’d just spend a lot less.

But, wow, do I love this TV. It’s absolutely stunning for things like sports and movies, because the bigger the better. My biggest gripe is the remote, which is confusing and feels cheap next to such a premium TV.

That’s not enough to sway my overall recommendation, though, which is this: If you can afford it and have the space for it, the TCL Class XL Collection 98R754 is a surefire way to home theater bliss.