TCL has been looking to carve out a niche for itself as one of the most affordable suppliers of super-sized TVs for a couple of years already, and this week it added yet another mega model to its collection.
Having just launched a cheap and cheerful 98-inch model in Europe, TCL has now turned its attention to the North American market with its newest Smart S Class TV, the TCL S5. The best thing is the price, with TCL asking for a mere $5,000. The new TCL 98S550G, to give it its full name, is positioned as a high value, very-large-screen size direct-backlit 4K LED-LCD
While that might not immediately sound like a steal, it does stack up very well compared to the alternatives. For instance, Samsung’s newly launched 98-inch QLED TV costs around $8,000, while Sony’s X90L is priced at $10,000 and LG Electronics G2 OLED from last year is almost five-times as expensive as TCL’s newest model.
Snap up the TCL S5 TV for $5,000 and you’ll have one of the most immersive viewing experiences money can buy. It’s a decent display too, with 4K resolution and a variable refresh rate of up to 120Hz, with image enhancing features such as Dolby Vision IQ and HDR10+ also on board. According to TCL, the S5 is a FullView metal bezel-less TV, meaning it’s like looking through a window into another world.
The TCL S5 has some other tricks, with the company’s AiPQ Engine helping to transform signals into accurate images with “vibrant colour, sharp clarity and dramatic depth”. The TV also has a High Brightness LED backlight to help generate “high colour volume”, TCL said.
On the audio side, the TV is equipped with two 15-watt speakers and a 20-watt subwoofer, with Dolby Atmos and DTS Virtual: X surround sound fully supported.
It is a decent gaming TV option too, with support for 4K@120Hz and an Auto Game Mode that will ensure rapid response times and a smooth frame rate while playing console games. The TV runs the Google TV platform, which means it can stream content from all of the top video streaming services.
TCL said the 98-inch S5 is available to buy now from its website in the U.S. For those based in Europe looking for a similarly affordable yet massive TV, there is the TCL P74, which was announced in July and is expected to hit the shops sometime during September.
