If you thought ultra-large TVs in the plus 90-inches range were reserved exclusively for Russian oligarchs, think again. TCL has just announced a 98-inch 4K QLED TV at the upper end of its 2022 range that’s going on sale in Europe for just €6,000 (around £5,000).
What’s more, it has some pretty impressive specs. The 98-inch TCL C73 is imbued with Mini-LED local dimming zones for improved contrast and backlight control, a 144Hz refresh rate, HDMI 2.1 ports that support 4K@120Hz gaming, Variable Refresh Rate and Auto Low-Latency Mode, and it runs the Google TV platform that brings content recommendations to the fore.
TCL said the C73 will come in various sizes ranging from 43-inches to 98-inches, but only the largest model will get the LED zone dimming controls.
The TCL C73 is actually a mid-range set in TCL’s 2022 line up of TVs, which are direct competitors to the 4K LCD TVs from the likes of Samsung Electronics and Sony, with the big advantage being that they’re far more affordable. For instance, Samsung has a 98-inch TV of its own, the Samsung Q90A Neo QLED TV, which costs approximately £15,000 despite having similar specs to the TCL C73.
TCL is hoping to cash in on the desire from consumers to get their hands on bigger TVs, which are clearly seen as better these days in the eyes of many. That desire might be explained by the fact that many new movies have opted for direct releases on video streaming services as opposed to the cinema. So, consumers want to replicate the cinema experience at home without investing in a projector, or so the thinking goes.
We should point out that bigger isn’t always better, because the TV’s capabilities are also a very important consideration. Also, a 98-inch TV demands a very large living room to get the full benefit out of it, and not everyone may need such an immense screen size. That said, for film fans especially it certainly makes sense to buy as big a display as your living room (and budget) can accommodate. So the TCL C73 may well have its fans when it arrives in Europe later this year.
