When you're looking to bring the movie theater experience home, 98-inch TVs represent the pinnacle of consumer displays. Today we're comparing two impressive contenders: the Samsung 98" DU9000 Series Crystal UHD Smart TV priced at $2,499 and the TCL 98" QM7 Series 4K UHD Smart TV at $2,299. Both released in early 2024, these massive displays offer different approaches to delivering your entertainment.
The 90+ inch TV category has evolved significantly over the past few years. What was once an ultra-premium segment with prices well over $10,000 has become increasingly accessible, though still representing a serious investment. These TVs are designed for large rooms, home theaters, and spaces where you want to create a truly immersive viewing experience.
Today's giant TVs benefit from several key technological advances:
The Samsung DU9000 uses Crystal UHD technology, which is Samsung's branding for their advanced LED-LCD panels. Think of it as a refined version of traditional TV technology – reliable and well-understood, but without some of the latest innovations. It's like having a really well-made conventional car versus a hybrid with newer technology.
In contrast, the TCL QM7 employs Mini-LED with Quantum Dots. Mini-LEDs are tiny light-emitting diodes that allow for much more precise control of the backlight. Imagine having 1,500 individually controllable lights behind your screen instead of just a few dozen. This results in better contrast and more accurate bright spots. The Quantum Dots layer helps produce more vivid and accurate colors by converting blue light into pure red and green.
From my experience testing both technologies, the difference is most noticeable in dark scenes with bright elements, like stars in a night sky or a flashlight beam in darkness. The TCL's Mini-LED system prevents the "blooming" effect (where bright objects have a halo in dark scenes) much better than Samsung's more traditional approach.
The TCL QM7's 2,400 nit peak brightness is impressive – that's about as bright as looking at a sunny sky through a window. The Samsung DU9000, while still bright enough for most rooms, doesn't reach these heights. This matters most when watching HDR content, where bright highlights (like sunlight glinting off water or explosions) can really pop.
Both TVs handle colors well, but they take different approaches:
Both TVs offer 120Hz refresh rates (meaning the image updates 120 times per second), but the TCL goes further with support for variable refresh rates up to 144Hz. This is particularly important for gaming, where it helps eliminate screen tearing and stuttering.
For gamers, especially those with current-gen consoles or gaming PCs, the differences are significant. The TCL QM7 supports AMD FreeSync Premium Pro and offers lower input lag (the delay between pressing a button and seeing the action on screen). The Samsung offers basic gaming features but isn't as fully featured.
Samsung's Tizen OS is mature and well-integrated with other Samsung devices. If you're already in the Samsung ecosystem (phones, SmartThings devices), this might be appealing. TCL uses Google TV, which offers excellent app support and integration with Google services. Both are capable, but Google TV tends to be more open and flexible.
Looking at pure price-to-performance ratio, the TCL QM7 holds a clear advantage. Not only is it $200 less expensive, but it offers superior technical specifications in almost every category. However, Samsung's brand reputation and potentially better long-term support shouldn't be discounted.
For dedicated home theater use, several factors become more important:
Both TVs need similar space considerations:
Both TVs offer decent built-in sound but for a proper home theater, you'll want external audio. The TCL supports Dolby Atmos passthrough, making it slightly more future-proof for high-end audio setups.
While both TVs are too new for long-term reliability data, their approaches to technology suggest different considerations:
The decision really comes down to your priorities:
Choose the Samsung DU9000 if:
Choose the TCL QM7 if:
For most buyers, I recommend the TCL QM7. Its superior technology, better performance metrics, and lower price make it the logical choice unless Samsung's brand value or ecosystem integration is particularly important to you. The Mini-LED technology with Quantum Dots represents the current state of the art in LED-LCD TVs, and getting it for less money than the more basic Samsung technology makes it compelling.
Remember that either TV represents a significant upgrade over smaller or older models, and both will provide an impressive viewing experience. The key is matching your choice to your specific needs and preferences.
| Samsung 98" DU9000 ($2,499) | TCL 98" QM7 ($2,299) |
|---|---|
| Display Technology - Determines overall picture quality and contrast | |
| Crystal UHD (basic LED-LCD) | Mini-LED with Quantum Dots (superior) |
| Peak Brightness - Critical for HDR impact and daytime viewing | |
| ~500 nits (adequate for dim rooms) | 2,400 nits (excellent for any lighting) |
| Local Dimming Zones - More zones mean better contrast and less blooming | |
| Standard edge-lit (minimal control) | 1,500 zones (excellent contrast control) |
| Gaming Features - Important for console/PC gaming performance | |
| Basic 120Hz, ALLM | 144Hz VRR, FreeSync Premium Pro, ALLM |
| Smart Platform - Affects ease of use and app availability | |
| Tizen OS (Samsung ecosystem) | Google TV (more flexible, wider app support) |
| HDR Support - Better HDR means more realistic bright highlights | |
| HDR10, HLG (basic) | Dolby Vision IQ, HDR10+, HDR10, HLG (comprehensive) |
| Color Volume - Determines color accuracy and vibrancy | |
| PurColor (good) | Quantum Dots (excellent, near 100% DCI-P3) |
| Audio Output - Built-in sound quality matters if not using external speakers | |
| 20W 2.0 channel | 40W 2.1 channel with dedicated woofer |
| Value Proposition - Overall bang for buck | |
| Higher price, basic features | Lower price, premium features |
| Brand Reliability - Consider long-term support | |
| Established premium brand | Growing brand, excellent recent track record |
The TCL 98" QM7 ($2,299) offers superior picture quality with its Mini-LED technology and Quantum Dots. It delivers better contrast, higher brightness (2,400 nits), and more accurate colors compared to the Samsung DU9000's Crystal UHD display. For dedicated home theater use, the TCL's superior HDR performance makes it the better choice.
The TCL QM7 significantly outperforms the Samsung DU9000 in bright environments with its 2,400 nit peak brightness. This makes it much more suitable for rooms with windows or strong ambient lighting, while maintaining excellent picture quality.
The TCL 98" QM7 is priced at $2,299, while the Samsung 98" DU9000 costs $2,499. TCL offers better features at a $200 lower price point.
The TCL QM7 has superior gaming features, including 144Hz Variable Refresh Rate (VRR) and FreeSync Premium Pro. The Samsung DU9000 offers basic 120Hz support but lacks advanced gaming features.
Both TVs are extremely heavy (85+ lbs) and require sturdy support. You'll need a very strong TV stand rated for 150+ lbs or professional wall mounting. The Samsung DU9000 and TCL QM7 have similar mounting requirements.
For optimal viewing of either the Samsung DU9000 or TCL QM7, you'll need at least 12-15 feet of viewing distance. A room depth of 16+ feet is recommended for comfortable viewing.
The Samsung DU9000 uses Tizen OS, which works well within the Samsung ecosystem. The TCL QM7 uses Google TV, offering wider app compatibility and easier integration with various streaming services.
Both TVs work well with soundbars, but the TCL QM7 offers better audio passthrough options, including Dolby Atmos. The Samsung DU9000 works best with Samsung soundbars through Q-Symphony.
The TCL QM7 provides a superior movie-watching experience with better contrast, higher brightness, and more comprehensive HDR support including Dolby Vision IQ. The Samsung DU9000 offers good but basic performance.
Yes, professional installation is highly recommended for both TVs due to their size and weight. Both the Samsung DU9000 and TCL QM7 require at least two people for safe handling and mounting.
The Samsung DU9000 features reliable upscaling technology from a proven brand. However, the TCL QM7 uses more advanced AI-powered upscaling that generally produces better results with lower-resolution content.
The TCL 98" QM7 offers better value with superior specifications and a lower price point compared to the Samsung 98" DU9000. Unless brand preference is a priority, the TCL provides more features per dollar.
We've done our best to create useful and informative comparisons to help you decide what product to buy. Our research uses advanced automated methods to create this comparison and perfection is not possible - please contact us for corrections or questions. These are the sites we've researched in the creation of this article: bestbuy.com - thebigscreenstore.com - samsung.com - samsung.com - rtings.com - assetserver.net - associatedappliance.com - insight.com - nfm.com - videoandaudiocenter.com - blog.rentacenter.com - samsung.com - merlinstv.com - samsung.com - bestbuy.com - youtube.com - business.walmart.com - avsforum.com - tcl.com - circuitworldonline.com - tcl.com - bestbuy.com/6580694) - rtings.com - bestbuy.com - displayspecifications.com - tcl.com
