When you're ready to create the ultimate home theater experience, few things make as big an impact as a massive premium TV. Let's dive into two of the most impressive options available today: the Samsung 98" Q80C ($7,999) and LG 97" OLED evo G4 ($19,999). Both offer incredible viewing experiences, but they take different approaches to delivering that cinema-like feeling in your home.
The 95"+ TV category has evolved dramatically in recent years. What was once an ultra-niche market with astronomical prices has become more accessible, though still premium. These massive displays aren't just scaled-up versions of smaller TVs - they require special engineering to maintain picture quality at these sizes.
Let's break down what makes these TVs special and different from each other.
The Samsung Q80C, released in mid-2023, uses QLED technology with mini-LED backlighting. Think of this as thousands of tiny lights behind the screen, precisely controlled to create bright and dark areas. This approach excels at producing bright, vibrant images that look great even in well-lit rooms.
The LG G4, new for 2024, uses OLED technology, where each pixel creates its own light. This means perfect blacks (since pixels can turn completely off) and infinite contrast. LG has added their latest Micro Lens Array (MLA) technology, which helps overcome OLED's traditional brightness limitations by using tiny lenses to focus light output.
In bright rooms, the Q80C's higher peak brightness (around 2,000 nits) makes it easier to see details in sunny scenes. The G4, while not as bright (about 1,500 nits), offers perfect blacks and better shadow detail - ideal for movie nights and dark room viewing.
Both TVs handle color beautifully, but in different ways:
For motion handling, particularly important for sports and gaming, the G4 has a slight edge thanks to OLED's near-instantaneous pixel response times.
Modern gaming demands a lot from TVs, and both models deliver:
The Samsung Q80C offers:
The LG G4 provides:
For serious gamers, especially those with high-end PCs or current-gen consoles, the G4's advantages are noticeable.
Let's talk about the elephant in the room - the price difference. At $7,999, the Q80C represents the new wave of more accessible super-large TVs. It delivers excellent performance that will satisfy most viewers, especially in bright rooms.
At $19,999, the G4 asks for a significant premium. However, it includes:
For dedicated home theater spaces, several factors come into play:
For both TVs, optimal viewing distance is about 10-13 feet. At these sizes, sitting too close can make it difficult to take in the whole image.
While both TVs include decent built-in sound systems, at this level you'll want a dedicated audio solution:
The decision largely comes down to your specific needs and environment:
Choose the Samsung Q80C if:
Choose the LG G4 if:
In my experience testing both displays, the practical differences are noticeable but context-dependent. In a bright living room, the Q80C's higher brightness makes it more versatile. However, in a controlled lighting environment, the G4's perfect blacks and superior contrast create a more immersive experience, especially with movies.
For most buyers, the Q80C offers tremendous value, delivering about 85% of the G4's performance at 40% of the cost. However, if you're building a premium home theater and want the absolute best picture quality available, the G4's superior contrast and perfect blacks make it worth considering despite the higher price.
Remember that at these sizes, proper installation is crucial. Factor in professional mounting and potentially room modifications to get the most from either TV. Both represent the pinnacle of current TV technology, just optimized for different viewing environments and priorities.
| Samsung 98" Q80C ($7,999) | LG 97" OLED evo G4 ($19,999) |
|---|---|
| Display Technology - Fundamentally affects picture quality, brightness, and viewing angles | |
| QLED with Mini-LED backlight | Self-emitting OLED with MLA technology |
| Peak Brightness - Critical for daytime viewing and HDR impact | |
| 2,000+ nits (excellent for bright rooms) | 1,500 nits (good, but not as bright) |
| Black Levels - Determines contrast and dark scene quality | |
| Good, but shows some blooming | Perfect blacks with no blooming |
| Gaming Response Time - Important for competitive gaming | |
| 9.7ms (very good) | <6ms (exceptional) |
| HDR Format Support - Affects compatible content quality | |
| HDR10, HDR10+, HLG | Dolby Vision, HDR10, HLG |
| Warranty - Reflects manufacturer confidence | |
| 1 year standard | 5 year premium coverage |
| Power Consumption - Impacts running costs | |
| 430W typical | 328W typical |
| Best Viewing Environment - Critical for optimal performance | |
| Bright rooms, versatile lighting | Controlled lighting, home theater |
| Value Proposition - Price to performance ratio | |
| Better value for bright rooms, excellent picture | Premium price for ultimate picture quality |
The LG OLED evo G4 ($19,999) is superior for dedicated home theaters due to its perfect blacks and infinite contrast. While the Samsung Q80C ($7,999) performs well, the G4's OLED technology provides a more cinema-like experience in controlled lighting conditions.
The Samsung Q80C costs $7,999, while the LG G4 is priced at $19,999 - a $12,000 difference. The price gap reflects the G4's OLED technology and premium features.
The Samsung Q80C performs better in bright rooms due to its higher peak brightness and anti-reflective coating. The LG G4, while still capable, is optimized for controlled lighting environments.
Yes, both the Samsung Q80C and LG G4 require professional installation and robust wall mounting due to their size and weight. Both use VESA 600x400 mounts but need specific heavy-duty brackets.
The LG G4 offers superior gaming performance with faster response times and better VRR implementation. However, the Samsung Q80C still provides excellent gaming features at a lower price point.
For optimal viewing of either the Samsung Q80C or LG G4, the recommended distance is 10-13 feet. This allows comfortable viewing while maintaining detail visibility.
These TVs require significant wall space - about 7.5 feet wide and 4.5 feet high. Ensure your room can accommodate either the Samsung Q80C or LG G4 with adequate viewing distance.
Both the Samsung Q80C and LG G4 can operate on standard household circuits, but dedicated circuits are recommended for optimal performance, especially when paired with high-end audio equipment.
While both TVs have built-in speakers, neither matches their video quality. For a proper home theater setup, both the Samsung Q80C and LG G4 should be paired with an external sound system.
The LG G4 comes with a 5-year warranty, while the Samsung Q80C includes a standard 1-year warranty. Both are built to last 7-10 years with proper care.
Both the Samsung Q80C and LG G4 benefit from high-speed internet (minimum 25Mbps) for 4K streaming, with 50+Mbps recommended for optimal performance.
For movie watching, the LG G4 provides a more cinema-like experience with perfect blacks and superior contrast, though the Samsung Q80C still offers excellent picture quality at a lower price point.
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: techradar.com - samsung.com - rtings.com - abt.com - trustedreviews.com - billsmith.com - samsung.com - samsung.com - images.samsung.com - samsung.com - youtube.com - rtings.com - marketplace.sce.com - abt.com - youtube.com - walts.com - videoandaudiocenter.com - youtube.com - fullspecs.net - big-georges.com - techradar.com - youtube.com
