When it comes to creating a truly cinematic experience at home, 98-inch TVs represent the ultimate in home entertainment. Today, we're comparing two flagship models: the Sony BRAVIA XR X90L ($9,998) and the Samsung QN90D ($12,999). Both are impressive displays that blur the line between traditional TV and home theater projector, but they take different approaches to delivering that premium experience.
The 98-inch TV category has evolved significantly in recent years. While these TVs were once primarily found in commercial settings, improved manufacturing processes and increasing demand have made them more accessible for home use. These massive displays offer several advantages over projectors: they work well in bright rooms, require no warm-up time, and typically provide better contrast and color accuracy.
The Sony X90L uses Full Array LED technology, which means the screen has zones of LED lights behind the LCD panel that can be dimmed independently. This helps create deeper blacks and more precise contrast. Sony's Cognitive Processor XR - their latest processing chip - analyzes content in real-time to enhance detail and depth.
In contrast, the Samsung QN90D employs Neo QLED technology with mini-LED backlighting. These extremely tiny LEDs allow for more precise local dimming zones than traditional LED backlighting. Think of it like having more individual light switches in a room - you get better control over which areas are lit and which are dark.
Samsung's QN90D really shines here (pun intended). It can reach peak brightness levels around 2,000 nits, making it excellent for bright rooms. HDR content, which requires high brightness for the best effect, looks spectacular. However, it lacks Dolby Vision support, instead using HDR10+ as its premium HDR format.
The Sony X90L supports Dolby Vision, which many consider the gold standard for HDR content. While it doesn't quite match the Samsung's peak brightness, it typically offers better color accuracy out of the box. In a dedicated home theater room where ambient light can be controlled, this difference in brightness becomes less important.
If you're a serious gamer, particularly with next-gen consoles or PC, the Samsung QN90D has a clear advantage. All four HDMI ports support HDMI 2.1, allowing 4K gaming at 120Hz. The dedicated Gaming Hub and lower input lag make it the superior gaming display.
The Sony X90L isn't far behind in terms of gaming performance, but having only two HDMI 2.1 ports (one shared with eARC) limits flexibility if you have multiple gaming devices. However, it does offer excellent motion handling and good input lag performance.
Both TVs offer comprehensive smart platforms. The Sony runs Google TV, which provides excellent content recommendations and seamless integration with Google services. The interface is clean and intuitive, though it does show ads.
Samsung's Tizen OS on the QN90D is equally capable, with a similar app selection and feature set. The integration with SmartThings makes it particularly attractive if you have other Samsung smart home devices.
At $3,000 less, the Sony X90L represents better value for most users. The picture quality differences, while present, aren't dramatic enough to justify the price gap unless you have specific needs that the Samsung better addresses (like serious gaming or extremely bright room viewing).
In a dedicated home theater setting, both TVs excel but in different ways. The Sony's more accurate color reproduction and Dolby Vision support make it particularly well-suited for movie watching in controlled lighting. Its acoustic surface audio technology, which uses the screen itself as a speaker, provides better sound localization.
The Samsung's higher brightness capabilities might seem less important in a dark room, but they allow for more impactful HDR highlights, which can enhance the theatrical experience. Its anti-reflection screen coating is also superior, which matters if you can't achieve perfect darkness.
The Samsung QN90D, released in March 2024, represents the latest in TV technology. Its Neural Quantum Processor has been upgraded from previous generations, offering better upscaling of lower-resolution content.
The Sony X90L, released in August 2023, brought improvements to local dimming performance and gaming features compared to its predecessor. While slightly older, it remains competitive and benefits from several firmware updates that have enhanced its performance.
Choose the Sony X90L if:
Choose the Samsung QN90D if:
Both TVs represent the pinnacle of current consumer display technology, but they serve slightly different needs. The Sony X90L offers excellent value and superior movie-watching experience, while the Samsung QN90D provides better gaming features and brightness capability. Your choice should ultimately depend on your specific use case and environment.
Consider your room's lighting conditions, your primary use case (movies, gaming, or mixed), and your budget. Either way, you'll be getting an impressive display that transforms any room into a home theater.
| Sony BRAVIA XR X90L ($9,998) | Samsung QN90D ($12,999) |
|---|---|
| Price - The fundamental value equation for features received | |
| $9,998 (better overall value) | $12,999 (premium features at premium price) |
| Display Technology - Impacts contrast, brightness and overall picture quality | |
| Full Array LED with Cognitive Processor XR | Neo QLED with Mini-LED (superior local dimming) |
| Peak Brightness - Critical for HDR impact and bright room viewing | |
| ~1,500 nits (good for most environments) | ~2,000 nits (excellent for bright rooms) |
| HDR Support - Determines compatibility with premium streaming content | |
| Dolby Vision, HDR10, HLG (best format support) | HDR10+, HDR10, HLG (no Dolby Vision) |
| HDMI 2.1 Ports - Essential for next-gen gaming and multiple devices | |
| 2 ports (1 shared with eARC) | 4 ports (maximum flexibility) |
| Gaming Features - Important for console and PC gamers | |
| Basic VRR and ALLM support | Gaming Hub, lower input lag, superior features |
| Smart Platform - Affects daily usability and app access | |
| Google TV (better content recommendations) | Tizen OS (better smart home integration) |
| Release Date - Indicates technology generation | |
| August 2023 | March 2024 (newer tech) |
| Sound Quality - Built-in audio performance | |
| Superior acoustic surface audio | Good but basic TV speakers |
For dedicated home theaters, the Sony BRAVIA XR X90L ($9,998) has an edge due to its Dolby Vision support and superior out-of-box color accuracy. However, the Samsung QN90D ($12,999) offers better HDR highlights due to higher brightness.
The price premium is mainly justified if you need gaming features or maximum brightness. For most users, the Sony X90L provides better value with similar picture quality for movie viewing.
The Samsung QN90D is superior for gaming with four HDMI 2.1 ports, lower input lag, and Gaming Hub features. The Sony X90L only has two HDMI 2.1 ports, with one shared with eARC.
The Samsung QN90D performs better in bright rooms with approximately 2,000 nits peak brightness compared to the Sony X90L's 1,500 nits. Both handle reflections well, but Samsung's higher brightness makes it more suitable for sunlit rooms.
The Sony X90L has an advantage for movie watching with Dolby Vision support and excellent motion handling. However, the Samsung QN90D offers deeper blacks and brighter HDR highlights.
While both TVs have decent built-in audio, the Sony X90L offers better sound quality with its acoustic surface technology. However, for a true home theater experience, an external sound system is recommended for either TV.
The Sony X90L uses Google TV, offering better content recommendations and Google Assistant integration. The Samsung QN90D uses Tizen OS, which excels at smart home integration, especially with other Samsung devices.
Both TVs excel at upscaling, but the Sony X90L's Cognitive Processor XR is particularly good with motion and detail preservation. The Samsung QN90D's Neural Quantum Processor provides comparable results.
The Samsung QN90D has a slight edge for sports due to superior motion handling and higher brightness for daytime viewing. The Sony X90L still performs admirably but may show slightly more motion blur.
Both TVs support major streaming services in 4K, but the Sony X90L has an advantage with Dolby Vision content from Netflix, Disney+, and Apple TV+. The Samsung QN90D uses HDR10+ instead.
Both the Sony X90L and Samsung QN90D require similar wall space, approximately 86 inches wide. Plan for at least 90 inches of width and consider professional installation due to their size and weight.
The Samsung QN90D has a slight edge being newer (March 2024 release) with more HDMI 2.1 ports and gaming features. However, the Sony X90L remains competitive with Dolby Vision support and regular firmware updates.
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: avsforum.com - valueelectronics.com - youtube.com - bestbuy.com - electronics.sony.com - stewartappliance.com - rcwilley.com - rtings.com - abt.com - pcrichard.com - videoandaudiocenter.com - avsforum.com - rtings.com - rtings.com - youtube.com - youtube.com - fullcompass.com - digitalhomecreations.com - jeffsappliance.com - bestbuy.com - displayspecifications.com - samsung.com - samsung.com - image-us.samsung.com - youtube.com
