📌 Considering the TCL TV? Find it here: amzn.to/3WJ9dAs 🔌 DON’T FORGET! Leave your questions in the comments to be featured on the next Unplugged! Catch up on all the latest UNPLUGGED episodes here bit.ly/43NnDkT 😀Thank you for watching! If you enjoyed this video, please hit the 👍 Like button! 🙏 Please stay on topic and be respectful. 🚫Comments containing links, self-promotion, or personal info are automatically deleted.
Hi Andrew and Kristie - for mini LED TV's, it appears year over year both TCL and Hisense are from a quality and best bang for your buck perspective starting to pull away. That being said I'm extremely interested in the new Sharp Aquos - any intentions of reviewing that TV in the near future?
@@andrewrobinsonreviews buyer beware they refuse to honor their own 1 year factory warranty I will never ever buy anything made by TCL EVER AGAIN A HUGE DISAPPOINTMENT FROM A TERRIBLE COMPANY
I have the 115 inch TCL with the Kef surround sound and I love it. All TVs are not perfect is you look for flaws, but the goal is to look for a TV perfect for you.
I’ve been in the hospital again and have been relying so heavily on your reviews . I’m not buying much more as with my health I’d probably be throwing money away . I just wanted to tell you guys your fun reviews really help me and keep me going . This years been tough . Thank you both for the reviews❤
@@lpromer4796 I’m fighting . 2 /12 years of fighting . I’m tired but keep waking up the next day . Aren’t Andy and Kristi awsome . Thank you so much for your thoughts I can’t tell you how much it means . I don’t hear much from people so it’s much appreciated 👍❤️
I bought the 85” QM8 for my living room, my first non Sony purchase in years. To show how happy I’ve been, I decided to redo my home theater Sony screen, and I literally just ordered another QM8 yesterday. That Sony is now getting bumped to my office.
I just bought my first TCL TV. A cheapy just for bedroom use. I wasn’t expecting much, but have been presently surprised at what a good TV it is. We’ll see how it holds up over the long term, but so far I’m a believer.
Have you ever considered uploading your videos as a podcast? I’m on the go a lot and would love to be able to listen while I’m driving. Love your videos!
I bought the 98 inch TCLQM851G about a month ago got it for $3999 at Best Buy. I had a 75 inch Samsung, which was about seven years old. I have to say, this television is great in movie mode and more than bright enough to handle my bright living room , with deep blacks and virtually no blooming, it is a monster. I would definitely grab this TV over anything else for $3999. Thank you for another great review.
As a Broadcast Engineer of 25 years, this is BY FAR the BEST review of a television I have watched. I appreciate you breaking down the differences both positive and negative between the different manufacturers, the different adjustments available to tweak the image to one’s personal preferences, as well as the visual representations going through the grayscales. As you stated, you used an AppleTV 4k for your image source. My question is. How is the processing time with respect to navigation of the menus/apps built into, or downloaded to the monitor, and the amount of time for the TV to make the connection to a WiFi network if not using an external device? I ask because I made the mistake of purchasing a television that has Sooooo much lag navigating the internal menus, and takes almost a minute before connecting to WiFi… I honestly just want to put the TV on the curb with a “free” sign taped to the screen. Thank you for all you do.
@@exic1sw BUYER BEWARE TCL REFUSES TO HONOR THEIR OWN 1 YEAR FACTORY WARRANTY SO RUN DON'T WALK AWAY FROM ALL BRANDS MADE BY TCL ! This is the COLD HARD FACTS FOLKS ! Why would anyone purchase ANY PRODUCT FROM ANY COMPANY THAT FLAT OUT REFUSES TO HONOR ITS OWN 1 YEAR FACTORY WARRANTY 🤔 ? I WILL NEVER EVER BUY ANYTHING MADE FROM TCL I AM NOT THE ONLY PERSON THIS HAS HAPPENED TO EITHER SO I SAY RUN DON'T WALK AWAY FROM ANYTHING MADE BY TCL !
@@andrewrobinsonreviews why don't you respond about why TCL refuses to honor their own 1 year factory warranty period 🤔? You just review products not if the company making the product stands by the product it appears to this upset and ripped off consumer.
My issue with TCL is from country to country they change model numbers, quality, processors etc etc. Makes it very difficult to know what you are getting outside of the states.
TCL showed off their WHVA panel at CES 2024, and is supposed to release it next year. From what the video looked like it will totally eliminate any off-angle viewing issues. If this really happens... I might have found my next TV. Time will tell.
Are you going to get the 100" Hisense U8N in for review to compare with the 98" Sony, Samsung and TCLs? And I wonder if the 98" Samsung will get an update to fix those issues soon and then it should be better than all the others maybe? Also any other major bugs on the TCL? There usually is......the Hisense's seem to be worse. Samsung has issues too though like you mentioned. Sony seems the best! Funny thing is I have had little to no issues with my 43" QN90B, no back-light fluctuations, I just wish it was more accurate. I'll have to get some calibration hardware/software and learn how to do it myself eventually......
So far the 100u8n has been more elusive than Bigfoot. Reviewers got them but non existent in the real world. I had hoped Hisense would have this fixed by black friday but nope still only the 100u8k on their site. I'm going with this TCL
Was this bought at retail or sent by TCL? I have seen huge differences in the color and the amount of DSE in various TCL models. I have to wonder if this was a hand picked sample?
Thank you for this honest review 👌 I’m from Europe and we have here for 2024 the TCL 98C855, hope this one is as accurate and impressive as the 98QM8 from North America 🤞
Thank You MR Robinson. I just purchased the TCL 98" QM851G I hope I like it, I am an avid OLED TV Owner. Thought I would Try out a Mini LED TV for a fraction of the cost of a 97" OLED I am sure it cannot compare but I am going in with an open mind knowing full well there is no comparison.
Thanks for another great review. I always look forward to the TV reviews, specifically the calibration portion. For people not a customer for calibration software (don't want to bother or wouldn't use it often enough to justify time and cost), can you just turn on Dolby Vision and call it a day? Way back in one of your Sony TV reviews I had the same TV and used your settings you shared for custom - it looked great. And then I watched your calibration ep., took the red pill and followed you down the rabbit hole. But ever since I purchased the Sony 85" X90K (used with an Apple TV) I just put it in Dolby Vision and it looks great to me. Is there enough of a difference (from Dolby Vision) when professionally calibrated? And (sorry if I missed it) did you do this with the TCL before doing the calibration?
Any plans to review the 85” Bravia 9? Definitely would be interesting to Juxtapose this television against the TCL. Also……. Do I see Studio 89’s in the background? 🤩
@@KristiWright You guys will love it! At least I hope ☺️ U do. My company has integrated two thus far this year. They calibrate like an OLED in that in SDR their Gamma coming out of black is perfect. PQEOTF tracking is ridiculously good. We integrate a lot of A95L’s…… Where the A95L really shines other than of course black level, is its color saturation. When compared side by side the Bravia 9 looks a bit desaturated. However, when watching content mastered at 4000 Nits, the Bravia 9 renders Specular highlights like I’ve never seen and all without blooming of any detectable degree. I only wish the B9 had a biiit wider viewing cone. I sincerely wish people would stop directly comparing the B9 to the A95L. It really is a television for a client with different priorities whether it be their room or their personal wants. Just love it.
@@KristiWright Oh annnd also. My company, Elite AV is in the Seattle region…. If U guys were in my region I would be happy to supply you televisions for your reviews. I had considered the other day, it may benefit you to reach out to custom integrators in your area. Andrew could offer his calibration services at no cost in exchange for the ability to review. The client of the TV wins and all integrators win being we have a solid thoughtful review to refer clients to rather than the talking points of the manufacturers. After I’ve sold a television and calibrated it, I’m in the know as to its true capabilities, however I would love to know its capabilities proceeding that first sale. Thank you as always ☺️
@@KristiWright please make a review of the bravia 9 as soon as possible, I'd love to hear your thoughts and mr Robinson's on it. It has been very badly received because it's not a real "oled" tv but my eyes don't lie, next to the oleds at best buy it looks phenomenal.
The guy in the Dragon reaction video says you should have tested the sound from the Tv's built in speakers only after playing rain and thunder noises in the basement for 48 hours through the TV speakers Too soon?, sorry couldn't resist. Keep doing what you are doing. Love the videos, the integrity of the channel and love Kristi's insights a lot too.
Andrew I don't envy you as you have to review the ever increasing TV sizes! Pretty soon you're going to need to trade-in that manual lift for a full blown powered fork lift 😉. Great review as usual. Enjoy the rest of your Sunday!
If TVs continue to grow, I will likely have to reinforce our wall to handle the extra weight. But yeah, you're likely right, I would also need to update my lift. Thanks for joining us!
Howdy Andrew! I’m about to move and was was looking at the 75” QM7 QD Mini-led model. Would you say the mini led tech is worth the extra cost of a regular QLED? I have a 6 series from like 2019 that I really like but the new screen tech is screaming my name. Thanks!
Have you had any issues with 24fps matched refresh rates? I have a noticeable audio/video sync issue when in Movie mode on my 98QM851G. I actually run it in Game mode (no professional calibration in either, unfortunately) which makes the video and audio sync much closer and more consistent. I also have had some issues with settings getting atuck between signal changes and how picture modes seem to be in "bands" so if you're in Dolby Vision Dark mode for HDR, when your signal switches back to SDR, you're now in Movie mode as well, even if you'd been using something else. All in all, the problems should be fixable with software updates, but worth mentioning. You do need to take some time fiddling with the TV's settings to get it looking and working how you want consistently, in my experience.
No way, _Contact_ ! Love, love, love that movie (and the book). Have it on VHS, LaserDisc, DVD, and BD, and I wish Warner would hurry up and do a UHD BD release. The ancient VC1 encoded Blu-Ray just has that over-processed "HDTV Rip" look to it.
Contact is awesome and one of my favorites - try Predestination. I watched it last night with my son - mind-blowing. Have you watched the 3 Body Problem?
@@andrewrobinsonreviews Count me in the Predestination fan club! Can't say I've seen the other 3 you guys mentioned. But hey, next weekend's a long one. Just might have to stay inside and work on my projector tan.
I just got the 75 inch and it's stunning. STUNNING. I've never seen a Sony or the LG OLEDs but good lord thr picture is incredible and the blacks are quite possibly blacker than black. Haha
I purchased a 98Q651G for a projector replacement, screen size 105 in. The 98 is a GREAT Tv and projectors are dead for 95% of Home Theaters Love it. When the 115 in is between $3 to 4 k I will upgrade and move the 98 to the patio. I have looked for an upgrade to the 12 year old 1080 Epson. TCL is the answer.
New ALR screen tech would very much disagree with you in regards to projectors being "dead". Subjectively, a 90% ambient light rejecting screen provides just about the same experience as a tv with a ton of glare in a room with windows. At night, the ALR screen will look identical to the tv.
@@MyFatherLoves I got one several months ago. Not even close to the 98 in TCL. Just marketing. At best they are a gap product until the 120 in TV budget friendly. The 98 in TCL is the first step
I still enjoy my 50” TCL 5 series TV I bought back in 2019. Though it can’t hold a candle to the Q class, I still think it looks shockingly good 5 years later, especially for the $300 price I paid!
It’s a significant jump in picture quality when you go high end. I had the TCL 55R625 in my main room for a year. Replaced it with a 65 inch LG C1 so much better and far better for console gaming.
@@saintkupo OLED is definitely a large step up in picture quality from a cheaper LED TV. I mainly use my TV to display Apple Music and occasionally watch TH-cam or movies so my current TCL 5 series has been adequate for that. Once it stops working, I’ll upgrade to OLED. Have it hooked up to a heck of a sound system which is more important to me!!
@@phillipjohnson5868 I have 4 TCL TVS and the 2020 R635 miniled is my favorite. I also have the R625,R617, and the P607 all still working as good as the first day bought them.
Sony's processing is the gold standard and they charge accordingly. While I don't think the TCL is "horrible" in that regard, keeping cost in mind, the TCL has been a great experience.
You have referenced media players other than your Apple TV. What are you getting from those you are not getting from the Apple TV? Are they just “Bluesound Vault” for movies?
Unfortunately our loan periods typically are for about 90 days, meaning I cannot comment on the longevity of a product such as this. However, we do have two other TCL TVs in our home and going on 3 years now, they work as well as they did when new.
I have mine TCL series 6 it’s great all around tv and I used it very much. But it only last 4 yrs. I don’t know what happened it just died. So if you want a long live lasting tv I would go for a premium products like Sony, LG or Samsung.
I've had a 55" 4 series (low tier model and nothing great) since 2018 and have had zero issues with it. Still going strong. We've upgraded with a Sony A80L and moved this TV to a guest bedroom but still a solid Roku TV. I'm a die hard TCL and Sony fanboy at this point.
Andrew, I’ve been out of touch for awhile so I’ve missed a few postings. If, and did you ever, post why or what you did to the front wall in your listening room? I remember when you put in so much effort into it when you first moved in.
American living in Germany and I will say the price comparison between this and Sony 98 inch offering is crazy. At this point I feel bad for Sony because the lead that they had is practically gone at this point. Crazy since this I’m an owner of Sonys XR 85X95L. Looking forward to replace my Sony Full Array in the living room and it’s crazy to think TCL is looking like a way better value.
The question is, should we buy this now or wait for the Hisense 98UX? On paper UX seems much better TV and price not that crazy higher, but not sure about the release date though.
Hi there.. loved ur channel.. btw.. i am just starting my journey into the audiophile world and have a very miniscule budget. Am thinking of getting the nad c338 + kanto passive 5.25" speaker. Mainly gonna stream spotify from my android phone... Is the nad+kanto a good combo...?
Any chance of a review of the Zidoo hardware you're using? They have a number of recently refreshed models out and I have been looking at those as an upgrade to the very dated NVIDIA Shield. A review/deep dive from your perspective would be great!
Thanks for the review. If you are able to, including the input delay for TV reviews will help the gamers decide if it's worth considering. I know that's the first thing I consider when shopping for a new TV. Thanks again!
@andrewrobinsonreviews - Andrew - Hoping you can help (you're one of the few people that have spent time with both TCL QM8851G and '23 Hisense UX. Ignoring price, and the frustrations that you had with the UX - just focusing on PQ and upscaling - which is better? I have a chance of buying the 85" UX tomorrow. Not sure which to go with. (Note - I have a near bat cave light controlled room). THX!
I have a Sony 75” X90K , which I think is just as good as the X90L (please correct me if I’m incorrect in my assumption) and I absolutely agree that TCL is rivaling Sony especially since it is 1/2 the price! I have compared the QM7 to the QM8 (both 2024 models) and the 98” QM 7 is $1,000 cheaper yet, can’t see a difference in specs that mean anything in terms of picture quality!
I'm not surprised with your conclusions regarding the TCL versus Sony. I remember walking into a Sam's Club and seeing a TCL TV. It had a good picture but the part that grabbed my attention was a 2-year warranty. To me that reflects a manufacturer that stands behind their products. I have watched video reviews regarding TCL TVs and I see the progress that TCL is making. I don't need a 98" 4K TV but I will consider TCL when the time comes to replace my Sony 65" X90J. I want to thank both of you for another fine way to enjoy a Sunday watching your channel!
While Carl may disagree, here is my take and simple thoughts on Sony vs TCI: I bought my house in 2004. WHen I did, I got myself 2 presents... a PS3 and a XBRK43... Both are still going strong without the slightest hint of aging or weakening.. Tell me any other brand that will do that for you. BTW.. the K43 is one of my computer monitors now since I bought an 85K for my downstairs viewing
Kudos to you guys for creating the best video descriptions of any TH-camr creator I’ve seen. I am guessing Kristi takes the bulk of the credit for all the links provided on every video you create. Andrew, your videos are extremely well written, and you present your findings clearly and to the point. Thanks for all the hard work you both do to create outstanding reviews for us. Very grateful.
Great review, as always👌 . I would like to know, what's your opinion on LG mini led vs the other big brands ? They're coming out with their new version every year. Just somehow under the "radar" . I bought a 65 inch version this year and quite good offer price and quality wise. Thanks in advance
I don't believe you’ve reviewed a Hisense U8L since the 85” you reviewed almost a year ago. And I believe it wasn’t a standard U8L. I'll be looking at affordable 75” tv’s soon and i’d like to know your feelings about how the TCL and Hisense units compare. Love that 98”, but we just don't have the space or the budget for even the TCL. 75” will be the largest size we can get. Thanks.
I’ve been having trouble picking between this TV or an 83” LG G4. We keep going between the amazing size and brightness of the TCL or the better everything else on the G4. Our viewing distance in the living room is 15 feet, what TV would you pick?
Go for the 115” TCL with that distance. I’ve got G4 83” at half the distance and it is just about right. Just be aware, TCL TVs are not accurate and very difficult to calibrate. The picture will be all over the place.
So, the G4 is undoubtedly the better tv but at what, 2.25x the cost? Is that worth it to you? That's a decision only you can make. If cash was no object and my seating distance could accommodate an 83" display, I'd absolutely choose the G4 over this tv. However, an 83" display's optimal viewing distance is 8.2ft. Given that your room is 15ft long, an 8.2ft viewing distance will put your seating position in a huge null in the bass response in your room. If however you do not employ subwoofers in your room, this point is invalid.
@@MyFatherLoves the sales price of the TCL is $4000 while the G4 is $5800, so only about 50% more. That being said, accommodating viewing distance is not an option. We would have to deal with watching at 14-15ft, but right now we only have a 55” so it would still be a big leap in size. I just don’t want to get the G4 and wish I had gotten something bigger.
Outdoor kitchens and outdoor entertainment spaces are really popular these days. Please consider a review about the best Outdoor rated TVs and Outdoor sound systems? Maybe even is an outdoor rated TV or Sound system is really needed? Or if so what circumstances (full Sun, partial Sun, Or Covered, etc..) Maybe even a joint venture with some of the other TH-cam channels. Thanks for considering.
I just bought 65 90XL on sale for $1050. I liked the TCL TCL QM851G, but Costco did not sell it. Love Costco and their 5-year warranty included. I recently had a 4-year-old LG CX go bad (why I just bought the Sony) and it was out of warranty (3 years) from Best Buy. So I went for better quality I think and a longer warranty at Costco. Thinking I should go get the TCL.
Doesn’t seem that long ago that my Panasonic VT60 65’’ Plasma was the state of the art… Having said that its natural non soap opera effect is all I’ll need until it breaks down…
I have last years model the 85" TCL QM850G. I wish I had waited for this model, but I honestly don't have any regrets. The only issue I have is I can not for the life of me get my TV to populate on the TCL Home app. And I stupidly lost the QR code.
As a X90L(85 inch) owner, I having a hard time understanding a comparison between the two. Where exactly is the X90L better besides upscaling? Brightness=No, Black Levels=No, Contrast=No, Blooming=No, Backlight Control=No, ALR=No, Gaming=No, Color=Wash maybe. Some of those aren't even close from what I've seen so far and has been tested. Is the 98 inch X90L vastly different than the 85 inch?
@@ericmwitimwiti3963 As I stated, I have the 85 inch X90L. I know it upscales low quality content well. But it has some weaker areas in terms of PQ. I'm asking if the 98 inch version is somehow different.
wrt longevity, I have run a TCL 65-inch 6-Series for 5 years with no problems. Probably buy a 75" or bigger next time. Good value and its high brightness for daytime viewing is terrific!
I'm sold, and more importantly my wife said yes. Nonetheless, I will wait until Black Friday deals, which will likely knock another $500 off. $3,500 for a 98" high quality TV was unfathomable just five years ago. Thanks Andrew, your review is the one that had me on hold.
Honest question, I know you said that had the TCL arrived before your X90L it would have been a harder choice on which tv to keep. If you had the 115” TCL and not the 98” would that tempt you more? The usual saying that size trumps quality but in this case the gap is very close between this year’s TCL and the big three.
The amount of quality tcl and hisense bring to the table lately is amazing. Just a few years ago, you had to get the way more expensive high-end tv's from lg/samsung/sony for the same quality and features.
Great review but one thing I’d like to mention is Dolby Vision vs HDR10. You mentioned Samsung omitting DV. I wonder if in one of these videos, you could do a comparison. I lot of people don’t buy Samsung because of it but perhaps, the differences between DV and HDR10 aren’t as wide as we make it seem
DV is more advanced technically, with higher brightness, more colour bits (12 instead of 10) and dynamic metadata which can change between scenes. Can you see the difference? I doubt it in real life (unless you are Carl). In practice, there is bigger difference in bitrates, probably 4K BD with HDR10 will still look better than compressed DV from Netflix, especially in dark scenes with gradients.
HDR10+ and DV are comparable although DV is usually implemented better IMO. However, HDR10 doesn't have metadata in it to control the tv at a finer level so it inherently cannot compete with DV. You'd have to compared HDR10+ to DV since HDR10+ has the dynamic metadata encoded in similar to DV. All that said, the biggest factor in all HDR content is proper tone mapping. A madVR Envy (even the cheapest option, the new Core) will blow any video processor in a tv or projector out of the water. You could feed it SDR, HDR10 (+), DV, whatever.... and a properly setup Envy will perfectly tone map all content to your chosen display. I know you didn't ask about that but it's worth mentioning when talking about HDR formats and what looks best. It all comes down to the processor.
@@LXBattiatus Differences are more common in CG based cartoons like Super Mario Bros where DV handles high nit primary colors better. This is because the colorspace used on disc and streaming.
Okay, so I might be completely crazy but I have a question: related to the screen size, being so large, in your experience does that make the flaws of this or any other large size tv pop more to you? What I mean is since it’s so large, and not being able to really focus on the entirety of the display and only on a portion of it, would that dirty screen effect make you notice it more in certain situations vs a smaller tv size with the same exact flaw? I know it’s a weird one, but still I’m curious. Where is that perfect balance of size to performance and immersion for TVs? I’ve been living for many years with a 65” and I love it, but I’ve been really contemplating going bigger size, to a 77 or 83 inches. Either way I’m glad to see more competition in all size and price ranges. Awesome review and welcome back, Carl! Hope everyone is having a lovely Sunday. P.S. on a scale of 100 to a 1000 how excited are y’all for the season 2 of Silo coming November 15? 😇😏
In my experience, the larger size of some of these TVs makes errors or issues more noticeable. DSE is one area where I suspect our findings are likely "worse" than, say, a 65" of the same model. The same goes for vignetting or blooming. Scaling, good or bad, definitely becomes easier to discern, especially when viewing actor close-ups. In my opinion, if the 98" model of anything looks GREAT, the smaller models have fared as well or better!
@@andrewrobinsonreviews thank you! It was probably a basic and logical question, but still. I haven’t experienced TVs of that size at all, so was curious what you think. Hope y’all are doing well!
The issue with DSE isn't that simple. It is pretty much panel lottery. One unit can be messy and other one perfect. As a consumers we should demand better quality control. My understanding is that oleds usually have better gray uniformaty and no dse. It is so distracting when u watch sports like football, when u go from side to side and end to end. So dse didn't bother u when u watched women's soccer final?
The day the panel lottery dies is the day we no longer use flat panel technology. Perfection would have it's price smaller panel manufacturing yields and higher prices. You want it affordable you spin the wheel. (CRT had similar problems back in the day, but people lived with it)
@@andrewrobinsonreviews I will check it out live or later. I live in Finland so it's gonna be night time for me. Which is Ok, because i am usually gaming 00-07 .
I have a dark theatre room. Is it better to go with the LG G4 83" or the Bravia 9 85". Is it worth sacraficing the 2" to go with the Oled? Price isnt a concern.
I actually bought and compared both in my dark theater room and kept the LG G4 83". The Bravia 9's native contrast is bad enough suffer blacks and looked more washed out (something that no amount of local dimming tricks can resolve).
As an owner of 98” I feel that’s where the value / performance is due to limited options. At 85 you do have better choices if you are willing to pay a little extra.
Great video guys! Kind of off topic but I would love to hear more about that TV lift. Any chance of a more in depth video about it and how to use it? These TVs are getting too big!
I likely won't be buying another TCL TV. - I bought one (different model than reviewed here) a few years ago, yeah it was okay picture for the price but only lasted around two years (long enough to not be under warranty) until the backlight went out and the cost to fix it was more than the TV was worth. Personally, I'd rather pay more money for a Sony or something that hopefully would last a while. They must be cutting some corners with parts and/or build quality to get those prices down. Sometimes you get what you pay for.
I know very, very little about TVs and am looking for some help. The TCL looks very interesting, but my LR is very small and I'm looking for a 65" rather than this bad boy. Would I be safe buying the 65" version of the TCL based on this review? Thanks very much!
@@andrewrobinsonreviewsYeah, you won’t want to start losing your carefully maintained hair over the stress of a generally very thankless and short term job.
Sir , I was hoping for a great experience from my TCL 55inch Roku that I was enjoying when it just went black . It was of course under the 1 year factory warranty and the tech walked me through everything including a complete reset. TCL REFUSES TO HONOR THEIR OWN 1 YEAR FACTORY WARRANTY SO MY ADVICE IS RUN DON'T WALK AWAY FROM EVERYTHING MADE BY TCL . Buyer Beware I found out the hard way !
The more I see those Titans, the more I want them. Would an old Marantz SR7002 drive them well enough? I am fearing that a receiver upgrade or adding an amp may come first.
Another great review. These TV’s are getting massive with impressive results. Wondering if there’s a ratio of room size to tv size? Stuffing a massive tv into a small room seems like it would look odd. How does one balance TV size with room size? In 2channel, it’s regularly stated that some speakers are too small / large for certain rooms. Wondering the same with TV’s.
For me, it's all about viewing angles and personal preferences. Because our sofa is back 12-14 feet from our TV, we technically could use or enjoy a screen size up to 125" that falls within SMPTE and THX standards. However, a 125" screen does look a bit overwhelming in our space, which comes down to preference.
Seems to be that they have different models in different regions. Seems some places get the QM7 & QM8 and others get C755 and C855. They seem to be similar but not the same, which is annoying because I’m in a C855 region but more of the reviewers are in QM8 regions. There also seems to be X955 in some regions. All very confusing. I’m also tossing up between C855 and X90L. Possibly will come down to which one I can get the best deal on.
Aside from things like differences in power supplies, I wonder why they do similar but different models in different regions instead of just releasing the same ones everywhere.
I realize than TCL has improved more than any TV manufacture, I still am always attracted to The Sony picture processing. I much prefer a picture that looks life like not super processed. I also want my TV to really be able to reproduce 24fps without issue or the "Soap Opera effect". For me Samsung TV's are unwatchable, I would rather watch a dim OLED or QLED than an over processed QLED or OLED.
NOPE, Hisense bought Toshiba and Sharp factories, also Hisense make displays for YEARS and created their operative system. Try to see an U8 and a UX in person... You would be amazed.
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Hi Andrew and Kristie - for mini LED TV's, it appears year over year both TCL and Hisense are from a quality and best bang for your buck perspective starting to pull away.
That being said I'm extremely interested in the new Sharp Aquos - any intentions of reviewing that TV in the near future?
@@andrewrobinsonreviews buyer beware they refuse to honor their own 1 year factory warranty I will never ever buy anything made by TCL EVER AGAIN A HUGE DISAPPOINTMENT FROM A TERRIBLE COMPANY
@@Audiomainia2310 BUYER BEWARE TCL REFUSES TO HONOR 1 YEAR FACTORY WARRANTY NEVER EVER AGAIN FROM THIS CONSUMER
Hi Andrew, does this tv have a different model code in the Australian market? I can't find it, closest I can find is 98C855.
Sony bravia 9 please review
I have the 115 inch TCL with the Kef surround sound and I love it. All TVs are not perfect is you look for flaws, but the goal is to look for a TV perfect for you.
I’ve been in the hospital again and have been relying so heavily on your reviews . I’m not buying much more as with my health I’d probably be throwing money away . I just wanted to tell you guys your fun reviews really help me and keep me going . This years been tough . Thank you both for the reviews❤
I really hope you are better 🙏🏽
@@lpromer4796 I’m fighting . 2 /12 years of fighting . I’m tired but keep waking up the next day . Aren’t Andy and Kristi awsome . Thank you so much for your thoughts I can’t tell you how much it means . I don’t hear much from people so it’s much appreciated 👍❤️
@@marklloyd4153 👍🏼
I bought the 85” QM8 for my living room, my first non Sony purchase in years. To show how happy I’ve been, I decided to redo my home theater Sony screen, and I literally just ordered another QM8 yesterday. That Sony is now getting bumped to my office.
I just bought my first TCL TV. A cheapy just for bedroom use. I wasn’t expecting much, but have been presently surprised at what a good TV it is. We’ll see how it holds up over the long term, but so far I’m a believer.
Have you ever considered uploading your videos as a podcast? I’m on the go a lot and would love to be able to listen while I’m driving. Love your videos!
I bought the 98 inch TCLQM851G about a month ago got it for $3999 at Best Buy. I had a 75 inch Samsung, which was about seven years old.
I have to say, this television is great in movie mode and more than bright enough to handle my bright living room , with deep blacks and virtually no blooming,
it is a monster. I would definitely grab this TV over anything else for $3999.
Thank you for another great review.
Thank you for sharing your experience.
@@5124ever enjoy yo monster TV
@5124ever Any issues thus far? I'm debating on getting the 75 inches for my bedroom 🤔
@@shanew7361Nope.
It's been fine and the picture is great.
@@shanew7361Nope.
And the picture is great.
As a Broadcast Engineer of 25 years, this is BY FAR the BEST review of a television I have watched. I appreciate you breaking down the differences both positive and negative between the different manufacturers, the different adjustments available to tweak the image to one’s personal preferences, as well as the visual representations going through the grayscales.
As you stated, you used an AppleTV 4k for your image source. My question is. How is the processing time with respect to navigation of the menus/apps built into, or downloaded to the monitor, and the amount of time for the TV to make the connection to a WiFi network if not using an external device? I ask because I made the mistake of purchasing a television that has Sooooo much lag navigating the internal menus, and takes almost a minute before connecting to WiFi… I honestly just want to put the TV on the curb with a “free” sign taped to the screen. Thank you for all you do.
Please tune in to this Friday's Unplugged where your question will be answered.
@@exic1sw BUYER BEWARE TCL REFUSES TO HONOR THEIR OWN 1 YEAR FACTORY WARRANTY SO RUN DON'T WALK AWAY FROM ALL BRANDS MADE BY TCL ! This is the COLD HARD FACTS FOLKS !
Why would anyone purchase ANY PRODUCT FROM ANY COMPANY THAT FLAT OUT REFUSES TO HONOR ITS OWN 1 YEAR FACTORY WARRANTY 🤔 ?
I WILL NEVER EVER BUY ANYTHING MADE FROM TCL I AM NOT THE ONLY PERSON THIS HAS HAPPENED TO EITHER SO I SAY RUN DON'T WALK AWAY FROM ANYTHING MADE BY TCL !
@@andrewrobinsonreviews why don't you respond about why TCL refuses to honor their own 1 year factory warranty period 🤔?
You just review products not if the company making the product stands by the product it appears to this upset and ripped off consumer.
My issue with TCL is from country to country they change model numbers, quality, processors etc etc. Makes it very difficult to know what you are getting outside of the states.
.
Contrast :
U8N - 290000:1,
x90L - 42000:1
X95L-200000:1
I am planning to get 1 .
@@Yoga_Tv_buyingcool story
Hi, between LG B4 and Sony X90L which one do you prefer?
I was fortunate to pick up the Sony 98”X90L on sale at BB for $3K off the MSRP. No buyer’s remorse here. It’s a great TV.
Can you make a video about your Zidoo media server set up?
TCL showed off their WHVA panel at CES 2024, and is supposed to release it next year. From what the video looked like it will totally eliminate any off-angle viewing issues. If this really happens... I might have found my next TV. Time will tell.
Are you going to get the 100" Hisense U8N in for review to compare with the 98" Sony, Samsung and TCLs? And I wonder if the 98" Samsung will get an update to fix those issues soon and then it should be better than all the others maybe?
Also any other major bugs on the TCL? There usually is......the Hisense's seem to be worse. Samsung has issues too though like you mentioned. Sony seems the best!
Funny thing is I have had little to no issues with my 43" QN90B, no back-light fluctuations, I just wish it was more accurate. I'll have to get some calibration hardware/software and learn how to do it myself eventually......
So far the 100u8n has been more elusive than Bigfoot. Reviewers got them but non existent in the real world. I had hoped Hisense would have this fixed by black friday but nope still only the 100u8k on their site. I'm going with this TCL
Was this bought at retail or sent by TCL? I have seen huge differences in the color and the amount of DSE in various TCL models. I have to wonder if this was a hand picked sample?
I just purchased the 85" I can't wait to get it mounted on the wall.
And the bracket needed is not easy to find locally
We link to the wall mount we use in the description.
Great video Andrew. Happy Sunday everyone..
Thanks!
Thank you for this honest review 👌 I’m from Europe and we have here for 2024 the TCL 98C855, hope this one is as accurate and impressive as the 98QM8 from North America 🤞
@@JohnDoe-ms7tq in Europe TCL qm8 is TCL X955
@@JoohnCZ I am looking in to the TCL QD Mini-LED 98X959 is this just the 2024 version for Europe? Or is it a even better spec tv? 🙏
@@JoohnCZ ok thanks for the info 👍
Thank You MR Robinson. I just purchased the TCL 98" QM851G I hope I like it, I am an avid OLED TV Owner. Thought I would Try out a Mini LED TV for a fraction of the cost of a 97" OLED I am sure it cannot compare but I am going in with an open mind knowing full well there is no comparison.
Enjoy i did the same jump
Thanks for another great review. I always look forward to the TV reviews, specifically the calibration portion. For people not a customer for calibration software (don't want to bother or wouldn't use it often enough to justify time and cost), can you just turn on Dolby Vision and call it a day? Way back in one of your Sony TV reviews I had the same TV and used your settings you shared for custom - it looked great. And then I watched your calibration ep., took the red pill and followed you down the rabbit hole. But ever since I purchased the Sony 85" X90K (used with an Apple TV) I just put it in Dolby Vision and it looks great to me. Is there enough of a difference (from Dolby Vision) when professionally calibrated? And (sorry if I missed it) did you do this with the TCL before doing the calibration?
Please tune in to this Friday's Unplugged where your question will be answered.
@@andrewrobinsonreviews thank you!
Any plans to review the 85” Bravia 9? Definitely would be interesting to Juxtapose this television against the TCL.
Also……. Do I see Studio 89’s in the background? 🤩
We've been told Sony is working on getting us a review unit of the B9, but we have no ETA.
@@KristiWright
You guys will love it! At least I hope ☺️ U do.
My company has integrated two thus far this year. They calibrate like an OLED in that in SDR their Gamma coming out of black is perfect. PQEOTF tracking is ridiculously good.
We integrate a lot of A95L’s…… Where the A95L really shines other than of course black level, is its color saturation. When compared side by side the Bravia 9 looks a bit desaturated. However, when watching content mastered at 4000 Nits, the Bravia 9 renders Specular highlights like I’ve never seen and all without blooming of any detectable degree. I only wish the B9 had a biiit wider viewing cone.
I sincerely wish people would stop directly comparing the B9 to the A95L. It really is a television for a client with different priorities whether it be their room or their personal wants. Just love it.
@@KristiWright
Oh annnd also.
My company, Elite AV is in the Seattle region…. If U guys were in my region I would be happy to supply you televisions for your reviews.
I had considered the other day, it may benefit you to reach out to custom integrators in your area. Andrew could offer his calibration services at no cost in exchange for the ability to review. The client of the TV wins and all integrators win being we have a solid thoughtful review to refer clients to rather than the talking points of the manufacturers.
After I’ve sold a television and calibrated it, I’m in the know as to its true capabilities, however I would love to know its capabilities proceeding that first sale.
Thank you as always ☺️
@@KristiWright please make a review of the bravia 9 as soon as possible, I'd love to hear your thoughts and mr Robinson's on it. It has been very badly received because it's not a real "oled" tv but my eyes don't lie, next to the oleds at best buy it looks phenomenal.
I'm a such a fanboy! Your channel is my first stop on my lifelong dream of building my perfect Home theater. I wont hod you being an Apple person:)
The guy in the Dragon reaction video says you should have tested the sound from the Tv's built in speakers only after playing rain and thunder noises in the basement for 48 hours through the TV speakers
Too soon?, sorry couldn't resist. Keep doing what you are doing. Love the videos, the integrity of the channel and love Kristi's insights a lot too.
So when not taking the price into consideration, which one in 98” is better, the TCL QM851 or the Sony X90L?
Andrew I don't envy you as you have to review the ever increasing TV sizes! Pretty soon you're going to need to trade-in that manual lift for a full blown powered fork lift 😉. Great review as usual. Enjoy the rest of your Sunday!
If TVs continue to grow, I will likely have to reinforce our wall to handle the extra weight. But yeah, you're likely right, I would also need to update my lift. Thanks for joining us!
Howdy Andrew! I’m about to move and was was looking at the 75” QM7 QD Mini-led model. Would you say the mini led tech is worth the extra cost of a regular QLED?
I have a 6 series from like 2019 that I really like but the new screen tech is screaming my name.
Thanks!
Have you had any issues with 24fps matched refresh rates? I have a noticeable audio/video sync issue when in Movie mode on my 98QM851G. I actually run it in Game mode (no professional calibration in either, unfortunately) which makes the video and audio sync much closer and more consistent.
I also have had some issues with settings getting atuck between signal changes and how picture modes seem to be in "bands" so if you're in Dolby Vision Dark mode for HDR, when your signal switches back to SDR, you're now in Movie mode as well, even if you'd been using something else.
All in all, the problems should be fixable with software updates, but worth mentioning. You do need to take some time fiddling with the TV's settings to get it looking and working how you want consistently, in my experience.
No way, _Contact_ !
Love, love, love that movie (and the book). Have it on VHS, LaserDisc, DVD, and BD, and I wish Warner would hurry up and do a UHD BD release. The ancient VC1 encoded Blu-Ray just has that over-processed "HDTV Rip" look to it.
Contact is awesome and one of my favorites - try Predestination. I watched it last night with my son - mind-blowing. Have you watched the 3 Body Problem?
Predestination is AWESOME! Try two little known indie films, Primer and Upstream Color if you liked Predestination.
@@andrewrobinsonreviews Count me in the Predestination fan club!
Can't say I've seen the other 3 you guys mentioned. But hey, next weekend's a long one. Just might have to stay inside and work on my projector tan.
@@andrewrobinsonreviews Thanks, I'll check them out!
Cool stuff. It never ceases to amaze me how many great options we have nowadays. Cheers and happy sunday!
Appreciate you watching as always!
@@andrewrobinsonreviews always a great part of my Sunday. Sets the tone for the day.
How does this compare to the Sony Bravia B9?
So you think the TCL will last as long as a Sony? Any concerns with build quality?
@@duncs52 My Bravia 9 was defekt out of the box. There goes your Sony quality...
I just got the 75 inch and it's stunning. STUNNING. I've never seen a Sony or the LG OLEDs but good lord thr picture is incredible and the blacks are quite possibly blacker than black. Haha
First time watching Andrew, and I can't help but hear Wil Wheaton's voice hahah
I purchased a 98Q651G for a projector replacement, screen size 105 in. The 98 is a GREAT Tv and projectors are dead for 95% of Home Theaters
Love it. When the 115 in is between $3 to 4 k I will upgrade and move the 98 to the patio.
I have looked for an upgrade to the 12 year old 1080 Epson. TCL is the answer.
New ALR screen tech would very much disagree with you in regards to projectors being "dead". Subjectively, a 90% ambient light rejecting screen provides just about the same experience as a tv with a ton of glare in a room with windows. At night, the ALR screen will look identical to the tv.
@@MyFatherLoves I got one several months ago. Not even close to the 98 in TCL. Just marketing. At best they are a gap product until the 120 in TV budget friendly. The 98 in TCL is the first step
I still enjoy my 50” TCL 5 series TV I bought back in 2019. Though it can’t hold a candle to the Q class, I still think it looks shockingly good 5 years later, especially for the $300 price I paid!
I feel the same about my basic by comparison Samsung 50 inch
It’s a significant jump in picture quality when you go high end. I had the TCL 55R625 in my main room for a year. Replaced it with a 65 inch LG C1 so much better and far better for console gaming.
@@saintkupo OLED is definitely a large step up in picture quality from a cheaper LED TV. I mainly use my TV to display Apple Music and occasionally watch TH-cam or movies so my current TCL 5 series has been adequate for that. Once it stops working, I’ll upgrade to OLED. Have it hooked up to a heck of a sound system which is more important to me!!
@@phillipjohnson5868 I have 4 TCL TVS and the 2020 R635 miniled is my favorite. I also have the R625,R617, and the P607 all still working as good as the first day bought them.
Can you please do a review on the Sony Bravia 7
Good video. One thing I like about TCL is clarity.
I returned the 98QM851G for the 85” B9 and man what a difference. The B9 is incredible. The processing is horrible on the TCL.
Sony's processing is the gold standard and they charge accordingly. While I don't think the TCL is "horrible" in that regard, keeping cost in mind, the TCL has been a great experience.
It’s more than twice the price where I live, for equivalent size. I would be shocked if it wasn’t better.
Finally someone being honest
Fantastic review mate I’m loving your content you both do great work
Thanks!
I spy with my little eye, a pair of Monitor Audio Studio 89’s :0
This was a great review as always. Next tv for me might go from Samsung to TCL
You have referenced media players other than your Apple TV. What are you getting from those you are not getting from the Apple TV? Are they just “Bluesound Vault” for movies?
How is the build quality of TCL? Will the TV still work in 10 years from now on? Are there any issues with TCL regarding quality and durability?
Unfortunately our loan periods typically are for about 90 days, meaning I cannot comment on the longevity of a product such as this. However, we do have two other TCL TVs in our home and going on 3 years now, they work as well as they did when new.
I have mine TCL series 6 it’s great all around tv and I used it very much. But it only last 4 yrs. I don’t know what happened it just died. So if you want a long live lasting tv I would go for a premium products like Sony, LG or Samsung.
I've had a 55" 4 series (low tier model and nothing great) since 2018 and have had zero issues with it. Still going strong. We've upgraded with a Sony A80L and moved this TV to a guest bedroom but still a solid Roku TV. I'm a die hard TCL and Sony fanboy at this point.
Andrew, I’ve been out of touch for awhile so I’ve missed a few postings. If, and did you ever, post why or what you did to the front wall in your listening room? I remember when you put in so much effort into it when you first moved in.
Nice Monitors in the background. Great review, as always. Any plans/interest in reviewing the 115”?
Which software/app was used to archive Blu Rays
For the 2023 QM8 owners - Make sure to update your firmware to v295. It fixed the brightness when watching DV videos.
Hey Andrew, can you provide a link to the media server (Zidoo?) that you reference in this review? Thanks.
Hi Andrew! Are you going to be reviewing the Hisense U8N on any of its largest sizes by any chance? Thanks!
Great content thanks! definitely my next tv for my theater rm
I'm lost X90L Bravia 7 QM851 all seem to be very very close together which one to buy for COLOR ACCURACY, UPSCALING low bit and DETAIL and Blooming
@@bungalowtomcat1 Bravia 7 Has good color accuracy, up scaling and low bit rate, while the detail and blooming is a sliver better of the tv
American living in Germany and I will say the price comparison between this and Sony 98 inch offering is crazy. At this point I feel bad for Sony because the lead that they had is practically gone at this point. Crazy since this I’m an owner of Sonys XR 85X95L. Looking forward to replace my Sony Full Array in the living room and it’s crazy to think TCL is looking like a way better value.
The question is, should we buy this now or wait for the Hisense 98UX? On paper UX seems much better TV and price not that crazy higher, but not sure about the release date though.
I've saw 65, 85 UX in real life and man... That beast is ATONISHING, only if you see it live you can describe it.
Absolutely wait for the 98UX 2024 (U9N). It will be much more accurate and processing is much better.
Hi there.. loved ur channel.. btw.. i am just starting my journey into the audiophile world and have a very miniscule budget. Am thinking of getting the nad c338 + kanto passive 5.25" speaker. Mainly gonna stream spotify from my android phone... Is the nad+kanto a good combo...?
Any chance of a review of the Zidoo hardware you're using? They have a number of recently refreshed models out and I have been looking at those as an upgrade to the very dated NVIDIA Shield. A review/deep dive from your perspective would be great!
Thanks for the review. If you are able to, including the input delay for TV reviews will help the gamers decide if it's worth considering. I know that's the first thing I consider when shopping for a new TV. Thanks again!
Andrew have you tried the Cabasse Rialto? Would love to hear your opinion on it.
You have great conclusions. it’s usually a fine balance between subjectivity and objectivity
@andrewrobinsonreviews - Andrew - Hoping you can help (you're one of the few people that have spent time with both TCL QM8851G and '23 Hisense UX. Ignoring price, and the frustrations that you had with the UX - just focusing on PQ and upscaling - which is better? I have a chance of buying the 85" UX tomorrow. Not sure which to go with. (Note - I have a near bat cave light controlled room). THX!
I have a Sony 75” X90K , which I think is just as good as the X90L (please correct me if I’m incorrect in my assumption) and I absolutely agree that TCL is rivaling Sony especially since it is 1/2 the price! I have compared the QM7 to the QM8 (both 2024 models) and the 98” QM 7 is $1,000 cheaper yet, can’t see a difference in specs that mean anything in terms of picture quality!
I'm not surprised with your conclusions regarding the TCL versus Sony. I remember walking into a Sam's Club and seeing a TCL TV. It had a good picture but the part that grabbed my attention was a 2-year warranty. To me that reflects a manufacturer that stands behind their products. I have watched video reviews regarding TCL TVs and I see the progress that TCL is making. I don't need a 98" 4K TV but I will consider TCL when the time comes to replace my Sony 65" X90J. I want to thank both of you for another fine way to enjoy a Sunday watching your channel!
While Carl may disagree, here is my take and simple thoughts on Sony vs TCI:
I bought my house in 2004. WHen I did, I got myself 2 presents... a PS3 and a XBRK43...
Both are still going strong without the slightest hint of aging or weakening..
Tell me any other brand that will do that for you.
BTW.. the K43 is one of my computer monitors now since I bought an 85K for my downstairs viewing
Wonder if a TCL would last that much.
Pi❤😂🎉🎉😅😢😅😅😢😅
Kudos to you guys for creating the best video descriptions of any TH-camr creator I’ve seen. I am guessing Kristi takes the bulk of the credit for all the links provided on every video you create.
Andrew, your videos are extremely well written, and you present your findings clearly and to the point. Thanks for all the hard work you both do to create outstanding reviews for us. Very grateful.
Thank you.
Great review, as always👌 . I would like to know, what's your opinion on LG mini led vs the other big brands ? They're coming out with their new version every year. Just somehow under the "radar" . I bought a 65 inch version this year and quite good offer price and quality wise. Thanks in advance
I don't believe you’ve reviewed a Hisense U8L since the 85” you reviewed almost a year ago. And I believe it wasn’t a standard U8L. I'll be looking at affordable 75” tv’s soon and i’d like to know your feelings about how the TCL and Hisense units compare. Love that 98”, but we just don't have the space or the budget for even the TCL. 75” will be the largest size we can get. Thanks.
I’ve been having trouble picking between this TV or an 83” LG G4. We keep going between the amazing size and brightness of the TCL or the better everything else on the G4. Our viewing distance in the living room is 15 feet, what TV would you pick?
Go for the 115” TCL with that distance. I’ve got G4 83” at half the distance and it is just about right.
Just be aware, TCL TVs are not accurate and very difficult to calibrate. The picture will be all over the place.
@@MadViking82 A huge segment of this review would immediately negate any qualms about inaccuracy. Did you even watch the review?
So, the G4 is undoubtedly the better tv but at what, 2.25x the cost? Is that worth it to you? That's a decision only you can make. If cash was no object and my seating distance could accommodate an 83" display, I'd absolutely choose the G4 over this tv.
However, an 83" display's optimal viewing distance is 8.2ft. Given that your room is 15ft long, an 8.2ft viewing distance will put your seating position in a huge null in the bass response in your room. If however you do not employ subwoofers in your room, this point is invalid.
@@MyFatherLoves the sales price of the TCL is $4000 while the G4 is $5800, so only about 50% more. That being said, accommodating viewing distance is not an option. We would have to deal with watching at 14-15ft, but right now we only have a 55” so it would still be a big leap in size. I just don’t want to get the G4 and wish I had gotten something bigger.
Outdoor kitchens and outdoor entertainment spaces are really popular these days. Please consider a review about the best Outdoor rated TVs and Outdoor sound systems? Maybe even is an outdoor rated TV or Sound system is really needed? Or if so what circumstances (full Sun, partial Sun, Or Covered, etc..) Maybe even a joint venture with some of the other TH-cam channels. Thanks for considering.
As soon as our outdoor project is finished, we will be bringing you that type of content in the future.
TCL better than Samsung? Wow. Great sharing.
I just bought 65 90XL on sale for $1050. I liked the TCL TCL QM851G, but Costco did not sell it. Love Costco and their 5-year warranty included. I recently had a 4-year-old LG CX go bad (why I just bought the Sony) and it was out of warranty (3 years) from Best Buy. So I went for better quality I think and a longer warranty at Costco. Thinking I should go get the TCL.
Doesn’t seem that long ago that my Panasonic VT60 65’’ Plasma was the state of the art… Having said that its natural non soap opera effect is all I’ll need until it breaks down…
I have last years model the 85" TCL QM850G. I wish I had waited for this model, but I honestly don't have any regrets. The only issue I have is I can not for the life of me get my TV to populate on the TCL Home app. And I stupidly lost the QR code.
A couple of weeks ago I upgraded from an LG 55" to the Sony 85". Can't imagine what an 98 or 115" must be like. Wow.
Nice review, Happy Sunday
Same to you, thank you for watching!
As a X90L(85 inch) owner, I having a hard time understanding a comparison between the two. Where exactly is the X90L better besides upscaling? Brightness=No, Black Levels=No, Contrast=No, Blooming=No, Backlight Control=No, ALR=No, Gaming=No, Color=Wash maybe. Some of those aren't even close from what I've seen so far and has been tested. Is the 98 inch X90L vastly different than the 85 inch?
but sony remains sony. if you want to know the difference, just have low quality vedios and see the difference in upscalling
@@ericmwitimwiti3963 As I stated, I have the 85 inch X90L. I know it upscales low quality content well. But it has some weaker areas in terms of PQ. I'm asking if the 98 inch version is somehow different.
@rolig3518 Please tune in to this Friday's Unplugged where your question will be answered.
@@rolig3518 THANKS FOR THE INFORMATION, I WASNT AWARE OF THAT.
Good morning Andrew
Good morning Daniel, appreciate you joining us!
wrt longevity, I have run a TCL 65-inch 6-Series for 5 years with no problems. Probably buy a 75" or bigger next time. Good value and its high brightness for daytime viewing is terrific!
I'm sold, and more importantly my wife said yes. Nonetheless, I will wait until Black Friday deals, which will likely knock another $500 off. $3,500 for a 98" high quality TV was unfathomable just five years ago. Thanks Andrew, your review is the one that had me on hold.
Honest question, I know you said that had the TCL arrived before your X90L it would have been a harder choice on which tv to keep. If you had the 115” TCL and not the 98” would that tempt you more? The usual saying that size trumps quality but in this case the gap is very close between this year’s TCL and the big three.
Without spending any time with the 115" TCL, there is no way to know.
I’m curious as to what you would think about the QM7 and how it would compare to Qm8
Fantastic review as usual
The amount of quality tcl and hisense bring to the table lately is amazing.
Just a few years ago, you had to get the way more expensive high-end tv's from lg/samsung/sony for the same quality and features.
Agreed! The big 3 TV manufacturers definitely have competition.
Great review but one thing I’d like to mention is Dolby Vision vs HDR10. You mentioned Samsung omitting DV. I wonder if in one of these videos, you could do a comparison. I lot of people don’t buy Samsung because of it but perhaps, the differences between DV and HDR10 aren’t as wide as we make it seem
DV is more advanced technically, with higher brightness, more colour bits (12 instead of 10) and dynamic metadata which can change between scenes. Can you see the difference? I doubt it in real life (unless you are Carl). In practice, there is bigger difference in bitrates, probably 4K BD with HDR10 will still look better than compressed DV from Netflix, especially in dark scenes with gradients.
HDR10+ and DV are comparable although DV is usually implemented better IMO. However, HDR10 doesn't have metadata in it to control the tv at a finer level so it inherently cannot compete with DV. You'd have to compared HDR10+ to DV since HDR10+ has the dynamic metadata encoded in similar to DV.
All that said, the biggest factor in all HDR content is proper tone mapping. A madVR Envy (even the cheapest option, the new Core) will blow any video processor in a tv or projector out of the water. You could feed it SDR, HDR10 (+), DV, whatever.... and a properly setup Envy will perfectly tone map all content to your chosen display. I know you didn't ask about that but it's worth mentioning when talking about HDR formats and what looks best. It all comes down to the processor.
@@LXBattiatus Differences are more common in CG based cartoons like Super Mario Bros where DV handles high nit primary colors better. This is because the colorspace used on disc and streaming.
@LXBattiatus Please tune in to this Friday's Unplugged where your question will be answered.
Okay, so I might be completely crazy but I have a question: related to the screen size, being so large, in your experience does that make the flaws of this or any other large size tv pop more to you? What I mean is since it’s so large, and not being able to really focus on the entirety of the display and only on a portion of it, would that dirty screen effect make you notice it more in certain situations vs a smaller tv size with the same exact flaw? I know it’s a weird one, but still I’m curious. Where is that perfect balance of size to performance and immersion for TVs? I’ve been living for many years with a 65” and I love it, but I’ve been really contemplating going bigger size, to a 77 or 83 inches. Either way I’m glad to see more competition in all size and price ranges.
Awesome review and welcome back, Carl! Hope everyone is having a lovely Sunday.
P.S. on a scale of 100 to a 1000 how excited are y’all for the season 2 of Silo coming November 15? 😇😏
In my experience, the larger size of some of these TVs makes errors or issues more noticeable. DSE is one area where I suspect our findings are likely "worse" than, say, a 65" of the same model. The same goes for vignetting or blooming. Scaling, good or bad, definitely becomes easier to discern, especially when viewing actor close-ups. In my opinion, if the 98" model of anything looks GREAT, the smaller models have fared as well or better!
@@andrewrobinsonreviews thank you! It was probably a basic and logical question, but still. I haven’t experienced TVs of that size at all, so was curious what you think.
Hope y’all are doing well!
I love PC gaming on big TV's. I have a hard time gaming for example on a sub 32" monitor. Just not immersive enough for me.
The issue with DSE isn't that simple. It is pretty much panel lottery. One unit can be messy and other one perfect. As a consumers we should demand better quality control. My understanding is that oleds usually have better gray uniformaty and no dse. It is so distracting when u watch sports like football, when u go from side to side and end to end. So dse didn't bother u when u watched women's soccer final?
That's why I switched to QD-OLED. Smaller screen but perfect uniformity.
The day the panel lottery dies is the day we no longer use flat panel technology. Perfection would have it's price smaller panel manufacturing yields and higher prices. You want it affordable you spin the wheel. (CRT had similar problems back in the day, but people lived with it)
@jereaaltonen3655 Please tune in to this Friday's Unplugged where your question will be answered.
@@andrewrobinsonreviews I will check it out live or later. I live in Finland so it's gonna be night time for me. Which is Ok, because i am usually gaming 00-07 .
I have a dark theatre room. Is it better to go with the LG G4 83" or the Bravia 9 85". Is it worth sacraficing the 2" to go with the Oled? Price isnt a concern.
LG G4 way to go
I actually bought and compared both in my dark theater room and kept the LG G4 83". The Bravia 9's native contrast is bad enough suffer blacks and looked more washed out (something that no amount of local dimming tricks can resolve).
I'm very curious if the 85" model is just as good. Would love a 98" but alas, it won't fit
As an owner of 98” I feel that’s where the value / performance is due to limited options. At 85 you do have better choices if you are willing to pay a little extra.
That's fair, thanks for the help. I'll keep researching
Great video guys! Kind of off topic but I would love to hear more about that TV lift. Any chance of a more in depth video about it and how to use it? These TVs are getting too big!
I did a short video on it here th-cam.com/users/shortsZ1T6XVManFc?si=DPBmofuPA34gx_Ej
@@andrewrobinsonreviews so cool thanks! I didn’t know this existed!
Thanks for review Andrew !
Let's see how amazing the new TCL are. Of course, this is AFTER I have already paid for new TVs. Still love these videos, thanks Andrew and Kristi.
I'm in the same boat, which I somewhat discuss in this review 😉
I likely won't be buying another TCL TV. - I bought one (different model than reviewed here) a few years ago, yeah it was okay picture for the price but only lasted around two years (long enough to not be under warranty) until the backlight went out and the cost to fix it was more than the TV was worth. Personally, I'd rather pay more money for a Sony or something that hopefully would last a while. They must be cutting some corners with parts and/or build quality to get those prices down. Sometimes you get what you pay for.
I know very, very little about TVs and am looking for some help. The TCL looks very interesting, but my LR is very small and I'm looking for a 65" rather than this bad boy. Would I be safe buying the 65" version of the TCL based on this review? Thanks very much!
Can't go wrong. I got my nephew the 65" it's great.
@@2414kels Excellent. Thanks!
Your the guy from that President TV show, right? I vote for you and TCL🤘 guess my next one is 98“X955😬
I'm wondering that now TCal and Hisense are releasing new 98" inch mini-led, will Sony make a 98" inch Bravia 9????
Andrew for President 2024.
I think I'll stick to hifi and home theater, but thanks for watching!
@@andrewrobinsonreviewsYeah, you won’t want to start losing your carefully maintained hair over the stress of a generally very thankless and short term job.
Andrew doesn't deserve that grief.
@@fonkenful This job of making TH-cam videos has already aged me faster than the decade I spent in Hollywood as a creative director 😂
@@jimalbruzzess2445 have to deal with enough drama from strangers just talking about speakers and TVs 😂
Great Sunday everyone!!
Hello Afonso!
Morning Afonso!
Sir , I was hoping for a great experience from my TCL 55inch Roku that I was enjoying when it just went black . It was of course under the 1 year factory warranty and the tech walked me through everything including a complete reset. TCL REFUSES TO HONOR THEIR OWN 1 YEAR FACTORY WARRANTY SO MY ADVICE IS RUN DON'T WALK AWAY FROM EVERYTHING MADE BY TCL . Buyer Beware I found out the hard way !
The more I see those Titans, the more I want them. Would an old Marantz SR7002 drive them well enough? I am fearing that a receiver upgrade or adding an amp may come first.
Another great review. These TV’s are getting massive with impressive results. Wondering if there’s a ratio of room size to tv size? Stuffing a massive tv into a small room seems like it would look odd. How does one balance TV size with room size?
In 2channel, it’s regularly stated that some speakers are too small / large for certain rooms. Wondering the same with TV’s.
For me, it's all about viewing angles and personal preferences. Because our sofa is back 12-14 feet from our TV, we technically could use or enjoy a screen size up to 125" that falls within SMPTE and THX standards. However, a 125" screen does look a bit overwhelming in our space, which comes down to preference.
@@andrewrobinsonreviews thank you, sir!
Always super helpful. Appreciate all that you and Kristi💯 do.
Just yesterday I grabbed the TCL 85C855, would you know how that compares? Awesome job guys
Sorry, I do not.
Seems to be that they have different models in different regions.
Seems some places get the QM7 & QM8 and others get C755 and C855.
They seem to be similar but not the same, which is annoying because I’m in a C855 region but more of the reviewers are in QM8 regions.
There also seems to be X955 in some regions. All very confusing.
I’m also tossing up between C855 and X90L. Possibly will come down to which one I can get the best deal on.
Aside from things like differences in power supplies, I wonder why they do similar but different models in different regions instead of just releasing the same ones everywhere.
I realize than TCL has improved more than any TV manufacture, I still am always attracted to The Sony picture processing. I much prefer a picture that looks life like not super processed. I also want my TV to really be able to reproduce 24fps without issue or the "Soap Opera effect". For me Samsung TV's are unwatchable, I would rather watch a dim OLED or QLED than an over processed QLED or OLED.
NOPE, Hisense bought Toshiba and Sharp factories, also Hisense make displays for YEARS and created their operative system. Try to see an U8 and a UX in person... You would be amazed.