Compare TCL 98QM8K vs TCL QM9K

The 98QM8K produces an impressive cinematic picture with vivid color, strong brightness, and deep contrast. Its most demanding scenes can reveal processing imperfections.

Pictures are punchy, detailed and often spectacular, particularly with HDR. Image accuracy and moving objects are less consistently polished than the raw brightness suggests.

The 98-inch stand barely lifts the screen above furniture, so many soundbars will obscure the lower picture.

The raised pedestal setting gives most soundbars enough space without blocking the screen.

Peak brightness is dazzling, but the TV does not always maintain its maximum output indefinitely. Normal content seldom exposes the shortfall.

Large bright areas retain remarkable impact for an LCD, although peak output can decline over longer intervals and depends on the material.

Fine texture and sharp HDR highlights lend images impressive depth, but low-quality inputs cannot reproduce the same detail.

Fine textures in animation and films remain clearly rendered, helping detailed 4K material look almost three-dimensional.

Filmmaker and calibrated settings can deliver extremely accurate pictures, although factory presets and individual units draw less consistent praise.

The image can look attractive before calibration, but imperfect temperature and brightness tracking hold it short of consistently faithful reproduction.

Audio presets and Bang & Olufsen tuning make it easier to soften harshness or emphasize speech.

The Beosonic audio control allows tonal adjustments, helping tame bright sound without complicated equalizer work.

At extreme brightness settings, one 98-inch unit produced an audible fan hum. Lowering brightness eliminated it, at the expense of maximum output.

One large sample exhibited an intrusive constant buzz, audible during quiet viewing regardless of picture settings; other assessments did not report this problem.

SDR can look clean and natural in Filmmaker Mode, but factory default brightness and white balance vary markedly by preset.

SDR color, contrast and clarity are frequently excellent, especially in Filmmaker Mode, with some warmer factory defaults.

Noise reduction cleans low-bitrate streams effectively, at the expense of a little fine texture in the softest material.

Low-quality signal cleanup is useful but not foolproof; aggressive AI clarity options can amplify flicker or create strange artifacts.

Strong contrast gives bright objects depth against near-black backgrounds. The result approaches OLED in many scenes without matching pixel-level control.

Powerful contrast makes bright objects pop against dark backgrounds. The refinement is not uniform across all HDR scenes, and OLED still offers stronger pixel-level control.

Bass is stronger than expected for some built-in TV speakers, yet others hear an artificial or thin low end, particularly at high volume.

Bass output is a divisive area: some large-set listening finds genuine punch, while other tests report little low-frequency weight.

High-refresh 4K, low latency, and variable refresh rate make gaming enjoyable, with some caveats around motion blur and port availability.

Powerful HDR, low input lag and modern gaming modes make it a strong gaming TV. Motion smearing, occasional tearing or firmware quirks temper its appeal for the most demanding players.

HDR movies and games are the main attraction: blazing highlights, vivid color, and controlled blacks make demanding material stand out.

HDR images can be dazzling, with exceptional highlights and bold contrast. Uneven tone tracking and occasional black crush are the main compromises.

The many local-dimming zones control dark scenes exceptionally well, creating impressive contrast without conspicuous backlight spill in most content.

The dense Mini-LED backlight contains blooming effectively and preserves strong contrast. Rapid zone changes can still introduce visible flicker or occasional halos.

Filmmaker Mode is a strong starting point for natural color, while standard and dynamic settings can exaggerate brightness or color.

Filmmaker and custom picture presets offer meaningful improvements, though correct HDR balance can take tinkering.

Colors can look impressively natural and accurate in suitable modes, yet accuracy varies by picture preset and sample.

Colors can be extremely accurate in the best settings, especially SDR, but HDR mapping, factory temperature and white balance vary enough to make accuracy a caveat.

The Bang & Olufsen-tuned system gets praise for its spaciousness and bass from some listeners, while others find it muddy or underpowered.

Built-in audio earns both enthusiastic praise for presence and Atmos effects and criticism for thin bass or muddled dialogue in busy scenes. A soundbar remains an upgrade.

Peak HDR output is extraordinarily high, making highlights look brilliant on the giant panel. At the very highest settings, that intensity can become uncomfortable or bring out fan noise.

Extreme light output is the QM9K's defining strength, with unusually intense highlights and plenty of brightness for bright rooms. Some scenes do not exploit all that measured headroom.

HDR highlights glow with unusually strong intensity, even across a nearly 100-inch screen. Some settings trade maximum output for more comfortable viewing.

Small HDR highlights and larger bright scenes have formidable impact, making HDR one of the strongest reasons to buy. Unusual mastering or tone-mapping behavior can reduce that advantage.

White balance can be very close to reference after calibration, but some out-of-box modes show cooler or shifted tones.

White balance is generally adjustable but can run cool or warm depending on format and luminance. Carefully chosen modes help, yet some HDR deviations remain.

Motion is acceptable to strong in ordinary sports and gaming, but difficult transitions and fast pans can produce blur or judder.

Sports and ordinary TV can look fluid, but rapid pans and challenging gaming motion can reveal blur, judder or tearing.

Game Master generally responds quickly enough for fluid console gaming, even if a few competing TVs measure lower input lag.

Game mode is usually fast and responsive, although measurements differ and leaving the mode off can cause extreme lag. Some OLED competitors remain faster.

Distortion is controlled in some listening tests, while others report harsher or muddier sound when the volume climbs.

The speakers remain clear during loud music and busy effects without obvious distortion in the favorable listening assessment.

Local dimming follows moving highlights well, with some flicker as bright objects cross lighting zones.

Local-dimming transitions generally follow moving highlights quickly, but visible zone flicker can still occur in certain scenes.

Most colorful material looks smooth, but some challenging gradients show inaccuracies or banding rather than seamless tonal transitions.

Gradients are usually smooth, but subtle gray bands remain visible and some rivals clean them up more completely.

Slow pans can show judder, particularly in demanding film scenes; low motion settings sometimes improve it.

Properly configured 24p movies look judder-free; some 25p signals and challenging pans still show periodic jitter.

The large panel can wobble slightly on furniture, so a secure stand or wall mount matters.

The central stand feels stable in ordinary use, although one assessment cautions that a pedestal design is easier to tip with children nearby.

Older streams and compressed broadcasts usually remain watchable, with useful artifact smoothing; very poor sources still expose their limitations.

Compressed video is smoothed competently, at the cost of a little fine texture. Poorly encoded sources remain more noticeable on very large screens.

Volume is adequate for some rooms but fails to impress everyone, and louder settings can compromise clarity.

The internal speakers can fill a room at useful volume without immediately needing external amplification.

Advertising on the Google TV home screen is a nuisance. Basic TV setup can remove ads, but sacrifices most smart-TV functions.

Advertising is built into the smart interface and cannot be disabled, a notable drawback for anyone wanting a cleaner home screen.

Banding is generally restrained in regular viewing, though difficult test patterns can still reveal uneven transitions.

Visible banding is mostly restrained, although certain gray gradients reveal uneven steps that smoothing options do not fully eliminate.

Well-tuned movie settings deliver convincingly natural color, shading, and depth; some presets favor a less lifelike pop.

Natural-looking colors are achievable in restrained presets, but the brighter default look and HDR tone errors can move away from creator intent.

Quick action often looks clear, yet bright-to-dark transitions can smear noticeably at the highest refresh rates.

Fast motion is acceptable for a bright LCD, though dark-to-bright pixel transitions and quick action trails are less crisp than on OLED.

Sheer brightness overcomes much daytime glare, but direct lights opposite the glossy screen still make obvious reflections.

The glossy finish struggles with bright light sources directly opposite the panel, even though it performs well in diffuse daylight.

Some fast movement reveals ghosting, flicker, or other processing artifacts despite pleasing motion in typical viewing.

Rapid pans, fast athletes and gaming action can show edge blur, flicker or judder that distract from an otherwise powerful picture.

Its unusual backlight drive pattern is not visually distracting to everyone, but flicker-sensitive users should be aware of it.

High-frequency backlight flicker should be unobtrusive for most people, although one low-quality video test exposed amplified content flickering.

Bright-field uniformity is mostly good, but some samples show edge darkening, mild patchiness, or visible bands.

Some panels look uniform in dark scenes, but one detailed evaluation found conspicuous edge vignetting and uneven light distribution.

The 98-inch model uses two wide-spaced feet that support the huge panel well, rather than the center pedestal found on smaller sizes.

The compact adjustable pedestal fits narrower furniture and accommodates different screen heights; the larger 98-inch model uses feet instead.

Bright reds, greens, and other saturated shades retain plenty of punch in HDR, though extremely pale scenes can lose a little saturation.

Rich, highly saturated colors remain vibrant even in bright scenes. Some side-by-side comparisons find the palette a little less full or faithful than competing OLED sets.

Picture processing gives sports, streaming, and high-quality films impressive scale, but motion and fine detail are not equally polished in every mode.

The processor produces excellent-looking high-quality video, but enhancement settings sometimes introduce artifacts or handle brightness inconsistently.

Slow-panning 24p and 25p scenes can exhibit distracting stutter, although action scenes are usually more forgiving.

Slow movie pans can visibly stutter even though most film motion looks good. Interpolation offers an effective workaround for those who prefer smoother motion.

Blooming around subtitles and bright objects is usually very limited. Demanding patterns and off-axis views can still reveal some halos.

Halos are restrained compared with many LCDs but remain visible around subtitles, stars and other isolated lights, especially off-axis.

Fast 4K play looks engaging, with support up to 144Hz through compatible inputs; 288Hz gaming requires a lower resolution.

Fast PC modes and console-friendly refresh rates are big strengths, though a reported PC handshake problem and slower pixel transitions keep performance from being flawless.

Wide color coverage contributes to bold, lifelike HDR images and vivid animation. Accuracy is a separate question and may require choosing the right mode.

A wide HDR color range makes animation and brightly lit landscapes especially vivid, though the most extreme hues do not always match reference targets.

Rear channels help organize cables, though recessed connections can be awkward once the TV sits close to a wall.

Cable channels and clips in the stand help tidy connections and keep the installation organized.

Dirty-screen effect is subdued on several samples, though lighter backgrounds can reveal mild patches or dark bands.

Dirty screen effect is restrained in some testing but prominent in another large sample, where streaks remain visible on pale images.

G-SYNC-style VRR can misbehave when an NVIDIA system is fixed at 60Hz; higher-refresh desktop settings work better.

G-SYNC-style VRR has a specific problem at a locked 60Hz desktop setting on certain older NVIDIA cards; higher-refresh connections perform normally.

The glossy screen keeps pictures crisp but contributes to pronounced mirror-like direct reflections.

The clear glossy finish preserves image crispness and saturation, although it sacrifices some direct-glare control.

There are only two full-speed HDMI 2.1 ports. The separate eARC connection is helpful for soundbars but limits complex receiver setups.

Only two high-bandwidth HDMI connections are confirmed in detailed testing, which limits elaborate console-and-PC setups despite four physical inputs.

Fine calibration controls allow impressive gains in image fidelity, although the most accurate results may require time or professional equipment.

Filmmaker Mode and calibration controls can yield excellent SDR accuracy, but HDR correction is more limited and some errors persist.

Google TV surfaces relevant programs effectively but includes promoted recommendations alongside personal picks.

Content discovery is flexible, with platform-based recommendations and smart searches. Context can change depending on whether an app or the TV home screen is active.

Dark scenes can look rich and detailed, but some testing found crushed near-black detail and dim midtones, particularly with challenging HDR grading.

Shadow detail is a significant point of disagreement: some dark scenes retain excellent texture, while others show crushed near-blacks that calibration cannot fully resolve.

Game mode stays bright and responsive without sacrificing much dark-scene contrast.

Game mode preserves impressive image brightness while cutting lag, but normal modes can be much slower and do not suit gaming.

VRR works well with consoles and AMD hardware, including low frame rates, but NVIDIA systems can tear in a locked 60Hz mode.

VRR works well on most modern gaming devices, but there are reports of tearing with particular PC settings and high-motion gameplay.

Lower-resolution programs are generally upscaled cleanly without aggressive artificial sharpening. They cannot match pristine native 4K material.

Upscaled sources generally remain clear without excessive artificial sharpening, but fine details and lower-quality streams can still be less convincing than premium processing rivals.

The backlit remote feels premium and its illuminated keys are useful in dark rooms, although the shape will not please everyone.

The backlit metallic-looking remote is a welcome upgrade, particularly in dark rooms, though buttons and battery choices are not ideal for everyone.

The screen can reflect windows and lamps almost like a mirror. Indirect room lighting is much less troublesome.

Reflections are a real tradeoff. Massive brightness compensates for general daylight, while direct lamps and windows can remain distracting on the glossy screen.

Blacks stay impressively even with local dimming enabled, although some cloudiness appears with dimming off.

Near-black and full-black uniformity can be excellent, though comparisons sometimes favor the QM8K's cleaner dark panels.

Colors shift or fade toward the edges of the seating area, especially on the very large panel.

Colors can fade and shift when viewed far off-axis, particularly versus some competitors, even though the WHVA panel improves upon standard VA designs.

Speech can sound crisp and distinct at ordinary volume, but one 98-inch measurement found dialogue somewhat muted.

Voices are often crisp and clear, but deep dialogue can become indistinct and complex mixes may mask speech.

Motion smoothing can reduce judder with conservative settings, but high settings introduce artifacts and lost detail.

Motion interpolation can tame judder and stutter without necessarily adding much lag, but settings require adjustment and results can be inconsistent.

The 98-inch screen delivers a genuinely theater-sized image, making movies and games strikingly immersive.

At 85 or 98 inches, the high-contrast image is particularly immersive without needing an oversized OLED budget.

Bright HDR highlights stand out with remarkable intensity, though some material clips subtle detail at the very top end.

Fine HDR highlight textures can survive extreme brightness well, although some tone settings overblow intense areas.

Deep, convincing blacks are a highlight of the local-dimming system, especially in dark-room viewing.

Deep blacks are a major Mini-LED achievement here, creating convincing dark scenes without OLED pixels. The darkest details can still be crushed, and isolated highlights may produce halos.

Response times are not uniformly fast; some extreme shade changes leave visible trails during rapid movement.

Response times vary by transition, with slow movement between very dark and bright shades. Gaming remains responsive overall, but the panel is not an OLED-speed performer.

The viewing cone is better than on some older VA screens, but the 98-inch model can shift color noticeably when seats move far off center.

The WHVA panel fares well against conventional VA LCDs, yet opinions differ on how much color and contrast shift off-center. Front-and-center seats remain best.

The on-screen gaming menu makes settings easy to reach without exiting the action.

The on-screen Game Bar provides quick gaming adjustments without interrupting play to navigate deeper menus.

Recessed HDMI jacks are difficult to reach when the panel is mounted close to the wall.

Side-facing sockets are neatly concealed but sit too far inward to access easily once the television is mounted close to a wall.

The two high-bandwidth HDMI connections handle modern gaming signals well, but they are not enough for every multi-console or PC setup.

High-bandwidth HDMI enables excellent console and PC modes. The practical limitation is how many full-speed inputs are available.

The 98-inch model provides tremendous visual impact at a far lower price than similarly sized premium OLED TVs.

Large 85- and 98-inch sizes can be compelling compared with giant OLEDs, especially when the QM9K is sold at a steep clearance price.

The massive screen offers exceptional performance per dollar at a substantial discount, but the less expensive QM7K and newer rivals complicate the value calculation.

At a substantial discount the QM9K is a tempting flagship, but the much cheaper QM8K frequently looks similar in everyday content. The price gap determines the recommendation.

eARC passes high-quality sound to a receiver or soundbar without occupying one of the two fastest HDMI ports, with some switching tradeoffs.

eARC supports high-quality audio to an external sound system and sits separately from the two full-bandwidth gaming inputs.

Wireless casting makes it simple to send content from compatible phones and tablets to the large screen.

Casting support makes sharing from compatible phones and tablets convenient, including Apple's AirPlay and Google's Cast ecosystem.

Google TV setup and initial connection are straightforward, particularly for people already using Google services.

Physical installation is manageable with assistance, while Google TV and Gemini setup can require more prompts and updates than expected.

The exceptionally narrow border makes the picture seem to float, helping the 98-inch screen feel less bulky.

Thin, nearly invisible bezels create an immersive edge-to-edge picture that looks more premium than a typical LCD TV.

Materials and assembly generally feel sturdy and premium for a large LCD television.

Construction feels sturdy and carefully assembled despite substantial use of plastic, with little flex or looseness noted.

Nearly invisible bezels and premium metallic trim make this enormous TV look surprisingly elegant.

The premium screen-forward appearance and metal accents earn broad praise. A few find the stand and finishing details less luxurious than the flagship price suggests.

Google TV offers useful streaming apps and a familiar interface, though ads and personal preference can spoil the experience.

Google TV is capable, convenient and content-rich, with the newer Gemini experience. Ads and occasional bugs make the interface less universally appealing.

Tone mapping is a weak spot in some technical tests, with crushed dark detail and clipping near peak brightness, although other viewing modes earned praise.

The set can push highlights well beyond intended levels and darken shadow regions, even while looking exciting. Some picture modes improve the balance without fully fixing it.

The interface generally feels quick and responsive, making navigation between entertainment apps straightforward.

Menus and apps usually feel quick, though isolated freezes and setup delays keep the software from feeling completely seamless.

Menus and picture settings are reasonably easy to navigate, especially with useful shortcuts, though not every operation feels equally snappy.

Most navigation is responsive, and picture settings are easy to reach, but occasional freezes and long initial configuration can frustrate.

Technical HDR accuracy is imperfect, with EOTF deviations and some clipped highlights despite the TV’s impressive brightness.

HDR tracking can raise highlights too much, crush shadows and deviate from intended brightness. This is one of the biggest concerns for film purists.

The LCD design avoids permanent OLED burn-in, but unresolved software glitches and one reported electrical buzz raise quality-control questions.

4K at 120Hz console play looks sharp and responsive, making full-resolution high-frame-rate games satisfying.

High-bandwidth inputs enable 4K at 144Hz gaming, but at least one PC tester could not make the mode work reliably with their graphics hardware.

4K games can look detailed and vividly colored with responsive control, especially on current-generation consoles.

A reduced-resolution high-refresh mode caters to twitchier PC games, trading 4K sharpness for exceptionally fast frame updates.

AirPlay 2 is convenient for sharing videos and photos from Apple devices.

Chromecast gives Android and other compatible devices an easy route to the big screen.

Google TV includes several cloud-gaming apps, adding options beyond connected consoles, though app availability is not universal.

Atmos effects can extend above and beside the screen surprisingly well for built-in speakers. Full external surround remains more immersive.

Dolby Vision material can look deep and striking, revealing textures and atmosphere. Its accuracy depends on mode and processing choices.

FreeSync support makes console and AMD gaming smoother with less distracting screen tearing.

The integrated over-the-air tuner operated properly in a real-world trial, making antenna reception a useful option.

Google TV's straightforward content organization helps day-to-day use, even if initial account setup can take longer than desired.

Generated artwork can create a personal ambient canvas, though it is more of a novelty than a core picture-quality advantage.

Extra AI clarity enhancements can create strobe-like artifacts on lower-quality films; leaving those settings off produces a cleaner result.

Automatic game switching is convenient because the TV selects its responsive gaming settings when a console starts.

Backlight strobing supports both 60Hz and 120Hz, providing a useful motion-clarity option at two common refresh rates.

Height effects and directionality are unusually convincing from the TV itself, but very busy scenes can merge different sounds.

The LCD panel avoids permanent burn-in, a reassuring trait for users worried about static images and long sessions.

Free live-channel offerings add convenience, though their presence alone does not determine the picture quality.

Low-lag interpolation is especially useful for smoothing game motion without paying the usual large responsiveness penalty.

Gemini makes searching and follow-up questions feel more conversational, but complicated commands can produce misleading or incomplete answers. Its convenience does not outweigh privacy concerns for everyone.

Four total HDMI connections provide practical room for a pair of consoles and other devices, though their bandwidth capabilities differ.

The QM9K is widely admired for flagship-level light output and strong all-around features, though the value case and a handful of processing flaws split opinions.

Protective packaging allows large models to accept the stand while still supported in foam, reducing the difficulty of a two-person unpacking.

PC text benefits from the regular RGB subpixel layout and high-bandwidth chroma support, producing unusually clean lettering for a television.

The TV turns on quickly and is ready to navigate with little noticeable delay.

The high native refresh rate supports smooth sports and fast PC play, although display response and mode compatibility matter as much as the headline number.

Controls are fairly uncluttered with handy app shortcuts, but the unused space could accommodate additional services.

Presence detection can wake an ambient display and shut it down when the room empties, but sensitivity and accidental activations can require adjustment.

Gemini is helpful for conversational recommendations and follow-up questions, but it sometimes misunderstands device-specific requests and complex tasks.

The pedestal can be assembled without unusual difficulty, although its interlocking pieces take some care.

The two feet are spaced far apart, requiring wide furniture rather than a compact center stand.

Treble can sound clear and natural for TV speakers, even when the bass lacks deeper punch.

Low-frame-rate compensation helps preserve tear-free play when frame rates drop, making VRR useful across a broad range.

The larger panels are substantial enough to need two people for safe unpacking or wall mounting, even when their construction feels manageable for the size.

FlexConnect offers an appealing route to room-calibrated wireless surround with compatible speakers, without requiring conventional fixed speaker placement.

Major streaming apps run smoothly, with convenient switching and broad availability.

A wide range of popular streaming and game-streaming services is available without needing an extra box.

Customizable quick settings let enthusiasts reach preferred picture adjustments rapidly without scrolling through deep menus.

A physical microphone switch and optional AI features provide meaningful control, although always-listening hardware may still make privacy-conscious buyers uncomfortable.

The TV can work with connected smart-home devices, giving its Google TV interface a useful role beyond streaming.

Software responsiveness is good much of the time, but at least one extended test found frustrating issues that remained unresolved after waiting for updates.

Hands-free voice search can answer questions and control connected devices, though not every command works as expected.

Conversational voice requests often work naturally, but complicated instructions can yield incorrect answers or fail altogether.

Wi-Fi connections proved reliable for demanding 4K streaming in home-network testing.

Artwork, photos and information can take over the screen when not watching TV, making the large display more useful between sessions.

Broad audio-format passthrough helps connect receivers and soundbars without significant compatibility anxiety.

Ambient-light adaptation keeps the picture comfortable across changing daylight and dimmer evenings, although manual control is still useful.

Deep blacks and effective dimming create cinematic dark-room images, but accuracy-focused viewers may notice blooming, shadow crush and motion imperfections.

Daytime viewing is superb thanks to extraordinary SDR brightness and contrast. Positioning matters because direct reflections can still show through.

Game Bar aids such as crosshairs and magnification offer useful on-screen information during play.

Standard-range content is exceptionally luminous even in daylight, with enough headroom to overpower ordinary room light without sacrificing obvious contrast.

The integrated speakers can spread effects around the room, but they lack the scale of a dedicated theater system.

The four offered sizes cover large living rooms well, but the absence of smaller options limits installation flexibility.