TCL 98C7L

Installing 2.49 metres of diagonal in a living room changes the way you watch a film: the image stops being an object placed against a wall and occupies your entire field of vision. The 98C7L applies this large-format logic to TCL’s SQD Mini LED technology, with a more accessible positioning than the C8L and X11L series launched the same year.

A 98-inch screen in the living room

A television of this size demands space — and not just on the wall. The chassis measures 2,180 mm wide by 1,247 mm tall without the stand, with a depth of 61 mm that remains contained for a Mini LED of this size. Weight comes in at 54.3 kg without the stand, 55.3 kg once mounted on it, whose floor footprint extends 1,709 mm wide: the furniture unit needs to be almost as long as the screen itself. Handling requires two people, and wall mounting (ultra-flat brackets WM34A-115 and WM54A-115, VESA 600 x 500 mm and 1,459 mm standards) requires a wall capable of bearing the load.

The format also raises the question of viewing distance. In 4K on 98 inches, pixel density is lower than on a smaller screen at the same resolution: too close, and the image structure becomes perceptible. At a typical living room distance, sharpness remains crisp and the screen’s size makes full sense with cinema and sports content.

Light, contrast and colour in SQD Mini LED

The backlighting is based on SQD Mini LED technology, which combines blue LEDs with a high-concentration Quantum Dot layer rather than RGB LEDs. The 98C7L distributes this backlighting across 2,176 local dimming zones, independently controlled to darken the dark areas of the image while bright zones peak at up to 3,000 nits. The benefit is most visible in high-contrast scenes: a starry sky, white subtitles on a black background.

The panel is HVA type, a VA variant that prioritises native contrast. Blacks are deep when viewed head-on; the classic trade-off of this panel family lies in the viewing angles, where colours and contrast hold better at the centre than at the edges. Colours are managed in 8-bit with FRC (a process that simulates intermediate shades through rapid alternation to approach the rendering of a 10-bit panel), while colour coverage reaches 100% of the BT.2020 colour space, the widest reference used for HDR.

Within the 2026 lineup, this level of 2,176 zones and 3,000 nits places the 98C7L below the C8L and C89L of the same diagonal, which reach 4,032 zones and 6,000 nits. The difference comes down to the precision of light control and the brightness headroom in HDR — two areas where the higher-end models retain the advantage.

HDR, processing and picture modes

The TSR AiPQ processor (four A73 cores) handles upscaling of low-definition sources to 4K and scene-by-scene image analysis. On the HDR front, the 98C7L decodes the main dynamic formats: HDR10+, HLG, Dolby Vision IQ — which adjusts rendering based on ambient light measured by the TV’s sensor — and IMAX Enhanced for certified content.

Among the presets, Filmmaker Mode disables processing that alters the original creative intent (motion smoothing, sharpening) to display the signal as close to the master as possible. The other modes (Vivid, Standard, Sport, Movie, Game, PC, Intelligent) adjust colour temperature and processing to suit the content being displayed.

Gaming on a 144 Hz screen

The panel natively supports 144 Hz, and VRR (variable refresh rate, which synchronises the display to the source’s frame rate to eliminate screen tearing) covers a range of 48 to 288 Hz thanks to DLG technology. The latter doubles the refresh rate by halving the vertical resolution — a useful trade-off in competitive gaming where fluidity takes priority over definition. AMD FreeSync Premium Pro certification and Game Master mode round out the package, with reduced latency in game mode.

Recent consoles and a gaming PC can take advantage of these refresh rates via HDMI. The 98C7L also supports HDMI CEC, which allows multiple connected devices to be controlled with a single remote.

Audio tuned by Bang & Olufsen

The sound system is tuned by Bang & Olufsen, TCL’s audio partner on its premium series. The 98C7L decodes Dolby Atmos and DTS:X, two spatial audio formats that place effects overhead and around the listener using the built-in speakers and dedicated processing. Seven sound modes adjust the equalisation to suit the content: Movie, Speech, Music, Game, Party, Sports and Custom. Speech mode emphasises voice intelligibility, making it practical for news broadcasts and documentaries.

On a screen of this diagonal, the built-in audio benefits from being supplemented by an external system for bass and spatial reproduction, but the B&O tuning provides a solid foundation for everyday programming and dialogue clarity.

Google TV, connectivity and file playback

The 98C7L runs Google TV, the interface that aggregates streaming platform catalogues and provides access to the Google app store. Google Assistant is built in, with hands-free voice control to launch content or manage compatible smart home devices.

On the network side, the TV connects via Wi-Fi 5 and Bluetooth 5.4, with AirPlay 2 for streaming from an iPhone, iPad or Mac. Wi-Fi 5 is a cautious choice for a 2026 model: it is sufficient for 4K streaming if bandwidth allows, but an Ethernet connection remains preferable for high and stable transfer rates. USB file playback covers a wide range of formats, including AV1, H.265 and VP9 video up to 4K at 60 Hz, making it capable of serving as a media player for a local library.

Technical specifications

Display

• Screen size: 98 inches (249 cm)
• Resolution: 4K Ultra HD (3840 x 2160 pixels)
• Display technology: SQD Mini LED
• Panel: HVA
• Maximum brightness: up to 3000 nits
• Contrast: 2176 local dimming zones
• Color gamut coverage: 100% BT.2020
• Viewing angle: 178° (horizontal / vertical)

Image processing

• Processor: AiPQ Pro (A73 x4)
• HDR compatibility: HDR10+, HLG, Dolby Vision IQ, IMAX Enhanced
• Picture modes: Standard, Sport, Cinema, Filmmaker Mode, Game, PC, Intelligent

Gaming

• Native refresh rate: 144 Hz
• VRR up to 288 Hz (DLG)
• AMD FreeSync Premium Pro certification
• Game Master
• Low latency optimized for gaming

Smart TV and connectivity

• Operating system: Google TV
• Built-in Google Assistant with hands-free voice control
• Wi-Fi 5
• Bluetooth 5.4
• AirPlay 2
• HDMI CEC
• Electronic Program Guide (EPG)

Audio

• Bang & Olufsen audio system
• Dolby Atmos compatibility
• DTS:X compatibility
• Sound modes: Movie, Music, Game, Sports, Night, Speech, Personalized

USB multimedia playback

• Audio formats: MP3, MKV, WMA, AVI
• Photo formats: JPEG, PNG, BMP, HEIF
• Video formats: H.264, H.265, MPEG1 / 2 / 4, WMV, VC1, VP8, VP9, AV1
• Supports content up to 4K 60 Hz

Power consumption

• Maximum power consumption: 600 W
• Standby power consumption: 0.5 W

Dimensions and weight

• Without stand
  • Dimensions (W x H x D): 2180 x 1247 x 61 mm
  • Weight: 54.3 kg
• With stand
  • Dimensions (W x H x D): 2180 x 1285 x 420 mm
  • Weight: 55.3 kg

Wall mounting

• VESA compatible 600 x 500 mm to 1459 x 1159 mm