TCL 98C8L

TCL 98C8L: SQD Mini LED in 98 inches

Installing a 2.49 m diagonal screen in your living room changes the relationship with home cinema. This 98-inch format is built around TCL’s eighth-generation SQD Mini LED backlight, with a claimed peak brightness of 6,000 nits and more than 4,000 dimming zones. The 98C8L finds its place in large rooms, where image size comes first, without giving up contrast or color accuracy.

Eighth-generation Mini LED backlight

Beneath the panel, TCL uses its eighth-generation SQD Mini LED backlight. The principle combines blue diodes with a high-concentration Quantum Dots layer rather than RGB LEDs, a choice that limits unwanted mixing of neighboring colors while boosting brightness. On this 98-inch model, the backlight is divided into 4,032 independently controlled local dimming zones, with peak brightness that can reach 6,000 nits on HDR content.

This number of zones primarily benefits contrast. Each zone turns off or on depending on the image, deepening blacks and making highlights stand out in a night scene. Blooming, that gray haze that sometimes surrounds a bright object against a dark background, remains the classic weak point of Mini LED. TCL reduces it with its condensed micro-lenses and shortened optical distance (Micro-OD), without eliminating it completely: on a white subtitle against a fully black screen, a careful eye may still spot it.

Colors that cover all of BT.2020

The announced color coverage reaches 100% of the BT.2020 space, the widest reference currently used for HDR. The TV can therefore reproduce deep reds and saturated greens that many screens cut short. Internal processing works in 10 bits (native 8 bits supplemented by FRC) and relies on TCL’s Deep Color system, which combines an UltraColor filter and a color fidelity algorithm. The anti-reflective filter helps preserve this accuracy in a bright room, where very large glossy panels quickly reflect windows and lamps.

A minimal frame for a giant panel

The 98C8L reduces the black frame around the image to the bare minimum, a finish TCL calls ZeroBorder. The panel occupies almost the entire front, with a thin metal frame still present to reinforce the whole structure. Without the stand, the chassis is no more than 54 mm thick, which remains discreet for a diagonal of this size.

Its size, precisely, brings constraints. The TV measures 2.17 m wide and weighs 57.5 kg without its stand. Wall mounting to VESA 600 × 500 mm standards is possible, but the weight requires a sturdy mount and a load-bearing wall; installation is a two-person job. Placed on a cabinet, it still takes up 2.17 m in width and weighs 58.5 kg with the stand. It is better to measure your space and viewing distance before aiming for this format: at less than three meters, the eye scans the screen instead of taking it in at a glance.

Image processing and HDR formats

The AiPQ Pro processor, based on four A73 cores, handles upscaling of sources below 4K and image-by-image optimization. The 98C8L supports the main HDR formats on the market: HDR10, HDR10+, HLG, and Dolby Vision IQ, the latter adjusting rendering according to the ambient light measured by the TV. IMAX Enhanced certification and Filmmaker Mode complete the list for those seeking a rendering faithful to the original intent. The motion compensation system (MEMC) interpolates up to 120 Hz to smooth panning shots and sports, a process that can be disabled when you prefer the film’s native frame rate.

High-frequency gaming

The panel runs natively at 144 Hz, and DLG (Dual Line Gate) mode goes up to 288 Hz by lowering the definition, enough to sustain very high frequencies in fast-paced games. Game mode reduces input lag, while Dolby Vision Gaming preserves HDR during gameplay. Reaching 4K at 144 Hz requires a recent source and a compatible HDMI input: a latest-generation console or a suitably equipped PC.

Sound tuned by Bang & Olufsen

The audio system bears the Bang & Olufsen signature, in a 2.1-channel configuration for 60 W. The built-in subwoofer delivers noticeable bass, and the acoustic tuning is more balanced than standard TV speakers. Dolby Atmos and DTS:X tracks are decoded. Still, 60 W for a panel nearly two and a half meters wide quickly reaches its limits in a large room: a soundbar or dedicated system logically extends a screen of this size.

Google TV and wireless connections

The interface is based on Google TV, with Google Assistant built in and hands-free voice control. Chromecast and AirPlay 2 let you send photos and videos from a smartphone or tablet, whatever the ecosystem. On the networking side, Wi-Fi 6 and Bluetooth 5.4 ensure a stable connection and pairing with headphones or wireless speakers. The tuner supports HbbTV and an electronic program guide; USB playback goes up to 4K at 60 Hz for personal files.

Technical specifications

Display

• Screen size: 98″ (249 cm)
• Resolution: 4K Ultra HD (3840 × 2160 pixels)
• Display technology: Mini LED 4K SQD Mini
• Panel type: QD-Mini LED
• Refresh rate
  • Native: 144 Hz
  • Maximum: 288 Hz (DLG)
• Peak brightness: up to 6000 nits
• Contrast: up to 6000:1
• Local Dimming: yes
• Viewing angle: 178° (horizontal / vertical)
• Color gamut coverage: up to 100% BT.2020
• Color depth: 10-bit (8-bit + FRC)
• Anti-reflective filter: yes

Video processing

• Processor: AiPQ Pro (A73 x4)
• MEMC: 120 Hz
• Picture modes: Standard, Dynamic, Sport, Cinema, Filmmaker, Game, PC, IMAX
• HDR compatibility
  • HDR10
  • HDR10+
  • HLG
  • Dolby Vision IQ
  • Dolby Vision Gaming
  • IMAX Enhanced
  • Filmmaker Mode

Audio

• Audio system: Bang & Olufsen
• Configuration: 2.1 channels
• Audio power: 60 W
• Supported audio formats
  • Dolby Atmos
  • DTS:X

Smart TV and connected features

• Operating system: Google TV
• Google Assistant built-in
• Hands-free voice control
• Chromecast built-in
• AirPlay 2
• HbbTV
• Electronic Program Guide (EPG)

Wireless connectivity

• Wi-Fi 6
• Bluetooth 5.4

Multimedia playback

• Audio playback: MP3, MKV, WMA, AVI
• Photo playback: JPEG, PNG, BMP, HEIF
• Video playback: H.264, H.265, MPEG-1 / 2 / 4, WMV, VC-1, VP8, VP9, AV1
• USB playback: up to 4K at 60 Hz

General characteristics

• Platform: MT9655
• Memory (RAM): 3 GB
• Internal storage: 64 GB

Power and consumption

• Power supply: 220-240 V / 50-60 Hz
• Maximum power consumption: 560 W
• Standby power consumption: 0.5 W

Dimensions and weight

• With stand
  • Dimensions (W × H × D): 2166 × 1300 × 420 mm
  • Weight: 58.5 kg
• Without stand
  • Dimensions (W × H × D): 2166 × 1236 × 54 mm
  • Weight: 57.5 kg

Wall mounting

• VESA compatible: 600 × 500 mm