Continuing the trend, TCL has launched an even cheaper 98-inch TV in the US. The Q55K is available for $1000 during Black Friday.
In 2022, China's TCL made 98-inch TVs attainable for the first time.
Since then, brands like Samsung, Sony, LG and Thomson have launched their own 98-inch models, all based on the VA LCD panel from TCL CSOT, while companies such as Hisense have introduced 100-inch LCD TVs using a panel from BOE.
98" TVs hit $1000
TCL's Q55K is the cheapest 98-inch LCD TV yet. It carries a list price of $2500 but is available now for $1000 during Black Friday from Best Buy.
TCL's Q55K is obviously a quite basic TV, but you still get 4K resolution, a 144Hz VA LCD panel, four HDMI 2.0 ports, Google TV and built-in Google Cast and Apple AirPlay 2.
It features a direct LED backlight, so you must still pay considerably more to get TCL's miniLED zone dimming technology in the higher-end models.
TCL Q55KHow cheap will 98" get?
While OLED remains prohibitively expensive in its largest 97-inch size, it is remarkable how affordable 98-inch LCD TVs have become in just a few years. Even 115-inch LCD TVs have seen notable price drops this year, although they remain costly.
Samsung's cheapest 98-inch DU8900 is currently available for $1500, and Hisense's most affordable 100-inch QD6 sells for $1300. Sony's 98-inch Bravia 5 (with miniLED) costs $4000.
The trend is turning into a virtuous cycle for panel maker TCL CSOT, which can produce ultra-large LCD panels at increasingly lower cost, again driving up consumer demand, as recently outlined by analyst firm Omdia. We would not be surprised to see even cheaper 98- and 115-inch LCD TVs in 2026, 2027 and 2028.
