Sony X90L XR98X90L 98" 97.5" 2023 Review

The Sony X90L is a massive 98-inch TV that delivers excellent, natural picture quality thanks to Sony's Cognitive Processor XR. It's great for movies and sports, and it's even capable for gaming with its 120Hz panel. Prices swing wildly from $3,184 to $4,000, so hunt for a deal. Recommended if size is your top priority and you don't need the absolute best HDR performance.

Let's talk about a 98-inch TV. It's not just a screen, it's a wall of entertainment. The Sony X90L sits in a fascinating spot. It's a massive Full Array LED, not OLED, which means you're getting incredible brightness and solid contrast without the anxiety of potential burn-in. This is the TV you buy when you want a cinematic experience in a bright living room, not a dedicated home theater cave. The Cognitive Processor XR is Sony's secret sauce, and it's designed to make everything, from streaming shows to live sports, look more natural and less like a processed digital image. For a 98-inch panel, the fact that it's not the absolute top-tier model actually makes it more interesting. You're getting flagship Sony processing and smarts in a slightly more accessible package, which is a big deal at this size.

The numbers tell a clear story. Picture quality lands in the 85th percentile, which is impressive for a non-OLED TV. That means the Cognitive Processor XR is doing its job, delivering wide dynamic contrast and natural colors that punch above the weight of the underlying LED tech. The 120Hz refresh rate and solid 74th percentile gaming score mean it's more than capable for next-gen consoles. You won't get the absolute fastest response times of a dedicated gaming monitor, but for a TV this big, it's smooth and responsive. The 91st percentile connectivity score is a quiet hero. Four HDMI ports on a TV this size is a blessing, letting you hook up your console, streaming box, soundbar, and maybe a Blu-ray player without needing a switcher.

Here's where it gets tricky. We're seeing prices range from about $3,184 to $4,000 across different vendors. That's an $816 spread, which is huge. At the lower end of that range, this 98-inch Sony starts to look like a compelling value against other giant screens. You're paying for the screen real estate and Sony's reliable processing, not necessarily cutting-edge panel tech. At the high end of that range, you're brushing up against the territory of smaller but more advanced TVs, like 77-inch OLEDs or high-end Mini-LEDs. Our advice? Shop around aggressively. If you can find it near that $3,200 mark, it's a much easier pill to swallow.

You've got options, even at this size. The Sony BRAVIA 5 (98-inch Mini-LED) is the obvious step-up, with better HDR and contrast, but it'll cost you significantly more. The Samsung QN90F Neo QLED is a strong competitor, often with brighter HDR and better gaming features, but it tops out at 85 inches. If you're willing to go smaller, a 77-inch LG G5 OLED will destroy this Sony in contrast and HDR for a similar price, but you lose over 20 inches of screen. Hisense and Roku offer cheaper Mini-LED options, but you sacrifice the polish and processing of the Sony brand. The trade-off is clear: with the X90L, you're prioritizing sheer size and reliable Sony picture quality over having the absolute best HDR or deepest blacks on the market.

Skip this TV if you're a hardcore home theater enthusiast who watches exclusively in a dark room. The Full Array LED's HDR performance, while good, can't match the perfect blacks and pixel-level control of an OLED. You'd be happier with a 77-inch or 83-inch OLED from LG or Sony, even though it's a smaller screen. Also, skip it if your room is small or your seating is too close. At 98 inches, you need enough distance for the image to properly resolve. If you're sitting less than 8 feet away, it'll feel overwhelming and you might see more processing artifacts. In that case, an 85-inch model would be a better fit.

If your primary goal is to fill a wall with a great-looking, reliable picture for movies, sports, and casual gaming, and your room isn't pitch black, the Sony X90L is a fantastic choice. It's a 'set it and forget it' giant that just works well. However, if you're a dedicated cinephile who watches in a controlled dark room and craves perfect blacks, the HDR limitations of this Full Array LED will bother you. You should look at a smaller OLED instead. For a corporate boardroom or a bright family room where impact and size matter most, this TV hits the mark. Just make sure you measure your doorways first.