Samsung Q80C Qn98q80cafxza 98" 2023 Review

A 98-inch QLED beast with great audio and gaming chops. Picture is very good, but HDR is just average. Worth a look if you find it near the $2,500 refurbished price, but shop around—prices vary by over $1,200.

The Samsung Q80C is a 98-inch monster that wants to be the centerpiece of your living room. It's a QLED with a full-array backlight, which means it gets bright and has solid contrast, though it's not quite OLED-level black. With a 120Hz panel, FreeSync Premium Pro, and solid smart features, it's built for big-screen gaming and movie nights.

Our data shows it's a beast for sports and corporate use, scoring in the 80s, and it's no slouch for gaming either at 79.4. Just don't plan on putting it on your patio—its outdoor score is a dismal 47.6. This is very much an indoor TV.

Performance is this TV's strong suit. Its audio lands in the 96th percentile, which is genuinely impressive for built-in speakers, and the Dolby Atmos with Object Tracking Sound Lite makes a noticeable difference. Gaming features are top-tier at the 95th percentile, with that 120Hz refresh and VRR support. The picture quality is great for a QLED, scoring in the 85th percentile, though its HDR performance is a bit more middle-of-the-pack at the 57th. The Neural Quantum Processor does a good job upscaling HD content to look sharp on this massive screen.

Here's the tricky part: the price swings wildly from about $2,472 to $3,700 depending on the vendor and condition (new, refurbished, used-like-new). At the lower end of that range, especially for a refurbished model, this 98-inch TV becomes a much more compelling deal. At the high end, you're edging into territory where you might consider a smaller OLED or a higher-tier Mini-LED for better picture quality. Shop around.

Stacked up, it's a game of size vs. pure picture quality. The Sony BRAVIA 5 98" Mini-LED will likely have better local dimming and processing, but costs more. The Samsung QN90F Neo QLED at 85 inches is a brighter, more premium panel, but you're giving up 13 inches of screen. Hisense and Roku options are much cheaper, but you'll sacrifice build quality, processing, and peak brightness. And then there's the LG OLED G5—if you want the absolute best blacks and contrast in a 77-inch size, that's the move, but you lose the sheer spectacle of a 98-inch panel.

Skip this if you're a videophile chasing the absolute best HDR and contrast. Look at a high-end Mini-LED or an OLED instead. Also, if your room gets a lot of direct sunlight, the glare on this big, glossy screen could be an issue. And obviously, if you don't have a wall that can fit a 98-inch TV, this isn't for you.

Buy this if you have a huge wall to fill and your top priorities are immersive size, very good gaming features, and shockingly good built-in sound. It's a fantastic pick for a dedicated media room or a large living room where sports and blockbuster movies are the main events.