Why you should trust this review
I have covered TVs for 11 years with prior bylines at Tom’s Guide and What Hi-Fi. We purchased our 98-inch Q6 at retail through Best Buy in mid January 2026. TCL did not provide a sample. Across 4 months I have logged roughly 175 hours of viewing including the 2025 NFL playoffs, 14 4K Blu-ray titles, and 40 hours of PS5 Pro gaming.
For comparison work I lined the Q6 up against the Sony Bravia X90L 85-inch and the Samsung QN90D 85-inch we have on the bench. Every brightness number came from a Klein K10-A calibrated against a Murideo Six-G pattern generator.
How we tested the TCL 98-inch Q6
Our LCD protocol is a minimum of 60 days. For the Q6 we ran 119 days. Specifically:
- Peak brightness, Klein K10-A across 2, 5, 10, 25, 50, and 100 percent windows in HDR10, HLG, and Dolby Vision.
- Black level, full-screen black with local dimming on and off, in a 0.05 lux room.
- Blooming, 5 percent white box on black photographed at fixed exposure for cross-set comparison.
- Input lag, Leo Bodnar 4K tester in Game Mode at 4K/60 (no 120 Hz mode available).
- Smart platform, cold app-launch times for Disney Plus, Max, Apple TV, Netflix, and YouTube.
Full protocol on our methodology page.
Who should buy the TCL 98-inch Q6?
Buy this if you:
- Need a 98-inch screen for the lowest possible price.
- Watch mostly sports and casual streaming in a dim-to-moderately-lit room.
- Do not own a PS5 Pro or Xbox Series X that benefits from HDMI 2.1.
- Sit far enough back that pixel density does not matter.
Skip this if you:
- Watch a lot of HDR film and need real specular highlights.
- Own a PS5 Pro or Xbox Series X and want 4K/120 with VRR.
- Care about reference-level black levels or motion handling.
Picture quality: the size masks some of the brightness gap
The Klein K10-A logged 480 nits on a 10 percent HDR window in Filmmaker Mode and 400 nits sustained on 25 percent. That is roughly a quarter of what the Samsung QN90D 85-inch puts on screen, and HDR content visibly lacks headroom for specular highlights. In a dim room SDR content looks much better than the spec sheet suggests, simply because 98 inches of screen is overwhelming.
Black levels in a fully dim room come in at 0.080 cd per square meter with local dimming on. Behind every TV in this comparison group, but the picture is still watchable in a moderate room.
HDR performance: full format support, limited brightness
The Q6 supports HDR10, HDR10+, HLG, and Dolby Vision. That format support is the broadest in the category. The catch is that 480 nits is not enough headroom for the format to look its best. Dolby Vision IQ does adapt tone mapping to room light, which helps in brighter rooms.
Gaming features: ALLM only, no HDMI 2.1
There is no HDMI 2.1 support anywhere on the back panel. PS5 Pro and Xbox Series X cap at 4K/60. VRR is not supported. ALLM works correctly and we measured 22.8 ms input lag in Game Mode at 4K/60. For a casual gamer this is acceptable. For a serious gamer this is the biggest mark against the Q6.
Smart platform: Google TV runs well on TCL hardware in 2026
The 2026 firmware update meaningfully improved Google TV performance on TCL hardware. Cold app-launches averaged:
- Netflix, 3.6 seconds
- Disney Plus, 4.4 seconds
- Max, 4.0 seconds
- Apple TV, 5.0 seconds
- YouTube, 2.9 seconds
Still slower than Hisense U8N or Sony Bravia, but acceptable for daily use.
Sound quality: weak, plan on a soundbar
The 2.0 channel 20W system is underpowered for a screen of this size. Dialogue is muffled and bass is nonexistent. We strongly recommend a soundbar. Our Sonos Beam Gen 2 paired cleanly over eARC.
Bottom line: pick a smaller TV unless you really need the 98 inches
If you genuinely need 98 inches at the lowest price, the TCL Q6 is the cheapest way to get there. For most buyers an 85-inch Sony Bravia X90L is the smarter purchase at the same price tier.
Value
At $2499 the TCL 98-inch Q6 4K QLED (98Q651G) is the right Electronics in 2026.
TCL 98-inch Q6 4K QLED (98Q651G) vs. the competition
| Product | Our rating | Brightness | Refresh | Gaming | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| TCL 98-inch Q6 | ★★★★☆ 3.6 | 480 nits | 60 Hz | ALLM only | Recommended |
| Samsung QN90D 85-inch | ★★★★★ 4.6 | 2,180 nits | 120 Hz | HDMI 2.1 x 4 | Top Pick |
| Sony Bravia X90L 85-inch | ★★★★☆ 4.4 | 920 nits | 120 Hz | HDMI 2.1 x 2 | Best Value |
| Hisense 100-inch U7N (older 2024 model) | ★★★☆☆ 3.4 | 640 nits | 120 Hz | HDMI 2.1 x 2 | Skip |
Full specifications
| Display type | Direct-lit LED with quantum dots (QLED) |
| Resolution | 3840 x 2160 (4K) |
| Peak brightness | 480 nits measured (10 percent window) |
| Refresh rate | 60 Hz native |
| HDR formats | HDR10, HDR10+, HLG, Dolby Vision |
| Smart platform | Google TV |
| HDMI ports | 3 (all HDMI 2.0) |
| Gaming | ALLM only (no VRR, no 4K/120) |
| Speakers | 2.0 channel, 20W |
| Size tested | 98-inch (98Q651G) |
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Should you buy the TCL 98-inch Q6 4K QLED (98Q651G)?
The TCL 98-inch Q6 is a genuinely huge screen for $2,499, but the picture compromises are real. We measured 480 nits on a 10 percent HDR window, the panel runs at a true 60 Hz refresh rate, and there is no HDMI 2.1 support anywhere on the back panel. It is the right TV for a buyer who wants maximum size for the lowest price and watches mostly sports and casual streaming. It is the wrong TV for HDR film, modern console gaming, or a calibrated home theater.
Frequently asked questions
Is the TCL 98-inch Q6 worth $2,499 in 2026?+
For a buyer who wants maximum size at minimum cost and watches mostly sports and casual streaming, yes. For a buyer who wants HDR film, modern console gaming, or a calibrated home theater, no. The Sony Bravia X90L at 85 inches is a better TV for $100 less at a slightly smaller size.
TCL Q6 vs Sony X90L 85-inch: which is better?+
The Sony X90L is the clearly better TV at virtually every metric except size. It has roughly double the peak brightness, native 120 Hz, HDMI 2.1 support, and Sony's class-leading motion processing. The TCL only wins if you genuinely need a 98-inch screen and cannot stretch the budget.
Can I play PS5 Pro on the TCL 98-inch Q6?+
Yes at 4K/60 with ALLM, but not at 4K/120 and not with VRR. We measured 22.8 ms input lag in Game Mode at 4K/60, which is acceptable for casual play but not competitive. The lack of HDMI 2.1 is the biggest gaming caveat at this size.
Is the screen big enough that 480 nits looks fine?+
In a dim room, yes for SDR content. In a bright living room HDR content visibly lacks the headroom for specular highlights. The Samsung QN90D 85-inch puts roughly 4.5 times more peak brightness on screen, which is a meaningful step up for bright-room HDR.
📅 Update log
- May 14, 2026Added 4-month uniformity notes and rechecked input-lag after Google TV firmware update.
- Mar 15, 2026Updated picture-mode notes after TCL firmware V8-R851T02-LF1V015.
- Jan 26, 2026Initial review published.
