html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/REC-html40/loose.dtd" On today’s episode of You Asked… What’s the best 98-inch TV for sports? What can we expect from Apple CarPlay Ultra… and… How long should you expect a TV to last? Best 98-inch TV for sports & streaming Samsung 98-inch QN90D Zeke Jones / Digital Trends Logan asks: We’re currently building a new home and I’m looking to upgrade my current television to a 98-inch or larger. We will mainly use our television for watching sports on YouTube tv or ESPN app and occasionally other streaming services for movies or series. So the questions are: With sports being the main priority, which tvs would you recommend for watching sports? And of these tvs, would you recommend utilizing an apple tv or another external source to better upscale the standard resolution. Thanks for the question Logan. I think when addressing your first question, which TV would we recommend, coupled with the need for 98, the first thing we need to address is budget… because when we’re talking TVs that large, the price range from one brand and model to the next can be several thousand dollars. If you’re willing to spare no expense, the Samsung QN90D – the 2024 model – goes $10,000. And the updated and recently released QN90F goes for $15,000. I feel ridiculous even listing those, but hey, spend it if you got it, I guess. Sony Bravia 5 Digital Trends Coming down a little bit from that, you’ve got Sony’s 98-inch Bravia 5, a new Mini LED model offered in 2025. It retails for $6,500, so less than Samsung’s QN90D but still a bit steep given what other brands offer for considerably less. Based off what I have seen and what I feel like is a much better price to performance ratio, and given some of the drawbacks mentioned in our review of the 98-inch Samsung QN90D last year, I think you’re much better off checking out the Mini LED options from Hisense and TCL. At time of writing, TCL’s 98-inch QM7K quantum dot Mini LED TV is at 44% off, bringing it down to $2,800. That, my friends, is a steal for a TV at this size with its capabilities. It’s got the features you look for in a premium TV from top to bottom, supporting all the video and audio formats you could ask for like Dolby Vision, Dolby Atmos and DTS. And notably for sports, it has excellent SDR brightness and does a great job upscaling low bitrate content, like sports. TCL QM7K Andre Revilla / Digital Trends If you want to save a little more money, the TCL QM6K goes for a little bit less, but you will lose out a bit on performance and brightness. But having seen the 65-inch QM6K earlier this year, it is excellent, and seems to have improved off-angle viewing from previous years. I’m not sure if that carries over into all of TCL’s Mini LED offerings this year, but I think both of those 98-inch models would serve you very well. I’d also point you toward the 100-inch Hisense U7QG which, spec-wise, is pretty much stride for stride with the QM7K, just a little bit more expensive at $3,000, though you also get two more inches. Bottom line, I think TCL and Hisense make perfect TVs for sports, given how much they’ve been able to pump up the brightness over the years. And as you mentioned, when it’s time for movies and shows, you’ll be even more impressed with them being able to stream in Dolby Vision or a number of other HDR formats. And that’s where we’ll answer the next part of your question: Do we recommend utilizing an Apple TV or another external source to better upscale the standard resolution? Apple TV 4K has a bare minimum of cables and ports — just as you’d expect from Apple. Phil Nickinson / Digital Trends No, at least not for the purposes of better upscaling standard resolution. Your TV’s upscaling is always going to do the best job because its processor is built to do the best clean-up job specifically for that TV. I don’t think adding an external device is going to hurt the picture quality, but I also don’t think you’re going to see any benefit over just using the apps within the TV operating system. And side note before the next question I’ve seen the comments about how we frequently recommend Hisense and TCL. I’m just trying to think at least a little bit practically about a purchase of this magnitude. For a 65-inch TV, sure, the best of the best running you three to four thousand dollars is a little easier to stomach. It’s not nothing but it’s also a lot different than $6,000 or $8,000 or $10,000 or more, where some of these 98-inch TVs can go. And objectively, if you look at how they perform, it’s hard to say if it’s triple or quadruple the price for a particular brand. By all means do your own research as well. Check the forums. See what others who own the TV have to say about their experience. But if you can save several thousand dollars, I don’t know take the kids to Disney World, take your significant other to Europe, buy some sick speakers to go with your TV. Just my two cents. Also, right now, Memorial Day deals weekend, there are some huge TV sales going down… I’m talking Panasonic, Sony, Hisense, TCL, Samsung, LG… all of them. Best TV for dark rooms? LG B5 OLED Digital Trends Doug asks: My question is which TV is best for dark rooms , I currently have the U8 Hisense 55-inch but it’s giving me bad eye strains with brightness at 0 and all features turned off or on low. Doug, the first thing I would suggest is, if you haven’t done so, dive just a little deeper into the settings. Check to see if you’re in a Standard or Vivid mode that tends to be a little more on the blue or cool side of color temperature. If you are, try changing to one of the theater modes or filmmaker mode. These tend to be a little warmer. There should be a Theater Night mode available on your U8 that makes dark room viewing a little more comfortable. If that’s still too much for you, I’d suggest a budget friendly OLED, something like the LG B4 or B5. Maybe Samsung’s S85D or S85F, depending on what’s available and your budget. You’ll have gorgeous picture quality, and those models don’t tend to be as bright as their more expensive, flagship siblings. How long should a TV last? The LG G5 and C5 OLED TVs in LG’s CES 2025 suite. John Higgins / Digital Trends @THOMMGB asks: My question is: how long will a TV last? If I’m going to go to all this trouble and expense, I want a TV that’s going to last for years. This is always a relevant question, especially in this economy, so thanks for sending it in. A lot of estimates from my research says five to 10 years… but there are other factors at play here. First, what’s it worth to you? If you drop several grand on a flagship OLED or Mini-LED TV, yeah, you’re gonna want it to last at least five years, and hopefully beyond that. But like I said in a previous episode, these are electronics with lots of components and points of potential failure. So if it really bothers you that there’s a risk, there are plenty of less expensive models that are still loaded with features and produce incredible images. Digital Trends The other factor is how hard you drive the TV. In general, if you want it to last, using screensavers or making sure it’s turned off when not in use is a good idea, especially if it’s an OLED where there’s a risk of burn-in. And that leads me to the next point, which is the all-important warranty. With LG in particular, they have a two-part, five year warranty for their G, M and Z level OLED TVs. And that leads me to my final point. That LG warranty covers their most expensive TVs, probably because they’re pretty confident in how well they’re built. What am I saying here? You get what you pay for. Samsung If you want a TV that lasts, I’d shoot for the upper tier models. It doesn’t have to be the most expensive, but not all TVs are built equally. I had to talk my parents off of this ledge recently, when they said they didn’t want to buy any more Samsung TVs because one failed them. But that TV was certainly not one of their better performing models. Sure enough, they’re now in love with the S90D that I recommended. So to sum it all up, there’s not much of a guarantee you’ll get with any TV. If you search in forums long enough, you’ll probably find a cautionary tale against every brand you can think of. But, with research, care and maybe a little good luck, your TV should last you for years, at least long enough to get to the point where you’re ready to upgrade again. Apple CarPlay Ultra Q&A Apple @danh9922 asked: So it’s not called CarPlay 2? No, Dan. Technically, it’s never been called CarPlay 2. That’s just what the media was calling the next generation of CarPlay while all the rumors and leaks were swirling around. Apple never officially referred to it that way. It’s only ever been called CarPlay Ultra, which is what we now have. Right now, it’s only available on the super-expensive new Aston Martins, so there’s a pretty high bar in terms of cost if you want to get into a vehicle with CarPlay Ultra today. However, the good news is Apple has confirmed a number of automakers around the world are working on bringing CarPlay Ultra to future vehicles, including Hyundai, Genesis, and Kia. So, hopefully, more affordable options are on the horizon. @King_Jab asked: What makes it Ultra? As someone who doesn’t have basic CarPlay, please explain the difference. Great question. Traditional CarPlay acts as a mirror between your iPhone and the central display in your car. It shows key apps like Music, Messages, and Maps, allowing you to interact with them while driving, which is super useful. But it has little to no control over other parts of your vehicle. CarPlay Ultra goes much further. It’s far more deeply integrated with your car’s operating system. You can control various vehicle features, like radio, climate settings, and even drive modes, all from within the CarPlay Ultra interface. You no longer need to exit CarPlay to access those functions. Apple Apple Apple Apple Apple Apple Apple Apple It even extends to the digital cluster behind the steering wheel, offering customizable views that combine car data with key info from your iPhone. Everything you want, exactly where you want it. It’s a pretty special experience, and we’re really looking forward to trying it out. But not everyone’s sold on it. @bobdylanlovr69 says: Bad foresight by Apple, as many manufacturers are thankfully moving away from digital clusters for A/C and other utilities in favor of buttons and dials again. And you’re not wrong. Having to use a touchscreen to change the climate can be fiddly and annoying. But the scope for CarPlay Ultra is so much greater. As the platform develops, we expect even deeper integration and more functionality, not less. So instead of going backward, I think we’ll see it evolve further. Now, a couple of you asked about cost. Is Apple really giving something away for free? Apple Yes, the good news is CarPlay Ultra doesn’t have a separate cost. There’s no subscription or extra charge. The only things you’ll need are an iPhone (12 or later) and a compatible vehicle. Once you have those, CarPlay Ultra is ready to use at no additional cost. Some of you are also wondering about Google and whether it has an Android equivalent in the works. Well, it sort of already does and in some ways, it may even surpass CarPlay Ultra. There’s Android Auto, which works similarly to CarPlay, mirroring key apps from your phone to the car’s display. But then there’s Android Automotive, which is a full in-car operating system. It doesn’t even need a smartphone to function. It’s baked into the vehicle itself and includes Google services like Maps and Assistant. It’s already in use in Polestar vehicles, for example. So in that sense, Google may actually be ahead of Apple, at least in some cars. And finally… Mitchell asks: “When can I get CarPlay Ultra in my 2013 Toyota Camry?” Unfortunately, Mitchell, I don’t think CarPlay Ultra is ever going to make its way into your 2013 Camry. Tough break there.

TCL QM7K MSRP $1,300.00 Score Details “The TCL QM7K offers a stunning image for its price point, bringing premium-level picture quality to your living room without costing a small fortune.” Pros Fantastic color accuracy Impressive contrast Excellent brightness Decently wide viewing angle Cons Reflective screen Unimpressive sound “Why you can trust Digital Trends – We have a 20-year history of testing, reviewing, and rating products, services and apps to help you make a sound buying decision. Find out more about how we test and score products.“ Recommended Videos We finally got our hands on the TCL QM7K Mini-LED QLED, winner of our Top Tech of CES 2025 award. Earlier this year we reviewed the QM6K and were impressed with its value and performance, so we’re excited to put the QM7K through its paces. TCL continues to impress in the midrange and I’m happy to say, the QM7K did not disappoint. Mini-LED screen technology is making for gorgeous displays with incredible contrast more affordable for the average consumer, and TCL is really showing what the technology can do with this new entry. There’s a good chance that this isn’t the last model we’ll hear about from TCL this year as the company has switched to a staggered release approach for its 2025 models, but for now let’s soak in the QM7K and all it has to offer. TCL QM7K specs Sizes 55, 65, 75, 85, 98, and 115 inches Pricing $1,299.99, $1,499.99, $1,999.99, $2,499.99, $4,999.99, and $19,999.99 Display type QD-Mini LED Operating system Google TV Screen resolution 4K Ultra HD (3,840 x 2,160) HDR support Dolby Vision, Dolby Vision Gaming, Dolby Vision IQ, HDR 10+, HDR10, HLG Native refresh rate 144Hz Gaming features Auto Game Mode (ALLM), AMD FreeSync Premium Pro, Game Accelerator 288, VRR (up to 144Hz) Audio support Dolby Atmos, Dolby Digital +, DTS: Virtual X (Passthrough Dolby Atmos, Dolby Digital +, Dolby Digital, PCM) Connectivity 4 HDMI (1x eARC), USB 3.0, USB 2.0, Ethernet (LAN), S/PDIF, ATSC 1.0 Tuner Affordable price means a less premium build Andre Revilla / Digital Trends The QM7K targets that affordable middle ground between a true budget TV and the premium flagship models of today. It aims to be within reach of most consumers, particularly in the smaller 55- or 65-inch models. So I can’t say I was too shocked when I started unboxing and assembling the QM7K that I found its construction to be a little flimsy. Andre Revilla / Digital Trends The stand that holds the TV is designed as one central piece, as opposed to the individual legs of the QM6K, which makes attaching it to the QM7K a straightforward process. It’s brushed to look like metal, but metal it is not. The plastic T-shaped stand weighs about 5 pounds and does its job in holding the 85-inch model we tested for this review. Andre Revilla / Digital Trends The TV itself weighs only 75 pounds, aided by a frame made almost entirely of plastic. Savings have to come from somewhere to hit these price points, right? The good news is that this makes assembly a lot easier than on far heavier (albeit sturdier) high-end models. The QM7K sways a bit anytime you move it or the furniture it sits on, but it’s held securely enough that it’s not going anywhere. Decent audio, nothing mind-blowing The audio on the TCL QM7K is billed as having better audio than the QM6K, thanks to a Bang & Olufsen audio upgrade, which TCL says will offer “more accurate sound quality for an enhanced home theater audio experience.” All in all, the 2.2-speaker system performs about as expected for a mostly affordable model. Which is to say, it didn’t sound terrible, but it didn’t sound great. Andre Revilla / Digital Trends The bass response left a lot to be desired, but it’s not like I was expecting a 6-inch subwoofer built into the TV. The dialogue could at times sound muddled, blending in a bit too much with a soundtrack or background noise. This really only happened in intense scenes where loud music, dialogue, and sound effects all combined in a cacophony of sound. The QM7K natively supports Dolby Digital and Dolby Digital+ audio, but the built-in speakers aren’t doing it justice. Seeing as this model supports Dolby Atmos passthrough, you’d be better off with a Dolby Atmos soundbar, or another dedicated audio system to get the most out of the Dolby audio available on most streaming platforms. Color accurate right out of the box The QM7K features a number of display profiles that users can select from, but for our purposes we’re going to focus on Filmmaker Mode, which was first added on the QM6K. This mode is designed for color accuracy, and it was spot-on right out of the box. Andre Revilla / Digital Trends We tested the QM7K first in SDR while in Filmmaker Mode, and it delivered an impressive color delta E of 0.8. While this fell to near zero post-calibration, that’s honestly not even necessary, as the human eye struggles to distinguish a delta E of less than 1.0, making Filmmaker Mode more than sufficient. More than bright enough If you’re looking to sear your eyeballs out of your sockets during nighttime viewing, then the QM7K is the right TV for you. TCL advertises a peak brightness of 3,000 nits in HDR for the QM7K, though this varies by size and will vary slightly by panel. Andre Revilla / Digital Trends In my own testing, I was able to get one 2,400-nit burst in HDR testing in a 10% window with brightness, peak luminance, and dynamic backlighting all turned up to the max. More stable readings in HDR came in around 2,000 nits in peak brightness. Peak brightness measurements in SDR came in at a still very respectable 1,600 nits. If you’re wanting to get the best color accuracy and contrast out of your QM7K with minimal clipping and as much uniformity as possible, then you’ll likely be watching Filmmaker Mode in its default configuration, which still offers 800 nits with the brightness turned to 100 while keeping those other backlight and luminance settings turned off. My gripe with reflections While the brightness of the QM7K more than delivers, nothing could get away from the fact that the screen itself was pretty reflective. Don’t get me wrong, I’ve seen worse, but if your living room is like mine and has windows opposite the TV, you’ll find yourself getting up to close them every time you turn on the TV during the daytime. Windows reflected in the TCL QM7K Andre Revilla / Digital Trends I’m not even picking on reflections when sunlight is pouring in the windows midday, as this issue persists into the evening when the sun is already starting to set. With brightness settings maxed, the QM7K can handle as bright a room as you can throw at it, but any sort of light source directly in front of the screen from your viewing position will be thrown back at you and remains quite visible even in bright scenes. A superb image overall All in all, the TCL QM7K offers a stunning image for its price point. Without getting too far into the weeds, I’ll say that a lot of cool tech—like the condensed micro lens in the backlight system, helping focus and direct the light from each mini LED, and the decreased optical distance, which is the space between the backlight and the LCD—helps create an image with excellent contrast. These technologies also help reduce haloing in HDR, as they lead to less light scatter. The QM7K really goes to show that Mini LED QLED panels are taking the fight to OLED, bringing premium-level picture quality to your living room without costing you a small fortune. Value remains the focus TCL has continued to impress with panel technology and image quality while maintaining approachable pricing. The 85-inch model we tested launched just over two months ago and is already being sold by all major retailers and TCL at about a 30% markdown from its original MSRP of $2,500. Right now, that means you can pick up an 85-inch QM7K for $1,800, and the 55-inch is currently marked down to under $900. Look for these prices to continue dropping as the year goes on, especially as we get into the holiday season. The TCL QM7K is an impressive entry that blurs the line between flagship and mid-range in performance while staying solidly in the realm of mid-range pricing. I’ll be eagerly awaiting any TCL launches hopefully still to come this year.