The 98C735 is a 98 inch 4K TV from TCL, launched in the year 2022. It features a 10-bit IPS panel with Anti-glare/Matte finish.
The maximum resolution it can achieve is 3840 x 2160 with a refresh rate of 120 Hz and a pixel density of 45 ppi.
Picture Quality
After screen size and resolution, the very next specification of a display that will impact your viewing experience is Color Gamut.
This TV features a DCI P3 coverage of 93%. FYI, this is equivalent to 126.82% sRGB. The color accuracy on this TV should be Lifelike!
Understanding the Color Gamut Specification
Color gamut spec of a display is the measurement of the range of colors that the TV can show.
In layman terms, it determines the ability of a TV to produce accurate colors. A display with low gamut coverage will miss out on some colors (such as deep red), so the image produced will look "washed out" in colors.
It is specified in different units - sRGB(most popular), NTSC, DCI P3 to name a few. It is upto the manufacturer which one they choose.
For example, the color gamut of this TV is specified in terms of DCI P3.
But don't worry, here is a chart that will help you choosing a TV with good color accuracy.
After color gamut, the static contrast of a TV also impacts its picture quality.
What is Static Contrast ratio ?
A TV with low static contrast ratio will not produce deep enough blacks and possibly can bleed backlight as below:
The image is an example of another display, it is not this oneThe static contrast ratio of above TV is rated 800:1. So make sure you get a TV with a static contrast of >= 1000:1. Ofcourse, More the better.
Also, static contrast ratio and resolution go hand in hand when it comes to details. To put it into perspective, a TV with low contrast ratio will show both dark gray and black as black, so lesser detail overall.
If given a choice, I will prefer a FHD TV with high contrast ratio over a 4K TV with low contrast ratio.
This TV comes with a static contrast ratio of 8000:1., enough to produce deep blacks. The panel comes with local dimming technology which is a plus.
HDR10, HDR10+, HLG (Hybrid Log Gamma), Dolby Vision and Dolby Vision IQ are also supported on this TV.
Coming to brightness, it can go as bright as 450 nits. The panel of this TV is powered by Direct LED (Local Dimming) backlight technology.
Gaming Performance
If you are planning to use your TV only for content consumption, you can ignore these specifications. But if you are also going to use the TV for gaming or use it as a PC monitor, make sure to get a TV with the lowest input lag and response time.
The input lag on the TCL 98C735 is 15 ms and its minimum response time is 6.5 ms. It is acceptable for both casual and competitive/FPS games alike.
What is Input Lag and Why it matters ?
This lag is the amount of time at which key-presses/mouse movements changes the content of your display. For casual Non-FPS games, input lag doesn't matter much.
But ideally, look for a TV that features an input lag and response time of less than 20ms.
Ergonomics and Dimensions
Now, coming to ergonomics — VESA mount is supported on this TV with an interface size of 400x850 mm. The unit doesn't come with Swivel, Tilt or Pivot support.
Vertically, the TV measures 98 inches and horizontally 85.91 inches. It is just 4 inches thick. Overall it weighs around 62.6 KGs including its stand. Without stand, it weighs 59.6 Kilograms.
Hardware and Audio
The internals of this TV is powered by a Quad Core 1.6 Ghz (4x ARM Cortex-A73) CPU and its graphics engine is handled by a 0.55 Ghz Dual Core (ARM Mali-G52 2EE MP2) GPU. The installed RAM on the TCL 98C735 is 3 GB.
For display connectivity, there are two HDMI 2.0 (ARC; CEC) ports, two HDMI 2.1 ports and one AV Composite In 3.5 mm jack port on this TV.
To connect USB devices, you will have two USB 2.0 (Type-A — downstream) ports. Other connectivity ports include — 1x Satellite In (F-type female), 1x Antenna (RF) and 1x Ethernet RJ45.
For wireless connections on this TV, the manufacturer has provided a 5Ghz Wi-Fi, 2.5 Ghz Wi-Fi, Wifi-Direct, Bluetooth and DLNA.
For audio, it is packaged with 2 x 15W speakers. It also comes with a built-in subwoofer. So you may not have to invest on any external sound system.
In terms of power consumption, on average, this TV uses 864W and on standby, it uses 0.5 W.
For powering this unit, you'll require either a 110V or 220V outlet @ 50Hz-60Hz.