Sony debuts its first 98-inch 4K LED TV — with an eyewatering price

The Sony X90L on a yellow wall.
(Image credit: Sony)

Sony makes some of the best TVs we’ve ever tested. Now it's launching a massive addition to its 2023 TV lineup — and you can buy it right now.

As of today (Aug. 18), you can buy the new 98-inch Sony Bravia XR X90L from select retailers in the U.S. and U.K., along with select other regions (h/t FlatpanelsHD). 

This is Sony’s first 98-inch 4K LCD TV and while it’s technically at the bottom tier of Sony’s 2023 lineup it is still a premium TV with a premium price tag: If you want to buy the 98-inch X90L in the U.S., it will set you back an eye-watering $9,999.99.

While it’s technically the lower-tier model, you’ll still get plenty of features for your money. The X90L 4K TV uses LED full array local dimming to provide deeper shadows and brighter highlights than other LCD backlighting technologies. It won’t measure up to the best OLED TVs, but it still gives you a boost when watching the latest TV shows and movies in HDR.

The Sony X90L Full Array LED-LCD TV on a white background

(Image credit: Sony)

Aside from HDR support — the Sony Bravia XR X90L can handle HDR10, HLG and Dolby Vision — you also get Sony’s Cognitive Processor XR to give your picture an additional boost. The TV also has an Auto Low Latency Mode (ALLM) and two HDMI 2.1 inputs for 4K/120Hz gaming on your PS5.

In terms of audio, the X90L will support Dolby Atmos and Acoustic Multi-Audio via four 10W speakers — two tweeters and two full-range speakers with Bass Reflex. That’s not bad, but you may still want one of our best soundbars to complete your setup.

We haven’t reviewed the Sony Bravia XR X90L yet, but we called its predecessor, the Sony Bravia XR X90K, “a jack of all trades.” It runs on Google TV’s smart TV interface, so at the very least, it should be a contender to be one of the best Google TVs out there. 

98-inch 4K TVs are officially a thing 

The Sony Bravia XR X90L may be Sony’s first 98-inch 4K TV, but it’s definitely not the first one out there. Samsung and TCL also have 98-inch 4K TV offerings and all three use TCL CSOT panels.

But all of these 4K behemoths are not the same price. At $10,000, Sony’s offering is on one end of the spectrum alongside the TCL QM8 4K Mini LED TV. If you want something a little cheaper, the Samsung 98-inch QLED Q80C 4K TV is a couple of thousand dollars less at $8,000 and while it doesn’t feature a MiniLED display like the TCL QM8, the picture quality is still excellent thanks to the TV’s Quantum Dot filter.

Finally, if you’re looking for a relative bargain, there’s TCL’s other 98-inch 4K TV. The TCL 98-inch XL Collection QLED TV is just $5,000 and while it’s not quite at the level of the TCL QM8, it's certainly worth considering at half the price. Plus, you still get a bunch of great features and excellent picture quality. So for those looking to get a massive 98-inch display, there’s never been a better time or more choices. 

More from Tom's Guide

Malcolm McMillan
Senior Streaming Writer

Malcolm McMillan is a senior writer for Tom's Guide, covering all the latest in streaming TV shows and movies. That means news, analysis, recommendations, reviews and more for just about anything you can watch, including sports! If it can be seen on a screen, he can write about it. Previously, Malcolm had been a staff writer for Tom's Guide for over a year, with a focus on artificial intelligence (AI), A/V tech and VR headsets.

Before writing for Tom's Guide, Malcolm worked as a fantasy football analyst writing for several sites and also had a brief stint working for Microsoft selling laptops, Xbox products and even the ill-fated Windows phone. He is passionate about video games and sports, though both cause him to yell at the TV frequently. He proudly sports many tattoos, including an Arsenal tattoo, in honor of the team that causes him to yell at the TV the most.

  • tderr110
    I bought a Sony Bravia OLED 65" last year for about $2200. They had an 84" Sony Bravia LED for $2100. I thought it looked great but it was too big to fit in my vehicle with the box. $8000 more seems like a rip off. I know it's bigger but not that much bigger
    Reply
  • Xerora
    Diminishing returns on 4k resolution once you exceed 60 to 70 inches. The only sensible resolution for a TV thats any bigger is 8k or higher.
    Reply
  • RayJZ
    Tcl 98" Is on sale for 4000 right now. I've got the 85" and it's absolutely amazing for the price. Why pay 6000 more for this TV? You'd have to be nuts.
    Reply