‌I only paid $1500 for this HUGE TV

Summary

In this video, the host stumbles upon an open-box TCL 98-inch S550 TV for an unbelievable $1,500, a steal for its size. They discuss the challenges of getting it home and setting it up, including its unusual I/O and the confusion around its 4K and HDR capabilities. The review covers the TV's picture quality, gaming performance, and compares it to a newer model. Despite some drawbacks like lack of local dimming and black uniformity issues, the TV offers a great value for its size, making it an attractive option for those seeking a massive screen on a budget.

Takeaways

• 📺 The script discusses the purchase of an open-box 98-inch TCL S550 TV for $1,500, which seemed like an unbeatable deal.
• 🏠 The TV had to be picked up from the store as it was not available for delivery, highlighting the logistical challenges of moving large TVs.
• 🔍 Upon unboxing, the script mentions the TV's specifications, including four HDMI ports with one supporting 4K at 144 Hz, despite the box indicating 120 Hz.
• 🤔 The script expresses confusion about the TV's native refresh rate and whether it can be overclocked to 144 Hz.
• 📚 A peculiar feature noted was the presence of a composite input on a modern TV, indicating a mix of old and new technology.
• 🛠 The script humorously describes the process of setting up the TV, including the recommendation to use a wooden platform for stability due to the TV's weight.
• 🎮 The TV's gaming capabilities are tested, with the script suggesting it performs well for its price, despite some confusion about the 'Game Accelerator 240' feature.
• 🌟 The script compares the TCL TV to a QD OLED TV, noting the significant difference in picture quality, particularly in color richness and black uniformity.
• 💡 The script highlights the TV's adequacy for large viewing spaces, like a frat house or a bar, where the size and price might be more appealing than picture quality.
• 🔗 The script ends with a call to action for viewers to check out the TV and other options through provided links, emphasizing the value for money.

Q & A

What is the main topic of the video script?

The main topic of the video script is the unboxing, review, and discussion of an open-box TCL 98 S550 4K TV, focusing on its features, picture quality, and gaming capabilities, especially considering its price point of $1,500.

Why did the reviewer decide to purchase the TCL 98 S550 TV?

The reviewer decided to purchase the TCL 98 S550 TV because it was available at an unbelievable price of $1,500 in the open-box section, which was a significant discount for a nearly 100-inch TV.

What are some of the initial concerns the reviewer had about the TV's specifications?

The reviewer initially wondered about the sacrifices made to achieve such a low price, questioning whether the TV could be 4K with HDR support, high refresh rate gaming, and other premium features.

What was the reviewer's first complication with the TV?

The first complication the reviewer faced was the transportation of the TV, as it was not available for delivery and had to be picked up in person due to its size and weight.

How many HDMI ports does the TCL 98 S550 TV have, and what is unusual about one of them?

The TCL 98 S550 TV has four HDMI ports. What is unusual is that the top one supports 4K at 144 Hertz, which is unexpected since the box mentioned a 120 Hertz refresh rate.

What is the reviewer's opinion on the TV's brightness and color performance?

The reviewer found the TV's brightness to be okay, with a maximum of 498 nits, and noted that the colors looked okay but not very rich or saturated, appearing a bit flat overall.

What gaming features does the TV offer, and how does the reviewer feel about them?

The TV offers a 120 Hertz refresh rate and potentially supports up to 144 Hertz through a feature called 'Game Accelerator 240'. The reviewer found the gaming experience to be responsive and fine for most games.

What did the reviewer notice about the TV's black uniformity and local dimming?

The reviewer noticed that the black uniformity was not great, with noticeable patches of whiteness, and they questioned whether the TV has local dimming zones, as it seemed to have only one local dimming zone.

How does the reviewer compare the TCL 98 S550 to other TVs, especially in terms of picture quality?

The reviewer compared the TCL 98 S550 to other TVs by noting that its picture quality is decent for its price, but it lacks the richness and depth of more expensive models, especially when compared to a QD OLED TV.

What is the reviewer's final recommendation for potential buyers of the TCL 98 S550 TV?

The reviewer would recommend the TCL 98 S550 TV to someone looking for a really big TV on a low budget, as it offers a large screen size at a relatively affordable price, despite some compromises in picture quality.

Outlines

00:00

📺 Unboxing a Massive Open-Box TV Deal

The script begins with a narrative of discovering a huge 100-inch TV at an incredibly low price of $1,500. The excitement is palpable, but it's tempered by the realization that such a deal might come with compromises. The TV, an open-box model, comes with a promise of 4K resolution and HDR support, but questions arise about its high refresh rate gaming capabilities. The script humorously transitions to a sponsor's plug for an all-in-one business management suite, suggesting a metaphorical link between managing a business and the complexities of choosing the right TV. The unboxing process is described with a touch of humor, highlighting the challenges of handling such a large TV, including a misadventure with the packaging and a quirky discussion about the TV's I/O ports, which include an unexpectedly high 144 Hz HDMI port despite the TV's native 120 Hz refresh rate. The script ends with a contemplation of the TV's weight and the practicalities of setting it up at home, alluding to the need for a sturdy mounting solution due to the TV's heft.

05:01

🛋️ Evaluating the TV's Size and Picture Quality

Paragraph 2 delves into the practicalities of having such a large TV in a home setting, with discussions about optimal viewing distances and the impact of size on the viewing experience. The script contrasts the TV's size with a 65-inch model, emphasizing the overwhelming presence of the 100-inch screen. It touches on the TV's Google TV interface, which is standard on TCL TVs in North America, and the immediate action taken to disable motion smoothing, a feature that is often disliked by viewers for its impact on picture quality. The script also evaluates the TV's brightness, color accuracy, and local dimming capabilities. There's a candid discussion about the TV's contrast and black uniformity, with observations about visible light patches and a hot spot, indicating a lack of advanced local dimming technology. The overall impression is that while the TV is large and impressive, it has some picture quality limitations, especially when compared to more expensive models.

10:02

🎮 Gaming and Long-Term Value of the TV

The final paragraph shifts the focus to gaming on the large TV, with the script exploring the TV's performance in gaming mode. There's a humorous exchange about the TV's advertised 144 Hz capability, which seems to be more marketing than reality, as the TV's settings are confusing. Despite this, the gaming experience is described as responsive and enjoyable, with no significant latency issues. The script also contemplates the TV's suitability for different environments, like a frat house or a bar, where a large screen is a plus. There's a recognition of the TV's value for the price, suggesting it as a good option for those seeking a big screen on a tight budget. The paragraph concludes with a tease about an even larger and cheaper TV option, hinting at future content. The script ends with another plug for the sponsor's business management software, emphasizing efficiency and time management in business operations.

Keywords

💡Open Box

Open box refers to items that have been taken out of their original packaging, usually returned by customers but still in good condition. In the video, the term is used to describe a TV that is being purchased at a significantly reduced price due to it being an open box item. The script mentions finding a nearly 100-inch TV in the open box section for just $1,500, which is a key part of the video's narrative as it sets the stage for the rest of the review.

💡4K

4K, or Ultra HD, is a resolution standard for digital televisions and monitors, with approximately 8.3 million pixels (3840 x 2160 pixels). In the video, the reviewer questions whether the TV they are examining supports 4K, indicating that this is a desirable feature for modern TVs. The script discusses the TV's specifications, including its potential to support 4K content.

💡HDR

HDR stands for High Dynamic Range and refers to a technology that enhances an image or video's luminosity and color to more closely resemble real life. The script mentions HDR as a feature that the reviewer hopes the TV might have, indicating that HDR is a sought-after characteristic for high-quality TV viewing experiences.

💡High Refresh Rate

A high refresh rate, often measured in Hertz (Hz), refers to how many times a second a display updates the picture. A higher refresh rate can result in smoother motion, which is particularly important for gaming. The video script discusses the TV's refresh rate, with the reviewer expressing surprise that the TV might support a high refresh rate suitable for gaming.

💡Google TV

Google TV is an智能电视平台 that provides access to streaming apps and services. In the video, Google TV is mentioned as a standard feature on TCL TVs, which simplifies the process of accessing content. The reviewer notes that Google TV is easy to use and mentions turning off motion smoothing, a feature within the platform.

💡Local Dimming

Local dimming is a feature in LED TVs that allows different zones of the backlight to be dimmed or brightened independently, improving the contrast ratio and black levels. The script discusses the TV's local dimming capabilities, or lack thereof, as the reviewer speculates on the TV's contrast performance.

💡Vivid Mode

Vivid Mode is a picture setting on TVs that enhances colors and contrast to make the image more vibrant. The reviewer warns against using Vivid Mode because it can lead to inaccurate colors and an unnatural-looking image, as indicated by the script where the reviewer mentions that Vivid mode 'gets awful'.

💡Gaming

The term 'gaming' in the context of the video refers to using the TV as a display for video game consoles. The reviewer tests the TV's suitability for gaming, discussing latency and responsiveness, which are crucial aspects of the gaming experience. The script highlights that the TV feels responsive and would be suitable for various games.

💡Motion Smoothing

Motion smoothing, also known as the 'soap opera effect,' is a feature that artificially increases the frame rate of video content to reduce motion blur. The reviewer expresses a strong dislike for motion smoothing, as it can introduce artifacts and make the picture look unnatural, as evidenced by the script where they mention turning it off immediately.

💡QD OLED

QD OLED refers to a type of display technology that combines quantum dot technology with organic light-emitting diodes to produce vibrant colors and deep blacks. The script contrasts the TV being reviewed with a QD OLED TV, noting that despite the large size of the reviewed TV, the QD OLED offers better color accuracy and contrast.

💡Ambient Light Rejection

Ambient light rejection is the ability of a display to maintain visibility and color accuracy under varying lighting conditions. The reviewer discusses the TV's ambient light rejection, noting that while it's not perfect, it's acceptable given the size and price point of the TV, as indicated by the script where they mention the TV's performance in a demanding lighting environment.

Highlights

Discovery of a massive 100-inch TV at an affordable price of $1,500.

The TV's potential lack of high-end features like 4K and HDR support given its low cost.

Surprise that the TV might support high refresh rate gaming despite its price point.

Mention of a sponsor's all-in-one business management Suite for efficient business operations.

Challenges of physically transporting and unboxing the large TV.

The TV comes with legs, unlike a previous 150-inch model that required a different setup.

Puzzle over the TV's packaging being relatively normal despite its large size.

Discovery of four HDMI ports including one that supports 4K at 144 Hz, which is unusual.

The TV's design includes a unique square pattern on the back, affecting its weight and mounting options.

Recommendation for a secure mounting solution due to the TV's heavy weight.

The TV's high placement and its impact on viewing comfort.

Google TV comes standard with TCL TVs, which is beneficial for users.

The TV's peak brightness is measured, revealing its performance in terms of light output.

Comparison of the TV's picture quality to more expensive models and the value it offers.

Discussion on the TV's local dimming capabilities and its impact on contrast.

Gaming experience on the TV and its responsiveness.

The TV's suitability for certain environments like bars or large living spaces.

Mention of an even cheaper and larger TV option discovered later.

Sponsor's software offering integrated apps for business management and efficiency.

Transcripts

imagine this you're at the store and

there it is the biggest TV you've

everever seen you need to have

it

okay that's fine you'd rather go home

and talk to your wife and kids anyway

but then you notice the open box section

Woo is that nearly 100 in of TV goodness

for just 1,500 bucks take my money but

on the way home you start to watch

wonder what sacrifices had to be made to

get a TV this big this cheap I mean

surely it can't be 4K with support for

HDR oh well there's no way it supports

High refresh rate gaming oh okay does

that too I mean but there's no way that

it has a segue

to to our sponsor really OD do their

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it deserves to be run if like us you

find an openbox TCL 98 S550 GH the first

complication is going to be getting it

home this particular open box model

wasn't available for delivery so we had

to pick it up

ourselves and TV's this big they're

heavy but hey we got it here time to

unbox it now Adam and I are are seasoned

pros at unboxing giant TVs now so I'm

sure this is going to go very smoothly

were you really cutting toward my face

oh seasoned Pros we don't have to worry

about safety we're so good at it hey

this one comes with legs he mentions

that because the 150 in one that I

bought

didn't okay we managed to open it

backwards

unfortunately uh okay all right I guess

we're looking at the I/O

first here's something that's a little

confus using to me though what is it

about a 100 in TV that allows it to be

packaged relatively normally but the

115in TV which is know only this much

bigger had to come in a crate I guess

part of it is that the other one was

thick she's a trunky boy yeah this is

like half of the weight I think of your

TV but it looks very similar in terms of

the ID yeah it even has the the square

pattern and then also Ultra base your TV

can also work as a project

mat like are these 1 centimeter by 1

centimeter it kind of looks like it

they're Clos you could cut fabric

patterns I need to know now for the io

we got four HDMI ports the top one is 4K

144 Hertz which is weird cuz didn't the

front of the box say 120 useless useless

the squares are exactly 1 cm by 1 cm but

then the gaps in between just throw the

whole thing out of

whack well I I'm glad you figured out

that mystery uh yeah so we're not really

sure what the deal is with that the

input's 144 Herz but the panel says

native 120 maybe it's overclockable I

guess we'll find out as for the rest of

it it's pretty usual but uh it's weird

to see a composite input on a modern TV

still so that's nice one other unusual

thing that I was about to point out

before I realized that the back of the

TV does this was the Vasa bolt pattern

it's 500 mm x 6 00 mm so it's not square

and because this thing is heavy what I

would strongly recommend doing is

something similar to what you guys saw

me do in the cleanest Living Room

Makeover where I put a big piece of wood

just like a flat piece of plywood screw

that into the studs and screw the mount

for the TV into that since we're not

doing any of that today we need to put

the feet on H H how do we do that they

said refer to the manual smart first get

a table that's bigger than the TV

where the hell am I supposed to get that

soft cushion

surface what is this look at this

hypothetical soft cushioned thing that

exists who has a giant cushioned table

where are we going to put this here's

the thing this video really was inspired

by us just stumbling across this open

box TV at what seemed like an

unbelievable price at the time um so it

doesn't have the little protective soft

covering on the screen we don't really

have a way of laying it down down I have

an idea I have we we put there we go oh

she's heavy yeah damn

boy okay now I've done this trick a lot

of times where the air cushion that

forms between the TV and the ground

keeps it from hitting very hard so we

can just let her fall I'm kidding you

were going to let me do it I wanted to

see what we you were going to let do it

it would have been cool why would you do

that

content h all

right that's not so

bad I'm on oh my

gosh it fits what was the TV back what's

the size of this is that a 65 I think

that's a 65 in behind

it that was a 65 in

TV it's

gone sitting on a pretty normal height

couch this belongs on r/ TV too high do

you think we also maybe we're just like

a little close to it sure

sure still way too high I didn't really

think about it in the theater because it

has Theater seating in it in fact it has

tiered Theater seating so you're really

aiming for an optimal Middle Ground

between the front and the rear row but

if I was putting something like this in

my living room I would only want it like

8 in above the floor like 20 cm above

the floor right out of the gate Google

TV is standard on all all of tcl's TVs

at least here in North America mine

doesn't which will make it really easy

for Adam to turn off the gross motion

smothing yeah it's it's pretty bad right

now you know every once in a while I'll

go yeah maybe it's you know not that bad

when I haven't looked at it in a while

like I I'll say to myself maybe I

wouldn't notice if I went into someone's

house and they had motion smoothing on

and then I get a new TV and I'm like ew

when I first was testing this even the

boot logo had like motion artifacts and

I was like w turn it off immediately it

was so bad whoa is that a display hey

you have a monitor I do several in

fact I love the hoodie you're wearing

today it's so appropriate it's huge it's

not very bright it goes up to a Max of

500 nits we got

498 this ends up looking kind of flat

overall though which I'm surprised by

because in the past the larger the

display the greater the volume light

it's throwing at you even if the peak

brightness isn't as high and it can

really help with immersion I still think

it looks pretty okay for how giant of a

TV this is and it's not OLED how much

this cost you 1,500

bucks comparison is the thief of Joy if

we had another TV right here I'd be like

oh yeah this thing sucks but like as is

just walking into this room that's a big

TV good it's a big TV and it's fun

watching it I mean it sucks the Plex is

loading right now but uh yeah I don't

think it has the fastest Wi-Fi card but

in the time since we bought that open

box the New Gen one has come out so you

can get a brand new one from TCL this

size that's 2 Grand how much better is

the brand new one is it brighter it

seems to be pretty darn close but maybe

better they say surprisingly little

about anything but their Flagship TVs of

course because TCL is not like a big

Flagship brand like Sony is so what are

they going to advertise well there's

nothing wrong with buying TCL they don't

know that I had TCL TV in my home for a

long time they're the TV of the NFL

hey like the colors look okay I don't

tell I don't know if they're correct but

like it's colorful enough they look

pretty okay and I think the measurements

had it at a Delta e of about 4 and a

half what on average yeah just on in the

movie mode uh Vivid mode gets awful and

of course yeah yeah don't turn on Vivid

mode if you care about the artist

intense and everything no matter what

trends a little blue sure sure it's wild

how much like how far that's come in

just the last four years if we were

looking at this TV 5 years ago 3 years

ago oh it would be over

$10,000 and it would be terrible yeah

now how many local dimming zones does it

have did we count them does it have

local dimming cuz this the contrast does

not look great it looks like a boat in

fact I don't know if it has local

dimming zones is this just a VA panel

with pretty okay contrast we counted one

local dimming

Zone the brightness is okay but a part

of why it doesn't pop off the screen is

that to appreciate the Peaks you got to

have the valleys credit to their

anti-glare though this is a very

demanding environment for that with

studio lights all over the place it's

not bad I've got like a pretty good

string of lights in my field division at

least right there but other than that

it's fine and that's a pretty small like

when you consider how big the TV is

that's a pretty small portion of the TV

if one of my friends bought this thing

for5 $100 and I walked into their house

and this is their TV i' be like that's a

sick TV one thing that is

uh kind of disappointing but also

understandable is the black uniformity

yeah like you can see patches of

whiteness brutal there's like a big

triangle here yeah you're only really

going to notice that though in those big

panning shots yeah yeah when we got it

dark enough to test it was very

noticeable oh super noticeable there's a

hot spot like right up the left side

because you don't have local dimming

you're relying on that diffusion layer

to absolutely perfectly spread out the

light from the backlight though two

tcl's credit they didn't go EDG lit

which ratings found recently does not

really have any picture quality

advantages but can lead to premature

death so even though it doesn't have

local dimming zones it is direct back

lit which I would say is a good thing

yeah I've seen that too when one part of

the light fails and then it's just dim

like that one part of the monitor TV so

I found a listing for an open boox S9

95b that's $1,600 that's a great deal so

this is a generation old but QD OLED

panel really nice TV it's too bad it

looks like the child of that one yeah

even with the not amazing ambient light

rejection of QD OLED it's a lot better

dude look look where you can see both of

them I know but remember QD OLED has

that kind of Purple Haze compared to Wed

so this is even as good as this can look

at M dude this Sun the color volume

that's the thing is anything that has to

do with full array local dimming is just

going to it's going to lose the one that

really stands out to me is the richness

yeah of these tones here yeah this has

no saturation this looks like I took

some like cheesecloth and I put it all

over the front of the screen I'm looking

through a veil and all the Shadows have

actual depth to them mhm you don't lose

anything in the image whereas with this

it doesn't even get that dark it's not

it's not it's not crushing blacks or

anything cuz it's not even getting look

at how much more realistic the sky looks

that looks like blue looks real

especially with the like leaves and

stuff yeah but big big TV big TV okay

but let's talk about gaming cuz you've

kind of left me waiting here I got to

say this doesn't feel that bad no it

looks like it's 120 HZ I don't even mean

that I just mean the the latency yeah

how do we set it to 144 though I don't I

don't I don't know actually I'm I'm not

going to lie it's really confusing did

they did they advertise it yeah they

call it they call it game accelerator

240 I'm pretty sure it's just a

backlight strobe oh what what do you

mean 240 no I'm talking about the 144

Herz yeah I don't know how they get that

can you stop messing with

it so what do you think where am I

supposed to go up here what do you

mean wow dude this level's scary scary

you know what though this feels great

try it sorry it's funny that's fine nice

nice nice

nice you got needled did was really nice

up until when it wasn't nice yeah it

feels totally fine feels completely

responsive I could game whatever game

you want to game on this TV and it would

feel okay way better than LCDs that came

out in the early 2000s felt awful I

think overall I think it's totally fine

yeah I I guess I'm like who's it I guess

it's for old people and bars frat house

yeah actually if you walked into the

frat house if they can spring for 1,500

bucks for frat house is still a bit much

you and 15 of your friends pitching a

hundred bucks right you bring this bad

boy in play Smash on it eight player

smash yeah no problem at all I have no

idea what the long-term quality of it is

going to be like obviously this is like

not by any means a bad TV no no and like

I can I would recommend it to somebody

if they were in the market for a really

big TV and had a very low budget um that

was their goal yes yeah big TV cheap

it's mindboggling and we'll link to it

in the description and everything like

that uh as well as some other good TVs

that you can check out if you don't have

the space for 98 in whoa okay I just

found something that's cheaper than this

what and bigger cheaper and bigger

that's right that's right wait we're

going to make a video about that right

oh oh yeah oh my goodness

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you like this video why not check out

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