Samsung Crystal UHD U9000H 98"

The Samsung U9000H is a 98-inch gaming-focused TV with a smooth 144Hz panel and solid AI upscaling. Picture quality and HDR are below average due to the Direct LED backlight. It's worth considering if you want maximum size for gaming, but shop around since prices vary by USD 210.

The 144Hz panel is the star here. Motion Xcelerator 144Hz paired with FreeSync Premium and ALLM means this thing handles fast-paced games and sports without turning into a blurry slideshow. Our database puts gaming performance in the 89th percentile, which is genuinely impressive for a TV this size. The NQ4 AI Gen2 processor does solid work upscaling 1080p and lower content, and the Real Depth Enhancer adds a nice sense of dimension. But picture quality overall sits at the 36th percentile, and HDR performance is even lower at 34th. Direct LED backlighting without local dimming means blacks get gray in dark rooms, and HDR highlights won't pop like they would on a Mini-LED or OLED. Audio is a 2.0 channel 20W setup, which is about average for a TV but underwhelming for a screen this big. You'll want a soundbar.

Stacked against the competition, the U9000H wins on sheer size but loses on picture quality. The Sony BRAVIA 9 and LG OLED evo G3 will absolutely crush this TV in contrast, HDR, and black levels, though you'll pay significantly more and get a smaller screen. The TCL QM8K and Hisense U8 Series both offer Mini-LED backlighting at competitive prices, which means better HDR and deeper blacks without the OLED price tag. If you're dead set on 98 inches, the U9000H is a contender. If you care about picture quality first, those Mini-LED options are the smarter buy.

Pricing is all over the place right now. We're seeing this TV listed anywhere from USD 1,190 to USD 1,400 across six US listings, which is a USD 210 spread. That's a big enough gap that you should absolutely shop around before pulling the trigger. At the low end, you're getting a lot of screen for the money. At the high end, you're paying a premium for size while sacrificing picture quality. Affordability ranks in the 28th percentile, so even the best price isn't exactly a steal compared to smaller, better-performing sets.

The Samsung U9000H is a 98-inch statement piece. It's the kind of TV that makes your living room feel like a small theater, and Samsung leans hard into the AI upscaling story here because at this size, every pixel has to work overtime. The NQ4 AI Gen2 processor and Supersize Picture Enhancer are doing the heavy lifting to keep lower-res content from looking like a pixelated mess on a screen this big.

It's a Direct LED panel, not OLED or Mini-LED, so don't expect perfect blacks. But for a giant 4K screen with a 144Hz refresh rate and FreeSync Premium, Samsung is clearly aiming this at gamers and sports fans who want size over pixel-perfect contrast.

Skip this if you care about picture quality more than screen size. Movie lovers who watch in dark rooms will be disappointed by the gray blacks and weak HDR. If you're spending over a grand on a TV and expect deep contrast, get a Mini-LED like the TCL QM8K or Hisense U8 instead. Also skip it if you don't have the wall space or a stand rated for 117 pounds of TV.

Buy this if you want the biggest screen possible for gaming and sports, and you're willing to accept mediocre HDR and blacks in exchange. The 144Hz panel and FreeSync Premium make it a legitimately good gaming display, and the AI upscaling keeps lower-res content watchable. But if you're a movie buff who watches in a dark room, this isn't your TV. The Direct LED backlight will annoy you every time the screen goes dark.