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Big-screen TV buyer beware
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This year’s Black Friday deals provide an excellent opportunity to super-size your TV, with great deals to be had across a range of retailers on 75-inch and even larger screens. But not all TVs offer the same level of performance, and that’s something that can become painfully obvious when you're watching movies on an ultra-large TV.
Regular LED and QLED TVs can now be found in 98-inch and even larger screen sizes. I’ve spotted 98-inch QLED TVs selling for under $1,000 in the Black Friday sales – an astonishingly low price for such a big screen.
Huge screen TV Black Friday deals – quick links
- 85-inch Hisense U75QG: was $2,498 now $1,297.99 at Amazon
- 85-inch Samsung QN90F: was $4,499.99 now $2,299.99 at Samsung
- 85-inch Samsung The Frame Pro: was $4,299.99 now $3,299.99 at Samsung
- 98-inch TCL QM7K: was $3,999.99 now $1,999.99 at Best Buy
- 98-inch TCL QM8K: was $4,999.99 now $2,999.99 at Best Buy
- 100-inch Hisense U8QG: was $4,999.99 now $3,497.99 at Amazon
There are a few things to consider before pulling the trigger on that type of deal, however. The main one is that all LED and QLED TVs feature a backlight with local dimming capability, and that’s particularly the case with budget models. Local dimming varies the brightness level of the TV’s backlight on a zone-by-zone basis, making black parts of the picture darker and highlight areas brighter.
The benefit here is an improvement in the overall picture contrast. TVs that lack local dimming – and if the specifications for a TV don’t list local dimming, it very likely doesn’t provide that feature – can have murky, uneven-looking blacks when watching movies, and the effect will be even worse at a large screen size.
Even if a TV does have local dimming, and most QLED TVs with a mini-LED backlight do, the number of local dimming zones in the backlight can also affect contrast and black uniformity. Generally, the higher the number, the better, with some premium mini-LED models providing 5,000 or more local dimming zones.
Beyond local dimming and black uniformity, ultra-large TVs can be more revealing of picture noise and motion artifacts than smaller screens, essentially amplifying those issues. Some TV manufacturers provide special processing to minimize picture noise and refine detail at 85-inch and up screen sizes, such as Samsung with its Supersize Picture Enhancer.
Premium TVs like Samsung’s higher-end mini-LED (Neo QLED) models also excel at motion handling, and they provide fine settings to adjust motion handling to taste – something that’s important for movie viewing. TVs with a 120Hz refresh rate are generally a better bet for big screen viewing, because they allow for better motion processing and also provide compatibility with gaming consoles that support a 120Hz output.
I've created a list of TVs that I'd trust to look good at an ultra-large screen size below. All of them are mini-LED models, and many are getting great Black Friday deals!
Today's best Huge screen TV Black Friday deals
Save 48%Hisense 85-inch U75Q mini-LED TV: was US$2,498 now US$1,297.99 at AmazonRead moreRead less▼The Hisense U75QG packs a long list of features, including 4K at 165Hz and VRR for gaming, as well as high brightness and strong overall picture quality, all in an affordable package. In Amazon's Black Friday deal, the 65-inch model has dropped to $1,297.99, a 48% discount and a new record-low price worth checking out.
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Save 49% (US$2,200)Samsung 85-inch QN90F QLED TV: was US$4,499.99 now US$2,299.99 at SamsungRead moreRead less▼The QN90F is an amazing choice if you're looking for a bright, elite TV with better viewing angles than the competition, making it ideal for family rooms. Samsung is offering $2,200 off the 85-inch QN90F, reducing the price to $2,299.99 – a new record-low. This Neo QLED TV features mini-LED tech and Samsung's Glare Free 2.0 technology, meaning it's perfect for brighter rooms. We rate it as the best TV for sports fans.
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Save 23% (US$1,000)Samsung 85-inch The Frame Pro QLED TV: was US$4,299.99 now US$3,299.99 at SamsungRead moreRead less▼Samsung's new 2025 model, The Frame Pro, is down to its lowest price yet at Samsung's sale. The Frame Pro enhances the impact of the popular lifestyle TV by replacing a standard QLED screen with Neo QLED, which incorporates mini-LEDs for a much better viewing experience, with far richer contrast. It also offers a higher refresh rate and comes with a Wireless One Connect box, so your HDMI connections can be placed anywhere in the room. Still, it shows works of art when off and is finished with an anti-reflective coating.
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Save 50%TCL 98-inch QM7K mini-LED TV: was US$3,999.99 now US$1,999.99 at Best BuyRead moreRead less▼The TCL QM7K delivers a strikingly bright picture for the price, and it's even better in this Black Friday deal at Best Buy. For just under $2,000, you're getting a 98-inch mini-LED TV with a Google TV interface for streaming as well as Dolby Vision and HDR10+ high dynamic range support. The QM7K is also a great gaming TV, with 4K 144Hz support (and 288Hz for 108p gaming).
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Save 40% (US$2,000)TCL 98-inch QM8K 4K mini-LED TV : was US$4,999.99 now US$2,999.99 at Best BuyRead moreRead less▼The TCL QM8K is a premium mini-LED TV, but Black Friday deals have given it a mid-range price, and that's great news if it's a big screen you want. It delivers stunning picture quality, with high brightness, bold color and rich contrast with plenty of detail – all perfect for larger sizes. It's also packed with features, especially for gaming with 4K, 144Hz, AMD FreeSync Premium Pro and Dolby Vision gaming support.
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Save 30%Hisense 100-inch U8QG: was US$4,999.99 now US$3,497.99 at AmazonRead moreRead less▼This Black Friday deal brings the price of the 100-inch version of the Hisense U8QG to a record low. In our Hisense U8QG review, we praised it for its incredibly bright and colorful picture and deep, detailed shadows. It's a great all-around TV for watching sports and movies, and with three HDMI 2.1 ports that support 4K 165Hz, FreeSync Premium Pro, and Dolby Vision and HDR10+ gaming. It's also an excellent choice for gamers.
View DealToday's best Black Friday deals - quick links
- Amazon: 45% off TVs, AirPods, air fryers & vacuums
- Apple: iPads, AirPods & MacBooks from $119
- Best Buy: $1,000 off TVs, laptops & headphones
- Dell: laptop deals from $249.99
- Home Depot: 40% off appliances, furniture, grills & tools
- Lenovo: 45% off laptops & tablets
- Lowe's: up to 30% off appliances, holiday decor & tools
- Samsung: up to $2,000 off appliances, TVs & phones
- Target: 40% off Christmas decor, clothing & furniture
- T-Mobile: up to $1,100 off latest iPhone 17
- Walmart: furniture, cheap TVs & vacs from $69
- Wayfair: 54% off Christmas, furniture & decor
Al GriffinSocial Links NavigationSenior Editor Home Entertainment, USAl Griffin has been writing about and reviewing A/V tech since the days LaserDiscs roamed the earth, and was previously the editor of Sound & Vision magazine.
When not reviewing the latest and greatest gear or watching movies at home, he can usually be found out and about on a bike.
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