Samsung 98-Inch Class 4K Crystal UHD DU9000 Series HDR Smart TV Review

Samsung has long been a dominant force in the television market, consistently pushing the boundaries of display technology and smart features. Their 2024 DU9000 Series arrives with an impressive package, headlined by a massive 98-inch 4K Crystal UHD display that promises to transform any living space into a home theater. With its array of advanced features including Object Tracking Sound Lite, Motion Xcelerator 120Hz, Supersize Picture Enhancer, Mega Contrast, and Alexa Built-In, this TV aims to deliver both spectacle and substance. After extensive testing, here’s a comprehensive look at what this behemoth brings to the table.

Design and Build Quality

The first thing that strikes you about the Samsung DU9000 is its sheer physical presence. At nearly 8 feet diagonally, this television commands attention even when turned off. The slim bezels help maximize screen real estate, though the overall footprint is substantial enough that you’ll want to carefully measure your space before committing. The included stand is robust and designed to adequately support the weight, though wall-mounting might be preferable for creating a truly cinematic experience.

Build quality feels premium throughout, with Samsung’s typical attention to detail evident in the construction. The ports are conveniently arranged on the back and sides, though accessing them when wall-mounted may require some forethought. While the design is largely standard, the Infinity Screen aesthetic Samsung employs creates an immersive viewing experience by minimizing visual distractions at the edges.

Display Performance

The 4K Crystal UHD panel at the heart of this TV is where Samsung has invested significant technological prowess. The 98-inch size is a legitimate selling point—watching content on this scale creates a genuinely theater-like experience at home. However, as with any large-format display, picture quality matters enormously, and Samsung delivers in most respects.

The Supersize Picture Enhancer proves particularly effective at this scale. Large screens are traditionally more susceptible to visible noise and softness, especially when viewed up close. Samsung’s AI-enhanced processing does an admirable job scaling content while maintaining sharpness and reducing artifacts. The improvement is noticeable when compared to large-screen TVs without similar technology—everything from nature documentaries to sports broadcasts benefits from the clarity enhancement.

Color reproduction benefits greatly from PurColor technology, which expands the visible spectrum beyond what traditional RGB filters can achieve. This wider gamut translates to more vibrant, lifelike images. Coastal waters appear with their distinctive turquoise hues, autumn landscapes showcase their fiery reds and oranges, and skin tones maintain their natural variation rather than appearing homogenized. The expanded color volume particularly shines when watching HDR content, where the wider color space adds depth and dimension to highlights.

The Crystal Processor 4K handles upscaling admirably, though it’s worth noting that Samsung’s 4K processing filters haven’t changed dramatically year over year. Lower-resolution content—whether it’s older DVDs, standard definition broadcasts, or sub-4K streaming—gets a noticeable quality boost through 3D Color Mapping and other proprietary algorithms. However, we’ve seen comparable results from competing mid-range offerings in some scenarios, suggesting there may be diminishing returns on processor improvements.

Motion Handling and Contrast

For sports and action enthusiasts, the Motion Xcelerator 120Hz feature deserves special mention. The native 120Hz refresh rate ensures fluid motion handling, with fast-paced content appearing notably smoother than on traditional 60Hz displays. Whether it’s a tennis match or an automobile chase scene, the motion remains crisp and free from excessive blur. What’s particularly impressive is how natural the motion appears—Samsung has avoided introducing the “soap opera effect” that some viewers dislike in favor of maintaining film authenticity while still improving clarity.

The improved motion isn’t merely about refresh rate; frame creation and interpolation contribute meaningfully to the experience. That said, purists may want to disable these features for cinema content anyway, though the differences here are less jarring than with some competing technologies.

Mega Contrast is one feature that requires some explanation. Despite what the name might suggest, this isn’t Samsung’s top-tier contrast technology—that distinction belongs to their premium Neo QLED lineup. Instead, Mega Contrast automatically analyzes and adjusts brightness and contrast on a frame-by-frame basis, attempting to make dark scenes darker and highlights brighter simultaneously. The effect works reasonably well on this mid-range Crystal UHD panel, which lacks the local dimming zones found on higher-end models. You won’t achieve OLED-black levels or Samsung’s best Mini-LED contrast performance, but for a large-format display in this price class, the HDR presentation is more than acceptable.

Speaking of HDR, while the DU9000 supports it, expectations should be calibrated appropriately. Dynamic range is good rather than exceptional, and peak brightness won’t match Samsung’s flagship models. Still, HDR content does look noticeably better than SDR on this set, with the expanded color gamut contributing significantly to improved visual depth.

Audio Performance

The built-in audio system features Object Tracking Sound Lite, Samsung’s entry-level implementation of their spatial audio technology. Unlike the premium OTS+ and OTS Pro found on flagship models, OTS Lite offers more modest capabilities—essentially using the TV’s internal speakers to create slightly more directional audio that tracks movement on screen.

The sound quality is reasonable for casual viewing, but with a 98-inch TV, audio should maximize impact, and here’s where an invested audiophile might find limitations. Voices are clear, and there’s adequate spatial separation, but the overall dynamic range is compressed compared to higher-end sound systems. Bass is notably absent, and there isn’t enough output to truly fill a room. Samsung’s solution is clear: pair this with their compatible Q-Series or S-Series soundbars to enable Q-Symphony, which synchronizes the TV’s speakers with the soundbar for richer sound. While effective when implemented, this solution requires buying additional hardware.

Smart TV Features and Connectivity

Samsung’s Tizen operating system continues to be one of the more polished smart TV platforms available. Navigation feels intuitive, with a responsive interface that rarely lags despite the TV’s processing demands. The home screen is customizable and sensibly organized, putting your most-used apps front and center. App availability is comprehensive—Netflix, Disney+, Amazon Prime Video, YouTube, and all the major services are present and optimized for this large 4K display.

The inclusion of Alexa is a welcome addition, allowing for hands-free control alongside Samsung’s traditional Bixby. Voice commands work reasonably well for basic functions like changing inputs, searching for content, or adjusting volume, though processing tends to be slower than with dedicated Alexa devices.

Gaming features have received substantial attention in the DU9000 series. The Game Bar interface provides easy access to gaming-specific settings, including the useful AI Auto Game Mode which optimizes settings based on detected content. The 120Hz refresh rate makes this display genuinely attractive for gaming—high-frame-rate titles look exceptional, and input lag is competitive in its class. However, dedicated PC gamers might find the gaming features slightly limited compared to what Samsung’s higher-end gaming monitors offer.

Viewing Experience

After extended viewing sessions across varied content types, several strengths and tradeoffs become apparent. This TV absolutely excels as a cinematic display—movies designed for the big screen translate beautifully to the 98-inch format. The Supersize Picture Enhancer proves particularly effective with upscaled content, often making DVD and Blu-ray material look better than expected on such a large canvas.

Sports benefit tremendously from the combination of high refresh rate and processing enhancements. Whether watching a football game or a tennis match, the clarity during rapid movement helps you follow the action with none of the eye strain that smaller, slower TVs might induce. In bright rooms, the panel performs adequately though direct sunlight can still be somewhat distracting—this is a room where you might want to consider blackout curtains if creating a dedicated viewing space.

For daily TV viewing, the experience is excellent but perhaps not transformative for all use cases. Standard broadcast content benefits from upscaling but still reveals limitations when stretched across this imposing screen. The AI processing handles it reasonably well, but content optimized for smaller displays doesn’t always translate perfectly to such a large format.

Considerations and Limitations

Before concluding, it’s important to address some practical matters. This television is not just large—it’s power-hungry. You’ll want to account for proper power delivery and potentially increased electricity costs. The sheer size makes delivery and setup a challenge; unless you’re confident in your ability to handle delicate electronics weighing over 100 pounds, professional installation is strongly advised.

HDR performance, while good, won’t satisfy viewers accustomed to flagship OLED or Mini-LED TVs. The contrast on offer here comes from processing rather than true backlight control, and it shows in the darkest scenes where some detail gets crushed. Similarly, while PurColor expands the gamut meaningfully, the underlying panel technology can’t match quantum-dot displays for sheer color volume and accuracy, though in this price segment, Samsung’s technology compares favorably to alternatives.

Conclusion

The Samsung 98-Inch Class 4K Crystal UHD DU9000 Series represents an impressive achievement in delivering a large-scale cinematic experience without venturing into Samsung’s truly stratospheric price brackets. The combination of a massive 98-inch display, competent 4K processing, smooth 120Hz motion handling, and a comprehensive smart platform creates a compelling package for viewers who prioritize screen size and immersive viewing above all else.

The Supersize Picture Enhancer proves genuinely innovative for a large-format TV, addressing some common scaling challenges that might otherwise be magnified at this scale. Motion handling is excellent, making this equally suitable for sports, gaming, and action films. The smart features are robust and well-implemented, with gaming-specific capabilities adding genuine value for console owners.

Tradeoffs exist, as they must at this price point: the audio system requires supplementation for the truest experience, HDR performance won’t match Samsung’s high-end offerings, and the sheer logistics of housing a 98-inch TV are non-trivial. But for buyers who’ve determined they want the ultimate in home viewing scale without paying the premium for Samsung’s very best display technology, the DU9000 delivers a satisfying experience that successfully leverages its imposing screen real estate.