Size used to be a luxury. You probably remember those massive, boxy projection TVs that took up half the living room and looked like blurry mess. Or maybe you remember when a 65-inch plasma cost as much as a used Honda Civic. Things changed. Fast. Now, you can walk into a local store and walk out with a 98 inch TV at Walmart for a price that doesn't require a second mortgage. It's honestly a bit ridiculous.
I was at a supercenter recently and saw one of these monsters towering over the electronics aisle. It's not just a TV; it's a wall. But there’s a lot of noise out there about whether these giant panels are actually "good" or just "big." Most people think you need to spend $10,000 at a high-end boutique to get a screen that size. They’re wrong. Walmart has become the unlikely king of the mega-screen, primarily through brands like TCL, Hisense, and their in-house brand, Onn.
The Reality of the 98 Inch TV at Walmart
Let's get one thing straight: a 98-inch screen is roughly 2.5 times the surface area of a 65-inch TV. That’s a massive jump in real estate. When you’re looking at a 98 inch TV at Walmart, you’re usually looking at the TCL S5 or the newer Hisense models. TCL essentially broke the market wide open. They own their own panel factories—CSOT to be specific—which means they don't have to buy the glass from someone else. They make it. That vertical integration is why the price plummeted from "celebrity only" to "regular person with a tax refund."
But is it worth it?
If you have a dark room, yes. Absolutely. The immersion is something you can't replicate with a 75-inch, no matter how "premium" that smaller TV is. Physics wins every time. However, you've gotta be careful about the specs. Not every 98-inch panel is created equal. Some of the entry-level models you'll find at Walmart sacrifice local dimming zones. This means the "blacks" might look a bit grey in a pitch-black room. If you’re a cinephile, that might bug you. If you’re just watching the Super Bowl or playing Call of Duty, you probably won't care because the sheer scale is so distracting in the best way possible.
Why Walmart for a Screen This Big?
It comes down to logistics and returns. Buying a 98-inch TV online is a nightmare. Shipping a box that weighs 150 pounds and is the size of a king-sized mattress is prone to disaster. Panels crack. Delivery drivers get frustrated. If you buy a 98 inch TV at Walmart, you have a physical location to deal with.
Many people opt for the "In-Store Pickup" or local delivery because Walmart’s distribution network is geared for high volume. Plus, their protection plans are surprisingly competitive. For a device this large, where a single accidental bump from a toddler can ruin a $2,000 investment, that 3-year or 4-year Walmart Protection Plan (usually powered by Allstate) is a smart move. Honestly, I wouldn't buy a budget-friendly 98-inch screen without some kind of warranty. These aren't the indestructible Sony Trinitrons of the 90s.
📖 Related: Finding Your Way to the Apple Store Freehold Mall Freehold NJ: Tips From a Local
The Technical Hurdles: Can Your Wall Even Hold This?
Don't just buy it and figure it out later. You will regret it.
A 98-inch TV usually weighs between 120 and 150 pounds without the stand. Most standard drywall with cheap anchors will crumble under that weight. You need to hit studs. Two of them, minimum. Better yet, three.
- Weight Factor: We are talking serious mass.
- The VESA Pattern: Most of these use a 400x400 or 600x400 mount, but check the box.
- Power Consumption: It’s basically a space heater. Expect your electricity bill to tick up slightly if you leave it on 12 hours a day.
When you're looking at the 98 inch TV at Walmart, check the "S" vs "R" or "Q" series. The TCL 98S5, for instance, is the "S" class. It’s their entry-level giant. It features a 120Hz or 144Hz refresh rate, which is great for gaming. Gamers love these things. Connecting a PS5 or Xbox Series X to a 98-inch screen is a religious experience. The input lag on these modern TCL and Hisense panels is incredibly low, often under 10ms in Game Mode.
What Most People Get Wrong About Resolution
"Do I need 8K for a 98-inch TV?" No. Stop it.
At a normal viewing distance of 10 to 12 feet, your eyes can barely distinguish 4K from 8K anyway. The 4K resolution on a 98 inch TV at Walmart is perfectly fine. What matters more is the processing. Because the screen is so big, low-quality content—like an old DVD or a 720p cable broadcast—is going to look "stretchy." The TV has to "upscale" that image to fill the pixels. High-end Sony or Samsung TVs do this better with expensive AI chips, but the budget models at Walmart have caught up significantly. If you feed it a high-quality 4K signal from Netflix or a 4K Blu-ray, it looks stunning.
The Budget King: TCL vs. Onn vs. Samsung
The battle in the Walmart aisles is fierce. Samsung has their "Crystal UHD" 98-inch, which is usually more expensive because, well, it says Samsung on the front. Is it better? Maybe a little in terms of color accuracy out of the box. But is it "double the price" better? Usually not.
👉 See also: Why the Amazon Kindle HDX Fire Still Has a Cult Following Today
Then you have the Onn brand. This is Walmart’s house brand. For a while, people were skeptical. But Onn TVs are essentially "last year's tech" from major manufacturers repackaged at a lower price point. If you find an Onn 98 inch TV at Walmart, it’s likely the cheapest 98-inch on the planet. It’s for the person who wants the "Wow" factor for the lowest possible dollar amount. It won't have the best HDR brightness, and it might not have the fanciest smart interface, but it’s 98 inches.
Sound is the Hidden Cost
The speakers on these TVs are almost always terrible. Manufacturers assume that if you have space for an 8-foot-wide TV, you have space for a soundbar or a surround sound system. The tiny 10-watt or 15-watt speakers built into the chassis will sound like a tin can inside a gymnasium.
Budget at least $300 for a decent soundbar. If you don't, the epic visuals will be ruined by wimpy audio. It’s a weird sensory mismatch to see a dragon breathing fire across 98 inches of screen while the sound mimics a disgruntled cricket.
Installation: A Two-Person Job (At Least)
Don't try to unbox a 98 inch TV at Walmart alone. You'll crack the screen. The glass is thin, and the surface area is so large that any "flexing" of the frame during lifting can cause the panel to pop.
- Clear the room: You need a staging area.
- Keep the box: If the TV is a lemon and you need to return it, Walmart won't take it back without the box unless you want a logistical nightmare.
- Check for "dirty screen effect": When you first turn it on, put on a solid grey or white background. Look for dark patches. Large panels are notorious for "uniformity" issues. If it’s really bad, swap it out immediately.
Why 98 Inches is the New 65
We are seeing a massive shift in consumer behavior. People are skipping the projector route. Projectors are cool, but you need a pitch-black room, a screen, and a bulb that eventually dies. A 98 inch TV at Walmart works in broad daylight. It has the brightness to fight through window glare, and you don't have to worry about shadows when someone walks in front of the lens.
The technology has matured. We’ve moved past the era where "big" meant "bad quality." These panels use VA (Vertical Alignment) tech which provides decent contrast. They use LED backlighting that, while not OLED-level, gets plenty bright for HDR10 and Dolby Vision content.
✨ Don't miss: Live Weather Map of the World: Why Your Local App Is Often Lying to You
Actionable Next Steps for the Smart Buyer
If you’re serious about grabbing one of these behemoths, don't just click "buy."
First, measure your wall. Then measure it again. Then measure your doorway. You would be shocked how many people buy a 98 inch TV at Walmart and realize it won't fit through the basement stairs or the elevator. The box is huge.
Second, check the "Rollback" prices. Walmart fluctuates their pricing on giant TVs constantly, especially around Super Bowl season and Black Friday. You can sometimes save $500 just by waiting two weeks.
Third, look at the model number. If it ends in "S5," it's the basic model. If it's the "R754" or "QM8" (if Walmart is carrying the higher-tier TCLs), you're getting Mini-LED tech which is significantly brighter and better for movies.
Finally, don't forget the HDMI cables. If you're running a 98-inch screen, you want "Ultra High Speed" 48Gbps cables to ensure you’re actually getting 4K at 120Hz. Using an old cable from 2015 will result in screen flickering or the TV defaulting to a lower resolution.
Big TV ownership is a blast. It turns your house into the neighborhood "hangout" spot, for better or worse. Just make sure your wall can hold it, your eyes can handle it, and your sound system can match the scale.