Review: Samsung 98″ DU9005 (TU-98DU9005)

Samsung has a wide range of TV models in its portfolio, and now it’s time for one of the biggest: The newcomer DU9005 is from this year’s new series, and it currently consists of only one model, which in turn takes up quite a lot of space! With a screen diagonal of 98 inches, the 98DU9005 belongs to the so-called “Super size” class of TV screens. The giant Samsung display boasts 4K resolution, a 120 Hz “Crystal” LCD panel and a smart user interface packed with apps and streaming services.

For a long time, this type of TV screen was largely inaccessible to mainstream consumers, but now the situation has changed. Thanks to increased competition and price point pressure between manufacturers, you can now buy a decent 98-inch TV without being forced into poverty. That’s great news for anyone interested in movies, series and other home entertainment. But there are some pros and cons to be aware of. Time for a test in the TV heavyweight class!

Samsung DU9005: Design

If you’re looking for a stylish and minimalist interior, you may as well keep looking: it’s not easy to hide such a beast of a TV screen. At least Samsung has provided a smart design, so this behemoth is actually quite nice to look at – relatively speaking.

The DU9005 has a slim frame around the screen and a smooth back with no protruding parts. This makes it possible to mount the TV close to the wall.

Samsung has also thought carefully when it comes to table placement: the included feet can be mounted in two different widths with approximately 150 or 45 cm between them. What’s more, the feet are very easy to install – and “click” into place without the need for screws.

However, there is no wall mount included in the box, so if you want to mount on a wall, you will need to purchase it separately.

You may want to choose a wall mount that allows you to pull the monitor out as needed: the connections are recessed on the right side from the front, about 30 centimeters in from the edge, and can be difficult to access.

Installation: How to avoid accidents!

Speaking of installation, our first piece of advice when considering buying a TV screen of this size is to order home delivery. That way, you let the supplier take all the risk of shipping, potentially saving you a lot of blood, sweat and tears.

One thing is the packaging itself, which alone requires you to have a rather large van or trailer. A 98-inch in packaging typically measures 2.5 x 1.5 meters and weighs 60-70 kilos or more.

Another unfortunate fact is that LCD screens of this size are extra sensitive to bumps, twists and other mishaps during transportation. This is something we regularly experience with the large monitors we receive for testing, and unfortunately this was also the case with our first test sample of the Samsung 98DU9005.

Despite extensive – and seemingly undamaged – packaging strapped to a pallet, it had been subjected to enough stress along the way to render the monitor unusable in the form of a shattered screen glass.

Luckily, Samsung got us a new test sample in no time, but unless you have favorable home insurance, you may want to order home delivery. And make sure you have at least one or two skilled buddies to help unpack and set up!

You could also consider outsourcing the installation to specialists: L&B Tech Reviews has previously written about the unfortunate Norwegian who smashed his 98-inch monitor before he could enjoy it.

Ease of use and features

The 98DU9005 uses the well-known Tizen menu system from Samsung. The start menu is clear and gives us quick access to different video sources, apps and services. We also appreciate that Samsung – after some criticism – has made it easier to access the settings directly via a button on the remote control. We would have liked the remote to have a backlight, but solar charging is fine.

The selection of apps and services is great. Also worth noting is Samsung TV+, their own TV service, which offers free, ad-supported TV channels ranging from news and sports to entertainment. The quality varies, but content like Baywatch Remastered and Top Gear is great. We have to admit, watching icons like David Hasselhoff and Jeremy Clarkson upscaled to 4K on a big screen – interrupted only by the occasional commercial break – makes us nostalgic.

However, the DU9005 series is a little more sparsely equipped than the more expensive QLED and Neo QLED models: for example, it only has three HDMI inputs. But all three support 4K/120Hz video signals, so you can connect a games console or gaming PC. The monitor is also well set up for gaming with its own picture mode and VRR support.

Support for the HDR format Dolby Vision is not available on this or other Samsung TVs. This would be an advantage if you want to enjoy movies and series in this format. On the other hand, Dolby Atmos is supported on the audio side – although you will of course need a proper soundbar to enjoy it properly.

Image quality

Getting a TV screen of this size into your home takes a bit of courage and sheer muscle power. But all the hard work is quickly forgotten when you see the amazing picture.

Even though we’ve started to gain significant testing experience with 98-inch screens, we’re still mesmerized by the phenomenal viewing experience these monitors can provide. Whether it’s classic feature films in 2.35:1 or modern series in full screen 16:9, they really come into their own on the large screen area.

Not to mention sports or gaming! Here you can enjoy football and first-person shooter games while leaning back on the couch. It’s just not quite the same sitting close to a 55-inch screen.

When images are blown up to this size, you can see far more detail in both the foreground and background of the action – something we miss on smaller screens. This alone gives the viewing experience a solid boost. But it can also make things worse in terms of noise and grainy resolution.

However, the Samsung monitor has some subtleties that help it deliver the goods. Firstly, it has an efficient video processor that ensures good upscaling of various video sources to 4K resolution. This ensures that even older entertainment programs in regular HD (we mentioned Top Gear, for example) actually look decent on the big screen.

The noise reduction works well without ruining all the small details. Furthermore, movements are smooth and fluid with minimal flicker. In this respect, Samsung is among the best in its class.

Color reproduction is also excellent, and even though the DU9005 is a so-called “Crystal UHD” display without the so-called QLED color filter with quantum dots, we have to admit that the color spectrum is still quite impressive. The DU9005 also has a nice Movie Mode with soft colors and an extra neutral Filmmaker Mode. However, you’ll have to do without the advanced “AI” upscaling of the top models, which analyzes and changes the picture mode automatically.

Limited HDR effect

As is always the case with affordable LCD displays, compromises have to be made, and it’s mostly about contrast and brightness. While the Samsung 98DU9005 has excellent brightness for general daytime TV viewing, it falls a little short in the really demanding movie sequences.

The DU9005 uses an LCD panel with LED backlighting, but comes without so-called local dimming. Therefore, it doesn’t have the ability to vary the brightness at different points on the screen like a more advanced Neo QLED/MiniLED or OLED display can do.

These weaknesses become more apparent when we switch to modern video content in High Dynamic Range (HDR) format. This type of content places much higher demands on contrast and brightness, of which there are only limited amounts on the Samsung DU9005.

The maximum brightness is limited to around 600 nits, which is too low to get any real benefit from HDR content. This means you won’t get the brilliant high brightness effect in sunshine and explosions. You’ll also have to put up with a somewhat more limited color gamut and less color volume as a result.

The black level isn’t very impressive either, as there always needs to be a certain amount of light on the screen to reproduce bright objects. This is where the more advanced monitors have a clear advantage as they can turn off the light in certain places. The difference in contrast is therefore significant.

For example, L&B Tech Reviews has tested the more expensive Samsung Q80C model. This last year’s model has so-called local dimming, which provides a significantly larger contrast range. And let’s not forget the competitor TCL and their 98C855. These monitors cost a lot more than the Samsung 98DU9005, but may be worth considering if you plan to watch a lot of movies at night.

Sound quality

When it comes to sound, we’re not that impressed: While the DU9005 does of course have built-in speakers, it seems like they’re mostly meant to fulfill the minimum requirement for a TV to at least have sound. The sound reproduction itself is quite thin and limited, with diffuse voice reproduction and thin bass. In other words, it doesn’t match the great picture at all.

However, the Samsung display does have HDMI eARC output, so it can share audio signals with an external amplifier or speaker. It also supports Dolby Atmos audio processing, so you can use this audio format from apps like Netflix and Disney+.

We also borrowed the Q995D, which is Samsung’s largest and widest soundbar, for the test. It also comes with additional surround speakers and a wireless subwoofer. In our opinion, this is the class to invest in to match the size of the picture.

Conclusion

The Samsung 98DU9005 is the latest and most affordable 98-inch from the South Korean TV manufacturer, and although the DU9005 lacks some of the niceties needed to compete with the hottest premium displays, it delivers when it comes to overall picture quality, not to mention the entertainment factor.

Thanks to a sharp 4K LCD panel, great video processing and a smart user interface, the DU9005 manages to provide an excellent TV experience in XXL format. Contrast is middling, so if you’re a particularly picky movie fan, it might be worth stepping up to its big brother 98Q80C – but for general TV entertainment, sports and gaming it works brilliantly.

All in all, we consider the Samsung 98DU9005 to be a great buy. However, the sound is mediocre at best, so you should budget for a separate audio solution to match the picture experience!