Hisense 98QD5N Review: The $1,698 98-Inch TV Deal That's Rewriting the Large Screen Market. UPDATED: Hands-On Photos and Video

HANDS-ON REVIEW: November 14th - Just came in today. Afternoon delivery from Costco's delivery partner. See the hands on notes and video at the bottom.

November 8th, 2025

When it comes to large-screen TVs in Canada, there's been an unwritten rule: if you want a 98-inch display, you're going to pay at lot, at least $2,000 even on the lowest end on a good day and $3,000 to $10,000 or more depending on how premium you go. That barrier has stood firm for years—until now.

The Hisense 98QD5N has shattered that ceiling with a price tag of just $1,697.99 at Costco, marking an unprecedented moment in the Canadian TV market - and it even has a 144hz VRR for the gamers out there.

This isn't just a minor price reduction. We're talking about the first time a 98-inch television has dipped below the $2,000 mark in Canada, making it the large screen TV deal of choice for anyone who's been waiting for truly massive displays to become accessible.

What Is the Hisense 98QD5N?

The Hisense 98QD5N (model number 98QD5N) is a 97.5-inch diagonal QLED television featuring 4K UHD resolution and Google TV as its smart platform. The display utilizes Quantum Dot technology for enhanced color reproduction and offers a 144Hz refresh rate with Motion Rate 480 for smooth motion handling.

Key specifications include:

• 98-inch (97.5" diagonal) 4K UHD QLED display
• Quantum Dot color technology
• 144Hz native refresh rate / Motion Rate 480
• 48 - 144Hz variable refresh rate display with AMD Freesync Premium
• Google TV platform with Alexa and Apple compatibility
• 4x HDMI 2.1 ports
• 400 nits peak brightness

You can view the full technical specifications on the official Hisense Canada product page: https://www.hisense-canada.com/en/home-entertainment/view-all/98QD5N_hisense-98-qled-4k-google-tv

Where to Buy the Hisense 98QD5N: Pricing Comparison

The 98QD5N is available at multiple Canadian retailers, but not all offers are created equal:

Costco Canada - $1,697.99 (RECOMMENDED)
https://www.costco.ca/hisense-98"-class---qd5n-series---4k-uhd-qled-tv.product.4000395923.html

• Free shipping included
• 2-year manufacturer warranty (double the standard)
• White glove delivery service
• Extended warranty available: $129.99 for 4 additional years (6 years total coverage)

Visions Electronics - $1,698.00
https://www.visions.ca/hisense-98-qd5n-qled-4k-uhd-144hz-smart-google-98qd5n

• Same price but you can get a bonus gift if you pick up. This is a huge TV though so make sure your vehicle can fit it
• Standard shipping fees apply
• Standard 1-year warranty

Amazon.ca - $1,699.99
https://www.amazon.ca/Hisense-98QD5N-Native144Hz-FreeSync-Premium/dp/B0FQ7C5KVM

• Prime shipping may apply
• Standard 1-year warranty

Best Buy Canada - $1,699.99
https://www.bestbuy.ca/en-ca/product/hisense-98-qd5n-4k-uhd-hdr-qled-android-smart-tv-98qd5n-2025/19492013

• Standard warranty and delivery

The Brick
https://www.thebrick.com/products/hisense-98-4k-qd5n-series-qled-tv

• Pricing varies by location
• Standard delivery fees

Why Costco Is Your Best Option

While several retailers carry the 98QD5N at competitive prices, Costco stands out for several critical reasons beyond just the lowest price:

Free White Glove Delivery

A 98-inch TV isn't something you want to deal with yourself. At over 100 pounds and measuring more than 8 feet wide, professional installation isn't a luxury—it's a necessity. Costco includes white glove delivery service, meaning professionals will bring the TV into your home, unpack it, mount or place it where you want, and remove all packaging. Other retailers typically charge extra for this service or don't offer it at all.

Extended 2-Year Warranty

Costco doubles the standard manufacturer warranty from 1 year to 2 years at no additional cost. This extended coverage applies automatically with your purchase, providing peace of mind that most other retailers don't match.

Optional Extended Warranty

For TVs over $1,500, Costco offers an additional extended warranty for $129.99 that adds 4 years of coverage beyond the included 2-year warranty. This means you can secure a total of 6 years of warranty protection for just $129.99—exceptional value for a display of this size and price point.

The Reality Check: Understanding What You're Getting

Let's be completely transparent: the Hisense 98QD5N is a compelling deal because of its unprecedented size-to-price ratio, not because it's a premium display. This is important to understand before you buy.

Picture Quality Limitations

Brightness: The 98QD5N offers 400 nits of peak brightness. For context, this places it firmly in entry-level territory. Premium TVs typically deliver 1,000+ nits for HDR content, and flagship models can exceed 2,000 nits. In bright rooms, this TV may struggle with HDR highlights and overall image pop.

Backlighting: This model uses full array backlighting but lacks local array dimming zones. This means the backlight illuminates the entire screen uniformly rather than in independently controlled zones. The practical impact: you'll see less contrast between bright and dark areas, with potential blooming around bright objects on dark backgrounds.

Color and Motion: The Quantum Dot technology does provide better color than standard LED panels, and the 144Hz refresh rate handles motion well for sports and gaming. These are genuine strengths of the display.

The Value Proposition

Here's the critical question: Is this the best 98-inch TV you can buy? No. But is it the only 98-inch TV most Canadians can actually afford? Absolutely.

At $1,698, you're paying roughly $17.32 per inch of screen diagonal. Premium 98-inch displays from Samsung, Sony, or LG's higher-end models cost $8,000-$15,000+. The Hisense 98QD5N democratizes the large-screen experience in a way that simply hasn't existed in the Canadian market before.

If you have a dedicated home theater with controlled lighting, understand the limitations, and prioritize size above all else, this TV delivers unprecedented value. For casual viewing, sports, and gaming where screen real estate matters more than reference-quality HDR performance, the 98QD5N hits a sweet spot that didn't exist until now.

Our Experience: First-Hand Impressions Coming

Full transparency: we've ordered a Hisense 98QD5N for delivery, but as of this writing, there are virtually no detailed web reviews available. This is a very new product to the Canadian market, and comprehensive testing takes time. We'll be updating this post with hands-on impressions, real-world picture quality assessments, and setup experiences once our unit arrives.

What we can tell you now is that the specifications, pricing, and Costco's service advantages make this a calculated risk worth taking for anyone who's been waiting for large-screen displays to become affordable.

Bottom Line: The Large Screen Deal of the Year

The Hisense 98QD5N represents a genuine breakthrough in the Canadian TV market. For the first time ever, you can bring home a 98-inch display for under $2,000—in fact, for under $1,700. That's a milestone worth recognizing.

Yes, this is an entry-level display in terms of brightness and contrast performance. But it's also the only way most Canadians will ever experience a screen this large in their homes. The size-to-price ratio is simply unmatched, and when purchased through Costco with their included white glove delivery, 2-year warranty, and optional 6-year extended coverage, the value proposition becomes even stronger.

If you've been dreaming of a truly massive TV and can accept basic picture quality in exchange for unprecedented size at an unheard-of price, the Hisense 98QD5N is the deal you've been waiting for. Just know what you're getting—and more importantly, what you're not—before you buy.

For Black Friday shoppers searching for the 98QD5N model number, this is the large screen opportunity of 2025.

HANDS-ON REVIEW UPDATE

November 15th, 2025 Impressions

After spending time with the Hisense 98QD5N, it's clear this is a television that makes an immediate impression—both literally and figuratively. This is a giant TV. You'll need at least 2-3 people to safely move it around, lift it, or mount it on a wall. It's not something you can handle solo. I needed 3 people to put it on the rolling stand.

Once set up, the display feels plenty bright enough for most viewing environments, with sharp image quality that holds up well for the price point. The Google TV interface runs smoothly, and everything works as expected without any major hiccups. The build quality feels solid considering this is a budget-oriented model.

However, there are some notable compromises. Backlight bleeding is very noticeable, particularly in darker scenes. Like other lower-end TVs in this category, true blacks aren't really achievable—you can clearly see the backlight showing through in scenes that should be pitch black. This is the trade-off for the low price.

For gaming, HDMI ports 3 and 4 are the recommended connections. The Google TV settings automatically detect gaming devices connected to these ports and enable additional gaming-specific options.

Bottom line: this is a lower-end TV, but it's tough to beat for the price if your priority is sheer screen size. If you're particular about picture quality and want the best blacks, deepest contrast, and most uniform backlighting, you'll need to look elsewhere and spend considerably more. For what it is, I'd give it a 7 out of 10.

I've mounted this TV on the Vevor stand featured in the other post. The stand is stable and works well overall, though I was genuinely surprised by how much larger it is compared to the TV's included stand. Because of its substantial footprint, the shelf has to sit relatively low—if you try to mount it too high, there's a real risk of tipping. One minor annoyance: the stand seems to be missing 2 screws for the shelf assembly. Despite these quirks, I'd rate the stand an 8 out of 10.