Hisense’s Absurd 100-Inch Laser TV Turned Me Into a Big Screen Believer

When discussing a enceinte - screen TV , size is bound to be the primary topic of conversation , but with Hisense ’s 100 - inch Ultra HD Laser TV , largeness approaches a persuasion - sack bromide — one I have been glad to let take over my runty mind .

“ How ’s the big TV ? ” more than one coworker inquire after I agreed to review the $ 10,000 gadget . “ It ’s really , really crowing , ” I ’d reply . Visitors to my Brooklyn flat offered similar comment . “ Wow , ” observed a friend . “ It ’s big . ”

100 - in Ultra HD Laser telly

It makes a 32-inch TV look like a widdle baby.

It makes a 32-inch TV look like a widdle baby.Photo: Hudson Hongo (Gizmodo)

What is it ?

A 100 - inch monstrosity that nurse me with optical maser .

Price

Blam, blam, blam!

Blam, blam, blam!Photo: Hudson Hongo (Gizmodo)

$ 10,000

It ’s bighearted as hell — like at the pic ! Makes it easy to trick friend to issue forth over to your household .

A beautiful parrot or something.

A beautiful parrot or something.Photo: Hudson Hongo (Gizmodo)

No Like

Noticeably washed out in daylight .

Yes , unnamed friend , it is grownup . It ’s self-aggrandising like The Beatles . It ’s big like basketball game . It ’s bigger than me and then another me and perhaps a third me who came out kinda small .

Photo: Hudson Hongo

Photo: Hudson Hongo (Gizmodo)

Technically , the tv set consists of three units : a two - inch - thick screen that both a Titanic passenger and her forbidden buff could comfortably lie on ; a short - throw optical maser projector that sits beneath it , look something like a Xbox that has been try out with HGH ; and a computer tower - sized subwoofer that look like nothing . It ’s the cover , however , that pee-pee the impression . Even while off , it dominates its surroundings like the monolith from 2001 , inspiring similar tinker’s damn and leaping from trembling hominid .

Hisense , however , incline to describe the Laser TV like a danseuse or exotic cat , emphasizing its elegance and subtly : timbre that distinguish the minimalist projector system from bulkier large idiot box . A comparably sized LED TV , for instance , would tip the scale of measurement at over 200 pounds ( and be maybe $ 50,000 more ) . The Laser TV ’s projector and cover press in at 42 and 56 pounds , respectively . Getting the Laser TV to my third - floor walk - up and hang the screen were still two - person chore , but it ’s backbreaking to imagine how a conventional giant television receiver would march up my cramped stairwell without the aid of the National Guard . Notably , delivery and installationare includedwith the Laser TV ’s cost tag . ( Did I observe it costs like 10,000 bucks ? )

For most , the TV ’s toughest installment requirement is probably the wall space need for the screenland itself , a test my discreditably under - dress apartment was designed ( by disregard ) to pass away . It ’s just to say that the Laser telecasting is a far cry from the industrial electric refrigerator - like big screenland of the past . by the bye , Far Cry 5 looks unbalanced as hell on this thing .

Photo: Hudson Hongo

Photo: Hudson Hongo (Gizmodo)

Turning on the television for the first time is what can only be described as a “ holy shit ” minute , something like call a modern art museum when a Rothko house painting begin trifle Thor : Ragnarok in gross Ultra HD . Seated on a lounge 15 feet off , the 100 - inch monster was still more than enough sieve , compare favorably to a trip to an indie movie dramatic art . For a more immersive experience , I sometimes placed a death chair just a few feet out and played Forza Horizon 3 in first - individual , although a tangible windscreen is avowedly small .

At every distance and slant , the icon was sharp and comfortable to front at , more like a windowpane than a giant , light - blasting display . The cracking challenge was witness 4 K and HDR content to take full advantage of the television set ’s aver 8.3 million pixels ( I did not count ) . For cyclosis , 4 K is still mostly fix to pricey movie rentals and a few Netflix originals , but at a reasonable view distance , 1080p still looked capital . And when I did put on a UHD Blu - ray of Planet Earth , the effect was noteworthy . With its slim visibility and 180 - level see angle , the screen transform into an enclosure of unco large bird . As long as my sightline was unbroken , it was easy to continue monitoring their flaps and roosting , even from the next room .

While the Laser television set is still definitely a projector , Hisense has addressed most of the stock drawbacks of a projector system : The main whole sat well on a coffee table under the screen , require no additional mounting ; flush up took about 15 seconds ; fan disturbance was comparable to the Harkat ul-Mujahedeen of ceiling fan ; and Hisense says its low maintenance optical maser light seed is rated for 20,000 hours . I was not able-bodied to amply try that last title , but after weeks of use , the unit of measurement required no servicing or cleaning , and the laser seemed to lase as well as ever . It ’s also easier to go under up than any other projector in this monetary value reach or above . There ’s no need to figure out what sort of silver screen to pair with it , or how much to ante up someone to set it up .

Photo: Hudson Hongo

Photo: Hudson Hongo (Gizmodo)

Four Harman Kardon loudspeaker are ramp up into the projector , providing satisfying auditory sensation . There ’s also the subwoofer , which I finally unplugged after watching an unusually rockin ’ episode of Billions . “ Do you have your speakers on the base ? ? ” complain a neighbor via text . “ I can hear your tv set louder than my own . ” Sorry about that .

One issue that the Laser TV still struggles with is ambient lighting . Hisense brags that the 3,000 Lumens light source is so “ vivid and crisp you could apply it in any room — not just light - controlled , home theater rooms , ” but on reasonably sunny days , the picture was noticeably washed out even with my blinds drawn . Still operational in most case , yes , but act darker - tinge TV games was something like spelunking while wear down shades . For a projection idiot box , its daytime performance was telling , but ultimately subscript to that of a closer , modest , conventional telecasting .

Input is limited to two HDMI comment , a VGA porthole , and a coaxial screw - in , which were ok for my purposes . There are also a few casual streaming apps ( let in Netflix and Amazon Prime , but no Hulu ) and gimmick - y features baked in , but things like Alexa - enabled representative control are not really what makes this TV deserving talk about .

Photo: Hudson Hongo

Photo: Hudson Hongo (Gizmodo)

With a 100 - in goggle box in my household , it was soft to get friends to take time out of their busy lifetime and ante up tribute to the Screen God ( the TV , not me ) . And when they did come over for an impromptu viewing of They Live or whatever , the experience was more social , nigher to confab a private movie house than huddle around a unintelligent rectangle . Also , looking at the giant projection screen in my living elbow room belike had me looking at the horrifying one in my scoop less , so thanks for that .

Initially , I fear the stupendous TV in my support elbow room would be unenviable , the kind of outsized psychic totem that neighbors could register caption on from across the street . Would I have to hide this symbol of my latent desire for more , more , more ? No , if anything , my depravity was better hidden than ever thanks to the screen ’s art gallery - ready design . Just a few Day in , I gain ground victory over myself . Everyone make love Big TV , and so did I.

If you ’re a big - silver screen sizing king who wants the full 100 - inch experience without drop the MSRP of a new luxury sedan , Hisense ’s offering is a , yes , elegant solution . It ’s a jumbo 4 K video that successfully keep off looking like a giant dumb idiot box . The Laser TV also makes a convincing argument for short - throw projector as a feasible choice to chair mega TVs , one that could soon be attainable for non - elites : Hisenserecently announceda similar 80 - inch TV for just over $ 3,000 , though many of its specification are unclear .

Photo: Hudson Hongo

Photo: Hudson Hongo (Gizmodo)

Of naturally , you could get a big 55 - inch television receiver for $ 650 or a 77 - inch OLED with a best picture that works in more environments for $ 8,000 . So even the splurgiest consumers have to ask themselves ( and maybe their therapist ) a lot of question if they ’re considering a $ 10,000 TV that will probably end up streaming Chopped most night .

Are you a rich whoreson that require to show off how many zeroes are in your depository financial institution score ? The Laser television receiver actually see nice , so study a golden can or $ 60,000 household theater frame-up instead . Are you a telecasting game nut that dreams of enter the intercellular substance , Reboot - fashion ? Just sit nigher , my sheik . If , however , you ’re an aging media addict that has bother get out so much these day , but still wants to flow out , the spectacle of the Laser TV is an expensive but good ally ambuscade . And if you plan on reliving your four - player Mario Kart glory days , just make indisputable to draw the curtains first .