Full In-Depth Review
The television market has undergone a quiet but meaningful transformation in recent years. Where once the choice was almost automatic: Samsung, LG, or Sony, but today the landscape is far more layered.
On one side, the major brands still lead in technology, industrial design, and brand perception. On the other, a growing number of manufacturers, many of them Chinese or operating as OEM producers, which are entering the market with increasingly competitive products.
Brands like TCL have already become mainstream, while others such as Skyworth and Haier continue to expand their presence globally.
But the more interesting shift is happening behind the scenes.
It is now known that Panasonic will shift it’s TV manufacturing through Skyworth, and that Sony and TCL are forming a joint venture, controlled by TCL, for the production of TVs and home audio products.
This doesn’t mean all televisions are the same, but it does mean the differences are no longer as clear-cut as they once were.
Into this evolving landscape, where technology spreads quickly and pricing becomes more aggressive, Dreame is now entering the TV market.
Dreame. Expanding Beyond Its Roots
Dreame Technology is not traditionally a television brand. It built its reputation in the smart vacuum category, where it established itself as a serious competitor.
However, over the past year, the company has made it clear that it intends to expand far beyond that.
At IFA Berlin 2025 and CES 2026, Dreame presented a broader ecosystem strategy, one that includes not only cleaning products, but also appliances and home entertainment.
Televisions are a natural extension of that vision.
The S Series represents one of Dreame’s first meaningful entries into this space, and the model reviewed here, the 75-inch S100, positions itself in the mid-range segment, aiming to balance performance and price.
Not Every TV Should Sound Thin
Even today, many high-end televisions deliver excellent picture quality while falling short in audio performance. In many cases, the sound is thin, flat, and lacks presence, creating a disconnect between what you see and what you hear. The reason is largely physical.
Slim TV designs leave very little internal volume for proper speaker systems, which naturally limits audio performance.
As streaming services continue to improve both video and audio quality, this gap becomes more noticeable.
This is where the Dreame S100 takes a different approach, and it’s one of the central themes of this review.
Design
From a visual standpoint, the S100 follows a clean and minimalist design language. The main chassis is approximately 5 cm thick, allowing it to blend naturally into a variety of environments: living rooms, bedrooms, or even office spaces.
However, the lower section of the TV tells a different story.
Instead of prioritizing ultra-thin aesthetics, Dreame chose to integrate a rear soundbar structure. This increases the thickness in that area to roughly 10 cm, but it also creates the physical space required for a more capable audio system.
On closer inspection, two large bass reflex woofer ports are positioned on each side, fully concealed from the front. Additional speakers are distributed around the frame and along the bottom edge, contributing to a more enveloping sound field.
Dreame also added visual driver elements to the soundbar, which are purely cosmetic, but they hint at the audio focus of the product.
The TV sits on a stable central stand, extending approximately 20 cm forward and backward, and secured with four screws.
All connectivity ports are located on the right side, recessed within a compartment about 31 cm deep. Therefore, if you plan to mount the TV flush against a wall, it’s advisable to connect all cables in advance.
The power cable is detachable and located on the left side.
Overall, the design feels well thought out, with subtle premium touches such as a gold accent strip and a discreet Dreame logo.
Installation
To take full advantage of the rear-facing sound system, I chose to place the TV on a media console rather than wall-mounting it. For those who prefer wall mounting, the TV supports a VESA 300×400 standard, which requires relatively long mounting arms.
Unlike many competing brands that offer only a one-year warranty with optional paid extensions, Dreame includes a full three-year warranty as standard.
Hardware
The S100 is built around the following specifications:
- Panel: 4K QLED Mini LED
- Refresh Rate: up to 144Hz in gaming mode, and up to 120Hz while viewing TV
- Brightness: approximately 600 nits sustained, up to 1000 nits peak
- HDR Support: Dolby Vision, HDR10+, HDR10, HLG
Dreame markets its processing platform as Dreamind™ Pro AI, however a deeper system inspection reveals he following detailed information:
- The TV manufacturer is Skyworth, which is the same one for Panasonic.
- The processor is MediaTek MT5889 (4× Cortex-A73 at 1.3GHz), similar to those used in mid-range TCL models
- GPU is Mali-G52, also found in models such as Sony’s A90J and Haier M92
- Memory: 3GB RAM, 20GB internal storage
This configuration places the S100 firmly in the mid-range category from a hardware standpoint.
Connectivity
The TV includes a well-rounded selection of ports:
- HDMI 1: supports 4K at 60Hz and eARC
- HDMI 2 and 3: support 4K at 120Hz
Additional connections include two USB ports, Ethernet (LAN), RF antenna input for DVB-T2, optical audio output, 3.5mm headphone jack and AV input.
Wireless connectivity includes Wi-Fi 5 and Bluetooth 5.1.
Gaming features include support for 144Hz, VRR (Variable Refresh Rate), and ALLM (Auto Low Latency Mode).
Google TV Experience
The S100 runs on Google TV (Android TV 11), offering a familiar and user-friendly interface. Setup is simple and closely resembles the process of configuring a smartphone, including Google account login and personalization.
The system supports multiple user profiles, allowing tailored content recommendations for different users. All major global streaming services are available in their latest versions, alongside full support for local platforms.
One of the key advantages of Google TV is flexibility, since users can install third-party apps such as SmartTube (for ad-free YouTube playback) and VLC (for local and network media playback with subtitle support).
Overall performance is smooth, with minimal lag and responsive navigation.
Streaming Performance
In real-world usage, the S100 handles standard streaming scenarios well.
4K WEB-DL content plays smoothly, however, high bitrate 4K Remux files, particularly those exceeding ~25 Mbps, can introduce playback limitations.
HDR formats, including Dolby Vision and HDR10+, are fully supported, this is consistent with the hardware class and not unusual for this segment.
Audio Performance
This is one of the most distinctive aspects of the S100. The TV features an 11-speaker system in a 5.1 configuration, delivering a total output of 70 watts, including dual side-mounted woofers.
Despite the lack of external branding, the performance is notably strong. The combination of a thicker chassis and rear soundbar structure results in a fuller and more natural sound compared to many ultra-thin TVs. The audio covers a wide frequency range, with deep, noticeable bass, clear midrange and well-defined highs.
It support for DTS, which is absent in competing brands like LG and Samsung, but here it’s included. To evaluate the S100’s audio capabilities, I tested several tracks.
Starting with “Turn The Lights Off” by Kato, a track known for its intense rhythm and heavy bass. It was the perfect choice to push the dual woofers Dreame integrated into the S100, and within moments, my living room felt more like a full-on dance floor.
I then moved on to a mashup of Foreigner vs Yazoo – “Urgent Situation”, combining two iconic hits that energized an entire generation back in the 1980s. The S100 delivered its best performance when set to Standard sound mode with Dolby Audio processing enabled.
At that point, I asked a friend who was visiting to listen. He was convinced the S100 was connected to an external stereo system — the sound was that convincing, even outperforming a flagship model he had purchased not long ago.
I wrapped up with “Haleluya” performed by Leonard Cohen, a track that blends melody with soul and serves as a reminder that no matter how much we’re exposed to new trends, we often return to what feels familiar and right. The vocals and musical tones sounded impressively natural, especially for a built-in TV audio system.
It’s important to note that the TV does not come optimized out of the box. Properly adjusting the sound settings is essential in order to get the best possible audio performance. With proper tuning, such as standard audio profile and enabling Dolby Audio, the audio experience can rival entry-level external sound systems.
Picture Quality
Out of the box, the picture quality is good but benefits from adjustment. The most accurate results were achieved using Filmmaker Mode with high local dimming enabled. This configuration improves black levels, contrast depth and overall image accuracy.
Brightness levels of ~600 nits sustained and up to 1000 nits peak provide a comfortable viewing experience even in well-lit environments. Colors are vibrant yet controlled, avoiding oversaturation.
The TV supports multiple HDR formats, such as HDR10+ and Dolby Vision, contributing to strong contrast and dynamic range.
Picture Quality Testing
I started with Melania, a film that makes it clear that if you have enough power and money, platforms like Amazon Prime Video will gladly chase you for a high-budget docu-reality production.
Throughout the film, the S100’s black levels stood out, delivering deep and consistent blacks, fitting, considering Melania’s well-known preference for black-and-white styling.
I then moved on to Housemaid, starring Sydney Sweeney, a film that subtly suggests that if you have the right genes, everything else tends to fall into place.
Here, the HDR performance was constantly put to the test, with frequent transitions between light and shadow, as well as scenes combining both horizontal and vertical motion. The result was consistently satisfying, with the TV handling these dynamic conditions well.
I wrapped up with an intense training scene from The Smashing Machine, where Dwayne Johnson pushes himself to the limit.
Once again, this demonstrated that even a more affordable TV can deliver a truly impressive viewing experience when everything comes together.
Reflections
Reflection handling is typical for this category, and are noticeable in darker scenes when light sources are present, but much less visible during brighter content.
Remote Control
The remote is compact, metal-built, and feels premium. It includes a comfortable navigation layout, dedicated streaming service buttons, a customizable shortcut button for local streaming favorite and voice control functionality.
Although it lacks backlighting, the spacing and design make it easy to use even in low-light conditions.
Power Consumption
Maximum power consumption is approximately 280 watts.
Final Thoughts
The Dreame S100 reflects the current direction of the TV market. It doesn’t aim to be a flagship, and it doesn’t need to be. Instead, it focuses on delivering a well-rounded experience: a large display, solid picture quality, excellent built-in audio, and a flexible smart platform.
At its price point, it offers a compelling balance of features and performance. And perhaps more importantly, it reinforces a simple idea: Not every TV needs to be the best.
Sometimes, it just needs to be good enough to enjoy.