Hisense A6N vs Samsung Q60D / Q67D / Q68D

The quality of HDR effect on the A6N unfortunately does not impress. A peak brightness of 250 nits does not allow for spectacular effects, and HDR appears rather dull, resembling more of a standard SDR. This situation will not satisfy more demanding users who want to enjoy high-quality film materials. Additionally, the colour gamut coverage is also not very impressive – DCI-P3 at 82% is an average result that does not allow for full enjoyment of vibrant colours in HDR materials.

Television Samsung Q60D, regardless of the tested scene, achieves brightness levels above 500 nits, which is above average for this class of devices. Such a level of brightness allows for a taste of true home cinema, with clearly visible details in bright areas of the image and well-rendered contrast dynamics, especially when watching content from streaming platforms or films played from Blu-ray. This means that movie screenings gain greater depth and realism, particularly in well-lit scenes. Despite the use of quantum dot technology (QLED), the television does not achieve outstanding results in colour reproduction. The coverage of the DCI-P3 colour space is only 90%, which may be noticeable in more demanding scenes, where the richness and saturation of colours play a key role in image quality.

In the category of colour reproduction, the model Hisense A6N in Filmmaker Mode leaves a lot to be desired. Although the name of the mode suggests that we should expect faithful reproduction of cinematic colours, the reality is different – the television has significant issues with image quality. Particularly noticeable is the problem with white balance, for both HD and 4K material, which is heavily skewed by the dominance of blue hues. This results in artificial, cold tones, which is clearly visible in the comparative image below. The Colour Checker test further confirms these errors, which are exacerbated by low colour gamut coverage.

The gamma brightness characteristic shows a serious problem with maintaining a level of 2.4 – the graph is significantly below the reference value, leading to excessive brightness of the image and washed-out blacks. The EOTF curve for 4K materials also indicates brightness issues – at the beginning, there is a notable spike, which results from the television's excessive brightness, negatively affecting image quality. Such an image characteristic does not allow for full enjoyment while watching films and requires manual adjustment.

Samsung has been offering a "Filmmaker" mode in its TVs for several years now, aimed at providing the most faithful picture settings straight from the factory, in line with the vision of filmmakers. This is certainly a big step towards cinematic quality at home, but it is worth noting that this mode is not without its issues.

For example, the white balance in both SDR and HDR modes exhibits an excessive amount of red, which makes the image too warm. As a result, the skin tones of actors and bright scenes can appear unnaturally flushed. The Colour Checker test further confirms this problem – colour samples often shift towards red hues, deviating from the neutral colour representation that would be more desirable in a professional setup.

When it comes to contrast, there is a noticeable strong drop at the beginning of the gamma graph, where values below 2.4 drop all the way down to 2.1. As a result, the image in darker scenes may appear less distinct, losing depth. In the case of HDR content, the EOTF curve (which is responsible for brightness reproduction) shows a strong spike at the beginning of the graph, which can lead to excessive brightness in the lighter parts of the image, disrupting the natural tonal balance.

Hisense A6N offers options and tools in its settings for adjusting many picture settings that we utilised. When it comes to white balance, we managed to eliminate excess blue – this effect is clearly visible in the comparison image below, where the boy in the picture almost "comes to life." A significant improvement can also be noticed in the gamma brightness characteristic – the television no longer has serious issues with excessively brightening the entire image. Unfortunately, the same cannot be said for 4K materials, where the EOTF curve could not be fully corrected due to the exceptionally low brightness of this model. For HDR content, we use dynamic tone mapping, which allows for the recovery of many details despite the boosting of midtones in the image. For this television, this provides more benefits than drawbacks. The errors that are still visible in the test with the colour palette and Colour Checker for 4K content arise from low colour gamut coverage and are difficult to eliminate due to the television's characteristics. Nevertheless, the tonal quality of the image is significantly better, which is why we recommend calibrating the factory settings, which are far from ideal.

After professional calibration of the Samsung Q60D television in film mode, users can enjoy a significant improvement in image quality. Samsung televisions have always offered 2- and 20-point grayscale adjustment and an advanced CMS (Colour Management System), allowing for precise colour and shade adjustments. The white balance for both SDR and HDR has been stripped of strong peaks and tendencies towards colour drifting into red tones, significantly enhancing the naturalness of the image. Although a few larger errors can still be observed in HDR mode, the overall quality of colour reproduction has been excellently improved. Regarding contrast, although drastic changes cannot be said due to the limitations of the television's technology, the improvement is noticeable. Thanks to calibration, details in dark scenes are more visible, and the differences between light and dark elements of the image have been enhanced. This makes the overall perception of the image more satisfying, allowing viewers to enjoy greater depth and realism in the displayed content.

Let's check how A6N handles low-quality materials. When it comes to smoothing tonal transitions, the lack of posterization reduction or smoothing of tonal transitions in low-quality materials, such as television or DVD, may be noticeable for more demanding viewers. As for digital processing, the model is presented correctly, and the branches lack characteristic jaggedness – the image is strongly plastic and soft, which may appeal to those who prefer this kind of image style.

However, when it comes to processing and scaling lower quality materials, the television performs quite well. The image is rendered without overscan, which ensures full use of the available screen space. Additionally, the outlines of the model or branches of the tree are not overly jagged, resulting in a satisfactory quality of the displayed content. Although noise reduction could be more effective, the overall processing results of lower quality materials are positive and meet expectations.

The 60 Hz panel in the Hisense A6N will satisfy those who enjoy watching movies, as the TV offers an "ultra motion smoother," allowing us to adjust the smoothness of the image – either more choppy or more fluid and cinematic. When it comes to motion blur, it performs rather average – noticeable blur is present, especially on dark backgrounds, which is quite typical for this range of TVs.

Samsung Q60D is equipped with a 60 Hz panel and a feature to enhance movie smoothness, known as "Motion Blur Reduction." This function aims to minimise motion blur and improve overall image fluidity, which will certainly appeal to users who primarily seek a television for watching movies and series. Thanks to this technology, viewers can enjoy a more fluid visual experience, even in dynamic action scenes where details are crucial. However, it is worth noting that while "Motion Blur Reduction" improves image fluidity in films, for gaming, this panel may not be the best choice due to its considerable motion blur effect, which can be seen in the photo below.

Hisense A6N is a television that is likely to appeal to occasional gamers, mainly due to its 60 Hz panel, which may not satisfy more demanding users. Nevertheless, it offers several conveniences that can enhance the gaming experience. The TV supports features such as ALLM (automatic low latency mode), VRR (variable refresh rate), and Dolby Vision, allowing for better picture quality and motion smoothness in games that support these technologies. Furthermore, the low input lag ensures quick reactions in games, which is crucial, especially in dynamic productions. With these features, although the TV is not the ideal choice for demanding gamers, it provides solid support for those who appreciate comfortable gaming without complicated settings. It's a perfect solution for individuals who want to enjoy gaming without high hardware requirements while still accessing modern technologies that enhance gameplay.

Samsung Q60D has been equipped with features such as ALLM (Auto Low Latency Mode), HGiG (HDR Gaming Interest Group) and Game Bar, which significantly enhance the gaming experience. However, the lack of HDMI 2.1 implementation limits its capabilities, preventing the use of VRR (Variable Refresh Rate), which could further improve smoothness and image quality. Generally, for casual gamers, this TV should perform well in everyday use, providing satisfactory gaming experiences. However, if we are more demanding in terms of gaming, it is worth considering models with a higher refresh rate and HDMI 2.1, which will ensure full functionality and better support for the latest games. In such cases, investing in a more advanced TV will yield significantly better results in terms of smoothness and image quality, which is crucial for gaming enthusiasts.