Compare: Hisense U7KQ vs Sony X90L

Hisense U7KQ with a size of 100" is clearly a better television compared to the smaller variants. The proprietary VIDAA system has a similar interface to other TVs (e.g., with Google TV onboard). It operates quickly and smoothly. It doesn't freeze or contain errors. The built-in media player sometimes had difficulties functioning, though. It's worth looking at the app test, as not all of them were available at the time of writing this review. The TV's features are quite extensive, and nearly everything we tested was successful. During day use, the high brightness of the panel is commendable, handling even brightly lit rooms well. When watching in cinematic conditions, we can count on good blacks, thanks to the VA panel supported by multiple dimming zones. The screen handles low-quality content (e.g., SD channels or DVDs) reasonably well, but a downside is the lack of a function to reduce posterisation (which involves clearly defined tonal transitions). It looks much better with 4K HDR movies as we have a wide colour palette and strong light effects. Support for Dolby Vision and Dolby Atmos is another advantage, although the speakers built into the screen are rather average. Sports enthusiasts will be pleased with the 120Hz panel featuring motion smoothing. When connected to a console, gaming on the television is very good due to the low input lag. Motion blur is moderate, meaning that very rarely can slight "trails" be noticed when there is dynamic movement against a dark background. The lack of HGiG mode diminishes the visual quality of games in HDR format, while the absence of local dimming in VRR mode renders the latter feature useless. Overall, the picture quality can be described as good and appropriate for its price. There aren't any obvious flaws or unexpected advantages here, but the large size is a significant factor.

Sony X90L is a premium model from the Japanese manufacturer, which premiered in 2023 but will successfully continue into 2024. The Sony brand and the name Bravia are associated with excellent picture quality, and this model confirms that reputation – it offers great brightness and very good blacks. Despite having fewer local dimming zones than the competition, it makes up for it with an advanced algorithm. Additionally, after calibration, the television presents very well-rendered colours, resulting in a natural and cohesive image associated with IMAX cinema. In everyday use, X90L performs excellently, mainly thanks to the picture processor that effectively upscales lower resolution content, as well as the recording function from the built-in tuner, which is becoming increasingly rare in today's televisions. Sony is also strongly linked to the world of PlayStation, and in this regard, X90L Sony does not disappoint. It comes equipped with HDMI 2.1, VRR, ALLM, and a convenient Game Bar, making it a good choice for gamers who expect smooth gameplay and quick response times. However, even in such a successful model, there are some drawbacks. Gamers may be disappointed by the lack of support for HGiG, which could improve image quality in HDR games. Furthermore, Sony has yet to release an update that would reduce input lag in Dolby Vision mode – something achieved in the higher-end model, the A95L. Those who prefer slimmer devices should know that although Sony X90L looks elegant with its aluminium frame, it is not among the thinnest televisions on the market. Even though X90L already has a year behind it, it remains a solid piece of equipment that combines good picture parameters with functionality and support for gamers. It’s a successful choice for those looking for a versatile high-end television.

The television is equipped with a VA panel, which has high contrast even without the support of local dimming technology. With the additional support of Mini-LED technology, the television is able to offer really good blacks, both in subdued, dark scenes and in mixed scenes where black is interspersed with bright elements. Suffice it to say that even in the most challenging test sequences, it achieved a result above 10,000:1. In a fully darkened room, zone dimming can sometimes be visible, appearing as a slight halo effect around text or bright areas lightening up when a bright object moves quickly across the screen. However, this is a normal phenomenon that isn't bothersome. The television, like most LCD screens with local dimming, has a moderate tendency to darken the image, particularly small light sources in dark scenes.

The Sony X90L television is equipped with a VA panel and in the tested size of 65', it has 88 backlight zones. It may seem that such a number of zones doesn't make a big impression, but thanks to the local dimming algorithm, the television handles blacks exceptionally well. This is clearly visible on the first and third test screens, where the contrast reaches nearly 100,000:1. In more demanding scenes, the X90L doesn't achieve such spectacular results – a contrast level of 6000:1 is just fine. The light separation performs really well, which is confirmed by a scene from the film "Oblivion". However, the small number of backlight zones means that the halo effect is noticeable, especially in the test footage from "Sicario 2", where the helicopter lights cause quite a significant flare over a large area of the screen. Despite the limited number of backlight zones, the Sony X90L does really well in reproducing blacks. Although it doesn't match the top series of miniLED or OLED televisions in terms of black depth and contrast level, it offers solid results that are sufficient for most demanding users.

Describing the HDR effect in the hundred-inch model Hisense U7KQ is not straightforward and requires a broader context. As can be seen, the results are highly variable, depending on the type of scene and the intensity of the bright effects that the television has to reproduce. In bright scenes, the device achieves over a thousand nits of brightness, translating to vivid and realistic images – these are exactly the effects we expect from equipment of this class. Unfortunately, the situation worsens in darker scenes. In mixed shots, such as those in the film "Gemini Man," the television still offers good brightness at around 700 nits, allowing for high-quality viewing. However, problems arise in very dark scenes where small light sources play a major role. The television does not fully utilise its capabilities here to avoid degrading the black levels in adjacent areas. As a result, there is no spectacular "WOW" effect, and such shots often do not give the impression of being realised in HDR technology.

HDR on the Sony X90L television looks promising. The luminance chart indicated that the TV has a solid power reserve, achieving a maximum of 1000 nits in synthetic tests. But how does this perform in real-world scenarios? In scenes such as the opening of Life of Pi or the final sequence from The Meg, the TV is capable of delivering that power on HDR content, reaching around 800 nits. Unfortunately, displaying small light elements on a black background, like in the scene from Sicario 2, presents greater challenges for the X90L – here the results reach around 600 nits. Nevertheless, when looking at competitive models with mini-LED technology, the effect looks very good and can shine enough to impress us. The colour gamut coverage is also noteworthy, with a result of 96% for DCI-P3 and 76% for BT.2020, which indicates good colour reproduction in HDR content.

The best factory mode we measured was “Filmmaker”. Despite this, its characteristics left a lot to be desired. Let’s take a look at the gamma chart, which is responsible for the depth and contrast of the image. First, we'll note the orange line running through the middle of the graph, starting at point 2.4. This is the reference value of the REC.709 standard. Now let’s look at the measured value, marked by a white, connected multi-point. Such a clear drop in gamma to a value of 2.0 meant a significant reduction in contrast, resulting in the image lacking appropriate depth, and the so-called “milk” effect was noticeable. The next thing we tested was the white balance. Though seemingly minor, if poorly adjusted, it can change the entire characteristic of the image. While the beginning of the chart looked quite promising, as we progressed further, the chart began to be dominated by two colours: red and blue. Due to the current state of affairs, all the materials we used for testing had an unpleasant tint in those colours. However, thanks to rich calibration tools, such as an advanced colour management system (CMS) and 2- and 20-point grey scale adjustments, we were able to significantly improve the display's performance in SDR materials, as confirmed by low deltaE errors and very well-modeled gamma and white balance.

The best mode on Sony televisions is the IMAX Enhanced mode. Although IMAX is mainly associated with the cinema experience, the colour reproduction out of the box is average here. In the case of lower quality materials, such as HD – regular television or YouTube – it's worth paying attention to the white balance. It suffers from a shortfall in red and excessive dominance of blue, which gives the image a pinkish hue. The brightness characteristic, or gamma, for HD content is quite acceptable, but a slight boost can cause the image to appear washed out and look as if it’s behind a light fog.

For 4K HDR content, the situation is somewhat different. The white balance shows a significant boost in blue, which makes the image unnaturally sharp and gives it an artificial feel. Such an exaggeration in colour reproduction may not appeal to everyone, especially if one prefers more realistic tones. Additionally, the EOTF curve in Sony X90L looks quite acceptable at first glance. However, at the end of the graph, there are certain fluctuations that suggest the television is trying to maintain the correct brightness to avoid overexposing larger elements.

In SDR mode, after calibration, the Hisense 100U7KQ television performs excellently. There is nothing to fault in terms of colour reproduction - both pastel and deeply saturated hues are displayed according to the Rec. 709 standard. This ensures that the image looks natural and in line with the director's vision. As a result, viewers can enjoy an authentic visual experience, with colours and tonal subtleties faithfully represented.

In HDR mode, however, there is a noticeable boost in bright tones. The television tries to enhance the image, which can lead to artificial brightening. This phenomenon becomes even more apparent in real scenes, where bright parts of the image can be excessively amplified. Although colours in HDR are generally good, they are intentionally boosted too much by the manufacturer, which may affect their naturalness.

This manufacturer's approach to displaying images in HDR mode may not be to everyone's taste, especially those who value authenticity and fidelity to original colours. However, for those who prefer more dynamic and vivid images, this bright tone enhancement can be an appealing solution, adding extra sparkle and impact to scenes.

Sony offers many tools for improving picture quality, including two extra picture modes that we decided to use during testing and apply calibration to. This solution greatly simplifies the calibration process and is very effective, provided you have the right tools. In the case of HD content, white balance was almost perfectly aligned – only one shade of grey exceeds an error value of "1", which is a great result. The same can be said for the brightness characteristic (gamma), which presents almost perfectly, with microscopic deviations of around 0.01.

For 4K HDR content, the situation is not as ideal. Although white balance has been significantly improved, it was not possible to completely eliminate the dominance of blue. Nevertheless, errors in the Colour Checker test only occasionally exceed the value of "2", which means that picture distortions are practically unnoticeable. When it comes to the EOTF curve, it's worth activating the filter in the top right corner "EOTF in Films" – the graph looks correct, but the TV struggles with illuminating very small elements, which is due to the limited number of backlight zones. Despite these minor errors, it's thanks to the calibration that the IMAX Enhanced mode in the Sony X90L makes watching movies feel like a true cinema experience.

Tonal transitions on the tested television can be described in one word: perfect. Throughout the testing sequence, where we played back very dark gradients from the most challenging scenes we know, there was not a hint of discontinuity or layers distinguishing themselves from each other. These impressive results testify to the high quality of the panel and advanced image processing algorithms. Of course, the ideal experience is maintained as long as we watch the television straight on – at an angle, dark shades can become quite pronounced, which is discussed in detail in the dedicated paragraph. It’s also worth noting that such a problem can be observed with lower quality materials, but this is not the television’s fault; rather, it's the lower quality of the source itself.

The smoothness of tonal transitions in Sony X90L is excellent. The gradation is beautiful on high-quality sources such as streaming in 4K. One can only notice slight cuts on more demanding gradients, but the overall effect is very good and should satisfy even the most discerning viewers.

Despite the television being equipped with a function to reduce posterisation called "Smooth Gradation", we did not notice a significant effect of its operation. Materials subjected to heavy compression, such as YouTube videos, still showed choppy, abrupt tonal transitions, which did not look particularly appealing. While this is due to the material itself and not the television, it would be good if there was a function to mask these issues, similar to those found in competing brands.

Image scaling, which is crucial when playing lower resolution content, we rate as average. Details are not overly blurry, and the image is not "smudged", however, there is noticeable jaggedness on the edges of objects, such as branches, and a halo effect around characters and text. While the television performs quite well, there is still room for improvement, especially in the context of displaying lower quality materials.

The Sony X90L television features a smooth tonal transition function known as Gentle Gradation, which is incredibly effective. Even at the "low" setting, the effects are satisfactory, but at the "medium" setting, it works like a dream – we recommend using this option for the best results. The image scaling on the Sony X90L is simply excellent. The image is not overly sharpened, which gives a natural effect and makes everything look cohesive. It's clear that the engineers have really put effort into this aspect, creating a solution that impresses and performs well in everyday use. This means that even when watching content like regular television or YouTube, where the image is by nature not stunning, you can enjoy a smooth, coherent, and visually pleasing experience.

The TV correctly receives a 4K signal up to 144 Hz, allowing for very smooth images in high resolution. When limited to Full HD resolution, the TV can handle even 240 Hz, but such a signal can only be obtained from a PC. Unfortunately, the use of this feature is limited by several factors.

Firstly, Full HD resolution on a large TV screen may seem insufficient, affecting image quality. Furthermore, the response time of the panel in this model is not short enough to fully utilise the refresh rate of 240 Hz. As a result, at such a high refresh rate, there is significant overdrive, which causes noticeable smearing and so-called "ghosting" behind moving objects.

It is also worth noting the motion smoothing feature in the TV, which operates up to 120 Hz. This is particularly useful when watching sports and movies, where motion smoothness is crucial. The TV offers stable operation of this feature, minimising the amount of generated artefacts. Motion smoothness can be adjusted using two sliders – one for smoothness in movies and the other for reducing smearing in sports content.

In summary, although the TV Hisense U7KQ offers impressive capabilities in image refresh rates, limitations related to the response time of the panel and appropriate resolution may affect the actual benefits of these features. Nevertheless, the motion smoothing function works very well, enhancing the experience of watching dynamic content.

Sony X90L with a 120 Hz display is an excellent choice for both gamers and film enthusiasts. The television is equipped with the Motion Flow smoothing feature, which allows for adjusting motion smoothness using two sliders: "smoothness" and "clarity". The "smoothness" slider controls the level of motion fluidity, which affects the reduction of image stuttering, while "clarity" is used to reduce blurriness and enhance motion sharpness, which is especially useful in dynamic scenes.

The Hisense U7KQ TV supports all the key features for gamers that users of Xbox or PlayStation consoles might expect. These features include support for high refresh rates, low input lag, and a game bar. Generally speaking, most of these features work well, providing a satisfying gaming experience.

However, the VRR (Variable Refresh Rate) technology does not function optimally. When VRR is activated, the TV disables local dimming, which significantly reduces image quality. In VRR mode, there is a lack of good contrast and high brightness in HDR mode, resulting in unsatisfactory image quality. In practice, this means that the VRR mode may be rarely used by gamers due to these limitations.

Additionally, the TV does not support the HGIG (HDR Gaming Interest Group) mode, which is designed to optimise HDR image quality in games. The absence of this mode leads to issues with double tone mapping—once in the TV and again in the console. As a result, the quality of HDR gaming is lower, which can affect the overall gaming experience.

In summary, while the Hisense U7KQ offers many features for gamers, certain key aspects, such as optimal VRR performance and support for HGIG, may not meet the expectations of more demanding users. Nevertheless, the TV still provides good support for most standard gaming features, making it a suitable choice for a wide range of gamers.

Sony X90L is a TV that performs well in terms of compatibility with consoles and features for gamers. Its 120 Hz panel and two HDMI 2.1 ports with a bandwidth of 48 Gb/s allow for smooth playback of high-resolution games at high frame rates. Gamers can also take advantage of the ALLM feature, which automatically switches the TV to low latency mode, and VRR, which ensures smooth gameplay without frame tearing. The Game Bar is an added bonus – an intuitive tool that provides quick access to essential settings and gaming features, making it easier to control the gameplay.

Unfortunately, when it comes to HDR in games, the Sony X90L has its limitations. It lacks support for HGiG, a standard that many gamers consider crucial for accurate HDR representation in games. While the TV supports Dolby Vision, which theoretically could enhance image quality in games, the practical implementation of this feature is problematic. Dolby Vision in game mode comes with very high input lag, making gameplay less comfortable and precise movements more difficult. Additionally, Dolby Vision cannot be enabled alongside VRR. This means that despite numerous advantages, gamers seeking the perfect HDR in games may feel unsatisfied.

The Hisense U7KQ TV features very low input lag across all picture modes, which is crucial for gamers who require quick screen response. Regardless of the signal type – whether it's 4K, Full HD, 60 Hz, or 120 Hz – the lag remains below 20 ms. This result is excellent and ensures that even the most demanding gamers will not experience any delays while playing. As a result, this TV deserves the highest rating for gaming performance.

Input lag in Sony X90L can be rated as decent, although it’s not outstanding. In Dolby Vision mode, the television operates only at 60 Hz, and the high input lag complicates matters because it makes gameplay practically unplayable. For games at the popular 60 Hz frequency, the input lag is around 25 ms – this is an acceptable result, but for more demanding players, it may turn out to be disappointing.

Those more advanced players who have equipment supporting higher refresh rates can expect better results. With a 120 Hz signal, the input lag drops to around 12 ms, which provides significantly better responsiveness and smoother gameplay, meeting the expectations of more demanding users.

The Hisense U7KQ television works excellently with a PC, thanks to several key features. First and foremost, it supports chroma 4:4:4, which is essential for displaying text and graphics in the highest quality without losing details. This ensures that images and texts are clear and sharp, which is particularly important for users who use the television as a monitor for work or gaming.

Additionally, the Hisense U7KQ features very low input lag in PC mode, meaning minimal delays between actions taken on the computer and the displayed image. This is crucial for gamers who need quick screen response to gain an edge in dynamic games. The low input lag ensures that every action is immediately reflected on the screen, enhancing the overall user experience.

Despite using a BGR pixel arrangement instead of the more traditional RGB layout, the readability of fonts on the screen is at a good level. BGR (Blue-Green-Red) is a configuration where the subpixels are arranged in a different order than in standard RGB. This can sometimes affect text quality, depending on the operating system settings.

In summary, the Hisense U7KQ is a good choice for PC users, offering support for chroma 4:4:4, low input lag, and good text readability, making it a versatile device for both work and entertainment.

Collaboration with a PC in Sony X90L is at a good level. The X90L television supports chroma 4:4:4, which provides quite good text visibility, essential for work or browsing content on a large screen. Although there are minimal issues with font readability on a dark background, it is not problematic enough to be a significant concern in everyday use.

An additional advantage for PC users is the 120 Hz refresh rate and support for G-Sync. This means gamers can expect smoother gameplay without the effects of stuttering or tearing, which significantly enhances comfort and gaming experience.

The screen uses a VA panel, which unfortunately has its limitations in terms of viewing angles. Unlike some competing models, Hisense U7KQ does not have any coatings to improve this aspect, which means that image quality significantly decreases when viewed at an angle.

With even a slight deviation from the central axis, one can notice that the contrast of the image begins to deteriorate. Details in the dark areas of the image become overly pronounced, and colour saturation diminishes. These effects are typical of VA panels, and in practice, this means that the best viewing experience can only be obtained when sitting directly in front of the screen.

For users who plan to watch the television from different spots in the room, this can be a significant limitation. Reduced image quality at an angle may affect overall satisfaction with the product, especially when watching movies or shows with a larger group.

The viewing angles on the Sony X90L are unfortunately very poor, which is typical for VA panels. The image quality deteriorates when viewed at an angle, which can be problematic when watching from a greater distance or with a larger group of people. It's a shame the manufacturer didn't apply a coating to widen the viewing angles, as this could significantly improve this aspect and make the TV more versatile for different room layouts.

Hisense U7KQ does not have the best reflection handling properties, as its panel is equipped with a satin finish, which is not as effective in reducing glare as the matte finishes used in some other TVs, nor does it maintain as deep a black as glossy panels. It is somewhere in between these two effects. Light reflections may be visible, especially in brightly lit rooms, which can affect viewing comfort.

However, the high peak brightness values that this model achieves effectively compensate for these limitations. Thanks to this brightness, the image remains clearly visible even in sunny rooms. This means the TV performs quite well in challenging lighting conditions where other models may struggle to provide adequate picture quality.

The performance of the Sony X90L television during the day is very good. The satin matrix effectively reduces reflections, which minimizes glare and keeps the image clear even in bright rooms. An SDR brightness level of 785 cd/m² allows for comfortable viewing of standard television and lower quality materials regardless of the time of day. This means that the X90L will work great in both well-lit living rooms and in sunnier spaces.

Hisense uses the VIDAA operating system, which is a proprietary solution from this brand. Although it doesn't offer as much expansion and as many apps as the popular Android TV, it has its advantages. The VIDAA system runs quickly and stably, meaning that users don’t have to worry about freezes or long loading times for apps.

However, VIDAA does have some limitations. There are quite a few apps available, but unfortunately, it lacks music apps like Spotify or Tidal. Nevertheless, VIDAA supports most standard features that might be needed, such as screen mirroring, voice search in Polish, the ability to connect a keyboard and mouse, and Bluetooth headphones.

The television also supports many other features that are important to users, such as the ability to record programs to USB and schedule recordings. However, it lacks some specific functions like teletext or the "Audio Only" mode, which allows listening to audio with the screen off.

In summary, while the VIDAA system is lesser-known and has certain limitations compared to Android TV, it offers stable and fast performance and supports most features that users might need. It is a solid solution for those looking for a simple and effective operating system in a television.

Sony X90L offers a rich set of features, starting with the Google TV system, which is the heart of entertainment. This solution provides access to a vast array of apps and streaming services, and the interface is intuitive and straightforward. With the support of a voice assistant, using the television becomes even more convenient – just one command is enough to find your favourite movies, series, or music. Google TV operates smoothly and allows for full personalisation, making everyday use pleasant and hassle-free.

The television also offers a range of practical features. It supports AirPlay and Miracast, enabling easy content sharing from mobile devices. Additionally, you can connect other devices via Bluetooth, which enhances versatility and user-friendliness. For those who prefer traditional TV viewing, there’s even a recording feature available without the need for an external decoder, which is a significant advantage for fans of live programs.

In terms of design, Sony X90L may not be the slimmest, but its appearance is impressive thanks to the metal frame that adds elegance. The television comes with a stand that can be set up in three different ways, allowing you to customise its placement to suit various spaces and user preferences.

The built-in media player on the Hisense U7KQ television handles most popular video formats well; however, there may occasionally be issues with loading subtitles, which can be frustrating for users who prefer watching films with text.

It is worth noting certain limitations regarding the support for less popular codecs, such as AV1 and H266. While these codecs are not yet widely used, their lack of support could pose a problem in the future when they become more common. Currently, however, most users will not feel their absence.

Strange behaviour has been observed when playing photos – some files in specific resolutions may not load correctly. This can be problematic for those wanting to browse their photographs directly from a USB stick. For this reason, viewing photos on this television may be limited, as some files may not load at all.

In summary, although the built-in media player on the Hisense U7KQ performs well with most standard video formats, users may encounter certain limitations related to loading subtitles and photos in specific resolutions. Issues with the support of less popular codecs are currently minimal but could become more significant in the future.

Sony X90L easily handles playback of most popular file formats from USB, which is a big plus for those who often reach for external content. However, there is a minor downside – the built-in player does not allow for changing the font colour in subtitles, which may be problematic for some. Fortunately, thanks to the advanced Google TV system, users have a wide range of options. You can easily install alternative media players that offer more personalisation options.

The Hisense U7KQ TV offers satisfactory sound quality, which is sufficient for most everyday uses. The sound system of this model features good volume and clarity, making dialogues and sound effects clear. However, the TV may not deliver the full audio experience that can be obtained from dedicated audio systems or soundbars. One of the main audio advantages of the U7KQ is its ability to reproduce sound with minimal distortion at higher volume levels reaching up to 83dB and support for Dolby Atmos and DTS.

The sound on the Sony X90L is pleasant and clear, and the presence of bass makes the audio fuller. The television handles music playback well, offering satisfying audio experiences. An additional advantage is the support for Dolby Atmos and DTS technology, which provide a more spacious and immersive sound. This makes movies, games, and music richer and more realistic, creating better experiences for the user.

Hisense U7KQ vs Sony X90L

Advantages

Disadvantages

Our verdict

TV appearance

Where to buy

Contrast and black detail

HDR effect quality

Factory color reproduction

Color reproduction after calibration

Smoothness of tonal transitions

Image scaling and smoothness of tonal transitions

Blur and motion smoothness

Console compatibility and gaming features

Input lag

Compatibility with PC

Viewing angles

TV efficiency during daytime

Details about the matrix

TV features

Playing files from USB

Apps

Sound