Hisense U7KQ vs TCL C655 / C69B 98'

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.

The quality of the HDR effect on TCL C655 / C69B looks quite promising. The average value in the test charts is around 450 nits, which already allows one to feel the brilliance of light effects and better image dynamics. However, as previously mentioned, this effect can be somewhat dampened by slight differences in bright and dark shades due to the lack of local dimming technology. However, the coverage of the DCI-P3 colour gamut at 94% is commendable, and this is possible thanks to the use of a quantum dot (QLED) panel. As a result, the colours are vivid and well-reproduced when watching 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 TCL C655 / C69B television offers a film mode that has been tested for colour reproduction quality. Although this mode is called film mode, unfortunately, it has quite a few issues that a director would definitely not want to see when filming their work. Starting with image analysis, it's worth examining the white balance – both in HD and 4K HDR content, the white balance has significant errors. In both cases, the red colour dominates, which makes the colours too warm, and the overall effect takes on a pink or yellow tint. The Colour Checker test confirms these errors – the colour samples veer into incorrect shades, which impacts the overall colour fidelity. A less significant issue is the brightness characteristic. However, it is also not free of flaws. The gamma chart shows a strong spike at the beginning, which can cause the image to be overly bright, and the EOTF curve responsible for brightness in 4K HDR materials also shows considerable fluctuations – it is evident that the television struggles to maintain the appropriate brightness, but it does not always succeed effectively.

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.

After calibrating the movie mode of the TCL C655 / C69B television, the white balance has been adjusted, and the colours look as they should – confirmed only by slight deviations in the Colour Checker test. The gamma is really accurate, which means the television shouldn’t have issues with brightness in low-resolution materials. Unfortunately, a similar EOTF characteristic is still visible, which is a natural phenomenon in televisions that do not have local dimming – it’s just difficult for them to "shine" brighter in a given part of the screen. Despite this construction limitation that cannot be bypassed, we recommend adjustments in the settings, as the overall colour presentation looks really very good.

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 TCL C655 / C69B TV handles tonal transitions well in lower quality materials. The “Gradual Smoothing” function at its lowest setting effectively eliminates visible banding, but it also results in a loss of detail, for example, in the texture of objects. A plus is that it does not interfere with film grain, allowing the image to maintain a natural look.

In terms of digital processing, the TV adds a significant amount of artificial sharpness, which may appeal to those who prefer a vivid image. For those who prefer a more subtle rendering of details, this may be a drawback. Another downside is the quite aggressive overscan – the image is cropped, which leads to the loss of fragments at the edges and limits the field of view.

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.

Unlike the smaller versions, the 98” model stands out with significantly better motion fluidity. Instead of the standard 60 Hz, this colossal screen is equipped with a full 144 Hz panel, which opens up entirely new possibilities – for both gamers and movie lovers. With its full motion smoother, the television delivers incredible image fluidity, eliminating ghosting and improving the comfort of watching dynamic scenes. It's worth noting that this technology operates across the full refresh rate range, meaning there's no need to compromise between fluidity and quality. Additionally, the "Flicker Reduction" feature allows you to adjust the fluidity to your own preferences – you can choose a more cinematic effect with visible frame rate or a maximally smooth image.

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.

The 98-inch TCL C655 / C69B is excellently equipped for gamers. Full-featured HDMI 2.1 ports and a 144 Hz panel allow for gaming in 4K at 120 Hz, providing the smoothness and responsiveness that will impress even the most demanding.

The TV supports variable refresh rate (VRR), eliminating screen tearing, while the automatic low latency mode (ALLM) ensures that gaming starts instantly, without the need for manual adjustment of settings. There is also support for Dolby Vision and HGiG, ensuring that the image quality in games is even better – details are sharp, colours are natural, and contrast is perfectly balanced.

Additionally, the TV offers a dedicated gaming panel that allows for quick adjustment of picture settings without the need to exit the game. It’s a device that meets practically all the requirements of the modern gamer.