Compare: Hisense U7KQ vs TCL C7L

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.

TCL C7L is an incredibly successful Mini-LED television and a fully deserved successor to the hit model C7K. The list of advantages of this device is really long. At the top is the extremely high brightness of the panel. Thanks to this, the television handles brightly lit living rooms without any problems, offering a fantastic and dynamic image in HDR format. Huge applause is also due for the use of the new Super QLED coating – after professional calibration, the colours can be not only natural but also incredibly vibrant. The best part is that the screen does this regardless of what scene is displayed on the screen, which is often not the case for all TVs with RGB backlighting. C7L is also an excellent piece of hardware for gamers; you could even say it’s a true "multimedia powerhouse." It fully supports consoles and PCs, refresh rates up to 288 Hz, G-Sync, and low input lag that doesn’t increase even when enabling very demanding modes like Dolby Vision Gaming. The whole package is tied together by a well-optimised Google TV system, which in this generation of TCL devices runs noticeably smoother and more efficiently (at least that’s the impression we got during our tests). Of course, C7L is not a perfect device, and the manufacturer had to make certain compromises in this model. The biggest flaw of the C7L is the use of a less powerful image processor. Unfortunately, this translates to fairly mediocre digital processing and another construction limitation in the form of only two HDMI 2.1 ports. A more powerful setup has been reserved this year for the higher series, such as C8L. From a business perspective, this is fully understandable. Why? Because if TCL had put a better processor here, most people would probably see no sense in paying extra for the higher model. So even if some compromises exist here, the C7L series promises once again to be one of the most cost-effective Mini-LED televisions of the year. If you’re looking for a versatile, incredibly bright screen for movies, series, TV, or games – literally for everything – and at the same time don’t want to overpay for the top series, then yes... C7L is a brilliant choice that we can definitely recommend to you.

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.

TCL C7L is a Mini LED TV, which in the 65-inch variant we tested, is equipped with over 1000 local dimming zones. This, combined with the proprietary VA panel (called HVA 2.0 by TCL CSOT), delivers really decent results in terms of black levels and contrast. In most of the scenes we measured, the blacks and contrast looked really good, and in the easiest shots, the black was deep enough to almost resemble that seen on OLED screens. This is of course referring to the least demanding shots with a lot of black on the screen. However, when more bright elements appear on the screen, and black stops dominating as much, it is evident that TCL C7L – like most Mini LED TVs – has its issues with local dimming zone management.

This can be clearly seen, for example, on the black bars in films shot in the 2.35:1 panoramic format. Then, on the black bars or around small, bright objects, a pronounced halo effect, or a bright light glow, can appear. The contrast then drastically dropped – from laboratory values of around 200,000:1 to about 10,000:1, which is quite noticeable in a completely dark room. It’s worth remembering that this shouldn’t be treated as a flaw of the TV but rather as a characteristic of mini-LED technology. Of course, this effect becomes much less bothersome when we turn on at least some light in the room… which I definitely recommend doing during screenings on any LCD TV.

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 TCL C7L is without doubt an extremely bright TV. In synthetic tests with static patterns it can reach peak brightness of around 2800 nits. That's a phenomenal result, given the price bracket it occupies. Unfortunately, tests with real film scenes aren't as spectacular as measurements using white squares. Brightness in real HDR shots falls in the C7L to around 1200 nits. That's still very good, because the vast majority of modern films are mastered to about that level. However, when small, pinpoint elements appear on screen, the brightness of those details drops drastically, even to roughly 400 nits, which somewhat weakens the HDR effect. The TV does this deliberately to preserve deeper black levels and to avoid a large halo of light. That's understandable to an extent, but it also shows that Mini LED technology is not without compromises in this area. As for the HDR experience itself, alongside brightness the key factor is of course colour. And thanks to the use of new 'super' quantum dots, the colours are simply outstanding and among the best on the market. The TV can achieve very wide coverage of the BT.2020 and DCI-P3 colour gamuts, matching the best RGB Mini-LED displays with ease. Best of all, the C7L can maintain such high colour saturation regardless of the scene shown, which is often a problem for competing RGB Mini-LED TVs.

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.

When it comes to out-of-the-box colours, a new feature in TCL TVs – including the C7L model – is the presence of a new picture mode called Filmmaker Mode. This is significant news, as such a mode was not previously available from this manufacturer. By design, as the name suggests, the picture in this setting is intended to be delivered with the full intent of the film's creator. After our tests, we can confirm that it is undeniably the best built-in mode in this TV if you value true-to-life colour reproduction straight out of the box. However, we certainly wouldn’t say it is perfect. Like most devices on the market, this C7L also had its factory faults. The white balance in Filmmaker Mode leaned towards a slightly greenish-yellow hue, mainly due to an excess of green component and a noticeable lack of blue. Of course, for the average viewer, this won’t be a drastic flaw, but if you value perfect whites, natural skin tones, and harnessing the full potential of these new "super" quantum dots from the structure, then the TV is begging for professional calibration.

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 a professional calibration we managed to greatly improve performance in the out-of-the-box Filmmaker Mode. After our adjustments the errors in the ColorChecker test and across the wide colour gamut dropped below the threshold of human perception, that is below a value of 3, which is a very good result. The TCL C7L clearly benefits from such treatment in terms of colour fidelity and it's hard to argue otherwise. A bit worse, however, is brightness management with HDR content after calibration. As I described earlier, even though we set this model up correctly, when you play real film scenes on the television it can handle its brightness in a rather peculiar way. It often brightens certain elements on screen contrary to the filmmaker's intent, which is clearly visible on the EOTF curves measured in specific films. Despite this defect, or rather a specific characteristic of this television, one thing is undeniable: after calibration the C7L was able to reproduce colours accurately.

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 next element worth discussing is the smoothness of tonal transitions. To be fair, the TCL C7L simply looks good here. In most scenes, and especially the brighter ones, we didn’t see any problems with gradients. In native 4K HDR content the picture is clean and transitions between shades are very smooth. It looks just as good in Dolby Vision mode, where during our tests we didn’t notice any digital artifacts or ugly colour banding. One could nitpick very dark scenes where a heavily compressed signal is shown on screen. In those conditions the C7L can sometimes reveal minor imperfections, but in this model it’s not something that really stands out. Especially during everyday movie viewing.

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.

This could, in a sense, be called the Achilles' heel of the C7L. Unfortunately, this TV uses an older MediaTek chipset, the Pentonic 700, which has never been known for exceptional image processing. You can see that clearly in the operation of the progressive smoothing function, which is responsible for reducing jagged edges and removing digital noise. It simply performs very poorly — set to low, its effectiveness is practically nil. The only small plus is that the algorithm doesn't introduce extra artefacts or unnecessarily blur fine detail. Upscaling, that is scaling lower-resolution sources up to 4K, fares a little better. It's simply adequate and nothing special compared with the competition. It's hard to deny that the C7L would benefit greatly in this area if the manufacturer opted for the newer Pentonic 800 processor, which is now appearing in an increasing number of rival models.

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.

TCL C7L uses a native 4K panel with a 144 Hz refresh rate, which at lower resolutions when used with a PC can even reach 288 Hz. These are, of course, very high figures and look good on paper, but in everyday use it's worth remembering that almost all dynamic content you play on this TV will still run at around a maximum of 120 Hz. To tame that motion, the TV's menu includes a motion smoothing system called "Motion Clarity". It offers several preset modes, including a user mode that we strongly recommend you set manually using our tried-and-tested guides on our YouTube channel. You get two key sliders there. The first, "Blur Reduction", reduces smearing and improves sharpness in dynamic 60 fps material, such as live sports broadcasts. The second slider, "Flicker Reduction", lets you add artificial frames to films and series shot at cinematic 24 or 30 frames per second. That, of course, completely gets rid of the annoying judder during camera-move shots.

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.

When it comes to gaming, the TCL C7L is simply an outstanding TV for players. With two full‑bandwidth HDMI 2.1 ports at 48 Gbps, you get access to all the key features required by console owners and high‑end PCs. It offers a well‑working ALLM mode with very low input lag and VRR frame sync that operates across an impressive 48 to 288 Hz range. Importantly, unlike some rivals, TCL has implemented the console HDR10 HGIG profile correctly and supports Dolby Vision in games. The package is rounded off by a very well designed player panel, the Game Bar, which even lets you edit its appearance and change the theme so it perfectly matches the look of your console.

The only thing you can — and should — criticise is that the TV only provides two full HDMI 2.1 ports, while the other two are older HDMI 2.0. That creates quite a practical problem, because one of those fast ports also handles the eARC (enhanced Audio Return Channel). In practice, that means if you connect a soundbar or home theatre system to the TV, you’ll be left with only one free HDMI 2.1 input. If you have two consoles or a console and a powerful PC at home, you’ll unfortunately have to give something up or keep swapping cables at the back if you want convenient control of your audio system.

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.

It's worth taking a look at the raw numbers here, because in terms of signal delay the TCL C7L is an absolute market leader. Our measurements showed that input lag is extremely low and for a 60 Hz signal it's only about 10 ms. When we step up to 120 Hz gaming, the delay falls to an almost imperceptible 6 to 7 ms. More importantly, the TV maintains those values even with Dolby Vision enabled in games.

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.

When it comes to PC gaming, as I mentioned earlier, it's really hassle-free. The TV handles high refresh rates without breaking a sweat: full 4K at 144 Hz, and at Full HD it can even reach 288 Hz. G-Sync and FreeSync both work without issue. For PC gamers, the C7L can therefore serve as an excellent, massive monitor. Typical office work with text is a bit worse, though, because the panel behaves rather oddly in those conditions. When you enable the highest refresh modes, 144 Hz and 288 Hz, the readability and sharpness of dark text on a light background are rather mediocre. Fonts become slightly blurred and jagged. Fortunately this can be fixed very easily by changing the display refresh rate to a stable 120 Hz in the graphics card settings. Text then becomes perfectly sharp again, so it's definitely worth remembering if you plan to use the C7L as a work monitor.

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.

Unfortunately, the HVA 2.0 panel's powerful native contrast comes at a price. It's the viewing angles, which are simply weak on the C7L. That's all down to the use of a VA-type panel. It's a completely natural characteristic of the technology and something you have to accept when buying. If you sit directly in front of the screen, the picture will impress you with its depth, but move a few dozen degrees to the side on the sofa and the colours immediately start to wash out. Choosing this model means opting for a classic market compromise: you get brilliant blacks and superb contrast, but you sacrifice viewing angles.

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.

It’s also worth mentioning how the TCL C7L performs during everyday viewing in a sunlit living room. As we’ve already established, it’s an extremely bright TV, and it’s precisely that huge luminance headroom (up to 2400 nits in SDR!) that lets it perform brilliantly in very bright rooms — the picture simply pushes through the light coming into the room. The only thing to watch out for is direct reflections on the screen. The coating on this year’s panel is noticeably glossier than the one we saw on last year’s C7K. The screen is much worse at suppressing pinpoint reflections, which in unfavourable conditions, for example when a window is directly opposite the TV, can be quite annoying for some users. Even so, in terms of raw brightness the C7L is simply a beast for bright living rooms.

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.

Google TV and Smart TV

The multimedia heart of the TCL C7L is, of course, the Google TV operating system, which provides access to a huge library of apps and all the most popular streaming platforms on the market. The smart TV on this model runs smoothly, offering full support for useful network features such as Apple AirPlay and Chromecast. A very pleasant surprise, however, is the software’s overall responsiveness. We noticed that Google’s system on the new C7L runs noticeably more responsively, more smoothly and faster than on TCL models from last year. This is largely thanks to better optimisation at launch. Unnecessary pauses and minor UI stutters, familiar from older models, seem to be a thing of the past.

TV features

When it comes to traditional over-the-air or cable TV, the TCL C7L doesn’t offer many additional advanced features. It’s simply a straightforward receiver. The manufacturer hasn’t gone for any revolutionary solutions here, so apart from the standard programme guide you won’t find anything special. A big nod to traditional viewers is the classic remote control, which, contrary to the current trend for minimalism, still includes a full numeric keypad, making quick channel switching much easier.

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.

Finally, in the multimedia section it’s worth mentioning playback from external USB drives. During our tests we didn’t encounter any unpleasant surprises: the built-in player handles all common video and audio formats exactly as it should. Interestingly, the TCL C7L also played photos saved in Apple’s native HEIC format without any trouble. That’s an extremely rare feature among manufacturers’ built-in TV apps. Although Google TV of course lets you install third-party media apps, with the C7L the built-in player is so well polished that installing extra software is unlikely to be necessary.

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 TCL C7L simply sounds quite good and solid. In terms of sound quality itself, practically nothing has changed compared with last year’s C7K model. The manufacturer still uses a Bang & Olufsen-branded speaker system in a 2.2 configuration. The only thing that can be rather annoying during viewing is that when you increase the volume to higher levels, roughly above 50%, the loudness stops matching the level shown on screen. The B&O audio system is great for everyday watching of current affairs or TV series at moderate volume, but if you’re after better sound it’s worth getting at least a basic soundbar for the C7L.

Hisense U7KQ vs TCL C7L

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

Daytime performance

Panel details

TV features

Classic features:

Smart features:

Sound connection options

Supported audio formats (external HDMI eARC audio):

Senior accessibility

Google TV and Smart TV

TV features

Apps

Playing files from USB

Sound

Sound Quality Test

Acoustic Measurements