LG UR781 vs Hisense A7NQ

In HDR mode, LG UR781 unfortunately does not impress with its brightness. In tests on five screens, the television achieved only around 200 nits, which is quite a low value for HDR standards. This brightness is comparable to levels typical for SDR, which means that HDR effects are not sufficiently vivid, and the picture may look less impressive, especially in dynamic, bright scenes. In HDR mode, it has certain limitations in colour reproduction. This means that colours may not be as intense and rich as in televisions that handle a wider colour gamut better. In practice, this can make the image less vibrant and dynamic, and HDR effects may not be as spectacular as one might expect. Additionally, UR781 LG has some issues with accurate colour representation in HDR mode, which makes content look less lively.

We checked how the Hisense A7NQ performs with HDR, and there's no surprise here. The luminance chart showed a maximum brightness of 370 nits. The result? Exactly what one could expect – average. At around 350 nits, HDR doesn’t stand out much compared to SDR. Sure, there’s a subtle difference in more brightly lit scenes, but it’s not a show-stopping effect. In terms of wide colour gamut coverage, the result was 92% for DCI-P3 and 70.2% for BT.2020. These are decent values for a TV in this class, which uses a PFS coating – the same one that’s sometimes promoted as QLED. The colours look alright, but don’t expect something that competes with the best screens on the market. HDR on the Hisense A7NQ is more of an add-on than a "game changer". For those looking for solid image quality on a moderate budget – it’s definitely acceptable. However, if we expect full HDR capabilities, it’s worth looking at models from the higher price range.

Colour reproduction in LG UR781 in Filmmaker Mode, which although it is the best mode available from factory settings, is not without its flaws. First and foremost, the issue is with white balance, where the graph shows dips in the blue colour level. This phenomenon results in a shift towards yellow hues, making the image warmer than it should be. Such deviation means that the colours on the screen are not reproduced naturally, which may be particularly noticeable in scenes with white or neutral backgrounds. This can be confirmed by the Color Checker Test, which showed that some colours "escape" into other shades, indicating that the LG UR781 TV does not display colours accurately. This distortion can affect visual experiences, making film scenes seem less realistic and details may be displayed in incorrect colours, negatively impacting overall picture quality.

In terms of contrast, analysis of the gamma graph revealed drops to a level of 2.0, while the optimal value should be 2.4. This means that the TV may display darker parts of the image brighter in some scenes, reducing their depth and dynamism. Additionally, on the EOTF curve, which is responsible for brightness reproduction, an unnatural spike was noticed at the beginning. This phenomenon may result in excessive brightness boosting in the brightest parts of the image, leading to a loss of details in very bright scenes.

When testing the Hisense A7NQ in Filmmaker mode, we hoped for alignment with the manufacturer's intentions, but unfortunately, reality looks different. The main issue, as with most TVs, is the white balance. In the case of the A7NQ, we noticed a clear dominance of blue, which affected both lower-quality materials and 4K HDR content. The Color Checker test results confirm this, and the comparative images speak for themselves – the lead actress in "factory" mode looks cool and pale. It appears as though she has been stripped of life.

As for brightness characteristics, both gamma and the EOTF curve show that the image is overly bright. As a result, everything seems flat, lacking depth and contrast. This state of affairs certainly does not work in favour of the A7NQ and makes the image reception in factory mode leave much to be desired. If we expect natural colour reproduction and appropriate image depth, the A7NQ in Filmmaker mode is unlikely to impress us. It’s a TV that requires significant adjustment to bring out its potential.

After calibration, colour reproduction in SDR content is quite good. The white balance has been effectively improved, resulting in natural, balanced hues across different scenes. The gamma has also been adjusted, providing a more precise representation of details in the shadows and bright areas of the image. As a result, the LG UR781 TV performs well in everyday use, offering solid colour quality and clear, well-balanced images in SDR mode.

However, the situation is less favourable for HDR content. The LG UR781 TV does not support a wide colour gamut, which limits the depth and richness of colours that HDR can provide. The EOTF curve deviates from the ideal, leading to excessive highlighting of details in the bright areas of the image. Unfortunately, this approach results in significant colour reproduction errors, as confirmed by tests on the Colour Checker. Additionally, the low brightness level of the panel further negatively impacts HDR image quality, causing the effects of dynamic range to not be fully realised and colours to appear washed out.

Despite some shortcomings in HDR mode, the TV has significantly improved after calibration, especially in SDR content. The enhancement of white balance and gamma has notably increased image quality, providing a more natural and cohesive colour reproduction. Compared to its pre-calibration state, the difference is clear, and the LG UR781 TV now offers better performance in everyday use, particularly in standard dynamic range.

Hisense A7NQ offers several tools that allow you to improve image quality, so we decided to take matters into our own hands and do some "digging" in the settings. Thanks to professional tools and measurements, we managed to correct the white balance, eliminating excessive dominance of blue in both HD and 4K content. This is a significant step forward, as in the Color Checker test, the errors in colour reproduction in lower-quality content dropped to a much more acceptable level. Unfortunately, 4K content still falls short of perfection – colour distortions are significant here and stem from the limitations of the television.

As for the gamma, we managed to set it at the correct level, which significantly reduced the excessive brightening of the image. However, the issue with the brightness characteristics in 4K content remains unresolved – the EOTF curve still shows excessive brightness across the entire screen. It's possible that a proper implementation of dynamic tone mapping could make a difference here, but as we mentioned earlier, this feature in Hisense A7NQ works rather poorly, instead of helping. Nevertheless, the calibration significantly improved the overall image perception. The director's vision is now much better represented than in the factory settings, which more demanding viewers will definitely appreciate.

Let's now address the function of smoothing tonal transitions and its impact on overall picture quality. As illustrated by the photo on the left, this function performs exceptionally mediocre; we chose the "low" level, which does not enhance quality but also does not blur the film grain. There is a possibility to increase the strength of this function, which could soften this gradation, but one must consider that the image will be too softened in certain scenes.

On the other hand, regarding image scaling, the television does not perform outstandingly, which may be particularly noticeable with lower resolution content. The LG UR781 television applies a slight, artificial sharpening boost, making the image appear sharper; however, this mainly results from the application of artificial contours. For some users, this may be an advantage, as they prefer more vivid, pronounced details. However, this is a subjective matter—such an effect may not appeal to everyone, especially if they desire a more natural appearance of the image.

The Hisense A7NQ impresses with its smooth tonal transitions in 4K content, but unfortunately, we won't find any features here that improve this aspect in older, lower-quality materials. In such cases, colour transitions become more noticeable, which can slightly detract from the overall picture quality, especially in scenes with a lot of gradients.

When it comes to upscaling, the television performs surprisingly well. The image is clearly improved, though it comes with certain compromises. It can be seen that the TV adds a touch of artificial sharpness, and background elements, like branches, tend to exhibit slight "jaggies." However, these are details that will mainly catch the eye of those who pay attention to such nuances.

The LG UR781 TV offers quite decent smoothness for movies, thanks to the "True Motion" option, which allows users to adjust the motion smoothing level on a scale from 0 to 10. Users can choose whether they want to maintain a more traditional, cinematic effect with a slight stutter (lower settings) or prefer a smoother image with a theatrical quality, which, although slightly deviating from the cinematic standard, may appeal to many.

In dynamic sports content and gaming, the LG UR781 TV performs worse. The TV has a 60Hz panel, which limits its interpolation capabilities to these values; therefore, smoothness can be improved in films, but motion blur cannot be reduced. Additionally, the lack of support for 120 Hz and BFI (Black Frame Insertion) technology means that fast-moving objects become blurred, and the panel's response time is too slow, negatively affecting clarity in fast scenes. As a result, the TV may not meet the expectations of gamers and sports fans who are counting on a smooth, clear image without motion blur.

The Hisense A7NQ is equipped with a 60 Hz panel, which means that dynamic scenes – for example in sports or gaming – come across as rather average here. This is standard in this class of equipment, but it's worth noting that watching more intense, fast-moving content can leave a lot to be desired. However, when it comes to movies, the TV offers a motion smoothing feature that works on a 10-point scale. The "judder reduction" option allows you to adjust the smoothness of the image to your own preferences. At the lowest setting, you get a natural film frame rate, which will appeal to cinema purists. Conversely, the maximum setting provides a very smooth, theatrical image, which may be appreciated by those who prefer a more "smeared" motion.

When playing on a console, the LG UR781 TV offers several significant features that can affect the gaming experience, but it also has some limitations. On the plus side, it includes ALLM (Auto Low Latency Mode), which automatically optimises the picture settings by switching the LG UR781 TV to low latency mode, which is beneficial for gamers. The TV also supports correct implementation of HGiG, meaning HDR games look as intended by the creators.

Unfortunately, it lacks support for Variable Refresh Rate (VRR), which can result in worse gameplay smoothness, especially in more dynamic games. It also does not support Dolby Vision mode for gaming, which limits HDR picture quality in games using this format. The TV has a 60Hz panel, so it does not support higher frequencies at other resolutions, such as 1080p@120Hz, 1440p@120Hz, or 4K@120Hz, which is a significant downside for gamers expecting smoother gameplay at higher resolutions. There is also no support for G-Sync technology, which limits image synchronisation in games.

On the positive side, the presence of a Game Bar feature allows for quick access to settings for gamers and makes it easier to adjust picture parameters during gameplay.

Hisense A7NQ is a piece of gear that may pleasantly surprise gamers, although it's not without its flaws. The fact that it has a 60 Hz panel immediately suggests that the TV is not designed for the most demanding gaming scenarios. The motion blur we mentioned earlier can also be a drawback, especially in fast-paced games.

However, there are a few things worth praising. The TV supports ALLM (Auto Low Latency Mode) and VRR (Variable Refresh Rate), which is not always standard in this price range. The biggest surprise, however, is that the A7NQ can display visuals at 120 Hz – albeit only in Full HD resolution, but it's still a significant nod to gamers. This provides the option to choose between smoothness and resolution, which is not obvious in TVs at this price.

A nice addition is the Game Bar, which is clear and practical – all the essential features are at hand without having to dig through the settings. However, it lacks support for HGiG, which could be a disappointment for gamers seeking perfect HDR in games.