LG UR781 vs Sharp GP7

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.

In terms of HDR, Sharp GP7 can surprise us pleasantly. The maximum brightness of around 500 nits is the threshold at which the real advantages of high dynamic range begin to be visible. During our tests, we achieved stable values between 430 and 500 nits, which translated to a clearer distinction of elements in both bright and slightly darker scenes. Additionally, it has a DCI-P3 colour gamut coverage of about 95%, allowing for vibrant, visually pleasing colours. Of course, it isn't top-tier, but for this price range – a big plus.

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.

Out of the box, in movie mode, GP7 doesn't fare badly at all. In HD materials, we noticed slight disturbances in white balance - drops in red and blue that made the image take on a somewhat greenish hue. This is noticeable, for instance, on the faces of characters, which become less lifelike. The gamma is slightly brighter in places, resulting in less deep blacks. In 4K HDR content, a cooler, bluish tone also emerges, making the colours appear less natural. On the other hand, looking at it from a "straight out of the box" perspective, these settings aren't bad - a few minor adjustments will suffice, and with the help of special tools, we will try to improve them.

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.

Calibration really makes a difference in Sharp GP7. After making adjustments, we achieved a better white balance in HD content, and the colours started to look much more natural, with minimal deviations and no clear dominance of individual hues. In 4K HDR, the change isn't as spectacular, but it's still noticeable. The gamma has been brought to a more neutral level, although a slight boost in the brightest details on the screen is still evident. The inability to control dynamic tone mapping limits our manoeuvrability, but nonetheless, this is a significant step forward compared to the factory settings.

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 TV can scale lower quality content quite well. Our test patterns were well reproduced, and although there was minimal banding with fine, delicate shapes (such as thin branches), it still looked satisfactory. Additionally, Sharp GP7 offers a “10-bit colour reproduction” feature to smooth tonal transitions in poor quality materials. It is useful, but at the cost of some details, so we recommend turning it on only when we're really watching something of poor quality.

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.

With a 60 Hz panel and average response time, it's hard to expect miraculous smoothness. In dynamic tests, like the one with the “little green man”, it’s clear that the picture can blur and occasionally lose sharpness. For watching movies and series, this is acceptable, especially since you can use the motion smoother with three levels of adjustment. However, if we care about ultra-smooth sports broadcasts or super-responsive gameplay, we might feel a bit dissatisfied.

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.

Let's not kid ourselves – GP7 Sharp is not a television for the most demanding console gamers. Yes, we have ALLM, which automatically switches the TV to low latency mode, but it lacks VRR or G-Sync. We also won't find any advanced menu to help adjust settings during gameplay. Dolby Vision in games? It's there, but with such a large input lag that it's hard to talk about comfort. If we play occasionally and don't aim for the highest standards, it can be managed, but tech enthusiasts will face disappointment.