Samsung DU7192 (IPS) vs Sharp GP7

The maximum luminance in HDR materials is 245 nits, which is often surpassed by even lower results. Such values will definitely not be sufficient for comfortable viewing of HDR materials, due to the lack of appropriate image dynamics and colour distortions caused by the low brightness of the unit. Although the manufacturer has equipped its device with an HDR format offering dynamic metadata, HDR10+, which is what we're talking about, is very rarely used compared to Dolby Vision, which Samsung has not yet introduced in its televisions. It’s also worth mentioning that Samsung DU7192 offers only 82% coverage of the wide DCI-P3 colour gamut, which is another reason we shouldn't provide a signal in a wide dynamic range, as colour losses will be very noticeable. Samsung DU7192 delivers high-quality image that will satisfy most users.

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.

The best factory mode we used throughout the testing process was "Filmmaker". This, like the vast majority of modes, had its flaws. Starting with the most basic graph, which is white balance, we can notice a significant dominance of red colour, both in SDR mode and HDR. Although in the latter there was also some green, which didn’t have a major impact on the overall perception. A graph with such results, in both cases, gives us an image characterised by strong yellowing, clearly visible on whites and on the faces of the actors. Another important graph, if not more important, is gamma. This, which is supposed to control contrast in materials with a standard colour palette, was quite good in factory mode with one "but" regarding the beginning. In the darkest scenes, it was significantly lowered, resulting in strong brightening, which left the film lacking contrast and suspense overall. As we mentioned, HDR materials regarding white balance remained at a similar level. The main change is the EOTF curve graph. At the very beginning, we can observe a bulge, which, just like in the case of gamma, strongly brightened the darkest scenes. However, after that, the graph significantly changed its characteristics and the measured result dived below the reference line, causing the film to lose even more dynamism.

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.

Samsung has equipped even its lowest-end TVs with advanced tools for carrying out the calibration process. So we got to work, and the results of our efforts are more than satisfactory. The white balance, which previously had a strong yellow tint in both scenarios, now looks much, much better, even if there are slight deviations from the norm. The picture will still look significantly cleaner than it did before the calibration process. We managed to model the gamma in SDR materials very well, allowing the image to be as contrasty as the TV permits. The EOTF curve has also changed its face and doesn’t brighten or darken the image in such a drastic manner. However, it is worth mentioning that in the case of HDR materials, the deltaE errors are still very high, but this is due to the unit's insufficient brightness.

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 return for a moment to the tonal transition smoothing function. We can set it in only two ways - off and auto. As you can easily guess, the first of these causes significant issues with gradation. However, if we set the second option, both movies and series will offer us smooth colour transitions. It is worth mentioning, though, that this function has its drawbacks. It heavily interferes with the director's intent, softens the film grain effect, and worse, often misinterprets small details, blurring them as well. Consequently, we consider that this function does not exist and do not recommend using it, as this is how the smoothness of tonal transitions was tested on the tested display.

The next thing we will check in this paragraph is the image scaling process, which is extremely important when watching material in lower resolution. Unfortunately, as this is the manufacturer's lowest model, this function doesn't work very well. All details are heavily blurred, and a characteristic white halo forms around the characters.

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.

Despite the fact that Samsung DU7192 is the lowest model in the manufacturer's portfolio, it has implemented a motion smoothing system. Although it is quite limited in features compared to higher models, its very existence is a significant plus in the context of competition in a similar price range. The maximum refresh rate that we will give to the tested television is 60 Hz, which is entirely sufficient for films and series, although not when it comes to sports. In the motion smoothing menu, we find two functions responsible for improving smoothness. These are "Motion Blur Reduction" and "Clear Motion (LED)". We'll discuss the latter a bit later. Let's focus on the former, as it is quite mysterious. Unfortunately, despite its presence, we did not find any usefulness. At each of the settings, the picture looked the same, characterised by the typical judder known from materials recorded at 24 fps.

The panel Samsung DU7192 features an average response time. It's worth mentioning that due to this specific type of panel, it is better than VA panels in a similar price range. Therefore, it can be said that it won't be the worst in terms of watching sports.

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.

The Samsung DU7192 television is equipped only with HDMI 2.0 ports, which isn’t surprising considering the device’s price and its consumer profile. Therefore, it’s also logical that we won’t achieve maximum quality on the latest generation consoles. That’s why it only features the most basic options for gamers, namely ALLM. It’s a pity the manufacturer didn’t implement at least a GameBar, as this is now standard, even in lower-end TVs, and could offer significant conveniences in terms of quickly changing settings.

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.