Compare: Sharp FQ8 vs LG QNED87T6B

The Sharp FQ8 television offers numerous features that set it apart in its price range. It operates on the Google TV platform, granting access to a wide array of applications and intuitive navigation. A 120 Hz refresh rate panel ensures smooth image rendering, while low input lag makes it an appealing option for gamers. The high native contrast delivers deep, vivid blacks, and the television achieves a respectable brightness of 450 nits, allowing for comfortable HDR content viewing. Additionally, advanced formats like Dolby Vision are supported, and the inclusion of quantum dots (Quantum Dot/QLED) enhances the wide colour gamut coverage.

However, the Sharp FQ8 has its shortcomings. The lack of dynamic tone mapping control in HDR mode may disappoint more demanding users, and despite featuring Dolby Vision IQ, its performance is underwhelming. The panel's average response time can impact the clarity of fast-moving scenes, and limited viewing angles significantly reduce image quality when viewed from the side.

Despite these drawbacks, the Sharp FQ8 stands out as a solid choice, offering a good balance of quality, image fluidity, and an enjoyable audio system, all at a competitive price. While not flawless, it should meet the needs of most users seeking an affordable television with a 120 Hz panel.

LG QNED87T is a television that definitely stands out. It's a bit unconventional – it doesn't try to forcefully compete with top OLED models, but it makes up for it with modern features and user-friendly operation. It's equipment that works great for those who value comfort and versatility. The 120 Hz panel, VRR, and ALLM make the television perform well with dynamic content. Games run smoothly, the picture is sharp, and the responses are quick. If we spend time on a console, we will appreciate the lack of lag or blurring. When watching sports, quick actions are clear, without stutters. On a daily basis, LG QNED87T is simply comfortable. WebOS operates intuitively, apps launch quickly, and the Magic Remote control significantly eases operation. Voice control saves time, especially when searching for movies or series. Features like USB recording or Bluetooth provide more options, enhancing its versatility. The IPS panel is a big advantage regarding viewing angles. No matter where we sit in the room, the picture looks good. It's a great solution in larger spaces where not everyone has a direct view of the screen. Older films or standard television from built-in tuners also present quite well – the improvement in the quality of lower resolution materials works surprisingly well. However, there are certain things that can be eye-catching. The contrast is simply terrible. In dark scenes, there are no details at all. In the evening, in a darkened room, this is very noticeable. During the day, these imperfections are less felt, so LG QNED87T performs better in well-lit places. LG QNED87T is a television that has its strengths. It handles dynamic materials well, is easy to use, and is excellent for bright rooms. It's not the ideal model for evening viewings in darkness, but in everyday use, it definitely stands out. It's a universal device worth considering when choosing a new television.

The Sharp FQ8, with its VA panel, delivers an exceptionally high native contrast ratio, achieving an impressive 8100:1 in tests using film test patterns. This result significantly surpasses most competitors in its price range and is a rare achievement. The high contrast provides excellent depth to images, especially in scenes with pronounced differences between light and dark elements. This makes it particularly strong in contrast performance and black-level quality, which are critical factors in overall image evaluation.

The television features direct backlighting (Direct LED), which helps maintain consistent brightness levels. However, it lacks local dimming support, a common limitation in this price category. While this does slightly impact the depth and clarity of blacks in darker scenes, the high native contrast ensures the Sharp FQ8 still delivers a strong viewing experience.

In the category of black levels and contrast, the television LG QNED87T6B faces some challenges. Equipped with an IPS panel, it doesn't match the VA panel models in terms of performance in this area. Additionally, edge-lit dimming affects its poor results in this category. It's worth mentioning that the exception is the 50-inch variant, which has a VA panel and is not subject to this test.

Despite the manufacturer offering a dimming control option, the effects remain relatively weak. Test patterns show that the contrast is really poor, and in the test clip from the film "Sicario 2," it's clear to see how the television struggles with the backlighting, illuminating a large portion of the screen from below. This indicates that in more demanding scenes, the television has difficulties maintaining an appropriate level of contrast and black levels, which negatively impacts the overall visual experience.

The Sharp FQ8 achieves a maximum brightness of over 450 nits, which is commendable for its price range. While this level might not be groundbreaking, it places the television among the better-performing models in its class. At this brightness, the image appears vivid and detailed, and the HDR metadata functions effectively, offering a more immersive viewing experience compared to dimmer devices.

The television supports the advanced Dolby Vision HDR format, enhancing the depth and richness of the content. It also includes Dolby Vision IQ, which adjusts the image's brightness and colours based on ambient lighting. However, the implementation of this feature on the Sharp FQ8 is suboptimal, introducing artificial brightening and noticeable distortions. For this reason, it is advisable to disable Dolby Vision IQ for the most accurate picture quality.

With quantum dot technology, the television achieves a colour gamut coverage of approximately 94%, resulting in vibrant and realistic colours. This combination of features ensures the Sharp FQ8 delivers an engaging and detailed visual experience, even with some limitations.

LG QNED87T6B delivers truly decent visual experiences when it comes to HDR. During our tests on test patterns, the television achieved brightness close to 500 nits, which is a satisfactory result and allows for good visibility of details in high dynamic range scenes. Support for basic HDR formats such as HDR10 and HLG ensures proper image quality. Unfortunately, the television does not support more advanced standards such as Dolby Vision or HDR10+, which are particularly important at this screen brightness. The lack of support for dynamic metadata means that in certain scenes, the television may struggle to fully reproduce details, especially in very bright areas – this is precisely when dynamic metadata could significantly improve image quality. Nevertheless, it is worth noting the excellent coverage of the wide DCI-P3 colour gamut, reaching as much as 96.4%. As a result, the colours displayed by the QNED87T6B model are more vivid and natural, enhancing the quality of 4K content viewed with a wide colour palette.

The Sharp FQ8 was evaluated for colour reproduction in its movie mode, which provides the best default settings for achieving realistic visuals. While it performs adequately, certain issues impact the overall image quality. Tests on HD content revealed significant white balance problems, with a marked dominance of red. This is evident in the colour graph, where the red line noticeably rises above the others, and in practical tests, such as a movie scene featuring a child, where the image appears overly warm and unnaturally red. Similar issues persist with 4K HDR content, where an excessive red tint detracts from the accuracy of colour reproduction, an important consideration for viewers prioritising faithful visuals.

For SDR contrast, the gamma graph displayed an unusual anomaly at the start, highlighting reproduction issues. The remainder of the gamma curve lies below the reference line, indicating suboptimal brightness and contrast levels for standard content. In 4K HDR, the EOTF curve also deviates significantly, suggesting inconsistencies in brightness reproduction. These fluctuations can result in less enjoyable viewing experiences for HDR content, particularly in scenes requiring precise light and dark balance.

The colour accuracy in the LG QNED, even in Filmmaker Mode, which is the best factory setting, is not without its flaws. The main issue is white balance – we noticed that the level of blue on the graph tends to drop. This results in a shift in colours towards yellow, making the image have a warmer tone than it should. This deviation affects the naturalness of colour reproduction, especially in scenes with a white or neutral background. The Color Checker test confirmed that some colours are distorted and deviate from reality. Such distortion can make film scenes appear less realistic, and details are presented in incorrect colours, negatively impacting the overall image quality.

Regarding contrast, the gamma graph analysis showed significant drops, while the optimal value should be 2.4. This means that the television may display darker parts of the image brighter in some scenes, which reduces their depth and dynamics. Additionally, on the EOTF curve, which is responsible for brightness reproduction, an unnatural drop was noted at the beginning. This phenomenon can result in less accuracy in reproducing dark scenes, which in turn affects the overall image quality. The television may not convey full black depth, causing more demanding scenes to lose realism and detail. As a result, viewers may notice that details in the darker parts of the image become less distinct.

After calibration, the Sharp FQ8 shows notable improvements in its performance for SDR content. The white balance has been significantly refined, with all lines approaching the reference line. While the lines are not perfectly straight, the results are impressive for a TV in this price range. This adjustment enhances the naturalness and accuracy of colours, contributing to a more enjoyable visual experience. However, the gamma chart still displays the peculiar jump at the start, though the remaining line now aligns much closer to the expected outcome.

For HDR content, the white balance also sees meaningful improvements compared to the pre-calibration state, although it doesn’t perform as well as in SDR mode. This refinement results in more consistent and visually appealing colours, despite some remaining imperfections. On the downside, the EOTF chart reveals limited progress in contrast due to the lack of control over dynamic tone mapping settings, which hampers uniform brightness representation in HDR.

Despite these limitations, the calibration significantly elevates the Sharp FQ8, particularly in SDR mode. The improved white balance and colour reproduction deliver a more natural and pleasant viewing experience. While HDR content still leaves room for improvement, the TV achieves a respectable level of performance, solidifying its position as a strong contender in its price range.

After calibration, the colours in SDR content look very good. The improved white balance translates to natural and harmonious shades in various scenes. Thanks to precise gamma tuning, details in shadows and bright areas of the image are accurately reproduced. The television performs excellently in everyday use, offering vibrant, well-balanced images and solid colour quality in HD. The biggest beneficiary here is also contrast. The gamma graph has been stripped of significant errors, giving the television a new dimension.

As for the white balance in 4K HDR, it has also been significantly improved. However, some errors still appear at the end of the graph. This may be due to the television's overly aggressive local dimming, which in some scenes affects the inaccurate reproduction of colours. It's difficult to talk about an improvement in brightness represented by the EOTF curve. The television, due to its construction limitations, has some drawbacks, and we can't overlook them. The Color Checker test confirms the issue with colour saturation – even though the television offers a wide colour palette, it fails to fully convey the director's intent.

Despite these shortcomings, the overall picture quality after calibration is significantly better than before. Adjustments in white balance and gamma tuning make the images more vivid and the colours closer to reality.

The Sharp FQ8 excels in the fluidity of tonal transitions, offering smooth and harmonious shifts between colours in all tested movie scenes. This contributes positively to the overall image quality, enhancing the viewing experience. The only slight criticism is the visible gradation towards black, especially noticeable in scenes like a colourful sunset against the mountains. However, these minor imperfections do not detract from the generally impressive and pleasant visual performance.

The gradation in LG QNED is quite good, despite minor issues on the colourful dark sky. These small drawbacks do not detract from the fact that the gradation is one of the positive aspects of this model. Overall, the television handles smooth colour transitions well.

The Sharp FQ8 performs adequately with its 10-bit colour reproduction feature, providing smooth transitions between grey shades in the light bulb photo. For optimal results, setting it to medium is recommended, as it avoids issues like grain smoothing or blurring key elements. The "low" setting also yields good results without introducing unwanted visual artefacts.

In terms of upscaling, the Sharp FQ8 TV handles video without overscan, making full use of the screen. The jagged edges of branches are noticeable, but the edges of trousers appear without any clear jaggedness, contributing positively to the overall image quality. Additionally, the TV's AI Super Resolution feature enhances clarity by artificially sharpening jagged elements, further improving the viewing experience.

When it comes to lower quality materials, the gradation looks really good. The feature called "Smooth Gradation" effectively smooths out the most problematic parts of the image, while not negatively affecting the film grain. For the best effect, it’s worth setting it to a low level. This solution significantly improves the quality of the displayed content, making the viewing of lower resolution materials more enjoyable and smoother.

In terms of digital processing, the image is displayed without cropping, known as overscan. Although slight fraying of the branches can be noticed against the model's background, everything looks very good. Users should be satisfied with the image quality when watching low-quality materials like standard television. The TV handles this task exceptionally well, providing a satisfying visual experience, even with lower quality content.

The Sharp FQ8 features a 120 Hz panel, able to support playback at 144 Hz when connected to a PC, which should theoretically provide smooth motion rendering. The TV includes features designed to enhance film fluidity and reduce motion blur, crucial for more dynamic content. However, in the absence of Black Frame Insertion (BFI) technology, the panel's average response time leads to less-than-ideal results. This results in slight motion blur, which may be particularly noticeable when watching sports or during intense gaming sessions.

The television provides decent smoothness when watching movies, thanks to the “Tru Motion” feature, which allows adjustment of motion smoothing from 0 to 10. De-Judder regulates motion smoothness, while De-Blur adjusts motion sharpness. Users have the option to choose between a traditional cinematic effect with subtle juddering motion (lower settings) and a smoother, theatrical image. Although the latter deviates slightly from the cinematic standard, it may be appealing to many viewers.

As for gamers and sports fans, the LG QNED87 television with a 120Hz panel will surely not disappoint. And with the use of an IPS panel, the response time is typically better than that of VA panels available at a similar price. This ensures smoother gameplay and dynamic experiences when watching sports events.

The Sharp FQ8 offers several features that cater to gamers, enhancing the overall gaming experience. Firstly, the television is equipped with HDMI 2.1, which brings several advantages. ALLM (Auto Low Latency Mode) automatically switches the TV to a low-latency mode when a gaming device is detected. VRR (Variable Refresh Rate) helps reduce screen stuttering by adjusting the screen’s refresh rate to match the number of frames generated by the console or PC, providing smoother gameplay, especially in dynamic games. Additionally, the TV supports G-Sync, which synchronises the image with the graphics card, preventing stuttering and screen tearing.

Despite these advantages, the FQ8 has some limitations. The lack of support for HGiG (HDR Gaming Interest Group) means the TV does not optimise the dynamic range for HDR games. Furthermore, while Dolby Vision mode can improve picture quality in supported games, it suffers from very high input lag.

LG QNED offers a range of features that make it an excellent choice for gamers looking for a high-performance television. The TV is equipped with four HDMI 2.1 ports, allowing connection to the latest consoles like PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X, utilising full functionality including Variable Refresh Rate (VRR) and Auto Low Latency Mode (ALLM). Thanks to the Game Bar feature, gamers can quickly and easily manage all game settings without needing to navigate complex menus. Parameters such as VRR, ALLM, Multi View, and frame rate monitoring can be adjusted. The TV also supports G-Sync and FreeSync technologies, which is particularly important for owners of Nvidia and AMD graphics cards. G-Sync and FreeSync synchronise the TV's refresh rate with the graphics card. The 120Hz panel guarantees incredible motion smoothness and image clarity. Combined with the Black Frame Insertion (BFI) feature, which is available at 60Hz and 120Hz, gamers can enjoy an even sharper and smoother picture. LG QNED87 is a television that meets the expectations of even the most demanding gamers, offering modern technologies and features that significantly enhance comfort and satisfaction during gaming.

The input lag on the Sharp FQ8 is generally impressive, with a performance below 16 ms at all tested resolutions, making it a solid choice for gaming with smooth and quick response times. However, when Dolby Vision mode is enabled and the refresh rate is set to 60 Hz, the input lag increases significantly. This can negatively impact responsiveness, particularly in fast-paced games where accuracy and reaction time are key.

The LG QNED stands out with an extremely low input lag, which is crucial for smooth and responsive gaming. For a refresh rate of 120Hz, the input lag values do not exceed 6 ms, while at 60Hz, the input lag is a maximum of 15 ms. These are truly impressive results that ensure a player's reactions are almost instantaneously reflected on the screen.

The Sharp FQ8 doesn't perform optimally when paired with a PC, despite its low input lag. The key issue is the lack of full support for chroma 4:4:4 at 4K and 120 Hz resolution, which leads to blurry text and a loss of detail in computer graphics. Furthermore, the use of a BGR subpixel arrangement, rather than the standard RGB, reduces font readability, making text appear blurry.

The LG QNED television works perfectly with a computer, offering very good font readability. This makes working and browsing content exceptionally comfortable. The high refresh rate of 120Hz provides a smooth and vivid image. It combines a large workspace with performance, making it a genuine pleasure to use. However, for more demanding users, it may be disappointing that the TV has issues displaying fonts on a dark background. Instead of white letters, they take on a greenish hue.

The Sharp FQ8 has limited viewing angles, typical of a VA panel. When viewed from a wider angle, the TV's brightness diminishes significantly, and colours quickly lose their vibrancy. This results in a washed-out image with less defined details, which could be a concern if you intend to watch with a larger group or from multiple positions in the room.

When it comes to viewing angles, LG QNED87 performs really well. Thanks to its IPS panel, it offers wide viewing angles compared to VA panels. This means that the picture remains clear and does not lose quality even at an angle. While it may not achieve the perfect results of OLED TVs, which maintain colours and brightness regardless of the viewing angle, in terms of LCD QNED87 screens, it stands out positively. This makes it a great choice for larger rooms where viewers often watch at an angle.

The Sharp FQ8 performs well in daylight conditions, with the panel reaching a brightness of 440 nits. Combined with its satin screen coating, this ensures satisfactory visibility even in bright environments. Notably, the television handles the colour black without issues during the day, allowing darker scenes to remain readable and preserving depth despite the surrounding light.

During the day, the LG QNED television performs adequately. It has a satin finish that doesn’t suppress reflections the best, which can be noticeable in bright rooms. Nevertheless, with quite good brightness at 430 nits, the image remains visible and clear. Although reflections may be somewhat bothersome, the brightness of the television allows for comfortable use during the day.

The Sharp FQ8 is equipped with the modern Google TV system, providing access to a variety of apps including Netflix, YouTube, Prime Video, and Disney+. It also supports voice control, making it easier to navigate and access content quickly. The television allows for the connection of multiple devices, such as keyboards, mice, Bluetooth headphones, and other accessories.

However, the TV does have some limitations. The absence of a TV programme recording feature and picture-in-picture (PiP) support could be a downside for those who rely on these options. Additionally, Apple device users may find the lack of AirPlay compatibility frustrating, as it complicates streaming content from an iPhone or iPad to the television.

LG QNED87 TV offers a multitude of features that significantly enhance user comfort. Let's start with the WebOS system, which we believe has the most user-friendly interface among all TVs available on the market. One of its greatest advantages is the remote control with a built-in gyroscope, known as the Magic Remote. Thanks to this, navigation is intuitive and quick, making TV usage a pleasure. WebOS also supports a range of smart features that greatly simplify everyday use of the television. Among them is AirPlay, which allows easy content sharing from Apple devices such as iPhone or iPad. Additionally, the TV supports a wide range of streaming applications, such as Netflix, YouTube, Amazon Prime Video, and many others, providing access to favourite movies and series in one place. When it comes to everyday use, LG QNED87 does not disappoint. The TV offers a USB recording feature, which is becoming increasingly rare in modern models. This allows users to record their favourite programs and watch them at any time. Furthermore, the TV has a Picture-in-Picture (PIP) function, although only for one tuner, enabling the viewing of two programs simultaneously. Connecting additional devices via Bluetooth is simple and hassle-free. The TV supports various Bluetooth devices, such as mice, keyboards, and headphones, increasing its versatility and allowing easy personalisation of the user experience. With all these features, the LG QNED87 TV is a versatile and convenient device that meets the expectations of even the most demanding users.

Thanks to the Google TV system, the Sharp FQ8 offers excellent flexibility when playing files from USB. Users can install various apps for video and audio playback, such as VLC or MX Player, allowing the television to handle the most popular file formats. Whether it’s movies, music, or photos, the support for multiple formats ensures a comfortable and hassle-free multimedia experience from external drives.

The built-in media player in the LG QNED87 television should not disappoint anyone. It offers rich capabilities when it comes to playing video and audio files. It supports many popular formats, ensuring versatility and user convenience. The only drawback might be the limited number of supported photo formats. However, this mainly concerns those less popular formats, so most users should be satisfied with the player's functionality. For everyday use and typical multimedia formats, the player performs very well.

The sound performance of the Sharp FQ8 is, of course, subjective, but there are a few notable aspects. The television features a Harman/Kardon-branded soundbar aimed directly at the user. While it isn’t a full-fledged soundbar or home theatre system, this speaker arrangement significantly improves the audio experience, providing clearer and more direct sound, which is particularly beneficial for everyday television viewing. It’s also worth mentioning that the television can achieve very high volumes, which will be helpful for individuals with hearing difficulties. The only criticism we encountered was related to sound processing by Dolby, which resulted in noticeable sound distortions and artificial clipping.

When it comes to sound, it can be said that it's moderately pleasant. There's a lack of pronounced bass, and the mid tones seem a bit unclear. This isn't an ideal situation for audiophiles, but it's worth noting that the television plays DTS files without any issues. This is a feature that's missing in many other televisions, so the LG QNED87 deserves praise for this support.

Sharp FQ8 vs LG QNED87T6B

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

TV efficiency during daytime

Details about the matrix

TV features

Playing files from USB

Apps

Sound