Sharp GP6765 vs Samsung Neo QLED QN95D

In movie mode, the television Sharp GP6765 reaches a brightness level of 300 nits; unfortunately, this is quite an average result. Such brightness is closer to the standard SDR image than what full HDR experience should offer. As a result, the television is unable to convey the full depth and dynamism of the picture that one might expect from a good HDR mode. Visual effects that in other models are vivid and detailed may appear muted here, and high-contrast scenes won’t look as impressive. However, it's worth noting that when comparing this result with televisions in this budget, it is a decent score. A positive feature is the fact that the television supports a wide colour gamut of DCI-P3 at 92.5% thanks to the implementation of quantum dots (Quantum Dot/QLED). This is quite a respectable result, especially in this price range. As a result, colours are vibrant and more saturated, which certainly impacts the image quality, although it doesn't fully save the HDR experience due to the limited brightness.

Samsung QN95D handles HDR exceptionally well, achieving peak brightness around 2000 nits. In tested movie scenes where the screen is fully illuminated, the TV delivers intense and realistic HDR content reproduction, significantly enhancing the quality of visual experiences. However, similar to the contrast, the dimming algorithm can sometimes exhibit limitations. Despite a significant number of Mini LED zones, the TV won’t amaze users with incredible lighting. For example, in scenes from "Life of Pi," where a bright moon appears against a dark background, and in segments of "Sicario 2," featuring intense lighting effects on a dark backdrop, the TV shows very poor performance. During such moments, the TV attempts to reduce the halo effect by dimming the image to a level reminiscent of SDR quality. This results in deep and uniform blacks, but at the cost of losing some details in bright areas. It’s a compromise aimed at maintaining the best possible black quality, although it does make the image lose some of its dynamism. Despite some flaws in the local dimming algorithm's performance, this TV deserves praise for its wide coverage of the DCI-P3 colour gamut. This is made possible by the use of a quantum dot coating, also known as QLED technology, which allows for vibrant and rich colours.

Sharp GP6765 was launched in movie mode, which is the best setting for colour reproduction. Unfortunately, even so, the quality is still far from ideal. Starting with the white balance, in SDR mode the graph shows significant increases in the red colour. This effect can make the image appear slightly yellowish, leading to distortion of natural skin tones. As a result, viewers may notice that some scenes seem unnatural, and colours lose their authenticity. In HDR mode, the situation changes dramatically – the dominant colour becomes blue. Such a strong shift towards blue also negatively impacts the colour balance of the image, which can lead to a loss of detail in cool tones. Viewers may feel that the image is somewhat cold and out of balance, which is further highlighted by the fact that the television does not achieve optimal colour reproduction. Tests conducted using the Colour Checker tool confirm these shifts in several tested samples.

When it comes to contrast, in HD mode the range shows a significant jump at the beginning of the graph, but then remains close to the reference line at 2.4. This means that in most scenes, the television is able to deliver a satisfactory level of contrast. For the viewer, this means better perception of details in shadows and greater depth of the image, which affects their overall viewing experience of movies and TV shows. In HDR mode, however, the EOTF curve shows large fluctuations both at the beginning and at the end of the graph. Such fluctuations can lead to inconsistencies in detail reproduction in bright and dark areas of the image. For the viewer, this means that in scenes with intense light, such as explosions or dynamic actions, essential details may disappear and the image may appear blurry. Conversely, in darker parts of the image, the lack of clear differences in shades can cause details to blend into a uniform patch, which significantly reduces the viewing quality. Although movie mode offers the best factory settings in the GP6765, both in the context of colour reproduction and contrast, significant problems do exist.

In the category of factory colour reproduction, the Samsung QN95D television has been tested in Filmmaker mode, which offers the best settings from the manufacturer. However, it is not entirely free of flaws. For HD content, there is a significant colour discrepancy, particularly in the white balance, where the red colour clearly dominates the graph. The situation improves with 4K HDR content, but there are still significant drops in blue colour reproduction. These effects can be observed in a scene from the film "Star Wars," where the main character is rendered in overly warm tones.

In terms of contrast, the gamma graph shows a large initial spike, indicating that the television effectively highlights the brighter parts of the image. However, at the end of the graph, we notice a significant drop, which may mean that details may be lost in darker tones. This shape of the gamma curve can affect how users perceive dark scenes, where some details may become too blurred or too dark, causing the image to lose clarity. It's also worth noting the curve corresponding to brightness (EOTF), which is quite correct, except for the initial drop.

Although the Samsung QN95D boasts impressive specifications and advanced technologies to earn the title of one of the best televisions on the market, it requires some improvements in colour reproduction and contrast to fully realise its potential.

After calibration, in movie mode, the white balance on the Sharp GP6765 TV for SDR content improves significantly. All the lines on the graph come closer to the reference line. Although they are not perfectly straight, the achieved results are satisfying, considering the price range of this model. Such an improvement in white balance translates into a more natural and accurate colour reproduction, positively affecting the overall visual experience and immersion in the films being watched. Regarding the colour gamut, the initial jump on the graph was not removed, however after this error, the rest of the lines represent the expected effect much better, making the image more coherent and pleasant to view.

In the case of HDR content, the white balance performs slightly worse compared to SDR content, but it is still significantly better than before calibration. The improvement in white balance in HDR contributes to greater colour consistency, making watching films more enjoyable, despite some shortcomings that may occur. Speaking of contrast, it is difficult to claim significant improvement. Our specialists noted that the lack of control over dynamic tone mapping settings prevented achieving significant improvement in EOTF, leading to uneven brightness reproduction.

Despite some shortcomings related to the lack of settings options for dynamic tone mapping, the Sharp GP6765 TV has gained a new face after proper calibration. The improved white balance and better colour reproduction in SDR mode have made the image more natural and pleasant to the eye. Although there are still areas that require improvement, especially in HDR content, the TV offers satisfying visual experiences, making it an interesting choice in its price range.

After calibration, the picture on the Samsung QN95D television achieves truly impressive results. The white balance is perfectly balanced, and error readings rarely exceed a value of 2, which means that colours are displayed very accurately. Most samples from the Color Checker test fall within an acceptable error range, confirming that the television reproduces colours excellently. The contrast has also improved significantly, and the gamma curve is more stable, leading to better visibility of details in dark and bright scenes. However, it is worth noting the EOTF (Electro-Optical Transfer Function) curve, which shows some discrepancies in film tests. Although the television performs well in most scenes, in more extreme cases, details in black can still be lost - this is due to an aggressive dimming algorithm.

Nevertheless, these minor imperfections do not diminish the overall picture quality. After calibration, the Samsung QN95D delights with its visual quality, offering an exceptional experience that will certainly please anyone looking for a top-of-the-line television.

On the Sharp GP6765 television, the “10-bit colour reproduction” feature performs well in the tested scene with light bulbs. Setting this option to “medium” yields satisfactory results, as there are no issues with grain smoothing or blurring of key image elements. The “low” setting also delivers positive results, providing a clear image without adversely affecting details. Such smoothing options for tonal transitions contribute to enhanced visual quality, allowing for more natural colour transitions.

In terms of image scaling, the Sharp GP6765 television has its strengths, such as the absence of overscan when displaying test material. This allows viewers to enjoy a full image without losing any details from the edges. However, in the tested scene with the model, some shortcomings arise. The branches or trousers do not look their best. Their outlines appear slightly jagged, suggesting that effective edge smoothing techniques were not applied. This can make some details look somewhat distorted, which may affect the overall visual experience.

The Samsung QN95D television handles tonal transitions well, even in lower-quality materials, thanks to the noise reduction feature, which acts like a gentle gradient. This feature is incredibly effective, smoothly rendering the image and eliminating unwanted noise while significantly improving the quality of the displayed content. However, as is often the case, excessive effectiveness can lead to unintended side effects. In some materials, this feature can also blur elements that should remain sharp, such as film grain.

Despite this, the television performs well in terms of image scaling, eliminating larger jaggedness in the picture. In a scene where branches are visible, they are not overly artificially sharpened, which allows for a natural appearance, and the model does not have an artificial outline. Overall, this means that even in more challenging conditions, the film material presents itself satisfactorily on the Samsung QN95D. The only downside when watching HD/SD content (like regular terrestrial television) is that we have a slightly cropped image - this is caused by the so-called overscan, which cannot be turned off.

When it comes to blur and motion fluidity, the Sharp GP6765 television performs quite averagely. It is equipped with a 60 Hz panel, which works well for films. The TV features a motion smoothing function called "Motion Enhancement". With this feature, we can control the fluidity of the motion, allowing us to choose whether the image should appear in a cinematic frame or be more fluid - theatrical. This smoothening function should satisfy most users who focus on film content. However, in the case of sports or games, the Sharp does not perform at its best. In the tested scene with the UFO alien, there is noticeable blurriness, suggesting that the low response time of the panel negatively affects the sharpness of moving objects. Such effects can be particularly frustrating during dynamic sequences where fast movements are common. For those who prefer watching sports or intense video games, the limitations in motion fluidity may be discouraging, making the Sharp GP6765 not necessarily the ideal choice in this category.

The panel in Samsung QN95 performs very well in terms of motion blur and fluidity. With a refresh rate of 120 Hz and features that reduce blur and jitter, users can adjust the picture settings to their personal preferences, whether for watching films or dynamic sports broadcasts. Users have the ability to customise the motion smoothness on a 10-point scale – from a more frame-like appearance, reminiscent of traditional film, to a smooth, almost theatrical effect that works especially well in sports broadcasts.

The functionality of Sharp's GP6765 for gamers leaves a lot to be desired. Although this model is equipped with HDMI 2.1 ports, which theoretically should offer a range of modern conveniences, in practice the situation is much worse. The only feature that truly utilises the capabilities of this standard is Auto Low Latency Mode (ALLM). Unfortunately, the lack of support for key features such as Variable Refresh Rate (VRR) or HDR Gaming Interest Group (HGIG) makes this TV a less appealing choice for gamers. VRR is essential for eliminating issues with tearing and stuttering, which is particularly important in dynamic games where smoothness of image is crucial. Meanwhile, HGIG allows for optimal HDR reproduction, increasing immersion and visual quality. Although it might seem that the implementation of Dolby Vision will bring significant benefits, for gamers it is completely useless due to the very high input lag in this mode.

One could say that the presence of HDMI 2.1 ports in Sharp GP6765 is a marketing trap that can mislead users into thinking that the HDMI standard automatically entails all its conveniences. Expecting full functionality that should accompany HDMI 2.1 may lead to disappointment.

Samsung QN95D offers a fair bit of features that gamers will appreciate. First and foremost, the television supports Variable Refresh Rate (VRR), which allows for smoother gameplay by eliminating screen tearing issues, especially during dynamic scenes. There's also the Auto Low Latency Mode (ALLM), which automatically switches the TV to low latency mode when it detects a connected console or computer, providing more responsive control.

Additionally, the QN95D Samsung has a gaming mode that reduces input lag to a very low level, which is crucial in games where reflexes play an important role. With a high refresh rate of 120 Hz, the image is exceptionally smooth, significantly impacting the experience of dynamic action games and sports productions. The television also supports G-Sync and FreeSync technologies, which further enhance gameplay smoothness and improve user comfort. An interesting addition is the 'Game Bar' – a special menu that provides quick access to all game-related settings, allowing easy adjustment of the image and parameters to the user's preferences without the need to pause the gameplay.

Although the Samsung QN95D does not support Dolby Vision – which is quite obvious for Samsung TVs – it does offer the HGiG feature, which ensures appropriate image quality in HDR games, in line with the creators' vision.