Sharp GP6765 vs Sony BRAVIA 5 (XR5)

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.

Looking at similar results in terms of black levels and contrast, we expected the same stable performance as last year's model when it comes to HDR content. Unfortunately – and this must be said plainly – there has been a regression here that is hard to miss. The paradox is that the peak brightness of the Bravia 5 can be impressive: in our synthetic tests, the TV reached around 1000 nits in HDR. Sounds great, right? The problem is that this power doesn't always have a real impact on all movie scenes. When small, pinpoint elements appear on the screen, something that in Sony's case was usually fine-tuned with surgical precision, this time it clearly falters. The algorithms try to maintain deep blacks around small objects, but the side effect is that details can be dimmed to the point of becoming barely visible. One only needs to bring up the example of the movie Sicario 2 – there, in some scenes, small light sources practically vanished as if someone had covered them with dark film.

Of course, not everything looks so dramatic. In simpler, brighter scenes, where the image is filled with more light, the Bravia 5 shows that it can shine: literally and figuratively. At those times, the TV achieves values in the range of 600–800 nits, which we saw both in synthetic tests and during movie screenings. The impression is really positive; the brightness adds dynamism, and the colours look vibrant and fresh. However, there remains a certain dissonance. We feel a slight confusion because it is evident that something has gone in the wrong direction. Technological progress – more zones, more backlight power – has not been supported by the kind of refined image management that we usually associate with Sony. Fortunately, there are elements that have not been compromised and are actually at a very high level. We are talking about colour reproduction. Thanks to the use of the PFS filter, the colour palette coverage is excellent – about 97% DCI-P3 and 75% BT.2020. These values allow for a truly wide colour reproduction, giving films a natural and cinematic character.

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.

Sony Bravia 5 was obviously tested in the best possible mode, which is the Movie mode. Right out of the box, it delivers the most natural colours, definitely better than anything offered by the "eco" or "dynamic" modes, which are more suited for a store display than a living room. However, the Movie mode alone does not guarantee that we can always expect cinematic picture quality. In SDR content, we had no significant complaints – the slightly warmed white balance gave the scenes a golden hue, but it was nothing that was glaring. However, a problem arose with HDR materials. Here, the colour reproduction simply looked bad. The white balance was heavily skewed – with an excess of blue and a clear lack of red. At times, it resembled the store mode of "super vivid picture," where everything is blown out and artificially boosted.

This situation made brightness management seem too aggressive as well. The EOTF graph clearly showed that the television has trouble with overexposing many scenes right out of the box. And while we know what Sony televisions are usually capable of, it was hard to remain indifferent here – that’s why we quickly decided to go for calibration.

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 situation changed dramatically. We managed to tune the white balance so that entire scenes began to look more natural, and the image gained coherence and elegance. In HDR, we finally got rid of that unwanted clipping effect that had previously spoiled some shots. Suddenly, it turned out that the Bravia 5 can extract much more from films than the first contact "straight out of the box" suggested. Indeed, if we look at the graphs and compare them with the standards, we can see that the beginning of the EOTF curve slightly strays beyond the reference line. However, this is not so much a calibration error as it is a natural limitation of the Mini-LED technology that cannot be bypassed. Sony, rather than clinging tightly to perfect black, prefers to prioritise the visibility of details – and in practice, it’s hard to disagree with that. We prefer to see the texture of the material on the screen rather than a pitch-black spot where all nuances disappear.

The calibration itself was really beneficial. After about an hour spent on settings, we felt that the image resembled that of the best cinema halls – of course on a home scale, but with the same sense of quality and refinement. And in such moments, we remember why we love Sony televisions: because once we fine-tune them, they reward us with a picture that captivates for long hours.

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.

Bravia 5 carries the genes of Sony, which remain intact – and thank goodness for that, because we're talking about absolutely exceptional digital image processing. It's no coincidence that for years, it's been considered that TVs from this brand set the standard for how a screen should handle lower quality materials. If someone still watches classic television, old films, or YouTube in lower resolutions, here they get equipment that can turn such content into a surprisingly enjoyable experience. On board, we find several tools worth activating. The first of these is "digital noise reduction." Set to a medium level, it works superbly – smoothing out tonal transitions that usually cause the most trouble in low-quality materials while introducing no artificial artifacts. Importantly, it also doesn't remove the cinematic character, which is the natural grain that is intentionally present in many productions. Another advantage of the Bravia 5 is the upscaling capabilities of the XR processor. The image presented after scaling is soft, yet sharp and clear. The outlines of characters are well-defined, and backgrounds maintain their texture without excessive artificial sharpening. It's hard to find a better TV for watching lower quality materials – Bravia 5 only confirms why Sony is considered the benchmark in this area.

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.

Bravia 5 has a 120 Hz panel, which in itself sounds like an invitation to watch sports, fast matches or spectacular action films. However, the real magic begins when MotionFlow – Sony's proprietary motion smoother – comes into play. Thanks to this feature, we can adjust the character of the picture to our own preferences. The "smoothness" slider allows us to transition from a cinematic feel with a slight "judder" to a theatrical fluidity, where every ball in the match glides across the screen as if on a string. The higher the value, the smoother and more fluid it is; the lower it is, the more film-like and natural it becomes. In the options, we also find an additional setting that Sony calls "clarity". This is nothing more than the BFI function (which inserts black frames) aimed at improving motion sharpness. It sounds great in theory, but in practice, it must be used with caution. Why? Because all higher settings cause brightness drops of up to half, and in some cases, contour doubling also appears. So if we want to use it, we recommend setting it to the lowest level – "1" out of the available ten. That way, we gain a bit better motion sharpness without risking losing half the brightness of the picture.

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.

In the Bravia 5, there is a significant improvement compared to the X90L model from two years ago. The television offers literally everything its predecessor had, but this time the issues that could frustrate gamers have been addressed. Problems with setting the variable refresh rate (VRR) have disappeared, and there are no longer issues with configuring HDR content in HGiG mode. In short: we get a device that simply works as it should, without any hassles. So, the Bravia 5 has everything you can expect from a modern gaming TV – and it can be confidently advertised with the slogan "ready for PS5." That's something we couldn't say about the X90L model. Well done, Sony!

It's just a shame that this relatively high-priced model lacks a full set of four HDMI 2.1 ports. In everyday use, this won’t be an issue for most people, but if someone has a console, soundbar, and additional equipment connected via HDMI, at some point they'll have to choose or juggle cables.