Sharp GP6765 vs Sony X90L

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.

HDR on the Sony X90L television looks promising. The luminance chart indicated that the TV has a solid power reserve, achieving a maximum of 1000 nits in synthetic tests. But how does this perform in real-world scenarios? In scenes such as the opening of Life of Pi or the final sequence from The Meg, the TV is capable of delivering that power on HDR content, reaching around 800 nits. Unfortunately, displaying small light elements on a black background, like in the scene from Sicario 2, presents greater challenges for the X90L – here the results reach around 600 nits. Nevertheless, when looking at competitive models with mini-LED technology, the effect looks very good and can shine enough to impress us. The colour gamut coverage is also noteworthy, with a result of 96% for DCI-P3 and 76% for BT.2020, which indicates good colour reproduction in HDR content.

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.

The best mode on Sony televisions is the IMAX Enhanced mode. Although IMAX is mainly associated with the cinema experience, the colour reproduction out of the box is average here. In the case of lower quality materials, such as HD – regular television or YouTube – it's worth paying attention to the white balance. It suffers from a shortfall in red and excessive dominance of blue, which gives the image a pinkish hue. The brightness characteristic, or gamma, for HD content is quite acceptable, but a slight boost can cause the image to appear washed out and look as if it’s behind a light fog.

For 4K HDR content, the situation is somewhat different. The white balance shows a significant boost in blue, which makes the image unnaturally sharp and gives it an artificial feel. Such an exaggeration in colour reproduction may not appeal to everyone, especially if one prefers more realistic tones. Additionally, the EOTF curve in Sony X90L looks quite acceptable at first glance. However, at the end of the graph, there are certain fluctuations that suggest the television is trying to maintain the correct brightness to avoid overexposing larger elements.

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.

Sony offers many tools for improving picture quality, including two extra picture modes that we decided to use during testing and apply calibration to. This solution greatly simplifies the calibration process and is very effective, provided you have the right tools. In the case of HD content, white balance was almost perfectly aligned – only one shade of grey exceeds an error value of "1", which is a great result. The same can be said for the brightness characteristic (gamma), which presents almost perfectly, with microscopic deviations of around 0.01.

For 4K HDR content, the situation is not as ideal. Although white balance has been significantly improved, it was not possible to completely eliminate the dominance of blue. Nevertheless, errors in the Colour Checker test only occasionally exceed the value of "2", which means that picture distortions are practically unnoticeable. When it comes to the EOTF curve, it's worth activating the filter in the top right corner "EOTF in Films" – the graph looks correct, but the TV struggles with illuminating very small elements, which is due to the limited number of backlight zones. Despite these minor errors, it's thanks to the calibration that the IMAX Enhanced mode in the Sony X90L makes watching movies feel like a true cinema experience.

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 Sony X90L television features a smooth tonal transition function known as Gentle Gradation, which is incredibly effective. Even at the "low" setting, the effects are satisfactory, but at the "medium" setting, it works like a dream – we recommend using this option for the best results. The image scaling on the Sony X90L is simply excellent. The image is not overly sharpened, which gives a natural effect and makes everything look cohesive. It's clear that the engineers have really put effort into this aspect, creating a solution that impresses and performs well in everyday use. This means that even when watching content like regular television or YouTube, where the image is by nature not stunning, you can enjoy a smooth, coherent, and visually pleasing experience.

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.

Sony X90L with a 120 Hz display is an excellent choice for both gamers and film enthusiasts. The television is equipped with the Motion Flow smoothing feature, which allows for adjusting motion smoothness using two sliders: "smoothness" and "clarity". The "smoothness" slider controls the level of motion fluidity, which affects the reduction of image stuttering, while "clarity" is used to reduce blurriness and enhance motion sharpness, which is especially useful in dynamic scenes.

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.

Sony X90L is a TV that performs well in terms of compatibility with consoles and features for gamers. Its 120 Hz panel and two HDMI 2.1 ports with a bandwidth of 48 Gb/s allow for smooth playback of high-resolution games at high frame rates. Gamers can also take advantage of the ALLM feature, which automatically switches the TV to low latency mode, and VRR, which ensures smooth gameplay without frame tearing. The Game Bar is an added bonus – an intuitive tool that provides quick access to essential settings and gaming features, making it easier to control the gameplay.

Unfortunately, when it comes to HDR in games, the Sony X90L has its limitations. It lacks support for HGiG, a standard that many gamers consider crucial for accurate HDR representation in games. While the TV supports Dolby Vision, which theoretically could enhance image quality in games, the practical implementation of this feature is problematic. Dolby Vision in game mode comes with very high input lag, making gameplay less comfortable and precise movements more difficult. Additionally, Dolby Vision cannot be enabled alongside VRR. This means that despite numerous advantages, gamers seeking the perfect HDR in games may feel unsatisfied.