Compare: TCL MQLED85 / C765 vs Blaupunkt UGC5500S

TCL MQLED85, or model C765, is a television that can truly surprise, especially in this price range. It is one of the cheapest models featuring mini-LED technology, which is immediately evident in the picture quality. The blacks are deep, and the brightness is sufficient even in a brightly lit room. Thanks to the large number of dimming zones, watching movies in the evening is a pleasure – the blacks are really deep, and the picture in dark scenes looks clear. However, it's not perfect – in some scenes, you may notice minor issues with small bright elements, but this is really a minor detail compared to what this model offers. Google TV performs excellently here – there are plenty of apps, and using the system is simply convenient. Voice control in Polish works flawlessly, which can be particularly useful if you don't want to type movie titles using the remote. Of course, there are minor shortcomings, such as the lack of recording capabilities, but these are not things that interfere with daily use. For gamers, it is also a fantastic option. Support for HDMI 2.1, VRR and low input lag means the television handles consoles well and competes effortlessly with more expensive models from Korean or Japanese manufacturers. At this price, it's hard to find something better when it comes to smooth and responsive gameplay. During testing, we encountered a few minor software issues, but it's hard to say whether that's a serious downside. We hope that TCL will release updates, so there’s a chance this issue will be resolved quickly. TCL MQLED85/C765 is an excellent choice if we are looking for a television with good picture quality and modern features at a reasonable price. It is a model that combines affordable mini-LED technology with a convenient Google TV system, and it’s also great for gaming. Minor software shortcomings are something you can live with, especially considering what this television offers in its class.

Blaupunkt UGC5500S is a textbook example of a very cheap television that has primarily two major advantages: the Google TV system and an extremely low price. It is these two elements that make it an attractive option for many people. During testing, we also found it has another great use, which is working with a computer. Thanks to exemplary font readability and good viewing angles of the IPS panel, Blaupunkt surprisingly performs well as a budget monitor. However, one must be aware that this device is typically budget-oriented, and that savings are reflected in the image quality. The panel is simply dark, making it difficult to perform well in tougher lighting conditions, not to mention creating any real HDR effect. Additionally, despite the good viewing angles, the black levels on this model leave much to be desired – in the evenings, it will tend to appear dark grey, which is a typical characteristic of the IPS technology used here. From a price perspective, this is a device that aims to compete in the market not on image quality, but rather on the amount on the receipt. Blaupunkt UGC5500S is perfectly suited as a secondary television in the home, equipment for the holiday house, or for a less important room, where the image just needs to be there, and we want to enjoy all the benefits and applications that Google TV offers.

TCL MQLED85/C765 stands out due to its use of a VA panel and Mini LED backlighting, which makes a huge difference compared to traditional backlighting systems. Mini LED, with its significantly smaller diodes, allows for more precise control of the screen's backlighting, resulting in much better contrast and deeper blacks. The model with a 55-inch diagonal that we are testing has an impressive number of over 700 local dimming zones, providing exceptional precision in image display. It's worth noting, however, that the number of backlighting zones may vary depending on the screen size – for larger diagonals, the number of zones naturally increases due to the larger screen area, allowing larger sizes to achieve better results in terms of contrast and black levels. Thanks to the enormous number of zones, the TCL MQLED85/C765 achieved results comparable to OLED screens on our first test pattern from the movie "Oblivion," offering nearly reference-level contrast. But what happens when we test this model in even more demanding conditions? How will the TV perform in tougher scenarios? Overall, the TCL MQLED85/C765 performs very well with black levels, but in some cases, the local dimming algorithm is not perfect. On dark backgrounds, smaller bright elements can lose clarity and brightness, as confirmed by our latest pattern from the Pioneer Kuro test disc. Despite some imperfections in the local dimming algorithm, and thus a slight occurrence of the HALO effect (which is a bright halo around bright objects on a dark background caused by deficiencies in the screen's local dimming), the results achieved by the TCL MQLED85/C765 are impressive, especially considering its price. This TV offers contrast and black depth that can compete with models that are even twice as expensive.

To put it bluntly: when it comes to black levels, it's just very poor. Our measurements on test patterns only confirmed what we could see with the naked eye – a result around 1000:1 is, these days, even in this price range, a disappointing outcome. In movie conditions, that "black" simply doesn't exist. To avoid being all talk, we fired up one of our favourite test scenes – the helicopter flight in "Sicario 2" (you can actually see it in the video we've linked below). Instead of inky, deep night, we got an image that is... navy blue. Everything on the screen that should be dark and mysterious actually glows a dark blue. This is the price we pay for using an IPS panel. On one hand, we get quite decent viewing angles, so if you're watching TV with the whole family from different angles, the picture doesn't lose much in saturation. On the other hand, if you're planning evening screenings with the lights off, this lack of contrast is going to sting your eyes from the very first minute.

The television TCL MQLED85/C765 performs well in handling HDR. In the tested movie scenes, where the screen is at 100% brightness, the model achieves impressive results around 1000 nits, providing intense and realistic rendering of HDR content. However, similar to contrast, the dimming algorithm may show some limitations. Despite a large number of Mini LED zones, the television does not always manage to "wow" the user with brightness in very challenging test scenes. For instance, in the scene from the film "Life of Pi," where a bright moon appears against a dark background, and in another scene from "Sicario 2," where a very bright light effect is visible against a dark background, the television did not reach maximum intensity. For users expecting a perfect HDR effect in such extreme cases, the TCL MQLED may come up a bit short. However, in terms of colours, the television stands out with a very high coverage of the DCI P3 colour gamut at 95%, which is an impressive result comparable to much more expensive models. TCL MQLED85 / C765 offers support for various HDR formats, including Dolby Vision and HDR10+, which is crucial for cinema image fans. Although this model achieves brightness over 1000 nits, the TCL MQLED85 may struggle to reflect details in very high-contrast scenes. For better HDR quality control, the C765 is equipped with dynamic tone mapping, making the image more realistic and natural depending on the content.

We won’t beat around the bush here – if you’re looking for a TV strictly for cinematic HDR experiences, then you’ve come to the wrong place. Unfortunately, the Blaupunkt UGC5500S is not a machine built for such challenges. This is primarily due to its very low brightness, which we measured during our tests. A result of around 250 nits on movie screens speaks for itself. It’s simply too little to even consider any real HDR effect. To be honest, everything displayed in this format can confidently be seen as a somewhat “enhanced” SDR mode. We expected this, as practically every device in this price range falls short in this area, but we feel it’s our duty to warn you. Manufacturers love to brag about HDR compatibility on the boxes, but in reality, this format simply doesn’t exist here – it lacks the “fuel” in the form of brightness.

The situation is further complicated for Blaupunkt, as we’re dealing with a panel that has very basic coverage of the DCI-P3 colour gamut, reaching only about 80%. You won’t find any advanced coatings to expand these capabilities (like quantum dots), which means scenes that are supposed to burst with richly saturated colours appear simply underwhelming on this screen. Therefore, we have a particular piece of advice for you: don’t force HDR mode on this model. If you have the option in the streaming app settings – just turn it off. By sticking to the classic SDR mode, you’ll be sure that the TV won’t try to “enhance” something that it can’t handle hardware-wise.

The television TCL MQLED85/C765 was tested in movie mode, which, while seeming to be the best setting from the manufacturer, is not without its flaws. The colour reproduction in HD/SDR mode MQLED85 shows certain shortcomings. In the analysis of white balance, there is a significant lack of blue colour, which can affect the overall image quality, particularly in bright scenes where blue shades are crucial for natural representation. The overall image may then appear too warm. As for gamma contrast, the graph shows that there is a large jump above the reference line of level 2.4 at the beginning, which may suggest significant dimming of brightness in darker areas, leading to loss of detail in blacks. Then for most of the time, the values are below this line, which can lead to loss of detail in the brighter parts of the image. Such a distribution may negatively impact the perceived image quality, especially when watching regular TV in HD quality.

In the case of the 4K HDR image quality of the TCL MQLED85/C765 television, there is a noticeable excess of red colour in the analysis of white balance. This excess can significantly impact the viewer's experience, leading to several notable effects. First and foremost, an excessive amount of red can make other colours, such as green or blue, appear muted or unnatural. This distortion of colour balance can result in an overall impression of "oversaturation," which detracts from the image's naturalness and authenticity. In terms of contrast, the EOTF (Electro-Optical Transfer Function) graph indicates that most values are above the reference line, suggesting an intense boost in brightness in the bright areas of the image. However, the exception is the start of the graph, where the EOTF line is below the reference, which may lead to excessive dimming of small light elements.

Users should be aware that despite using the best mode, which is movie mode, the television is not free from flaws in the context of image settings, so it is worth considering adjusting the settings to achieve better results.

We also took a close look at how Blaupunkt handles colours in movie mode, and here the matter is, to put it simply, twofold. We must once again clearly separate what we see in the standard SDR format from what happens when HDR is switched on, as they are two completely different worlds. Let's start with the better side of the coin. If you're planning to watch traditional TV, YouTube, or older films on this television, you can count on really well-tuned colours. In our test sample, the white balance in movie mode performed exceptionally well, which honestly surprised us. Of course, to avoid being too rosy, we noticed some drawbacks. Looking at the gamma charts, we observed that the processor struggles with properly dimming the image in its brightest areas. Additionally, there is quite a strong, at times overly aggressive, red saturation, which resulted in visible errors in reproducing certain shades. Despite this, overall, the image in SDR is simply solid and watchable without a grimace on your face. Unfortunately, the magic fades when we re-enter the world of HDR. Here, Blaupunkt behaves as if we suddenly switched it to store mode, and in its worst rendition. The excess blue in the white balance is so significant that it’s glaring, ruining any realism in the scene. Furthermore, the television interprets brightness very loosely, which, upon analysing the EOTF curve, clearly showed that for most of the time, colours simply appear washed out and lacking depth. This is also perfectly evident in the colour errors that become apparent in this mode. Once again, we are left with the same conclusion: Blaupunkt in SDR mode looks significantly better and more natural than in HDR, which seems to be forcefully added without proper refinement.

After professional calibration of the television TCL MQLED85/C765, its colour properties in film mode have significantly improved, resulting in much more satisfying visual experiences. Both in SDR and HDR modes, the white balance shows no serious errors, and the graph appears to be much better harmonised. Users can now enjoy natural colour reproduction, which is crucial for achieving an authentic experience while watching films. It is worth noting that in HDR content, there may be minor colour reproduction errors at the end of the graph, but these are significantly smaller than before calibration. As a result, characters and landscapes become more realistic, enhancing the depth of immersion in the story.

Regarding contrast, the gamma curve, responsible for HD quality, has been completely free of drops below the reference line, which means better visibility of details in dark scenes. However, there is still a slight boost at the beginning of the graph, which may affect the perception of bright elements. For HDR content, the EOTF curve also shows fewer errors, although some issues with reproducing mid-tones may still be noticeable. The EOTF curve measured on real film scenes still shows a significant brightness boost, so the image may appear more intense but artificially brightened. This is a typical problem for TCL brand televisions, which may appeal to untrained viewers but can frustrate those more familiar with an ideal image.

What benefits does professional calibration bring to film enthusiasts? Thanks to it, viewing becomes even more realistic and immersive, allowing every scene to be experienced fully, preserving details and natural colours.

It may sound like a joke – pulling out professional measuring equipment for a TV that costs around a thousand złoty / 250 dollars, but we wouldn’t be ourselves if we didn’t check it. The question is: does such cheap gear give us any leeway in terms of calibration? To your surprise, the answer is: yes, absolutely. In the Blaupunkt UGC5500S menu, we found surprisingly many options that allowed us to effectively work on the picture. These aren't just empty sliders; these are concrete tools that enabled us to make use of our measurement sensors and software. In SDR mode, the effects were visible to the naked eye. We successfully eliminated the problem we mentioned earlier – that excessive, almost artificial saturation of reds. We also fixed the issue with the incorrect dimming of the brightest parts of the image. After calibration, the picture in standard format became significantly more balanced and simply correct. When it comes to HDR, the situation was more complicated again. While we managed to “tame” that aggressive blue tint in the white balance, it was clear that we were fighting a bit of a losing battle. Even after changing the settings, the TV still tried to interfere with the picture in its own way, as if the electronics knew better than we did how the scene should look. To top it off, there's the hardware barrier that no slider can overcome – colours in HDR still remain undersaturated. This simply results from the quality of the panel itself; it physically cannot produce the most vivid colours. To summarise this point: if any of you ask whether it’s possible to calibrate a TV for “a grand”, we respond with complete conviction: it is possible.

The fluidity of tonal transitions in the TCL MQLED85/C765 television is decent, although noticeable issues arise in both bright and dark test scenes. Particularly evident are the colour joins in the scene from the film "The Green Knight", where the red colour of the water transitions to black. Despite these imperfections, the overall gradient quality is acceptable and does not overly detract from the visual experience. The television handles most scenes well, offering satisfactory tonal transitions, contributing to an overall satisfying visual experience that won't spoil our cinematic enjoyment.

Looking at our test photographs, it’s really hard to pick at anything. Most of the colours in the attached images blend together almost perfectly, creating smooth gradients without noticeable "jaggies". And indeed, in most scenes where we took these shots, it looked surprisingly good. However, the problem arises when we stop analysing still frames and start simply watching the films. In motion, the situation changes dramatically. During dynamic scenes on screen, artefacts begin to pop up, which are a direct result of simply having a poor image processor here. Unfortunately, a static photo can't capture that "tearing" of colours, but you have to take our word for it: what looks clean and smooth in the photo can really stand out and simply irritate during viewing. This is where our rather low rating in this category comes from.

We will now take another look at the tonal transitions on the TCL MQLED85/C765 TV, but in the context of lower image quality. Despite the presence of the "Gradual Smoothing" option, when set to "low", the effects are practically invisible, disappointing users who expect an improvement in image quality. On the other hand, the "high" setting yields minimal results, and worse still, it can blur important details, negatively impacting the sharpness and clarity of the displayed image. However, in the context of image scaling, the TV successfully displayed the image without overscan, meaning we do not lose any part of the view. The image looks quite decent, and details such as tree branches or the outlines of models do not show significant jaggedness, which positively affects the visual quality.

If you're hoping that the processor in this model will magically "fix" the poor quality signal from your cable TV or old movies from YouTube, we must disappoint you. The capabilities of this television end at absolutely basic upscaling, which is simply stretching the image to a higher resolution. It does this correctly in that the image is not blurry, but there is no mention of any intelligent sharpening or adding details. Worse still, Blaupunkt is completely devoid of any functions to reduce unwanted tonal transitions. If the material being viewed shows what is known as banding (ugly "steps" instead of a smooth transition of colours, e.g., in the sky), this television will display them in all their glory. Additionally, the television has a tendency to slightly crop the edges of the image. Instead of displaying 100% of what the source sends, Blaupunkt slightly zooms in on the frame, causing us to lose details that are at the very edges of the screen. In summary: in the category of digital "enhancement" of the image, Blaupunkt simply performs poorly. We receive a raw, unprocessed signal, with all its flaws.

TCL MQLED85/C765 is equipped with a standard refresh rate panel of 120 Hz, with the possibility of increasing it to 144 Hz when connected to a powerful computer. The television also offers a multi-level motion smoother, which is mainly aimed at users wanting to improve the fluidity of motion in films. It allows for adjusting the intensity of the effect on a scale from 0 to 10, enabling precise tailoring of the image smoothness to individual preferences. The response time of the panel is decent, but not perfect. We can observe motion blur occurring behind both dark and medium objects.

When it comes to motion fluidity, Blaupunkt has nothing to defend itself with. A 60 Hz panel at this price is standard, so none of us expected a perfectly sharp image in fast action scenes or during a match. However, the biggest drawback of this model is that you won’t find any digital motion smoothers in the menu. The manufacturer hasn’t given us any room for manoeuvre – nothing can be smoothed out or the image adjusted to our personal preferences. The picture is always "raw" and we receive it exactly as it is transmitted by the source. For fans of cinematic "jumping" images, this might be good, but the rest simply has to get used to the lack of any motion enhancement.

TCL MQLED85/C765 has achieved an impressive rating in the gaming features category, making it an excellent choice for gaming enthusiasts. The television supports all the latest technologies that significantly enhance the gaming experience. Among the key gaming features is ALLM (Auto Low Latency Mode), allowing the TV to automatically switch to low latency mode, minimising response time and ensuring smooth gameplay. VRR (Variable Refresh Rate) supported from 48 to 144 Hz eliminates stuttering and screen tearing in dynamic game scenes. Additionally, the TV supports the Dolby Vision Game Mode, which provides better image quality in games with exceptional depth of colour and contrast. TCL MQLED85/C765 also features a decent but not the best implementation of HGiG (HDR Gaming Interest Group), optimising the display of HDR games, however, in the case of TCL, it causes bright details to wash out, resulting in some elements merging into a white blob - more on this can be read in the colour reproduction section. It supports various resolutions such as 1080p@120Hz, 1440p@120Hz, and 4K@120Hz, allowing gamers to enjoy higher image quality and better fluidity. The Game Bar feature allows for easy switching between game settings and quick control of parameters, which significantly simplifies adjusting the TV to individual needs. With support for G-Sync and FreeSync technologies, users of NVIDIA and AMD graphics cards will be pleased with the refresh rate synchronisation capabilities, eliminating tearing and stuttering issues, ensuring smoother and more immersive gameplay.

MQLED85/C765 is a television that combines advanced technologies and excellent support for gamers, making it the ideal choice for those looking to maximise their gaming experiences.

When it comes to gaming on the Blaupunkt, we weren’t expecting miracles and indeed – the list of features isn’t very long. However, there are two interesting points worth mentioning, as they might be significant for some of you at this price. The first advantage is that the TV quite smoothly detects the connected console. Thanks to the ALLM (Auto Low Latency Mode) feature, the device knows when you start gaming and automatically switches to low latency mode. This is convenient because you don’t have to fiddle with settings every time to ensure input lag doesn’t spoil the fun. The second point is a real curiosity that surprised us. Despite it being a 60 Hz panel, the Blaupunkt can display a 120 Hz image at Full HD resolution. Sure, we lose 4K details, but for those playing more dynamic, online shooters where smoothness is more important than resolution, this is a really nice and unexpected addition in such an affordable device. Other than these two points, you won’t find anything more here. There are no advanced smoothness enhancement systems for gamers or extensive gaming menu bars. It’s a simple screen for occasional gaming.

Latency in the TCL MQLED85 television reaches impressively low levels under any conditions. Even the most demanding gamers will surely appreciate the minimal input lag of just 8 ms at 4K 120 Hz settings with HDR. Moreover, the latency remains at the same level even when Dolby Vision HDR is enabled, which is not the case with many competing models.

An important point for every gamer is, of course, input lag, which is how quickly the television responds to our movements on the controller. Here, Blaupunkt has something to boast about, although the results are quite specific. At 4K resolution, the lag is only 12 ms. That's an excellent result. With such a lag, gaming is simply phenomenal, and the response is almost instantaneous. However, it's a bit disappointing that the situation changes when switching to 1080p. Here, the input lag increases to around 30 ms. Just to be clear: that's still not a terrible result. For most people, it will be "more than acceptable," and during casual gaming, you probably won't even notice it. Nevertheless, it's a pity that such good parameters couldn't be maintained as we saw with full 4K. Nonetheless, in the overall assessment, as a budget screen for console gaming, Blaupunkt really performs admirably in this regard.

TCL MQLED85 works well as a computer monitor. Thanks to its support for chroma 4:4:4, the text on the screen is sharp and readable, which is essential for people working with text documents or spreadsheets. One of the biggest advantages of this model is its exceptionally low input lag in "PC" mode, which is just 8 ms. This is a reference-level result that ensures smoothness and responsiveness, crucial for both gamers and those involved in video editing. However, it's worth noting that there is a slight issue related to font display on dark backgrounds. Upon zooming in on the tested font picture, it can be seen that horizontal lines are darker compared to vertical ones. This means that the sub-pixels in the TV may not fully illuminate in such cases, which can affect the quality of displayed text. Nonetheless, the overall performance of TCL MQLED85 as a computer monitor is very good and will certainly meet the expectations of many users.

If you're planning to connect a computer to this television, it's absolutely crucial to find and enable the PC compatibility option in the menu. Once you do this, magic happens – the implementation of Chroma 4:4:4 and font readability jump to an exemplary level. The readability of text is simply excellent here. Of course, our editorial diligence wouldn't let us pass this equipment without taking a look "under the hood." In very specific tests with thin, dark text, we noticed that the horizontal and vertical matrix masks differ slightly in brightness levels. However, we want to reassure you: this phenomenon is so subtle that, during normal use, writing emails or browsing the web, you won't be able to notice it with the naked eye. We maintain our opinion that as a monitor strictly for dynamic gaming on PC, it isn't the ideal choice (as we mentioned in the context of the 60 Hz refresh rate), but if any of you are wondering whether you can comfortably work on such a Blaupunkt – we say: yes, it absolutely can be done.

The viewing angles on the TCL MQLED85 television are not its strong suit. The use of a VA panel causes the image to lose a significant amount of brightness when viewed at an angle. Changing the viewer's position, especially in a larger group setting, can make colours appear less saturated, and contrast may be less distinct. For this reason, it's recommended to sit directly in front of the screen to fully enjoy the picture quality. Although the television offers excellent colour reproduction from a direct view, the loss of brightness and detail at an angle can be problematic for those who plan to use the television in a larger room or from various locations.

Here it's really very good. Whether we were sitting straight on or on the edge of the couch, the colours didn't lose their saturation. This is a big plus if you're planning to watch matches or movies with a larger group – no one will complain that the picture looks worse for them. Although IPS panels are known for their good viewing angles, in this particular model, when viewed from a sharp angle, the picture noticeably loses brightness. Interestingly, the colour saturation still remains in place, but the screen simply becomes darker. It's not something that disqualifies this television, but it's worth knowing.

MQLED85 performs reasonably well in daylight conditions, and it's worth noting the satin finish of the panel. While it doesn't excel at reducing reflections, it offers decent performance in various lighting conditions. An average brightness level above 600 nits is an impressive result, allowing for comfortable viewing even in well-lit rooms. As a result, the television performs well both during the day and during evening movie screenings, providing satisfactory picture quality.

In terms of daytime performance, Blaupunkt is simply average. It all comes down to the low brightness of the panel, which – as we mentioned, hovers around 250 nits. That’s definitely too low for the screen to comfortably "cut through" the strong light coming into the living room. As a result, in bright sunlight, the image loses its clarity and appears somewhat washed out. However, there is one bright spot in this category: the satin coating of the panel. Thanks to this, we don't have to deal with the mirror effect, which often means instead of watching a movie, we're seeing our own couch reflected. The satin nicely diffuses reflections, which somewhat saves the situation. Nevertheless, we can’t cheat physics: while the coating bravely fights against reflections, the low brightness ultimately capitulates in the face of the sun's rays. If you plan to watch something in the middle of the day in a very bright room, prepare yourself for the necessity of drawing the curtains.

TCL MQLED85 TV offers many features that enhance user comfort, with the central point of its functionality being the Google TV system. This modern interface allows for easy content browsing, as well as access to apps available in the Google Play store. Users can take advantage of voice search in Polish, which greatly simplifies navigation and allows for quick finding of interesting shows, movies, or apps. It's also worth noting that Google TV is currently the only system on the market that does not restrict Polish users' access to apps, offering the greatest availability among all available platforms. However, in the context of traditional TV watching, this television has its limitations. It does not offer a recording function, which may be a significant downside for those who would like to save their favorite programs. Additionally, the lack of Picture-in-Picture (PIP) option limits the ability to simultaneously track multiple video sources. On the other hand, the TV features a "MultiVision" function, which allows for screen splitting between the TV and a mobile device. This way, users can use apps on their phone while still watching a TV program. This solution will certainly appeal to those who enjoy multitasking and want to watch TV while also engaging with social media or browsing the internet on their smartphone. Despite some limitations, the TCL MQLED85 TV presents itself as a solid option for users who value modernity and functionality.

In terms of Smart TV functionality, the Blaupunkt UGC5500S is a classic example of a device where the system is both its biggest asset and its greatest flaw. On one hand, we have full Google TV, which is a huge plus at this price point. We gain access to a massive library of apps and basically all the functionality we know from brands using this software. Nothing has been cut out forcefully, which is really refreshing in such an inexpensive TV. Unfortunately, it must be honestly admitted that in the case of Blaupunkt, this system operates quite clumsily. This is a typical issue with low-budget TVs running Google TV – the processor barely keeps up with the software. Navigating through the menu isn’t as smooth as we would like, and the remote can react with noticeable delays, giving the impression of being "dull." Of course, once you launch a specific app and start a movie, everything works steadily, but just browsing through the interface requires a bit of patience.

When it comes to classic TV features, Blaupunkt offers nothing extraordinary. It’s a simple device for basic tasks. The remote is a plus, featuring a traditional numeric keypad, which is just convenient for hopping through cable channels. We also have Bluetooth, so you can easily connect wireless headphones or a speaker. The TV also has a physical mini-jack headphone output. At a time when manufacturers are mass-eliminating this connection, the presence of a "jack" is a nod to those with older audio equipment or simply those who prefer classic wired headphones. It’s a small thing, but it’s appreciated.

Thanks to the built-in player, the television is able to play most file formats found on external storage, making it a versatile tool for consuming multimedia. However, there may be some limitations in supporting certain formats, which can be bothersome for more demanding users. Fortunately, the Google TV system allows for the installation of other media players from Google Play, which helps eliminate compatibility issues. This gives users the ability to choose applications that best meet their needs, significantly increasing the functionality of the television.

In terms of playing files from USB, Blaupunkt performs quite solidly. We tested several of the most popular formats and basically everything that matters worked without any fuss on the factory player. So you're not forced to immediately download additional software right after pulling the TV out of the box, because the equipment is simply self-sufficient ‘out of the box’. Nevertheless, taking advantage of the charms of Google TV, we still recommend installing some external software, like VLC or Kodi. The factory player is adequate, but it's in those external applications where you'll find the most configuration options, better subtitle support, or just a more convenient interface. Since the system gives you that freedom, it's worth taking advantage of it to get as much as you can out of your multimedia.

The sound of the television TCL MQLED85 can be described as decent, making it sufficient for everyday watching of movies, TV shows, and gaming. The speakers branded with Onkyo offer surprisingly good audio quality, and the sound does not crackle or distort even at higher volume levels.

In terms of audio, Blaupunkt performs really well, especially considering it's a typical budget television. You can see, or rather hear, that the brand hasn't forgotten its roots and for such an inexpensive build, the sound is actually superb. Of course, there's a noticeable lack of bass, but overall it's loud, and surprisingly clear. What matters most to us – even at higher volumes, the sound isn't heavily distorted, which is rare and a pleasant surprise at this price point.

TCL MQLED85 / C765 vs Blaupunkt UGC5500S

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

Daytime performance

Panel details

TV features

Classic features:

Smart features:

Apps

Playing files from USB

Sound

Sound Quality Test

Acoustic Measurements