Samsung QLED Q70D / Q74D / Q77D vs Hisense U7NQ

The brightness of the Samsung Q70D is fairly average, yet it delivers a noticeable HDR effect. With brightness exceeding 400 nits, the distinction between SDR and HDR materials becomes evident. As observed in the discussion about contrast and black levels, the TV's performance varies across different scenes. In a scene featuring a bright sun against a darker foreground, the measured luminance is lower. However, in a scene with a large, bright light source dominating the frame, the TV achieves its peak brightness, reaching nearly 500 nits—a commendable result for its price range and display class.

Despite these strengths, the relatively low coverage of the wide DCI-P3 color gamut occasionally results in less vivid color reproduction. Even so, the TV offers rich colors and precise shade reproduction, enhancing the movie-watching experience. Furthermore, the Q70D excels in motion blur elimination during dynamic scenes, making it a solid choice for enjoying sports broadcasts and gaming.

The Hisense U7NQ 65 television demonstrated significant capabilities on the luminance chart, exceeding the 1000-nit barrier and achieving very high brightness results without issue in the first, third, and fifth test scenes. However, as before, in the second and fourth test scenes, for example from the film Sicario 2, there are significant problems with maintaining brightness, and the results around 200 nits are very disappointing. Despite a large number of dimming zones, the algorithm in the television responsible for controlling these zones is unable to react appropriately — in this case, it significantly dims small elements like the moon or the light from a helicopter. The bright light that should blind us is too dim to be called an HDR effect. Nevertheless, it is worth praising the television for its high coverage of the DCI-P3 colour gamut at 96%, which allows it to accurately reproduce most film scenes.

The best factory mode on the Samsung Q70D is "Filmmaker," and it is the one we used when conducting various tests. Before the calibration process, it had several flaws that effectively prevented the conveyance of the director's intentions. In both SDR and HDR materials, the white balance was dominated by red and green colors. As a result, there was a characteristic yellow tint on the image, causing whites to appear yellowed and creating issues with skin tones, which were noticeably too warm. The reduced gamma in the standard color gamut materials caused a significant drop in the already low contrast. This resulted in an emphasis on details in the blacks but also in blown-out images in brighter scenes. The EOTF curve, in this case, turned out to be much better and only lightened those scenes with relatively low luminance. This was clearly visible in the section where we measured the maximum brightness of the television in HDR materials. At that time, the frame from the movie "Billy Lynn" was unnaturally bright and lacking depth.

The Chinese manufacturer offers various picture settings with its televisions, but the best mode in this model is undoubtedly the Filmmaker Mode. Despite its name, this mode has its issues: the white balance, although roughly correct, is characterized by a strong dominance of warm tones due to the kick of red colour, both in 4K and HD materials. The Colour Checker test confirms these errors — deviations in samples are visible in inappropriate shades. As for the brightness characteristics, the gamma responsible for HD materials shows values below 2.4, leading to some brightening of the screen. Meanwhile, the EOTF curve shows the television's problems with displaying small light elements, as confirmed by the previously described paragraphs.

Fortunately, Samsung provides a wide range of calibration tools in all its televisions, where we can find 2-point and 20-point grayscale adjustments as well as advanced CMS. Thanks to this, we were able to significantly improve the quality of SDR and HDR materials. The vast majority of errors have been corrected, and the image that the Samsung Q70D now generates is definitely closer to the reference. Higher deltaE errors in the high dynamic range materials are primarily due to the display's insufficient luminance.

Hisense televisions offer many tools for image correction, allowing users to adjust settings to their preferences. Therefore, we decided to utilize these capabilities to bring the image quality closer to reference standards. In the case of white balance, we managed to eliminate the dominance of red, resulting in more neutral colours, which allowed for a more realistic image in both 4K and HD materials. A similar improvement was noticed in the brightness characteristics. Gamma, which previously led to excessive screen brightness, was corrected, contributing to better detail representation in the darker areas of the image while maintaining a natural tonal balance.

However, the biggest challenge was the calibration of the EOTF curve, which is responsible for brightness in 4K materials. At first glance, the EOTF value appeared almost perfect, but detailed tests showed a slightly different outcome. Upon closer inspection—especially using the filter on the right side of the EOTF chart—we noticed how the television manipulated 4K film materials, often significantly boosting brightness. This effect was particularly noticeable in scenes from films such as Pan and Billy Lynn, where the television attempted to artificially increase the brightness of elements, affecting their naturalness. Despite these imperfections, the calibration yielded positive results, especially in terms of tonal improvement. For most users, the final effect should be satisfactory, especially if they aim to bring image quality closer to professional reference standards.

The function responsible for improving gradation is named "Noise Reduction" in the menu. As we have confirmed, it is worth activating as it has a positive effect on tonal transitions. More importantly, it does not negatively affect film grain or fine details, which sometimes the competition "offers" us.

Image scaling in Samsung Q70D should be rated as average. The manufacturer aims not to artificially sharpen the image but to leave it naturally softened.

When it comes to smoothing tonal transitions, despite the presence of the "Smooth and Gradient Image" feature in the test sequence, we did not notice that the feature added anything — we recommend turning it off. As for upscaling, the television handled our model well, and the branches in the background are not excessively jagged — the image seems quite plastic. However, it was slightly cropped by the so-called overscan.

The Samsung Q70D is the first model in the manufacturer's range to feature a 120Hz panel, resulting in more advanced motion smoothing capabilities compared to lower-category models. Within the menu, three functions are dedicated to improving motion fluidity: "Motion Blur Reduction," "Judder Reduction," and "Clear Motion (LED)." The third option will be discussed separately. The first function enhances sharpness during motion, while the second adjusts the degree of smoothing. The smoothness feature on the Samsung Q70D performs well, with each setting delivering a noticeable effect. This allows viewers to customise the level of fluidity, making it suitable for those who dislike the typical stuttering of films or enjoy watching sports. The accompanying picture illustrates a configuration with mild smoothing, avoiding the soap opera effect.

The panel employed in the Samsung Q70D offers a commendable response time for its class. While it won't deliver razor-sharp motion clarity, it is a strong choice for sports enthusiasts at this price point.

Hisense U7NQ has a refresh rate of 144 Hz, which definitely contributes to smooth motion. For movie enthusiasts, there are two features available: judder reduction and motion blur reduction. The judder reduction feature minimizes the effect of so-called judder, which is the unpleasant stuttering of the image, particularly noticeable at lower frame rates. On the other hand, motion blur reduction helps sharpen fast-moving objects, which is useful when watching dynamic action scenes.

As for motion blur, the TV has a decent response time, so excessive blurriness is not visible, except in specific situations, such as the test with the little green alien on a dark background. In such cases, slight artifacts may appear, but overall, the TV handles dynamic images well, providing satisfactory motion quality.

The tested television, Samsung Q70D, has four HDMI 2.1 ports, all offering a bandwidth of 40 Gbps. Despite this, no negative effects were noticed during testing. More importantly, the TV supports all features associated with the HDMI 2.1 standard. This will certainly please gamers, as it ensures optimal gaming performance using a console or a PC. While HDR Dolby Vision is absent, the correct implementation of HGIG mode and the absence of any calibration checkerboard issues are noteworthy. Additionally, Samsung stands out by allowing gaming with the smoothness enhancer activated without significant performance degradation. This means that 30 fps titles are perceived similarly to those running at a native 60 frames per second.

Samsung was one of the first manufacturers to introduce the Game Bar, which has been consistently improved. It provides all necessary gameplay information and allows users to adjust "on the fly."

In summary, the Samsung Q70D performs excellently with both consoles and computers. All functions worked seamlessly, and there were no issues. The ability to activate the smoothness enhancer without a noticeable increase in input lag is a game-changing feature.

Hisense U7NQ offers everything a gamer might need for comfortable gameplay. The TV supports a refresh rate of 144 Hz, providing an incredibly smooth image, especially in dynamic action games. The VRR (Variable Refresh Rate) feature ensures that the image adapts to changing frames per second, eliminating stuttering and tearing. Additionally, there is an ALLM (Auto Low Latency Mode) feature that automatically switches the TV to game mode, minimizing input lag.

The TV also supports Dolby Vision, which is particularly important for gamers who value high contrast and vivid colors in games that support this format. The Hisense U7NQ also has a Game Bar feature that allows quick access to essential settings during gameplay, as well as support for G-Sync technology, which further reduces image tearing.

Unfortunately, despite the wide range of features, support for the most popular HDR format in gaming — HGiG — is lacking. This may be disappointing for gamers who expect optimal detail representation in HDR scenes. Nevertheless, the remaining features make the Hisense U7NQ a solid choice for any console gaming enthusiast.