Hisense A6N vs Samsung DU7192 (VA)

The quality of the HDR effect on A6N unfortunately does not impress. The peak brightness of 250 nits does not allow for spectacular effects, and HDR appears rather dull, resembling more of a regular SDR. This state of affairs will not satisfy more demanding users who wish to enjoy high-quality film materials. Additionally, the coverage of the colour palette is also not very impressive – a DCI-P3 level of 82% is an average result that does not fully allow one to enjoy vibrant colours in HDR materials.

In the luminance charts, the peak brightness of the television is around 280 nits. Unfortunately, this value is too low to fully enjoy HDR effects, which require significantly higher luminance. In the tested materials, such as The Meg and Gemini Man, the lack of adequate brightness severely limits the magic of HDR, and the details in the brighter parts of the image are not sufficiently highlighted. For users primarily consuming SDR content, this level of quality may be acceptable, but it is definitely not enough when it comes to HDR. Additionally, the coverage of the DCI-P3 colour palette at 82% does not favour presenting HDR content in its full glory. The limited colour gamut makes it difficult for the television to reproduce vibrant and diverse colours, which is crucial for achieving a cinema-like experience.

In the category of colour reproduction, the model Hisense A6N in Filmmaker Mode leaves much to be desired. Although the name of the mode suggests that we should expect faithful reproduction of cinematic colours, the reality is different – the television has significant issues with image quality. The problem with white balance is particularly noticeable, both for HD and 4K materials, which is heavily disrupted by the dominance of blue. This results in artificial, cold tones, which can clearly be seen in the comparison photo below. The Colour Checker test further confirms these errors, which are exacerbated by low colour gamut coverage.

The gamma brightness characteristic shows a serious problem in maintaining a level of 2.4 – the graph is significantly below the reference value, which leads to excessive image brightness and washed-out blacks. The EOTF curve for 4K materials also indicates brightness issues – at the beginning, there is a significant spike, which results from the television's excessive brightness, negatively impacting image quality. Such image characteristics do not allow one to fully enjoy watching films and require manual correction.

The best factory mode we relied on during testing turned out to be "Filmmaker". Although this mode is the closest to the creators' intent for films, it is not without certain imperfections. The white balance chart in both SDR and HDR clearly shows a dominance of red, resulting in significant yellowing, particularly noticeable in whites and on actors' faces. In HDR mode, there is also a slight dominance of green, which, however, does not have as much impact on the perception of the image. The gamma, which is responsible for brightness in SDR materials, performed quite well, but with one serious caveat. In the darkest parts of the image, it was too low, causing excessive brightness in those scenes, depriving the film of drama and contrast. For HDR, the white balance remains at a similar level; however, the EOTF curve chart draws attention. At the beginning, the curve clearly bulges, leading to a strong brightness in the darkest scenes. Then the result suddenly drops below the reference line, resulting in an overly dark image and a loss of dynamics in the brighter parts.

In summary, the "Filmmaker" mode, despite its advantages, requires refinement – especially regarding white balance and proper management of brightness in the darkest and brightest parts of the image. In its current form, it may be acceptable for less demanding users, but for viewers expecting precise image reproduction, it may leave much to be desired.

Hisense A6N offers options and tools in its settings to adjust many image parameters that we have utilized. When it comes to white balance, we managed to eliminate the excess blue colour – this effect is clearly visible in the comparison photo below, where the boy in the image seemingly "comes to life". A significant improvement can also be noticed in the gamma brightness characteristics – the television no longer has serious issues with excessively brightening the entire image. Unfortunately, the same cannot be said for 4K content, where the EOTF curve could not be fully corrected due to the exceptionally low brightness of this model. For HDR materials, we apply dynamic tone mapping, which allows for the recovery of many details despite the boosting of mid-tones in the image. For this television, this provides more benefits than drawbacks. The errors that are still visible in the colour palette test and Colour Checker for 4K materials stem from the low colour gamut coverage and are difficult to eliminate due to the characteristics of the television. Nevertheless, the tonal quality of the image is significantly better, which is why we recommend calibrating the factory settings, which are far from ideal.

Even for its lower models, Samsung offers advanced image calibration tools, which allow for significant improvement of the factory settings. We undertook this task, and the results turned out to be more than satisfying. The white balance, which previously exhibited a strong yellowish tint in both SDR and HDR, was significantly improved. Although slight deviations from the norm can be noticed, the overall effect is much cleaner and more natural than before calibration. As a result, whites and skin tones look much better. We also managed to properly shape the gamma in SDR materials, which allows for achieving the maximum contrast that this television can offer. The EOTF curve, responsible for HDR materials, was also improved – the image is no longer brightened or darkened as drastically as it was before calibration. Despite these successes, HDR materials still struggle with high deltaE error values. The main reason lies in the limited brightness of the television, which does not allow for a complete representation of the dynamics of HDR content. Nevertheless, after calibration, the image is clearly better and more aligned with the creators' intentions. For users seeking the best possible quality in this class of equipment, calibration is definitely recommended.

Let's check how A6N performs with low-quality materials. When it comes to smoothing tonal transitions, the lack of posterisation reduction or smoothing of tonal transitions in low-quality materials such as television or DVD can be noticeable for more demanding viewers. In terms of digital processing, the model is presented correctly, and the branches are devoid of characteristic jaggedness – the image is very plastic and soft, which may appeal to those who prefer this style of image.

The tonal smoothing function operates in two modes – "off" and "auto". Turning it off causes gradation issues, while the "auto" mode ensures smooth transitions, but at the cost of grain and detail, which are often blurred. Due to these limitations, we do not recommend using this feature, as confirmed by our tests conducted with it turned off.

Scaling of lower resolution materials in this model is not impressive. Details are blurred, and the edges of objects may contain artifacts. This limitation makes the television perform better with higher resolution content.

The 60 Hz panel in the Hisense A6N will likely satisfy those who enjoy watching films, as the television offers an "ultra motion smoother," allowing us to adjust the motion smoothness – either more choppy or more fluid, cinematic. When it comes to motion blur, it performs rather average – noticeable blur is evident, especially on dark backgrounds, which is quite a typical feature in this range of televisions.

Although the Samsung DU7192 is the lowest model in the manufacturer's range, it is equipped with motion smoothing technology. While the functionality of this solution is significantly limited compared to more expensive models, its presence alone distinguishes the television amidst competitors in this price bracket. The TV supports a maximum refresh rate of 60 Hz, which is sufficient for comfortable viewing of films and series, but may be inadequate for dynamic content such as sports. In the motion smoothing menu, we can find, among other things, the "Judder Reduction" feature. Unfortunately, its performance leaves much to be desired – regardless of the setting, the picture exhibits the characteristic stutter known from materials recorded at 24 frames per second, making this feature practically ineffective.

Hisense A6N is a television that is likely to appeal to casual gamers, primarily due to its 60 Hz panel, which may not satisfy more demanding users. Nevertheless, it offers several features that can enhance the gaming experience. The television supports functions such as ALLM (Auto Low Latency Mode), VRR (Variable Refresh Rate), and Dolby Vision, which allows for better picture quality and smoother motion in games that support these technologies. Moreover, the low input lag ensures quick reactions in gameplay, which is crucial, especially in dynamic productions. With these features, although the television is not an ideal choice for demanding gamers, it provides solid support for those who appreciate comfortable gaming without complicated settings. It is an ideal solution for individuals who want to enjoy gaming without high hardware requirements while also having access to modern technologies that enhance gameplay quality.

Samsung DU7192 is equipped with HDMI 2.0 ports, which is expected in this price range. This limitation means there is no support for the full capabilities of the latest generation consoles, such as VRR technologies. The television only offers a basic feature for gamers – automatic switching to low latency mode (ALLM), and support for basic HDR for games in the HGiG standard. HGiG allows for the display of HDR content in games according to manufacturers' guidelines; however, the limited brightness of the television does not allow for full enjoyment of the effects that this standard offers. Unfortunately, there is a lack of conveniences such as GameBar, which is increasingly found even in cheaper models and greatly facilitates quick adjustment of settings for games. The presence of this feature could significantly enhance user comfort, especially for those who frequently change display modes.