Hisense U7Q vs LG QNED93A / QNED90A

Since the algorithms responsible for blacks are performing quite well, we expected a similarly good effect regarding brightness and overall HDR quality. Unfortunately – here we have to disappoint you a bit.

The U7Q is a sufficiently bright television – under the best conditions, it can achieve around 800 nits, which indeed impresses on some scenes, especially in scenes like those from the film The Meg. Bright areas can shine, and the HDR effect is noticeable. The problem arises when there are very small, bright elements on a dark background – for example, in Sicario 2 or in the second scene from the film Life of Pi. In such moments, the dimming algorithms work too aggressively. Yes, the blacks look great then, but the brightest points can almost completely disappear, causing the HDR effect to vanish and the details to be barely visible. It's just the nature of this technology in this price segment.

As a consolation, it's worth mentioning that the U7Q is marketed as QLED (in practice, a PFS layer is used, which works very similarly), and it is indeed capable of displaying a wide colour palette – a DCI-P3 coverage of around 94% is a very good result for this class.

Although the number of local dimming zones in the LG QNED93A has not directly translated to noticeably better contrast, it is hard to deny one thing about this model – it is brighter than its predecessor. In synthetic tests, we recorded values around 1400-1500 nits, and more importantly, these results are reflected in real film scenes. In full-screen sequences flooded with white or bright lights, the screen could maintain high luminance, which created a truly decent amazing HDR effect. Unfortunately, where the television could showcase true class, that is in scenes requiring precision, all the magic dissipates. The dimming algorithms, which we mentioned earlier, operate so aggressively that small bright objects – such as distant lights, stars, or the moon – can almost completely disappear. A glance at the test scenes from the film Pan or Sicario 2 (screens 2 and 4) shows how subtle details are dimmed to the limits of their visibility. It's a pity, as a greater number of zones could theoretically have led to significantly better results. Fortunately, there are also strengths. The QNED93A performs well in terms of colour gamut coverage, achieving around 96% of the DCI-P3 standard. As a result, colours in films appear vivid and full, and the picture does not lose intensity even in more demanding scenes. Therefore, one could say that the HDR in this model is solid, although the underdeveloped local dimming algorithms hinder its full potential.

We tested the U7Q in the best possible picture mode, which is Filmmaker Mode. This is the mode that is supposed to provide the most "filmic" and creator-intended experience – right out of the box. Unfortunately… even this professionally sounding name does not guarantee a perfect picture.

In our unit, the problem lay in the incorrectly set white balance. Both in HD and 4K content, the picture had too much blue and red, which caused the screen to take on a slightly rosy tint. It didn't look terrible, but it was noticeable – especially in bright scenes and white backgrounds. This alone could perhaps be forgiven, but the biggest problem is managing brightness in HDR content. The EOTF curve from measurements confirms what we saw earlier during scene tests: the television can overly darken the smallest bright elements, causing them to nearly disappear, or on the contrary – excessively brighten the brightest ones, which affects the naturalness of the picture.

In filmmaker mode, the colour reproduction on the QNED93A was relatively accurate, although there were some reservations. In SDR content, the white balance was shifted towards warmer tones, which gave the screen a slight yellowish tint overall. The gamma, in turn, led to a slight brightness increase, making the image appear somewhat less natural, especially in scenes requiring precise shading (this is clearly visible in the comparison photo). This is not a problem that immediately stands out to every viewer, but more discerning individuals may feel that the image deviates from the aesthetics intended by the filmmakers. In HDR materials, the situation was somewhat different. The white balance, in this case, was quite good, ensuring that the whites neither leaned towards pink nor unwanted green hues. However, managing brightness turned out to be an issue. An analysis of the EOTF curve revealed that at certain moments, the television could be noticeably too dark where it shouldn't be, losing some detail and lowering the realism of the scenes. This spoiled the reception of HDR effects, which were theoretically supposed to make the biggest impression. For this reason, we decided to carry out calibration.

Thanks to specialised tools, we managed to correct the colour quality in SDR content to nearly perfection. In materials with lower dynamic range, the delta E errors dropped below 0.5, which can be regarded as an almost reference result. The picture on television, YouTube, or classic Full HD looks really very good after calibration. Alright – but where did we not manage to improve the image so easily? Primarily, it concerns HDR quality content. Although we managed to somewhat 'tame' the white balance and eliminate pink tints in most scenes, unfortunately, we no longer had full control over brightness management. We set the local dimming settings according to the best observations – SDR: Medium, HDR: High – but the U7Q still did everything a bit its own way. There were still cases of excessive dimming or brightening of details that calibration simply could not eliminate. And although the overall reception of the content is significantly better, one must reckon that the U7Q will always have something to say at the end with an 'but'.

After professional calibration, the Filmmaker mode on the QNED93A has improved primarily in areas that matter most on a daily basis. We managed to correct the white balance and eliminate the yellowish tint in SDR content, which is what we watch most often – television, streaming services, or standard quality films. As a result, the colours look natural and pleasant, making the overall experience much more comfortable. We also made adjustments in HDR mode, but here the biggest issue turned out to be the EOTF curve. Although LG offers some flexibility in the settings, the television still manages brightness on its own terms. It is evident that the local dimming algorithms are not fully refined and can ruin the viewing experience by darkening parts of the image at inappropriate times. Nevertheless, it is worth opting for calibration of this model, especially the mode intended for everyday viewing.

There are situations where we would like to smooth out tonal transitions a bit, especially in older materials – those with limited source quality. The U7Q is equipped with a feature called "Smooth and Gradient Image," but unfortunately... it works very poorly. In the "Low" option, the effects are practically unnoticeable, and other settings smooth details but do not improve tonal transitions. The only positive aspect is that the feature does not interfere with film grain, so it does not ruin the natural structure of the image.

Fortunately, upscaling content performs quite well. The image is not excessively sharpened, and there is no artificial clarity – and although it is known that this is not the level of high-end televisions, the U7Q handles displaying really old content in a completely acceptable manner without any issues.

The LG QNED93A proves to be a very solid television for everyday use. Its image processor handles scaling extremely well, which means even older films or terrestrial television benefit from increased sharpness and detail. During the screening of "The Godfather," it is clearly visible how upscaling retrieves additional details from the image – the faces of the characters and the texture of their clothing appear much clearer than in the original material.

The digital image processing also deserves praise. The television is equipped with a function for reducing unwanted colour banding and screen irregularities. It works best in the "Medium" setting – subtly smoothing tonal transitions without excessively interfering with the image. As a result, the natural film grain is preserved, and the screen does not appear artificially smooth. It is possible that in some scenes slight colour banding can still be observed, but in practice, the effect is more beneficial than with a stronger intervention from the algorithm.

U7Q is indeed a very fast television, just like its more powerful version "PRO". At a resolution of 4K, it supports up to 144 Hz refresh rate, and if someone wants even more – in Full HD, you can achieve up to 240 Hz! This will mainly benefit PC gamers, but it is worth appreciating – it is a rarely seen feature in this price segment. Right from the start, it is clear that the U7Q has been designed with dynamic content in mind, such as games or sport. In films, we are not left "out in the cold" either – the U7Q offers an "Ultra Motion Smoothness" feature, where using two sliders you can adjust whether you prefer a smoother, theatrical image or something closer to a cinematic style with a visible film frame. It is good that, as with most manufacturers, we have a choice here as well and can adjust it to our own preferences.

The LG QNED93A is equipped with a 144 Hz panel. This is primarily a nod to gamers, but the fact that higher refresh rates are increasingly making their way into televisions can be viewed positively. In everyday viewing, 120 Hz remains key, and in this respect, the QNED93A performs well. The manufacturer also provides the option to adjust the picture using the TruMotion system – the De-Judder and De-Blur sliders allow you to choose between a cinematic motion character with visible frames and a complete smoothing with theatrical motion.

The Hisense U7Q is a television designed with gamers in mind – and this is immediately evident from its gaming capabilities. It has practically everything you could wish for: variable refresh rate (VRR) – check, automatic game mode (ALLM) – check, and on top of that, high refresh rates of up to 240 Hz in Full HD and support for various resolutions, not just 4K. This is truly a great set of features that makes the U7Q perform well both in fast-paced first-person shooters on consoles and in more demanding titles on PC. Of course – as with most Hisense models – there is a lack of proper implementation of the HGiG feature. It's a shame because HGiG allows console brightness to be matched to a specific television, which in practice makes displaying HDR games according to the creators' intent much easier. Without this, you simply have to reckon with certain limitations in the final HDR image in games.

LG QNED93A is a television that has undoubtedly been prepared with gamers in mind. Right from the outset, we get a complete set – all four HDMI ports operate in standard 2.1, so regardless of whether we connect a console, PC or amplifier, we can be assured of full compatibility. This is important, as many manufacturers still limit themselves to two ports, and here nothing hinders the entire equipment from having maximum capabilities. There is also an automatic game mode (ALLM), which automatically switches the television to the appropriate settings when the console is turned on, as well as variable refresh rate (VRR). This ensures the picture doesn't stutter or jerk, even when the frame rate drops – whether in dynamic shooters or during races.

The 144 Hz panel gives an additional advantage in computer games. While 120 Hz is sufficient for consoles, in the case of PCs, the QNED93A allows for even more – every movement, every glance to the side is refreshed faster, and this makes a difference, especially in e-sports. The manufacturer also considered HDR in gaming – the television supports the HGiG mode, which are guidelines to ensure that the lighting effects are exactly as the game developers intended. To top it off, we get Game Bar – a special information bar that appears on the screen, showing parameters in real-time. You can monitor the frame rate, active VRR functions, or the level of input lag. This solution is useful not only for settings enthusiasts but for anyone who wants to quickly check what mode the television is operating in and whether everything is working as it should.