Hisense U8NQ vs LG QNED87T6B

Hisense U8NQ demonstrates its capabilities in terms of HDR, achieving a luminance chart score exceeding 2000 nits. In the first, third, and fifth scenes where the screen is bathed in light, the television displayed very high brightness that impresses and allows one to fully enjoy the HDR effect. Unfortunately, in the second and fourth scenes, such as those from the film "Sicario 2", the television encounters difficulties in maintaining brightness, resulting in disappointing scores around 250 nits. Although the large number of dimming zones should theoretically help, the algorithm responsible for their control does not always work perfectly — bright, small elements like the moon or helicopter lights are too dim, which detracts from the typical HDR effect. Instead of dazzling brightness, we get a more subdued light that does not realise the full potential of HDR. Nevertheless, the television deserves praise for its very good coverage of the DCI-P3 colour gamut at 97%. This results in vibrant colours, and most film scenes look really good, significantly enhancing the viewing quality.

LG QNED87T6B delivers truly decent visual experiences when it comes to HDR. During our tests on test patterns, the television achieved brightness close to 500 nits, which is a satisfactory result and allows for good visibility of details in high dynamic scenes. Support for basic HDR formats, such as HDR10 and HLG, ensures appropriate image quality. Unfortunately, the television does not support more advanced standards, such as Dolby Vision or HDR10+, which are particularly important at this screen brightness. The lack of support for dynamic metadata means that in certain scenes, the television may struggle to fully reproduce details, especially in very bright areas – precisely when dynamic metadata could significantly improve image quality. Nevertheless, it is worth noting the excellent coverage of the wide DCI-P3 colour gamut, reaching as high as 96.4%. This ensures that the colours displayed by the QNED87T6B model are more vibrant and natural, enhancing the quality of 4K content with a wide colour palette.

The Filmmaker mode on the Hisense U8NQ television can be described as the most accurate mode available on this model. Despite its accuracy, it has significant errors in reproducing reference images, which we will now describe. In the case of HD content, the white balance shows a clear dominance of red, making the image overly pink and warm. The comparative photo below illustrates how this effect impacts content presentation. The brightness characteristics also leave much to be desired — too low a gamma results in an excessively bright screen, and blacks appear elevated, making the overall image seem cooler than it should be.

In the case of 4K HDR content, the problem is the opposite — the white balance shows too great a dominance of blue, resulting in an artificial appearance and an unnaturally sharp image. All of these deviations for both HD and 4K HDR content can be confirmed using the Colour Checker test, which clearly demonstrates how colours deviate from correct standards.

The colour reproduction in the LG QNED, even in Filmmaker Mode, which is the best factory setting, is not without flaws. The main issue is the white balance – we noticed that the level of blue on the graph tends to decrease. This results in a shift towards yellow tones, making the image appear warmer than it should. This deviation affects the naturalness of colour reproduction, especially in scenes with a white or neutral background. The Color Checker test confirmed that some colours are distorted and deviate from reality. Such distortion can make cinematic scenes seem less realistic, and details are represented in incorrect colours, which negatively impacts the overall picture quality.

In terms of contrast, the analysis of the gamma graph revealed significant drops, while the optimal value should be 2.4. This means that the television may display darker parts of the image brighter in certain scenes, which reduces their depth and dynamism. Additionally, on the EOTF curve, which is responsible for brightness reproduction, an unnatural drop was noted at the beginning. This phenomenon may result in less accuracy in reproducing dark scenes, which in turn affects the overall picture quality. The television may not convey the full depth of black, causing more demanding scenes to lose realism and detail. As a result, viewers may notice that details in the darker areas of the image become less distinct.

The white balance for both 4K and HD content has been significantly adjusted, which has greatly improved the picture quality. Although some errors are still visible, they are not large enough to heavily affect the perception of the image. A significant improvement can also be noticed in the gamma brightness characteristic — the picture is no longer excessively bright, translating into more natural blacks and better contrast.

However, as with many other Hisense models, there are visible issues with the EOTF curve, which is responsible for managing brightness in high-quality materials. Although at first glance it may seem correct, when the filter is applied to the "EOTF in films" chart, it is evident that the television somewhat "manipulates" 4K content. It is clear that the EOTF curve is significantly below the reference level, leading to an overall dimming of the image compared to the reference. We noticed this effect in previously tested scenes from the films "Pan" and "Billy Lynn." While it is not a serious issue, it is worth noting. It may be of great importance to those seeking a display with the most faithful reproduction of the image. Despite this error, for most, the picture will be more enjoyable. Colours are better represented, and the overall picture quality is significantly improved.

After calibration, the colours in SDR content look very good. The improved white balance translates to natural and harmonious shades in various scenes. Thanks to the precise adjustment of the gamma, details in shadows and bright areas of the image are accurately reproduced. The television performs excellently in everyday use, offering vivid, well-balanced images and solid colour quality in HD quality. The greatest beneficiary here is also the contrast. The gamma chart has been freed from very large errors, so here the television has gained a second face.

As for the white balance in 4K HDR, it has also been significantly improved. However, certain errors still appear at the end of the chart. This could be due to the overly aggressive operation of the television's local dimming, which affects the accurate reproduction of colour in certain scenes. It is difficult to speak here of an improvement in brightness represented by the EOTF curve. Due to its construction limitations, the television has certain disadvantages and we are not able to overcome them. The Color Checker test confirms the issue with colour saturation – despite the television offering a wide colour palette, it is not able to fully convey what the director intended.

Despite these shortcomings, the overall picture quality after calibration is significantly better than before. Improvements in white balance and gamma adjustment make images more vivid, and colours closer to reality.

In the context of smoothing tonal transitions, the television Hisense U8NQ unfortunately struggles. The “Smooth and Gradient Picture” function does not yield noticeable effects — there is no improvement in any setting, which is disappointing, especially for demanding scenes with a lot of subtle tonal transitions.

Regarding digital processing, or so-called upscaling, the scene with the model is presented correctly — her outline is clear, without significant cropping. Similarly, thin lines, such as tree branches, exhibit slight jaggedness, but overall it looks plastic and soft, which creates a good impression. Unfortunately, there is also an issue with so-called overscan, which causes cropping of the image at the edges. This can be frustrating when watching content like news, where lower information bars may be partially invisible.

When it comes to lower quality materials, the gradation looks really good. A feature called "Smooth Gradation" effectively smooths out the most problematic areas of the image without negatively affecting the film grain. For the best effect, it’s worth setting it to a low level. This solution significantly improves the quality of the displayed content and makes watching lower resolution materials more enjoyable and smoother.

In terms of digital processing, the image is displayed without cropping, known as overscanning. Although slight fringing of the branches against the model’s background can be noticed, the overall presentation is very good. Users should be satisfied with the image quality when watching low-quality materials, such as standard television. The television handles this task exceptionally well, providing a satisfying visual experience even with lower quality content.

Hisense U8NQ is equipped with a 144 Hz panel, making it an excellent choice for both sports and gaming. The television will also easily satisfy film enthusiasts, as it features a built-in "Ultra Motion Smoothness" processor that allows you to control the smoothness of the image — you can decide whether you prefer a more "framey" picture or a smoother, theatrical effect. This provides great flexibility in adjusting motion quality to the viewer’s individual preferences.

The television provides decent smoothness when watching films, thanks to the "Tru Motion" feature that allows for adjustment of the motion smoothing level on a scale from 0 to 10. De-Judder adjusts motion smoothness, while De-Blur regulates motion sharpness. The user has the option to choose between a traditional, cinematic effect with slight judder (lower settings) and a smoother, theatrical image. Although the latter slightly deviates from the cinematic standard, it may be appealing to many viewers.

As for gamers and sports fans, the LG QNED87 television with a 120Hz panel will certainly not disappoint them. And with the use of an IPS panel, the response time is generally better than that of VA panels available at a similar price. This guarantees smoother gameplay and dynamic experiences when watching sports events.

Hisense U8NQ offers everything a gamer may need for comfortable gameplay. The television supports a refresh rate of 144 Hz, ensuring an extremely smooth image, particularly in dynamic action games. The VRR (Variable Refresh Rate) feature allows the image to adjust to varying frames per second, eliminating stuttering and tearing, resulting in exceptionally fluid gameplay. Additionally, the television is equipped with an ALLM (Automatic Low Latency Mode) feature, which automatically switches the television to gaming mode, minimising input lag. This allows players to enjoy responsive gameplay without the need to manually adjust settings.

Hisense U8NQ also supports Dolby Vision, which is important for gamers who value high image quality, high contrast, and deep colours in games that support this format. The television also has a “Game Bar” — a feature that provides quick access to key settings during gameplay, significantly enhancing user convenience.

However, it is worth noting that despite its rich set of features, the Hisense U8NQ does not offer support for the HGiG standard, which is a popular HDR format in games. This may be disappointing for gamers expecting optimal detail reproduction in HDR scenes. Nevertheless, the other features of the television make the Hisense U8NQ a solid choice for console gaming enthusiasts, offering fluidity, high contrast, and user convenience.

LG QNED offers a range of features that make it an excellent choice for gamers looking for a high-performance television. The television is equipped with four HDMI 2.1 ports, allowing for connection to the latest consoles, such as PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X, and taking full advantage of features including Variable Refresh Rate (VRR) and Auto Low Latency Mode (ALLM). With the Game Bar feature, gamers can quickly and easily manage all their game settings without having to navigate through complicated menus. It is possible to adjust parameters such as VRR, ALLM, Multi View, and monitor frame rates. The television also supports G-Sync and FreeSync technologies, which is particularly important for owners of Nvidia and AMD graphics cards. G-Sync and FreeSync synchronise the television's refresh rate with the graphics card. The 120Hz panel ensures incredible motion smoothness and image clarity. Combined with the Black Frame Insertion (BFI) feature, available at 60Hz and 120Hz, gamers can enjoy an even clearer and smoother picture. LG QNED87 is a television that will meet the expectations of even the most demanding gamers, offering modern technologies and features that significantly enhance comfort and satisfaction in gaming.