Hisense U8NQ vs Philips OLED769

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.

Philips OLED769 performs quite well, particularly in film scenes with small points of light. The television surprises with its brightness, reaching around 800 nits, which is an impressive result. As a result, fine sources of light, such as street lamps at night or stars in the sky, are sharp and full of detail. However, the biggest challenge for this model is the scene with a full-screen burst of sunlight. In such moments, the brightness drops to about 250 nits, which is not very impressive. This is a typical problem for cheaper OLED displays, which struggle to maintain high brightness across the entire screen surface.

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 "Film" mode proved to be the best factory setting in terms of fidelity to the source material, and it is on this that we based our tests. However, like other factory modes, it was not without flaws. Let us examine, therefore, what exactly went wrong in SDR and HDR materials.

In both cases, the white balance was disrupted by the excessive dominance of green and red hues. This phenomenon created a yellowish tint that spread across the entire image, leading to issues such as yellowed whites and unnatural skin tones. These problems were clearly highlighted on the "ColourChecker" palette, where each of the samples was shifted towards warmer tones.

As for contrast and brightness, in the Philips OLED769, we can look at two key graphs: Gamma for HD content and the EOTF curve for 4K HDR content. In the case of the first graph, the gamma value falls below the optimal level of 2.4, resulting in an increase in brightness of light areas of the image. This means that bright elements may be slightly overexposed, losing detail and depth. In contrast, the EOTF curve for 4K HDR content performs really well. The graph shows that the television effectively conveys details in both the brightest and darkest areas of the image, resulting in a realistic and dynamic representation of scenes.

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 professional calibration, Philips OLED769 truly shines in terms of colour accuracy. The television has been completely stripped of any yellow tint in both HD and 4K content. The Colour Checker test confirms that deltaE errors are minimal, occasionally exceeding a value of 2, which means we can speak of almost perfect director's representation.

When it comes to contrast, the situation is equally impressive. With 4K materials, there wasn't much to improve initially, while the gamma chart has been significantly enhanced. This allows dark and light areas of the image to be represented with greater accuracy, resulting in a realistic and dynamic portrayal of scenes.

The calibration has allowed the full potential of this television to be unleashed, both in terms of colours and contrast. Philips OLED769 now offers vivid, natural images of high quality that will delight any user, whether they are watching films or using other multimedia.

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 distortion reduction in the Philips OLED769 handles tonal transitions well, especially at the minimum setting. It is worth noting that at this setting, film grain is not blurred, which is a pleasant surprise, as such negative phenomena often occur with other manufacturers. Overall, it is quite a decent solution. However, it should be pointed out that this setting does not work in HDR mode, where gradation issues are much more pronounced. In HDR mode, the television struggles with smoothing tonal transitions and may present more noticeable distortions and noise, reducing picture quality in dynamic scenes.

Regarding digital processing, the Philips OLED769 performs well. The model in the photo is not overly jagged, and the branches in the background lack the characteristic jagged edges. The television achieves this effect thanks to the absence of artificial sharpness, which may be an advantage for some users. Others, however, may find this less attractive, as they prefer a more vibrant, sharper image instead of a subtle effect. This effect can be mitigated by using a higher setting for the "Sharpness" parameter.

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.

Philips OLED769 features a multi-stage motion smoother called "Motion Style", which will satisfy users who appreciate the ability to customise the fluidity of motion in films. With this function, you can set the image to be more frame-like or smooth, resembling a theatrical effect. This is a great solution for those who want to adapt the displayed content to their visual preferences. Gamers will also not be disappointed, as the television, like most OLEDs, is equipped with a 120Hz panel. This provides exceptional fluidity and dynamism of the image. Unfortunately, Philips OLED769 does not have the BFI (Black Frame Insertion) feature, which could further improve motion fluidity and sharpness. Despite this limitation, the television still offers excellent visual experiences for both cinema lovers and gamers. This is definitely one of its strong points.

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.

Philips OLED769 has been designed with gamers in mind, offering full compatibility with consoles and the highest quality of gameplay. The television received the maximum rating in this category, providing everything that the heart desires. With HDMI 2.1 ports fully supporting ALLM (Auto Low Latency Mode) and VRR (Variable Refresh Rate), the television ensures smooth and hassle-free gaming. ALLM automatically switches the television to low latency mode, while VRR eliminates stuttering and screen tearing, resulting in fluidity and stability in gaming. The Dolby Vision gaming feature is another advantage, although it only works at a frequency of 60 Hz. Most casual gamers will likely not feel the lack of a higher frequency; however, more demanding users may have some reservations. This allows for enjoyment of a dynamic range of tones and realistic images, enhancing the gaming experience. PC gamers will also not be disappointed, as Philips OLED769 offers full compatibility with Nvidia graphics cards, thanks to support for G-Sync. This technology synchronises the refresh rate of the television with the graphics card, eliminating tearing and stuttering, resulting in excellent image fluidity.

Philips OLED769 is a television that perfectly meets the needs of gamers, offering a wide range of advanced features and technologies that significantly enhance gameplay quality and user comfort.