LG UR781 vs Hisense A7NQ

In HDR mode, LG UR781 unfortunately does not impress with its brightness. In tests on five screens, the television achieved only around 200 nits, which is quite a low value for HDR standards. This brightness is similar to levels typical for SDR, causing HDR effects to be insufficiently pronounced, and the image may appear less impressive, especially in dynamic, bright scenes. In HDR mode, it has certain limitations in colour reproduction. This means that colours may not be as intense and rich as in televisions that manage better with a wide colour gamut. In practice, this can make the image less vibrant and dynamic, and HDR effects will not be as spectacular as one might expect. Additionally, UR781 LG has some issues with accurately reproducing colours in HDR mode, resulting in content that may look less vivid.

We checked how the Hisense A7NQ performs with HDR, and there are no surprises here. The luminance graph showed a maximum brightness level of 370 nits. The result? Exactly what one could expect – average. At around 350 nits, HDR does not particularly stand out compared to SDR. Indeed, there is a subtle difference in more brightly lit scenes, but it is not an effect that leaves you stunned. As for the coverage of the wide colour gamut, the result was 92% for DCI-P3 and 70.2% for BT.2020. These are decent values for a TV in this class, which uses a PFS coating – the same one that is sometimes promoted as QLED. Colours look good, but we shouldn’t expect something that competes with the best screens on the market. HDR on the Hisense A7NQ is more of an addition than a "game changer." For those looking for solid image quality on a moderate budget – quite acceptable. However, if we expect full HDR capabilities, it is worth looking at models from the higher price range.

The colour reproduction in LG UR781 in Filmmaker Mode, which although is the best mode available from the factory settings, is not without its flaws. Firstly, the issue is white balance, where the graph shows dips in blue colour levels. This phenomenon results in a shift of hues towards yellow tones, causing the image to appear warmer than it should. Such deviation means that the colours on the screen are not naturally reproduced, which can be particularly noticeable in scenes with a white or neutral background. This can be confirmed by the Test Color Checker, which showed that some colours "shift" into other shades, meaning that the LG UR781 television does not display colours in accordance with reality. This distortion can affect the visual experience, making movie scenes seem less realistic, and details might be displayed in inappropriate colours, negatively impacting the overall image quality.

In terms of contrast, the analysis of the gamma graph revealed drops to a level of 2.0, whereas 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 dynamics. Additionally, on the EOTF curve, which is responsible for brightness reproduction, an unnatural spike was observed at the beginning. This phenomenon can result in excessive brightness boost in the brightest parts of the image, leading to loss of detail in very bright scenes.

When testing the Hisense A7NQ in Filmmaker mode, we were hoping for compliance with the manufacturer's assumptions, but unfortunately, reality looks different. The main issue, as with most televisions, is white balance. In the case of the A7NQ, we noticed a clear dominance of blue, which affected both lower quality materials and 4K HDR content. The results of the Color Checker tests confirm this, and the comparative images speak for themselves – the leading actress in "factory" mode appears cool and pale. It looks as if she has been drained of life.

As for brightness characteristics, both gamma and the EOTF curve show that the image is excessively bright. As a result, everything appears flat, lacking depth and contrast. This state of affairs definitely does not work in favour of the A7NQ and makes the viewing experience in factory mode leave much to be desired. If we expect natural colour reproduction and appropriate image depth, the A7NQ in Filmmaker mode is unlikely to impress us. It is a television that requires considerable adjustment to bring out its potential.

After calibration, the colour representation in SDR content is quite good. The white balance has been effectively improved, resulting in natural, balanced hues across various scenes. The gamma has also been adjusted, providing more precise detail in the shadows and highlights of the image. As a result, the LG UR781 television performs well in everyday use, offering solid colour quality and clear, well-balanced images in SDR mode.

However, the situation is worse for HDR content. The LG UR781 television does not support a wide colour gamut, which limits the depth and richness of colours that HDR can offer. The EOTF curve deviates from the ideal, resulting in excessive highlighting of details in the bright parts of the image. Unfortunately, this results in significant colour reproduction errors, as confirmed by tests on the Colour Checker. Additionally, the low brightness level of the panel further negatively impacts the quality of HDR images, causing dynamic range effects to be not fully realised, and colours to appear washed out.

Despite some shortcomings in HDR mode, the television has improved significantly after calibration, especially in SDR content. The improvement in white balance and gamma has greatly enhanced image quality, providing a more natural and cohesive colour representation. Compared to its state before calibration, the difference is clear, and the LG UR781 television now offers better performance in everyday use, particularly in the standard dynamic range.

Hisense A7NQ offers several tools that allow for improved image quality, so we decided to take matters into our own hands and "dig around" in the settings a bit. Thanks to professional tools and measurements, we managed to correct the white balance, eliminating the excessive dominance of blue colour in both HD and 4K materials. This is a significant step forward, as in the Color Checker test, the colour reproduction errors in lower quality content dropped to a much more acceptable level. Unfortunately, the 4K materials still fall short of perfection – the colour inaccuracies are considerable and stem from the limitations of the television.

As for the gamma, we managed to set it at the correct level, which significantly reduced the excessive brightening of the image. However, the issue with brightness characteristics in 4K content remains unresolved – the EOTF curve still shows excessive brightness across the entire screen. It’s possible that correct implementation of dynamic tone mapping could help here, but as we mentioned earlier, this feature in the Hisense A7NQ works rather poorly, rather than being helpful. Nevertheless, the calibration has significantly improved the overall image reception. The director's vision is now much better represented than in the factory settings, which will certainly be appreciated by more demanding viewers.

Now let’s address the function of smoothing tonal transitions and its impact on overall image quality. As illustrated in the photo on the left, this function performs exceptionally mediocrely; we selected the "low" level, which does not improve quality but also does not blur the film grain. There is the option to increase the power of this function, which would soften the gradation; however, one must reckon with the fact that the image will be too softened in some scenes.

On the other hand, regarding image scaling, the television does not perform exceptionally, which can be particularly noticeable with lower resolution content. The LG UR781 television applies a slight, artificial sharpness boost, which makes the image appear sharper, but this primarily results from the overlay of artificial contours. For some users, this can be an advantage, as they prefer more vivid, accentuated details. However, this is a subjective matter—such an effect may not appeal to everyone, especially if they desire a more natural look to the image.

The Hisense A7NQ impresses with the smoothness of tonal transitions in 4K content, but unfortunately, there is no feature here to improve this aspect in older materials of lower quality. In such cases, colour transitions become more visible, which can slightly detract from the overall image, especially in scenes with a lot of gradients.

When it comes to upscaling, the television performs surprisingly well. The image is noticeably improved, although there are some compromises. It can be seen that the television adds a bit of artificial sharpness, and background elements, such as branches, display slight "jaggies." However, these are details that will primarily catch the eye of those who pay attention to such nuances.

The LG UR781 television offers quite decent smoothness for films, thanks to the "True Motion" option, which allows users to adjust the level of motion smoothing on a scale from 0 to 10. The user can choose whether they want to preserve a more traditional, cinematic effect with subtle judder (lower settings) or prefer a smoother, theatrical image that, although slightly deviating from the cinematic standard, may appeal to many.

In dynamic sports content and games, the LG UR781 television performs worse. The television has a 60Hz panel, which limits its interpolation capabilities to these values; therefore, it can improve fluidity in films but cannot reduce motion blur. Additionally, the lack of support for 120 Hz and BFI (Black Frame Insertion) technology means that quick movements of objects become blurred, and the response time of the panel is too long, negatively affecting clarity in fast scenes. As a result, the television may not meet the expectations of gamers and sports fans who are looking for a smooth, clear image without motion blur.

The Hisense A7NQ is equipped with a 60 Hz panel, which means that dynamic scenes – for example in sports or games – perform rather averagely here. This is standard for this class of equipment, but it must be acknowledged that watching more intense, fast-moving content can leave a lot to be desired. However, when it comes to films, the television offers a motion smoothing feature that operates on a 10-point scale. The "judder reduction" option allows you to tailor the smoothness of the image to your own preferences. At the lowest setting, we get a natural film frame rate, which will please cinema purists. Meanwhile, the maximum setting provides a very smooth, theatrical image that may appeal to those who prefer a more "smoothed" motion.

While gaming on the console, the television LG UR781 offers several important features that can affect the gaming experience, but it also has some limitations. A positive aspect is the presence of ALLM (Auto Low Latency Mode), which automatically optimises picture settings by switching the television LG UR781 into low latency mode, which is beneficial for gamers. The television also supports proper implementation of HGiG, meaning HDR games look as intended by the developers.

Unfortunately, it lacks support for Variable Refresh Rate (VRR), which may result in poorer fluidity of gameplay, particularly in more dynamic games. It also does not support Dolby Vision mode for games, which limits the HDR picture quality in games using this format. The television has a panel with a frequency of 60hz, which means it does not support higher frequencies at other resolutions, such as 1080p@120Hz, 1440p@120Hz, or 4K@120Hz, which is a significant drawback for gamers expecting smoother gameplay at higher resolutions. It also lacks support for G-Sync technology, which limits image synchronisation in games.

However, a positive aspect is the presence of the Game Bar feature, which allows quick access to settings for gamers and makes it easier to adjust picture parameters during gameplay.

Hisense A7NQ is a piece of equipment that can pleasantly surprise gamers, although it is not without its flaws. The fact that we have a 60 Hz panel here immediately suggests that the television is not designed for the most demanding gaming scenarios. The motion blur that we described earlier can also be an obstacle, especially in dynamic games.

However, there are a few things that are worth praising. The television supports ALLM (automatic game mode) and VRR (variable refresh rate), which is not always standard in this price range. The biggest surprise, however, is that the A7NQ can display images at 120 Hz – albeit only in Full HD resolution, but nevertheless, it's a significant nod to gamers. This provides the option to choose between smoothness and resolution, which is not obvious in televisions at this price.

A nice addition is the Game Bar, which is clear and practical – all the most important functions are at hand, without digging through the settings. However, it lacks support for HGiG, which may be a disappointment for gamers looking for perfect HDR in games.