Samsung QLED Q80D vs TCL C655 / C69B (55"-85")

In the context of HDR, the Samsung Q80D television achieves very positive brightness results in the tested film scenes, where the frame is filled with light, reaching values from 600 to 900 nits, allowing the user to experience a great juiciness of the image. Such results allow the user to feel the difference between HDR and SDR quality. Unfortunately, problems arise in situations where small light effects occur against a dark background. In such cases (e.g. test pattern 4 from the film Sicario 2), a noticeable drop in brightness can be observed, caused by the large sizes of the dimming zones used here. This limitation, combined with the dimming algorithm, affects how the television handles small bright elements against a dark background. At that point, we may perceive an unwanted lack of brightness, and the HDR effect resembles that of SDR.

Generally speaking, the quality of the HDR effect on the TCL C655 / C69B looks quite promising. The average value in the test charts is around 450 nits, which already allows one to feel the light effects and better image dynamics. However, as previously mentioned, this effect may be partially subdued by slight differences in bright and dark colours, resulting from the lack of local dimming technology. However, the coverage of the DCI-P3 colour palette at 94% deserves high praise, and this is made possible by the use of a quantum dot (QLED) matrix. As a result, colours are vivid and accurately represented when watching HDR content.

In "Filmmaker" mode, which is the best choice out of the box, the Samsung Q80D TV shows solid colour reproduction. For SDR content, a visible drop at the beginning of the gamma curve suggests that details in dark scenes may be less pronounced, impacting the overall viewing experience. Regarding white balance in SDR content, while it is generally accurate, significant drops in blue colour when screen coverage exceeds 70% can result in less natural hues in bright and dark scenes. Users may notice that some blue elements in the image may appear less intense, and the overall colour will have a warmer tint.

In contrast, for HDR content, the EOTF curve being above the reference line for most of the time indicates that the TV may struggle with accurately reproducing brightness and details in the brighter areas of the image, which may be disadvantageous for the viewer. It is also worth noting the substantial drop at the beginning of this graph, indicating that the TV has difficulties reproducing brightness in the darker areas of the image, as seen in the contrast and black tests, where several scenes were unable to showcase the full capabilities of the TV's brightness. In terms of its white balance, the initially good results on the graph are promising, but the sharp drop in red colour, which significantly falls down, combined with a large increase in blue colour, may lead to inaccuracies in reproducing certain skin tones and other key colours. This phenomenon may be noticeable to viewers in scenes where colour details are crucial.

The television TCL C655 / C69B offers a film mode that has been tested for colour reproduction quality. Although this mode is called film mode, it unfortunately has several errors that a director would surely not want to see when recording their work. Starting with image analysis, it is worth examining the white balance – both in HD and 4K HDR content, the white balance has significant errors. In both cases, the red colour dominates, causing the colours to be too warm, and the overall result takes on a pink or yellow tint. This can be seen in the image below from the film "Star Wars". The Colour Checker test confirms these errors – the colour samples veer into incorrect shades, affecting the overall colour fidelity. A less significant issue is the brightness characteristic. However, this is also not without its flaws. The gamma graph shows a strong peak at the beginning, causing the image to be excessively brightened, and the EOTF curve responsible for brightness in 4K HDR material also has substantial fluctuations – it is noticeable how the television tries to maintain the appropriate brightness, but it does not always succeed effectively.

The film mode after calibration looks significantly better than the one you can see when taken out of the box. Samsung offers an advanced range of calibration tools in its televisions. Among them are 2- and 20-point greyscale adjustment and CMS (Colour Management System). Both in HDR and SDR mode, the white balance has improved significantly, although there are minor errors at the end of the graph in the case of HDR content. The contrast has also been greatly improved, and the gamma curve responsible for SDR shows better results. However, when it comes to HDR, the EOTF curve in the television seems to be at an ideal level at first glance. Yet, when we delve deeper and enable the EOTF graph while watching films, we may notice that all the lines of the curve are above the reference line. One could even say that the television is "cheating" when playing film materials. Such a situation, where the EOTF curve is above the reference line, makes the screen – although it may seem brighter, which some users may find attractive – lose detail in the darker parts of the image. In practice, this means that in scenes with a lot of shadows or dark elements, the television is unable to accurately render the details that should be visible.

After calibrating the television's film mode TCL C655 / C69B , the white balance has been adjusted, and the colours are presented as they should be – confirmed only by slight deviations in the Colour Checker test. The gamma is really quite accurate, which means the television should not have issues with brightness in low-resolution materials. Unfortunately, a similar EOTF characteristic is still visible, which is a natural phenomenon in televisions that do not have local dimming – they simply struggle to "shine" more in a given area of the screen. Despite this inherent limitation that cannot be bypassed, we recommend adjustment in the settings, as the overall colour presentation looks really very good.

Samsung Q80D performs very well with low-quality materials. The noise reduction works on the principle of gentle grading, making it very effective in smoothing out unwanted image disturbances. Unfortunately, this same effectiveness also causes elements that should not be smoothed, such as film grain, to become blurred. For those who value a pliable, smoothed image more, this can be seen as a significant advantage, especially for lower-quality content.

When it comes to image scaling, Samsung Q80D stands out positively in this aspect, significantly enhancing viewing comfort. The television handles the conversion of lower-resolution materials well, improving their quality and detail. For example, in the attached image with the model, there are no visible artifacts or excessive fraying of branches, which attests to the advanced image processing technology.

The television TCL C655 / C69B handles tonal transitions fairly well in low-quality materials. The "Gradual Smoothing" feature at a low setting effectively smooths out tonal transitions; however, it simultaneously blurs significant details, such as the texture of objects. On the plus side, it does not negatively impact the film grain, allowing the natural appearance of the image to be preserved. As for digital processing, the television adds artificial sharpness, which may appeal to some users who prefer a sharpened image. However, for those who prefer a softer look, this could be a disadvantage. A notable downside is that the image has been quite significantly cropped due to what is known as overscan, which reduces the field of view and trims the edges of the image.

The Samsung Q80D television stands out very positively in terms of motion fluidity and motion blur reduction, primarily due to the applied 120Hz panel and above-average response time of the panel. Users have two options for adjusting fluidity: "Motion Smoothing," which allows for adjustment of smoothness on a 10-point scale, and "Blur Reduction," particularly effective at higher refresh rates, improving the sharpness of rapidly moving objects. In the UFO test, no motion blur is visible behind the moving object, and the image is not cloned forward, indicating a lack of overshoot effect.

The television C655 / C69B is equipped with a 4K@60 Hz panel, which means it works best for watching films and less dynamic content. It also features a "Flicker Reduction" function that allows for the adjustment of image smoothness – the user can choose whether they prefer smoother motion or a more cinematic, frame-by-frame effect. The television can also adapt to lower resolutions, such as Full HD and 2K at 120 Hz, which will surely please gamers by offering a smoother image at the cost of resolution. It is worth noting that this feature is available in sizes from 55"+. Additionally, the largest variant, 98", is equipped with a 144Hz panel with full motion smoothing.

The Samsung Q80D television is a true gem for gamers. It is equipped with four HDMI 2.1 ports, which is a rarity, especially in this price range. This allows users to enjoy features such as ALLM (Auto Low Latency Mode), VRR (Variable Refresh Rate), and 120Hz in 4K resolution. These features ensure smoothness and responsiveness of the image, which is a key aspect during dynamic gameplay. The television also supports HGIG (HDR Gaming Interest Group), enabling optimal display of HDR content in games. Additionally, it is equipped with a Game Bar that allows quick access to gaming settings. Users of Nvidia graphics cards will also be pleased thanks to the implementation of G-Sync. This feature eliminates stuttering and screen tearing. The only downside is the lack of support for Dolby Vision mode, which may be disappointing for users looking for this HDR format. It is also worth mentioning that since 2022, thanks to a partnership with Microsoft, Samsung televisions offer the Xbox Game Pass application, allowing for cloud gaming. This is an additional advantage for gamers who want to access a wide library of games without the need for a console.

The TCL C655 / C69B television offers nearly the perfect set of features for gamers, supporting all the most important technologies. It has an ALLM feature that automatically switches the TV to low latency mode, significantly improving responsiveness and minimising signal lag, which is especially important during dynamic gameplay. The VRR feature allows the screen refresh rate to synchronise with the frame rate generated by the console, eliminating screen tearing and providing smoother gameplay.

The television also supports Dolby Vision in game mode, which ensures better colour and contrast rendering in games that support this format, and the Game Bar provides quick access to settings related to gameplay, such as response time, latency level, and other parameters. Unfortunately, the C655 / C69B does not support 4K resolution at 120 Hz (the exception here is the 98" variant), which may be disappointing for more demanding gamers who expect the highest fluidity of image in high-resolution games. However, if we can forgo 4K, the television offers support for Full HD and 2K at 120 Hz, providing a smoother image and is a great alternative for those who prefer a higher refresh rate at the expense of resolution.