Sharp FQ8 vs SHARP JP7765E

Sharp FQ8 can achieve a maximum brightness exceeding 450 nits, which is a satisfactory result. Although it may seem that this value is not impressive, it still places it among the top televisions in this price range. In our opinion, this is also a value from which we will feel the richness of the image and the operation of any metadata, which cannot be said about darker devices. The television supports the advanced HDR format known as Dolby Vision. It is also equipped with DOLBY Vision IQ technology, which stands out for its ability to automatically adjust brightness and image colours based on the lighting conditions in the room. Unfortunately, it has been poorly implemented, resulting in significant inaccuracies such as artificial brightening of the image. Therefore, we do not recommend using this technology in this model. Additionally, the colour gamut coverage is around 94% thanks to the use of quantum dot technology, enabling vibrant and realistic colours. This set of features ensures that the image is not only intense but also full of details.

So how does the brightness of the Sharp JP7 fare in the most demanding titles? Honestly, at first, we were quite surprised. The television is capable of achieving over 1000 nits of brightness, which is an outstanding and rare result for a device costing just under 2000 PLN (for 55 inches). Watching bright, full-screen scenes, one might feel they are dealing with really good equipment. Unfortunately, though, we have to return to the problem we mentioned earlier regarding local dimming management. When small bright areas appear on a dark background (as in the test scenes from the films Life of Pi or Sicario 2), it is evident how poorly the JP7 handles zones. The television dims them almost to the maximum, crushing the entire HDR effect, which in such moments resembles a flat SDR image (less than 200 nits). This instability means that in demanding, contrast-heavy films, the image on the JP7 unfortunately loses its appeal.

As a consolation, it is worth noting that the panel has the potential for good colour display. It features a PFS (phosphor) filter, which allows for a solid 94% coverage of the DCI-P3 palette. The manufacturer calls its product a “QLED,” even though it is primarily based on the aforementioned PFS filter. Given the recent market battles of manufacturers over what may or may not be called QLED, we leave the question of the correctness of this naming to your assessment. However, it remains a fact that the potential for reproducing saturated colours in this panel is simply good.

The colour reproduction test in Sharp FQ8 was conducted in film mode, which out of the box offers the best visual capabilities, providing viewers with a colour experience closest to reality. Nevertheless, it cannot be described as exceptional, as there are still some shortcomings that affect the overall picture quality. Colour reproduction in Sharp FQ8 for HD content demonstrates significant issues with white balance. On the graph, the red line clearly rises, indicating excessive dominance of the red colour. This is also confirmed by tests using colour samples, which show that many colours deviate towards red. For example, in a scene from a film featuring a child, the image is very warm and unnaturally red. Similar difficulties occur with 4K HDR content, where there is also noticeable excessive presence of the red colour. It is worth noting this, especially for those who value faithful colour reproduction.

Regarding contrast for SDR, at the beginning of the gamma graph there is a strange characteristic, suggesting issues with reproduction. Subsequently, the entire line is below the reference line, indicating that the television does not achieve appropriate brightness and contrast values in standard content. Meanwhile, the EOTF curve for 4K HDR shows significant discrepancies. Such fluctuations indicate difficulties in maintaining consistent brightness reproduction, leading to unpleasant visual effects when viewing HDR content.

When it comes to out-of-the-box colours, the Sharp JP7 was tested in Film mode, which traditionally offers the most consistent image compared to the yellowed “Eco” mode or the glaring blue of the “Dynamic” mode. Although this is the best choice among the available settings, the results are still far from ideal. The white balance clearly lacked red and blue components, causing many scenes to take on an unnatural greenish tint. Another issue was the gamma – during full-screen scenes, the television provides excessive brightness, which completely diminishes its cinematic character. All of this resulted in colour reproduction errors, especially in shades of grey, which exceeded a value of Delta E 10. For reference: errors above 2-3 are already visible to the human eye, so we are dealing with a significant distortion of reality here.

In HDR mode, the situation is reversed, but not any better. Here, the blue colour dominates the white balance, which gives the image an unnatural, almost “retail” sharpness, reminiscent of aggressive demonstration modes. Furthermore, measurements of the EOTF curve emphasise the retail character of the image. The graph clearly shows that the television generates an image significantly brighter than the standards predict, resulting in an artificially boosted and unrealistic final effect. The Sharp JP7 is evidently trying to appear stronger than it actually is, but it does so at the cost of fidelity to the content.

After calibration, for SDR content, the white balance on Sharp FQ8 has been significantly improved, and all lines have come much closer to the reference line. Of course, they are not perfectly straight, but it's hard to expect better results from a television in this price range; they are really very good. Improving white balance means that colours are more natural and accurately reproduced, which positively impacts the overall visual experience. In terms of gamma, the strange jump at the beginning of the graph has not been eliminated, however, after this error, the entire line is much closer to the expected effect.

For HDR content, the white balance is somewhat worse compared to SDR content, but it is still significantly better than before calibration. It is worth noting that the improvement in white balance in HDR contributes to a more consistent and pleasant perception of colours, even though there may still be shortcomings. Regarding the EOTF graph and the associated contrast, our specialists noted that the lack of control over dynamic tone mapping settings hindered the achievement of significant improvement in this area. This leads to uneven brightness representation.

Despite the shortcomings resulting from the inability to adjust settings for dynamic tone mapping, Sharp FQ8 has gained a new perspective after proper calibrations. The improved white balance and better colour reproduction in SDR mode make the image more natural and pleasing to the eye. Although there are still areas for improvement, especially in HDR content, the television offers satisfying visual experiences, making it a noteworthy choice in its price range.

We subjected the JP7 to our standard calibration procedure and really... the television gained a new lease of life thanks to it, particularly with SDR content (YouTube, classic television, series, or older films). As a result of our precise adjustment of the white balance and stabilisation of the gamma, colour errors fell to a value of below 3. This is a level at which the human eye has difficulty detecting distortions. In this scenario, the Sharp JP7 delivers an image with truly excellent colour precision, which is a significant advantage in this price class. However, content with HDR turned out to be much more problematic. Here, despite our efforts and interventions in the settings, the television simply would not cooperate. In the JP7 menu, we don't find any option that would allow for real control over brightness management (EOTF). Although a significant portion of the colour errors was reduced, the image still remained unnaturally oversaturated. It's a bit of a shame, as the potential of the mini-LED backlit panel is great, but the software presents a clear barrier here.

The conclusion is simple: when watching less demanding content (SDR) on the JP7, you can expect an image that is more than satisfactory, but in HDR, you must come to terms with a certain degree of "artificiality" that cannot be circumvented even with professional equipment.

The "10-bit colour reproduction" feature in Sharp FQ8 performs reasonably well, as we can see in the image with bulbs that shows slight connections between grey shades. For the best results, it is recommended to set medium, which does not reveal issues with grain smoothing or blurring of essential image elements. Alternatively, the "low" setting also proves to be safer and delivers positive effects.

As for upscaling, the Sharp FQ8 television plays back video without overscan, allowing for full use of the screen. The branches shown in the image are noticeably jagged, while the edges of the trousers appear without clear jaggedness, positively affecting the overall image quality. Additionally, the television offers an AI Super Resolution feature, which artificially sharpens jagged elements, enhancing their clarity.

In the case of lower quality materials and how the Sharp JP7 handles them, the situation is ambiguous. Let's start with the upscaling itself – here we have no major objections. The process of scaling the image to a higher resolution is correct; the picture remains readable and sharp, without the overscan effect, meaning no cropped edges. Of course, it is not at the level of top models, and at times one can notice slight jaggedness on the contours, but in this price range, the effect is fully acceptable.

However, the actual digital image processing performs significantly worse, which, apart from the upscaling, effectively does not exist. In the JP7 menu, we will not find any option that would effectively smooth out unwanted tonal transitions or reduce noise in the image. As a result, the signal reaches the panel in a very raw form, which, with heavily compressed materials (e.g. from YouTube), leads to visible posterisation. Either it is a flaw in the software or a very strange design decision, because in earlier Sharp models this function was available and, crucially, worked with noticeable effect. Here, we are left to deal with whatever the source provides us, without any digital support from the image processor.

Sharp FQ8 is equipped with a 120 Hz panel, with the possibility of achieving 144 Hz on PC, which in theory should translate to smooth motion rendering. The television offers functions for improving the smoothness of films and reducing motion blur, which is important for more dynamic content. However, the lack of Black Frame Insertion (BFI) technology combined with an average response time of the panel does not yield positive results. The effect is slight blurring of moving objects, and this may be more noticeable when watching sports or during intense gaming.

The motion fluidity on the Sharp JP7 is quite mediocre, and the reason is simple: the television uses a 60Hz panel. This instantly makes it difficult to recommend for watching sports or serious gaming, where higher refresh rates are already the standard. The only real plus is the presence of a smoothness feature, which we can control in films using a slider called De-judder. Lower settings provide a more raw, "cinematic" (framey) image, while higher settings add artificial smoothness. We suggest setting it somewhere in the middle of the scale, that is in the range of 3-5 – this is the best compromise to avoid the soap opera effect while also eliminating the tiring stuttering of the image. Interestingly, in the menu, we also find a "motion blur removal" slider, which usually indicates the presence of a 120Hz panel. However, with the JP7, it does not enhance the image at all and serves rather as a dummy – it is meant to look good in the settings, but technically it has no right to operate on this panel.

Sharp FQ8 offers several significant features dedicated to gamers that can enhance the gameplay experience. First and foremost, the television is equipped with HDMI 2.1, which comes with certain advantages. ALLM (Auto Low Latency Mode) switches the television to a mode with minimal input lag when a gaming device is detected. VRR (Variable Refresh Rate) reduces screen stutter by adjusting the refresh rate to the number of frames generated by the console or computer, providing smoother experiences, especially in dynamic games. Additionally, the television supports G-Sync technology, which synchronises the image with the graphics card, eliminating stuttering and screen tearing. Despite these advantages, FQ8 also has some limitations. The lack of support for HGiG (HDR Gaming Interest Group) means that the television does not optimise dynamic range for HDR games. The Dolby Vision mode, although theoretically offering better image quality in games supporting this format, suffers from very high input lag.

As we mentioned earlier, the 60Hz panel is not a feature that will attract gamers to the Sharp JP7. Perhaps for the casual player, whose console still generates most titles at 60 frames per second, there might be something interesting? When it comes to specific additions, we find here:

• ALLM Mode: Automatically switches the television to low latency game mode (input lag).

• Game Menu: Which is hard to call a full-fledged “Game Bar,” as the functionality here is minimal. Aside from enabling ALLM, there’s only a game-specific motion smoother which we recommend avoiding as it introduces very noticeable artifacts and worsens responsiveness.

• Dolby Vision Gaming: For Microsoft consoles.

Unfortunately, the list of shortcomings is significantly longer and more painful than the positives. The biggest disappointment is the lack of support for 120Hz, even when reducing the resolution to Full HD. The presence of 120Hz would allow for performance modes to be activated in many games on PS5 or Xbox Series X. Another shortcoming is VRR, which means that during frame drops, we are exposed to screen tearing. The lack of proper implementation of the HGiG standard is also very problematic. This results in the fact that during HDR calibration in the console menu, it is very easy to "overshoot" the brightness settings. As a result, instead of clear details in the highlights, we end up with an unnaturally over-bright image with cut-off details. Sharp JP7 is a proposition solely for very casual gamers.