Sharp GP6765 vs Philips PUS8209

In film mode, the television Sharp GP6765 reaches a brightness level of 300 nits, unfortunately, this is quite an average result. Such brightness is closer to the standard SDR image than to what should be offered by a full HDR experience. As a result, the television is unable to convey the full depth and dynamics of the image that one could expect from a good HDR mode. The visual effects that appear vivid and detailed in other models may seem muted here, and high-contrast scenes will not look as impressive. However, it is worth noting that when comparing this result with televisions in this budget, it is a decent score. A positive feature is the fact that the television supports a wide colour gamut of DCI-P3 at 92.5% thanks to the implementation of quantum dots (Quantum Dot/QLED). This is quite a respectable result, especially in this price category. As a result, the colours are vibrant and more saturated, which certainly affects the picture quality, although it does not fully salvage the HDR experience due to limited brightness.

Unfortunately, this is where the problems begin. A maximum brightness of 280 nits is definitely too low to feel the true effect of HDR. In practice, the image resembles standard SDR more, so it’s hard to speak of deeper visual experiences. On the positive side, the colour gamut coverage is commendable – 91.4% DCI-P3 is a score that will be sufficient for most films. It must also be said that the image is stable and there are no issues with sudden changes in brightness or colours. Overall, HDR on this television is more of a formality than an actual added value. If we are looking for genuine HDR thrills, this model may not meet expectations.

Sharp GP6765 was launched in movie mode, which is the best setting for colour reproduction. Unfortunately, despite this, the quality still falls short of ideal standards. Starting with white balance, in SDR mode, the graph shows significant increases in the case of the red colour. This effect can make the image appear slightly yellowed, leading to distortion of natural skin tones. As a result, viewers may notice that some scenes seem unnatural, and colours lose their authenticity. In HDR mode, the situation changes dramatically – the dominant colour becomes blue. Such a strong shift towards blue also negatively affects the colour balance of the image, which can lead to loss of detail in cool tones. Viewers may feel that the image is somewhat cold and out of balance, which further emphasises the fact that the television does not achieve optimal colour reproduction. Tests carried out using the Colour Checker tool confirm these shifts in several tested samples.

As for contrast, in HD mode, the range shows a significant jump at the beginning of the graph, but then remains close to the reference line at 2.4. This means that in most scenes, the television is able to deliver a satisfactory level of contrast. For the viewer, this translates into better perception of details in shadows and greater depth of the image, which affects their overall experience when watching films and TV programmes. In HDR mode, however, the EOTF curve displays large fluctuations both at the beginning and at the end of the graph. Such fluctuations can lead to inconsistencies in the reproduction of details in bright and dark areas of the image. For the viewer, this means that in scenes with intense light, such as explosions or dynamic actions, crucial details may disappear, and the image can appear blurred. Conversely, in darker parts of the image, the lack of clear differences in shades can cause details to merge into a uniform blob, significantly reducing the quality of viewing. Although movie mode offers the best factory settings in the GP6765, both in terms of colour reproduction and contrast, it still has significant issues.

Philips PUS8209 offers many picture modes, but the best of them, without a doubt, is the Filmmaker mode. Despite its proud name, it has its clear problems. In the case of HD content, the white balance is characterised by a strong dominance of red, which causes the picture to be significantly warmer than it should be in reality. The brightness characteristic (gamma), although correct in the mid-tones, has serious issues at the beginning and end of the curve. Drops in the shadows cause a loss of detail in the dark areas, and blowouts in the bright areas make some elements look unnatural.

For high-quality 4K HDR content, the situation reverses. In this case, blue dominates, leading to an artificial enhancement effect, reminiscent of unnatural retail settings. Such an image looks unattractive and inconsistent with the creators' intentions. An additional problem is the EOTF curve, responsible for brightness in HDR materials. It deviates significantly from the reference chart, causing the image to appear too dark, robbing the depth and detail of HDR content.

Against this backdrop, errors in the Color Checker test and deviations in colour palette reproduction are exceptionally large, which further negatively impacts the overall image quality. The Filmmaker mode, although the best among the available options, requires substantial corrections to fully convey the director's vision.

After calibration, in film mode, the white balance on the Sharp GP6765 television for SDR content shows a significant improvement. All lines in the graph approach the reference line. Although they are not perfectly straight, the results achieved are satisfactory, considering the price range of this model. Such an improvement in white balance translates to a more natural and accurate colour reproduction, positively affecting the overall visual experience and immersion in the films being watched. As for the gamut, the initial spike on the graph was not removed; however, after this error, the rest of the lines represent the expected effect much better, making the picture more consistent and enjoyable to perceive.

In the case of HDR content, the white balance performs somewhat worse compared to SDR content, but it is still significantly better than before calibration. The improvement in white balance in HDR contributes to greater colour consistency, making watching films more enjoyable, even though there may be some shortcomings. Speaking of contrast, it is difficult to mention a significant improvement here. Our specialists noted that the lack of control over the dynamic tone mapping settings hindered achieving a significant improvement in EOTF, leading to uneven brightness representation.

Despite some shortcomings related to the lack of settings options for dynamic tone mapping, the Sharp GP6765 television has gained a new identity after proper calibration. The enhanced white balance and better colour reproduction in SDR mode make the image more natural and pleasing to the eye. Although there are still areas that require improvement, especially in HDR content, the television offers a satisfying visual experience, making it an interesting choice within its price range.

After calibration, the white balance for HD and 4K content has significantly improved. Although we have not achieved a perfectly flat characteristic, the effect is definitely better than before. The picture on the television no longer appears artificially warm or excessively cold, which significantly enhances the naturalness of the displayed content. The brightness characteristic (gamma) has also been adjusted – the biggest issues at the beginning and end of the graph have been mitigated. The EOTF curve, responsible for brightness in 4K HDR material, has been stabilised, eliminating problems with excessive dimming of the image. In the colour palette test, some imperfections can still be noticed due to average coverage of the wide colour gamut, which is a limitation of the equipment itself. Nevertheless, the final effect is clearly better than before calibration – the image looks more natural and approaches the expectations of the Filmmaker mode.

On the Sharp GP6765 television, the "10-bit colour reproduction" feature performs well in the tested scene with light bulbs. Setting this option to "medium" yields satisfactory results, as there are no issues with grain smoothing or blurring of significant elements of the image. Setting it to "low" also produces positive results, offering a clear picture without negatively impacting the details. Such smoothing options for tonal transitions contribute to an improvement in visual quality, enabling more natural colour transitions.

In the context of image scaling, the Sharp GP6765 television has its strengths, such as the absence of overscan when displaying test material. This allows viewers to enjoy a full picture without losing any detail from the edges. However, in the tested scene with the model, there are some shortcomings. The branches and trousers do not look their best. Their outlines appear slightly jagged, suggesting that effective edge smoothing techniques have not been applied. This causes some details to look slightly distorted, which can affect the overall visual experience.

The television offers a "Distortion Reduction" feature that effectively improves the gradation of tonal transitions, especially when set to the minimum level. Unfortunately, this comes at a cost – the feature simultaneously smooths out details such as the texture of materials. On the positive side, it is worth noting that the operation of this option does not negatively affect film grain, which remains intact.

As for image scaling (upscaling), the television generates a plastic, soft image that generally looks pleasant. However, in the background, one can sometimes notice issues with aliasing on certain elements, such as branches or fine details, which can lower the quality of reception. Despite these minor imperfections, the overall experience of scaling is satisfactory.

When it comes to trailing and motion smoothness, the Sharp GP6765 television performs rather mediocrely. It is equipped with a 60 Hz refresh rate panel, which suffices in the context of films. The television has a motion enhancement feature called "Motion Improvement". Thanks to this feature, we can control the fluidity of motion, allowing us to choose whether the image should appear with film-like frames or be smoother - theatrical. This enhancer should satisfy most users who focus on film content. However, when it comes to sports or gaming, Sharp does not perform at its best. In the tested scene with the UFO alien, there is noticeable blurriness, suggesting that the low response time of the panel negatively impacts the sharpness of moving objects. Such effects can be particularly frustrating during dynamic sequences where quick movements are common. For those who prefer watching sports or intense video games, the limitations in motion smoothness may be discouraging, making the Sharp GP6765 not necessarily the ideal choice in this category.

The 60 Hz panel in the Philips PUS8209 is mainly suitable for watching films, but there is still a sense of something missing. The television does not offer any motion smoother that would allow users to adjust the fluidity of the picture to their individual preferences, which can be disappointing for some users.

The functionality of Sharp's GP6765 for gamers leaves much to be desired. Although this model is equipped with HDMI 2.1 ports, which in theory should offer a range of modern conveniences, in practice the situation is far worse. The only feature that truly utilises the capabilities of this standard is Auto Low Latency Mode (ALLM). Unfortunately, the lack of support for key features such as Variable Refresh Rate (VRR) or HDR Gaming Interest Group (HGIG) makes this television a less attractive choice for gamers. VRR is crucial for eliminating issues with tearing and stuttering, which is particularly important in dynamic games where image fluidity is key. Meanwhile, HGIG allows for optimal HDR reproduction, enhancing immersion and visual quality. While it might seem that the implementation of Dolby Vision would bring significant benefits, it is completely useless for gamers due to the very high input lag in this mode.

One could say that the presence of HDMI 2.1 ports in Sharp GP6765 is a marketing trap that may mislead users into thinking that the HDMI standard automatically entails all its conveniences. Expecting full functionality, which should go hand in hand with HDMI 2.1, could lead to disappointment.

The Philips PUS8209 offers basic features useful for gamers, such as variable refresh rate (VRR), automatic low latency mode (ALLM), and a Game Bar that makes managing settings easier.

Unfortunately, due to the 60 Hz panel, the television will not meet the expectations of more demanding gamers who are counting on higher smoothness and image precision. Additionally, this model does not support any HDR mode dedicated to gaming, such as HGiG or Dolby Vision, which further limits its capabilities in this regard.