Sharp GP6765 vs Sony X90L

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.

HDR on the Sony X90L TV looks promising. The luminance chart showed that the television has a solid power reserve, reaching a maximum of 1000 nits in synthetic tests. However, how does this perform in real-world scenarios? In scenes such as the opening of Life of Pi or the final sequence from The Meg, the TV is able to deliver this power on HDR content, reaching about 800 nits. Unfortunately, displaying small light elements on a black background, as seen in the scene from Sicario 2, poses greater challenges for the X90L – here the results drop to around 600 nits. Despite this, when compared to competing models with mini-LED technology, the effect looks very good and can shine just enough to impress us. Notably, the colour gamut coverage is commendable, with a score of 96% for DCI-P3 and 76% for BT.2020, indicating good colour reproduction in HDR content.

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.

The best mode in Sony televisions is the IMAX Enhanced mode. Although IMAX is mainly associated with the cinematic experience, here the colour reproduction out of the box is average. In the case of lower quality content, such as HD – regular television or YouTube – it is worth paying attention to the white balance. It is characterised by a deficiency in red and an excessive dominance of blue, which gives the image a pinkish hue. The brightness characteristic, or gamma, for HD content is quite decent, but a slight boost could make the image appear washed out and look as if it is behind a light fog.

In 4K HDR content, the situation looks somewhat different. The white balance shows a significant boost in blue, which causes the image to become unnaturally sharp and seem artificial. Such an exaggeration in colour reproduction may not appeal to everyone, especially if one prefers more realistic shades. Additionally, the EOTF curve in Sony X90L appears quite correct at first glance. However, at the end of the graph, some fluctuations can be seen, suggesting that the television is trying to maintain appropriate brightness to avoid overexposing larger elements.

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.

Sony offers a range of tools for improving image quality, including two additional picture modes that we decided to utilise during testing and to apply calibration to. This solution significantly facilitates the calibration process and is very effective, provided the appropriate tools are available. In the case of HD content, the white balance was almost perfectly aligned – only one shade of grey exceeds the error value of "1", which is an excellent result. The same can be said for the brightness characteristic (gamma), which presents itself nearly perfectly, with microscopic deviations on the order of 0.01.

In the case of 4K HDR content, the situation is not quite so ideal. Although the white balance has been greatly improved, it has not been possible to completely eliminate the dominance of blue colour. Nevertheless, the errors on the Colour Checker test only occasionally exceed the value of "2", which means that image distortions are practically imperceptible. As for the EOTF curve, it is worth activating the filter in the top right corner "EOTF in Films" – the graph looks correct, but the television encounters difficulties when illuminating very small elements, which is due to the limited number of dimming zones. Despite these minor errors, it is thanks to the calibration that the IMAX Enhanced mode on the Sony X90L makes watching films feel like a true cinema experience.

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 Sony X90L television features a tone transition smoothing function known as Soft Gradation, which is extremely effective. Even at the "low" option, the effects are satisfactory, but at the "medium" setting, it works like a dream – we recommend using this option for the best results. The image scaling on the Sony X90L is simply excellent. The image is not overly sharpened, which provides a natural effect and ensures that everything looks cohesive. It's clear that the engineers really focused on this aspect, creating a solution that is impressive and performs well in daily use. Because of this, even when watching content such as regular television or YouTube, where the image is not inherently stunning, one can enjoy a smooth, cohesive, and visually pleasing experience.

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.

Sony X90L with a 120 Hz panel is an excellent choice for both gamers and cinema enthusiasts. The television is equipped with the Motion Flow smoothing feature, which allows for adjusting motion fluidity using two sliders: "smoothness" and "clarity." The "smoothness" slider controls the level of fluidity in motion, which helps reduce image stuttering, while "clarity" is used to minimize blur and enhance motion sharpness, which is particularly useful in dynamic scenes.

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.

Sony X90L is a television that performs well in terms of compatibility with consoles and features for gamers. Its 120 Hz panel and two HDMI 2.1 ports with a bandwidth of 48 Gb/s allow for smooth playback of high-resolution games at a high frame rate. Gamers can also take advantage of the ALLM feature, which automatically switches the television to low latency mode, and VRR, which ensures smooth gameplay without image stuttering. The Game Bar is an additional advantage – an intuitive tool that provides quick access to the most important gaming settings and features, facilitating control over gameplay.

Unfortunately, when it comes to HDR in games, the Sony X90L has its limitations. There is a lack of support for HGiG, a standard that many gamers consider crucial for precise HDR reproduction in games. While the television supports Dolby Vision, which could theoretically improve image quality in games, the practical application of this feature is problematic. Dolby Vision in game mode is associated with very high input lag, making gameplay less comfortable and precise movements more difficult. Additionally, it is not possible to enable Dolby Vision alongside VRR. This means that despite its numerous advantages, gamers seeking the ideal HDR in games may feel a sense of disappointment.