Sony Bravia 7 (XR70) vs Hisense U8NQ

Since we know that the television handles contrast well, let's check how it performs in terms of HDR effects. The luminance graph shows the very high capabilities of this model – 1500 nits is a truly impressive result. The HDR effects are particularly striking in scenes where most of the screen is covered in light, such as in scenes 1, 3, and 5 of the test. Minor shortcomings, typical of this technology, are still visible with very small light effects, as in the scene from the film "Sicario 2," where brightness drops to 500 nits. Although these are not stunning results, they can be considered decent. Additionally, it is worth praising the television for its high coverage of a wide colour gamut – DCI-P3 at 96%, which allows for vibrant, saturated colours.

Hisense U8NQ demonstrates its capabilities in terms of HDR, achieving a luminance chart score exceeding 2000 nits. In the first, third, and fifth scenes where the screen is bathed in light, the television displayed very high brightness that impresses and allows one to fully enjoy the HDR effect. Unfortunately, in the second and fourth scenes, such as those from the film "Sicario 2", the television encounters difficulties in maintaining brightness, resulting in disappointing scores around 250 nits. Although the large number of dimming zones should theoretically help, the algorithm responsible for their control does not always work perfectly — bright, small elements like the moon or helicopter lights are too dim, which detracts from the typical HDR effect. Instead of dazzling brightness, we get a more subdued light that does not realise the full potential of HDR. Nevertheless, the television deserves praise for its very good coverage of the DCI-P3 colour gamut at 97%. This results in vibrant colours, and most film scenes look really good, significantly enhancing the viewing quality.

The IMAX Enhanced mode on the Sony BRAVIA 7 television is undoubtedly the best mode available on this model, although it is not without its flaws, as its name might suggest. The biggest issue is the white balance – both in HD and 4K HDR content, there is a clear dominance of red, which causes the image to take on pink hues. This is particularly noticeable on the tested snow pattern, where the pinkish tint becomes very apparent. Errors in the Colour Checker test also confirm these deviations – although they are not catastrophic, there is a tendency to drift towards warmer colours. As for brightness performance, the gamma remains at a decent level with a slight peak but without major issues. However, the biggest challenge comes from 4K materials. It is clear that the EOTF curve is significantly above the reference graph, which causes the image to become overly brightened.

The Filmmaker mode on the Hisense U8NQ television can be described as the most accurate mode available on this model. Despite its accuracy, it has significant errors in reproducing reference images, which we will now describe. In the case of HD content, the white balance shows a clear dominance of red, making the image overly pink and warm. The comparative photo below illustrates how this effect impacts content presentation. The brightness characteristics also leave much to be desired — too low a gamma results in an excessively bright screen, and blacks appear elevated, making the overall image seem cooler than it should be.

In the case of 4K HDR content, the problem is the opposite — the white balance shows too great a dominance of blue, resulting in an artificial appearance and an unnaturally sharp image. All of these deviations for both HD and 4K HDR content can be confirmed using the Colour Checker test, which clearly demonstrates how colours deviate from correct standards.

Sony BRAVIA XR70 offers a wide range of tools that allow for adjusting the picture to individual preferences, enabling us to make significant adjustments to the settings. The white balance has been free from the problem of red colour dominance – snow no longer takes on pink shades, which was previously noticeable. Although one can detect slight deviations in the final part of the white balance graph, concerning a drop in blue colour, they are acceptable and difficult to notice in everyday use. The Colour Checker test confirms that errors in colour reproduction are no longer as pronounced and rarely exceed a value of 2, which is a very good result. As for brightness, gamma, while not requiring much improvement, was slightly adjusted. The most significant change was noted in the EOTF curve – the television no longer has issues with excessively brightening the entire image in 4K material. However, upon closer analysis and the inclusion of EOTF characteristics in film material, some limitations of the television become apparent due to the previously discussed dimming algorithm. Some small elements may be slightly more brightened, but these errors are so minor that most users will not notice them. Overall, the calibration results are very, very positive.

The white balance for both 4K and HD content has been significantly adjusted, which has greatly improved the picture quality. Although some errors are still visible, they are not large enough to heavily affect the perception of the image. A significant improvement can also be noticed in the gamma brightness characteristic — the picture is no longer excessively bright, translating into more natural blacks and better contrast.

However, as with many other Hisense models, there are visible issues with the EOTF curve, which is responsible for managing brightness in high-quality materials. Although at first glance it may seem correct, when the filter is applied to the "EOTF in films" chart, it is evident that the television somewhat "manipulates" 4K content. It is clear that the EOTF curve is significantly below the reference level, leading to an overall dimming of the image compared to the reference. We noticed this effect in previously tested scenes from the films "Pan" and "Billy Lynn." While it is not a serious issue, it is worth noting. It may be of great importance to those seeking a display with the most faithful reproduction of the image. Despite this error, for most, the picture will be more enjoyable. Colours are better represented, and the overall picture quality is significantly improved.

Since we know that the television performs very well with high-quality materials, it is worth checking how it fares with lower-quality content. Here, the television shows its potential, and the applied graphics processor works really brilliantly. On the test screen with the light bulb, there are no issues with colour transitions, and the smooth gradation feature works very well – we recommend setting it to "Medium".

As for digital processing, or so-called upscaling, the television sharpens the image quite noticeably, which leads to slight aliasing, for example, on the branches in the background, but it does not remove desirable details. Nevertheless, the overall appearance is really appealing and may be to the taste of most users. However, if we prefer a softer, more plastic image, this effect can be reduced in the settings by adjusting the sharpening level according to personal preferences.

In the context of smoothing tonal transitions, the television Hisense U8NQ unfortunately struggles. The “Smooth and Gradient Picture” function does not yield noticeable effects — there is no improvement in any setting, which is disappointing, especially for demanding scenes with a lot of subtle tonal transitions.

Regarding digital processing, or so-called upscaling, the scene with the model is presented correctly — her outline is clear, without significant cropping. Similarly, thin lines, such as tree branches, exhibit slight jaggedness, but overall it looks plastic and soft, which creates a good impression. Unfortunately, there is also an issue with so-called overscan, which causes cropping of the image at the edges. This can be frustrating when watching content like news, where lower information bars may be partially invisible.

The Sony BRAVIA 7 television with a 120 Hz display will satisfy most users in terms of motion smoothness. Additionally, Sony offers the Motion Flow feature, which allows for the selection of three different picture settings, tailoring them to individual preferences: Smoothness – Film: This setting enhances motion smoothness, giving the image a more cinematic or theatrical quality. Smoothness – Camera: This setting provides even greater smoothness, useful when watching dynamic scenes such as sports broadcasts. Clarity: This setting focuses on minimising noise and motion artifacts, resulting in a more stable and clear image.

Hisense U8NQ is equipped with a 144 Hz panel, making it an excellent choice for both sports and gaming. The television will also easily satisfy film enthusiasts, as it features a built-in "Ultra Motion Smoothness" processor that allows you to control the smoothness of the image — you can decide whether you prefer a more "framey" picture or a smoother, theatrical effect. This provides great flexibility in adjusting motion quality to the viewer’s individual preferences.

Sony Bravia 7 has significantly improved its capabilities for working with consoles compared to earlier models. The television supports variable refresh rate (VRR), which eliminates the tearing effect, and is compatible with graphics cards, ensuring smooth display. The auto low latency mode (ALLM) effectively reduces input lag, which is crucial in dynamic games. Dolby Vision with low latency additionally provides impressive HDR effects that look great during gameplay.

Sony Bravia 7 also offers a Game Bar feature, which allows quick access to settings and monitoring parameters while gaming. An interesting option is the ability to enable a virtual on-screen crosshair, which can provide a slight advantage in shooter games. Nevertheless, compared to the Bravia 9 model, the HGIG feature in the Bravia 7 does not perform as well, which may be noticeable for more demanding gamers – especially as the HGIG mode is becoming increasingly popular among players as the preferred method for reproducing HDR effects.

A drawback is the lack of support for 1440p@120 Hz resolution, which could make gaming easier for users with less powerful graphics cards. Furthermore, the Sony Bravia 7 is equipped with two HDMI 2.1 ports, one of which is often used to connect an audio system via eARC, limiting the available connections for new generation consoles.

Hisense U8NQ offers everything a gamer may need for comfortable gameplay. The television supports a refresh rate of 144 Hz, ensuring an extremely smooth image, particularly in dynamic action games. The VRR (Variable Refresh Rate) feature allows the image to adjust to varying frames per second, eliminating stuttering and tearing, resulting in exceptionally fluid gameplay. Additionally, the television is equipped with an ALLM (Automatic Low Latency Mode) feature, which automatically switches the television to gaming mode, minimising input lag. This allows players to enjoy responsive gameplay without the need to manually adjust settings.

Hisense U8NQ also supports Dolby Vision, which is important for gamers who value high image quality, high contrast, and deep colours in games that support this format. The television also has a “Game Bar” — a feature that provides quick access to key settings during gameplay, significantly enhancing user convenience.

However, it is worth noting that despite its rich set of features, the Hisense U8NQ does not offer support for the HGiG standard, which is a popular HDR format in games. This may be disappointing for gamers expecting optimal detail reproduction in HDR scenes. Nevertheless, the other features of the television make the Hisense U8NQ a solid choice for console gaming enthusiasts, offering fluidity, high contrast, and user convenience.