TCL C655 / C69B 98' vs Hisense E7Q PRO / E79Q PRO

The quality of HDR effect on the TCL C655 / C69B looks quite promising. The average value in the test charts is around 450 nits, which already allows for a hint of the brilliance of light effects and better image dynamics. However, as previously mentioned, this effect can be somewhat subdued by slight differences in bright and dark colours, resulting from the lack of local dimming technology. Nevertheless, the DCI-P3 colour gamut coverage of 94% deserves high praise, and this is made possible by the use of a quantum dot (QLED) panel. As a result, colours are vibrant and well-rendered when watching HDR content.

When it comes to the quality of the HDR effect, the E7Q PRO is unfortunately not a television that can impress with brightness alone. In real film materials, we measured around 250–300 nits, which is simply too little for HDR to look spectacular. There is a lack of that "spark" in bright details, highlights, and light effects, and in many HDR scenes, it can resemble good SDR more than true cinematic HDR. The consolation in all this is the colours. We managed to confirm that the E7Q PRO is a PFS-type television, meaning it has an additional filter that improves colour gamut coverage. As a result, even if the brightness does not deliver, the colours in HDR content can be appropriately saturated and pleasing to the eye, without the feeling of a "washed-out" image.

The TCL C655 / C69B television offers a film mode that has been tested for colour reproduction quality. Although this mode is called film mode, unfortunately, it has many errors that the director would certainly not want to see when recording their work. Starting with image analysis, it's 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, making the colours too warm, and the overall image takes on a pink or yellow tint. The Colour Checker test confirms these errors – the colour samples stray into incorrect shades, affecting the overall colour fidelity. A minor issue is the brightness characteristics. However, this too is not without flaws. The gamma graph shows a strong spike at the beginning, which can cause the image to be excessively brightened, and the EOTF curve responsible for brightness in 4K HDR materials also has significant variations – it is evident how the television tries to maintain the appropriate brightness, but it does not always manage to do so effectively.

In terms of colour reproduction, we tested the Hisense E7Q Pro in Movie mode, which turned out to be the best built-in preset without a doubt. This mode, unlike the Eco, Standard or Dynamic settings, offers the most natural colours straight out of the box. Although no factory mode is completely free of flaws, the E7Q Pro deserves high praise for its colour rendering in standard SDR content. The colour palette is very well tuned here, and the errors in the Color Checker tests often did not exceed a value of 3, which is an outstanding result rarely seen in such affordable televisions. The only drawback we noted in SDR is the tendency to darken some elements of the image, as indicated by the slightly raised gamma graph. The television performs slightly worse with colours in HDR mode. Here, colour errors become noticeable to the naked eye, mainly due to a lack of blue in the white balance. This causes the colours on the screen to be too warm, and for some viewers, they may even seem “too cinematic.” Of course, to improve these parameters, we proceeded with professional calibration.

After calibrating the television's movie mode TCL C655 / C69B , the white balance has been adjusted, and the colours are displayed as they should be – which is confirmed only by slight deviations in the Colour Checker test. The gamma is really correct, which means the television shouldn't have problems 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" stronger in a given section of the screen. Despite this design limitation, which cannot be bypassed, we recommend adjustment in the settings, as the overall coloration looks really very good.

In the case of materials with a standard dynamic range (SDR), our actions in Filmmaker mode turned out to be largely cosmetic 😉. We mainly focused on a subtle adjustment of the white balance and equalising the gamma curve, which allowed us to recover details in the darker areas of the image that previously tended to get lost. However, it is worth noting that the E7Q Pro unit we tested was exceptionally well-made at the factory. We remind you that these parameters depend on the specific unit – with mass production, factory calibration can be random, so your unit may require slightly different intervention. The biggest beneficiary of professional calibration was undoubtedly HDR mode. This is where we did the most work, which brought spectacular results. We managed to effectively tame the excessive warmth of the image, caused by a factory deficiency in blue colour. After calibration, the colour errors were reduced to a significantly lower level, which will certainly please those who watch a lot of streaming content in HDR format, expecting faithful reproduction.

The TCL C655 / C69B television handles tonal transitions in lower quality materials well. The "Gradual Smoothing" function, at its lowest setting, effectively eliminates visible banding, but at the same time causes a loss of detail, for example, in the texture of objects. The advantage is that it does not interfere with film grain, allowing the image to maintain a natural appearance.

In terms of digital processing, the television adds a considerable amount of artificial sharpness, which may appeal to those who prefer a crisp image. For those who favour a more subtle representation of details, this could be a downside. Another drawback is the rather aggressive overscan – the image gets cropped, leading to the loss of portions at the edges and limiting the field of view.

When it comes to upscaling and digital image processing, the E7Q PRO deserves praise. The scaling performs really well and does not dramatically fall behind much more expensive, advanced televisions. Lower-quality materials can look clean and sensible, without the impression that the image is artificially "enhanced." However, the smoothing function presents a bit worse. Indeed, it can be effective and improve tonal transitions in poor quality materials, but at the same time, it can introduce undesirable effects. It sometimes removes grain or adds unwanted artefacts, giving the image a more "digital" character. Therefore, we mainly recommend it to those who prefer a smoother, less cinematic style of image.

Unlike smaller versions, the 98” model stands out with significantly better motion fluidity. Instead of the standard 60 Hz, this colossal screen is equipped with a full-fledged 144 Hz matrix, which opens up entirely new possibilities – both for gamers and movie lovers. Thanks to the full motion smoother, the television provides incredible image fluidity, eliminating motion blur and enhancing the viewing comfort of dynamic scenes. It is worth noting that this technology works across the full refresh range, meaning that there is no need to compromise between fluidity and quality. Additionally, the "Flicker Reduction" function allows you to adjust the fluidity to your own preferences – you can opt for a more cinematic effect with visible frames or an extremely smooth image.

In the category of smearing and motion fluidity, the E7Q PRO has one very strong argument. At this price, Hisense has included a 120 Hz panel, and in PC mode, it can even operate at 144 Hz. This immediately provides greater possibilities in motion settings, as the menu offers more options for smoothing the image. Among other things, we have frame interpolation options, which allow us to adjust the fluidity for sports or films, depending on whether we prefer a more cinematic character or a "theatrical" smoothness.

The 98-inch TCL C655 / C69B is excellently equipped for gamers. Full HDMI 2.1 ports and a 144 Hz panel allow for gaming in 4K at 120 Hz, providing fluidity and responsiveness that will impress even the most demanding.

The television supports Variable Refresh Rate (VRR), eliminating screen tearing, while the Automatic Low Latency Mode (ALLM) ensures that the game starts immediately without the need for manually switching settings. There is also support for Dolby Vision and HGiG, making the image quality in games even better – details are sharp, colours are natural, and contrast is perfectly balanced.

Additionally, the television offers a dedicated gaming panel that allows for quick adjustment of picture settings without the need to exit the game. It is a device that meets virtually all the requirements of a modern gamer.

The E7Q PRO is a phenomenal screen for gamers. Aside from the typical "ache" of Hisense, which is the lack of support for the HGiG format due to permanently active tone mapping, we get practically everything one can expect from a television that is to have a gaming label. There are two HDMI 2.1 ports, along with a full set of key features. We have variable refresh rates, automatic switching to game mode, and support for 4K at 120 Hz. Additionally, all the most important settings are at hand in a clear Game Bar. This tool not only looks modern but also has a typically "gaming" edge and truly makes life easier while gaming.