Compare Blaupunkt UGC5500S vs IFFALCON U85X

Blaupunkt UGC5500S is a textbook example of a very inexpensive television that primarily has two huge advantages: the Google TV system and an extremely low price. It is these two elements that make it an enticing option for many people. During testing, we also found other fantastic uses for it, such as working with a computer. Thanks to the exemplary readability of fonts and good viewing angles of the IPS panel, Blaupunkt surprisingly performs well as a budget monitor. However, one must be aware that this is a typical budget device, and this cost-saving is evident in the image quality. The panel is simply dark, making it difficult to perform in challenging lighting conditions, not to mention creating any real HDR effect. Additionally, despite good viewing angles, the blacks on this model leave much to be desired – in the evening, they will be more dark gray, which is a typical characteristic of the IPS technology used here. Looking through the lens of price, this is a device intended to compete in the market not on image quality but rather on the amount on the receipt. Blaupunkt UGC5500S will find its place perfectly as an additional television in the home, equipment for the cottage, or in a less important room where the image is simply needed, and we want to enjoy all the benefits and applications that Google TV offers.

The iFFALCON U85X is a device that draws heavily from the technological solutions of its parent brand, TCL. It is hard not to get the impression that in terms of pure technical parameters, we are dealing with nearly a faithful copy of the successful C6K series (C69K/Q6C), although visually, the designers opted for references to the more budget-friendly P line. This specific combination makes the television do exactly what we expect from a solid Mini-LED at an even lower price. It provides very good contrast and a vivid HDR effect, which is directly due to the impressive number of local dimming zones. It is worth noting that, just like the models from the C series, the iFFALCON U85X turns out to be exceptionally tailored to the needs of gamers. You will find almost every function necessary for comfortable gaming, from full support for HDMI 2.1 ports, through ALLM and VRR technologies for console owners, to excellent compatibility with PCs. As a monitor, the device performs superbly not only due to its refresh rate support up to 240Hz but also because of its very sharp and legible font, which is not always a given in the world of televisions. Of course, it is not an ideal model, as it shares the same set of advantages and disadvantages as its counterpart under the TCL brand – mainly referring to issues like noticeable motion blur and aggressive brightness management in HDR. However, it all creates an extremely interesting mix that makes us seriously contemplate the sense of the existence of the iFFALCON brand as a separate entity, since the same product could successfully debut with a full-fledged TCL logo on the casing. Nevertheless, we have no major reservations about the device itself; it is truly a model worth attention as long as you manage to purchase it, as it is very difficult to obtain at the moment.

To put it bluntly: the black levels are simply very poor. Our measurements on test screens only confirmed what we could see with the naked eye – a result around 1000:1 is, in today's standards, even in this price range, a disappointing result. In cinematic conditions, this "black" simply does not exist. To back up our claims, we fired up one of our favorite test scenes – the helicopter flyover in "Sicario 2" (you can actually see it in the video we posted below). Instead of a pitch-black, deep night, we got an image that is... navy blue. Everything that should be dark and mysterious on screen, in reality, shines dark blue. This is the price we pay for using an IPS panel. On one hand, we get quite decent viewing angles, so if you're watching TV with the whole family from different angles, the image doesn't lose much saturation. On the other hand, if you plan to have evening screenings with the lights off, this lack of contrast will hit you in the eyes from the very first minute.

In terms of black levels and contrast, the 65-inch iFFALCON U85X is almost an exact replica of the solutions known from TCL's C6K and C69K models, offering the same number of 224 local dimming zones in a 14x16 arrangement. Thanks to the use of a VA panel and such a solid number of zones, the device can generate an image with impressive depth, where our measurements in real movie scenes indicated a contrast exceeding 100,000:1. Of course, at this level of hardware, local dimming does not always exhibit perfect precision, so in more challenging scenes with bright details on a dark background, we have to reckon with the occurrence of halo effects, which are subtle glows around objects. Nevertheless, the overall quality of black levels is very high and will certainly satisfy the majority of users seeking cinematic experiences. The image certainly appears to have greater depth than in solutions without any local dimming technology.

Here, we won't beat around the bush either – if you're looking for a TV strictly for cinematic HDR experiences, you've come to the wrong address. The Blaupunkt UGC5500S unfortunately is not a machine designed for such challenges. This is primarily due to its very low brightness, which we measured during our tests. A result of around 250 nits on film screens speaks for itself. It's simply too little to even talk about any real HDR effect. To be honest, everything displayed here in this format can best be considered a slightly "boosted" SDR mode. We expected this because practically every device in this price range fails in this regard, but we feel obligated to warn you. Manufacturers love to boast about HDR compatibility stickers on the boxes, but in reality, this format simply doesn't exist here – it lacks the "fuel" of brightness.

The situation is made all the more difficult for Blaupunkt because we have a panel with a very basic DCI-P3 color gamut coverage of just around 80%. You won't find any advanced coatings that enhance these capabilities (like quantum dots), making scenes that are supposed to burst with richly saturated colors appear simply desaturated on this screen. Therefore, we have a concrete piece of advice for you: do not push the HDR mode on this model. If you have the option in the streaming app settings – just turn it off. Sticking with the classic SDR mode will ensure that the TV won't try to "enhance" something that it can't handle hardware-wise.

iFFALCON U85 handles HDR in a rather dual manner – on one hand, it can surprise with a solid peak brightness of around 650 nits, which places it well above average in this price segment. This is particularly evident in full-screen, bright scenes. Examples from movies like Life of Pi or the final test sequences from The Meg prove that the TV can maintain the strength and essence of the HDR effect when the entire panel has to "light up," delivering truly satisfying experiences. However, problems begin in high-contrast scenes, where smaller, bright details appear on the screen; the dimming algorithms prioritize deep blacks to such an extent that they can suppress the brightness of small highlights to just 100 nits, drastically reducing the dynamism of the image and depriving us of the true "punch" we expect from HDR standards. However, the question of colors remains a sweetener; thanks to the use of the PFS phosphor filter (marketed as QLED by the manufacturer), they look very good, achieving nearly 94% coverage of the DCI-P3 color palette, allowing for a rich and vibrant image in most content.

We also took a close look at how Blaupunkt handles colors in movie mode, and here the situation is, to put it briefly, twofold. We must clearly separate what we see in the standard SDR format from what happens when HDR is turned on, as these are two completely different worlds. Let’s start with the better side of the coin. If you plan to watch classic television, YouTube, or older movies on this TV, you can count on really well-tuned colors. In our test sample, the white balance in movie mode was exceptionally accurate, which honestly surprised us. Of course, to not make it too rosy, we noticed some flaws. Looking at the gamma charts, we observed that the processor struggles with properly dimming the image in its brightest parts. Additionally, there is quite strong, at times too aggressive, red saturation, which resulted in noticeable errors in reproducing certain shades. Nevertheless, in general terms, the image in SDR is simply solid and watchable without a grimace on your face. Unfortunately, the magic fades when we re-enter the world of HDR. Here, Blaupunkt behaves as if we suddenly switched it to store mode, and in its worst form. The excess blue in the white balance is so overwhelming that it literally clashes with the eyes, ruining any realism of the scene. Furthermore, the TV interprets brightness very loosely, which, when analyzing the EOTF curve, clearly showed that for most of the time the colors appear simply washed out and lacking depth. This is, by the way, perfectly visible in the color errors that become evident in this mode. Once again, we are left with the same conclusion: Blaupunkt in SDR mode looks significantly better and more natural than in HDR, which feels forced and not properly refined.

We tested the factory colors in the iFFALCON U85X model in “Film” mode, which is definitely the most reliable among all available settings, although it is still far from perfect. The main problem that stands out in both SDR and HDR content is improper white balance - an excess of blue and red components gives the image a slight purple tint, which undermines the naturalness of film scenes. However, an even greater challenge is the way the television manages its brightness. Analyzing the gamma curve for the SDR signal, we noticed significant instability: instead of sticking to the reference value of 2.4, the device oscillates around 2.2, only to suddenly experience an unnatural jump to around 3.0. In practice, this leads to confusing effects - large bright areas on the screen appear too dark, while smaller elements are unnecessarily brightened. A similar feature can be found in the EOTF curve, which makes the image unpredictable and loses its cinematic authenticity.

It may sound like a joke – pulling out professional measurement equipment for a television costing around a thousand zlotys / 250 dollars – but we wouldn't be ourselves if we didn't check it out. The question is: does such cheap equipment give us any room for calibration? To your surprise, the answer is yes, and absolutely so. In the Blaupunkt UGC5500S menu, we found surprisingly many options that allowed us to really work on the picture. These are not just empty sliders; they are concrete tools that enabled us to make use of our measurement sensors and software. In SDR mode, the effects were noticeable to the naked eye. We successfully eliminated the issue we mentioned earlier – that excessive, almost artificial saturation of reds. We also fixed the problem of incorrect dimming of the brightest parts of the image. After calibration, the standard format picture became much more balanced and simply correct. As for HDR, the situation was again more complicated. Although we managed to "tame" that aggressive blue tint in the white balance, it was evident that we were fighting a bit in vain. Even after changing the settings, the television still tried to intervene in the image in its own way, as if the electronics knew better than we did how the scene should look. Additionally, there's a hardware barrier that no slider can overcome – colors in HDR still remain unsaturated. This simply results from the quality of the panel itself; it physically cannot produce the most vibrant colors. To summarize this point: if any of you ask whether it’s possible to calibrate a television for "a thousand," we respond with full conviction: it is possible.

After professional calibration of the movie mode, we must admit that the effect is more than satisfactory – the iFFALCON U85X undergoes a true transformation. Color errors in SDR content dropped to a level below 2, making them practically imperceptible to the human eye. We managed to set the white balance almost perfectly, and brightness management (gamma) became nearly exemplary. As a result, with standard quality materials, the television looks simply perfect, and it's hard to find any faults with it.

In the case of HDR signal, the situation has also improved significantly, although here the nature of the device is a bit more pronounced. Color errors have been reduced to around 3, which is an outstanding result in this price range. However, it is worth taking a look at the EOTF chart (available on the right side of the screen in the filters: 4K HDR, gamma / EOTF) to see what is not immediately visible regarding brightness management by the U85. Although the reference line looks decent, in actual film scenes, the television still interprets the signal "in its own way" due to very aggressive local dimming algorithms. Does this disqualify this model for watching HDR content? Absolutely not. It's simply a typical ailment of almost every Mini-LED that has to reconcile high brightness with an attempt to maintain deep black. One just has to be aware of these technical limitations, which are unavoidable in this segment.

Looking at our test photographs, it's really hard to find fault with anything. Most of the colors in the attached images blend together almost perfectly, creating smooth gradients without distinct "steps." And indeed, in most of the scenes where we took these shots, it looked surprisingly good. However, the problem arises when we stop analyzing the still frames and simply start watching the movies. In motion, the situation changes dramatically. During dynamic scenes on screen, artifacts start to pop up, which are a direct result of using a simply weak image processor here. Unfortunately, a static photo cannot capture this "jittering" of colors, but you have to take our word for it: what looks clean and smooth in the picture can be quite noticeable and simply annoying during playback. This is precisely why we rated this category quite low.

When it comes to the smoothness of tonal transitions, the iFFALCON U85X performs quite decently. In most scenes, gradients are almost imperceptible, so the irritating "banding" of colors shouldn't be noticeable during everyday viewing, for example, on ChooseTV. However, it must be honestly admitted that in very dark frames, the image is not always perfectly smooth, and certain imperfections in transitions between shades can be observed. Nonetheless, this result is more than satisfactory and does not spoil the overall perception of the image.

If you expect that the processor in this model will magically "fix" the poor quality signal from cable TV or old films from YouTube, we must disappoint you. The capabilities of this television end with absolutely basic upscaling, which is simply stretching the image to a higher resolution. It does this correctly in that the image is not blurry, but there is no talk of any intelligent sharpening or adding details. Worse still, Blaupunkt is completely devoid of any functions that reduce unwanted tonal transitions. If the material being viewed has so-called banding (ugly "steps" instead of a smooth transition of colors, e.g., in the sky), this television will display them in all their glory. Additionally, the television tends to slightly crop the edges of the image. Instead of displaying 100% of what the source sends, Blaupunkt slightly enlarges the frame, causing us to lose details located at the very edges of the screen. In summary: in the category of digital "enhancement" of the image, Blaupunkt simply performs poorly. We receive a raw, unprocessed signal with all its flaws.

When it comes to scaling the image to 4K resolution, the iFFALCON U85X performs solidly. The device efficiently enhances low-quality signals, making even older materials look clean and clear on the 4K matrix. At extremely low resolutions, such as 480p, you can notice slightly jagged edges (especially on thin lines), but let's face it – this is a scenario you'll only encounter when watching very old footage, so it's not a real issue in everyday use.

However, the digital processing aimed at smoothing tonal transitions is significantly worse. Although the menu features a function called “Gradual Smoothing”, its effectiveness is at least debatable. In practice, it does not effectively reduce banding (color stepping), and worse, it can cause more harm than good. This filter can be too aggressive where it shouldn't be, artificially smoothing out details that should not be touched, such as the natural texture of the face or fine details of the skin's texture. Instead of improving quality, this feature can give the image an unnatural, “plastic” look, so it's best to use it with great caution or, better yet: leave it turned off.

When it comes to motion fluidity, Blaupunkt has nothing to defend itself with. A 60 Hz panel at this price is standard, so none of us expected a perfectly sharp image during fast action scenes or while watching a game. However, the biggest drawback of this model is that you won't find any digital smoothers in the menu. The manufacturer did not give us any room to maneuver – there's no way to smooth anything out or adjust the image to our preferences. The image is always "raw" and we receive it exactly as the source transmits it. For fans of cinematic "motion jump," this might be fine, but everyone else just has to get used to the absence of any motion support.

In contrast to budget constructions, which in dynamic sports scenes may resemble a slideshow, the iFFALCON U85X is a heavyweight contender equipped with a panel featuring a native refresh rate of 144Hz. However, it is worth remembering that in the world of movies, series, or sports, we will mostly operate at 120Hz due to the specifics of image enhancement systems. Such a fast panel is excellent news for gamers and sports fans, as it opens the door to advanced motion settings that simply don't exist in cheaper 60-Hz models.

We manage everything from the "Motion Clarity" menu, where instead of using pre-set, often too aggressive modes, we definitely recommend a custom configuration based on two sliders. The most important of them, reduction of flicker, is responsible for smoothness in films – here, it's best to aim for a value around 4, which will maintain a natural, cinematic character of motion without falling into the artificial "soap opera effect." On the other hand, the first slider, reduction of blur, is the key to success in sports broadcasts. In this case, it's worth going all out and setting it to maximum, ensuring that the image during fast actions on the field remains sharp, and annoying trailing is eliminated.

When it comes to gaming on the Blaupunkt, we didn’t expect miracles and indeed – the list of features is not very long. However, there are two interesting points worth mentioning, as they may be significant for some of you at this price. The first advantage is that the TV quite efficiently detects the connected console. Thanks to the ALLM (Auto Low Latency Mode) feature, the device automatically knows when you start gaming and switches to low latency mode. This is convenient because you don’t have to fiddle with the settings every time to prevent input lag from ruining the fun. The second point is a real curiosity that surprised us. Even though it’s a 60 Hz panel, the Blaupunkt can display images at 120 Hz at Full HD resolution. Sure, we lose 4K details then, but for those playing more dynamic, online shooters where fluidity is more important than resolution, it’s a really nice and unexpected addition in such an inexpensive piece of equipment. Besides these two points, however, you won’t find anything else here. There are no advanced systems for improving fluidity for gamers or extensive gaming menu bars. It’s a simple screen for occasional gaming.

iFFALCON U85X is an exceptional device for gamers that has virtually everything you can expect from a modern screen for consoles or PCs. Here we find two fully-fledged HDMI 2.1 ports with full bandwidth of 48 Gbps, which opens the door to key technologies such as VRR and ALLM, ensuring smooth gameplay without tearing and with minimal latency. The TV handles high refresh rates at various resolutions without any problem, and a real curiosity is the mode that allows for up to 240Hz when dropping to Full HD quality. The entire system is managed by the Game Bar (a faithful copy from TCL), which allows for instant switching of picture modes, customization of the interface appearance, or even adding a virtual crosshair in the middle of the screen.

An important point for every gamer is, of course, input lag, which refers to how quickly the television reacts to our movements on the controller. And here, Blaupunkt has something to boast about, although the results are quite specific. At 4K resolution, the lag is only 12 ms. That's an excellent result. With such lag, gaming is simply phenomenal, and the response is almost instantaneous. However, it's a bit of a pity that the situation changes when switching to 1080p mode. Here, the input lag increases to about 30 ms. To be clear: this is still not a terrible result. For most people, it will be "more than acceptable," and during casual gaming, you probably won't even notice it. Nevertheless, it’s a shame that they couldn’t maintain the same good parameters that we saw at full 4K. Still, in the overall assessment, as a budget screen for consoles, Blaupunkt performs really well in this regard.

The completion of the gaming arsenal is the remarkable latency results that we measured in our tests. With a standard 60Hz signal, the input lag is only 17 ms, which is a completely safe value for comfortable gameplay, while switching to 120Hz reduces the latency to an impressive 9 ms. A nice fact is that these excellent parameters do not deteriorate even in Dolby Vision mode. In many televisions, activating this format still comes with additional processor overhead and increased lag, but here the engineers at TCL (or iFFALCON) did a great job.

If you plan to connect a computer to this television, it is absolutely crucial that you find and enable the PC compatibility option in the menu. Once you do that, magic happens – the implementation of Chroma 4:4:4 and font clarity jumps to an exemplary level. The legibility of text is simply great here. Of course, our editorial meticulousness would not allow us to pass by this hardware without taking a look "under the hood." In very specific tests with thin, dark text, we noticed that the horizontal and vertical matrix masks differ slightly in brightness levels. However, we want to reassure you: this phenomenon is so subtle that during normal use, writing emails, or browsing the web, you won't be able to notice it with the naked eye. We maintain our opinion that as a monitor strictly for dynamic gaming on PC, this is not an ideal choice (as we mentioned regarding the 60 Hz refresh rate), but if any of you are wondering whether you can comfortably work on such a Blaupunkt – we answer: yes, it is absolutely possible.

iFFALCON U85X is also a great candidate for a powerful computer monitor, offering a work culture that is hard to find in typical televisions. The readability of the fonts is at almost an exemplary level – although due to the specifics of the VA panel, it is not as crystal clear as in IPS panels, the difference becomes practically undetectable to the human eye when maintaining a distance of over one meter. The device natively supports a resolution of 4K at 144Hz refresh rate, but the real ace up its sleeve is the 240Hz mode (available at lower resolutions), which makes this giant an excellent tool for fast-paced esports titles, where refresh rate takes priority over pixel count. What is almost most important for PC users, such high performance is fully supported by frame synchronization technologies such as NVIDIA G-Sync and AMD FreeSync, which effectively eliminates screen tearing and ensures perfect smoothness regardless of the graphic card in use.

It is really very good here. Regardless of whether we sat directly in front or on the edge of the couch, the colors retained their saturation. This is a big plus if you plan to watch matches or movies with a larger group – no one will complain that their picture looks worse. While IPS panels are known for good viewing angles, in this particular model, when viewed from a large angle, the picture clearly loses brightness. Interestingly, the color saturation still remains in place, but the screen simply becomes darker. This is not something that disqualifies this television, but it is worth knowing.

In terms of viewing angles, the iFFALCON U85X does not offer any surprises – it is simply poor, which is a typical characteristic of VA matrix screens. We must treat this as a natural and conscious compromise: when choosing a panel with high contrast and deep blacks, we almost always sacrifice wide viewing angles (only in top-end series do manufacturers use special coatings to improve this feature). The laws of physics in this price segment cannot be deceived, because while sitting directly in front of the television, the picture looks stunning, it only takes a slight lean to the side for the colors to start losing their saturation. If you plan on evening screenings with a larger group, it's a good idea to ensure that everyone sits as close to the central axis of the screen as possible.

In terms of daytime performance, Blaupunkt is simply average. It all comes down to the low brightness of the panel, which – as we mentioned before – hovers around 250 nits. This is definitely too little for the screen to "break through" strong light coming into the living room. As a result, under high sunlight, the image loses clarity and appears somewhat washed out. However, there is one bright spot in this category: the satin coating of the panel. Thanks to it, we don't have to deal with the mirror effect, which often makes us watch the reflection of our own sofa instead of the movie. The satin nicely diffuses reflections, which saves the situation somewhat. Nonetheless, we can't defy physics: while the coating bravely fights against reflections, the low brightness ultimately capitulates in the battle with sunlight. If you are planning a screening in the middle of the day in a very bright room, be prepared to close the curtains.

In a bright room, the iFFALCON U85X performs reasonably well, thanks to the satin coating used on the panel. It adequately dampens direct light reflections, allowing us to avoid the irritating mirror effect, although under stronger lighting, one can notice the characteristic warm "spills" of light around the reflecting objects. While it is not on par with top-tier panels featuring the most advanced filters, the absence of high gloss makes daytime use much less burdensome. In terms of pure brightness in SDR standard, that is for television, the TV achieves an average brightness level of around 420 nits. This is not an outstanding result that would allow it to compete with direct sunlight hitting the screen, but it is perfectly sufficient for comfortable viewing in a moderately sunny living room.

In terms of Smart TV functionality, Blaupunkt UGC5500S is a classic example of a device where the system is both its greatest asset and its biggest flaw. On one hand, we have full Google TV, which at this price point is a huge plus. We get access to a gigantic library of applications and virtually all the features we know from brands that use this software. Nothing is cut out forcefully, which is truly appreciated in such an affordable television. Unfortunately, we must honestly admit that in Blaupunkt's version, this system simply runs sluggishly. This is a typical issue with low-budget TVs featuring Google TV – the processor barely keeps up with the software. Navigation through the menu is not as smooth as we would like, and the remote can respond with a noticeable delay, giving the impression of being "dull." Of course, once you launch a specific app and start a movie, everything runs stably, but simply sifting through the interface requires a bit of patience.

As for classic television functions, Blaupunkt does not offer anything extraordinary. It’s a basic device for fundamental tasks. The remote deserves praise for having a classic numeric keypad, which is simply convenient when flipping through cable channels. We also have Bluetooth, so you can easily connect wireless headphones or a speaker. The television also has a physical mini-jack headphone output. At a time when manufacturers are mass removing this connection, the presence of a "jack" is a nod to those with older audio equipment or simply those who prefer classic wired headphones. It's a small thing, but it brings joy.

Smart Features

Like products from TCL, the iFFALCON U85X benefits from the Google TV system. This means access to an almost unlimited library of applications, from the most popular VOD services to niche tools, as well as full integration with Google and Gemini voice assistants. Apple ecosystem users are also not left out – the television easily works with their devices thanks to the built-in AirPlay feature. The system itself operates quite smoothly, although it's undeniable that it inherits some issues known from TCL models. The interface can sometimes "catch its breath" and needs a moment to think, and Polish translations in the deeper corners of the menu can be quite strange and occasionally illogical.

Classic Features

In terms of traditional television functions, the iFFALCON U85X does not strive for any extravagance and offers the absolute minimum, which may be somewhat disappointing for more demanding users of traditional cable or satellite. It’s futile to look for features like recording programs to external USB memory or picture-in-picture (PiP) mode, which would allow following two sources simultaneously. From the more "modern" classics, we only get the ability to wirelessly connect headphones via Bluetooth and teletext support. The remote control also does not pretend to be a modern gadget from the future; it’s a classic design with a full numeric keypad that makes it easier to jump quickly between channels, but visually it strongly diverges from minimalist trends.

In terms of playing files from USB, Blaupunkt performs quite solidly. We checked several of the most popular formats and basically everything that matters worked smoothly on the factory player. Therefore, you are not forced to immediately download additional software right after taking the television out of the box because the device is simply self-sufficient "out of the box." Nevertheless, taking advantage of the charms of Google TV, we still recommend that you install something external, like VLC or Kodi. The factory player is adequate, but it is in these external applications that you will find the most configuration options, better subtitle support, or simply a more convenient interface. Since the system gives you such freedom, it's worth taking advantage of it to get as much as possible from your media.

Playing files from a USB drive is no challenge for the iFFALCON U85X – the built-in player handles almost every audio and video format we threw at it during testing without a hitch. The only drawback we could point out is the support for external subtitles; while popular formats like .sub and .srt work flawlessly, the TV can be finicky with .txt files. Fortunately, with the presence of Google TV, this problem can be quickly resolved by installing an external VLC-type application. Still, for most users, the factory tool will probably be more than sufficient to enjoy their own multimedia library without unnecessary hassle.

In terms of audio, Blaupunkt performs really well, especially considering that this is a typical budget television. You can see, or rather hear, that the brand hasn't forgotten its roots, and for such an inexpensive setup, the sound is actually excellent. Of course, there's a clear lack of bass, but overall it is loud and surprisingly clear. Most importantly for us – even at louder listening levels, the sound is not heavily distorted, which is a rarity and a nice surprise at this price point.

iFFALCON U85X proves that the absence of the Onkyo or Bang & Olufsen logo on the casing does not have to mean flat and shrill sound. The audio system in this model performs surprisingly well, largely due to the dedicated subwoofer located at the back of the device. Our acoustic measurements confirm that the lower frequencies begin to "respond." It is this discernible "bump" on the graph that accounts for the noticeable dose of bass, which typically provides weight and depth to films and music that are often lacking in televisions. The only criticism one might have is that such bass can overpower the high tones, making them seem a bit muted. Overall, it can deliver sound at a level of up to 83 dBC, which is more than sufficient for amplifying a larger living room.

Blaupunkt UGC5500S vs IFFALCON U85X

Advantages

Disadvantages

Our verdict

TV appearance

Where to buy

Contrast and black detail

HDR effect quality

Factory color reproduction

Color reproduction after calibration

Smoothness of tonal transitions

Image scaling and smoothness of tonal transitions

Blur and motion smoothness

Console compatibility and gaming features

Input lag

Compatibility with PC

Viewing angles

Daytime performance

Panel details

TV features

Classic features:

Smart features:

Sound connection options

Supported audio formats (external HDMI eARC audio):

Senior accessibility

Smart Features

Classic Features

Apps

Playing files from USB

Sound

Sound Quality Test

Acoustic Measurements