Compare Haier K85F vs Blaupunkt UGC5500S

The debut of the Haier brand in the European TV market with the K85F model gives the impression of being rushed, and after thorough testing, it feels almost unfinished. Analyzing this product, we come to a fundamental conclusion: its biggest problem is not the quality of the panel used. Given its price segment, this is simply average, with the typical advantages of VA technology in the form of high contrast and equally typical disadvantages such as poor viewing angles. What actually disqualifies this model as a home entertainment center is the glaring lack of engineering and, above all, software refinement. The list of shortcomings is long and starts from the first contact with the device. Careless assembly, which could have been avoided at the quality control stage, a poorly optimized and poorly translated Google TV system, and annoying issues with such basic functions as pairing the remote—these all contribute to the picture of a product that seems to have been released to market without due diligence. The catastrophic picture quality in HDR mode, resulting not only from low brightness but also from a complete lack of intelligent adaptation to the signal, only adds to this disappointing image. However, it turns out that this model has its second, surprising face. It is enough to look at it not through the prism of a home TV, but rather as a large and cheap display for special tasks. Then its shortcomings take a backseat, and unexpected advantages come to the forefront: an exceptionally well-functioning media player with USB, outstanding font readability from a PC, and access to a huge database of applications. In such a role—as a screen in a conference room, hotel lobby, or simple advertising player—the Haier K85F performs surprisingly well. For the typical user seeking a reliable and simply well-functioning TV for the living room in 2025, however, the Haier K85F is a proposition that is extremely difficult to recommend with a clear conscience. It is a product full of contradictions that fails in its primary function intended by the manufacturer on too many fronts.

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.

Well, let's get to the meat of the matter, which is how the Haier K85F handles black levels and contrast. The key information is that the television uses a VA panel, which is crucial for picture quality in dark scenes. Thanks to this, the contrast is really solid – our measurements showed values around 5000:1, which is much better than those of popular IPS panels.

However, it's important to remember that we are talking about budget equipment. So, we should not expect any advanced technologies, such as local dimming. The backlighting works across the entire screen at all times. How did it look during viewing? We took the movie “Oblivion” with its cosmic landscapes for a test, and we also checked classic black bars in other productions. The effect was quite decent. The blacks had a good depth, but they weren't perfectly inky – a slight, bluish glow could be seen, revealing that the backlighting of the panel was still active.

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.

Now let's move on to one of the hottest topics in the world of televisions, which is the quality of HDR effect. In the case of the Haier K85F model, we must unfortunately make it clear: if you are looking for equipment to watch content in a wide dynamic range, you should steer clear of this model. The main issue is its very low peak brightness, which during our tests barely reached 250 nits. To give you a better idea of what this means – such a value is okay for watching standard SDR materials, but it is absolutely insufficient to show any real benefits of HDR. The image simply lacks the "power" to generate bright, striking bursts. All our measurements and tests on specialist patterns only confirmed this. As if that weren't enough, the television also struggles with color reproduction. In this budget model, we won't find any technologies that expand the color palette, such as quantum dot layers (known in marketing as "QLED"). As a result, the coverage of the DCI-P3 color space, which is crucial for HDR materials, is only about 80%. In practice, this means that the image will not only be dark but also devoid of vibrant, saturated colors that the director wanted to show us.

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.

Well, how does the television perform with colors straight from the factory, without any intervention from our side? The Haier K85F offers a full range of picture modes, such as Dynamic or Eco, but for anyone who wants to watch movies according to the creators' intentions, only one really matters: Film mode. This is the mode we focused our tests on, and unfortunately, its name has little to do with reality. The picture in the factory settings is far from what we could call cinematic fidelity and requires many adjustments. Let's start with the white balance, which has a clear lack of red color. In practice, this means that the whole picture has a cool, bluish tint. The situation is even worse when it comes to brightness management, specifically gamma curves (for SDR) and EOTF (for HDR). Their graph resembles a real rollercoaster, which has a disastrous effect on the viewing experience. This results in unnatural dimming of SDR content, causing details in the shadows to get lost, and in the case of HDR – excessive brightness, which further exacerbates the issue of highlights. This combination, meaning too cool white combined with chaotic brightness and excessive blue color saturation, causes enormous errors in color reproduction. Our measurements on a specialized ColorChecker chart showed errors (Delta E) regularly reaching and exceeding values of 8-9. In simpler terms: errors above the threshold of 3 are easily noticeable to the naked eye, so such a result means that the colors on the screen are simply heavily distorted.

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.

Well, is there anything we can do about this image? Can professional calibration save the situation? The answer is: both yes and no. It must be clearly stated that there are certain things we cannot overcome. The limitations of the construction itself, namely a poor panel and its narrow color coverage, mean that you can forget about achieving meaningful HDR – we won’t sugarcoat it for you. The biggest beneficiary of our adjustments is undoubtedly the SDR mode, and it is precisely for watching such content, after calibration, that this television begins to make sense. We managed to tame the white balance in our own way. Although the TV only offers basic 2-point adjustment (instead of precise 20-point), it’s not perfect, but we successfully eliminated that unpleasant, cold "chill" in the image. Above all, however, we recorded a significant improvement in brightness management. The gamma curve, which previously resembled a rollercoaster, looks like an almost perfectly straight line after calibration. This is a sign that the TV can finally display images without artificially dimming or brightening them. The conclusion is simple: even in the case of such a cheap television, professional adjustment of the settings can achieve a lot and draw out its maximum potential.

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.

It's time to address an issue that many may overlook, but to the trained (and not only) eye, it can be quite irritating. We're talking about the smoothness of tonal transitions, or how smoothly the screen displays transitions between very similar shades of one color – for example, on a clear blue sky. We must admit that in this category, the Haier K85F, considering its price, performs quite decently. In bright scenes, such as the aforementioned sky or expansive landscapes in the movie "The Martian," there are no harsh, contrasting bands visible. Indeed, if we look closely, we can spot minimal imperfections, but generally, the effect is more than satisfactory. However, the situation changes when darker scenes are on the screen, such as gloomy corridors in games or nighttime landscapes. Here, banding, or the posterization effect, becomes much more noticeable. Transitions in shadows and shades of gray are no longer as smooth and can irritate the more sensitive eye. This is not a level that would completely disqualify the television, but it is evident that this is an area where costs were cut.

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.

Let's move on to digital processing and image scaling, that is, how the Haier K85F handles lower resolution signals, for example, from standard television. Right from the start, we encounter an extremely annoying and completely incomprehensible issue – the overscan feature is enabled by default. This means that the television artificially enlarges the image, cropping its edges, and this occurs on every source, even 1080p. To see the full frame, you have to dig into the screen settings every time and manually switch the format to "stretch to 16:9." It's a detail, but incredibly frustrating. The scaling of content to 4K resolution can be described in one word: acceptable. And that's basically it. The image processor does not strip the image of details, nor does it generate jagged edges or other artifacts. It simply does its job, without any fireworks. It's fine, but nothing more. The biggest and most noticeable shortcoming in the digital processing section is the absence of a banding smoothing function. This is an algorithm that could significantly reduce the annoying banding effect we mentioned earlier. Unfortunately, the manufacturer did not implement such a solution, condemning us to watch the imperfections of the panel and low-quality materials in all their glory.

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.

The panel in the K85F model operates at a native refresh rate of 60 Hz, which already sets certain expectations for smoothness of the image right from the start. However, we must admit that we were very positively surprised when we found not one, but two separate sliders for motion control in the settings menu: one labeled "Blur Reduction" and the other "De-Judder." Such generosity in this price segment is an absolute rarity, as usually manufacturers offer at most one common option. Unfortunately, our enthusiasm quickly dwindled as fast as it appeared. It soon became clear why Haier was so "generous" – the slider responsible for blur reduction is simply a dummy. Moving it does not produce any visible effect on the screen; thus, only one of the two options actually works.

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.

Let's move on to the features for gamers, although we must point out right away that this is more of a proposal for "casual" players. The manufacturer boasts in the specifications about the presence of HDMI 2.1 ports, which looks impressive on paper, but in reality, it is largely a marketing gimmick. What good is a modern port when the heart of the television is a panel with a refresh rate of 60 Hz? It physically cannot display a signal at 120 frames per second, even at lower resolutions, which takes away HDMI 2.1's most important advantage. That's a shame. (That’s why we mark it as HDMI 2.0 ports in our tests). Another oddity is the television's response to attempts to calibrate HDR from the console. Changes in brightness settings cause very unnatural behavior of the image, which might suggest an incorrect implementation of the HGiG standard. To be honest, however, you shouldn't worry too much about this, because as we have mentioned multiple times, we simply do not recommend using any HDR content on this screen. However, to make it not so bitter, the Haier K85F also has two significant and unexpected advantages. The first is the presence of ALLM, or Auto Low Latency Mode, which switches the television to low latency mode as soon as it detects a connected console. The second, even bigger surprise is support for VRR, or Variable Refresh Rate. Although it works in a very modest range of 48-60 Hz, its very presence is commendable. Thanks to this, the image in games can stutter less, which truly improves the gaming experience.

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.

However, we have to give credit to Haier – there is one parameter where this television absolutely shines and embarrasses many more expensive models. We are talking about input lag, or signal delay. Our measurements showed a remarkably low result of only 13 ms. This is a huge advantage that makes controlling games instantaneous and extremely responsive. In this regard, the K85F performs excellently.

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.

And what if we try to use this Haier as a computer monitor? Here, what was a big surprise for us, the TV performs exceptionally well. For office work – it’s perfect. All thanks to the fact that it properly supports the so-called chroma sampling 4:4:4. To put it simply: every single letter on the screen is sharp, without annoying colored halos or blurriness. Sure, let’s be straightforward – this is not equipment for PC gamers. 60 Hz is too low for them. But if you just need a big screen for text work, browsing the internet, coding, or displaying presentations, then the K85F will perform excellently in this role. It’s one of its strongest and, to be honest, most unexpected applications.

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.

At almost the very end of the evaluation of the panel itself, we left the viewing angles, which unfortunately are one of its biggest weaknesses. However, we must honestly admit that this is no surprise – it is simply a natural and widely known characteristic of VA-type panels. In the unit we tested, interestingly, the brightness of the image did not drop drastically when we moved away from the center of the screen. The real problem, however, is the colors, which instantly begin to fade. A slight change in position on the sofa is enough for the hues to lose their saturation and become washed out. In this regard, the Haier K85F presents a very average level, typical for this technology.

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.

And how does the television perform in confrontation with daylight, for example in a heavily sunlit living room? Unfortunately, we don't have good news here. As we've established, this is a television with relatively low brightness, which becomes a serious drawback in the face of sunlight. The situation is further worsened by the applied screen coating. Instead of effectively suppressing reflections, its satin structure tends to unfavorably scatter them. In practice, this means that the reflection of a window or lamp turns into a large, blurred, milky halo, which degrades contrast and effectively hinders viewing. The conclusion is therefore clear: if the television is to be placed in a bright room, the K85F model will not be a good choice.

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.

GoogleTV on Haier K85F

The heart of the television is the Google TV system, which in theory should be its huge advantage. Access to thousands of applications and a wealth of features are promises we are familiar with. Unfortunately, in Haier's execution, this is one of the worst implementations of this software we have encountered. The system operates painfully slowly, and the interface notoriously freezes. However, the real nightmare is the incorrect and often downright comical translations of some menu options, making it at times difficult to figure out what is being referred to. To make matters worse, during our tests, we were unable to launch the AirPlay function, which simply did not work.

Classic features on Haier K85F

Let's move on to the classic features and ports, because this story is even more interesting. A plus is certainly the rich set of ports, including four HDMI inputs and a rarely found mini-jack headphone output. Unfortunately, the television does not offer either USB recording or PiP mode. However, the real ordeal begins with the remote. Our first attempts to pair it via Bluetooth to activate radio frequency (RF) control and voice functions ended in total failure. After several dozen attempts, we were sure it was simply a manufacturing defect. And here's the surprise: after a long struggle, we discovered that the remote can be paired, but it needs to be done from the native Google TV settings, completely bypassing Haier's non-functioning system overlay. This is a perfect example of how terrible software can ruin basic functionality. Oh, and one more thing. In the box... there weren’t even any batteries for the remote.

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.

After all our complaints about the unfinished software, the moment came when we experienced absolute shock. It turns out that within this error-prone and slow system, there is a function that works almost perfectly and puts industry veterans to shame. We are talking about the built-in media player for USB drives. It is a true multimedia powerhouse that played virtually every video format we threw at it without the slightest hesitation – from the most popular to the completely niche. Haier, a newcomer to the TV market, has achieved something that many manufacturers with decades of experience have struggled with for years. Who knows, perhaps it was intended to be a reliable player for conference rooms? Regardless of its origin, the result is outstanding!

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.

Unfortunately, the review regarding the sound will be very short. The biggest advantage of the built-in speakers of the K85F is actually that they are simply there and produce sound. Aside from that, the sound is completely flat, lacking any bass tones and just anemic. Yes, the TV box features a Dolby Atmos logo, but in light of the physical capabilities of these drivers, it is a function that exists only on paper. Therefore, the verdict can only be one: when planning to purchase this TV, one should immediately add a soundbar to the budget.

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.

Haier K85F vs Blaupunkt UGC5500S

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:

GoogleTV on Haier K85F

Classic features on Haier K85F

Apps

Playing files from USB

Sound

Sound Quality Test

Acoustic Measurements