Hisense A6N vs Blaupunkt UGC5500S

Unfortunately, the quality of HDR effect on A6N is not impressive. A peak brightness of 250 nits does not allow for spectacular effects, and HDR is rather pale, resembling more of a regular SDR. This state of affairs will not satisfy more demanding users who want to enjoy high-quality film materials. Additionally, the color gamut coverage is also not very impressive – DCI-P3 at 82% is an average result that does not fully allow for enjoying vibrant colors in HDR materials.

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.

In the category of color reproduction, the Hisense A6N model in Filmmaker Mode leaves a lot to be desired. Although the name of the mode suggests that we should expect faithful reproduction of cinematic colors, the reality is different – the television has significant problems with image quality. The issue with white balance is particularly noticeable, both for HD and 4K content, which is heavily skewed by the dominance of blue. This results in artificial, cold tones, as clearly seen in the comparative photo below. The Colour Checker test additionally confirms these errors, which are exacerbated by low color gamut coverage. The gamma brightness characteristic shows a serious problem with maintaining a level of 2.4 – the graph is significantly below the reference value, leading to excessive brightness and washed-out blacks. The EOTF curve for 4K content also indicates brightness issues – at the beginning, there is a substantial peak due to the TV's excessive brightness, which negatively impacts image quality. Such image characteristics do not allow for full enjoyment of watching films and require manual adjustment.

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.

Hisense A6N offers options and tools in its settings for correcting numerous image settings that we have utilized. When it comes to white balance, we managed to eliminate the excess blue color – this effect is clearly visible in the comparison photo below, where the boy in the image almost "comes to life." A significant improvement can also be observed in the gamma brightness characteristics – the TV no longer has serious issues with overly brightening the entire image. Unfortunately, the same cannot be said for 4K content, where the EOTF curve could not be fully corrected due to the exceptionally low brightness of this model. For HDR content, we use dynamic tone mapping, which allows for the recovery of many details despite the boosting of mid-tones in the image. In the case of this TV, it provides more benefits than drawbacks. The errors that are still visible in the color palette test and Colour Checker for 4K materials stem from low color gamut coverage and are difficult to eliminate due to the characteristics of the television. Nevertheless, the tonal quality of the image is significantly better, which is why we recommend calibrating the factory settings that are far from ideal.

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.

Let's check how the A6N handles low-quality materials. When it comes to smoothing tonal transitions, the lack of posterization reduction or smoothing of tonal transitions in low-quality materials, such as television or DVD, may be noticeable for more demanding viewers. As for digital processing, the model was presented correctly, and the branches were free of characteristic jaggedness – the image is very plastic and soft, which may appeal to people who prefer this kind of image style.

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 60 Hz panel in the Hisense A6N will likely please those who enjoy watching movies, as the TV offers an "ultra motion smoother," allowing us to adjust the motion blur – either more choppy or smoother, theatrical. As for trailing, it performs quite average – noticeable trailing can be seen, especially on dark backgrounds, which is a rather typical feature in this tier of TVs.

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.

The Hisense A6N is a television that will likely appeal to casual gamers, primarily due to its 60 Hz panel, which may not satisfy more demanding users. Nevertheless, it offers several conveniences that can enhance the gaming experience. The television supports features such as ALLM (Auto Low Latency Mode), VRR (Variable Refresh Rate), and Dolby Vision, allowing for better image quality and smoother motion in games that support these technologies. Furthermore, the low input lag ensures quick responses in-game, which is crucial, especially in dynamic titles. With these features, although the television is not the ideal choice for demanding gamers, it provides solid support for those who value comfortable gaming without complicated settings. It is an ideal solution for individuals who want to enjoy gaming without high hardware requirements while still having access to modern technologies that improve 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.