Hisense U7KQ vs TCL C655 / C69B 98'

Describing the HDR effect in the Hisense U7KQ 100-inch model is not straightforward and requires context. In bright scenes, the TV achieves over a thousand nits of brightness, delivering vivid and realistic images that meet expectations for this class of equipment. However, performance declines in darker scenes. In mixed shots, like those in Gemini Man, the TV maintains a brightness level of 700 nits, providing good quality. The issue arises in very dark scenes with small light sources, where the TV limits its capabilities to preserve black levels. This results in a lack of the "WOW" effect, making such frames feel less like true HDR.

The quality of the HDR effect on TCL C655 / C69B looks quite promising. The average value in test patterns is about 450 nits, which already allows you to feel the brilliance of light effects and better image dynamics. However, as previously mentioned, this effect can be somewhat muted by slight differences in bright and dark colors, resulting from the lack of local dimming technology. However, the coverage of the DCI-P3 color palette at 94% deserves high praise, and this is possible due to the use of a quantum dot (QLED) matrix. As a result, colors are vibrant and well-reproduced when watching HDR content.

The best factory mode we measured on the Hisense U7KQ was "Filmmaker." However, its performance still left room for improvement. Let's start with the gamma chart, which affects image depth and contrast. The orange line, which represents the REC.709 standard reference value, begins at 2.4. Looking at the white multi-point line that indicates the measured value, a noticeable drop to 2.0 indicates a decrease in contrast, making the image lack depth and resulting in a "milky" effect. Next, we checked the white balance, which, although minor, can drastically affect the overall image quality if poorly calibrated. Initially, the chart was fine, but red and blue began to dominate, giving all test materials an unpleasant tint. Fortunately, with the advanced colour management system (CMS) and 2- and 20-point grayscale adjustment tools, we managed to significantly improve SDR material performance, as reflected in low deltaE errors and well-calibrated gamma and white balance.

The TCL C655 / C69B TV offers a movie mode that has been tested for color reproduction quality. Although this mode is called movie mode, it unfortunately has quite a few flaws that a director would certainly not want to see when recording their work. Starting with image analysis, it's worth looking at the white balance – both in HD and 4K HDR content, the white balance has significant errors. In both cases, the red color dominates, which makes the colors too warm, and the overall image takes on a pink or yellow tint. The Colour Checker test confirms these errors – the color samples shift to the wrong shades, affecting overall color fidelity. A lesser issue is the brightness characteristics. However, it is also not without flaws. The gamma chart shows a strong spike at the beginning, which can make the image excessively bright, and the EOTF curve responsible for brightness in 4K HDR content also has significant fluctuations – it is evident that the TV tries to maintain appropriate brightness, but it does not always succeed effectively.

In SDR mode, after calibration, the Hisense 100U7KQ performs excellently. Regarding colour reproduction there is nothing to criticise – both pastel and highly saturated colours are displayed according to the Rec. 709 standard, ensuring the image looks natural and in line with the director's intent. Viewers can enjoy an authentic visual experience, with colours and tonal subtleties faithfully represented.

In HDR mode, however, there is a noticeable boost in bright tones. The TV attempts to enhance the image, which can lead to an artificial brightening. This phenomenon becomes more apparent in real scenes, where bright areas of the image may be excessively brightened. While colours in HDR are generally good, they are intentionally over-boosted by the manufacturer, which can affect their naturalness.

This approach to HDR may not appeal to everyone, particularly those who value authenticity and fidelity to the original colours. However, for those who prefer more dynamic and vivid images, the boost in bright tones can add extra brilliance and impact to scenes.

After calibrating the movie mode of the television TCL C655 / C69B , the white balance has been adjusted, and the colors appear as they should – which is confirmed by only slight deviations in the Colour Checker test. The gamma is really good, which means the television shouldn’t have issues with brightness in low-resolution materials. Unfortunately, a similar EOTF characteristic is still noticeable, which is a natural phenomenon in televisions that do not have local dimming – they simply struggle to "shine" brighter in a given part of the screen. Despite this design limitation that cannot be bypassed, we recommend adjustments in the settings because the overall color presentation is really very good.

Although the Hisense 100U7KQ is equipped with a feature to reduce posterisation called "Smooth Gradation," we did not notice a significant effect from its operation. Material subjected to strong compression, such as YouTube videos, still showed uneven, cut-off tonal transitions, which did not look particularly favourable. While this is the fault of the material itself and not the television, it would be beneficial if there were a function to mask these problems, similar to screens from competing brands.

The image scaling, which is crucial when playing lower resolution content, is average. Details are not excessively blurry, and the image is not "smeared," but there is noticeable aliasing on the edges of objects, such as branches, and a halo effect around characters and text. While the television performs fairly well, there is still room for improvement, particularly in the context of displaying lower-quality material.

The TCL C655 / C69B TV handles tonal transitions well in lower-quality content. The "Gradual Smoothing" feature at its lowest setting effectively eliminates visible banding, but it also results in a loss of detail, such as in the texture of objects. A plus is that it does not interfere with film grain, allowing the image to maintain a natural look.

In terms of digital processing, the TV adds a considerable amount of artificial sharpness, which may appeal to those who prefer a vivid image. For those who prefer a more subtle representation of details, this could be a drawback. Another downside is the rather aggressive overscan – the image is cropped, which leads to the loss of parts at the edges and limits the field of view.

The Hisense 100U7KQ TV correctly receives a 4K signal up to 144 Hz, allowing for very smooth images in high resolution. When the resolution is reduced to Full HD, the TV can handle up to 240 Hz, but this signal can only be obtained from a PC. However, the use of this feature is limited by several factors.

Firstly, Full HD resolution on a large TV screen may feel insufficient, affecting image quality. Additionally, the panel's response time isn't fast enough to fully utilise the 240 Hz refresh rate. As a result, at such a high refresh rate, significant overdrive occurs, leading to noticeable motion blur and "ghosting" behind moving objects.

The motion smoothing feature, which works up to 120 Hz, is also worth noting. This is especially useful for sports and movies where motion fluidity is crucial. The TV provides stable operation of this feature, minimising generated artefacts. Motion fluidity can be adjusted using two sliders – one for smoothness in movies and another for reducing blur in sports content.

In summary, while the Hisense 100U7KQ TV offers impressive image refresh rates, the panel's response time and resolution may affect the overall benefits of these features. Nevertheless, the motion smoothing function enhances the viewing experience of dynamic content.

Unlike the 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 completely new possibilities – both for gamers and movie enthusiasts. With full motion smoothing, the TV provides incredible image fluidity, eliminating motion blur and improving the viewing comfort of dynamic scenes. It is worth emphasizing that this technology operates across the full refresh rate range, meaning there is no need to compromise between fluidity and quality. Additionally, the "Flicker Reduction" feature allows you to adjust the fluidity to your own preferences – you can opt for a more cinematic effect with visible frame drops or a maximally smooth image.

The Hisense U7KQ TV supports all the key features when using Xbox or PlayStation consoles, including high refresh rates, low input lag, and a game bar. Most of these features work well, providing a satisfying gaming experience.

However, VRR (Variable Refresh Rate) technology does not perform optimally. When activated, VRR disables the local dimming function, significantly reducing image quality. In VRR mode, the TV struggles with maintaining good contrast and high brightness in HDR, resulting in unsatisfactory image quality. As a result, VRR mode may be infrequently used by gamers due to these limitations.

Additionally, the TV does not support the HGIG (HDR Gaming Interest Group) mode, which optimises HDR image quality in games. Without this mode, tone mapping issues arise in the TV and the console, leading to lower-quality HDR games, which could affect the overall gaming experience.

In summary, while the Hisense U7KQ offers many features for gamers, certain key aspects, such as VRR performance and HGIG support, may not meet the expectations of more demanding users. Nonetheless, the TV supports most standard gaming functions, making it suitable for gamers.

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

The TV supports Variable Refresh Rate (VRR), which eliminates screen tearing, and the Automatic Low Latency Mode (ALLM) ensures that games start instantly, without the need to manually switch settings. There’s also support for Dolby Vision and HGiG, making the image quality in games even better - details are sharp, colors natural, and contrast perfectly balanced.

Additionally, the TV offers a dedicated gaming panel that allows for quick adjustment of image settings without having to leave the game. It’s a device that meets practically all the requirements of the modern gamer.