Hisense U8NQ vs Philips OLED950

Hisense U8NQ showcases its capabilities in HDR, achieving a brightness level on the luminance chart exceeding 2000 nits. In the first, third, and fifth scenes where the screen is covered in light, the television displays very high brightness, which impresses and allows one to enjoy the full effect of HDR. Unfortunately, in the second and fourth scenes, such as those from the movie "Sicario 2," the television encounters issues maintaining brightness, resulting in disappointing results around 250 nits. Although a large number of dimming zones should theoretically help, the algorithm responsible for their control does not always perform perfectly—bright, small elements like the moon or helicopter lights are too dim, which detracts from the typical HDR effect. Instead of dazzling brightness, we get a more subdued light that does not reflect the full HDR potential. Nevertheless, the television deserves praise for its very good coverage of the DCI-P3 colour palette at 97%. As a result, colours are vibrant, and most movie scenes look really good, significantly enhancing the viewing quality.

OLED950 is a phenomenal TV for consuming HDR content, which is primarily due to the use of innovative Tandem OLED technology. With this technology, the screen is capable of generating astronomical brightness values, reaching over 2000 nits in movie scenes (on test screens). This is an outstanding result, placing the OLED950 model among the very top displays available on the market. However, it should be noted that there is a specific characteristic of this solution – at moments when full-screen bursts of light appear on the screen, the brightness can drop by as much as half. Nevertheless, it is worth emphasizing that values above 1000 nits on a full screen are still an outstanding result. This allows for HDR images to be displayed exactly as filmmakers would wish, maintaining the dynamics and impact of light scenes.

The use of Tandem OLED technology has also brought measurable benefits in terms of color reproduction, improving elements where traditional WOLED panels have had difficulties compared to QD-OLED competitors. In the case of the OLED950, the color gamut coverage is broader than in classic WOLED panels, reaching nearly 100% of the DCI-P3 space and a solid 82% of the demanding BT.2020 palette. Although these results still do not match the high achievements of QD-OLED panels, the difference diminishes during real-world usage. We cannot deny that in the vast majority of films, colors look simply fantastic on this model – they are saturated, vibrant, and full of depth.

The Filmmaker mode on the Hisense U8NQ TV can be described as the most accurate mode available in this model. Despite its accuracy, it has significant errors in reproducing the reference image, which we will describe now. In the case of HD content, the white balance shows a clear dominance of red, making the image overly pink and warm. The comparative photo below illustrates how this effect influences content presentation. The brightness characteristics also leave much to be desired — too low gamma causes the screen to be excessively brightened, and blacks look lightened, making the overall picture seem cooler than it should be.

In the case of 4K HDR content, the problem is reversed — the white balance shows too much dominance of blue, resulting in an artificial character to the image and making it appear unnaturally sharp. These deviations for HD and 4K HDR content can be confirmed with the Colour Checker test, which clearly shows how colours deviate from the correct patterns.

We tested the OLED950 model in Movie mode. Although it is theoretically the best and most faithful preset on this television, in practice, it proved to be not without flaws. Interestingly, in the unit we tested, the biggest challenge wasn't the white balance itself – although it did have a slight tendency to give the image a pinkish tint. The main problem lay in the way the television managed brightness, both in everyday SDR content and in demanding HDR scenes. Analysis of the gamma chart and EOTF curve leads to one key conclusion: the television excessively highlights brightness in the lower registers. This results in the image appearing less contrasty than the panel technology would allow. Details in dark areas that should remain perfectly black (characteristic of "OLED black") are simply unnecessarily highlighted and brightened. Fortunately, these errors can be corrected using the appropriate tools, so – as always – we proceeded with professional calibration.

The white balance for both 4K and HD content has been significantly adjusted, greatly improving the image quality. Although some errors are still visible, they are not substantial enough to heavily affect the perception of the image. A notable improvement can also be seen in the gamma brightness characteristics — the image is no longer overly bright, resulting in more natural blacks and better contrast.

However, as with many other Hisense models, there are visible issues with the EOTF curve, which is responsible for managing brightness in high-quality materials. Although it may seem correct, once the filter is applied on the "EOTF in movies" graph, it is evident that the TV is somewhat "playing around" with 4K content. It is clear that the EOTF curve is significantly below the reference level, leading to an overall dimming of the image compared to the reference. We noticed this effect in previously tested scenes from the movies "Pan" and "Billy Lynn." While it is not a serious problem, it is worth mentioning. It may be of great importance to those looking for a display with the most accurate image reproduction. Despite this error, the image will be more enjoyable for most. Colours are better reproduced, and the overall image quality is significantly improved.

As can be seen, the OLED950 transforms into an absolutely phenomenal display after a professional calibration process, which without a shadow of a doubt can be placed in the same category as the best televisions currently available in the world. This equipment only needed a professional touch to show its full potential and eliminate factory shortcomings. The minimal errors in reproduction in Color Checker tests and the fidelity of the color palette speak for themselves. We are dealing with an almost perfect device here. A true window to the world, offering top-notch image quality.

In the context of smoothing tonal transitions, the Hisense U8NQ television unfortunately does not perform well. The "Smooth and Gradient Image" function does not produce noticeable effects — there is no improvement in any setting, which is disappointing, especially in demanding scenes with subtle tonal transitions.

As for digital processing, or the so-called upscaling, the scene with the model is presented correctly — its outline is clear, without significant cropping. Similarly, thin lines, such as tree branches, have slight jaggedness, but the overall appearance is plastic and soft, which creates a good impression. Unfortunately, there is also an issue with the so-called overscan, which causes cropping of the image at the edges. This can be annoying when watching content such as news, where the lower information bars may be partially invisible.

Upscaling

In terms of image scaling, the proprietary P5 processor performs just as well as in most models from this manufacturer. Lower resolution content takes on a very soft and plastic character. Such a presentation will certainly appeal to many. However, if you prefer sharper contours, you can gently enhance them with the appropriate slider in the TV menu. In this aspect, it's really hard to pick on anything. The image simply looks very good and additionally there is no problem with the phenomenon of overscan.

Smoothing and Distortion Reduction

The tonal transition smoothing feature fares a bit worse. In the settings, we find an option called “Distortion Reduction.” This allows for three levels of processor intervention adjustment. Unfortunately, the Minimum setting works poorly and the smoothing effects are negligible. The Medium level gives a decent result, but it also starts to smooth out the skin details of actors. On the other hand, the Maximum setting works too aggressively. It removes definitely too many details from the face and background elements or can even take away the film grain. To achieve the optimal effect, it's worth playing around with these settings at home and adjusting them to your preferences. It might seem that the Medium option represents the best compromise here.

Hisense U8NQ is equipped with a 144 Hz matrix, making it a great choice for sports and gaming. The television will also easily satisfy movie fans, as it features a built-in "Ultra Motion Smoothness" processor that allows you to control the fluidity of the image — you can decide whether you prefer a more "framey" look or a smoother, cinematic effect. This provides great flexibility in adjusting the quality of motion to the individual viewer's preferences.

The motion representation in the OLED950 model is virtually perfect. This is typical for screens of this type (OLED 120Hz+), as the matrix shows no blurring at all. Thanks to this, we can enjoy flawless sharpness in practically any conditions. A big part of this is not only due to the specifics of organic technology. Equally important work is done by the smoothing systems implemented by the manufacturer.

Hisense U8NQ offers everything a gamer may need for comfortable gameplay. The TV supports a refresh rate of 144 Hz, which ensures an incredibly smooth picture, especially in dynamic action games. The VRR (variable refresh rate) feature allows for adjusting the image to varying frames per second, eliminating stuttering and tearing effects, resulting in an exceptionally smooth gaming experience. Additionally, the TV is equipped with the ALLM (automatic low latency mode) feature, which automatically switches the TV to game mode, minimizing input lag. This allows gamers to enjoy responsive gameplay without manually adjusting the settings.

Hisense U8NQ also supports Dolby Vision, which is important for gamers who value high picture quality, high contrast, and deep colours in games that support this format. The TV also has a “Game Bar” — a feature that provides quick access to essential settings during gameplay, significantly enhancing user convenience.

However, it is worth noting that despite its rich features, the Hisense U8NQ does not offer the HGiG standard, which is a popular HDR format in gaming. This may be disappointing for gamers expecting optimal detail reproduction in HDR scenes. Nevertheless, the other features of the TV make the Hisense U8NQ a solid choice for console gaming enthusiasts, offering smoothness, high contrast, and user convenience.

OLED950 is almost the perfect TV for gamers. This is not only due to the unique atmosphere that the Ambilight system creates during gameplay. The most important aspect here is the solid hardware support. We find literally everything that one should expect from a modern gaming screen today. The manufacturer has implemented two HDMI 2.1 ports with full bandwidth of 48 Gb/s. This gives us access to gaming in 4K resolution at 120 frames per second. Of course, support for VRR technology and the ALLM automatic game mode is also included. The device handles any HDR signal effortlessly, whether we are using Dolby Vision or the HGiG standard.

Access to all settings is available from one place thanks to the special Game Bar overlay. Although this interface may not be the most graphically attractive on the market, it fully serves its purpose. It displays all the most important signal parameters and offers useful additions. Gamers can take advantage of the mini-map zoom function or add a permanent crosshair on the screen, which can be seen as a small aid in online competition. Adjusting the contrast range also proves useful. It allows for brightening shadows and achieving better visibility of enemies hidden in the dark corners of the map.