Samsung DU7192 (IPS) vs Hisense U6NQ

The maximum luminance for HDR content on the Samsung DU7192 is 245 nits, but is often exceeded by even lower results. Such values are insufficient for comfortable viewing of HDR material due to the lack of appropriate image dynamics and the colour distortions caused by the device's low brightness. While the manufacturer has equipped the device with an HDR format featuring dynamic metadata, specifically HDR10+, it is rarely used compared to Dolby Vision, which Samsung has yet to introduce in its televisions. It is also worth noting that the Samsung DU7192 only covers 82% of the wide colour gamut DCI-P3, meaning that sending signals in a wide dynamic range should be avoided, as significant colour loss will be evident.

Overall, the Samsung DU7192 delivers high-quality images that will satisfy most users. The television stands out particularly for its vivid colours and decent contrast. Thanks to UHD technology, the image on the screen is sharp and clear, even during fast-moving scenes. The DU7192 also supports HDR, allowing for better reproduction of details in bright and dark areas of the image.

Hisense U6NQ offers a stable HDR effect, which is rare in TVs with local dimming. On most streaming platforms, in movies and series recorded in 4K, the TV presents consistent performance – in every tested scene, regardless of difficulty level, brightness is around 450 nits. This is a pleasant surprise, as many models in this class show significant differences – some scenes are well-lit, while others are heavily dimmed by dimming algorithms. However, Hisense U6NQ prioritizes maintaining higher brightness, which comes at the expense of black levels, as mentioned in the paragraph about contrast testing.

The HDR effect on the U6NQ is satisfying, offering a noticeable "hit" of light in bright moments, although it is worth remembering the previously mentioned blooming, which can be visible in more challenging scenes. In terms of colours, the TV also performs decently – the coverage of the DCI-P3 palette is 89%, and BT.2020 is 71%. Although these are not results that would impress more demanding users, for beginners in the world of high-quality content, the U6NQ serves as a solid choice. Thus, it presents an interesting option as an "entry-level" TV for home cinema.

The best factory mode we used throughout the testing process was "Filmmaker." However, like most modes, it had its drawbacks. Starting with the most basic chart, the white balance, we observed a pronounced dominance of red in SDR and HDR modes. Although green also appeared in HDR mode, it did not significantly affect the overall perception. This resulted in an image with a noticeable yellow tint, particularly evident on the whites and the faces of the actors.

Another important chart, arguably more significant, is gamma, which controls contrast in materials with a standard colour palette. In factory mode it performed reasonably well, but with one notable issue regarding the darkest scenes. Here, it was significantly lowered, resulting in excessive brightening, which robbed the film of its contrast and suspense.

As for HDR content, the white balance remained similar. The main change occurred in the EOTF curve chart. Initially, we saw a bulge that, like the gamma curve, brightened the darkest scenes considerably. However, the curve then drastically changed, and the measured result dropped below the reference line, diminishing the dynamism of the film even further.

The Hisense U6NQ in Filmmaker mode offers truly decent colour reproduction, although it is worth noting that differences between individual units can be noticeable. The model we tested surprised us positively, especially with HD content in SDR quality. The white balance was correct, and errors around 3–4 ΔE should be acceptable for the average viewer. The TV performed slightly worse in colour reproduction with 4K HDR materials. The dominance of blue hues led to unnatural cool tones on the Colour Checker chart, giving the picture a "store-bought" character. Combined with issues in brightness characteristics – gamma and EOTF curve caused some parts of the image to be too dark – the Filmmaker mode loses some of its credibility in this case. Although the factory settings of the tested unit deserve praise, especially in SDR, there were still minor shortcomings that would require adjustment to fully leverage the capabilities of the TV.

Samsung even with its entry-level televisions, provides advanced tools for calibration, and we put these to work. The results of our efforts were more than satisfying. The white balance, which previously had a strong yellowish tint in both scenarios, now looks much improved, although slight deviations from the ideal are still noticeable. Nevertheless, the image is significantly cleaner than before the calibration process. We were able to model the gamma well for SDR materials, achieving as much contrast as the television can provide. The EOTF curve has also been adjusted, preventing the image from becoming excessively lightened or darkened. However, it is worth noting that for HDR materials, the deltaE errors remain quite high, with the primary issue being the unit's insufficient brightness.

Although the factory settings of the Filmmaker mode on the Hisense U6NQ were quite good, we decided to carry out calibration to fully assess the capabilities of this model. Only after such an adjustment can you see how the TV performs in ideal conditions. In the case of SDR content, which was already at a high level, we managed to further improve the white balance. However, the biggest change came from the brightness characteristic correction - gamma was optimized and no longer causes excessive dimming of the image, which improves its naturalness.

For 4K HDR content, calibration also yielded positive results. We eliminated the problem of blue dominance, which translated into a more balanced and natural image. However, managing brightness in HDR materials remains a more complicated issue. The EOTF curve, although it had problems with dimming the image in the range of 10-30% brightness under laboratory conditions, reveals other shortcomings in real scenes. The TV tends to excessively brighten the smallest elements on the screen. As a result, this leads to noticeable halo effects around bright objects. This phenomenon, which we mentioned earlier in the context of contrast and HDR, stems from the technological limitations of the model and is often difficult to eliminate.

In short: although the Filmmaker mode with factory settings looked decent, calibration allowed for an even better effect - minor adjustments resulted in a more balanced image, especially in HDR content. Calibration will be a beneficial step for users seeking the highest quality image.

Let’s revisit the smoothing of tonal transitions function. It can be set to either "off" or "auto." As expected, setting it to "off" results in significant gradation issues. On the other hand, when set to "auto," both movies and TV shows offer smoother colour transitions. However, this function has notable drawbacks: it interferes with the director’s intent by softening the effect of film grain and, more concerning, it often blurs small details, misinterpreting them in the process. For this reason, we consider this feature ineffective and do not recommend using it, as the tests for tonal transition smoothness were conducted with this function turned off.

Next, we assessed the image scaling, which is crucial for watching lower-resolution materials. Unfortunately, as this is one of the manufacturer’s lower-end models, the scaling function does not perform well. The result is heavily blurred details, and a noticeable white halo forms around characters, detracting from the viewing experience.

With high-quality materials, such as 4K, tonal transitions on the U6NQ look really good – the colours blend nicely and the image is cohesive. Unfortunately, when we switch to content in a lower resolution, the television does not offer any additional features that could improve this aspect. An example is the test with the light bulb, where it is clear that the television has trouble rendering subtle tonal transitions.

On the other hand, digital processing performs quite well. The image looks plastic, pleasantly soft, and free of excessive aliasing. Moreover, thanks to the sharpness settings, it can be adjusted according to personal preferences – whether towards a softer or sharper image. Overall, although scaling lower-quality materials could be better, the television does well with image processing.

Although the Samsung DU7192 is the entry-level model in the manufacturer’s range, it does come equipped with motion smoothing technology. While this feature is somewhat limited in comparison to higher-end models, its inclusion is a notable advantage in its price category. The maximum refresh rate available on the TV is 60 Hz, which is adequate for movies and TV shows but falls short for fast-moving content like sports.

Within the motion smoothing settings, there are two features aimed at improving fluidity: "Motion Blur Reduction" and "Clear Motion (LED)." We’ll discuss the latter later, but first, let’s focus on the former. Unfortunately, despite being present, we found no noticeable difference when adjusting this setting. Regardless of the chosen option, the picture maintained the same stuttering effect typically associated with 24 fps content.

The Samsung DU7192 uses a panel with an average response time. However, it is worth noting that this type of panel outperforms VA panels in a similar price range, making it a more suitable option for watching sports compared to other budget models.

The Hisense U6NQ offers a native refresh rate of 60 Hz at a 4K resolution, but the manufacturer has added a feature that allows increasing the refresh rate to 120 Hz at the cost of reducing the resolution to Full HD. This is a solution we have seen before in TVs from TCL, such as the C655 and the C655 PRO. This gives the user the option to choose – higher motion fluidity or full resolution. This is a sensible approach, especially considering that many games on new-generation consoles do not achieve full performance in 4K at 120 Hz.

As for movies, the TV is equipped with a motion smoothing feature that allows adjusting motion characteristics to personal preferences. This can create a more cinematic effect or increase fluidity in dynamic scenes. Overall, the Hisense U6NQ offers reasonable solutions for motion fluidity that should satisfy both gamers and movie lovers.

The Samsung DU7192 is equipped only with HDMI 2.0 ports, which is to be expected given the device's price point and its target consumer market. As a result, it does not support the highest resolutions or frame rates available on the latest generation consoles. It does, however, feature the basic gaming functionality of ALLM (Auto Low Latency Mode). Unfortunately, it is disappointing that the manufacturer did not include GameBar, a feature that has become a standard even in lower-end TVs. GameBar would have provided significant convenience by allowing gamers to easily adjust settings quickly during gameplay.

The Hisense U6NQ offers the option to choose between 4K at 60 Hz and Full HD with a refresh rate of 120 Hz. This solution may appeal to gamers who want to decide what is more important to them – higher resolution or smoothness. The television supports features such as ALLM and VRR, which help in achieving smoother gameplay. A nice addition is the GameBar – an easy-to-use panel that allows for quick changes to picture settings and checking statistics. It also includes a Dolby Vision Gaming mode, which works with low input lag, a big plus for console enthusiasts. Unfortunately, it lacks HGiG, which could further enhance HDR quality in games. Nevertheless, the Hisense U6NQ performs quite well as a gaming television, especially for those who play occasionally and do not require the highest refresh rates in 4K. It is a solid choice for less demanding users.