Samsung DU8002 (IPS) vs Sony X75WL

The HDR effect in the DU8002 television leaves much to be desired. A brightness level of 300 nits is not able to provide a true high dynamic range experience, making the content viewed resemble more of a standard SDR than impressive HDR. Scenes that should dazzle with brightness and detail appear muted and lacking in depth. Nevertheless, the television deserves praise for its high coverage of the DCI-P3 color palette at 92%. As a result, the colors are vivid and saturated, which may satisfy viewers who prefer rich hues, even if the HDR effect does not fully meet expectations.

The luminance chart for the Sony X75WL revealed a peak brightness of just 350 nits, which is underwhelming for an HDR-capable display. This limited brightness means that HDR scenes lack the depth and impactful highlights expected for immersive viewing. Additionally, the subpar coverage of the DCI-P3 colour gamut results in a less vibrant colour representation, negatively impacting the overall quality of HDR content. The combination of insufficient brightness and poor colour gamut coverage significantly diminishes the intended HDR effect, making this model a less compelling choice for those prioritising HDR performance.

DU8002 offers a Filmmaker mode, which is supposed to provide authentic image reproduction in line with the creators' intentions. Unfortunately, despite the promising name, the results are far from ideal. The white balance in this mode shows significant drops in blue color, leading to a noticeable yellowing of the image, which can be seen, for example, in our comparison photo. Colour Checker tests confirm these errors. As for brightness, the gamma characteristic is too low compared to the reference line of 2.4, resulting in excessive screen brightness. A similar problem occurs with 4K content – the EOTF responsible for brightness in 4K material shows significant increases above the reference line, leading to excessively bright small light elements. As a result, the Filmmaker mode in DU8002 does not meet expectations and instead of offering high quality, presents an image full of tonal and color inaccuracies.

Colour reproduction tests on the X75WL model, conducted in movie mode, reveal strengths and weaknesses. While movie mode offers some of the best image settings, it is not flawless. One of the most significant issues with the X75WL is the white balance, particularly for HD and 4K HDR content, where a blue hue dominates the image. This results in a noticeably cold tone throughout. The colour checker confirms these discrepancies, showing a clear shift towards cooler shades.

Regarding brightness, the contrast gamma level is generally acceptable, but the EOTF curve presents more challenges. There are noticeable problems with maintaining consistent brightness, with the image sometimes appearing too washed out or too dim. These issues affect the overall visual experience and hinder the accurate perception of content.

Samsung is one of those companies that offers advanced tools for improving image quality in its televisions, including a 20-point white balance adjustment. Even with the budget model DU8002, with the right adjustments, surprisingly good results can be achieved. The white balance, especially for HD content, performs really well - tests on the Colour Checker palette confirm accuracy at the level of 2–1.5, which demonstrates the significant capabilities of this television in color reproduction. In 4K content, although not as perfect as in lower quality material, the overall picture looks much better.

The gamma brightness has also been heavily adjusted, ensuring that the image is not overly brightened and looks more natural. What about the EOTF curve? At first glance, it seems fine, but upon closer inspection, especially in film tests, it becomes apparent that the television struggles due to its low contrast panel. The EOTF drops below the reference line. Nevertheless, the DU8002 is an example of a budget model where investing in calibration is worthwhile. Although structural flaws, such as the type of backlighting, cannot be completely eliminated, color accuracy is surprisingly good, especially considering its price.

The X75WL is one of those cases where image calibration may not lead to a dramatic transformation, but it does offer a notable improvement in colour perception. The white balance for HD and 4K content, has been significantly enhanced, eliminating the strong dominance of cooler tones. The gamma chart also appears more stable, resulting in better image quality overall. However, the main issue remains the EOTF curve, which controls brightness in 4K content. Due to the technological limitations of the television (such as the IPS panel and the absence of local dimming), a significant improvement is difficult to achieve, as the model’s capabilities are constrained. Despite these limitations, the tonality of the image has been substantially improved.

Smoothing tonal transitions on the DU8002 television leaves mixed feelings. Although the menu offers an option for smoothing tonal transitions, in practice it yields no results and can even generate unwanted side effects.

Nevertheless, the television handles upscaling, or digital image processing, excellently. The test chart featuring a model looked really good – the image is not overly jagged, and the overall presentation is decent and pleasing to the eye. This is definitely good news for those planning to watch traditional television on this model.

The X75WL struggles with low-quality tonal transitions. The lack of any function to improve tonal gradation results in noticeable imperfections in colour transitions, which detracts from the overall image quality. However, the digital processing is commendable, with the image displayed without overscan, and relatively sharp presentation. This added sharpness may appeal to some users, though it does not compensate for the tonal transition issues.

DU8002 with a 60 Hz panel is a television that performs better for watching movies than for intense gaming. The motion smoothing feature acts as a fluidizer, smoothing out motion and giving scenes a more fluid appearance, which is useful for movie screenings. In the context of gaming, this model will rather be suitable only for occasional entertainment.

The X75WL features a 60 Hz panel, making it more suited for movie-watching than high-speed gaming. It is equipped with a motion smoother function called Motionflow, which allows users to adjust picture fluidity on a 10-point scale. This function adds intermediate frames, improving motion smoothness and creating a more cinematic effect by reducing choppiness. Additionally, the clarity adjustment helps reduce motion blur, making it particularly beneficial for fast-paced scenes like sports or dynamic action sequences in films. With these settings, users can fine-tune the fluidity and sharpness of motion to their preferences.

DU8002 is a television that will mainly serve as equipment for casual gamers. The 60 Hz panel does not provide the highest motion fluidity, so in dynamic games there may be a lack of that extra smoothness of the image. On the positive side, it features ALLM and HGiG functions, which automatically adjust image settings for HDR games, enhancing the gaming experience. Unfortunately, the television is equipped only with HDMI 2.0 ports, so we have to forget about more advanced features like VRR or support for 4K at 120 Hz. When choosing this equipment, we will have to make do if we expect a full set of gaming features.

The X75WL is not the best television for gamers, as it lacks some key features that more demanding users expect. While it includes the Auto Low Latency Mode (ALLM) and a basic Game Bar, these are not sufficient for a truly immersive gaming experience. In this price range, features like VRR (Variable Refresh Rate) and a 120 Hz refresh rate—at least in Full HD—have become standard, but unfortunately, these are missing in the X75WL. This is a significant drawback for Sony, as the competition offers more advanced gaming features at a similar price.