Samsung Q60D / Q67D / Q68D vs Hisense E7Q PRO / E79Q PRO

The Samsung Q60D consistently achieves brightness levels above 500 nits, which is above average for its class of devices. This level of brightness enhances the viewing experience, providing a more immersive home cinema feel, with clearly visible details in bright areas of the image and well-rendered contrast dynamics, especially when watching content from streaming platforms or Blu-ray discs. As a result, movie screenings gain added depth and realism, particularly in well-lit scenes.

However, despite incorporating quantum dot technology (QLED), the TV does not excel in colour reproduction. The DCI-P3 colour space coverage is limited to 90%, which may become apparent in more demanding scenes where the richness and saturation of colours are crucial for image quality. While the Q60D offers solid performance, those seeking more vibrant and accurate colour reproduction may notice some limitations.

If it comes to the quality of the HDR effect, the E7Q PRO is unfortunately not a television that can impress with brightness alone. In real film materials, we measured about 250–300 nits, which is simply too little for HDR to look spectacular. It lacks that "spark" in bright details, flashes, and light effects, and in many HDR scenes, it can resemble better SDR than true cinematic HDR. A consolation in all of this is the colors. We managed to confirm that the E7Q PRO is a PFS type television, meaning it has an additional filter that enhances color gamut coverage. As a result, even if the brightness doesn't deliver, the colors in HDR content can be adequately saturated and pleasant to the eye, without the feeling of a "faded" image.

For several years, Samsung has included a "Filmmaker" mode in its televisions, designed to deliver picture settings that remain true to the original vision of filmmakers straight out of the box. This is undoubtedly a significant move towards achieving cinematic quality at home, but it's important to note that this mode is not without its drawbacks.

For instance, the white balance in both SDR and HDR modes tends to show an excessive amount of red, resulting in an overly warm image. This can cause actors' skin tones and brighter scenes to appear unnaturally pink. The Colour Checker test confirms this issue, as colour samples often shift towards red hues, deviating from the neutral colour representation that would be preferred in a professional context.

In terms of contrast, there is a noticeable dip at the start of the gamma curve, where values below 2.4 fall to around 2.1. This can make darker scenes look less detailed, diminishing their depth. When displaying HDR content, the EOTF curve (which handles brightness representation) shows a significant peak at the beginning of the graph, potentially leading to excessive brightness in lighter areas of the image and disrupting the natural tonal balance.

In terms of color reproduction, we tested the Hisense E7Q Pro in Movie mode, which proved to be the best built-in preset without a doubt. This mode, unlike the Eco, Standard, or Dynamic settings, offers the most natural colors right out of the box. Although no factory mode is completely free of flaws, the E7Q Pro deserves high praise for its color representation in standard SDR content. The color palette is very well tuned here, and errors in Color Checker tests often did not exceed a value of 3, which is an exceptional result rarely seen in such inexpensive TVs. The only drawback we noted in SDR is a tendency to darken some image elements, as indicated by a slightly raised gamma chart. The TV performs somewhat worse with colors in HDR mode. Here, color errors become noticeable to the naked eye, mainly due to a deficiency of blue in the white balance. This causes the colors on the screen to appear too warm, and for some viewers, they may seem “too cinematic.” Of course, to improve these parameters, we proceeded with professional calibration.

After professional calibration of the Samsung Q60D in film mode, users can experience a notable enhancement in image quality. Samsung TVs have long featured both 2- and 20-point grayscale adjustments, and an advanced Colour Management System (CMS), enabling precise tuning of colour and hue. Following calibration, the white balance for both SDR and HDR content is free from significant peaks and red tone shifts, resulting in a more natural image. Although a few larger errors may still be evident in HDR mode, the overall improvement in colour accuracy is impressive.

In terms of contrast, despite the inherent limitations of the TV’s technology, there has been a marked improvement. Calibration enhances the visibility of details in darker scenes and accentuates the differences between lighter and darker elements, making the image appear more dynamic. This leads to a more satisfying viewing experience, with improved depth and realism in the displayed content.

In the case of materials with a standard color range (SDR), our efforts in Filmmaker mode turned out to be largely cosmetic 😉. We mainly focused on gentle white balance correction and gamma curve adjustment, which allowed us to recover details in the darker parts of the image that previously tended to get lost. It is worth noting, however, that the E7Q Pro unit we tested happened to be exceptionally well-made from the factory. We remind you that these parameters depend on the specific unit – with mass production, factory calibration can be random, so your unit may require slightly different adjustments. The biggest beneficiary of professional calibration was undoubtedly the HDR mode. This is where we did the most work, which yielded spectacular results. We managed to effectively tame the excessive warmth of the image, caused by a factory deficiency of blue color. After calibration, color errors were reduced to a significantly lower level, which will certainly please those who watch a lot of streaming content in HDR format, expecting faithful reproduction.

However, when it comes to processing and scaling lower-quality content, the TV performs quite well. The image is displayed without overscan, ensuring the full use of the available screen space. Additionally, the edges of models or tree branches are not overly jagged, resulting in satisfactory content quality. While noise reduction could be more effective, the overall processing of lower-quality materials is positive and meets expectations.

When it comes to upscaling and digital image processing, the E7Q PRO deserves praise. The scaling performs really well here and does not fall drastically behind much more expensive, advanced televisions. Lower-quality materials can look clean and sensible, without the impression that the image is artificially "overdrawn." However, the smoothing function presents a bit worse. It can indeed be effective and improve tonal transitions in low-quality materials, but at the same time, it can introduce unwanted effects. Sometimes it removes film grain or adds unwanted artifacts, giving the image a more "digital" character. Therefore, we mainly recommend it to those who prefer a smoother, less cinematic style of image.

The Samsung Q60D is equipped with a 60 Hz panel and includes a feature known as "Motion Reduction," designed to minimise motion blur and improve the overall fluidity of the image. This addition is particularly beneficial for users who enjoy watching films and series, providing a smoother visual experience even during dynamic action scenes where detail is essential. However, while "Motion Reduction" enhances the viewing experience for cinematic content, it is important to note that this panel may not be the optimal choice for gaming due to a noticeable motion blur effect, which can become apparent during fast-paced gameplay.

In the category of motion blur and fluidity of movement, the E7Q PRO has one very strong argument. At this price, Hisense has added a 120 Hz panel, and in PC mode, it can even operate at 144 Hz. This immediately provides greater possibilities in motion settings, as the menu displays more options for smoothing the image. Among other things, we have frame interpolation options, which allows us to adjust the fluidity for sports or for movies, depending on whether we prefer a more cinematic character or a "theatrical" smoothness.

The Samsung Q60D has gaming features such as ALLM (Auto Low Latency Mode), HGiG (HDR Gaming Interest Group), and Game Bar, which contribute positively to gaming experiences by optimising response times and enhancing HDR visuals. However, the absence of HDMI 2.1 support limits the TV's potential, preventing the use of VRR (Variable Refresh Rate) which could further boost smoothness and image consistency. For casual gamers the Q60D should suffice, delivering satisfactory performance during typical gameplay. On the other hand, for more discerning gamers, models with a higher refresh rate and HDMI 2.1 support are recommended. Such upgrades enable full functionality and better compatibility with the latest games, ensuring smoother motion and superior image quality – essential for an immersive and top-tier gaming experience.

The E7Q PRO is a phenomenal screen for gamers. Aside from the typical "thorn" of Hisense, which is the lack of support for the HGiG format due to the constantly active tone mapping, we practically get everything one might expect from a television that is supposed to have a gaming label. There are two HDMI 2.1 ports, along with a full set of key features. We have variable refresh rates, automatic switching to game mode, and support for 4K at 120 Hz. On top of that, all the most important settings are at hand in a clear Game Bar. This tool not only looks modern but also has a distinctly "gaming" edge and actually makes life easier while playing.