Sharp GP6765 vs TCL P89K / TCL P8K

In movie mode, the Sharp GP6765 reaches a brightness of 300 nits, which is relatively average. This level of brightness is more suited to standard SDR content than to the full HDR experience. As a result, the TV struggles to deliver the depth and dynamics typically expected from a good HDR mode. Visual effects that might appear sharp and detailed on other models could seem more subdued here, and high-contrast scenes won't be as striking. However, compared to other models in this price range, this is still a decent performance. A positive feature is the TV's support for a wide DCI-P3 colour gamut, covering 92.5%, thanks to the inclusion of quantum dots (Quantum Dot/QLED). This offers a solid improvement, particularly in this price bracket, resulting in vibrant and more saturated colours, although the limited brightness still prevents a fully immersive HDR experience.

The maximum brightness of the TCL P8K is around 300 nits, although in actual movie scenes, the TV maintains more around 250 nits. These values cannot be considered sufficient for achieving a full HDR effect – they are more akin to a solid base for SDR content. Therefore, we won’t see spectacular flashes, bursts of light, or moments when the screen truly “blinds” you, as is the case with more expensive models. The image is somewhat flattened, and the differences between light and shadow are more symbolic than realistic. Fortunately, TCL has a few aces up its sleeve that save the overall impression. One of them is the coverage of the DCI-P3 color gamut at around 93–94%. Thanks to an additional QLED layer (PFS LED), colors gain depth and intensity, clearly surpassing standard LCD panels. As a result, although the typical “wow effect” associated with HDR brightness is lacking here, the image can still impress with its saturation and vibrant tones, making movie scenes pulse with colors and avoiding a heavily faded appearance.

The Sharp GP6765 was launched in movie mode, which offers the best settings for colour reproduction. However, despite this, the quality remains far from ideal. In SDR mode, the white balance graph shows significant increases in the red colour, making the image appear somewhat yellowish and distorting natural skin tones. This results in some scenes looking unnatural, and colours losing their authenticity. In HDR mode, the issue worsens as blue becomes the dominant colour, which negatively affects the colour balance and causes a loss of detail in cool tones. As a result, the image can appear cold and unbalanced, highlighting the TV's inability to achieve optimal colour reproduction. Tests with the Colour Checker tool confirm these shifts across several samples.

In terms of contrast, the HD mode shows a significant jump at the start of the graph, but it remains close to the reference line at 2.4. This means that in most scenes, the TV delivers a satisfactory level of contrast, enhancing details in shadows and adding depth to the image. However, in HDR mode, the EOTF curve fluctuates significantly at both ends of the graph, leading to inconsistencies in bright and dark areas of the image. In scenes with intense light, such as explosions or dynamic actions, key details may be lost, and the image may appear blurry. Similarly, in darker scenes, the lack of clear differences in shades may cause details to merge into a uniform spot, reducing overall quality. While movie mode offers the best factory settings for the GP6765, there are still significant issues with colour reproduction and contrast.

In Filmmaker mode, the TCL P8K revealed certain imperfections in image reproduction from the start. We noticed that the television tends to slightly brighten scenes – its gamma was somewhat lowered, which made the image appear slightly "washed out," lacking depth, as if the contrast had slipped out of control. This was most evident in HDR content, where the EOTF brightness curve clearly deviated from the reference values. As a result, the darker parts of the image looked too gloomy, while the brighter sections didn't always reach the proper level of luminance. A second noticeable issue was a slight oversaturation of blue – the television stubbornly boosted this color, which caused some parts of the image, especially skin tones and reds, to have a slight purple tint. This is not a major flaw, but to a discerning eye – noticeable. Fortunately, most of these errors could be corrected during calibration. You can see the results of this adjustment in the graphs and photos below.

After calibration, the Sharp GP6765 television shows marked improvement in film mode, particularly in SDR content. The white balance now closely aligns with the reference line, offering more natural and true-to-life colour reproduction. While not perfectly straight, the results are still satisfactory for the price range, significantly enhancing the overall visual experience and immersion in movies. The colour gamut shows some improvement, with the initial jump in the graph persisting but being less noticeable, leading to a more consistent and enjoyable image.

For HDR content, while the white balance performs somewhat worse than in SDR, it is still a notable improvement compared to pre-calibration. The calibration ensures better colour consistency, though some shortcomings remain. As for contrast, no major gains were observed. The lack of control over dynamic tone mapping prevented significant improvement in EOTF, resulting in uneven brightness reproduction.

Despite some limitations, particularly in HDR content and dynamic tone mapping, the Sharp GP6765 reveals a more polished performance after calibration. The improved white balance and colour reproduction in SDR make it more visually appealing. While further refinement is needed, it still provides a satisfying visual experience, making it a strong contender in its price category.

After calibration, the TCL P8K showed a completely different face. It managed to achieve nearly perfect, even reference-level color reproduction in both SDR and HDR content. The screen no longer had a tendency towards a cool tint, and the white balance was perfectly balanced. The gamma values for SDR material also finally look as they should – the image has the proper depth and no longer appears washed out. The only remark that can still be made about the P8K concerns its "Chinese" traits, known from most TCL models. The TV still likes to manipulate saturation in HDR content in its own way – sometimes slightly boosting it, sometimes smoothing it out, which means the effect is not always fully predictable. Nevertheless, after calibration, the colors look stunning, and their accuracy is truly surprising. In most cases, measurement errors dropped below values of 1-2, which is a result that significantly more expensive models would not be ashamed of.

The Sharp GP6765 television delivers solid performance with its "10-bit colour reproduction" feature, particularly in the tested scene featuring light bulbs. Setting this option to "medium" provides satisfactory results, with no issues related to grain smoothing or the blurring of important image elements. Even the "low" setting performs well, delivering a clear image without compromising detail. These transition smoothing options enhance visual quality by providing more natural colour transitions.

In terms of image scaling, the Sharp GP6765 shows strengths, such as the absence of overscan when displaying test material. This ensures viewers can enjoy the full image without losing edge details. However, some weaknesses were noted in a tested scene featuring a model. Elements such as branches or trousers appear slightly jagged, indicating a lack of effective edge-smoothing techniques. This can cause certain details to look distorted, impacting the overall viewing experience.

The TCL P8K performs somewhat worse when it comes to the fluidity of tonal transitions in lower quality materials. The television does offer a feature to smooth out unwanted bands, but its effectiveness leaves much to be desired. Even at the highest setting, it’s hard to say there’s a real improvement – at times the effect is even the opposite of what was intended, as the feature can introduce small artifacts and unnatural blurriness on the screen.

On the other hand, upscaling, or scaling the image to 4K resolution, looks significantly better. The P8K handles this task surprisingly well – HD content, and even SD, is enhanced in an aesthetically pleasing manner without excessive loss of sharpness. There are indeed slight "hard" edges typical of this class of equipment, but this can easily be adjusted with the sharpness slider according to personal preferences. The final effect is more than satisfactory, especially considering the price range in which this model is located.

When it comes to motion blur and movement fluidity, the Sharp GP6765 TV offers rather average performance. Equipped with a 60 Hz panel, it handles movies adequately. The TV includes a motion smoother called "Motion Enhancement," which allows users to control motion fluidity, enabling a choice between visible film frame interpolation or a smoother, more theatrical appearance. This feature should meet the needs of most users focused on movie viewing.

However, the TV's performance falls short in sports or gaming. In the tested UFO alien scene, noticeable blurriness indicates that the panel's low response time negatively impacts the sharpness of moving objects. This issue becomes particularly evident during dynamic sequences, where rapid movements are frequent. For viewers who enjoy sports or fast-paced video games, these limitations in motion handling can be off-putting, making the Sharp GP6765 less suitable for such content.

TCL P8K is one of the cheapest televisions offering a 144 Hz refresh rate, which in itself is already a significant advantage in this price segment. Thanks to the fast panel, this model can confidently be recommended to both sports fans and video gamers – the image is smooth, and movements of the ball or dynamic actions look natural. However, this does not mean that the P8K is only suitable for sports. On the contrary – it can maintain the right dynamics in movies as well, without introducing an artificial effect of "theatricality," as long as we set the parameters wisely. The television is equipped with a motion smoother called "Motion Clarity," which features two sliders: blur reduction and flicker reduction. The first is responsible for smoothing the image by generating additional frames, which increases fluidity but may cause a slight soap opera effect. The second, on the other hand, limits flicker and improves sharpness in motion, although it may slightly darken the screen. Appropriately adjusting these two parameters allows for a really good balance between natural movement and fluidity. The 60 Hz panel is good for dynamic content, although more demanding users will notice that it is not a top-tier display in terms of motion clarity.

The gaming functionality of the Sharp GP6765 leaves much to be desired. Although this model includes HDMI 2.1 ports, which theoretically promise modern features, the reality is far less impressive. The only feature that takes advantage of this standard is Auto Low Latency Mode (ALLM). Unfortunately, the absence of key functionalities such as Variable Refresh Rate (VRR) and HDR Gaming Interest Group (HGIG) significantly limits its appeal to gamers. VRR is crucial for eliminating screen tearing and stuttering, particularly in dynamic games where fluidity is essential. Similarly, HGIG ensures optimal HDR mapping, enhancing visual quality and immersion. While Dolby Vision might seem like a benefit, it proves useless for gaming due to the very high input lag in this mode.

The inclusion of HDMI 2.1 ports in the Sharp GP6765 feels like a marketing ploy, potentially misleading users into believing that the standard automatically provides all its associated benefits. Gamers expecting full functionality from HDMI 2.1 are likely to be disappointed.

Although the TCL P8K is a budget TV, it certainly can’t be said that it’s not suitable for gaming. On the contrary – this is a screen that can pleasantly surprise any gamer. It features two HDMI 2.1 ports, allowing us to easily output 4K at 120 Hz. For those gaming on PC, they will also appreciate the fact that the TV can even operate at 240 Hz refresh rate in lower resolution – a small thing, but it’s nice. In addition, there’s a full set of gaming-specific features: automatic game mode, Game Bar for quick parameter previews, VRR, HGiG, and support for Dolby Vision in games. All of this makes gaming on the P8K a truly enjoyable experience – the picture is smooth, the response is quick, and the TV communicates well with next-gen consoles. The TCL P8K shows that a cheap screen doesn’t have to mean giving up fun. Definitely not when it comes to gaming.