Sharp GR8 vs Haier M90E

Sharp GR8 boasts "very high brightness" at a level of 500 nits in its promotional materials. Unfortunately, our tests showed that the reality is somewhat different – the average luminance value we managed to achieve was around 360 nits. This is rather an average result, especially in the context of the manufacturer's claims. Such brightness does not allow for a full enjoyment of HDR effects. The image is somewhat sharper than in standard SDR, but it is difficult to speak of true juiciness and depth in bright elements. However, the coverage of the DCI-P3 color palette at 95% deserves praise. This is the result of applying an additional PFS coating, known from QLED technology. As a result, colors are vivid and have a pleasant, natural tint, which partially compensates for the deficiencies in brightness.

Haier M90E is a television that does not lack brightness. In most movie scenes, peak luminance exceeds 1000 nits, which gives the image a clear "kick" and high dynamics. In typical, bright HDR materials, this looks really good. However, one must take into account the previously mentioned dimming algorithm. In scenes that are not evenly flooded with light – for instance, when displaying individual stars in a black sky – high brightness underscores the imperfections of zone control. Instead of a precise light point, we often see a distinct halo effect around bright objects. Despite these shortcomings, the overall image presentation can be pleasing, largely thanks to color reproduction. The manufacturer applied a PFS phosphor coating, allowing for wide coverage of the color palette. In our measurements, the coverage of the DCI-P3 space was a solid 95%.

At the outset, it is worth noting that color reproduction tests are always conducted in the best factory picture mode. In the case of the Sharp GR8, this is the "Film" mode. As for the white balance, which is a characteristic that affects how we perceive colors on the screen, in SDR mode, the strong dominance of blue immediately stands out. This results in an unnatural cooling of the image—blue elements take on a purple hue, and skin tones acquire a pink glow, which we can see in the comparative photo from the movie STAR WARS. During the Color Checker test, it was clearly visible how the color samples deviated from the reference values, confirming significant errors in color reproduction. Gamma was not perfect either—it caused excessive brightening of the entire image, causing the scene to lose depth and proper tonal transitions.

In 4K HDR mode, the situation looks much better. The dominance of blue is much less noticeable, although there are minor issues with the combination of red and blue. This makes some shades look somewhat unnatural. The EOTF curve, responsible for the brightness of the image in 4K HDR content, showed another problem—the television tends to excessively darken the image across the entire screen.

In summary, the "Film" mode on the Sharp GR8 would require some adjustments to fully utilize the potential of this television. Fortunately, we addressed this and proceeded to calibration.

For the measurements, we chose the Film mode, which should ideally offer an image closest to the creators' intentions. Unfortunately, in the case of the M90E, its characteristics – besides the reduced brightness – do not differ much from the Dynamic mode. Both in SDR and HDR content, the image is clearly tinged with a cool blue hue. The white balance is heavily skewed towards blue, reminiscent of typical aggressive "store" settings. This results in an unnatural representation of skin tones and makes the image straining on the eyes during longer viewing sessions. The way brightness is managed also negatively affects color fidelity. The television struggles to maintain proper levels – small details are often too dim, while larger, bright areas of the image tend to get blown out. These deviations in the brightness curve, combined with the cool white balance, lead to very significant color reproduction errors (DeltaE) in the factory settings.

Sharp GR8 is one of those televisions that really gains a second life after proper calibration. Both in HD and 4K content, the white balance performs very well, especially considering the price segment of this model. The image becomes much closer to what the director wanted to show – colors look natural, and skin tones acquire the appropriate depth and warmth. The brightness characteristics also leave a very positive impression. Both gamma and the EOTF curve show really solid values. Although minor imperfections can be noticed, they are subtle enough that it's hard to see them during everyday viewing. In summary, calibration makes the Sharp GR8 show its best side, offering an image that is not only pleasant to the eye but also faithfully conveys the creators' intentions.

Haier M90E clearly benefits from professional calibration, especially for SDR content. The TV menu offers a sufficient number of tools to effectively correct factory errors. We managed to "tame" the white balance and eliminate the dominant blue tint. We also adjusted, albeit to a lesser extent, the brightness curve (gamma), which allowed us to recover some details in the shadows that were too heavily muted from the factory. The end result for SDR is a picture that is definitely more natural and pleasant to watch. In the case of HDR mode, the success is only partial. Although it was possible to improve the white balance here as well, the color reproduction errors (Color Checker) remained at a high level. Analysis of the EOTF curve (responsible for brightness in HDR) points to the root of the problem: the TV imposes its own interpretation of the signal and does not provide tools to modify this curve. The source of the high errors is not the calibration itself, but the specifics of the device – aggressive and imprecise zone dimming interferes with measurements and is "stiffly" embedded in the characteristics of this model.

The Sharp GR8 is equipped with the "10-bit color reproduction" feature, which theoretically should improve the smoothness of tonal transitions. In practice... well, the effect is surprising, but not in a very positive way. Even at the highest settings, it's hard to notice any impact on the actual tonal transitions. Instead, the function surprisingly smooths out things it shouldn't – walls, shirts, or other flat surfaces look almost like they have been steam-pressed. In the test, we had to note that there is simply no actual impact on tonal transitions.

When it comes to image scaling, the Sharp GR8 performs significantly better here. The television is capable of giving the image a plastic, smooth characteristic, making even lower resolution content look quite good. Of course, with more demanding details, such as thin tree branches in the background, you can see slight jaggedness, but this is not something that would significantly affect viewing comfort.

The evaluation of the image processor must be divided into two separate aspects, as the Haier M90E behaves inconsistently in this regard. The first issue is the upscaling itself, that is, scaling lower-resolution content to 4K. In this task, the television performs quite decently. The algorithms effectively enhance the detail, resulting in a final image that is relatively sharp, clear, and readable. In this respect, it's hard to have major complaints about the device.

The situation looks completely different with materials that have a high degree of compression, which we encounter in older recordings or on platforms like YouTube with lower bitrate. Here, the processor falters in smoothing tonal transitions and masking source imperfections. The television cannot hide compression blocks, resulting in a very harsh, "digital" character of the image. The lack of effective artifact reduction can effectively discourage viewing lower-quality content on this screen.

This is where the Sharp GR8 has the chance to stand out against the competition in its price segment. The TV is equipped with a 144 Hz refresh rate panel, which is an impressive result, especially if we plan to use it for dynamic content such as action movies, sports broadcasts, or video games. Additionally, the manufacturer has included a motion smoothing feature, commonly referred to as a "smoothener." The user has three levels of adjustment available, allowing them to tailor the effect to their own preferences – from subtle smoothing to more aggressive intervention in motion fluidity. This is a nice addition, especially for those who mainly watch movies and value smooth, cinematic sequences without annoying stuttering or frame drops.

The Haier M90E is equipped with a simple yet functional motion smoothing system (MEMC). In the settings menu, the user will find a three-level adjustment scale: low, medium, and high. This allows for tailoring the degree of interference with the image to personal preferences – from gentle smoothing of 24p movies to maximum fluidity (soap opera effect). The system operates stably and fulfills its purpose in typical applications.

If a television has a 144 Hz display and two full HDMI 2.1 ports, it is clear that it has been designed with gamers in mind. The Sharp GR8 offers exactly that – high refresh rates and the right connections to maximize the performance of modern consoles and PCs. It also features ALLM, which automatically switches the television to low-latency mode, and VRR, which prevents screen tearing even in more demanding moments. In practice, everything works as it should, and it is hard to find any faults. However, there are some shortcomings. It lacks support for HGiG, which is a feature that better adjusts HDR for games, as well as a Game Bar that makes it easier to quickly adjust settings without leaving the game. Despite these downsides, the Sharp GR8 is a really solid option for gamers.

From a hardware perspective, the Haier M90E is a solid proposition. The TV is equipped with two full-bandwidth HDMI 2.1 ports, which ensures support for key technologies: VRR (variable refresh rate) and ALLM (automatic low-latency mode). A plus is also the correct implementation of the Dolby Vision mode for gaming, which maintains a relatively low input lag. Problems arise with software configuration. The biggest drawback is the forced, continuous dynamic tone mapping by the TV's processor. This prevents proper HDR calibration from the console using system panels (HGiG) – the TV ignores source settings and processes the image its own way. We also noted shortcomings in the interface: the M90E does not have a typical "Game Bar" (overlay with parameters), which is a standard among competitors. Cooperation with Xbox consoles at unusual parameters turned out to be problematic – the device has difficulty correctly displaying 1440p resolution at 120 Hz refresh rate. Despite the aforementioned shortcomings in the software, the Haier M90E remains a very attractive screen for gamers. The final impression is saved by a solid hardware base. Native panel refresh at 144 Hz and the presence of full-fledged HDMI 2.1 ports are advantages that are crucial in daily use. If we are looking for a TV that provides high fluidity and supports 4K signals, this model will fulfill its task.