Sony X75WL vs Hisense E8Q

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.

Since the E8Q is a twin of the U7Q, it’s no surprise that the quality of the HDR effect is almost identical. On paper, it looks promising – a peak brightness of 800 nits can impress in many scenes. Fragments like the flashes of light in “The Meg” or shots of the sun in “Life of Pi” can indeed evoke a “wow” effect. But the longer we watch, the more we notice the limitations. The problem arises when small, bright details are supposed to be displayed on a dark background. In such situations, the dimming algorithms try to preserve contrast but end up dimming what should shine the brightest. Instead of dazzling details, we get almost invisible points of light. This is typical for Mini-LED in this price segment and is not surprising – but it’s worth knowing that the HDR effect won't always be fully preserved. Fortunately, the color reproduction offers reasons to be satisfied. A coverage of the DCI-P3 color gamut at around 94% is a very good result, and the applied quantum dot layer (more specifically, PFS) does its job – colors are saturated and vibrant, especially with 4K content.

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.

Testing the Hisense E8Q in Filmmaker mode, we were hoping for a neutral image close to the director's vision. Unfortunately - although on paper it doesn't look bad (the color reproduction errors are not significant), in practice the image feels somewhat unnatural. The reason? Too strong an increase in blue and a lack of red in the white balance. The effect? The scenes look cool, and the white appears slightly bluish. Alongside the U7Q model, we also noticed a specific approach to brightness management here. The brightness reproduction curve for HDR content (EOTF) shows that the TV can significantly dim small, bright elements of the screen to maintain contrast - but sometimes it goes too far. On the other hand, it can excessively brighten larger, very bright parts, which disrupts tonal balance. This is a compromise that may not suit everyone – especially if you want an as faithful image as possible right out of the box.

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.

The calibration of the Movie mode brought really good results, especially regarding SDR content. The white balance was successfully adjusted, which gave the image a natural look – it appeared almost reference-level. The colors were well-saturated, and the overall perception of the content improved significantly. Unfortunately, when we moved to HDR materials, the well-known problems from the U7Q model returned. The TV still tends to “do things its own way,” which is evident from the analysis of the EOTF brightness characteristic – despite calibration, the E8Q still dimmed small details in the shadows, while the bright areas of the screen could sometimes be excessively boosted. In practice, this means that in darker scenes, some of the tiniest details could simply disappear. Although it must be admitted that the entire calibration process brought a lot of good, not everything can be circumvented – even with the use of professional tools. The E8Q can impress with its picture, but in HDR content, its design limitations become noticeable, and it is worth keeping this in mind.

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.

In the case of older materials with lower quality, a gentle smoothing of tonal transitions is often useful. The Hisense E8Q, like the U7Q, has the "Smooth and Gradient Picture" feature, but unfortunately, its effectiveness leaves much to be desired. The “Low” setting is almost imperceptible in operation, while higher settings simply blur details instead of improving transitions. The good news is that the feature does not compromise the film grain, which allows it to maintain the image structure. On the plus side, the scaling is commendable. The television can fairly sensibly transform older content to a higher resolution—without artificially emphasizing contours or excessive sharpening. Though it does not match the best models in this category, it performs quite well for its class.

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.

Like the U7Q, the E8Q model is a fast television designed for dynamic content. It supports 144 Hz refresh rates in 4K resolution, and if for some reason someone is still gaming in Full HD, it can achieve even 240 Hz. This is a significant advantage, especially for PC users looking for maximum fluidity. In everyday use, the television performs very well. The "Ultra Motion Smoothness" mode provides us with two sliders, allowing for personalized image settings – whether it’s more cinematic with preserved film frames or heavily smoothed, almost "series-like." It’s good that the manufacturer gives a choice here instead of imposing one style. On sports materials, live broadcasts, or in games – motion appears clean and stable. Sure, it’s not at the level of OLEDs, but for this price range, the E8Q performs really well.

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.

The Hisense E8Q does not hide its gaming pedigree. The specification alone reveals that we are dealing with a television that will work great as a gaming screen. Variable Refresh Rate (VRR)? Yes. Automatic low latency mode (ALLM)? It's there too. Additionally, there is impressive refreshment – 120 Hz in 4K or even 240 Hz in Full HD. Such a set is rare in this price segment. Everything works smoothly and without major surprises. The only missing element – like in the U7Q – remains support for HGiG. It's a pity, because this feature makes it easier to match the brightness curve to the capabilities of a particular television, improving visual consistency with the intentions of HDR game creators. Without it, one has to manually tweak the settings, which does not always yield a satisfying result.