TCL C655 Pro vs Sharp GR8

In the HDR effect quality category, the TCL 655 PRO television shows decent capabilities, achieving 550 nits of peak brightness. This allows for enjoyment of HDR effects, which is clearly visible in scenes such as the first from the movie Life of Pi or the last frame from The Meg. However, the limited number of dimming zones causes some problems. While in bright scenes the television performs better than its lower model, in more demanding scenes, such as the second and fourth scenes from Sicario 2, it struggles. The dimming algorithm aims for deep blacks, but at the cost of brightness – which in these moments leads to a decrease in brightness by as much as half. In these more challenging scenes with small elements, it is hard to find any praise, and the HDR effect resembles rather SDR. Nonetheless, the coverage of the color palette deserves commendation, which, like in the version without the PRO suffix, is at a very good level.

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.

Each of our TV tests is conducted in movie mode, which usually offers the best color reproduction. Nevertheless, even this mode is not free from problems, as we noted with the TCL 655 PRO model.

In the case of HD content, the white balance clearly shifts towards red, and this effect becomes particularly noticeable in a scene from Star Wars, where the white elements of the scenery take on a pink hue. For 4K HDR material, the situation looks better, but there is a tendency to excessively enhance the blue color. As a result, the image can appear artificially sharp, which proves to be uncomfortable for the eye over a longer period. The brightness characteristic also leaves much to be desired. The Gamma chart indicates serious difficulties with excessive brightening, causing the overall presentation to look washed out. Additionally, the EOTF curve reveals significant issues with the reproduction of very small elements - they are excessively dimmed, as we detailed in the paragraph regarding HDR effects.

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.

After calibrating the TCL 655 PRO television, a noticeable improvement in white balance can be observed, having completely eliminated the tendency for the screen to have an excessive pink hue, which was previously visible in factory mode. The image has taken on more natural tones, especially in white and bright elements, positively affecting the overall perception of the picture. As for brightness characteristics, the Gamma chart has also improved – the screen is no longer excessively bright, which previously made the image look washed out. Nevertheless, there are still some issues with the EOTF curve that are difficult to eliminate due to the design of the television and its limited number of dimming zones. These limitations prevent achieving ideal results in this regard. However, despite this minor flaw, the overall effect after calibration is truly outstanding, providing high image quality and very good color reproduction.

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.

The TCL 655 PRO television handles tonal transitions in lower-quality materials quite well. The "Gradual Smoothing" feature at a low setting effectively smooths out tonal transitions; however, this comes at the cost of losing some important details, such as the texture of objects. A positive aspect is that it does not negatively affect film grain, which helps maintain the natural look of the image.

In the context of digital processing, the television adds artificial sharpness. This may appeal to users who prefer a more vivid image. However, those who favor a softer, subtler look may find this to be a drawback. Additionally, a downside is the image cropping due to overscan, which limits the field of view and trims the edges of the frame. This can be problematic in certain scenes - e.g., news tickers.

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 TCL C655 PRO TV is equipped with a 4K panel with a refresh rate of 60 Hz, making it ideal for watching movies. Additionally, the "Flicker Reduction" feature allows users to adjust the fluidity of the image, giving them the choice between smoother motion or a cinematic, choppy effect. Moreover, the TV handles lower resolution content well, such as Full HD and 2K, offering a refresh rate of 120 Hz, which will certainly appeal to gamers who can enjoy smoother images, albeit at the cost of lower resolution.

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 TCL C655 PRO television offers an almost perfect set of features for gamers, supporting all key technologies that significantly improve the gaming experience. The ALLM feature automatically switches the television to low latency mode, resulting in better responsiveness and minimized signal delays – particularly important in dynamic titles. VRR synchronizes the screen refresh rate with the number of frames generated by the console, eliminating screen tearing and thus guaranteeing smoother gameplay.

Support for Dolby Vision in game mode allows for more detailed color and contrast reproduction in games that support this format, while the Game Bar provides quick access to important settings such as response time or latency level. Unfortunately, this model does not support 4K resolution at 120 Hz, which may disappoint the most demanding gamers. However, for those who can forgo 4K, support for Full HD and 2K at 120 Hz offers exceptionally smooth visuals, making it an attractive alternative for enthusiasts of higher refresh rates.

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.