Of course, last year’s U8N was equally effective within the visual range of most people. Pushing brightness further isn’t a feat, but I’d like to focus on some of the U8’s hangups, such as watching a poor countershaft, a FAQ for LED TVs, or a preference for oversaturated reds.
This extra red is especially noticeable in HD shows breaking Bad (Yes, I’m rewatching the third time) Temperature, and Warm 2 looks so cool. In a scene from Season 2, Jesse’s dandy looks like red when playing with the Beetle. In another case, someone is looking for a funeral dress, pulling out a “blue” outfit that looks definitely violet on the U8QG, but the correct blue (with purple tones) on my LG C1 OLED.
There is little tendency for TVs to flatten shadow details due to mostly solid reflection processing and the ability to have peak brightness or settings such as depth details. Scenes like the dark depth of mandala Mandalorian Or tormented mountain top from Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Even in challenging environments, it is easy to be pulled apart.
Photo: Ryan Waniata
U8 also seems to have strengthened this year’s picture processing. Image clarity can be difficult to quantify, but TVs do a great job of delivering sharp 4K images and HD videos, and mostly minimizing Moiré, this shimmering effect can be a problem with budget forward TVs on exquisite patterns. You will find solid motion response, especially with smooth motion and decent screen uniformity. My review model shows only challenging test patterns and small spots of moving skylines.
Perhaps the biggest brag of U8QG is that there are not many TVs in price levels, in multiple sizes (although performance varies between sizes). TCL’s competitor QM8 is currently in our test room and usually costs more, and the price starts to rise from there, as Sony’s incredible Bravia 9 (9/10, Wired recommends), prices are close to that highlight. This could make the U8QG the default TV for brightness enthusiasts on the budget, especially once the U8N disappears.
As usual, it all depends on when you buy it. Until recently, a 65-inch U8QG cost $1,500, comparable to the QM8K and Bougier OLED models of the LG C4 (9/10, Wired recommended). The C4 is not a core Titan, but it provides better accuracy, clarity, outer axis performance, and more. At $1,000 or below, the U8QG is more friendly and worth considering the brightness after the highlights.
