HD PICTURE QUALITY. HD picture quality is excellent. Reproduction of fine HD image detail is excellent but we do see slight added oversharpening and edge enhancement that we can't minimize in the picture settings. Neither is distracting but picky viewers may object. Color accuracy is very good, with flesh tones in particular, looking natural. Excellent contrast--the difference between the darkest blacks and brightest whites--gives images great depth and dimension. Excellent deep black levels are among the best we've seen, giving dark scenes great depth. However, the optimal black level setting (i.e. brightness control) may need to be readjusted depending on what device you have connected to the TV (see ease-of-use). This is among the brightest models we've tested (with the panel brightness control turned up, which Skyworth erroneously calls "Backlight"), so the picture is well suited for a very sunny room. A lower setting is recommended for a dimmer viewing environment. In scenes with subtly shaded light-to-dark areas, such as a sky during sunset, the model does a very good job producing a smooth transition without distinct, coarse bands. There is slight display non-uniformity that creates brighter cloudy areas most noticeable on very dark scenes (or in the black bars of a letterboxed movie). We routinely see this issue with LCDs and severity can vary from model to model. The deinterlacing and film mode operations are excellent on HD content; there is little or no trace of jaggies on the edges of objects for video and film-based 1080i video content, such as from cable.
ULTRA HD PERFORMANCE. Overall UHD performance is decent and HD-to-UHD upconversion falls short. All native 4K content (non HDR) we played on this model, including movies and test videos, is presented in full 4K detail with excellent fidelity when played back via the TV's HDMI input. Via the USB port, high-resolution photos are displayed in full 4K detail but added oversharpening reduces picture fidelity. With regular HD content, the TV's HD-to-UHD up-conversion processing falls short, revealing some visible jaggies along the edges of diagonals when playing HD content.
HIGH DYNAMIC RANGE (HDR) PERFORMANCE. This TV does support HDR but it does not allow you to optimize the HDR picture settings without affecting normal HD viewing settings. At CR each television is optimized for best HD picture, then we optimize for HDR. Most TVs preserve both settings but this TV holds on to the HD picture settings even after it detects HDR content. And with the HD settings the HDR picture is rated as not effective, mainly due to the reduced panel brightness (backlight) setting. Most viewers will not likely be changing the picture settings each time they view program with HDR. With the settings optimized for HDR, this TV would have been scored effective for HDR.
VIEWING ANGLE. The overall viewing angle on this display is unlimited, better than most TVs we've tested. Contrast and depth of black level shows little or no variation depending viewing position. When we view the TV from the sides the picture shows does show a slight shift in color tone but there is no significant degradation in overall image quality. When viewing the image from above or below eye level to the screen, the vertical viewing angle is excellent. The picture shows no significant change in color, contrast, and black level.
MOTION BLUR. This Skyworth TV has good motion performance, with some blurring on our motion tests. Though this model includes Skyworth's "MEMC," a feature designed to reduce motion blur, it also activates the so-called "soap opera" effect that removes film judder (the slightly jerky motion visible during camera pans on film-based content). This gives movies a less film-like appearance that some may not prefer. We turned the "MEMC" feature off.
SOUND QUALITY. This model has very good sound quality, better than most models we've tested. Whether you're watching a blockbuster movie, a concert, or TV show, it is able to deliver a satisfying listening experience. Bass is deep, providing satisfying fullness to the sound but lacking in definition a bit, and treble is nicely detailed, while the overall sound is closed in. The speakers can play at a fairly loud volume level, but quality does degrade at high volume settings. Also, at higher volume, dynamic compression keeps the sound from distorting but also limited the clarity of peaks in loudness. Unlike most of our tested models its sound should satisfy the more discerning listeners, so give this a listen before opting for an external sound bar.
EASE OF USE. The quality of this TV’s black level and contrast may vary in one of two ways depending on the video playback device you have connected via the TV's HDMI input (cable box, DVD player, etc.). The TV’s default picture settings suggest a preference for devices with a "full range" video output (typically best for computer monitors) rather than "limited range" such as from our cable box, but results were not always predictable. We accurately optimized the picture settings for deep blacks with video coming from our Blu-ray player, but then we connected the cable box and the blacks were overly bright and hazy. If we re-optimized for the cable box then the black levels from the Blu-ray were crushed. Unfortunately this TV does not allow the HDMI inputs to be separately optimized so you may find yourself having to re-adjust the picture controls depending on what device you're viewing from. Keep in mind that your experience may vary depending on what devices you have. The TV's on screen menu introduces a translucent overlay that covers most of the display as you navigate and make adjustments. When making adjustments to the picture, this means you have to fully exit the menu after every tweak to see the results. The remote has a traditional design with a full number key pad. It includes a built-in microphone to access the voice assistant feature. It also provides convenient direct button access to streaming services including Netflix. On first power up there is an on-screen guide that helps you through setting up the TV. Consider the TV's stand is 43 inches wide when choosing a table top to place it on.
INTERNET FEATURES. This Smart TV provides Internet functionality via its "Android TV" portal with access to a library of applications. Movie streaming services that can be downloaded to this TV, or are built-in, include Netflix, YouTube, Hulu and HBO Now. Includes built-in Google Assistant, a virtual assistant, which allows you to use natural speech to ask questions, launch applications, and search programming via the remote's built-in microphone. Support for external voice assistants (not built in to the TV) include: Amazon Alexa.
CONNECTIONS. This model has three HDMI inputs, and one composite input {and} no component input. It also has two USB ports, an optical digital audio out, an Ethernet port, WiFi wireless networking; DLNA, to access files within your home network; Casting, which allows you to send streaming content from your mobile device to the TV via your home network; Screen mirroring, where the image on your smartphone or other compatible device can also appear on the TV.
INCLUDED IN THE BOX. A quick start guide. An electronic user guide via the TV's menu. A remote control with batteries. A detachable power cord. No printed manual is included.
