PICTURE QUALITY This model had very good high-definition picture quality. It did an excellent job displaying the finest detail. Images details were notably exaggerated and we could not minimize this with the sharpness control. Edges of objects in the image stood out too much because of over-enhancement. Color accuracy was very good, with images generally looking natural. Color temperature was slightly on the cool side, lending images a bluish tone. Some red push was noted, with reds looking a little more intense in color than expected. Contrast--the difference between the darkest blacks and brightest whites--was good, so images had depth and dimension, typical of most models we test. The brightness level was good, making it a suitable choice for most rooms. Black levels were generally good, though not as dark as better performers on the darkest scenes. Turning on Sharp's "AquoDimming," a local dimming feature, seems to have no visible impact on black level so we left the feature off. (assumes the image is viewed directly from front and center; see viewing angle comments) Images had a slight degree of enhancement that slightly diminished the realism of people and objects. In scenes with subtly shaded light-to-dark areas, such as a sky during sunset, the TV did an excellent job producing a smooth transition without distinct, coarse bands. There was slight display nonuniformity that created 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 TV to TV. Check your model for this issue, and if present, see if you find it distracting. The deinterlacing and film mode operations were excellent on HD content; there was little or no trace of jaggies on the edges of objects for video and film-based 1080i video content, such as from cable.
VIEWING ANGLE This Sharp has a moderate viewing angle overall, decent, but not quite as good as the better-performing LCD sets we've tested. The optimal seating position for best picture quality is directly in front of the TV. If your family is seated in chairs off to the side of the TV, they'll see decent but compromised image quality.
When we moved off to the sides the horizontal viewing angle was good; the picture showed a slight loss of color, along with a moderate color shift. Black levels visibly brightened, reducing contrast. When viewing the image from above or below eye level to the screen, the vertical viewing angle was very good. The picture showed minimal change in color, contrast, and black level.
ULTRA HD PERFORMANCE This Sharp UHD TV delivers full 4K picture detail, but only decent HD-to-UHD upconversion. All native 4K content we played on this model, including movies and test videos from our Sony FMPX10 player, was presented in full detail with excellent image fidelity when played back via the TV's HDMI input. This model also supports video streaming of 4K programs via both Netflix and YouTube (among other emerging sources), and again, images were clean and finely detailed with no visible over-sharpening or other gratuitous processing. Using the TV's USB port, we were able to play back 4K videos stored on a flash drive which were encoded in both the HEVC and VP9 formats, as well as MP4. High resolution photos were displayed in full 4K detail, and like the videos, revealed great clarity, taking full advantage of UHD's extra resolution. With regular HD content, the TV's HD-to-UHD up-conversion processing fell short, with only good performance revealing some visible jaggies along the edges of diagonals when playing HD content. All four of the TV's HDMI inputs comply with the latest HDMI 2.0 and HDCP 2.2 specifications that support play back for 4K video at 60Hz, and copy protection, a requirement for compatibility with emerging 4K movie play back devices such as a 4K Blu-ray player.
SCREEN REFLECTIVITY Though not as mirror-like as on some LCDs, this screen surface is glossy and therefore susceptible to reflections from a nearby lamp or window. The screen is dark so it does a good job reducing glare from ambient light and maintains contrast even in a bright room.
SOUND QUALITY This TV has good sound quality; about average among the TVs we've tested. When watching a movie blockbuster, a concert, or TV show, it delivers decent performance but falls short of the better performers. With movies, dialog was generally clear and natural sounding, though a bit muffled somewhat thin, while background music and other sounds were slightly recessed. Bass extension was decent, which added some fullness to the sound, and treble was nicely detailed, while the overall sound was on the bright side, a bit thin, and a bit closed in. The speakers can play to fairly loud volume levels without obvious distortion, a plus if you'll be using this set in a larger room or noisy environment. Most will find this sound quality acceptable.
EASE OF USE Overall, we found the set easy to use. Setting up the TV for the first time was fairly straightforward, as was access to features and controls you'll probably adjust only once. Ease of access to features you typically use more often was very good. Also, the remote is very good, and the on-screen menu is moderately easy to navigate.
The black against black labeling of the connectors on the TV console is very difficult to read. The remote's major function buttons were sufficiently large and have high-contrast labeling, making them easier to see and navigate. Labeling uses non standard icons making button selection less intuitive to use.
STAND ASSEMBLY Mounting the support stand to the TV is fairly straightforward, requiring the assembly of a few parts before mounting. The TV's stand extends to the far ends of the display, which means the table top you'll be setting the TV on will need to be at least as wide as the display itself.
INTERNET FEATURES This TV provides advanced Internet capability. Features include access to a library of applications via "Google Play." Movie streaming services include: Netflix, Hulu Plus, YouTube, Google Play Movies & TV, iHeart Radio, Pandora, Google Play Music.
CONNECTIONS This TV includes four HDMI inputs, one shared connection between the component and composite inputs (which means you can only use one type or the other at a time), optical digital audio out, three USB ports, an Ethernet port, Wi-Fi, and a Yes memory card slot. Wireless connectivity includes: DLNA network file sharing. HDMI and analog cable connections made to the rear-facing panel will protrude beyond the panel's slim depth.
INCLUDED IN THE BOX The TV comes with: an electronic user manual accessible via the TV's menu (no printed manual is included), a quick start guide, two remotes with batteries, and provided cables (1 USB IR Extender). ABOUT FIRMWARE VERSION: Our test results and picture settings are valid for the version of firmware indicated. If your TV's firmware differs from the one shown you either have an older or a newer version of firmware. Manufacturers may periodically upgrade the TV's firmware to enhance operation, fix bugs, or add features. Firmware upgrades may be downloadable directly to your TV via a wired or wireless network (if internet capable), USB port, or memory card, depending on your TV's capability. You can check your TV's firmware version, or upgrade to the latest firmware by pressing the menu button on your remote and navigating to the appropriate submenu, typically under settings. Consult the user manual or manufacturer's website if further guidance is needed.
