Sharp’s latest EG series TVs offer an impressive 4K Quantum Dot display for those on a mid-range budget. If you’re after a great-looking and -sounding TV – and don’t want to spend more money on the Samsung brand name – Sharp’s new sets could be exactly what you’re after when they launch in early 2022.
Running on the Android 11 OS you’ll be able to access all of your favorite apps and streaming services natively on the device, giving you plenty of ways to put the Quantum Dot display to good use.
The UHD TVs all support HDR10, HLG, and Dolby Vision with 12-bit color reproduction to aid high dynamic range content. However, as the displays top out at 400 nits of brightness they may struggle to take full advantage of the HDR support.
- Sky Glass is a QLED TV with Sky Q built in
- No Time To Die in Dolby Atmos and Vision has ruined cinemas for me
- Here's our guide to the best streaming devices
The other downside we can see from the specs so far is that the EQ Series TVs only offer 4K at 60Hz rather than 120Hz. For most people this won’t be a massive issue, but gamers who want the best frame rates possible might prefer a different display.
On the audio side, Sharp packs in a pair of 12W two-way speakers from Harman/Kardon that were specially designed for Sharp’s EQ series. This design offers a down-firing woofer for powerful bass and a front-firing tweeter for better clarity in highs.
These speakers allow the TV to take advantage of its Dolby Atmos and DTS:X codecs to bring you a more cinematic experience than some of its rivals even if you can’t yet afford to upgrade your home cinema with a dedicated sound system.
While we only had a short time with them at a recent Sharp event we were impressed by what we saw (and heard).
Hopefully we’ll get to spend more time with them nearer their launch, but regardless the EQ series are definitely ones to watch out for if you’re wanting to upgrade your home cinema from a more budget set
If you want to nab one of these for yourself Sharp’s EQ Series TVs will be available in the UK sometime in Q1 2022 (that’s January to March next year). They’ll come in 50 inch (127 cm), 55 inch (139 cm), 65 inch (165 cm) and 75 inch (189 cm) sizes with prices of £649.99, £699.99, £949.99 and £1,299.99 respectively.
What about Sharp’s cheaper TVs?
Sharp isn’t abandoning its more affordable sets yet though, and will still offer 4K LCD displays for those on more of a budget.
You’ll still be able to nab Sharp’s current range of LCD screens that are currently available, but if you want something a bit bigger the brand hopes to offer new 70-inch 4K displays by the end of the year.
This includes its upcoming Frameless design set that will offer many of the great features from the EQ series range (including Android 11 and the high dynamic range support) while stripping out a few of most premium options to bring you the display at a better price.
Sharp has confirmed that the 70-inch Frameless TV will launch in Q4 2021 at a price of £899. It just manages to sneak below the £1,000 mark, making this a TV to consider if you want a view-filling image without the enormous price.
- The best cheap TV sales and 4K TV deals in the UK in October 2021
