Local monitor and TV maker PRISM+ recently launched its latest premium range of Android smart TVs with the Q Series Pro.
This series consists of the 55-inch Q55 Pro Quantum Edition (as low as S$999), 65-inch Q65 Pro Quantum Edition (as low as S$1,239) and the massive 86-inch Q86 Pro Quantum Edition (as low as S$3,199).
Apart from the differences in display size, the Q Series Pro series features the essentially the same design with similar 4K UHD (3,840 x 2,160 pixels) resolution for its display panel.
SPECS
PRICE: S$1,239 (usual price S$2,999), buy it here
PICTURE FEATURES: Maximum resolution of 3,840 x 2,160 pixels, Active HDR 10, Dolby Vision
AUDIO FEATURES: 2 x 10W output, Dolby Atmos and DTS TruSurround
OPERATING SYSTEM: Android TV 10 with built-in Google Assistant and Chromecast
CONNECTIVITY: 3 x HDMI 2.0, 2 x USB 2.0, Composite AV, Optical, RF; Bluetooth, LAN, Wi-Fi
WEIGHT: 19.9kg (without stand)
This series is armed with video and audio technologies such as quantum colour backlight, Dolby Vision and Dolby Atmos. As such, you can expect brighter whites and darker blacks as well as richer and more immersive audio than conventional TVs.
The Q Series Pro series runs on Android TV OS 10, thereby allowing you access to many apps via its Google Play Store. It also comes with built-in microphones allowing you to control the TV using Google Assistant.
For this review, we tested the 65-inch Q65 Pro Quantum Edition (Q65-QE Pro).
DESIGN
According to the famed German designer Dieter Rams, good design involves as little design as possible. And I think it is especially so for TVs. Ultimately, users only want to watch the content and not be distracted by fancy arcs, flashy stands or thick bezels.
And the Q65-QE Pro certainly fits the “as little design as possible” mantra. Apart from a relatively thin chin at its bottom, the Q65-QE Pro is basically all-display with minimal bezels.
Only the bottom bezel is slightly thicker with the PRISM+ logo in the middle. Below the logo, you will find a thin slab that houses the LED indicators.
Behind the display panel, there is a thin attached “box” with all the ports you ever need. On the right side of the box is the power port, while on the left side houses 3 HDMI ports, 2 USB 2.0 ports as well as LAN, AV In, Digital Audio and TV signal ports.
I like that there are three HDMI ports. If you are a hardcore gamer with a Nintendo Switch, Xbox Series X and PlayStation 5, you can hook all three game consoles to this TV via these HDMI ports at the same time. Thus, you can avoid the hassle of unplugging and plugging in HDMI cables.
The Q65-QE Pro comes with a Bluetooth remote control, instead of a traditional infrared one. The remote control has an intuitive button layout with the 4-way navigation control and OK button in the middle. Below the navigation control, you will find 4 dedicated buttons for quick access to Netflix, Prime Video, YouTube and Google Play Store.
Unlike some remote controls that you might have difficulty getting acquainted, this remote works like a charm and you will get used to it in no time.
PERFORMANCE
With its 65-inch quantum dot in-plane switching (IPS) panel, the image quality of Q65-QE Pro is top-notch.
Whether it is watching Premier League football or 4K UHD content on Netflix or Prime Video, the visuals are delightful with rich and vibrant rendition of colours and details.
FOR
+ Great visuals with wide viewing angle
+ Zippy performance
+ Plenty of connectivity options
+ Intuitive Bluetooth remote control
+ Android TV OS offers Google Assistant and Google Play Store
+ Superb value for money
AGAINST
– No AirPlay
– Only 60Hz refresh rate
For supported HDR content, imageries look even better with the wider dynamic range. But to see the details better in the darker areas, you probably want to watch the content in the dark like in a cinema.
The viewing angles are pretty wide too, thanks to its IPS panel. You can expect no colour shift in whichever position you are sitting on the sofa.
In fact, I do not see much difference to my own LG OLED TV in terms of image quality. Not to mention, the Q65-QE Pro seems to be brighter and that helps visibility when you are watching TV during daytime.
The Q65-QE Pro comes pre-installed with meWatch, Viu and iQiYi. so you watch your favourite local, Korean, and Chinese shows right out of the box. As this smart TV runs Android OS TV and consequently comes with Google Play Store, you can also download streaming apps like Netflix, Disney+, Amazon Prime Video, Apple TV+ and HBO Go, to watch your favourite shows.
Navigating through this TV’s interface is also zippy with minimal lag. Some Android TVs’ interface might be late in responding to your button presses.
The best part though is the built-in Google Assistant. You can actually say “OK, Google, turn on the TV” to power it up without even touching the remote. Or you can ask how’s the weather tomorrow to see if you want to do a sleep-in with the wonderful cool weather these days.
Perhaps, the only downer is the lack of AirPlay. As such, iPhone or iPad users cannot stream content from their iPhone or iPad onto the Q65-QE Pro.
Another downer is the display panel’s refresh rate staying at an ordinary 60Hz when some flagship TVs have moved on to 120Hz. But given its pricing, this is probably in the region of nitpicking.
For this particular model, it can cost as low as S$1,239 (usual price S$2,999). By comparison, say, a Samsung QLED TV with similar display size will set you back around S$3,000.
Furthermore, a Samsung TV does not come with Google TV OS but uses its own Tizen OS. While the Tizen OS is no slouch, it does not have the comprehensive suite of apps in Google Play Store.
VERDICT
For its price tag, the PRISM+ Q65-QE Pro offers superb value for money with its great visuals, fast performance and features aplenty.
RATINGS
FEATURES: 8.5/10
DESIGN: 9/10
PERFORMANCE: 8.5/10
VALUE FOR MONEY: 10/10
OVERALL: 9/10 [SGEEK Editor’s Choice]
