I just tried the new Sharp Aquos QLED TV and it’s an unremarkable mess

The Sharp Aquos QLED TV is a budget screen with little going for it beyond its low price. Despite its 4K resolution, Dolby Vision support, and enticing affordability, it pales in comparison to major rivals due to its subpar performance and frustrating TV interface.

The picture quality is extremely lackluster, with perpetual visual noise, blooming, and washed-out colors highlighting some of the most egregious setbacks. Off-axis performance and minimal brightness also make the Aquos QLED a poor choice for angled viewing and sunnier environments.

Even if you’re not in the market for one of the best TVs and solely want an ultra-affordable display to fill a slot in your home, the Sharp Aquos QLED likely isn’t the best option for your living room. A wide swath of more reliable TVs at similar prices, such as the Hisense U65QF and the TCL QM5K, make for better alternatives. Here’s why.

Sharp Aquos QLED TV review: Price and release date

Sharp launched the Aquos QLED TV range in October 2025, putting it up against Roku and Amazon with five size variations. It’s a budget-conscious set that rounds out Sharp’s 2025 TV catalog.

Here’s a full breakdown of the sizes and prices of the Sharp Aquos QLED TV:

• Sharp Aquos QLED TV 4T-C50HP7050U (50-inch) – $349 | $259 on sale
• Sharp Aquos QLED TV 4T-C55HP7050U (55-inch) – $399 | $309 on sale
• Sharp Aquos QLED TV 4T-C65HP7050U (65-inch) – $499 | $389 on sale
• Sharp Aquos QLED TV 4T-C75HP7050U (75-inch) – $749 | $529 on sale
• Sharp Aquos QLED TV 4T-C85HP7050U (85-inch) – $1,099 | $829 on sale

There are no major differences in speaker setup, stand design, and picture quality across screen sizes. We tested the Sharp Aquos QLED in its 55-inch configuration.

For what you get in terms of performance and features, the Aquos QLED feels expensive and mispriced, especially against major rivals. Amazon is currently selling the 55-inch model for $379, which puts it into contention with several Mini-LED models, such as the TCL QM5K, Hisense U65QF, and 2025 Roku Plus Series TV.

However, each of these TVs has Mini-LED backlighting, whereas Sharp’s Aquos TV uses a standard direct LED backlight (among other notable downgrades). It’s also similarly matched with the 2025 Amazon Omni QLED TV, which is currently $519 for the 55-inch model.

If you’re unsure about which size TV you need, check out our ‘What TV size should you buy?’ guide to help you pick the right one.

Sharp Aquos QLED TV review: Design

As QLEDs go, the Aquos TV is built similarly to market counterparts. The 55-inch model is thin and lightweight, measuring 3.2 inches in depth and weighing 21 pounds, both without the stand. The Aquos TV also has particularly thin bezels, denoted by Sharp as its “Frameless Design,” but the borders are still perceptible when watching content.

The setup is fairly breezy. This QLED TV is equipped with two V-shaped legs, which are very easy to install and offer suitable sturdiness. However, you will need a screwdriver to install them. Wall-mounting is another option, as the 55-inch Sharp Aquos QLED is equipped with a 300 x 300 VESA pattern. (Note that the VESA pattern will be different across sizes.)

It’s not the most gorgeous set on the block, but it should look fine on most countertops and surfaces. One neat aspect Sharp added is a handy cable management system that minimizes clutter and offers a cleaner setup.

Sharp Aquos QLED TV review: Ports

Swivel the Aquos TV around, and we’ll find a full set of ports located on the right-hand side of the TV’s rear. The Sharp Aquos TV features three HDMI 2.0 ports, which is expected given its lower price, as well as two USB 2.0 ports, a LAN network connection, digital audio output, and an audio jack for wired headphones.

Given that the Sharp Aquos QLED is built on a 60Hz refresh rate, don’t expect any extreme gaming features. It also doesn’t have an ATSC 3.0 tuner, as you might find on Hisense and TCL Mini-LED TVs. However, the Sharp Aquos QLED does support Wi-Fi 5 and Bluetooth 5.1 wireless connectivity, and it’s also equipped with Alexa and AirPlay voice controls.

Sharp Aquos QLED TV review: Performance

I tested the Sharp Aquos QLED TV in various settings using content primarily from streaming services, such as Prime Video, Netflix, and HBO Max. I typically would switch back and forth between the Standard picture mode and Sharp’s version of Filmmaker mode, called Theater.

Overall, picture quality is very poor on this set. “Sinners” on Prime Video was totally blown out, with visual noise taking up most of the screen. Colors were washed out, with the blue sky in day scenes overexposed. Night shots looked even worse, with shadows and darker portions looking more gray than black.

The “Fallout” TV show didn’t look much better. Certain scenes were filled with visual noise and over-processing, particularly in the TV’s Theater mode. This mode washes the screen in a subtle yellow hue, which is very distracting and makes content look suboptimal. It doesn’t help that the Sharp Aquos QLED has very poor luminance, making highlights drab and unrefined.

I even tried watching some anime to get a taste of the TV’s color volume, which didn’t lead to great results. Shows like “Frieren,” “Lazarus,” and “Jujutsu Kaisen” were off as colors looked abnormal, and I noticed subtle blooming in the subtitles. I also noted choppy, fast-paced action sequences, highlighting the TV’s poor motion processing.

The wonkiness in colors also extends to close-ups. “Oppenheimer” and “Wake Up Dead Man” are two great examples of this, offering several close-up shots of characters with oddly-colored skin tones. There was also a great deal of artefacting around the subject’s faces, as well as the persistence of visual noise throughout scenes.

One thing the Aquos TV does have going for it is Dolby Vision support, which you can freely adjust across three main settings, including Dolby Vision Dark, Dolby Vision Bright, and Dolby Vision Dynamic. The “Dark” setting offered the best picture quality in most content that supports it, but it didn’t help minimize other picture quality concerns.

How we test TVs

We follow a standard testing protocol for every TV we review at Tom’s Guide. Our benchmarks include a series of technical and subject tests designed to rate the set’s performance.

For our technical tests, we use a Jeti spectraval 1501-HiRes spectroradiometer, a Klein K10-A colorimeter, a Murideo 8K-SIX-G Metal pattern generator, and Portrait Displays’ Calman TV-calibration software to take measurements. We also use a Leo Bodnar 4K Input Lag Tester for determining the TV’s gaming prowess.

Subjective tests vary based on the reviewer, but usually feature anecdotes from a diverse selection of movies, TV shows, and other content reflecting the types of things you may actually want to watch on the TV.

Sharp Aquos QLED TV review: Test results

I measured the Sharp Aquos QLED TV against similarly-priced budget TVs, such as the Fire TV Omni QLED Series, Sony Bravia 3, and Hisense U65QF.

The Aquos QLED clearly struggles to contend with similarly priced market rivals. Luminance is a major setback, largely because this QLED TV isn’t equipped with a Mini-LED backlight. Even the Sony Bravia 3 LED TV offers slightly better luminance, which is surprising given it doesn’t have a quantum dot layer like Sharp’s QLED.

Another debilitating factor for the Sharp Aquos QLED is its higher-than-average Delta-E score, which means colors on the screen don’t appear accurate and lifelike. Still, its Delta-E isn’t quite as bad as the Fire TV Omni QLED, but picture quality takes a hit in everything from anime to close-ups of faces.

Color coverage is largely similar across the board. However, the Sharp Aquos QLED tested with the highest input latency at 15.2ms, making it a poor choice for gamers. With its 60Hz refresh rate and barebones gaming features, it’s to be expected.

Sharp Aquos QLED TV review: Audio

The Sharp Aquos QLED TV doesn’t offer the most robust audio experience. On the one hand, the Aquos QLED can hit a very high ceiling in loudness, which is great if you want the entire neighborhood to hear your movies. On the other hand, audio quality is very lackluster, sounding tinny and flat.

This poor performance is largely due to the dual 15W internal speakers inside the TV, giving it a total 30W output. It’s also only equipped with a 2.0-channel system, so it makes sense why audio isn’t robust on this TV. Fortunately, you can pair it with one of the best soundbars for improved audio performance, especially given its Dolby Atmos support.

Sharp Aquos QLED TV review: Interface and apps

The Xumo interface is at the heart of the Aquos TV experience… and it’s not great. Everything from the layout to the performance is problematic in one way or another, leading to a rather frustrating experience. On the bright side, it offers a slew of free channels via Xumo Play, and many of the best streaming services are available on the Xumo store.

Xumo's layout is similar to Google TV: At the top of the home screen is a row of most recently opened apps and inputs, followed by another row with your featured inputs and apps, which you can customize. Under this row are various collections, such as “My list,” “TV Shows,” and “Movies,” but it also includes “Search” and “Settings,” which are oddly out of place.

When I first turned the TV on, I couldn’t find the settings page for the life of me. It would make more sense to place the settings menu at the top right of the screen, similar to Google TV, or at the start of the “My List” row, so it’s much easier to find and access.

Xumo is also very slow and cumbersome to use. It’s noticeable in both navigation and startup, with the TV often taking over a minute to hit the Home Screen after being powered back on. While it is frustrating to use right now, the interface could see major enhancements over time. After all, this is only version 1.3 of the OS, so there’s room for improvement.

Sharp Aquos QLED TV review: Remote

Sharp’s remote is a vast detour from other TV remotes in the space — it’s wider with a more rounded feel versus the slimmer options from rival brands. Despite its size, the remote is surprisingly lightweight and ergonomic. It also offers four quick access buttons to Disney+, Netflix, Prime Video, and Xumo Play.

One notable absence on the remote is a dedicated settings button. Instead, there is a button with three dots that pulls up a quick access settings bar, where you can adjust only a handful of things, such as the picture mode, audio output, closed captions, and more.

In theory, these quick settings are a handy addition for adjusting things on the fly, similar to Samsung’s quick access settings bar, but it would be much better if it could access the full settings tab. Otherwise, you have to navigate from the home screen to the settings page, which is clunky and time-consuming.

Sharp also opted to put the mute button at the top of the remote, away from the volume controls. While it’s a minor gripe, it can prove confusing at first, especially since the voice controls are located right next to the volume sliders, which is slightly jarring.

Beyond these minor gripes, I have no major complaints about the Sharp TV remote. It’s a bit larger than I would prefer and has a convoluted button arrangement, but its lightweight and ergonomic design should still work fine for most people.

Sharp Aquos QLED TV review: Verdict

There’s no getting around it, the Sharp Aquos QLED TV isn’t a strong contender in the budget TV space. It offers subpar picture quality even for its budget price, and doesn’t match up to its rivals. It’s also built on a TV interface that’s plain frustrating to use.

If you want to save a buck on a new TV, I recommend the Hisense U65QF. The 55-inch model is currently $399, putting it right up against the Sharp Aquos QLED, and is equipped with Fire TV, which offers a wider array of fancy features. You can also opt for the TCL QM5K Mini-LED TV for $379 if you want Google TV, but we don’t have any testing data on that particular display.

Although the Sharp Aquos QLED looks enticing at its $259 sale price, and even comes with Dolby Vision and Dolby Atmos to boot, there’s not a whole lot else that makes it worth the investment. Visual noise, blown-out backgrounds, and washed-out colors make it truly hard to recommend, and if you’re really in need of a budget TV under $500, there’s a wealth of better models to choose from.