Sharp LC-75N8000U TV Review

Kyle Schurman Avatar

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Updated 3:56 pm

Expert Rating

80

We know you want the best 65 inch TV. When considering a TV with an above $2,000 price tag, you’re going to want all of the latest features, and my Sharp LC-75N8000U TV review shows this model contains plenty of them and so many more. But don’t become so overwhelmed with features that you forget about great screen quality, an area in which the Sharp 75N8000U also excels.

The Sharp 75N8000 includes 4K resolution, a 4,000:1 standard contrast ratio, an extremely wide viewing angle, four HDMI ports, three USB ports, and a 120Hz refresh rate. Additionally, it has a relatively affordable price when compared to many of the other best 70-inch-plus TVs, which may be its most desirable feature of all. If you’re thinking of purchasing this TV for your home, you may want to also consider one of the best TV mounts too. If you’re not sold by this TV, you might also want to take a look at our guide to how to choose the best plasma TV. Or, check out our review of the best TVs around.

Overview

WHY IT’S A TOP PICK: Tremendous screen quality and affordable price versus other huge TVs.

Summary: The Sharp LC-75N8000U TV provides 4K resolution in a 75-inch screen, giving its images plenty of pop. And with this model’s HDR compatibility, the 75N8000U’s color accuracy right out of the box is impressive.

Price: $2,120.73
Available: September 2016
Other Screen Sizes Offered: None

What We Liked

  • Excellent color and picture quality
  • It’s tough to accurately describe just how impressive a 75-inch screen can be until it’s in your man cave
  • Good price point versus other huge TV screens
  • Good audio quality for everyday TV watching
  • Good standard contrast ratio of 4,000:1

What We Didn’t

  • Extremely heavy TV at more than 100 pounds
  • Smart TV interface is below average
  • Two of the four HDMI ports don’t support HDMI 2.0 interface
  • For top-notch audio quality, you will need a soundbar

Sharp LC-75N8000U 4K Specs

Screen Size 75 inches
Screen Resolution 4K/Ultra HD
Screen Type LED-LCD
Flat Screen green-check-mark
120Hz Refresh Rate green-check-mark
HDR Compliant green-check-mark
3D Capable red-x-icon
Smart TV Interface Opera
Input Lag 60 to 70 ms
Connectivity 4 HDMI, 3 USB, Ethernet, WiFi
Weight 108.5 pounds
Size 66 x 2.2 x 37.9 inches
Price $2,120.73
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Design

Sharp 4K LC-75N8000U
A simple design keeps the focus on the Sharp LC-75N8000U’s huge display screen

The Sharp N8000U design is simple, offering a black border of 0.5″ around the entire screen. The screen dominates the design of the front of the unit.

On the back, you’ll find all of the connectivity ports along with six circular speakers, each of which measures about 2 inches in diameter. My tests during my Sharp 75N8000U review showed that the speakers work pretty well for everyday television watching, but you will still notice some distortion if you increase the volume past the halfway mark, and if you have this 75-inch behemoth mounted on a wall, the speakers will become muffled. But if you use the two included legs to set this Sharp unit on an entertainment center, you should have enough room behind the screen to allow the speakers to work well. The legs measure about 13 inches in depth.

Related: See also our Sharp LC 70UE30U 4K UHD TV review.

Speaking of wall mounting this unit, if you choose this option, you’ll want to do it very carefully. The Sharp 75N8000U weighs 108.5 pounds, meaning you’ll need to make sure the unit and the VESA standard brackets are anchored securely to the wall. And don’t let the fact that the LC-75N8000U measures only 2.2 inches in depth at its thickest point: it will take multiple people to lift this very heavy television any time you plan to move it. Make sure that any table top or entertainment center you’re using to hold this 75-inch TV will be able to support its weight.

Sharp/Hisense claims a 178 degree viewing angle for this model, and although you can see an image on the screen at close to this extreme angle, the quality isn’t very good. Still, the 75N8000U does have a really nice viewing angle of around 45 degrees before noticing degradation, which is an above-average performance level for such a large TV screen.

Features

Sharp LC-75N8000U ports
Two of the 75N8000U’s six built-in circular speakers are visible at the right side of this photo

One disappointing aspect I found during my Sharp N8000 review is that only two of the four HDMI ports offer compatibility with the HDMI 2.0 standard. One USB port is compatible with version 3.0, while the other two USB ports support the USB 2.0 standard. Hisense/Sharp also included an Ethernet port, composite in ports, and built-in WiFi connectivity. The side facing ports on the recessed area are easier to access than the rear facing ports (shown on the left side of this photo) when the Sharp LC-75N8000U is mounted to a wall.

Related: Also check out our Skyworth E20300 review.

If you plan use the 75N8000U as a gaming TV, you’ll find an average input lag time versus other large screen televisions. You can expect an input lag of between 60 ms and 70 ms, which should allow you to play most games without delays, although certain multi-player games may cause a few delays. Hisense/Sharp did include a “game” setting, which cuts the input lag time to around 50 ms to 55 ms – a significant improvement for a large screen TV – however, you will also notice a reduction in display quality when using this setting.

The Sharp LC-N8000U uses about 230 watts of power when in use. The manufacturer does offer a power saving mode that cuts down the TV’s power consumption to between 150 and 175 watts, but the screen will be noticeably darker whenever it’s on.

Display Quality

Something I learned during this Sharp Aquos LC-75N8000U review: when word gets out that you’re setting up a 75-inch TV in the man cave for a Saturday of college football, you tend to have plenty of people show up for a look. Unanimously, those watching during my tests were very impressed with the display quality of this model. The LC-75N8000U’s precise color accuracy immediately out of the box is something not many TVs can offer.

And there was no motion blur or other display problems through the entire day of fast moving football action. The 120Hz native refresh rate Sharp/Hisense offers with this model works well for smooth playback of fast moving movies or sports. Additionally, this 75-inch model includes Sharp’s AquoMotion technology, which increases the refresh rate of the screen through software, much like what you’d find on a gaming monitor using V-Sync. My tests showed AquoMotion is more of a marketing gimmick than a helpful aspect of the 75N8000U, but it doesn’t harm performance either.

The display quality is excellent for this model, whether you’re watching native 4K programming or you’re watching upscaled HD programming. The upscaling technology built into the 75N8000U is impressive, offering a smooth performance level.

I also liked the contrast offered with this 75-inch TV screen. The blacks are deep and pleasing, which is especially great for watching movies. The 75N8000U has a native contrast ratio of 4,000:1, which is an above average measurement compared to other large screen TVs. Sharp/Hisense markets the dynamic contrast ratio of this unit at 2,000,000:1, but keep in mind that dynamic contrast ratio is a confusing measurement, because there’s no trusted testing procedure nor accepted industry-wide definition for it yet.

It would be nice if the N8000U had more local dimming zones, though. For a comparison of the LC-75N8000U versus the Sharp LC-70N9100U, the older 70N9100U contains 192 local dimming zones, which offers impressive display quality, while the N8000U has only 16 local dimming zones. (Local dimming zones are areas where the TV turns off the LED backlight in particular locations or zones of the screen, allowing that area to appear darker.) But you’ll also pay about $1,000 more for the LC-70N9100U versus the newer 75-inch model.

When comparing the 75N8000U with the 70N8100U, the older 70-inch model does not offer HDR technology, while the 75N8000U does. Both televisions provide 4K resolution, but the newer model is larger with a 75-inch screen size for almost the same price.

Smart TV Features

Sharp 75N8000U remote
The remote control unit for the 75N8000U includes dedicated buttons to access popular apps

The Chinese TV manufacturer Hisense licensed the Sharp brand name in mid-2015, and the Smart TV layout of the LC-75N8000U highlights this collaboration. The Sharp 75N8000U makes use of the Opera Smart TV system, which definitely has some drawbacks versus some other Smart TV systems, like Roku or Android.

You’ll need to download the apps you want from the Opera TV Store, which unfortunately doesn’t have a large number of apps available. For example, it’s missing Hulu and HBO GO, two of the biggest streaming providers in the business. Thankfully Hisense still preloaded some popular Smart TV apps, including Netflix, VUDU, Amazon Video, and YouTube, and you can access these four apps through dedicated buttons on the LC-75N8000U’s handheld remote control. Other Smart TV options are better when it comes to offering more versatility in software, but Opera TV does have a good interface for showcasing your downloaded apps, using two rows of tiles organized horizontally. This type of design is popular among many Smart TV interfaces and makes it easy to find the app you want.

I didn’t really like the Opera TV interface’s browser because of sporadic performance. It seems to run slower than other Smart TV browsers, and I had occasional problems with lock ups.

Hisense/Sharp included a large remote control with the LC-75N8000U, offering plenty of buttons for controlling the TV and the Smart TV functionality in the manner you want. (In fact, this Sharp remote looks a lot like the remote Hisense includes with its TVs, another area where the licensing collaboration becomes obvious.)

Sharp LC-75N8000U TV Review Wrap Up

Before concluding our Sharp LC-75N8000U TV review, it’s important to mention that such a huge TV is not going to work for everyone. If you have a small room or if the seating area must be close to the TV screen, a 75-inch model is probably going to be too large. Consider our TV buying guide for more information on finding the right size of television to fit your available space. And don’t forget about how heavy this TV is, meaning it may not work well with the furniture you have or if you don’t have extremely sturdy studs to mount it on. If you want to seek a smaller TV, the best 55-inch TV models will serve you well without overwhelming your available space. Even a best 65-inch TV option may fit better in your space.

If you do choose to go with this 75-inch TV, you may want to pair it with a smaller television, giving you a second TV for watching multiple games on a busy college football Saturday … or providing a television that’s actually easy to move, because the 75N8000U is heavy enough that it’s not going anywhere once you have it in place. Our list of the best 32-inch TVs can help you round out your man cave.

Ultimately, my Sharp LC-75N8000U review shows that one of the weakest aspects of this television is its Smart TV functionality. If you like the other aspects of the 75N8000U – and there is a lot to like about this model, which easily ranks as one of the best 70-inch plus TVs – consider adding a streaming box, such as a Roku box or even an Xbox, to handle your Smart TV needs instead.

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