Homegrown brand Prism+ has refreshed its TV offerings for the coming year with the new Q-Series Ultra range of 4K QLED TVs. The Prism+ Q65 Ultra (also available in 55″ and 75″ sizes) is the 65-inch QLED model. It runs the latest Google TV platform, comes with a reworked remote control, and for the movie buff, adds Filmmaker Mode for more accurate visuals.

Having complained about the picture quality of Prism+ TVs in the past, especially about saturated colours, I'm glad to say that the addition of Filmmaker Mode in the Q65 Ultra makes a difference. Now, if you prefer more saturated colours, you can still use the Vivid picture mode. But I suggest trying Filmmaker Mode for almost every type of content, even for sports. You can check out our TV settings guide here, but your eyes will thank you for choosing Filmmaker Mode. The Q65 Ultra isn't an OLED TV, so blacks are more sort of greyish. In dark scenes, you can also spot the uneven illumination around the TV edges. There is some colour shift from the sides. The Q65 Ultra supports both HDR10+ and Dolby Vision. But while the screen isn't the brightest — don't expect to flinch from specular highlights — the overall visuals look very decent in HDR content.

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The Q65 Ultra has a fairly standard design, with its plastic enclosure supported by two slim feet. The TV comes with three HDMI 2.0 ports — HDMI 1 is the ARC for a soundbar or receiver — and two USB-A ports. Again, all very standard for TVs in its price segment. I would definitely recommend a soundbar, though. The TV supports Dolby Atmos, but the built-in stereo speakers aren't going to cut it. Not only are they severely lacking in bass, these speakers also sound muddy at higher volumes. The HDMI 2.0 support means you won't get 4K 120fps in games. But there's still HDR when the TV is used with compatible consoles like the PlayStation 5.

The underside of the TV has the power button, and a toggle for the far-field microphone. The latter summons the built-in Google Assistant. You can also tap the Google Assistant button on the remote control, which has a programmable hotkey to launch your favourite app. I bound the key to the HBO Go app since the remote already has shortcuts for Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, and YouTube. The Q65 Ultra runs Google TV, which isn't that different from Android TV. You still get access to the Google Play Store, which has more apps than any other TV platform, and built-in Chromecast. Recommendations for shows to watch are now more prominent. And your smartphone can be used as a remote. But while the TV interface was mostly responsive, there were some laggy moments. Apps also took its own sweet time to open. HBO Go, for example, took over 10 seconds.

At S$1,599 for the 65-inch model, the Prism+ Q65 Ultra is more affordable than a QLED TV from a major TV brands. But it faces stiff competition from Chinese TV brands. The Xiaomi TV A2 is just S$799, albeit a smaller 58-inch model with slightly worse picture quality. Another alternative is the Hisense U6H, which can be found for around S$1,300. I didn't test the Hisense, but it has similar specs as the Prism+, and runs its proprietary TV OS instead of Google TV. But Prism+ also frequently has promotions for its TVs, so it may end up as the better deal. You can get the Q65 Ultra now from the official Prism+ stores on Amazon SG, Lazada and Shopee.

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Note: Review unit provided by Prism+.