The Prism+ Q65 is a TV bargain hunter’s wet dream

Lots of value in this modest offering.

by Justin Choo

Faced with a Prism+ TV, I’m was genuinely at a loss as to how to assess it. The Prism Q65 is, simply put, too cheap for what it offers. A 4K Android TV of reasonable quality for a thousand dollars?

A bit of context: the price is not unheard of actually, as you can look to Taobao and the like for similar bargains. But one key difference on paper is that Prism+ offers a three-year onsite warranty, which makes it almost pointless to consider cheap and cheerful Chinese options. And also, #supportlocal.

Of course, this does not apply if you have more demanding requirements for your TVs. If you are a movie buff looking to set up your home theatre system, then it’s likely you will be particular about colour accuracy and the dynamic range and all that jazz. In which case, the Q65 is unlikely to be on your shopping list, unless you have a small budget.

But for those who see the TV merely as a convenient media device, there are other factors to consider. Be it say, ease of use or price, inevitably, the price has to be commensurate with your utility. And it is this niche that Prism+ fills with their range of competitively priced TVs.

I have to hand it to them (or whoever does the OEM) because they cut costs in all the right places and the result is still a TV that doesn’t look too cheap at first glance. The bezels are slim enough to make a favourable first impression, and there’s a good to fair chance that it looks OK enough from a distance that you wouldn’t bother to inspect it further. But when you do, the basic plastic feet are sleek but ultimately functional; what looks like a receiver is located at the base of the display, and the rear is effectively a black plastic cap with some ports for connecting wires. Still, not bad for a no-frills TV. It’s safe to assume that a TV that looks as basic as this does would only have the bare minimum in other aspects as well. This is where the Q65 surprises.

Even photos of the display of the Prism+ Q65 look good.

Even photos of the display look good.

The display is capable of handling HDR and Dolby Vision content. It might not have the most outstanding brightness, but for the most part, the image quality is quite decent for scenes with harsh lighting and high contrast. However, the backlight is slightly uneven around the edges, but I suppose that is expected at this price. The viewing angles are satisfactory, and it’s highly unlikely you will be seated at those extreme angles anyway. In terms of visuals, the Q65 acquits itself very well and I think this alone will be what pushes the sale. But the rest is of it isn’t half bad either.

The built-in speakers (2x10W) are fine – they support Dolby Audio and the DTS TruSurround – and they are able to project some sense of depth despite their size. It can sound a tad hollow but at least the clarity is there. As far as I’m concerned, I think it’s good enough for small rooms – and this TV works great for bedrooms if the viewing distance is just right. All in all, the viewing experience is good enough that I find myself more interested in looking for content to watch instead. That’s a good sign.

But the main reason that you would choose the Q65 over the E65 is that the Q65 comes shipped with Android 9. And thankfully, the experience is pretty smooth. While the startup is slow, that is to be expected. Thankfully, there is a quick-start feature that you can enable to overcome this. With Android, you are able to use a keyboard but we found that the included Bluetooth remote does the job well enough. Unless you’re browsing the web a lot, a good remote gets the job done – and the remote you get with the Q65 isn’t half bad. It’s quite well-designed as well and in no way looks cheaply made. The brushed facade is a nice touch, and the buttons are well-spaced with a clean layout. And as this is Android, you have the option to use voice commands as well. We had no complaints, it’s no better or worse than most others in this respect.

The array of ports on the Prism+ Q65 cover most basic requirements.

The array of ports cover most basic requirements.

While the port selection is relatively modest, they do have all that’s necessary for basic setups. If you’re running a soundbar, there’s a single ARC enabled HDMI port amongst the three that Prism+ provides. You get to run it wirelessly (2.4Ghz only though) or wired; two USB ports (one of which is USB 3.0) and the usual litany of auxiliary inputs and a digital optical out to complete the lineup. Again – adequate.

The Q65 is not a groundbreaking TV but it does change one’s approach when buying TVs. Unless I’m in to create a home theatre setup, there’s very little good reason to spend over the odds on a display these days – in other words, unless you’re looking to spend big, the Q65 should cover most needs. The Q65 will certainly make you reconsider your choices, especially when you are considering a model in the $2,000 range. If your sole concern lies within its value proposition, then the Q65 is all the more compelling.

SPECIFICATIONS

Price $999
Warranty 3 Years

Display 65″, 3840 x 2160 IPS with Active HDR10 with Dolby Vision
Brightness 350 cd/m²
Display Colors 1.07 billion
Contrast Ratio 1300:1
Refresh Rate 60 Hz
Motion Smoothing MEMC
Audio 2x 10W with Dolby Audio & DTS TruSurround

Operating System Android TV 9.0
App Store Google Play Store
Casting Chromecast
Voice Control Google Assistant

Interface 2x HDMI 2.0, 1x HDMI-1 (ARC), USB 2.0, USB 3.0, AV-in, SPDIF Out, Ethernet LAN, DTV, 2.4gHz WiFi, Bluetooth 5.0

Dimensions 1447x830x85 mm, 1447x895x310 mm with stand
Weight 18 kg, 18.5 kg with stand

8/10

Prism+ Q65

Features – 7/10
Value Proposition – 9/10
Performance – 8/10
Design & Build Quality – 7/10

It’s hard to recommend anything else if you’re in the market for a bang-for-the-buck 4K HDR TV. The fact that it does so much for a grand is mind-boggling.