Hisense U8K review: a perfect balance between image quality, size and price
This year, the competition between mid-range TVs is hotter than ever, and one of the best TVs we've tested is the Hisense U8K. Thanks to its very bright mini-LED technology , this TV offers excellent picture quality for its price. The brand is not as well known as Samsung or Sony, but neither of those brands offers a TV with mini-LED technology at such a low price.
The main competitor of the Hisense U8K is the TCL QM8 series. Both are currently available for around the same price, use the smart Google TV system, and offer mini-LEDs with spectacular pictures. We compared them side by side in the CNET TV Lab and we're sure either one would make a picture quality enthusiast happy.
The Hisense has one mid-size advantage: an optional 55-inch screen. The smallest TCL QM8 measures 65 inches. So if 65 inches is too big for your room, your budget, or your tastes, the choice between the two is simple: get the 55-inch Hisense UK8.
If you want a 65-inch TV or larger, we give the TCL a slight edge, assuming their prices are fairly equivalent. Its image is brighter and more impressive than that of the Hisense, although the TCL is not without its flaws. That said, if the price difference is considerable, you can save your budget by going with the U8K. It's a great TV and you would need to upgrade to an OLED TV to get a significant improvement in picture quality.
Hisense U8K Series TV Dimensions
We tested a 65-inch Hisense U8K, but this test also applies to other screen sizes in the series. All sizes have similar characteristics and should provide the same image quality. The exception is the 75-inch size, which uses a different panel type (ADS), which may lead to poorer black performance than the VA panels used on the other sizes. We can't say for sure though, as we haven't tested this size (some models may not be available in Europe at this time).
- Hisense 100U8K, 100-inch
- Hisense 85U8K, 85 inches
- Hisense 75U8K, 75-inch
- Hisense 65U8K, 65 inches
- Hisense 55U8K, 55 inches
The U8K model sits near the top of Hisense's 2023 TV lineup. The company offers more expensive models, such as an 85 - inch ULED “Laser TV” at Hisense) which start at 4,000 euros. However, the U8K is the model that most TV buyers will look at. The company's cheaper TV series – U7K and U6K – also offer mini-LED backlights, but have fewer local dimming zones and aren't as bright as the U8K. We haven't tested them, but based on their specs, we expect their image quality to be lower than the U8K.
Design and remote control of the Hisense U8K: basic, and it's not bad
The Hisense U8K is an ordinary-looking TV. It is supported by a pair of square legs on each side, below the main panel. It's also quite heavy, which is to be expected for a model with such complex backlighting.
The standard remote, with black rubber buttons, features two different menu buttons (one gear-shaped and the other "hamburger" shaped), a dedicated profile key and no less than six control keys. shortcut to streaming services (the usual services and, for some reason, Tubi). Another button allows you to call Google Assistant , which can be contacted via the remote control.
However, we preferred the design of the TCL QM8, with its central base and its better remote control.
Google TV: quite fast and rich in applications, more complex than Roku
Among all smart TV systems, Google TV comes second, after Roku. Highlights include excellent voice results thanks to Google Assistant, well-implemented child profile mode and parental controls, tight integration with Google apps (especially YouTube and YouTube TV), and more apps in all (thanks to the Play store) than proprietary systems like Samsung and LG.
The other side of the coin? In 2023, TV manufacturers like TCL and Hisense aren't offering the best picture quality extras on their Roku TVs. They are strictly reserved for Google TV models. If you want to use Roku on the U8K or any other Google TV, you will need to install a Roku streaming device.
When we tested the Google TV system built into the U8K, responses were quite fast, and a bit faster than the (cheaper) Hisense A6H we tested last year. As usual with Google, we didn't like the part of the space at the top of the screen dedicated to promoting series and films on different services. We also would have liked the “continue watching” line to be placed a little higher, rather than below the “best suggestions for you” and “apps” lines. There were a lot of suggestions in various apps, but still a lot of content that didn't interest us. Search results were also worse than on the Roku, with too many YouTube videos displayed.
Google TV profiles work fine. We were able to easily set up a child profile, and we appreciated that appropriate apps like YouTube Kids were suggested to us, and that Netflix automatically invoked the child profile. During setup, we were prompted to set screen time limits, create a profile picture, and more. Google TV's system offers better parental controls than Roku's, although Fire TV is just as robust.
Features: mini-LED, gaming and all other essentials
The big difference between the U8K and cheaper LCD TVs is its mini-LED backlight. As their name suggests, mini LEDs are smaller than standard LEDs, allowing them to be grouped into more local dimming zones. Full-array local dimming is the best way to improve picture quality on LCD TVs. It allows the screen to dim and brighten different areas simultaneously. Smaller areas or more dimming zones mean more precise lighting, which increases contrast, the most important ingredient of a good picture . However, this is not the only factor to consider.
The U8K has a 120Hz refresh rate , which provides better motion performance than 60Hz models. Like most TVs in its class today, it also uses quantum dots that help improve colors compared to televisions not equipped with QDV. And of course, it supports high dynamic range Dolby Vision and HDR10 formats . Today, the only manufacturer not to do this is Samsung. The U8K also features Dolby Vision IQ technology, which works with an ambient light sensor to automatically adjust the image.
- Four HDMI inputs (two with 4K/144Hz, one with eARC)
- Analog AV input (composite)
- Two USB ports (2.0 and 3.0)
- Ethernet
- Headphone jack
- Optical digital audio output
- RF input (antenna) with ATSC 3.0 NextGen TV
The U8K can accept 4K/120Hz input signals from an Xbox Series X or PlayStation 5 . Like many newer TVs, these inputs technically go up to 144Hz, but that's not a great deal in our opinion since you need a PC gaming card to take advantage of it and it probably won't bring not a big improvement over the 120Hz input. Other gaming options planned for mid-range TVs are VRR (variable refresh rate) and ALLM ( auto gaming mode ). One of the inputs also supports eARC.
The U8K's antenna input incorporates an ATSC 3.0 tuner for terrestrial TV reception, allowing it to pick up NextGen TV broadcasts. These are still only available in a small number of markets so we haven't had a chance to test this feature. However, it's good to know that if broadcasts become more widespread, U8K owners won't have to plug in an external tuner to watch.
Hisense U8K vs TCL QM8 and others: Picture quality comparison
For this comparison, we lined up three 65-inch TVs side by side: the Hisense UK8 and TCL QM8 (which cost about the same), as well as the LG OLED C3 (which costs significantly more). We haven't included any other models in the range this time around, but from previous testing we can say that the picture quality of the U8K is significantly better – brighter, with better colors and a better contrast – than the Roku TV Plus Series, Amazon Fire TV Omni QLED, and Vizio MQX (all of which cost less), and is about the same as the Series 6 from last year's TCL and the Hisense U8H.
TV and Movies : As usual, we began our reviews with the Spears & Munsil 4K Blu-ray Demo Cut , which has excellent nature scenes. Well-lit shots of Yellowstone's geysers and mountains were bright and brilliant, although a notch less impressive than the TCL QM8 (brighter) and not quite as contrasty as the LG OLED C3.
Difficult shots with a black background also looked great, with almost no light halos and just a bit brighter than the pitch black we saw on the C3. The color gamut and brightness looked a bit more natural on the Hisense than the TCL, but the latter still showed an advantage in brightness.
Watching the Netflix series Our Universe , we were also impressed by the Hisense. In a series of animations of galaxies and star fields (e.g. episode 2, 32:18), it maintained deep black levels in the upper and lower black bands better than the TCL 6 series, although not as well as the TCL QM8 or (of course) the OLED. Additionally, the lights from a flare (33:35) were much brighter than on the OLED and Series 6, although a bit dimmer than on the QM8.
When the action returned to the rainforest, the Hisense provided excellent contrast and color in the forest canopy, as well as plenty of detail in the chimps' fur. Once again, it didn't do better than the TCL QM8 in terms of brightness and contrast, but the difference wasn't huge. And we found the Hisense looked a little more natural than the QM8, which looked a little too bright.
Gaming : Hisense offers more gaming features than last year's U8H, although they aren't as varied as Samsung, LG or TCL. When we connected an Xbox Series HDR and other functions.
Unlike the competition, Hisense does not include special picture modes for gaming, although it is possible to switch to another menu to exit gaming mode and choose others, such as "HDR Sport" or “Filmmaker”. We found this layout confusing, especially when the "Optimized for game settings" pop-up appeared in these other modes. We'd much rather have distinct, separate modes that we know are designed for gaming.
There's a single button for "dark details" that brings up shadow details, and you can adjust a special brightness setting to fine-tune them. We were annoyed that a few other settings – Image Size, Screen Position, and High Refresh Mode – were inactive. But don't worry about the latter. According to the Xbox menu, the U8K is capable of supporting all formats the console can output, including 4K/120Hz and Dolby Vision. We also measured a solid 14ms lag in gaming mode for both SDR and HDR.
Comparing the gaming mode picture quality between the Hisense, TCL and LG C3, the result is similar to what we saw with TV and movies. The C3 had the best overall rendering when we played Starfield , and the TCL had the brightness advantage. However, the Hisense's image seemed a bit more balanced to our eyes, with more natural colors than the TCL's. We increased the local dimming setting to High on the Hisense to give it a bit more pop, but overall we preferred the TCL's more dynamic picture for gaming.
High brightness : The Hisense U8K is a great TV for bright rooms, especially for its price. Its brightness was just a few nits lower than the TCL QM8, and it costs significantly less. It's also worth noting that unlike the Samsung QN90B we tested, other TVs, including the U8K, can maintain their "brightest mode" levels for more than a few seconds.
Light output in nits
| TV | Brightest mode (HDR) | Fine-grained mode (HDR) | Brightest mode (SDR) | Precise mode (SDR) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Samsung QN65Q90B | 3,316 | 1,981 | 2,625 | 974 |
| TCL 65QM850G | 1,975 | 1,975 | 1,739 | 1,448 |
| Hisense 65U8K | 1,966 | 1,966 | 1,720 | 1,240 |
| TCL 65R655 | 1,387 | 1,194 | 1,292 | 624 |
| LG OLED65C3 | 861 | 817 | 501 | 464 |
| Vizio M65QXM-K03 | 939 | 742 | 958 | 608 |
| Roku TV Plus | 514 | 455 | 579 | 404 |
In HDR, the brightest mode (Imax) was also the most accurate, which is an advantage over many TVs whose brightest modes have average colors. However, in SDR, the U8K's brightest mode is Vivid (which, yes, also has worse colors). Therefore, for viewing in a bright room, we suggest using Theater Day mode instead. This mode is always very bright, as shown in the table above in the “accuracy” section. However, it's not as dazzling as Vivid mode. That said, we think it's worth sacrificing brightness to get better colors.
The TV's screen finish handled reflections well, about as well as the TCL QM8. However, it did not preserve dark areas as well as the C3 OLED.
Hisense U8K settings and picture mode
Just like on the Hisense U8H, the three most accurate picture modes for HDR – HDR Theater, Filmmaker, and IMAX – were essentially the same in terms of color and grayscale on the U8K. We chose Imax again, as the other two modes required tweaks to the default settings to perform their best. Filmmaker mode activates the ambient light sensor by default, and HDR Theater mode does the same for the Soap Opera effect. And in both cases, we would rather disable these “features”.
In SDR mode, you had to choose between Theater Night and Filmmaker, both of which require similar settings. Filmmaker mode with the light sensor disabled was too bright and less accurate than Theater Night. So we opted for the latter for the SDR Geek Box measurements below. However, motion smoothing is enabled by default, and we recommend disabling it ( Image > Advanced Settings > Motion Enhancement > Off ). In our opinion, this setting should be disabled from the start, as is the case with the best picture modes from Hisense's competitors.
Note that we also changed the gamma control (2.2 instead of the default BT.1886), which is reflected in the numbers below. We also recommend doing the same for viewing in a bright room (Theater Day).
Hisense U8K (65U8K): our opinion
Competition in the mid-range TV market is particularly strong, and the Hisense U8K stands out thanks to its super-bright mini-LED technology, offering excellent picture quality at a competitive price. Although less well known than brands such as Samsung or Sony, Hisense offers a more affordable mini-LED option. The Hisense U8K's main rival is the TCL QM8, offering similar features, but if space or budget is limited, the 55-inch Hisense U8K is an obvious choice, a budget-friendly but high-quality option.
In terms of design, the Hisense U8K is simple but effective, with a standard remote control and an app-rich Google TV interface. The U8K excels in terms of features, thanks to its mini-LED backlight, a 120Hz refresh rate, and support for Dolby Vision and HDR10 formats. Finally, comparing image quality, the Hisense U8K offers an impressive performance, particularly in terms of brightness and contrast, although slightly below more expensive OLED models.
Leave a Comment