ZDNET’s key takeaways
- The Hisense U8QG is out there from 55-inch to 100-inch, with most fashions presently on sale.
- It presents arresting HDR image high quality and brightness.
- Nevertheless, this set lacks some premium options like 4 HDMI ports and an ultra-thin body.
The 65-inch Hisense U8QG is on sale for $1,300 off throughout Greatest Purchase’s Presidents’ Day sale occasion, bringing the value to only $860.
In case you’re in control on fashionable TV tech, you then would possibly know the distinction between OLED and QLED, and maybe how Mini-LED matches into the ecosystem of tv analysis and growth. You would possibly’ve even heard of QD-OLED and Micro-LED as envelope-pushing applied sciences that may endlessly change our viewing expertise.
However have you ever heard of ULED?
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In accordance with Hisense, ULED (or Extremely LED) is the corporate’s proprietary “ultimate viewing experience… that combines 20 different patents to create the most vivid and true-to-life viewing experience.” It deploys these applied sciences throughout 4 key areas: Extremely Native Dimming, Extremely Vast Coloration Gamut, Extremely 4K Decision, and Extremely Easy Movement Price.
TV advertising nomenclature can get additional convoluted as a result of, when you will not discover Hisense’s rivals utilizing the time period “ULED” to explain their new fashions, the 2025 Hisense sub-flagship U8QG additionally categorizes itself as a Mini-LED and QLED (Quantum Dot) tv. So many labels.
But most shoppers solely need to know a few issues: How do all these labels translate into efficiency and worth? And the way does this mannequin stack as much as others? I examined the 65-inch Hisense U8QG in our Louisville lab to seek out out.
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Setup and {hardware} observations
Organising the U8QG concerned the same old dance of attaching the stand and connecting the unit to our community. Whereas the meeting course of was not horrible, it definitely required 4 arms (two folks) to do safely, and it helped that my helper is my Lab Supervisor and an engineer.
Even so, we consulted the Fast Begin directions to make use of 4 screws adjoining two plastic parts to a heavy iron plate that serves because the foot of the U8QG — which appeared prefer it might deflect a 50-caliber bullet.
In that gentle, this TV is not going to topple over in case your cat spasmodically bounces off the wall or your youngsters roughhouse too near the centerpiece of your lounge.
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The distant got here with recent batteries (all the time a plus), and I’m additionally all the time happy by distant controls that gentle up once you decide them up, as this one does. It additionally has an ambient gentle sensor and Discover My Distant function, along with being a voice distant tied to the TV’s Google OS.
I benefit from the hardy really feel of this distant, which has a brushed steel end however is clearly manufactured from plastic. Notably, this distant mirrors the width of the TV itself, at roughly two inches. This TV isn’t super-sleek, however that is not the function the U8QG is enjoying within the crowded market of price range to midrange choices.
Three HDMI ports are nice, particularly because the U8QG has a 165Hz native refresh fee, an improve from the 144Hz fee in 2024’s U8N mannequin. Nevertheless, 4 ports have gotten the usual amongst premium TVs since you’re doubtless to make use of three ports with a gaming console, an exterior speaker/soundbar, and a streaming system, if not a cable or satellite tv for pc field. 4 ports allow a brand new stage of versatility, from a second gaming system to a laptop computer connection or a digital digicam, and the U8QG falls simply wanting that versatility.
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Having mentioned that, the U8QG is the primary Hisense TV to incorporate a USB-C port that may act as an alternate show port for PC avid gamers, which is kind of cool.
How does ULED actually look?
After I first powered on the U8QG, the retail mode demos on its display had been arresting. Waterfalls of coloration and lightweight poured vertically by a montage of images that I might name fascinating. It is a 4K TV, however when enjoying high-res video, it regarded 8K, not less than to my human eye. So let’s break down these 4 parts that Hisense celebrates with the time period “Ultra.”
‘Extremely Native Dimming’ in motion
That is the place the U8QG’s mini-LED facet actually shines (actually) as a result of hundreds of tiny LEDs might be managed with beautiful precision. This implies deeper blacks which might be really black, not a murky grey positioned proper subsequent to brilliant, punchy highlights.
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The distinction is hanging. Throughout a very darkish scene in “Alien: Romulus,” the U8QG rendered the inky blackness of area with an depth that may give an OLED a critical run for its cash. The distant stars and nebulae popped with sensible, well-defined gentle with minimal blooming or haloing round brilliant objects on darkish backgrounds.
How colours are reproduced
In one in every of many check movies of pure surroundings, the colourful plumage of tropical birds, the wealthy greens of a rainforest, and the deep blues of the ocean felt extremely lifelike and saturated, however not in a synthetic, overblown method. Equally, when tuning in to “Top Gun: Maverick,” the U8QG dealt with pores and skin tones with a pure heat, avoiding that plasticky or overly ruddy look that may generally creep in.
Our Calman software program and Klein colorimeter check outcomes point out an in depth match to focused measurements for the BT.2020 Gamut Protection on not less than three image modes (i.e., customary, cinema, filmmaker). Nevertheless, the BT.709 and P3 Sweeps weren’t as profitable, though these variables are usually not broadly thought-about perceivable to the bare human eye.
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No much less, the out-of-the-box coloration accuracy in Filmmaker mode was additionally superb, which means you are getting an image that is near the creator’s intent with no need to dive deep into calibration settings (although these choices are there for tinkerers).
What about 4K video playback?
4K decision is customary fare for many TVs these days. So what places the Hisense recipe into an “Ultra” class?
I’ll attest that for 4K viewing, the U8QG’s readability was distinctive. High quality textures in clothes, distant landscapes, and tiny particulars in advanced scenes had been all rendered with spectacular precision, even for 1080p content material. Hisense’s upscaling engine, the Hello-View AI Engine Professional processor, additionally helps Dolby Imaginative and prescient, HDR10+, which is noteworthy however not unusual.
Whereas it is not magic (you will not mistake an previous DVD for a 4K Blu-ray), the U8QG’s MediaTek Pentonic 800 chip sharpens and cleans up lower-resolution sources successfully, making them much more interesting on a 4K canvas.
Finally, with 8.3 million pixels, we are able to anticipate sharp visuals and crisp distinction, and that is the case with all 4K TVs. However so far as I can inform, the “Ultra” a part of Hisense’s branding refers to extra applied sciences it makes use of to reinforce image high quality (like Noise Discount, Element Enhancement, and Dynamic Tone Mapping for HDR). To not dismiss or demystify the time period “ULED,” however I need to be clear that it doesn’t describe a complete new class of up to date TV expertise.
Sports activities and gaming
A method I wish to assess movement fee on a TV is to observe NFL (or any sports activities) highlights, particularly of lengthy downfield passes. For the U8QG, the spiraling launches from quarterbacks had been pretty tight when it comes to blur, and there was nearly zero blur trailing the operating gamers. Frantic motion sequences in all of the footage I sampled retained their affect with out devolving right into a juddery mess.
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Avid gamers, too, will admire the U8QG’s responsiveness, particularly with options like ALLM, Sport Mode Extremely (one other “Ultra”), and AMD FreeSync PremiumPro — all included to reinforce fast-action content material. Any TV that gives a variable refresh fee (VRR) of 288Hz for gaming has an edge on its contenders, which very effectively would possibly convert to an edge for you as a gamer. The U8QG reaches this potential, and that places it within the higher echelon for movement readability and smoothness within the client TV area. And that is “Ultra” sufficient for me.
A phrase on sound efficiency
The on-device sound high quality of the U8QG was surprisingly sturdy. Whereas it will not substitute a devoted soundbar or encompass sound system for true audiophiles, the 4.1.2 multi-channel audio system ship clear dialogue and an honest quantity of bass for on a regular basis viewing. However as I cranked up the quantity, I did discover some rattling bass that the {hardware} on this TV cannot overcome.
ZDNET’s shopping for recommendation
In case you’re on the lookout for deep blacks and vibrant colours on a TV that holds up effectively in ambient gentle with out the value tag of an OLED display, then the Hisense U8QG is a wise consideration. The TV is nice for combined utilization, together with gaming and sports activities, even in rooms with ample ambient lighting.
Whereas the 65-inch U8QG retails for $2,200, main retailers have slashed its value by as much as 55%, bringing the full nearer to $1,000.
There are higher-end Mini-LEDs that supply extra dimming zones and extra refined processing, however the U8QG delivers a stage of efficiency the place the regulation of diminishing returns actually begins to kick in for these pricier fashions. The worth proposition right here is robust, particularly when priced proper. Benefit from the low cost when you can.
The Hisense U8QG stands out as an Editors’ Selection as a result of its Mini-LED show achieves exceptional brightness, spectacular distinction, and wealthy Quantum Dot colours that truly compete with OLED image high quality. This TV delivers a high-end, feature-packed expertise that turns into an much more compelling worth when discovered at a major low cost. It is a mannequin we are able to suggest with confidence.
Present extra
This story was initially printed on June 6, 2025, and was up to date on July 9, 2025, including info for a brand new Prime Day low cost.
