Hisense U8H LED TV Review

The U8H is the brightest LED TV in its price bracket, making it a phenomenal choice for bright rooms. Its local dimming is among the best I’ve seen all year, even compared to more expensive LED TVs. And while its gaming support doesn't match those higher-end TVs, there aren’t many with a stronger selection of gaming-related features for the price.

It’s not a perfect TV, obviously. Hisense’s picture processing has greatly improved this year, but the U8H still struggles to upscale sub-4K content cleanly, and there’s significant color banding while gaming. Like most LED TVs, the U8H’s picture loses contrast and color saturation when viewed off-axis. But if you can look past some of these flaws (as I did), you’ll find a TV that seems dead set on pleasing just about everyone, particularly the crowd looking to save money in the savviest of ways.

About the Hisense U8H

The Hisense U8H is available in three sizes. We received a 65-inch model on loan from Hisense. Here’s how the pricing currently shakes out:

• 55-inch (Hisense 55U8H), MSRP $699.99
• 65-inch (Hisense 65U8H), MSRP $999.99
• 75-inch (Hisense 75U8H), MSRP $1,499.99

While we don’t expect there to be major differences in performance between these sizes, typically, each size variant of a mini-LED TV series features a different amount of dimming zones. The number of zones tends to increase proportionally to a TV’s size. A difference in zone count could spell slight differences in how a TV’s contrast performs. Hisense has disclosed that TVs in the U8H series feature up to over 500 zones and we can assume that this figure applies to the largest size in the series.

With sizing and pricing out of the way, let’s take a look at the U8H’s key specs:

• Resolution: 4K (3,840 x 2,160)
• Display type: Mini-LED with local dimming and quantum dots
• HDR support: Dolby Vision, HDR10+, HDR10, HLG
• Dolby Atmos: Yes (native decoding)
• eARC support: Yes (HDMI 4)
• Native refresh rate: 120Hz
• Smart platform: Google TV
• Color: DCI-P3 color space/10-bit chroma resolution
• Variable Refresh Rate (VRR): Yes
• Auto Low Latency Mode (ALLM): Yes
• Processor: Hi-View Engine 4K
• Other features: AMD FreeSync Premium Pro, Filmmaker Mode, Apple AirPlay, Apple HomeKit, Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant

Connectivity

The U8H offers a great selection of inputs for a TV in its class. Here’s what you’ll find in a small cutout on the back of the TV’s panel:

• 2x HDMI 2.1 (4K @ 120Hz, 1x HDMI ARC/eARC)
• 2x HDMI 2.0 (4K @ 60Hz)
• 1x USB 3.0
• 1x USB 2.0
• RF connection (cable/antenna)
• Ethernet (LAN) input
• Digital audio output (optical)
• Composite video (mini 3.5mm for adapter)
• 3.5mm audio jack

Performance Data

Before testing each TV, we make sure the panel is on and receiving a continuous signal for at least 2 hours. Our 65-inch U8H received this standard warm-up time before any readings were taken. In addition, the TV received the latest firmware updates at the time of testing.

For both SDR and HDR tests, we’re using the U8H’s Filmmaker picture mode. We’ve chosen this setting because of its accuracy, but performance may vary depending on which picture mode is enabled. For example, you might experience a brighter picture with a different mode enabled, but it may negatively affect color temperature and overall color accuracy.

For additional context, I also ran some tests in the TV’s Theater Day and Theater Night picture modes, but those results are not reported below.

To get a sense of the TV’s average performance, we use a standard ANSI checkerboard pattern for most of our basic contrast tests. We also use white and black windows ranging from 2% to 90% to test how well the contrast holds up while displaying varying degrees of brightness.

Our peak brightness measurements are taken with sustained windows to represent the TV’s peak brightness over a sustained period of time. Specular highlights (like brief flashes of reflected light) might reach higher brightness levels, but not for sustained periods of time.

All of our tests are created with a Murideo Seven 8K signal generator and tabulated via Portrait Displays’ Calman Ultimate color calibration software.

I'll expand on our test results throughout the review, but for now, here are some key takeaways:

• HDR contrast (brightness/black level): 872.5 nits/0.091 nits (ANSI checkerboard)
• SDR contrast (brightness/black level): 914.7 nits/0.105 nits (ANSI checkerboard)
• HDR peak brightness (sustained): 1,728 nits (20% white window)
• HDR color gamut coverage (DCI-P3/10-bit): 97%
• SDR color gamut coverage (Rec.709): 100%

As always, the TV’s automatic light sensor was disabled prior to testing. This ensured that the U8H wasn’t adjusting its picture based on our dark-room lab conditions.

For both SDR and HDR tests, the U8H's Local Dimming was set to High and Color Temperature was set to Low. In addition, the following settings were disabled: Motion Enhancement, Motion Clearness, Noise Reduction, Digital Noise Reduction, and Active Contrast.

For SDR tests, the U8H's Gamma was set to 2.4 and Backlight Level was set to 100. All other settings (Contrast, Brightness, Color, Tint, and Sharpness) were kept at their default position.

What we like

A dependable bright-room TV with excellent contrast and color

Let’s start with the best news of all: The Hisense U8H is a fantastic option for brighter-than-average rooms thanks to its superb contrast. It’s not as bright as the Samsung QN90B (which features similar display technology), but the QN90B is a much pricier TV. Compared to similarly priced TVs, the U8H is one of the brightest. Not only does it offer brighter HDR highlights than the TCL 6-Series, its overall picture is brighter, too.

On the other end of the spectrum, the U8H’s black levels aren’t quite as deep as we’ve seen from recent LED TVs, but paired with the U8H’s higher-than-average brightness across the board, they’re deep enough to get the job done. At around 0.08 to 0.1 nits on average, they’re on par with the TCL 6-Series. Like the 6-Series, the U8H’s black levels are at their deepest during dark scenes and appear slightly lifted during average-lit scenes.

Most impressive, however, is Hisense’s implementation of mini-LED backlighting. In fact, the U8H’s local dimming is as good—if not better—than what I’ve seen from several pricier mini-LED TVs on the market this year, including the Samsung QN90B and the Sony X95K. The U8H limits light bloom remarkably well, even while bright picture elements clash with dark backdrops.

At one point, I watched a 4K/HDR video of fireworks against a pitch-black sky on both the U8H and the Sony A95K OLED, side by side. Despite the A95K’s perfect black levels (and the fact that it’s three times more expensive), the U8H held its own shockingly well.

Its highlights aren’t as bright as those of last year’s Hisense U8G, but the U8H features a higher average picture brightness in both HDR and SDR. Additionally, while you might miss the punchier look of the U8G, the U8H’s reined-in highlights probably help keep light bloom in check. Combined with the TV’s brighter average picture, this is a tradeoff I’m willing to make.

The next most impressive aspect of the U8H’s performance is its color. Bolstered by quantum dots, the U8H sports a supremely vibrant picture, particularly in HDR. The TV covers about 98% of the HDR color gamut (DCI-P3)—a slightly better result than what we measured on this year’s TCL 6-Series.

There are some flaws to talk about (which I’ll delve into shortly), but the best thing I can say about the U8H is that its picture stands toe to toe with some of the best LED TVs we’ve seen this year. There’s a certain depth and clarity to the picture that I’ve not seen on a Hisense TV to date, not even on last year’s sensational U8G (a TV I declared “the best Hisense has ever made”).

If you’re shopping for a bright-room TV on a budget, the U8H is one of the best available options. It’s bright enough in SDR and HDR for daytime viewing, and it’s priced much lower than TVs like the Sony X95K and the Samsung QN90B.

Fast and friendly software makes streaming a breeze

Like a number of high-profile TVs this year, the U8H comes with the Google TV smart platform built right in. A spiritual successor to Android TV, Google’s software is easy to pick up on the fly, and crucially, pretty darn fast.

As with all smart platforms, you’ll quickly learn to navigate around a host of sponsored content. But it’s faster than Samsung’s newest Tizen OS, and its user interface is easier to navigate than LG’s webOS, which makes it a bit easier to stomach the ads. Its app support is robust, too.

A decent selection of gaming features (with some caveats)

Gamers will be stoked to learn that the U8H supports Auto Low Latency Mode (ALLM), Variable Refresh Rate (VRR), and AMD’s FreeSync Premium Pro. All of these features ensure that the U8H will deliver low-latency, tear-free gaming whenever a console is hooked up.

Unfortunately, unlike the TCL 6-Series, the U8H’s dedicated eARC port also functions as a high-bandwidth HDMI 2.1 port. In other words, folks who own two next-gen consoles and an eARC-enabled soundbar will have to relegate one of their consoles to a lesser HDMI 2.0 port.

The U8H is currently unable to display a proper 4K resolution picture at 120Hz, the TV opting to halve the resolution instead. According to our Xbox Series X’s diagnostics, however, the TV remains fully capable of supporting a 4K/120Hz signal. We reached out to Hisense about the issue and were informed that a firmware fix would be arriving at the end of the month. We’ll update this review with more information as it comes to light.

Adding up the ledger, I’d wager that the 6-Series is a slightly better gaming TV, if only because one of its gaming ports is freed from pulling double duty as an eARC port. Nevertheless, the U8H offers a fair amount of flexibility for casual and dedicated gamers alike.

Surprisingly great onboard speakers

I’ve got to give a shout-out to Hisense’s engineers, who somehow managed to stick a pretty powerful subwoofer into the back of a competitively priced, value-forward TV.

The U8H sounds terrific, offering a bigger, clearer soundstage than just about every other TV in its price range. If you’re reluctant to invest in a dedicated soundbar, the U8H is a pretty good compromise.

What we don’t like

Hisense picture processing still has its quirks

Let me start by saying that the U8H processing has undergone major improvements and offers the cleanest picture I’ve seen to date from a Hisense TV. From upscaling to motion handling, content just looks better on the U8H than it did on the U8G and the U7G.

That said, during upscaled, sub-4K content and video games, things get a little funny. While upscaling, the U8H has a difficult time resolving darker areas of the picture, creating a hefty amount of posterization in areas like shirt wrinkles and background textures.

When I played through the opening level of Forza Horizon 5, I noticed the hazy, orange cloud of a sandstorm was laden with bands of color. In fact, there was color banding present in just about every game I played—in menu screens and skyboxes, mostly.

I also noticed a very minor amount of red-tinted color fringing when picture elements are in motion. They’re not nearly as prominent as the motion artifacts I observed on the Hisense U8G and U9DG, but it varies in noticeability depending on the type of content you’re watching.

Now, there’s always a chance that Hisense could come along and iron out some of these wrinkles with a firmware update (perhaps at the same time it rolls out a fix for its 4K/120Hz support). If that doesn’t happen, the best thing I can say about these issues is that I don’t think they’ll be a dealbreaker for most people, especially considering how good the U8H looks during most use cases.

Poor off-angle performance

Like many backlit LED TVs, the U8H struggles to maintain its picture quality when viewed from an off-axis position. If you intend on springing for the 65- or 75-inch model with the hopes of entertaining a crowd for movie night or game day, this is worth considering.

At just four or five feet from a center position, the U8H’s picture takes on a washed-out, low-contrast look. I love the U8H’s bold, punchy colors, but you’ve got to maintain a head-on viewing angle in order to appreciate them. In addition, you’re more likely to spot the TV’s local dimming in action if you’re sitting off to the side, as blooming is more apparent during dark scenes.

Unremarkable design

After the U8G’s awkwardly large, butterfly-shaped stand left me unimpressed last year, I appreciate that Hisense went with a more traditional stand setup for the U8H. It’s ultra-narrow, wide-set feet offer plenty of room for a soundbar and will fit nicely on most media consoles. If you don’t intend on wall-mounting your next TV, you’ll have a much easier time coordinating your soundbar placement with the U8H than the TCL 6-Series.

From a design standpoint, the U8H isn’t exactly a showstopper. Its materials feel sturdy, but this is clearly an area where corners were cut in order to maximize value. And for what it’s worth, I imagine most folks will understand the tradeoff.

The remote control, however, is a serious drag. Its buttons are arranged oddly and feel a bit squishy to the touch, and there are just too many of them.

Should you buy it?

Yes, it’s one of the best value picks of the year.

The U8H is the best Hisense TV I’ve seen to date. If you’re in the market for a budget-friendly, mid-range TV that doesn’t skimp on picture quality or features, the U8H should be at the top of your list of candidates.

It offers better contrast and color than the TCL 6-Series, and its higher brightness makes it a better pick for bright-room viewing. The 6-Series features a slightly cleaner out-of-the-box picture and moderately better upscaling, but the U8H is an easier TV to tinker with, as it’s flush with helpful picture settings. The 6-Series also can’t compete with the U8H’s fantastic onboard audio.

If you’re a dedicated gamer, the U8H mostly has you covered, though I wouldn’t blame anyone who favors the flexibility of the 6-Series’ HDMI 2.1 inputs. Additionally, we didn’t notice anything fishy about the 6-Series ability to display a 4K signal at 120Hz, a feature that is currently in limbo for the U8H.

The U8H is still saddled with a couple of processing-related issues, but while these quirks have really affected previous Hisense TVs, they’re not as troublesome here. I watched hours upon hours of content on the U8H, diligently comparing its picture to more expensive TVs, and the U8H truly held its own. It’s not just an impressive mid-range TV, it’s an impressive TV, period. It’s perfect for people who want to save money but don’t want to be reminded of it whenever they turn on their TV—and that’s the highest compliment I can give it.

The product experts at Reviewed have all your shopping needs covered. Follow Reviewed on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, TikTok, or Flipboard for the latest deals, product reviews, and more.

Prices were accurate at the time this article was published but may change over time.