On its website, Hisense markets the U8G as its jack-of-all-trades TV that’s ‘great for everything.’ The company claims it’s ideal for sports, movies, video games, etc. Trying to have it all like that — especially at a reasonable price —is often a recipe for disaster. That must not be a recipe Hisense is familiar with, however, as the U8G excels at just about everything it sets out to do.
To say that buying a new television is a headache would be a considerable understatement. There are countless brands to choose from, seemingly endless models from each one, and a host of specs to keep track of. For a normal person whose eyes roll back after comparing HDMI ports, HDR standards, refresh rates, LED vs. OLED, etc., TV shopping is a pretty daunting task.
In light of all that, Hisense is attempting to make things a bit simpler. While the company is no stranger to releasing multiple television models and labeling them with seemingly random names, its 2021 lineup feels more focused than a lot of its competition. Among that lineup, the U8G has a clear purpose. It’s a quality TV with premium features, is designed to handle any type of content with ease, and strives to deliver all of that for less than the competition. For anyone in the market for an all-purpose television and has between $950 and $1,300 to spend, the U8G makes a compelling argument as to why it’s deserving of those hard-earned dollars.
Hisense U8G Has A Sleek, Functional Design
Taking a look at the Hisense U8G’s design, it’s virtually identical to the H9G it’s replacing. The screen sits atop a metal frame (almost giving it a floating appearance), the included metal feet offer excellent stability on any entertainment stand, and the only bezel that’s really visible is the bottom chin — which, again, is made of metal. Hisense didn’t push any boundaries with the design of the U8G, but the aesthetic it did go for it sleek, minimalistic, and should look fantastic in any home.
More important than that, however, is the U8G’s functionality. Taking a look at the back of the TV, there’s a wide selection of ports that should please just about anyone. There are two HDMI 2.0 ports, two HDMI 2.1 ports, two USB-A ports (2.0 and 3.o), an Ethernet jack, a 3.5mm headphone jack, an optical digital audio output, an RCA composite video input, and L/R jacks for composite audio input. That may sound like a lot of jargon, but what it essentially translates to is there being plenty of room to plug in game consoles, soundbars, etc.
The only complaint — and it’s a pretty niche one — is how the HDMI 2.1 ports are used. HDMI 2.1 is faster and more capable than HDMI 2.0, and it’s what allows things like the Xbox Series X to deliver 120Hz / 4K gaming. While having two of these is great, the downside is that one of them also doubles as the HDMI ARC port. As someone that uses a Sonos Beam, which requires an HDMI ARC port to work, that means there’s really only one HDMI 2.1 port that can be used with a game console, streaming box, etc. This shouldn’t be a problem for most people, but for someone with an HDMI ARC soundbar and multiple devices they want to use with HDMI 2.1, it could prove to be an issue.
Picture Quality On Hisense U8G Is Stunning
As with any television, picture quality is a big deal. Things like a great design and functional remote are amazing, but if the TV itself isn't enjoyable to watch, what's the point? As the subhead suggests, this is another area where Hisense knocks it out of the park. Regardless if someone chooses the 55 or 65-inch variant, almost all of the specs are identical. The U8G is equipped with a ULED panel, Quantum Dot color technology, 3840 x 2160 resolution, 120Hz refresh rate, 4K upscaling, up to 1500 nits of peak brightness, and support for HDR10/HDR10+/HLG/Dolby Vision. The only difference is local dimming, with the 55-inch model offering 132 zones while the 65-inch version steps it up to 360.
After using the 65-inch version for a little under two months, it's safe to say this is a fantastic-looking screen. Colors are rich and vibrant, HDR/Dolby Vision content plays without a hitch, and the black levels are surprisingly good for a non-OLED TV. The high brightness levels are also outstanding, with the U8G almost being too bright in certain situations. This can (of course) be manually adjusted at any time, and Hisense also includes an automatic brightness sensor that'll adapt the brightness automatically based on the room it's in. While this tended to darken the screen a bit too much for personal preference, it's a lot more convenient than having to manually adjust brightness every morning and night.
On that note, Hisense offers a ton of picture settings for users to play around with. There's Standard, Vivid, Sports, Theater, and even multiple variants of Dolby Vision — just to name a few! Dolby Vision Standard has been the go-to mode during testing, but each one has its pros and cons depending on what someone is watching. Hisense also offers a Game mode to reduce latency between the TV and wireless controllers, but honestly, response time with the Xbox Series X on Standard has been so good that Game mode has gotten little use. Compared to the Hisense H9G, which required Game mode to be enabled for a good gaming experience, this is a massive upgrade. If there's one complaint about how the U8G looks, its viewing angles aren't the best. The TV looks amazing head-on, but things quickly looked washed-out and a lot less appealing when viewed from an angle.
Android TV On The U8G Is Fast & Powerful
Like many TVs released today, the Hisense U8G is a smart TV. Specifically, it's powered by Google's Android TV operating system. Android TV isn't any different on the U8G than it is on other televisions, but that's not a bad thing by any means. Just about every major streaming app is here (including Apple TV and Peacock), the Discover page makes it easy to find something new to watch, and the entire interface moves like butter on the U8G. It would be great if Hisense eventually updates it with the more personalized Google TV interface, but for now, Android TV is the OS of choice.
One of the best things about Android TV is how it essentially turns the U8G into a massive Google Assistant speaker. At any time, users can say 'Hey Google' and say any question/command as they would to an Android phone or Nest speaker. The always-on microphone can be disabled for folks who don't care about the feature, but as someone heavily invested in the Assistant ecosystem, it's a match made in heaven.
The U8G's Included Remote Is Wonderful
Something else that deserves a shoutout is the Hisense U8G's included remote. The remote Hisense bundled with the H9G was kind of terrible. It was big, bulky, and had far too many buttons — making it one of the worst parts about that TV. Hisense completely redesigned its remote for the U8G, and thankfully, it's better in virtually every way.
Hisense removed a ton of unnecessary buttons that plagued the H9G's remote, made the remote substantially shorter, and added backlighting so that it's easy to use at night. The things that worked about the H9G's remote, such as good button response and a Google Assistant shortcut, are both still present. The result is a remote that's actually enjoyable to use. It may not be the flashiest one on the market, but it's functional, practical, and comes with virtually zero complaints. Well done, Hisense.
Starting At $950, The Hisense U8G Is A Solid Value
Last but not least, there's the price. The 55-inch Hisense U8G is available for $950, whereas the 65-inch model can be had for $1,300. While that's certainly not 'cheap,' it's a pretty good value considering everything Hisense crammed into the TV. Similarly-specced 65-inch televisions from Sony and Samsung are available for around $1,700 and $1,800. In that context, the Hisense U8G is a lot more appealing.
Its viewing angles aren't the best and the HDMI situation could be a challenge for power-users, but outside of those two things, there's hardly anything to complain about. The U8G has an excellent design, an even better picture, and delivers all of that with great software and a fantastic remote. When it comes to upper-end TVs that aren't outrageously expensive, it's hard to do much better right now than the U8G. Don't miss this one.
Source: Hisense