Should you invest on Hisense ULED Premium 65-inch class U8G Quantum Series? High-speed HDMI inputs and software recognize gaming sequences to automatically adjust settings for smooth, uninterrupted play. Ultra Motion combines with a 120Hz native refresh rate to produce exceptional clarity and smoother gaming with pictures that keep up with your play. Find details in Hisense ULED Premium 65-inch class U8G Quantum Series review.
In the box
- Quick Setup Guide
- Remote
- Batteries
- AV Composite adapter
- Power cable
Pros & Cons – Hisense ULED Premium 65-inch class U8G Quantum Series
- Excellent for gaming
- Great sound
- Bright, high-contrast screen with excellent color performance
- Excellent black levels
- Good motion
- Hands-free Google Assistant
- Supports ALLM, AMD FreeSync, and VRR
- Low input lag
- Striking design
Cons
- Poor off-angle picture
- Low-luminance color issue
- Pricier than the previous generation
Specs – Hisense ULED Premium 65-inch class U8G Quantum Series
- Price: $1,299.99
- Screen size: 65 inches
- Size: 57.1 x 33.1 x 4.1 inches [w/o stand]
- Weight: 53.4 pounds [w/o stand]
- Resolution: 4K (3,840 x 2,160)
- HDR: Dolby Vision, HDR10+, HDR10, HLG
- Refresh rate: 120Hz
- Ports: 4 HDMI (2 HDMI 2.1, 2 HDMI 2.0)
- Audio: 2 Channel [x 10-Watt, with Dolby Atmos
- Smart TV software: Android TV Version 4.19.75
- Display type: Full-array LED with local dimming and quantum dots
- Dolby Atmos: Yes
- eARC support: Yes
- Smart platform: Android TV
- Color: DCI-P3 color space/10-bit chroma resolution
- Variable Refresh Rate (VRR): Yes
- Auto Low Latency Mode (ALLM): Yes
- Other features: Filmmaker Mode, IMAX Enhanced Mode, FreeSync, Google Chromecast, Google Assistant, Alexa, Apple AirPlay 2
Price
The U8G Series became available in May 2020. The 65-inch version we tested sells for $1,299.99 at Amazon and Best Buy as of this writing. There’s also a 55-inch model for under $1,000.
- 55-inch 55U8G — $949.99
- 65-inch 65U8G — $1,299.99
The biggest difference between the two models is the number of local dimming zones: the 65-inch has 360, while the 55-inch has 132. Even with that difference, we expect the two TVs to perform similarly.
ULED vs QLED
Let’s start with the ULED moniker because I think that could be confusing for some folks. To be clear, this is a quantum dot TV, so it could just as easily be called a QLED TV. Hisense just has its own branding thing going on, so this TV is comparable to other LED-backlit QLED TVs on the market.
Key feature – Hisense ULED Premium 65-inch class U8G Quantum Series
Peak Brightness/Full Array Local Dimming Zones
Let’s start with the science. Anything over 500 nits is extremely good. This is up to 1500 nits peak brightness across 132 local dimming zones. A picture that’s brighter and perfectly lit in any light condition.
4K ULED™
Like 4K great, but better. The 55U8G has our exclusive ULED technologies. They boost color, contrast, brightness, motion…we could go on. It’s the TV your old TV wants to be.
Quantum Dot Wide Color Gamut
See over one billion shades. Quantum Dot produces purer, richer, more brilliant and accurate colors than a regular LCD TV. We could get into the science. But it’s a lot easier to say it makes every day look like the 4th of July.
Dolby Vision™• Dolby Atmos®
Dolby Vision HDR picture and Dolby Atmos sound are cinema technology for your home. They provide amazing realism you can see and hear in every scene.
Game Mode Pro
All the most advanced gaming tech, all in this TV. HDMI 2.1 inputs recognize gaming sequences to automatically adjust settings for smooth, uninterrupted play. The automatic low-latency mode, variable refresh rate and FreeSync minimize input lag, screen jitter, and frame tearing.
Ultra Motion and 120Hz Native refresh rate
Ultra Motion removes the digital ‘noise’ that can affect moving objects. Everything you see is exceptionally clear. The 120Hz native refresh rate means smoother gaming with pictures that keep up with your play.
IMAX Enchanced
IMAX Enhanced brings the cinema experience home. It combines digitally remastered 4K HDR content and DTS audio technologies with the best consumer products and streaming platforms. Built for people who want a more premier, at-home experience.
Hisense ULED Premium 65-inch class U8G Quantum Series review
Build
It has good overall build quality. The stand supports the TV well, with little wobble. The border around the screen is metal, but most of the body is plastic. There’s very little flex, except around the VESA mounts, but this shouldn’t cause any issues.
Weight
The TV is a bit on the heavy side, weighing close to 53.4 pounds on the wall (with VESA 400 mm x 400 mm mount), and 56 pounds including the stand.
Bezel
The TV features very thin bezels, save the bottom border, which features a brushed metal strip. The TV doesn’t have a particularly thin profile, so it may not look as sleek on the wall as more expensive competing models.
Design
the 65U8G has some design elements that make it distinct. The case of the 48.5 x 28.2 x 3.9-inch TV is mostly dark, hard plastic.
The case houses a quantum-dot LCD panel that features full-array backlighting with 360 local dimming zones. The result is a uniform picture all the way to the edges.
Connectors
- HDMI 4
- USB 2
- Digital Optical Audio Out 1
- Analog Audio Out 3.5mm 1
- Analog Audio Out RCA 0
- Component In 0
- Composite In 1 (incl. adapter)
- Tuner (Cable/Ant) 1
- Ethernet 1
- DisplayPort 0
- IR In 0
- SD/SDHC 0
The Hisense U8G offers two HDMI 2.1 inputs, located in inputs HDMI 3 and 4. You’ll note each one is labeled to handle 4K 120hz. It’s also worth noting that HDMI 3 is also the eARC port, so if you plan on using eARC to pass sound back to a soundbar or A/V receiver, you’ll need to use HDMI 4 for your Xbox Series X/S, PlayStation 5, or HDMI 2.1-equipped gaming PC.
Quantum Dot technology in Hisense ULED Premium 65-inch class U8G Quantum Series
The Hisense U8G uses Quantum Dot technology, similar to the Samsung’s QLED lineup, like the Samsung QN90A QLED, and LG’s NanoCell TVs, like the LG NANO90 2021. This allows for a wider color gamut than traditional LCD technology. This results in an excellent color gamut, with nearly perfect coverage of the DCI P3 color space used by most current HDR content and good coverage of the wider Rec. 2020 color space. These results are a good improvement over the 2020 Hisense H9G and even better than the Samsung QN90A QLED.
Brightness
The Hisense U8G has impressive peak brightness in HDR. Small specular highlights are brighter than the Hisense H9G and significantly brighter than the Sony X90J, but overall real scene brightness is about the same across all three. We took these measurements in the ‘HDR Theater’ Picture Mode, which is also the brightest HDR mode on this TV.
The Hisense U8G has excellent peak brightness in SDR, very similar to the Hisense H9G, and glare shouldn’t be an issue. There is some variation in peak brightness in very bright scenes. This results in a slightly dimmer screen with some content, like watching a hockey game for example.
Viewing angle
As expected of a VA-type TV, the image degrades when viewed at an angle. The most noticeable issue off-angle is the gamma shift, causing the image to appear washed out. Colors stay accurate to a wider angle than the gamma, but it’s not as good as IPS-type TVs, like the LG NANO90 2021.
Sound
Surprisingly enough, the U8G sounds very good! It’s got a respectable amount of bass, dialogue is always very clear, and the treble isn’t too harsh, though it does sparkle and offers a good amount of high-end detail. Definitely a bonus!
Gaming
This TV is extremely well-suited for gaming. It’s got a very low-input lag in game mode, the HDR images leap off the screen, the shadow detail is great for first-person shooters, and the motion looks solid. The U8G supports VRR and punches right up to 120 frames per second thanks to a 120Hz native panel and HDMI 2.1 inputs. You only get two HDMI 2.1 ports but, again, that’s what we are seeing from almost every manufacturer except LG. So on balance, this TV excels for gamers.
Remote
The remote has been updated a bit since last year. There are more sponsored buttons, and like usual, you can’t reprogram them to your favorite streaming service. The remote has a built-in mic for voice control, and it works well for launching apps or changing inputs, but you can’t use it to adjust settings on the TV.
Apps
The 65U8G comes with hands-free Google Assistant, thanks to built-in far-field microphones that let the TV function like a smart speaker. Just say “hey Google” followed by a command or question. I was able to turn the TV on and off, launch Netflix and open the TVs settings menu with my voice. Google Assistant was quick to respond to each command. You can also use Alexa with the U8G through the Hisense Smart TV skill — sometimes. I found the Alexa app was inconsistent in finding the TV and executing commands.
Android TV offers just about every app you could want, from the basics like Netflix and Prime Video to current favs such as Disney+ and HBOMax, as well Apple TV, Paramount+, Peacock and many more. And if there’s an app missing, or you want to share content from your phone, the U8G also has built-in Google Chromecast. All-in-all, it’s one of the best smart TVs for streaming your favorite content.
How to setup Hisense ULED Premium 65-inch class U8G Quantum Series?
The Hisense U8G runs Android TV as its operating system rather than the newer Google TV. This looks to be the status quo for now as apparently.
As an Android TV, setting up access to apps involves a lot of user IDs and passwords — there’s no getting around that. But if you choose to log in with your Google account, you’ll automatically be logged into your YouTube account as well.
Speaking of Google, the U8G is equipped with a microphone in the remote and another in the TV for calling up the Google Assistant. Be careful to choose the setting that allows hands-free Google Assistant using the TV’s microphone according to your preferences. It can be easy to overlook if you tend to rush-click through setup options.
Hisense ULED Premium 65-inch class U8G Quantum Series Performance review
It reproduced 99.95 percent of the Rec 709 color space, which put its color reproduction slightly ahead of the TCL 6-Series (99.92) and tied it with the Vizio P-Series Quantum X PX65-G1 (99.95). But if we look at the LG BX OLED, we see that OLEDs still eclipse LCDs in color reproduction. The OLED55BXPUA scored 133.7 percent on this test.
With brightness of 722.7 nits, the 65U8G eclipsed the Samsung Q80T QLED TV (681.6 nits) and the TCL 6-Series Roku TV R635 (583.1 nits). The comparison to OLED TVs really shows how much brighter the 65U8G’s LCD panel is: The LG BX OLED measured just 345.7 nits.
In the Theater Day picture mode with default backlight settings and an SDR signal, the U8G showed a peak brightness of 581.856cd/m^2 for a full-screen white field, 858.031cd/m^2 for an 18% screen white field, and a black level of 0.34cd/m^2 for a contrast ratio of 25,236:1. Pushing the backlight to maximum bumped those numbers up to 707.693cd/m^2 for a full-screen field, 1,037.702cd/m^2 for an 18% field, and a black level of 0.41cd/m^2, for a nearly identical contrast ratio.
Color accuracy is another strong suit for the 65U8G. Its Delta-E score of 1.57 ranks well ahead of the TCL 6-Series’s 2.85, the Vizio P-Series Quantum X’s 2.28, and especially the Q80T’s 3.91. However, it isn’t quite as good as the Hisense H9G (0.92).
Finally, the 65U8G’s lag time was a fast 17.5 milliseconds, again putting it ahead of almost all the competition, except the OLED55BXPUA’s 14.5 ms. That quick response helped make gaming on the U8G as impressive as watching movies and TV, and one of the best gaming TVs.
Editor’s recommendations
- Hisense H8G vs Samsung TU8000 compare – do they support Play Store?
- Hisense U8G vs H9G difference – can you play 4K game?
- Samsung 65-inch Class the Frame TV with customizable black bezel price & review
- Sony A8H vs A9G comparison – how good is sound quality?
- Sony X80J 65 inch TV 4K Ultra HD LED review – how to setup Smart Google TV?
