8.8
Hisense U8K series (2023)
Like
Relatively affordable
Excellent overall image quality
Capable Google TV system
Offers a 55-inch screen size
Don’t like
Not quite as bright or dynamic as some competitors
“Theater” picture modes engage motion smoothing by default
This year the competition among midpriced TVs is hotter than ever, and one of the best TVs I’ve tested is the Hisense U8K. This television offers excellent image quality for the price thanks to super-bright mini-LED technology. The brand name isn’t as well-known as Samsung or Sony, but neither of those brands has a TV with mini-LED at anywhere near the price.
The main competition for the Hisense U8K is the TCL QM8 series. Both are currently available for around the same price, both have negligible brand cachet, both use the Google TV smart system and both offer mini-LED with spectacular pictures. I compared them side by side in the TV lab at CNET and I’m confident either one would make a picture quality snob (like me) happy.
The Hisense has one medium-sized advantage: a 55-inch screen option. The smallest TCL QM8, meanwhile, is 65 inches. So if 65 is too large for your room, your budget or your tastes, the choice between the two is simple: get the 55-inch Hisense UK8. Or bite the bullet and get a bigger TV.
If you do want a 65-inch or larger TV I’d recommend the TCL by a hair, assuming their prices are close. Its picture looked brighter and more impressive overall than the Hisense, although the TCL wasn’t without flaws. That said, if that price gap grows a lot bigger, I wouldn’t blame you for saving the money and going with the U8K. It’s an excellent TV and you’d have to step way up to an OLED TV to get a significant boost in image quality.
Hisense U8K series TV sizes
I performed a hands-on evaluation of the 65-inch Hisense…
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