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Hisense U8/U8N TV Review

Tested using Methodology v1.11
Reviewed May 27, 2024 at 11:16 am
Latest change: Retest Oct 16, 2024 at 03:55 pm
Hisense U8/U8N Picture
8.5
Mixed Usage
Value for price beaten by
: none
8.1
TV Shows
Value for price beaten by
: none
8.2
Sports
Value for price beaten by
: none
9.0
Video Games
Value for price beaten by
: none
8.7
HDR Movies
Value for price beaten by
: Hisense U8/U8K
9.0
HDR Gaming
Value for price beaten by
: none
8.7
PC Monitor
Value for price beaten by
: none

The Hisense U8/U8N is a mid-range TV released in 2024 and replaces the popular Hisense U8/U8K. It's part of Hisense's ULED lineup, sitting above the U6N and U7N but below their flagship UX model. It has a new chipset and promises better brightness and contrast than its predecessor. The TV is packed with features like Dolby Vision, local dimming, HDMI 2.1 bandwidth, up to 4k @ 144Hz, and VRR support. It uses the Google TV interface, which is loaded with apps and has other smart features like voice control, and the TV has a built-in 50W 2.1.2 channel speaker system. It's available in five different sizes: 55-inch, 65-inch, 75-inch, 85-inch, and a massive 100-inch model.

Our Verdict

8.5 Mixed Usage

The Hisense U8N is great for mixed usage. It has superb SDR brightness and outstanding reflection handling, which makes it suitable for even the brightest rooms. It also looks outstanding in a dark room, with very deep blacks that stay deep when bright highlights are on screen, and watching movies or playing games in HDR is very impactful, with highlights that really pop out. Fast motion has minimal blur due to the TV's excellent response time, which makes it suitable for sports, games, or for use as a PC monitor. Unfortunately, the TV has a narrow viewing angle, so it's not a good choice for watching content in a group setting.

Pros
  • Exceptional contrast delivers very deep blacks.
  • Remarkable HDR brightness for very bright highlights.
  • Outstanding reflection handling and superb SDR brightness makes it suitable for very bright rooms.
  • Excellent response time for minimal blur behind fast motion.
Cons
  • Image degrades when viewed from the sides.
8.1 TV Shows

The Hisense U8N is very good for watching TV shows. The built-in Google TV OS is loaded with apps, so finding your favorite shows is easy. It has superb SDR brightness and outstanding reflection handling, so it easily overcomes glare in even the brightest of rooms. If you have older shows on DVD or you're stuck watching low-quality or low-resolution streams, the TV's image processing does a very good job of smoothing out artifacts and a decent job at upscaling. Unfortunately, the TV has a narrow viewing angle, so the image degrades when viewed from the sides of the screen. This makes it a bad choice for watching TV with friends or family.

Pros
  • Outstanding reflection handling and superb SDR brightness makes it suitable for very bright rooms.
  • Very good low-quality content smoothing for low bitrate content.
  • Does a good job upscaling low-resolution content.
Cons
  • Image degrades when viewed from the sides.
8.2 Sports

The Hisense U8N is very good for watching sports. Its superb SDR brightness and outstanding reflection handling mean it overcomes glare in even the brightest rooms, and its excellent response time means there's minimal blur behind fast-moving players or objects. The TV has good gray uniformity, so you won't be overly distracted by the dirty screen effect when watching sports with large areas of uniform color, like hockey. Sadly, it's not a good option for watching the game with friends since the TV has a narrow viewing angle, so anyone watching from the sides of the screen sees a degraded image.

Pros
  • Outstanding reflection handling and superb SDR brightness makes it suitable for very bright rooms.
  • Excellent response time for minimal blur behind fast motion.
Cons
  • Image degrades when viewed from the sides.
9.0 Video Games

The Hisense U8N is fantastic for playing video games. It has incredibly low input lag for a responsive gaming experience, and its excellent response time means it displays quick motion with minimal blur. Enabling PC/Game Mode has no major impact on picture quality, so you can enjoy the best possible performance without trading in image quality. It's also a great TV to pair with modern consoles or gaming PCs since it supports HDMI 2.1 bandwidth and up to 4k @ 144Hz. It also supports VRR, but there's a response time issue when the TV hovers around 100Hz.

Pros
  • Outstanding reflection handling and superb SDR brightness makes it suitable for very bright rooms.
  • Up to 4k @ 144Hz, HDMI 2.1 bandwidth, and VRR support.
  • Excellent response time for minimal blur behind fast motion.
  • Incredibly low input lag for a responsive experience.
Cons
  • VRR issues around 100Hz.
8.7 HDR Movies

The Hisense U8N is impressive for watching movies in a dark room. It has exceptional contrast that delivers very deep blacks that stay deep when highlights are on screen, and it has remarkable HDR brightness, so highlights in HDR content really pop out. Colors are vibrant, lifelike, and bright in HDR due to the TV's wide color gamut and outstanding color volume. The TV automatically removes judder from most sources, but unfortunately, it doesn't remove 24p judder from 60i sources without introducing a tiny bit of motion interpolation. When it comes to SDR accuracy, the TV is mediocre, so you'll want to get it calibrated if you care about accurate colors in SDR.

Pros
  • Exceptional contrast delivers very deep blacks.
  • Remarkable HDR brightness for very bright highlights.
  • Removes judder from most sources.
  • Wide color gamut and outstanding color volume for vibrant, lifelike, and bright colors.
  • Dolby Vision support.
  • DTS audio support.
Cons
  • Image degrades when viewed from the sides.
9.0 HDR Gaming

The Hisense U8N is outstanding for playing games in HDR. It has exceptional contrast and remarkable HDR brightness, so blacks are deep, and highlights really pop out in HDR. Using PC/Game Mode doesn't negatively affect the image, so you can enjoy the best gaming performance without sacrificing picture quality. The TV has an excellent response time, so there's minimal blur behind fast motion. It also has incredibly low input lag, so there's no noticeable delay between your controller inputs and the action on screen. Finally, the TV has HDMI 2.1 bandwidth, up to 4k @ 144Hz, and supports VRR, so it's an excellent option for those looking to get the most out of their modern consoles or gaming PCs. Unfortunately, there's a response time issue when the TV hovers around 100Hz when using VRR.

Pros
  • Exceptional contrast delivers very deep blacks.
  • Remarkable HDR brightness for very bright highlights.
  • Wide color gamut and outstanding color volume for vibrant, lifelike, and bright colors.
  • Up to 4k @ 144Hz, HDMI 2.1 bandwidth, and VRR support.
  • Dolby Vision support.
  • Excellent response time for minimal blur behind fast motion.
  • Incredibly low input lag for a responsive experience.
Cons
  • VRR issues around 100Hz.
8.7 PC Monitor

The Hisense U8N is excellent for use as a PC monitor. It easily overcomes glare in a bright room due to its superb SDR brightness and outstanding reflection handling. The TV's incredibly low input lag provides a responsive desktop experience, and its fantastic response time means there's minimal blur behind quick cursor movements. It has good gray uniformity, so you won't be overly distracted by the dirty screen effect when looking at large areas of uniform color, like when browsing the web. Unfortunately, it has a narrow viewing angle, so the sides of the screen aren't uniform with the center when you sit close. The TV displays chroma 4:4:4 properly, but the TV uses a BGR subpixel layout that impacts the text clarity, although not everyone will be bothered by this. Finally, the TV has issues at 1080p @ 240Hz with VRR enabled, and there are also issues with 1440p depending on your PC. You can read about this here.

Pros
  • Outstanding reflection handling and superb SDR brightness makes it suitable for very bright rooms.
  • Excellent response time for minimal blur behind fast motion.
  • Incredibly low input lag for a responsive experience.
Cons
  • Image degrades when viewed from the sides.
  • 8.5 Mixed Usage
  • 8.1 TV Shows
  • 8.2 Sports
  • 9.0 Video Games
  • 8.7 HDR Movies
  • 9.0 HDR Gaming
  • 8.7 PC Monitor
  1. Updated Oct 16, 2024:

    We changed the TV's Native Refresh Rate to match its maximum refresh rate at its native resolution in the Variable Refresh Rate section of this review.

  2. Updated Sep 12, 2024: Clarified that the eARC port on the 55-inch model is the same as one of the HDMI 2.1 ports in the Differences Between Sizes and Variants and the Inputs Specifications sections of this review.
  3. Updated Aug 21, 2024: Mentioned the newly-reviewed Hisense 75U8N in the Viewing Angle section of this review.
  4. Updated Aug 19, 2024: We retested the TV's Upscaling: Sharpness Processing with the new V0000.01.00U.O0627 firmware and updated the score and text in that section.
  5. Updated Aug 13, 2024: We retested the TVā€™s 24p Judder and changed ā€˜Judder-Free 24p via 60pā€™ from ā€˜Noā€™ to ā€˜Yesā€™. We also updated the text in that section.
  6. Updated Aug 01, 2024: We retested the TV's 24p Judder after firmware update V0000.01.00U.O0627 and confirmed there are no changes in performance.
  7. Updated Jul 16, 2024: Mentioned the newly-reviewed TCL QM8/QM851G QLED in the SDR Brightness section of this review.
  8. Updated Jun 21, 2024: We added 6GHz Wi-Fi support in the Inputs Specifications section of this review.
  9. Updated May 31, 2024: We've retested the TVā€™s Pre-Calibration, HDR Brightness, and PQ EOTF Tracking after firmware update V0000.01.00V.00523. We've updated the photos, scores, and text in those sections. We also updated the text in the Updated May 27, 2024: Review published.
  10. Updated May 22, 2024: Early access published.
  11. Updated May 13, 2024: Our testers have started testing this product.
  12. Updated May 06, 2024: The product has arrived in our lab, and our testers will start evaluating it soon.
  13. Updated Apr 22, 2024: We've purchased the product and are waiting for it to arrive in our lab.

Differences Between Sizes And Variants

We tested the 65-inch Hisense U8N, but the results are also valid for the 85-inch and 100-inch models. The 75-inch model uses an ADS Pro panel, so it performs a bit differently than the other sizes, with worse contrast but a better viewing angle. The 55-inch model is advertised as having a peak brightness of 1800 nits, so it's not nearly as bright, and it has much fewer dimming zones. The 55-inch model also uses HDMI 3 as its eARC port, so you do lose a high-bandwidth port on that size if you plug in a soundbar. Our results aren't valid for either the 55-inch or 75-inch models.

In Canada, the TV is known as the Hisense U88N, and it performs the same. There are similarly named international models, like the U8NAU in Australia, but these models perform a bit differently than the North American models, so our results aren't valid for them. Note that the 55-inch and 100-inch models use two feet instead of a central stand.

 Size US Model Local Dimming Zones Panel Type
55" Hisense 55U8N 672 VA
65" Hisense 65U8N 1,600 VA
75" Hisense 75U8N 2,000 ADS Pro
85" Hisense 85U8N 1,296 VA
100" Hisense 100U8N 1,620 VA

Our unit was manufactured in February 2024; you can see the label here.

Compared To Other TVs

The Hisense U8N is an impressive TV that is loaded with modern features. It's a TV that caters to almost everyone and performs excellently while watching all types of content or playing video games. It's comparable to a TV like the Sony X93L/X93CL, with even better overall brightness and better contrast. Unfortunately, the TV isn't the most accurate, and it favors brightness over accuracy in both SDR and HDR. A TV like the X93L displays an image that is much closer to the content creator's intent. Still, it's an affordable TV for what it does, and there are very few other TVs that deliver such excellent picture quality for a relatively low price. If you're looking for a fully-featured TV but don't want to spend the money for high-end offerings from Samsung, Sony, or LG, it's hard to beat.

For more options, check out our recommendations for the best TVs for bright rooms, the best 65-inch TVs, and the best TVs for gaming.

Hisense U7N [U7, U75N]
55" 65" 75" 85"

The Hisense U8/U8N is better than the Hisense U7N. The U8N has better contrast for very deep blacks that are approaching OLED territory. The U8N also has better HDR brightness, so highlights in HDR really pop out at you in dark scenes, and very bright specular highlights even stand out in well-lit scenes. On top of that, the U8N has a wider color gamut and better color volume, so colors in HDR content are more vibrant, lifelike, and brighter. When it comes to bright room capabilities, the U8N has better SDR brightness and reflection handling, so it easily overcomes glare in even the brightest of rooms. However, the U7N has better PQ EOTF tracking, so it’s more accurate in HDR.

TCL QM8/QM851G QLED
65" 75" 85" 98"

The Hisense U8/U8N and the TCL QM8/QM851G QLED are similar TVs, but the Hisense is slightly better overall. With local dimming enabled, the Hisense displays deeper blacks in a dark room due to its higher contrast ratio. The Hisense also has better accuracy in SDR and HDR, so it sticks closer to the content creator’s intent. On the other hand, the TCL is the brighter TV overall, but it has slightly worse reflection handling than the Hisense, so the two TVs perform similarly in a bright room.

Hisense U8/U8K
55" 65" 75" 85" 100"

The Hisense U8/U8N is better than the Hisense U8/U8K. It has even better contrast, so blacks are deeper when viewed in a dark room. The U8N is also brighter overall than the U8K, so it handles more glare in a bright room, and highlights stand out more in HDR content. On top of that, the U8N has a faster response time for less blur behind quick motion. On the other hand, the U8K has better pre-calibration accuracy, so it doesn't require calibration if you care about SDR color accuracy.

Sony X90L/X90CL
55" 65" 75" 85" 98"

The Sony X90L/X90CL and the Hisense U8/U8N are both great mid-range TVs, but the Hisense has a better contrast ratio and more effective local dimming feature, allowing it to produce deeper blacks with less blooming. It also gets significantly brighter, especially for HDR content. That said, the Sony has better image processing and a slightly wider viewing angle.

LG C4 OLED
42" 48" 55" 65" 77" 83"

The LG C4 OLED is better than the Hisense U8/U8N in most ways. The LG has better contrast thanks to its nearly infinite contrast ratio, so it displays deeper and inkier blacks, but the U8N is no slouch in that regard. The LG has a nearly instantaneous response time, so there is almost no blur behind fast motion, whereas the Hisense still has minimal blur. The LG also has much better accuracy in both SDR and HDR. However, the Hisense is the better TV for very bright rooms due to its remarkable brightness that makes it easily overcome glare.

Sony BRAVIA 7 QLED
55" 65" 75" 85"

The Hisense U8/U8N and the Sony BRAVIA 7 QLED deliver a very different overall experience, so the best one depends on your room setup and personal preferences. If you're the type of person who likes to collect physical media and cares about creative intent, then the Sony is the way to go, as it delivers a far more accurate image that's true to the director's intent regarding brightness, processing, and overall accuracy. The Hisense has better reflection handling, so it's a better choice for a bright room or if you just like a punchier image and don't care as much about accuracy.

LG C3 OLED
42" 48" 55" 65" 77" 83"

The LG C3 OLED is mostly better than the Hisense U8/U8N, although they excel in different contexts. The LGā€™s OLED panel delivers perfect blacks next to bright highlights, with no blooming or lighting zone transitions, making it the perfect choice to use in a dark room. While itā€™s still bright enough for many brighter rooms, it canā€™t match the Hisenseā€™s peak brightness in HDR and SDR, making the Hisense the best choice of the two for use in that context. For gamers the LG is the better option due to its nearly instantaneous response time, and 4k @ 120Hz support on all four HDMI ports. Still, while the Hisense canā€™t match the LG when it comes to response time, it does offer 4k @ 144Hz on two ports, making it possibly more interesting for PC gamers with powerful rigs.

Samsung QN90D/QN90DD QLED
43" 50" 55" 65" 75" 85" 98"

The Hisense U8/U8N is better than the Samsung QN90D/QN90DD QLED in most ways. The Hisense has one of the best contrast ratios for a non-OLED TV, so it displays even deeper blacks than the Samsung. The U8N gets brighter than the Samsung in HDR, so it displays brighter highlights in some HDR content, and it maintains its brightness much better while in 'Game Mode,' so you don't have to see a dimmer image if you want the best possible gaming performance. The Hisense's wider color gamut means colors are more vibrant and lifelike in HDR content, and its better pre-calibration accuracy means colors are more accurate in SDR content. The Samsung does have a wider viewing angle, so the image doesn't degrade as quickly from the sides of the screen, but it's still not wide enough to be suitable for a group setting.

TCL QM7/QM751G QLED
55" 65" 75" 85" 98"

The Hisense U8/U8N is better than the TCL QM7/QM751G QLED. The Hisense has far better contrast, giving a more impactful experience in darker rooms than the QM7 does. The Hisense is also much brighter in HDR and SDR, and has far better reflection handling, making it far superior in brighter rooms as well. Compared to the TCL the Hisense is also far more accurate in SDR prior to calibration. Ultimately, the Hisense TV has the edge in every category except viewing angle, but on that front, they're both underwhelming. 

Hisense U8/U8H
55" 65" 75"

The newer Hisense U8/U8N is an improvement over the Hisense U8/U8H. The newer Hisense has noticeably improved contrast, giving it deeper blacks, which is especially noticeable when watched in darker rooms. The U8N is also brighter than the U8H, but this won't be noticeable in most content. If you care about image accuracy, the U8H is notably more accurate than its successor in HDR and SDR. Still, the U8N's image processing is vastly superior to the older model. The U8N is also a bit better for PC gamers due to its 4k @ 144Hz support, while the U8H is capped at 4k @ 120Hz.

LG B4 OLED
48" 55" 65" 77" 83"

The LG B4 OLED is generally better than the Hisense U8/U8N, but they excel in different ways. The LG is an OLED, so it has perfect blacks, making it truly stand out when watched in dark rooms. The Hisense also has exceptional contrast, but it still can't quite match an OLED. Still, the Hisense is far brighter in HDR and SDR, easily making it more visually impressive when watched in brighter rooms. The LG has the edge if you care about accuracy, as it's more accurate in SDR and HDR. It also has a much wider viewing angle than the Hisense. Finally, the LG OLED is better for gamers due to its nearly instantaneous response time; although the Hisense offers 4k @ 144Hz on two ports, the LG is limited to 120Hz on its four ports.

Sony BRAVIA 9 QLED
65" 75" 85"

The Sony BRAVIA 9 QLED is better than the Hisense U8/U8N. As good as the contrast is on the Hisense, the Sony has it beat due to its better local dimming feature, providing deeper blacks with less blooming. The Sony is more accurate in both SDR and HDR, so it sticks closer to the content creator's intent. Regarding image processing, the Sony TV does a better job at both upscaling and low-quality content smoothing. Both TVs are great options for gaming, but the Sony has a more consistent VRR feature. On the other hand, the Hisense has lower input lag and 144Hz support for PC gamers.

Samsung S90D/S90DD OLED (QD-OLED)
42" (WOLED) 48" (WOLED) 55" (QD-OLED) 65" (QD-OLED) 77" (QD-OLED) 83" (WOLED)

The Samsung S90D/S90DD OLED is better than the Hisense U8/U8N in most contexts, although the Hisense does have its advantages. While the Samsung is a very bright OLED, it still can't match the Hisense in that aspect, especially in SDR. This makes the Hisense a better product for brighter rooms or if you tend to play or watch very bright content most of the time. Otherwise, the Samsung model has the edge in picture quality due to its nearly infinite contrast, wider color gamut, and more accurate image. It also has an almost perfect viewing angle, while the Hisense's viewing angle is rather narrow. Finally, the Samsung is far better for gaming due to its nearly instantaneous response time and four 4k @ 144Hz HDMI ports; the Hisense is limited to two 4k @ 144Hz HDMI ports.

Sony X93L/X93CL
65" 75" 85"

The Hisense U8/U8N and the Sony X93L/X93CL are better than each other in different ways. The Hisense gets brighter in HDR, so it can display brighter highlights than the Sony in HDR content. The Hisense also gets brighter in SDR, and it has better reflection handling, so it overcomes more glare in a very bright room. Regarding contrast and black uniformity, the Hisense is better, so it displays deeper blacks than the Sony. However, the Sony has a wider viewing angle, so the image doesn't degrade as quickly when viewed from the sides of the screen. The Sony is also more accurate in both SDR and HDR, is less buggy, has better overall image processing, and has better speakers built-in.

TCL QM8/QM850G QLED
65" 75" 85" 98"

The Hisense U8/U8N and the TCL QM8/QM850G QLED are similar TVs, but the Hisense is better overall. Both TVs have outstanding contrast and black uniformity, but the Hisense takes it to the next level, so it displays deeper blacks that are approaching OLED territory. Both TVs get incredibly bright, but the Hisense has the edge in reflection handling, so it's a bit better suited for a bright room. The Hisense also has an ATSC 3.0 tuner for 4k over-the-air.

Hisense 75U8N
75"

The sizes of the Hisense U8/U8N that use a VA panel are better overall than the Hisense 75U8N (ADS PRO panel) in almost every way. The U8N (VA panel) has significantly better contrast, displaying incredibly deep blacks that are approaching what you get from an OLED. When it comes to brightness, the U8N (VA) is brighter overall, so it overcomes a bit more glare in a bright room and displays brighter highlights in HDR content. The U8N (VA) also has a faster response time, so there's less blur behind fast motion. On the other hand, the 75U8N has a wider viewing angle, so it's better suited for watching TV with a group.

Hisense U6/U6N
55" 65" 75" 85"

The Hisense U8/U8N is much better than the Hisense U6/U6N. The U8N has the more effective local dimming feature, which delivers very deep blacks that are approaching those found on OLED TVs, with less blooming. The U8N also has much better SDR brightness and reflection handling, meaning it overcomes glare in the brightest of rooms. When it comes to HDR, the U8N has much better HDR brightness, which means it displays brighter highlights that really pop out, and its wider color gamut and better color volume deliver brighter and more vibrant colors. If you're looking for a Hisense TV to pair with your Xbox, PS5, or gaming PC, the U8N is the better choice due to its faster response time, HDMI 2.1 bandwidth, and support for up to 4k @ 144Hz.

LG QNED90T
65" 75" 86"

The Hisense U8/U8N is better than the LG QNED90T. The Hisense has better contrast, so it displays deeper blacks that are approaching what you get from an OLED. The Hisense is the brighter TV overall, so it displays brighter highlights in HDR and overcomes more glare in a bright room. When it comes to colors, the Hisense has the edge due to its wider color gamut and better color volume. The Hisense also has a faster response time and supports 144Hz, so it's the better option for most gamers.  

Panasonic W95A
55" 65" 75" 85"

The Hisense U8/U8N is better than the Panasonic W95A. The Hisense has much better contrast, so it displays deeper blacks in a dark room. The Hisense also displays slightly more vibrant colors and gets brighter in HDR, which leads to a more impactful HDR experience. Additionally, the Hisense is better for gaming, since you can use its local dimming and VRR features at the same time.

+ Show more

Video

Test Results

perceptual testing image
Design
Design
Style
Curved No

The Hisense U8N has a premium design overall. It has thin bezels on the sides and the top, with a slightly thicker bottom bezel. Unlike 2023's Hisense U8/U8K, the TV uses a central stand instead of two feet.

Design
Accelerated Longevity Test
Uniformity Pictures N/A
Design
Stand

The TV comes with a metal center-mounted stand that doesn't require a large table to place the TV on. The stand can be adjusted into two different positions. The lower position lifts the TV about two inches above the table, which brings the screen very close to your table. The higher position lifts the TV about 3.54 inches, so most soundbars fit underneath without blocking the screen.

Footprint of the 65-inch stand: 15.75" x 11.42".

Note that the 55-inch and 100-inch models use two feet instead of a central stand.

Design
Back
Wall Mount VESA 400x400

The back is made of plastic and has a grid-like pattern that resembles a lot of Sony TVs. Most of the inputs are side-facing, but they're close enough to the edge of the TV that they are accessible when it's wall-mounted. A USB, ethernet, and optical port are located in a recessed cutout that faces the back. Unfortunately, these aren't accessible if you have the TV mounted flush to the wall. The TV has a built-in subwoofer near the top, and you can funnel cables through the TV's stand to help with cable management.

Design
Borders
Borders 0.35" (0.9 cm)
Design
Thickness
Max Thickness 2.83" (7.2 cm)
8.5
Design
Build Quality

The TV has great build quality. It's mostly made of plastic, but it's sturdy and well-built overall. The new center-mounted stand provides good stability, and there are no glaring issues with the TV's design. Our unit did have some pixel level smudges, but these aren't noticeable from a normal viewing distance.

Picture Quality
9.8
Picture Quality
Contrast
Contrast
282,400 : 1
Native Contrast
9,449 : 1

The Hisense U8N has exceptional contrast. Its native contrast is excellent, but with local dimming enabled, the TV's contrast approaches OLED territory. Blacks are extremely deep, and they stay that way when bright highlights are also on screen.

8.0
Picture Quality
Blooming

The TV has very good blooming performance, but there's some noticeable blooming around bright objects and subtitles when displayed against a black background.

8.0
Picture Quality
Lighting Zone Transitions
Local Dimming
Yes
Backlight
Full-Array
Dimming Zones Count Of Tested TV
1,600

The TV has very good lighting zone transitions, but it does struggle a bit with very fast-moving content. There's minimal haloing, but the leading edge of quick-moving objects is visibly dimmer.

9.0
Picture Quality
Contrast And Dark Details In Game Mode

There's slightly more blooming when the TV is set to PC/Game Mode, but outside of that, there's no noticeable difference in dark scene performance.

9.5
Picture Quality
HDR Brightness
Hallway Lights (~1950 cd/mĀ²)
934 cd/mĀ²
Yellow Skyscraper (~700 cd/mĀ²)
654 cd/mĀ²
Landscape Pool (~300 cd/mĀ²)
420 cd/mĀ²
Peak 2% Window
2,595 cd/mĀ²
Peak 10% Window
3,691 cd/mĀ²
Peak 25% Window
2,792 cd/mĀ²
Peak 50% Window
1,492 cd/mĀ²
Peak 100% Window
912 cd/mĀ²
Sustained 2% Window
2,589 cd/mĀ²
Sustained 10% Window
3,626 cd/mĀ²
Sustained 25% Window
2,775 cd/mĀ²
Sustained 50% Window
1,488 cd/mĀ²
Sustained 100% Window
910 cd/mĀ²
Automatic Brightness Limiting (ABL)
0.065

The Hisense U8N has remarkable HDR brightness. Highlights really pop out during darker scenes, and the TV is bright enough that very bright specular highlights even stand out in well-lit scenes. Combined with its exceptional contrast, this TV provides a very impactful HDR viewing experience.

These measurements are after calibrating the HDR white point with the following settings:

  • HDR Picture Mode: Filmmaker Mode
  • Local Dimming: High
  • Peak Brightness: High
  • Brightness: 100
  • Contrast: 50
  • Black Level: 0
  • Dark Detail: Off
  • Gamma: ST2084
  • Active Contrast: Off
  • Dynamic Tone Mapping: Off
  • Color Temperature: Warm 1

Unfortunately, the TV has an inconsistent bug that greatly lowers its brightness. We don't know what causes it, but if you find the TV much dimmer than it's supposed to be, you can fix it by restarting the TV or switching the input setting from 'Enhanced' to 'Standard' and then back to 'Enhanced'.

9.3
Picture Quality
HDR Brightness In Game Mode
Hallway Lights (~1950 cd/mĀ²)
779 cd/mĀ²
Yellow Skyscraper (~700 cd/mĀ²)
683 cd/mĀ²
Landscape Pool (~300 cd/mĀ²)
282 cd/mĀ²
Peak 2% Window
2,046 cd/mĀ²
Peak 10% Window
3,035 cd/mĀ²
Peak 25% Window
2,443 cd/mĀ²
Peak 50% Window
1,348 cd/mĀ²
Peak 100% Window
837 cd/mĀ²
Sustained 2% Window
1,898 cd/mĀ²
Sustained 10% Window
2,891 cd/mĀ²
Sustained 25% Window
2,383 cd/mĀ²
Sustained 50% Window
1,347 cd/mĀ²
Sustained 100% Window
835 cd/mĀ²
Automatic Brightness Limiting (ABL)
0.059

The TV is slightly dimmer in PC/Game Mode, but it's barely noticeable. Highlights still pop out during darker moments in games, and it's still bright enough that very bright specular highlights stand out in well-lit scenes. Combined with its exceptional contrast, this TV provides a very impactful HDR gaming experience.

These measurements are after calibrating the HDR white point with the following settings:

  • HDR Picture Mode: HDR Game
  • Local Dimming: High
  • Peak Brightness: High
  • Brightness: 100
  • Contrast: 50
  • Black Level: 0
  • Dark Detail: Off
  • Gamma: ST2084
  • Active Contrast: Off
  • Dynamic Tone Mapping: Off
  • Color Temperature: Warm 1

Unfortunately, the TV has an inconsistent bug that greatly limits its brightness. You can read about it here.

7.7
Picture Quality
PQ EOTF Tracking
600 Nit Tracking Delta
0.0145
1000 Nit Tracking Delta
0.0153
4000 Nit Tracking Delta
0.0156

The Hisense U8N has good PQ EOTF tracking, but unfortunately, everything is displayed brighter than intended. With content mastered at 600 and 1000 nits, there's a small roll-off near the TV's maximum brightness, but the roll-off isn't necessary since the TV is more than bright enough to display content mastered at those nit levels. With content mastered at 4000 nits, the roll-off helps to preserve details in incredibly bright highlights.

9.3
Picture Quality
SDR Brightness
Real Scene Peak Brightness
887 cd/mĀ²
Peak 2% Window
2,147 cd/mĀ²
Peak 10% Window
3,188 cd/mĀ²
Peak 25% Window
2,504 cd/mĀ²
Peak 50% Window
1,407 cd/mĀ²
Peak 100% Window
868 cd/mĀ²
Sustained 2% Window
2,023 cd/mĀ²
Sustained 10% Window
3,034 cd/mĀ²
Sustained 25% Window
2,446 cd/mĀ²
Sustained 50% Window
1,402 cd/mĀ²
Sustained 100% Window
867 cd/mĀ²
Automatic Brightness Limiting (ABL)
0.059

The Hisense U8N has superb SDR brightness and easily overcomes glare in even the brightest of rooms.

These measurements are after calibration with the following settings:

  • Picture Mode: Theater Night
  • Local Dimming: High
  • Peak Brightness: High
  • Brightness: 100
  • Gamma: 2.2
  • Color Temperature: Warm 1
  • Active Contrast: Off

If you need a TV that gets even brighter than this, check out the TCL QM8/QM851G QLED.

8.8
Picture Quality
Color Gamut
Wide Color Gamut
Yes
DCI P3 xy
96.27%
DCI P3 uv
97.09%
Rec 2020 xy
76.21%
Rec 2020 uv
83.31%

The Hisense U8N has an excellent HDR color gamut. It has fantastic coverage of the commonly used DCI-P3 color space, with incredible color accuracy. The TV also has great coverage of the wider Rec. 2020 color space, but highly saturated greens, cyans, and blues are undersaturated and off the mark.

9.1
Picture Quality
Color Volume
1,000 cd/mĀ² DCI P3 Coverage ITP
86.0%
10,000 cd/mĀ² Rec 2020 Coverage ITP
51.9%
White Luminance
1,953 cd/mĀ²
Red Luminance
381 cd/mĀ²
Green Luminance
1,433 cd/mĀ²
Blue Luminance
127 cd/mĀ²
Cyan Luminance
1,532 cd/mĀ²
Magenta Luminance
480 cd/mĀ²
Yellow Luminance
1,776 cd/mĀ²

The TV has outstanding color volume. The TV displays a wide range of colors at high luminance levels, and dark saturated colors are displayed well due to its exceptional contrast.

7.9
Picture Quality
Pre Calibration
White Balance dE
3.54
Color dE
2.01
Gamma
2.12
Color Temperature
6,535 K
Picture Mode
Theater Night
Color Temp Setting
Warm 1
Gamma Setting
2.2

The Hisense U8N has very good pre-calibration SDR accuracy. Gamma is close to our target of 2.2, but most scenes are displayed a bit brighter than intended. The white balance is okay, but there is too much red and blue in brighter shades of gray. Color accuracy is great, but whites, lighter yellows, lighter cyans, and darker blues have minor inaccuracies. Fortunately, the color temperature is essentially perfect.

9.6
Picture Quality
Post Calibration
White Balance dE
0.26
Color dE
0.92
Gamma
2.19
Color Temperature
6,530 K
White Balance Calibration
20 point
Color Calibration
Yes

The TV has fantastic SDR accuracy after calibration, but the TV is a bit difficult to calibrate since higher grayscale values don't do much at all. Still, any issues with white balance are gone, color temperature is still essentially perfect, and gamma is even closer to our target of 2.2, with only bright scenes still being a bit too bright. Color accuracy is outstanding, with only minor errors that aren't noticeable to most people.

You can see our full calibration settings here.

7.7
Picture Quality
Gray Uniformity
50% Std. Dev.
3.781%
50% DSE
0.168%
5% Std. Dev.
0.472%
5% DSE
0.087%

The TV has good gray uniformity, but there's some dirty screen effect towards the center of the screen and vignetting in the corners.

9.8
Picture Quality
Black Uniformity
Std. Dev.
0.193%
Native Std. Dev.
0.591%

The TV has superb black uniformity. With local dimming disabled, blacks are a bit cloudy and blueish. With local dimming enabled, blacks are deep and uniform across the screen, with only a bit of blooming around bright objects on a dark background.

5.3
Picture Quality
Viewing Angle
Color Washout
23Ā°
Color Shift
23Ā°
Brightness Loss
31Ā°
Black Level Raise
17Ā°
Gamma Shift
18Ā°

The Hisense U8N has an inadequate viewing angle, so it's not suitable for a wide seating arrangement. As you move off-center, there's significant gamma shifting, color shifting, and brightness loss, and colors look increasingly washed out as you move further away to the sides.

Look at the Hisense 75U8N if you need a TV with a wider viewing angle.

9.4
Picture Quality
Reflections
Screen Finish
Glossy
Total Reflections
1.2%
Indirect Reflections
0.1%
Calculated Direct Reflections
1.1%

The TV's reflection handling is outstanding. Its glossy coating significantly reduces reflections caused by both direct and indirect reflections, and there's no rainbow smearing. Combined with the TV's superb brightness, it easily overcomes glare in even the brightest of rooms.

8.0
Picture Quality
HDR Native Gradient
100% Black to 50% Gray
8.0
50% Gray to 100% White
8.0
100% Black to 50% Red
8.0
50% Red to 100% Red
10
100% Black to 50% Green
8.0
50% Green to 100% Green
8.0
100% Black to 50% Blue
8.0
50% Blue to 100% Blue
6.0

The TV has very good HDR gradient handling. There's noticeable banding in brighter blues, but all other colors have minimal or no banding at all.

7.9
Picture Quality
Low-Quality Content Smoothing
Smoothing
8.0
Detail Preservation
7.5

The TV has very good low-quality content smoothing. It does a great job at smoothing out artifacts in low bitrate content while still preserving details.

7.5
Picture Quality
Upscaling: Sharpness Processing

The Hisense U8N does a good job at upscaling low-resolution content like DVDs or lower-resolution streams. Details are clear enough, but finer details are a bit hard to make out.

Sharpness processing was calibrated with no over-sharpening for low-resolution content, with the following settings:

  • Sharpness: 13
  • Super Resolution: On

Picture Quality
Pixels
Subpixel Layout
BGR
Type LED
Sub-Type
VA (except 75")

The TV uses a BGR (Blue-Green-Red) subpixel layout instead of the traditional RGB layout. For video or gaming content, this doesn't cause any issues, but for PC monitor use, it can be a problem as it impacts the text clarity, although not everyone will notice this.

Motion
8.7
Motion
Response Time
80% Response Time
3.5 ms
100% Response Time
8.5 ms

The Hisense U8N has an excellent response time for minimal blur behind fast-moving objects, but it's slower when coming out of dark states, so there's some black smearing in dark scene transitions.

Unfortunately, like the Hisense U8/U8K, the TV's response time behaves differently with VRR enabled. It's more aggressive with refresh rates above 100Hz, which leads to a faster response time but with more overshoot errors. When the TV hovers around 100Hz, the rapid changes in behavior when it goes above and below that threshold are distracting. There are no issues when running at a fixed refresh rate.

9.0
Motion
Flicker-Free
Flicker-Free
No
PWM Dimming Frequency
7,800 Hz

The Hisense U8N uses pulse width modulation (PWM) to dim its backlight, which introduces flicker that can bother people who are sensitive to it. Fortunately, it flickers at a very fast 7800Hz in all picture modes and at all brightness levels, so it's not noticeable.

Motion
Black Frame Insertion (BFI)
Optional BFI
Yes
Min Flicker For 60 fps
120 Hz
60Hz For 60 fps
No
120Hz For 120 fps
Yes
Min Flicker for 60 fps in Game Mode
120 Hz

The Hisense U8N supports backlight strobing, more commonly known as black frame insertion (BFI). The feature is designed to improve the appearance of motion by strobing its backlight and reducing the amount of persistence blur. Unfortunately, it can only insert black frames at a 120Hz refresh rate, and the image is blurry with some image duplication.

Motion
Motion Interpolation
Motion Interpolation (30 fps)
Yes
Motion Interpolation (60 fps)
Yes

This TV has an optional motion interpolation feature to improve the clarity of motion, but it doesn't work very well. Even slower-moving scenes have some noticeable artifacts present. In faster-moving scenes, the TV really struggles, and there are distracting artifacts and haloing.

6.4
Motion
Stutter
Frame Hold Time @ 24 fps
33.2 ms
Frame Hold Time @ 60 fps
8.2 ms

Due to the TV's quick response time, there's some noticeable stutter when watching movies or TV shows, and it's most apparent in slow panning shots.

8.9
Motion
24p Judder
Judder-Free 24p
Yes
Judder-Free 24p via 60p
Yes
Judder-Free 24p via 60i
No
Judder-Free 24p via Native Apps
Yes

The TV gives a judder-free experience with 24p sources like a Blu-ray player and native apps. It also removes judder from 60p sources like some streaming devices and gaming consoles. Unfortunately, it doesn't remove 24p judder from 60i sources like some cable TV boxes, although you can use the 'Motion Enhancement' with 'Judder Reduction: 1' to remove judder from 60i sources without introducing noticeable interpolation or artifacts.

9.5
Motion
Variable Refresh Rate
Native Refresh Rate
144 Hz
Variable Refresh Rate
Yes
HDMI Forum VRR
Yes
FreeSync
Yes
G-SYNC Compatible
Yes
4k VRR Maximum
144 Hz
4k VRR Minimum
< 20 Hz
1080p VRR Maximum
144 Hz
1080p VRR Minimum
< 20 Hz
1440p VRR Maximum
144 Hz
1440p VRR Minimum
< 20 Hz
VRR + Local Dimming Yes

The Hisense U8N supports all three VRR formats, so it has great compatibility regardless of the source. Unfortunately, with 1080p @ 240Hz and VRR enabled, the TV's built-in frame counter shows 72Hz, and there's bad frame skipping, desaturated colors, and chroma 4:4:4 isn't displayed properly. With VRR disabled, 1080p @ 240Hz works without issues.

The TV also has a response time issue with VRR enabled, which you can read about here.

Inputs
9.4
Inputs
Input Lag
1080p @ 60Hz
14.6 ms
1080p @ 60Hz Outside Game Mode
109.0 ms
1080p @ 120Hz
6.1 ms
1080p @ 144Hz
5.3 ms
1440p @ 60Hz
14.6 ms
1440p @ 120Hz
6.3 ms
1440p @ 144Hz
5.3 ms
4k @ 60Hz
14.4 ms
4k @ 60Hz + 10-Bit HDR
14.6 ms
4k @ 60Hz @ 4:4:4
14.4 ms
4k @ 60Hz Outside Game Mode
108.4 ms
4k @ 60Hz With Interpolation
116.9 ms
4k @ 120Hz
6.1 ms
4k @ 144Hz
5.3 ms
8k @ 60Hz
N/A

This TV has incredibly low input lag when set to PC/Game Mode, which ensures a very responsive gaming experience with very little delay between your actions with your controller or mouse and the action on-screen.

9.6
Inputs
Supported Resolutions
Resolution 4k
480p @ 59.94Hz (Widescreen)
Yes
720p @ 59.94Hz
Yes
1080p @ 60Hz @ 4:4:4
Yes
1080p @ 120Hz
Yes
1080p @ 144Hz
Yes
1440p @ 60Hz
Yes (forced resolution required)
1440p @ 120Hz
Yes
1440p @ 144Hz
Yes
4k @ 60Hz
Yes
4k @ 60Hz @ 4:4:4
Yes
4k @ 120Hz
Yes
4k @ 120Hz @ 4:4:4
Yes
4k @ 144Hz
Yes
8k @ 30Hz or 24Hz
No
8k @ 60Hz
No

The TV supports all common resolutions up to 4k @ 144Hz on two of its four HDMI ports. Unfortunately, 1080p @ 240Hz only works properly with VRR disabled.

There are also some unusual issues with 1440p. On NVIDIA PCs, the TV displays 1440p @ 120Hz as a scaled 4k image, but with 1440p @ 144Hz, the image isn't scaled and is displayed properly. On AMD PCs, the opposite is true. 1440p @ 120Hz is displayed properly without scaling, but 1440p @ 144Hz is scaled to 4k. On consoles, there are no issues with 1440p @ 120Hz.

Inputs
PS5 Compatibility
Auto Low Latency Mode (ALLM)
Yes
4k @ 120Hz
Yes
1440p @ 120Hz
Yes
1080p @ 120Hz
Yes
HDR
Yes
VRR
Yes

The TV is fully compatible with everything the PS5 offers, like 1440p @ 120Hz and 4k @ 120Hz, as well as HDMI Forum VRR. It also supports Auto Low Latency Mode, so you don't have to worry about manually switching to PC/Game Mode to get the lowest input lag.

Inputs
Xbox Series X|S Compatibility
Auto Low Latency Mode (ALLM)
Yes
4k @ 120Hz
Yes
1440p @ 120Hz
Yes
1080p @ 120Hz
Yes
HDR
Yes
VRR
Yes

The TV is fully compatible with everything the Xbox Series X|S offers, including 1440p @ 120Hz, 4k @ 120Hz, HDMI Forum VRR, FreeSync Premium Pro, and Dolby Vision gaming. It also supports Auto Low Latency Mode, so you don't have to worry about manually switching to PC/Game Mode to get the lowest input lag.

Inputs
Inputs Specifications
HDR10
Yes
HDR10+
Yes
Dolby Vision
Yes
HLG
Yes
HDMI 2.0 Full Bandwidth
Yes (HDMI 1,2,3,4)
HDMI 2.1 Class Bandwidth
Yes (HDMI 3,4)
CEC Yes
HDCP 2.2 Yes (HDMI 1,2,3,4)
ATSC Tuner
3.0 (NEXTGEN TV)
USB 3.0
Yes (1)
Variable Analog Audio Out Yes
Wi-Fi Support Yes (2.4 GHz, 5 GHz, 6 GHz)

The TV has HDMI 2.1 bandwidth on HDMI ports 3 and 4, with both supporting up to 4k @ 144Hz. Fortunately, HDMI 1 is the eARC port, so you don't lose a high-bandwidth port when you plug a soundbar into the TV. The TV supports all HDR formats and has an ATSC 3.0 tuner, so you can watch over-the-air 4k content.

Note that the eARC port on the 55-inch model is HDMI 3, so you do lose a high-bandwidth port on that size if you plug in a soundbar.

Inputs
Input Photos
Inputs
Total Inputs
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 (adapter required, not incl.)
Tuner (Cable/Ant) 1
Ethernet 1
DisplayPort 0
IR In 0
Inputs
Audio Passthrough
ARC/eARC Port
eARC
eARC: Dolby Atmos Over Dolby Digital Plus
Yes
eARC: Dolby Digital Plus 7.1
Yes
eARC: LPCM 7.1 Over Dolby MAT
Yes
eARC: Dolby TrueHD 7.1
Yes
eARC: DTS:X Over DTS-HD MA
Yes
eARC: DTS-HD Master Audio 7.1
Yes
eARC: LPCM Channels (Bitstream)
7.1
ARC: Dolby Digital 5.1
Yes
ARC: DTS 5.1
Yes
Optical: Dolby Digital 5.1
Yes
Optical: DTS 5.1
Yes

The TV supports eARC, which lets you pass high-quality, uncompressed audio to a compatible receiver or soundbar through an HDMI cable. It supports all major audio formats, so you don't have to worry about compatibility with external sources.

Sound Quality
7.1
Sound Quality
Frequency Response
Low-Frequency Extension
80.00 Hz
Std. Dev. @ 70
2.82 dB
Std. Dev. @ 80
3.52 dB
Std. Dev. @ Max
6.44 dB
Max
92.3 dB SPL
Dynamic Range Compression
4.39 dB

The Hisense U8N has a decent frequency response. Thanks to the built-in subwoofer, the TV produces a bit of bass, but it's still not enough for impactful bass to be felt. The TV gets quite loud, and dialogue is clear and easy to understand at moderate volume levels, but the sound becomes unbalanced near and at its maximum volume. You'll want to stick to moderate volume levels for balanced sound.

6.8
Sound Quality
Distortion
Weighted THD @ 80
0.078
Weighted THD @ Max
0.522
IMD @ 80
7.47%
IMD @ Max
8.81%

The TV's distortion performance is okay. There isn't much distortion at moderate volume levels, but the distortion worsens as you raise the volume. At the TV's maximum volume, the distortion is very audible.

Smart Features
8.0
Smart Features
Interface
Smart OS Google TV
Version 12
Ease of Use
Average
Smoothness
Very Smooth
Time Taken to Select YouTube
1 s
Time Taken to Change Backlight
2 s
Advanced Options
Many

The Hisense U8N uses version 12 of the popular Google TV operating system. The interface is very smooth and easy to use.

0
Smart Features
Ad-Free
Ads
Yes
Opt-out
No
Suggested Content in Home
Yes
Opt-out of Suggested Content
No

Unfortunately, like almost all TVs on the market, the smart interface contains ads, and you can't disable them.

9.0
Smart Features
Apps and Features
App Selection
Great
App Smoothness
Average
Cast Capable
Yes
USB Drive Playback
Yes
USB Drive HDR Playback
Yes
HDR in Netflix
Yes
HDR in YouTube
Yes

The TV has a fantastic selection of apps, so it's easy to find your favorite content. You can also cast content from your phone onto the TV or play videos directly from a USB stick.

8.5
Smart Features
Remote
Size
Large
Voice Control
Many Features
CEC Menu Control
Yes
Other Smart Features
No
Remote App Hisense RemoteNOW

The TV comes with Hisense's newly-designed remote that is backlit. It has buttons for popular streaming services, and you can use the built-in microphone to switch inputs, change apps, search within apps, and ask for the weather and time. Unfortunately, you can't change the settings on the TV using the voice controls.

Smart Features
TV Controls

There's a single button on the bottom center of the TV that can be used to switch inputs and power the TV on/off. There's also a small switch that you can use to turn on/off the TV's built-in microphone.

Smart Features
In The Box

  • Quick setup guide
  • Remote
  • 2x AAA batteries
  • Power cable
  • Extra screws

Smart Features
Misc
Power Consumption 57 W
Power Consumption (Max) 248 W
Firmware V0000.01.00U.O0627