- Matching (Score) |
- Our verdict |
- Competing TVs |
- TV appearance |
- Where to buy |
- Contrast and black detail |
- HDR effect quality |
- Factory color reproduction |
- Color reproduction after calibration |
- Smoothness of tonal transitions |
- Image scaling and smoothness of tonal transitions |
- Blur and motion smoothness |
- Console compatibility and gaming features |
- Input lag |
- Compatibility with PC |
- Viewing angles |
- Daytime performance |
- TV features |
- Apps |
- Playing files from USB |
- Sound |
- Panel details
Hisense S7S CanvasTV Review
S7 / CANVAS TV
Available screen sizes:
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Panel type: LCD VA Refresh rate: 144Hz Brand: HISENSE Resolution: 3840x2160 System: VIDAA Model year: 2026
This review is an English translation of the Polish original. Read the original on Wybierz.tv.
HISENSE S7S - Our verdict
7.1
Overall rating
The Hisense S7S is a television that makes the most sense when you see it on the wall. Its matte screen and decorative frame suit the idea of a home gallery, and the presence sensor makes the art mode more practical for everyday use. The approach to accessories is welcome too. A wall mount and an extra frame come in the box, so achieving that look doesn’t require further purchases.
More than just the extras have improved over its predecessor. Higher brightness makes a noticeable difference for daytime viewing, and HDR films gain the kind of impact that was missing before. The S7S also handles console gaming comfortably, and the VIDAA system runs smoothly. It’s simply a rather versatile TV that, after the screening, does not have to remain a black rectangle on the wall.
The biggest disappointment comes in the evening, when you switch off the lights and want to focus on a film. The lack of local dimming becomes apparent then. Blacks are lifted and dark scenes lack the depth of a good Mini LED. It’s a pity, because in that respect you most want to see another step forward in TVs of this type.
So is the S7S worth buying? Yes, if the appearance of the television matters to you as much as what it shows. Here you’re also paying for the flat profile, the art mode and the way the screen fits into the living room. If evening viewing is the priority, it’s better to look at a model with local dimming. The S7S makes sense as a TV for everyday watching and as a decorative element. You just need to be aware of that trade-off.
Advantages
Matte screen that very effectively reduces reflections
Bracket and interchangeable bezels included
Free art mode
Fairly high brightness
144 Hz panel and low input lag
Many features for gamers
Responsive and easy to use VIDAA system
Support for multiple HDR formats (Dolby Vision, HDR10+)
Art mode with presence sensor
Backlit remote and USB recording
Disadvantages
No local dimming, which is a downside at this price.
Narrow viewing angles (typical of VA panels)
Visible smearing with fast-moving objects
HGiG not functioning correctly (feature for gamers)
Flat sound and no Dolby Atmos
Movies and series in UHD quality6.9
Classic TV, YouTube6.3
Sports broadcasts (TV and apps)6.2
Gaming on console8.1
TV as a computer monitor8.2
Watching in bright light6.9
Utility functions9.6
Apps8.3
Sound quality6.0
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The Hisense S7S is the latest iteration of the Canvas TV line, a series of televisions that are also meant to serve as a piece of art in the living room. In such a design appearance is important, but when you switch on a film you expect more than a pretty frame. What has changed compared with its predecessor, the S7N? Has Hisense improved picture quality, and does the S7 series perform as well for viewing as it does for displaying art? We check that in our review.
HISENSE S7S - Competing TVs in this price range
HISENSE S7S - TV appearance
HDMI inputs: 2 x HDMI 2.0, 2 x HDMI 2.1 (48Gbps) Outputs: Toslink (Optical audio), eARC (HDMI), ARC (HDMI) Network Interfaces: Wi-Fi 2.4GHz, Wi-Fi 5GHz, Ethernet (LAN) 100Mbps
Build quality: Good
Stand type: Legs
Bezel color: Changeable Frame
Stand: Fixed
Flat design: Yes
Accessories: Stand, Wall bracket, Changeable frames
The Hisense S7S was designed from the outset to be wall-mounted. It has a flat casing that allows it to be fitted close to the wall. Combined with the decorative frame, this creates the effect intended for the Canvas TV series; the television is meant to resemble a framed picture.
The box includes interchangeable metal frames in an oak finish. This finish gives it a warmer feel and suits wooden furniture. It's also pleasing that a wall bracket is included, so you don't have to hunt for additional mounting accessories straight away. If you prefer to place the S7S on a cabinet, the manufacturer also supplies a stand. The stand has a fixed position, so before buying it's worth checking whether it will fit on your furniture. That said, Hisense's design really shows its character when wall-mounted.
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HISENSE S7S - Contrast and black detail
6.1/10
Local dimming function: No
Result
5,400:1
Result
6,800:1
Result
6,400:1
Result
6,200:1
Result
5,900:1
The Hisense S7S uses a VA panel, which already provides quite decent contrast without any additional support. In mixed scenes, where large shadowed areas appear alongside bright elements, the picture retains a pleasant sense of depth. The results are also fairly consistent across all our test shots. When watching in a well-lit living room, blacks should therefore look satisfactory.
The main limitation, however, remains the lack of local dimming. The S7S is not a Mini LED and cannot dim the backlight separately in dark parts of the frame. In a scene with a spotlight the light looks distinct, but the black surrounding it remains slightly illuminated. Once you switch the room lights off it becomes easier to notice that the dark background and the black bars above the film fall into grey. The VA panel itself does a good job, but it cannot replace precise control of the backlight. For everyday viewing the S7S performs decently in this respect. During evening sessions, especially in films with many night scenes, the lack of dimming will be noticeable.
HISENSE S7S - HDR effect quality
6.5/10
Supported formats: HDR10, HDR10+, Dolby Vision, Dolby Vision IQ, HLG
Luminance measurements in HDR:
Result
683 nit
Result
665 nit
Result
683 nit
Result
633 nit
Result
712 nit
Hisense S7S brings a significant improvement in brightness compared with last year’s model. The predecessor reached around 350–400 nits, while here we’re already at roughly 700 nits. That increase gives the picture a noticeable kick. Sunlight, reflections on water and flares have clearly more punch, making HDR start to look genuinely convincing. Importantly, brightness is very similar across all the scenes we tested. The S7S handles both small highlights on a dark background and a very brightly lit frame from "The Meg" well. It doesn’t dim large bright areas, so sunlit shots retain the right intensity. The previously mentioned limitation in black level remains, of course. Without local dimming bright light doesn’t separate from dark backgrounds as strikingly, but the improvement over the previous model certainly deserves praise.
Colours in HDR
Colours also perform quite well. The extended gamut is achieved by the PFS phosphor used in the backlight. It plays a similar role to quantum dots in QLED panels. Because of this, reds and greens can be deeper and more saturated than on a standard LCD. DCI-P3 coverage reaches about 95%, and the results in films closely match the measurements from test patterns. That’s a good result which, combined with the higher brightness, allows the S7S to deliver a noticeably more spectacular HDR than last year’s model.
BT.2020 color gamut coverage and primary color luminance
| Data set | BT.2020 | P3 | R | G | B |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Synthetic patterns | 74.7% | 95.0% | 68% | 71% | 72% |
| Film measurements | 74.5% | 95.1% | 68% | 71% | 72% |
BT.2020
BT.2020 and P3 – average color gamut coverage (percent of the target gamut).
R, G, B – average primary color luminance relative to target (percent).
Scene from the movie “Pan” (about 2800 nits)
Scene from the movie “Billy Lynn” (about 1100 nits)
The Hisense S7S does a fairly good job of mapping HDR material to the panel’s capabilities, though it departs somewhat from the look intended by the filmmakers. In both films tested it lifts the brightness of shadows and midtones. This is visible on the EOTF curve. In practice faces, clothing and background elements are brighter than they should be. The image can therefore appear more striking, but the scene loses some depth and bright highlights stand out less against it. In a shot from 'Billy Lynn' facial and uniform details remain clearly visible, but the brightest parts of the fireworks begin to merge. A more challenging scene from 'Pan' reveals the TV’s limitations more strongly. Hisense preserves a lot of detail in the clouds, but the area around the sun becomes a more uniform bright patch. Overall it still looks pleasing, but a more restrained approach to boosting brightness and better separation of the very brightest tones would be welcome.
HDR luminance chart:
The problems described are more noticeable with a standard HDR10 signal. Fortunately, the Hisense S7S supports Dolby Vision, which helps it make better use of the screen’s capabilities. Thanks to dynamic metadata, the TV receives additional information on how to display a given scene, so it doesn’t have to rely solely on its own tone mapping. In the snow shot the difference is clear. In Dolby Vision it’s easier to pick out fine details in the ground, and the horses stand out better against the bright background. The image looks less flat and retains more subtle gradations in the whites. That does not, of course, mean all the S7S’s limitations disappear, but with demanding films Dolby Vision is a genuinely useful addition.
Static HDR10
Dynamic: Dolby Vision
Factory color reproduction
5.1/10
The factory colour settings in Filmmaker mode on the Hisense S7S leave much to be desired. Most noticeable is an excess of blue in the white balance, visible in both ordinary SDR material and in HDR. This makes the image noticeably cool. Whites take on a bluish cast and faces lose some of their natural, warm tones. The brighter a part of the image, the more pronounced this tendency becomes. So this is not a minor difference that can only be detected with measurement equipment.
In SDR material this is compounded by a gamma that is too low, meaning the image is overly brightened, particularly in darker areas. It's easier to see what’s in the shadows, but this comes at the cost of depth. Night scenes become too bright and lose some of their atmosphere. Combined with the cool colour balance, the result is a less natural picture than we might expect. Brightness handling is better in HDR. The TV still slightly lifts the midtones, but the deviations are smaller than in SDR. The main problem here remains the blue tint, which is especially noticeable in bright shots. The S7S is capable of producing attractive colours, but the factory settings prevent it from making full use of that potential.
Color reproduction after calibration
7.5/10
After calibration the Hisense S7S looks decisively better. First and foremost we managed to remove the blue tint that had strongly cooled the factory picture. In SDR content the white balance is now almost exemplary. Whites look neutral and faces regain natural colour. It's a change that's easy to appreciate during normal viewing, especially after a direct comparison with the factory settings. In HDR we also managed to greatly improve the white balance, although small deviations remain in the brighter areas. Colours are, however, much closer to how they should look. The way the TV handles brightness is still noticeable. Measurements in film scenes show that the S7S continues to brighten dark and mid tones. As a result the image is slightly less deep, and the transition from shadow to strong highlights does not have the impact it should.
Calibration thus removed the biggest problem of the factory settings and clearly improved the image's naturalness. It did not change the behaviour of tone mapping in HDR or the limitations caused by the lack of local dimming. Despite these caveats, the difference compared with what you get out of the box is really significant.
HISENSE S7S - Smoothness of tonal transitions
9.2/10
Hisense S7S handles the smoothness of tonal transitions very well. In both bright and darker scenes, colours blend into one another gently. There is no noticeable banding that could distract from viewing. Only in the very darkest shades can you spot minor irregularities, but you really have to look for them.
It looks slightly worse when you switch to Dolby Vision. In this format the boundaries between shades become more visible, particularly in the darker parts of the image. It's worth remembering that although Dolby Vision helps this TV show details better in bright scenes, when it comes to the smoothness of tonal transitions it fares a little worse than HDR10.
Image scaling and smoothness of tonal transitions
6/10
Smooth transition function
Image without overscan on the SD signal
The Hisense S7S features a "Smooth and Gradient Picture" function, which is meant to improve tonal transitions in weaker content. In practice, however, it’s hard to see any benefit from enabling it. Visible banding between shades remains, while fine detail can disappear from the image. The smoothing therefore works where we might not want it to. We would leave this option switched off. The upscaling itself performs well. Lower-resolution material is clear and retains a pleasing level of sharpness, so standard broadcast TV and older recordings look quite acceptable. There is also no problem with overscan, that is, the cropping of the image edges. On the screen, regardless of resolution, we can see the entire frame.
HISENSE S7S - Blur and motion smoothness
7.1/10
Maximum refresh rate of the panel: 144Hz
Film motion smoothing option: Yes
Blur reduction option: Yes
BFI function 60Hz: No
BFI function 120Hz: No
The Hisense S7S has a 144 Hz panel, so despite its 'cinematic' character it is also suitable for sports and gaming. PC gamers will benefit most from the high refresh rate. Here we focus on performance at 120 Hz, where motion is smooth, but the panel itself is not among the fastest. You can see trails behind moving objects, especially against darker backgrounds. That does not ruin the enjoyment of watching, although during fast action edges lose a little definition.
For films, the 'Motion Enhancement' motion smoothing feature comes in handy. It helps reduce judder, noticeable even during slow camera pans. You can use the presets or choose a custom mode and tailor the effect to your preferences. This way you do not have to immediately give up the cinematic character of the picture to make motion look a little smoother.
Blur (native resolution, maximum refresh rate):
Blur (1080p@240Hz):
An interesting addition is support for 240 Hz at Full HD resolution. In our test, a moving object was clearer at that setting than at 120 Hz, although motion blur remained visible. It is mainly an option for gamers who prefer speed at the expense of resolution. However, a high refresh rate alone does not remove the limits of the panel's response time.
HISENSE S7S - Console compatibility and gaming features
8.5/10
- ALLM:
Yes
- VRR:
Yes
- VRR range:
48 - 288Hz
- Dolby Vision Game Mode:
Yes
Correct implementation of HGIG:
No - 1080p@120Hz:
Yes
- 1440p@120Hz:
Yes
- 4K@120Hz:
Yes
- Game bar:
Yes
The Hisense S7S has quite a lot to offer gamers. It supports 4K gaming at 120 Hz, and with VRR it helps keep things smooth when a game's frame rate starts to change. It also has ALLM, so the TV automatically switches to a low-latency mode when you start a console. Xbox users can take advantage of Dolby Vision in games, and the handy Game Bar lets you quickly check signal parameters and access the settings. For a TV that is primarily intended to mimic a picture on the wall, the feature set is really sensible. The biggest drawback is HGiG, which doesn’t work correctly. That makes it hard to match the HDR from the console to the screen’s actual capabilities. The TV still processes brightness in its own way, so the in-game result can differ from what we set during the console calibration. It’s a shame, because otherwise the S7S offers most of the features we expect from a modern gaming TV.
HISENSE S7S - Input lag
9.7/10
In terms of input lag the Hisense S7S performs very well. With a 60 Hz signal the response to controls is quick, and switching to 120 Hz reduces the lag even further. This is especially noticeable in fast-paced games, where every movement of the controller should immediately translate to what happens on screen. Importantly, enabling HDR or Dolby Vision does not worsen those results, so you can enjoy a more impressive picture without worrying about additional input lag. The S7S may look like a picture on the wall, but in this respect it easily keeps pace with TVs designed for gaming.
| SDR | HDR | Dolby Vision |
|---|---|---|
| 1080p60: 18 ms | 2160p60: 17 ms | 2160p60 DV: 17 ms |
| 1080p120: 10 ms | 2160p120: 8 ms | 2160p120 DV: 9 ms |
| 2160p60: 18 ms | ||
| 2160p120: 10 ms |
HISENSE S7S - Compatibility with PC
8.2/10
Chroma 444 (max. resolution and refresh rate): Yes
Font clarity: Good
Readability of dark text and shapes: Average
Input lag in PC mode (4K, max. refresh rate): 9ms
Matrix subpixel arrangement: BGR
Max refresh rate: 144Hz
G-Sync: Yes
The Hisense S7S works well as a large screen for PC gaming. It supports 4K at 144 Hz, responds quickly to inputs and is compatible with G-Sync, which helps avoid screen tearing when frame rates fluctuate. Just bear in mind the smearing mentioned earlier. Low input lag ensures a fast response, but it doesn't mean moving objects will be perfectly sharp. It's also perfectly usable for browsing the web or working on documents. 4:4:4 chroma support keeps coloured text legible even at the highest refresh rates. Regular fonts look good, though up close you can see slight irregularities on their edges. Very dark text on a dark background fares worse, with thin parts tending to disappear. So it's quite decent for occasional work, but with small text the S7S doesn't offer the same precision as a good monitor.
HISENSE S7S - Viewing angles
3.1/10
Brightness drop at an angle of 45 degrees: 73%
Viewing angles on the Hisense S7S are fairly average, which is typical for many TVs with a VA panel. When you move to the side, colours lose saturation and blacks become noticeably lighter. The picture therefore looks best when you sit directly in front of the screen. With a wider sofa layout, people seated at the far edges will see a picture with lower contrast. It's worth bearing that in mind when displaying images in Art mode too. From the side they won't look as good as they do head-on.
HISENSE S7S - Daytime performance
6.9/10
Panel finish: Matte
Reflection suppression: Very Good
Black levels during daytime: Average
The matte finish is one of the biggest advantages of the Hisense S7S for daytime viewing. It diffuses reflections very well, so instead of a sharp reflection of a window or lamp you see a softer glow. That also helps in art mode, because the screen looks less like a mirror and more like an actual picture. Add to that the high brightness, which the TV maintains even when the whole frame is bright. In a normally lit living room you therefore don't need to reach for the blinds straight away.
However, this coating has a downside. Light falling on the screen is scattered over a larger area and noticeably degrades black levels. Dark areas become greyish and the picture loses contrast. The S7S therefore handles reflections well, but it doesn't make the room's lighting irrelevant. It's best to position it so that strong light doesn't fall directly on the panel.
Panel brightness
Hisense S7S CanvasTV: 669 cd/m2
HISENSE S7S - TV features
9.6/10
System: VIDAA
System performance: Good
- HDMI inputs: 2 x HDMI 2.0, 2 x HDMI 2.1 48Gbps
- Outputs: Toslink (Optical audio), eARC (HDMI), ARC (HDMI)
- Network Interfaces: Wi-Fi 2.4GHz, Wi-Fi 5GHz, Ethernet (LAN) 100Mbps
- TV reception: DVB-T, DVB-T2, DVB-S, DVB-S2, DVB-C
Classic features:
- Recording to USB (terrestrial TV): Yes
- Recording programming: Yes
- Picture in Picture (PiP): No
- RF remote control (no need to aim): RF
- Backlit remote control: Yes
- Teletext: Yes
- Audio only mode: Yes
- Bluetooth headphones support: Yes
- Simultaneous Bluetooth headphones & TV audio: Yes
Smart features:
- AirPlay: Yes
- Screen mirroring (Windows Miracast): Yes
- Voice search: Yes
- Voice search in native language: Yes
- Ability to connect a keyboard and mouse: Yes
VIDAA
The Hisense S7S uses the VIDAA system, which runs smoothly and is easy to use. Menus respond quickly and switching between apps doesn't require patience. There are also useful extras, such as AirPlay, wireless screen sharing from a computer and voice search in Polish. The biggest limitation remains the choice of apps. Popular services are available, but for less well-known providers the selection is more limited than on Google TV.
TV features
There is little to complain about when it comes to traditional TV features. You can record programmes to USB and schedule recordings, and Bluetooth headphones can play at the same time as the TV's speakers. The backlit remote, which doesn't need to be aimed at the screen, is also welcome. They're small details, but in everyday use you appreciate them more than another marketing slogan. The main larger shortcoming is actually the picture-in-picture function.
Art
What gives the S7S the most character, however, is Art mode. A matt screen and decorative frame mean the displayed images sit well within the room's decor. A motion and presence sensor allows the mode's behaviour to be adjusted depending on whether someone is in the room. Also a plus is the included equipment: a flat wall-mount bracket and interchangeable frames come in the box. So you don't have to buy accessories straight away to get the picture-on-the-wall effect. For these additional possibilities, as with other TVs of this type, we awarded a small bonus to the features score of 0.2 points.
Sound connection options
HDMI audio:
Other audio outputs:
- Toslink: Yes
Wireless audio:
- Bluetooth: Yes
Supported audio formats (external HDMI eARC audio):
- Dolby Digital Plus 7.1: Yes
- Dolby True HD 7.1: Yes
- Dolby Atmos in Dolby Digital Plus (JOC): Yes
- Dolby Atmos in Dolby True HD: Yes
- DTS:X in DTS-HD MA: Yes
- DTS-HD Master Audio: Yes
Senior accessibility
- Numeric keyboard on TV: Yes
- Font size adjustment: Yes
- Audio description: Yes
HISENSE S7S - Apps
8.3/10
HISENSE S7S - Playing files from USB
8.5/10
| Maximum photo resolution: | Supported photo formats: |
|---|---|
| 4 Mpix | JPEG |
| 6 Mpix | HEIC |
| 8 Mpix | PNG |
| 10 Mpix | GIF |
| 12 Mpix | WebP |
| 16 Mpix | TIFF |
| 20 Mpix | BMP |
| 24 Mpix | SVG |
| 28 Mpix | |
| 32 Mpix |
The USB player in the Hisense S7S handles most of the files we tested without any major problems. You can therefore play films and music without having to connect extra equipment. The strangest behaviour, however, is its handling of photos. The TV opens some high-resolution photographs yet refuses to cooperate with certain smaller files. So it is not a simple file-size limit but rather a fairly selective behaviour of the player.
HISENSE S7S - Sound
6/10
78dB
Maximum volume
Supported codecs (TV speakers)
Dolby Digital Plus 7.1
Dolby True HD 7.1
Dolby Atmos in Dolby Digital Plus (JOC)
Dolby Atmos in Dolby True HD
DTS:X in DTS-HD MA
DTS-HD Master Audio
The sound in the Hisense S7S is fairly flat, much like the television itself. In such a slim design you can't expect powerful bass or a sound with the weight to give film scenes proper impact. It's enough for everyday viewing, but with films or music you'll quickly want something more. A soundbar makes a good complement, preferably one that matches the overall Canvas TV design. On the plus side, it supports DTS surround sound. It lacks Dolby Atmos, though, which is disappointing in a TV of this class. Format support aside, the key point remains: if you want fuller sound, an external sound system will be useful.
Sound Quality Test:
Acoustic Measurements
78dBC (Max)
75dBC
HISENSE S7S - Panel details
Software version during testing: V01.09.60E.Q0516
Panel uniformity and thermal imaging:
Backlight Type: PFS LED
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Journalist, reviewer, and columnist for the "ChooseTV" portal
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