- 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
- TV efficiency during daytime
- TV features
- Apps
- Playing files from USB
- Sound
- Details about the matrix
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Panel type: LCD VA Refresh rate: 165Hz Brand: HISENSE Resolution: 3840x2160 System: VIDAA Model year: 2025
The Hisense U8Q is almost a flagship model in the offering of the Chinese manufacturer, which aims to conquer the television market. The combination of extraordinary specifications with a surprisingly affordable price – for the premium segment – means that the U8Q appeals to those expecting top-tier quality without the need to spend a fortune. Is it worth buying and how did it perform in our test? You will find the answer below!
HISENSE U8Q - Our verdict
8.0
Overall rating
The Hisense U8Q is a television that makes it hard not to feel that the manufacturer approached the topic with the ambition of a top student. The picture is strong, vibrant and contrasting – as if it were shouting: “look, I can do more than most in this price range!” And indeed, there is some truth to this. The secret lies in the large number of dimming zones in Mini-LED technology. Thanks to this, HDR does not just come down to promises in the brochure, but can actually impress – especially during evening viewings. It's also hard to complain about motion fluidity. Watching matches and fast-paced games is enjoyable, and although the ball may sometimes leave a slight trace, for 99% of viewers this will be a detail of little importance in everyday watching. Gamers also have reasons to be pleased here – although it's worth mentioning the lack of HGiG functionality right away. Aside from that, however, it is really good: low input lag, three HDMI 2.1 ports and a full set of gaming features make the U8Q one of the more interesting Mini-LEDs for console fans. Of course, there are no perfect products. The television still carries some “mini-LED” remnants, and the Vidaa system – although full of features – can be less intuitive and has a more modest selection of apps than competing platforms. But are these serious drawbacks or rather minor jabs in the context of the price and what we actually get? We leave the answer to that question to you!
Advantages
Great blacks and contrast
Incredibly high brightness
Full HDR format package: HDR10, HDR10+, Dolby Vision
Good motion fluidity - 165Hz panel
Outstanding usability in difficult lighting conditions (High brightness + New anti-reflective coating on the panel)
Many features for gamers, VRR, ALLM, HDMI 2.1, 288Hz for PC
All 3 ports in HDMI 2.1 standard (Finally!)
USB-C with video signal sending capability (Displayport)
Many features in the Vidaa system
Support for DTS and Dolby Atmos
Disadvantages
Missing some applications in the Vidaa operating system
At maximum volume, the television shakes slightly
The television tends to "overexpose" the image in 4K HDR materials.
Movies and series in UHD quality7.8
Classic TV, YouTube7.6
Sports broadcasts (TV and apps)7.2
Gaming on console8.6
TV as a computer monitor8.4
Watching in bright light8.2
Utility functions9.4
Apps7.7
Sound quality7.8
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HISENSE U8Q - Competing TVs in this price range
HISENSE U8Q - TV appearance
HDMI inputs: 0 x HDMI 2.0, 3 x HDMI 2.1 (48Gbps) Other inputs: Toslink (Optical audio), RCA (Chinch) Outputs: eARC (HDMI), ARC (HDMI), Mini-Jack (Headphones) Network Interfaces: Wi-Fi 2.4GHz, Wi-Fi 5GHz, Ethernet (LAN) 100Mbps
Build quality: Premium
Stand type: Central
Kolor ramki: Graphite
- Regulacja podstawy: stand-Height Adjustment
- Montaż na płasko: Yes
- Akcesoria: accessories-Stand
The Hisense U8Q is truly an interesting design that clearly stands out against the competition. While most manufacturers today are opting for minimalist formats, Hisense has chosen a bold, almost futuristic design. The television's shape is sleek and almost perfectly flat from the back, although it is not the thinnest. This is the result of the presence of speakers and an additional cooling system hidden in the side edges. The whole thing looks fresh, breaking the habits we have become accustomed to in recent years. The slim bezel around the screen is, of course, present, and additionally, the central stand catches the eye with its characteristic trapezoidal shape. It lacks adjustment, but its very form gives the television character. As a result, the U8Q looks very attractive and is definitely appealing.
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HISENSE U8Q - Contrast and black detail
8.6/10
Local dimming function: Yes, number of zones: 2048 (32 x 64)
Result
1,024,000:1
Result
140,000:1
Result
35,000:1
Result
22,350:1
Result
22,300:1
Visibility of details in the lights:
The unit of Hisense U8Q that we tested, measuring 65 inches, is equipped with a VA panel, which in itself offers high native contrast. However, this is not the greatest strength of this model – the key lies in the Mini LED backlighting. Thanks to the use of thousands of dimming zones and a well-developed light management algorithm, the contrast in the U8Q can be described as excellent, especially for a TV of this technology.
The best results reach a level of around one million to one – a result that commands respect and places the U8Q among the top Mini LED televisions. Indeed, there are certain hiccups and even drops in contrast, but they are not as dramatic as in many other models of this class that we have tested on our portal. It should also be noted that like every Mini LED television, the U8Q is not entirely free from typical imperfections – sometimes the image may be dimmed too much or slight blooming with a halo effect may appear. However, this does not change the overall impression: the contrast in the Hisense U8Q is stunning and constitutes one of the greatest assets of this model.
HISENSE U8Q - HDR effect quality
7.6/10
Supported formats: HDR10, HDR10+, Dolby Vision, Dolby Vision IQ, HLG Color gamut coverage: DCI P3: 97.5%, Bt.2020: 81.0%
Luminance measurements in HDR:
Result
2195 nit
Result
725 nit
Result
1652 nit
Result
485 nit
Result
1541 nit
When it comes to HDR, the Hisense U8Q shows its claws. On paper, that is, in synthetic measurement tests, the television can achieve nearly 4000 nits of peak brightness. This is a value that most models can only envy. In practice, this translates to very strong light effects in films – in some scenes, we managed to measure a real brightness of between 1500 and 2000 nits, which is a level typically reserved for the absolute top tier of televisions on the market.
Of course, it's not always perfect. In small, pinpoint elements, brightness can drop – a good example is scene number 4 from the film Sicario 2, where instead of thousands of nits, we get around 500. But it’s worth noting that the effect does not disappear completely – the light is still visible, and the image does not seem artificially dimmed. This is a typical issue with Mini LEDs, so it's difficult to consider this a major downside.
On the other hand, the colour reproduction is a huge plus. Thanks to additional coatings that enhance colour saturation, the U8Q nearly covers the entire DCI-P3 colour space (98%), and for the wider BT.2020 range, it achieved over 80%. This is an excellent result that makes HDR films look rich, vivid, and simply very cinematic.
Scene from the movie “Pan” (about 2800 nits)
Scene from the movie “Billy Lynn” (about 1100 nits)
In comparison with top displays, the image looks exemplary – at times almost identical. The light effects, such as spectacular fireworks or strong flashes in the film Mr, were rendered excellently. Well, maybe just slightly too strong – we had the impression that in a few shots they were slightly "overexposed." But this is really a detail that will not matter to the average viewer, as the overall presentation is impressive. The secondary scenes also deserve praise. It sometimes happens that in Mini LEDs, background elements can be dimmed to enhance the contrast in the foreground. Here, we practically did not have that impression – the details were shown naturally, and the image maintained coherence. The final effect is very cinematic, and it's hard not to be pleased with how the U8Q handles demanding segments of films.
HDR luminance chart:
Luminancja HDR
Luminance of RGB colors
The effect of slight "burn-in" of the image was noticed mainly when the television was operating in static HDR10. Fortunately, the Hisense U8Q supports all the most popular formats with dynamic metadata, namely Dolby Vision and HDR10+. And it is these that save this model in extreme conditions – dynamic metadata allow for the appropriate adjustment of brightness and contrast to the specific scene. As a result, even at astronomical panel brightness, the image looks natural and does not lose detail. The most important thing is that most films on the largest streaming platforms are recorded in Dolby Vision, and some materials can also be found in HDR10+. So the U8Q will practically always display the image in its full glory, utilising its capabilities to the maximum.
Static HDR10
Dynamic: Dolby Vision
Factory color reproduction
7/10
We must admit that when the U8Q arrived at our editorial office, we were slightly surprised… and positively so. Usually, in televisions, the white balance immediately requires adjustment – it can be too warm or too cold, which immediately leads to strange colour mistakes. Meanwhile, here the situation looks really good straight out of the box. Of course, we are talking about our unit, so there is no guarantee that every model will be equally well calibrated, but in our case, the first impressions were very positive. The only more apparent issue concerned the way the television manages brightness. Looking at the EOTF graph, it is clear that the U8Q tends to brighten small elements on the screen. This, in turn, caused what we mentioned earlier – slight overexposure and the impression that the entire scene can be a bit too bright. However, this is not a flaw that undermines the picture, rather an effect characteristic of this model.
Color reproduction after calibration
8/10
Of course, we wouldn’t be ourselves if we didn’t make adjustments to the white balance. After calibration, we managed to equalise the SDR signal to practically perfection – older films, YouTube content, and classic television looked almost ideal on the U8Q. This is truly an exceptional level that shows this model can do a lot if given a bit of help. Unfortunately, the situation is different with HDR content. The colours themselves don’t pose many problems, but the U8Q’s biggest issue remains the EOTF brightness characteristics. In practice, the television tends to “over-expose” beyond how the image should look in its original form. It’s that slight "bleeding" that we noticed earlier in comparisons with the best screens on the market. It’s a bit of a shame that this characteristic can’t be fully tamed – if we could maintain equally good control over brightness in HDR as in SDR, we would be dealing with an absolutely reference-quality image.
HISENSE U8Q - Smoothness of tonal transitions
8.9/10
When it comes to the fluidity of tonal transitions, the Hisense U8Q made a really great impression on us. Even in the darkest scenes, where unsightly bands and ugly transitions usually appear on other televisions, here the image remains smooth and cohesive. Nothing layers, there is no "stair-step" effect – everything looks as it should. Similarly, in brighter shots – it is also very good. Sure, if we looked through a magnifying glass, we would probably find some minor flaw, but during normal viewing, it's hard to complain about anything. Overall, it performs very, very well!
Image scaling and smoothness of tonal transitions
8/10
Smooth transition function
Image without overscan on the SD signal
Hisense U8Q handles lower quality materials quite well. The television can smooth out tonal transitions thanks to the "Smooth and Gradient Picture" feature – it works best when set to Medium. At this setting, it nicely dims unwanted bands and unevenness in the picture, but importantly, it does not remove the film grain or fine details.
The upscaling itself is also at a good level. Images from lower resolutions appear smooth and soft, sometimes even overly so – we get a plastic effect that may not appeal to everyone. Fortunately, this can be easily corrected with the sharpness slider, allowing the picture to be adjusted to personal preferences.
HISENSE U8Q - Blur and motion smoothness
7.8/10
Maximum refresh rate of the panel: 165Hz
Film motion smoothing option: Yes
Blur reduction option: Yes
BFI function 60Hz: Yes, 120Hz (double contours)
BFI function 120Hz: Yes, 240Hz (double contours)
Brightness drop with BFI: 60%
Hisense U8Q features a panel that can refresh the image up to 165 Hz in 4K resolution. In practice, this will primarily be utilised by PC gamers, but as the saying goes – it’s better to have it than not 😊. For films and series, we have a built-in smoothness enhancer called Ultra Motion Smoothness. In the settings, it can be easily adjusted to suit personal preferences – whether we want a more “cinematic” frame rate or a smooth, theatrical spectacle.
Blur (native resolution, maximum refresh rate):
Blur (BFI function enabled):
Smużenie (1080p@288Hz):
Unfortunately, due to the use of a VA panel, the U8Q does not handle ghosting perfectly. This is most noticeable in dark scenes – in the "ufo" test, a distinct halo trailed behind the object. The manufacturer included a BFI feature, which can reduce the blurring effect, but in return, there is an issue with separated contours. It's hard to thus call this a real benefit – the ghosting effect simply has to be accepted.
HISENSE U8Q - 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
In terms of features, the Hisense U8Q has practically everything one could expect from a modern gaming television. Thanks to the new processor, the manufacturer managed to implement as many as three HDMI 2.1 ports, so there is no problem connecting several consoles or a computer. On top of that, it includes all the key technologies – Game Bar with parameter preview, variable refresh rate (VRR), automatic low latency mode (ALLM)… in a word, a complete set.
But as is often the case with Hisense, it fell a bit short of perfection. The biggest drawback remains the lack of support for the HGiG format, which allows the brightness of the television to be adjusted to the console and maximises HDR in games. It’s a shame, because if this element were included, we would have a device practically made for gamers. As it stands, the U8Q remains “only” a very good choice 😉
HISENSE U8Q - Input lag
9.8/10
The Hisense U8Q really handles signal delay well. In 120 Hz mode, the input lag is around 10 ms, while with 60 Hz content it hovers around 18 ms. These are values that place it among the fast televisions, and in practice, it is difficult to have any significant complaints about them. The response is instantaneous; controlling a character or a car on the screen happens without perceptible delays. Whether someone is playing fast-paced shooters or calmer narrative titles, the U8Q performs excellently.
| SDR | HDR | Dolby Vision |
|---|---|---|
| 1080p60: 18 ms | 2160p60: 17 ms | 2160p60 DV: 17 ms |
| 1080p120: 10 ms | 2160p120: 8 ms | 2160p120 DV: 8 ms |
| 2160p60: 18 ms | ||
| 2160p120: 9 ms |
HISENSE U8Q - Compatibility with PC
8.4/10
Chroma 444 (maximum resolution and refresh rate): Yes
Font clarity: Good
Readability of dark text and shapes: Average
Input lag in PC mode (4K, maximum refresh rate): 9ms
Matrix subpixel arrangement: BGR
Max refresh rate: 165Hz
G-Sync: Yes
As we mentioned regarding the features for gamers – Hisense U8Q also communicates well with computers. The 4K panel with a refresh rate of 165 Hz is impressive on its own, and at Full HD resolution, it can even boost to 288 Hz. This is great news for e-sports fans, where speed of reaction matters most, rather than the highest image quality. Additionally, it supports G-Sync and FreeSync, so gameplay is smooth, without stutters and annoying frame tearing.
A pleasant surprise is the presence of a USB-C port with DisplayPort functionality for laptops or even phones. This is a true novelty in televisions, and it's quite possible that Hisense will be a pioneer here, setting the direction for the competition.
When it comes to working with text, we must mention one small inconvenience. Although the U8Q correctly handles chroma 4:4:4, it has issues displaying very thin, horizontal fonts. This means that some subtitles or interface elements may be hard to read. Probably no one buys this model with office work in mind, but if someone were to have such a plan – it’s worth keeping this in mind.
HISENSE U8Q - Viewing angles
3.2/10
Brightness drop at an angle of 45 degrees: 71%
In terms of viewing angles, the Hisense U8Q performs averagely – typical for a VA panel. It's a classic compromise: in exchange for much better blacks and contrast than in IPS panels, we must accept that watching from a wider angle does not look as good. Colours begin to lose intensity, and the picture slightly brightens. For a viewer sitting directly in front of the television – it’s a dream. For someone who sits more to the side – it’s a bit less so.
HISENSE U8Q - TV efficiency during daytime
8.2/10
Matrix coating: Glare
Reflection suppression: Decent
Black levels during daytime: Very Good
Hisense has opted for a new anti-reflective coating called Anti-Reflection PRO. It aims to enhance viewing comfort in challenging lighting conditions – and it indeed does the job. Reflections do not disappear entirely, but they are well controlled and do not interfere with daily viewing. However, the highlight is the brightness in SDR – around 1000 nits! This is a result that would make even the top super premium models proud. As a result, the U8Q performs excellently in sunlit rooms and can confidently be considered one of the best televisions for daytime viewing.
Matrix brightness
Average luminance SDR
Hisense U8Q: 914 cd/m2
HISENSE U8Q - TV features
9.4/10
System: VIDAA
System performance: Good
- HDMI inputs: 0 x HDMI 2.0, 3 x HDMI 2.1 48Gbps
- Other inputs: Toslink (Optical audio), RCA (Chinch)
- Outputs: eARC (HDMI), ARC (HDMI), Mini-Jack (Headphones)
- 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 at the screen): RF
- Backlit remote control: Yes
- Teletext: Yes
- Audio only mode: Yes
- Possibility to connect Bluetooth headphones to the TV: Yes
- Possibility to simultaneously use Bluetooth headphones and the TV speaker: Yes
Smart features:
- AirPlay: Yes
- Screen mirroring (Windows Miracast): Yes
- Wyszukiwanie głosowe: Yes
- Voice search in native language: Yes
- Ability to connect a keyboard and mouse: Yes
Classic Features
The Hisense U8Q runs on the VIDAA system, which can still be considered relatively new in the European market, but it must be admitted – the manufacturer has a lot to offer here. We find classic features that are still useful to many people: recording to USB, a clear EPG guide, and the ability to connect wired headphones, which will be especially appreciated by seniors. A nice addition is the presence of an audio jack – a connector that is slowly disappearing completely from televisions, yet here it has been retained.
USB-C in the Television!
A new feature in the U8Q is the USB-C port with DisplayPort support. This is an unconventional but very practical solution – thanks to it, you can connect a laptop or phone with one cable, even if these devices do not have an HDMI output.
Smart Features: VIDAA
When it comes to smart features, VIDAA works efficiently. The interface is fast, applications open without significant delays, and network functions – such as screen mirroring or AirPlay – work very well. Of course, there are minor shortcomings, but these are more details than real problems. The Achilles' heel remains the somewhat limited application library. However, it is worth remembering that the list of available programs can change from day to day – some disappear, while others appear, so the situation may improve.
HISENSE U8Q - Apps
7.7/10
HISENSE U8Q - Playing files from USB
8.3/10
| 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 built-in media player in the Hisense U8Q will be more than sufficient for most people. The television opens popular video and audio formats and also handles photos. However, there is a small caveat – not all photo resolutions are supported. Therefore, if we have photographs saved in a very high number of megapixels, they may simply not open. It is worth keeping this in mind to avoid unpleasant surprises during the family photo presentation.
HISENSE U8Q - Sound
7.8/10
88dB
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 Hisense U8Q performs really well in terms of sound. The sound quality is pleasant, with a slight bass and quite decent mid-tones, making it entirely sufficient for everyday viewing of films, series, or gaming.
It gets a bit worse when we crank the volume up to 100%. This is rather a rare scenario, but it’s worth mentioning. With very strong bass, the rear speakers start to work so intensely that the television can slightly 'shudder', and the sound transitions into an unpleasant, plastic echo. Therefore, it’s best to stay within the range of 70–80% volume – at that level, the U8Q sounds clear and pleasant, without any unwanted effects.
Acoustic Measurements:
88dBC (Max)
75dBC
HISENSE U8Q - Details about the matrix
Software version during testing: V0000.09.01T.P0528
Panel uniformity:
Backlight Type: Mini-LED QLED
Founder and originator of the "ChooseTV" portal
Journalist, reviewer, and columnist for the "ChooseTV" portal
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