- 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 offer of the Chinese manufacturer, which aims to conquer the television market. The combination of stellar specifications with a surprisingly affordable price – for the premium segment – makes the U8Q appealing to those looking for top-notch quality without having 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 contrasty – as if shouting: "look, I can do more than most at this price!" And indeed, there’s something to that. The secret lies in the large number of dimming zones in Mini-LED technology. Thanks to them, HDR doesn’t end with the promises from the brochure but can truly impress – especially during evening screenings. It’s also hard to complain about motion fluidity. Watching matches and fast-paced games is enjoyable, and while the ball might occasionally leave a slight trace, for 99% of viewers, it will be a detail of no consequence in everyday watching. Gamers also have reasons to be satisfied here – although it’s worth immediately mentioning the lack of HGiG support. Other than that, it’s really good: low input lag, three HDMI 2.1 ports, and a full suite 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” characteristics, and the Vidaa system – while feature-rich – can be less intuitive and has a more modest selection of applications than competing platforms. But are these serious flaws or rather minor quibbles in the context of the price and what we actually get? We leave that question for you to answer!
Advantages
Great black and contrast
Amazingly 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 transmission 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 "burn out" the picture 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 among the competition. While most manufacturers today opt for minimalist designs, Hisense has chosen a bold, almost cosmic look. The shape of the TV is sleek and nearly perfectly flat from the back, although it is not among the thinnest. This is the result of the presence of speakers and an additional cooling system hidden in the side edges. Overall, it looks fresh and breaks the habits we have grown accustomed to in recent years. The slim bezel around the screen is, of course, present, and additionally, the central stand with its characteristic trapezoidal shape catches the eye. It lacks adjustability, but its form gives the TV character. As a result, the U8Q presents itself very attractively 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 we tested, the Hisense U8Q in size 65 inches, is equipped with a VA panel that, in itself, offers a high native contrast. However, that 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 really 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 about one million to one – a result that is commendable and places the U8Q among the top Mini LED TVs. Yes, there are some 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's also worth remembering that like every Mini LED TV, the U8Q is not completely free from typical imperfections – sometimes the image may be dimmed too much or there might be slight overexposure with a halo effect. Nevertheless, this does not change the overall impression: the contrast in the Hisense U8Q makes a striking impression and is one of the model's greatest advantages.
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, Hisense U8Q shows its claws. On paper, meaning in synthetic measurement tests, the television can "score" nearly 4000 nits of peak brightness. That's a value that most models can only envy. In practice, this translates to very strong lighting effects in films – in some scenes, we managed to measure a real 1500 to 2000 nits, which is a level usually reserved for the absolute top of televisions on the market.
Of course, it's not always that perfect. With small, pinpoint elements, brightness can drop – a good example is scene number 4 from the movie Sicario 2, where instead of thousands of nits, we get around 500. But it's worth noting that the effect doesn't vanish completely – the light is still visible, and the image doesn't feel artificially dimmed. This is a typical drawback of Mini LEDs, so it's hard to consider it a significant minus.
On the huge plus side, color reproduction deserves high praise. Thanks to additional coatings that improve color saturation, the U8Q nearly covers the full DCI-P3 color space (98%), and in the case of the wider BT.2020 gamut, it achieved a score of over 80%. This is an excellent result, making HDR films look juicy, vibrant, and simply very cinematic.
Scene from the movie “Pan” (about 2800 nits)
Scene from the movie “Billy Lynn” (about 1100 nits)
In comparison to top-tier displays, the image looks almost flawless – at times, nearly identical. Visual effects, such as spectacular fireworks or strong flashes in the movie Mr., have been rendered excellently. Well, maybe just slightly too intense – we had the impression that in a few shots they were a bit "blown out." But that's really a detail that won't 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 are dimmed to enhance the contrast in the foreground. Here, we practically didn’t have that impression – the details were shown naturally, and the image maintained cohesion. The final effect is very cinematic, and it's hard not to be satisfied with how the U8Q handles demanding parts of films.
HDR luminance chart:
Luminancja HDR
Luminance of RGB colors
The effect of slight "burn-in" of the image was mainly noticed when the television was working in static HDR10. Fortunately, the Hisense U8Q supports all the most popular formats with dynamic metadata, namely Dolby Vision and HDR10+. It is these formats that save this model in extreme conditions – dynamic metadata allows for proper adjustment of brightness and contrast to specific scenes. As a result, even at astronomical brightness levels, the image looks natural and does not lose details. The most important thing is that most movies on the largest streaming platforms are recorded in Dolby Vision, and some content can also be found in HDR10+. This means the U8Q will practically always display the image in all its glory, maximizing its capabilities.
Static HDR10
Dynamic: Dolby Vision
Factory color reproduction
7/10
We have to admit that when the U8Q arrived at our editorial office, we were slightly surprised… and positively so. Usually, televisions require immediate white balance correction – it can be too warm or too cold, which immediately leads to strange color errors. Meanwhile, here the situation looks really good right out of the box. Of course, we are talking about our unit, so there’s no guarantee that every model will be tuned as well, but in our case, the first impressions were very positive. The only more pronounced issue was related to how the television manages brightness. Looking at the EOTF chart, it is evident that the U8Q tends to brighten small elements on the screen. This, in turn, caused what we mentioned earlier – slight overexposures and the impression that the entire scene can sometimes be a bit too bright. However, this is not a flaw that undermines the image, rather it is a characteristic effect 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 align the SDR signal to near perfection – older movies, YouTube content, and classic television looked almost perfect on the U8Q. This is truly an outstanding level that shows this model can do a lot if given a little help. Unfortunately, the situation is different with HDR content. The colors themselves aren't a major issue, but the biggest flaw of the U8Q remains the EOTF brightness characteristics. In practice, the TV tends to "blow out" beyond how the image should look in its original form. It's that slight "blown out" effect we saw 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 similarly good control over brightness in HDR as we do in SDR, we would have 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 really impressed us. Even in the darkest scenes, where usually other TVs show unsightly bands and ugly transitions, here the picture remains smooth and consistent. Nothing layers up, there’s no “stepping” effect – everything looks as it should. Similarly in brighter shots – it’s also very good. Sure, if we were looking through a magnifying glass, we might find some minor flaw, but in normal viewing, it’s hard to nitpick. Overall, it looks very, very good!
Image scaling and smoothness of tonal transitions
8/10
Smooth transition function
Image without overscan on the SD signal
The Hisense U8Q handles lower-quality materials quite well. The TV can smooth out tonal transitions thanks to the "Smooth and Gradient Picture" feature – it works best when set to Medium. At that setting, it nicely reduces unwanted bands and unevenness in the image, but importantly, it does not remove cinematic grain or fine details.
The upscaling itself is also at a good level. Images from lower resolutions look smooth and soft, at times even a bit too much – we get a plastic effect that may not appeal to everyone. Fortunately, this can be easily adjusted with the sharpness slider to fit 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 has a display that can refresh the image up to 165 Hz in 4K resolution. In practice, this will mainly be utilized by PC gamers, but as they say – it’s better to have it than not 😊. For movies and series, we have a built-in smoothness enhancer called Ultra Smooth Motion. In the settings, it can be easily adjusted to personal preferences – whether we want more of a "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 glow trailed behind the object. The manufacturer added a BFI function that can reduce the blur effect, but in return, there is a problem with separated contours. Thus, it is hard to call this a real benefit – you simply have to accept the ghosting effect.
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 has managed to implement as many as three HDMI 2.1 ports, so there is no problem connecting multiple consoles or a computer. In addition, it includes all the key technologies – Game Bar with parameter monitoring, variable refresh rate (VRR), automatic low latency mode (ALLM)... in short, a complete set.
But as is often the case with Hisense, it falls a bit short of perfection. The biggest drawback remains the lack of support for the HGiG format, which allows you to adjust the television's brightness to the console and get the most out of HDR in games. It's a shame because if this feature were included, we would have a device practically made for gamers. As it stands, the U8Q remains "just" a very good choice 😉
HISENSE U8Q - Input lag
9.8/10
The Hisense U8Q really performs well in terms of signal delay. In 120 Hz mode, the input lag is around 10 ms, and for 60 Hz content, it hovers around 18 ms. These values place it among the fast TVs, and in practice, it's hard to have any major objections. The response is instantaneous, and controlling a character or a car on the screen happens without noticeable delays. Whether someone is playing dynamic shooters or more relaxed narrative titles, the U8Q will perform 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 average – typical for a VA panel. It's a classic compromise: in exchange for much better black levels and contrast than with IPS panels, we have to accept that viewing from a larger angle doesn't look as good anymore. Colors begin to lose intensity, and the image gets slightly brighter. For a viewer sitting directly in front of the television – it's a dream. For someone who sits more to the side – not quite as much.
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 here called Anti-Reflection PRO. It is designed to improve viewing comfort in difficult lighting conditions – and it actually does the job. Reflections do not disappear completely, but they are well controlled and do not interfere with everyday viewing. However, the highlight of the program is the brightness in SDR – around 1000 nits! This is a result that would make top super premium models proud. As a result, the U8Q performs excellently in sunlit rooms and can confidently be considered one of the better TVs 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
Hisense U8Q operates on the VIDAA system, which can still be called a newcomer 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 for many people: USB recording, a clear EPG guide, and the ability to connect wired headphones, which especially seniors will appreciate. A nice addition is the presence of an audio jack – a connector that is slowly disappearing from TVs, and here it has been preserved.
USB-C in the TV!
A novelty in the U8Q is also 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 those devices do not have an HDMI output.
Smart Features: VIDAA
When it comes to smart features, VIDAA works smoothly. The interface is fast, applications open without significant delays, and network functions – such as screen mirroring and 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, 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 TV opens popular video and audio formats and also handles photos. However, there is a small caveat – not all photo resolutions are supported. So, if we have photographs saved in a very large number of megapixels, they may simply not open. It’s 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
Hisense U8Q performs really well in terms of sound. The sound quality is pleasant, with a light bass and quite decent mid tones, making it sufficient for everyday watching of movies, series, or gaming. It gets a bit worse when we crank the volume up to 100%. This is a rather rare scenario, but it’s worth mentioning. With very strong bass, the rear speakers start working so intensely that the television can slightly "rattle," and the sound turns into an unpleasant, plastic echo. Therefore, it’s best to keep the volume within 70–80% – at that level, the U8Q sounds clear and pleasant, without any undesired 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
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Journalist, reviewer, and columnist for the "ChooseTV" portal
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