75″ Hisense U8K ULED 4K review: Hisense is doing great things and the U8K is proof

The consumer home theater and television space is heating up this year. With brands like Hisense improving their game, the big brands should be on notice. In the past, alternatives like Hisense were relegated to a lower rung on the quality ladder. They were considered the generic brand in big box stores like Walmart and Target. But times they are a changing and the 75″ Hisense U8K ULED 4K TV is proof of that. While the company still makes inexpensive, cheaper TVs. It is now making quality, high-end, yet still affordable one too.

Estimated reading time: 15 minutes

The market competition on TVs priced between $999 and $1,999 is heavy and excellent. The 75″ Hisense U8K ULED 4K TV sits right in that range with an MSRP of $1,949.99, though you can find it on sale all the time with some prices down to $1,499.99, depending on the retailer. If this price is still too much for you, the 65″ is priced lower and you still get the same great experience. There’s also the MONSTER 100″ option if you have the space. Let’s jump into the full review of the 75″ Hisense U8K ULED 4K TV.

The Quick Take

I have been doing TV reviews since 2018, and I have seen the market expand, grow, and become something very different from what it was 5+ years ago. 5+ years ago, nearly any non-mainstream brand was considered a substandard purchase. Whether that reputation was valid, it was the reality at the time, and alternative brands were mostly sold on the cheap at big box discount stores.

But we’ve come a long way, and some of these brands have been changing their strategy for the better. Hisense is certainly one of those brands that has made some changes over the years. Back in 2016, I purchased a Hisense TV from Target, and it was easily one of the worst TVs I ever used. But fast-forward to 2023 and the 75″ Hisense U8K ULED 4K TV is like looking at a phoenix rising from the ashes of its former self.

Probably a little dramatic, but my point is Hisense has made major headway and deserves to be a consideration if you’re looking at new TVs. The 75″ Hisense U8K ULED 4K TV is right up there at top when it comes to features and specs that come at an affordable price. Notice I said AFFORDABLE, not cheap. While Hisense is still reasonable with its prices, it has improved quality by a huge margin.

The 75″ Hisense U8K ULED 4K TV (also available in smaller and larger sizes) packs a punch with its Mini-LED display and impressive on-board sound. While it’s not perfect, no TV is perfect, the 75″ Hisense U8K ULED 4K TV is certainly a proving ground for Hisense. The U8K delivers a high-end TV experience without decimating your wallet in the process.

Specifications

The 75″ Hisense U8K ULED 4K TV has the following features and specifications:

• Screen Size: 74.6″
• Screen Type: Mini-LED (ULED)
• Operating System: Google TV
• Screen Resolution: 3840 x 2160
• Local Dimming: Yes
• Motion Rate: 480
• Backlight Type: Full Array
• Brightness Level: Up to 1,500 nits
• Wide Color Gamut: Yes
• HDR-Compatible: Yes (Dolby Vision/HDR10/HDR10+/HLG)
• Refresh Rate: 144Hz
• Audio Output Power: 50 watts
• Audio Technologies: Dolby Atmos and IMAX Enhanced
• Power Consumption: 330W
• Standby Consumption: <0.5W
• Power Supply: AC 100V-240V, 50/60Hz
• Connectivity:
  • Wi-Fi 6E（802.11 ax）2.4/5G/6G
  • Bluetooth 5.2
  • Ethernet
• Input/Output:
  • 4 HDMI Ports (2 ports up to 4K @ 144Hz)
  • Ethernet LAN
  • USB 3.0 Port
  • USB 2.0 Port
  • RF Antenna NEXTGEN TV (ATSC 3.0)
  • L/R Audio Input For Composite
  • Optical Output
  • AUX
  • HDMI eARC
• Wall Mount: Mount Pattern 600 x 400
• Product dimension (without stand): 65.9×38.1×3.0 inches
• Product dimension (with stand): 65.9×40.7×14.5 inches
• Weight (without stand): 79.4 lbs
• Weight (with stand): 81.4 lbs
• Package Dimensions (LxWxH): 73.4×46.2×11.1 inches
• Package Weight: 117.5 lbs

What’s In The Box

• 75″ Hisense U8K ULED 4K TV
• Stand
• Remote
• Batteries
• Manual and Documentation

Design

Going over the design of TVs these days is getting increasingly difficult for me. The reason is, most TVs look just about the same. There’s only so much you can do to the front of a TV, considering bezels are nearly nonexistent, and the front is all display.

The front of the 75″ Hisense U8K ULED 4K TV houses its 4K Mini LED display, Hisense calls it a ULED panel, which is basically the same as QLED. The top, left, and right bezels are super thin and barely noticeable. The bottom bezel is slightly bigger and the Hisense logo is centered at the bottom. There is a sensor array under the Hisense logo that also has a physical MUTE switch if you want to mute the mics. The speakers are also housed in the same underside area.

The back of the 75″ Hisense U8K ULED 4K TV is made from your typical black plastic with a texture to it. There is a subwoofer dead center, and the sound on this TV is good, more on that later. There is some venting on the back and of course, the VESA mount. There are numerous screws that hold the back on, I guess you could get in there if you wanted, but I’d recommend against that.

On the left side of the back panel, as you face it, is the AC input. On the right side is the rest of your inputs and outputs. There are two I/O placements, one that faces out with three ports and the other that is a traditional-recessed array. The first consists of the following I/O:

• LAN-Ethernet Port
• Digital Optical Out Port
• USB 2 DC 5V/5A (Max)

The recessed portion consists of the following:

• AUX/Headphone port
• AV In
• Antenna/Cable
• HDMI 4K @144Hz
• HDMI eARC @144Hz
• Reset Button
• HDMI 4K @60Hz
• HDMI 4K @60Hz
• Serial
• USB 1 DC 5V/1A (Max)

The stand consists of two legs, pretty standard on TVs that are 75″ and larger. I would have preferred a pedestal stand, but those can get pretty heavy for larger TVs. The legs do an excellent job of keeping the TV steady and well-balanced. There are also two positions you can place the legs at. This is helpful if you have a shorter stand that isn’t wide enough.

The build quality is consistent with the price point of the 75″ Hisense U8K ULED 4K TV. The TV does not feel like cheap junk at all. And the materials used are of great quality.

Overall, this is a well-built television with industry competitive design cues made of premium materials.

Display

The Hisense U8K ULED 4K TV comes in sizes that range from 55″ up to 100″, we have the 75″ in house here. One important thing to note is that this is a QLED panel, Hisense refers to it as ULED, but it is the same technology. Hisense simply prefers its own nomenclature for the tech. It’s also important to note that, despite the name, this is not an 8K panel, I know some users have been confused by that. This is a 4K panel.

Before we dive in, it’s important to note that our experience may differ from yours. The mode you select in settings and if you make any changes to those settings will play a big part in your display experience. That said, I usually gravitate towards a more vibrant picture setting for all of my TVs, with some exceptions. The Hisense U8K ULED 4K TV has four Dolby Vision presets, which you can tweak further in the settings (Dolby Vision is basically HDR). Those consist of:

• Dolby Vision IQ: Sort of the standard default that uses AI to read the light in the room and adjust the picture accordingly.
• Dolby Vision Dark: Used if you prefer a darker image
• Dolby Vision Custom: Custom settings you can tweak
• Dolby Vision Game: Dolby’s settings for gamers
• Filmmaker Mode: Allows you to bypass all settings and tune the picture the way the filmmakers intended

I used Dolby Vision IQ and made no other changes to picture settings and I tested HDR content, Dolby Vision content, and SDR content. I recommend going through every setting and finding one you prefer, the way the display looks should be a personal thing, it will be in your home, not ours.

Likewise, I found Dolby Vision IQ to work best for my needs and preferences. Dark areas of movie content were visible and presented well. The colors were vibrant and looked nice and punchy, for a non-OLED panel. The panel is also HDR and HDR 10+ adaptive, allowing it to move between the content with ease. You will find IMAX Enhanced here as well, which is certified by IMAX and plays back that content for your enjoyment.

Hisense says that its Quantum Dot technology creates over a billion shades of color, which helps create that punchy color and saturation. It’s also helpful with the brightness settings. I found this panel to be plenty bright in sunlit rooms and artificially lit rooms. Hisense says this is achieved through its Mini-LED Pro full array local dimming.

The latest breakthrough in backlight technology, Mini-LED Pro can create a brighter image with greater contrast than traditional LED’s. In addition, precise local dimming allows for greater backlight control and an enhanced HDR experience which delivers a stunning picture for movies, sports and gaming.

Hisense

I always appreciate a bright display. I prefer brighter displays that can easily be pulled back if needed, rather than a display that’s not bright enough and cannot be pushed any brighter. Great job on the bright levels on this TV by Hisense.

Black levels and contrast are good, not the best in this class but really good. I really saw no blooming issues, light bleed, or strange anomalies in the picture. Now and then, some content that I know is supposed to be very dark or black, would be more grayish, but not enough to change my thoughts on this panel.

Gaming was great on the Xbox, and the Hisense U8K ULED 4K does have gaming mode at 144Hz. There is a Gamebar, like Samsung has on its TVs, allowing for gaming settings to be changed quickly. This big 75″ panel is pretty nice for gaming, lots of space and everything moved fluidly and looked spectacular.

Overall, the Hisense U8K ULED 4K display looks pretty damn amazing for this price point in TVs. There may be some other competing brands whose picture is slightly better, but it’s only by hairs. At this price point, this is an excellent visual experience.

Setup

Setup of TVs these days is basically as simple as it gets. The physical setup is super easy, though the Hisense U8K ULED 4K does require a minimum of two people to move around. Unboxing it and installing the stand was less than fifteen minutes. You can wall mount if it suits you, but that will take a bit longer and require a mount and tools.

The Hisense U8K ULED 4K stand, really two feet, can be set on a TV stand that’s at minimum 45″ long and that’s pushing it. I would recommend at least a 55″ long stand for better stability, and that’s with the stand installed in the innermost mounting position. Currently, I have the Hisense U8K ULED 4K on a 58″ stand with the feet in the outermost mounting position with about 4″ of play on either side. For the depth, our stand is 18″ deep, and that leaves about 1″of play front and back.

The Hisense U8K ULED 4K runs on Google TV, and setting that up is straightforward and takes less than five minutes. After that, you’ll just have to download apps you want and do any updates that may be waiting. Overall, simple to set up physically and software.

Software/UI

I have not been kind to Google and its TV operating systems in the past. I have felt that both Android TV and Google TV were a jumbled mess of nonsense. But it seems times have changed, and for the better. I mentioned this in my last Google TV-based review, and it is a good thing. Most of this section is verbatim from my other Google TV review.

Navigation is much nicer and easier this time around with Google TV on the Hisense U8K ULED 4K. The UI and aesthetic is vastly improved, with things actually making sense and elements that look lovely.

I was pleasantly surprised with Google TV, after all the crap I have given them, I am not afraid to give credit where credit is due. Now, there is the matter of privacy and if you would rather not use Google TV because of privacy, you can still use other streaming boxes via HDMI and skip the Google TV setup. But if you aren’t concerned about those issues, the Google TV interface is actually pretty great.

You can also set up some smart functions with Google TV, screen savers, and other Google-centric things, most of which I never use. But they are there for you.

The TV interface itself, for settings and other onboard navigation, is also very nice. Everything is nicely named and easy to find, and there are shortcuts to display and sound settings. It is all straightforward to take in and learn without a lot of unneeded clutter.

Overall, the software and UI is one of the best I’ve seen. Google TV has improved vastly over my experiences with it in the past, and TCL’s UI is easy to understand and use.

Sound Quality

Sound quality on TVs has improved by leaps and bounds across the board with most brands. The Hisense U8K ULED 4K is one of the best in this department.

This TV has 50W of max sound power with an intelligent audio decoder and five speakers that produce 2.1.2 surround sound. Like some other TVs in this class, it has a subwoofer built in the back of the TV that does an impressive job of producing great bass.

While I will always remain steadfast that a good soundbar or Hi-Fi sound system is best, most of us cannot afford all the extra gear. Hisense has made it that you don’t have to buy all that extra gear to have an excellent sound experience.

Dialogue is crisp and clear, gaming sounds really excellent, and movies are done some justice with a good delivery of wide immersive sound. Remember, though, my comparisons are based on basic TV sound, don’t jump into any TV thinking you’re getting theater quality sound from built-in speakers.

Still, overall, the Hisense U8K ULED 4K produces best in class sound and sound is a big part of the overall experience.

Performance

There’s not a lot to add to the performance section of this review. The interface is smooth and easy to navigate, downloading and installing apps is easy and hassle-free, and moving between apps was effortless. Animations were all clean and easy on the eyes, and the performance of the display was outstanding.

The remote is responsive and has shortcuts to streaming services and is voice enabled, if you want to use Alexa or Google Assistant. But you also have CEC built-in, allowing you to control the TV with another remote, like an Apple TV or Roku remote.

Gaming looks smooth with 144Hz refresh rate and AMD FreeSync onboard, and the Game Bar allows for quick gaming settings adjustments.

Overall, the performance is outstanding, no complaints here.

Price/Value

The MSRP of the 75″ Hisense U8K ULED 4K is $1,949,99, but you can find it on sale most of the time for around $1,599.99. The 65″ is significantly more affordable and the one I think most users will opt for. The value is here, undoubtedly. The Hisense U8K ULED 4K is one of the best TV choices you can make in 2023.

Wrap Up

The choices in TVs have always been broad, but it hasn’t always been excellent. The number of TVs hitting the market in 2023 that are both agreeably priced and excellent in features, performance, and value is impressive. The Hisense U8K ULED 4K sits squarely in the latter category. It’s one of the best contenders for your dollar in 2023. It packs excellent color, contrast, detail, performance, and brightness. Paired with outstanding sound and software, this TV is something special for those looking for an excellent experience that won’t put you in the poor house.

In some of our articles and especially in our reviews, you will find Amazon or other affiliate links. As Amazon Associates, we earn from qualifying purchases. Any other purchases you make through these links often result in a small amount being earned for the site and/or our writers. Techaeris often covers brand press releases. Doing this does not constitute an endorsement of any product or service by Techaeris. We provide the press release information for our audience to be informed and make their own decision on a purchase or not. Only our reviews are an endorsement or lack thereof. For more information, you can read our full disclaimer.

Last Updated on March 13, 2024.