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Hisense U8QG: Two-minute review
The Hisense U8QG follows in the footsteps of last year’s Hisense U8N series mini-LED TVs, which combined exceptionally high brightness with a level of local dimming refinement that well exceeded what we’d seen in previous TVs from the company.
With the new Hisense U8QG series (65-inch model tested here), Hisense has created an even brighter U8 series offering, and also one with better local dimming performance yet again.
It’s not a huge leap in picture quality over the excellent Hisense U8N, a model that found itself on many of TechRadar’s best TV lists, but our benchmark tests (see below) all indicate better measured performance, from brightness and color gamut coverage to input lag for gaming.
As with many other new TVs coming out in 2025, Hisense tags several features with the ‘AI’ buzzword, specifically AI modes for picture and sound. You can easily take these or leave them (I chose to leave them), though the AI picture mode can help improve the look of lower-resolution programs on streaming and broadcast TV sources.
The U8QG sports a buffed-up design to contain its built-in 4.1.2-channel speaker array, an upgrade over its 2.1.2-channel predecessor that provides powerful, immersive sound with most programs. Sadly, the built-in subwoofer is prone to distortion on movies with low bass effects, making things a tough listen for bass-craving action movie fans.
Hisense uses Google TV as a smart system in the US, and its own VIDAA one in Europe. Google TV is a reliable, easy to navigate smart interface, and it provides features such as an ambient mode that lets you display photos from your own Google photo library onscreen when the TV is in standby.
One area where the U8QG represents a clear upgrade over its predecessor is gaming. Features here include 4K 165Hz support, along with FreeSync Premium Pro, Dolby Vision and HDR10+ gaming. Disappointingly, the TV has only three HDMI 2.1 inputs, although there’s also USB-C input with DisplayPort support.
Prices for the U8QG series were high out of the gate, but have since dropped to a much more reasonable level in the US. For example, the 65-inch model I tested is currently selling for $1,399, and is an excellent value at that price.
Hisense U8QG review: Price and release date
- Release date: March 2025
- 55-inch: $999 / £TBC
65-inch: $2,199 / £TBC / AU$2,999
75-inch: $2,499 / £TBC / AU$3,999
85-inch: $3,499 / £TBC / AU$4,999
100-inch: $4,999
Hisense’s U8QG series TVs are its top mainstream mini-LED models in the US, slotting in only under the Hisense U9N series. The full U8QG lineup is currently available in the US, and the 65-, 75-, and 85-inch models are available in Australia.
UK availability and pricing have not yet been announced, but we’ll update this review when we have them.
Although the U8QG series was launched in the US in late March, big discounts are already starting to appear as of this review in May 2025, with the 65-inch model selling for $1,399, the 75-inch model for $1,899 and the 85-inch model for $2,499.
Hisense U8QG review: Specs
Screen type: | OLED |
Refresh rate: | Up to 165Hz |
HDR support: | Dolby Vision, HDR10+, HDR10, HLG |
Audio support: | Dolby Atmos, DTS Virtual:X |
Smart TV: | Google TV |
HDMI ports: | 3 x HDMI 2.1 |
Built-in tuner: | ATSC 3.0 (USA) |
Hisense U8QG review: Benchmark results
Hisense U8QG review: Features
- Dolby Vision and HDR10+ high dynamic range
- Anti-Reflection Pro panel
- 4K 165Hz gaming support
The Hisense U8QG series is feature-packed and also provides several upgrades over its U8N series predecessor. The TV’s mini-LED backlight provides up to 5,000 local dimming zones (on the 100-inch model, fewer on smaller sizes). It uses the company’s Hi-View Al Engine Pro processor, which offers AI picture and sound optimization, and its HDR support includes Dolby Vision, Dolby Vision IQ, HDR10, HDR 10+, HDR10+ Adaptive, and HLG.
Peak brightness for the series is specified at 5,000 nits, and an Anti-Reflection Pro screen helps to reduce screen glare when viewing in bright rooms.
Audio is one of the U8QG series’ biggest upgrades, with all models featuring a 4.1.2-channel Dolby Atmos speaker array (powered by 72 watts on the 65-inch model I tested).
Like previous Hisense TVs, the U8QG series uses the Google TV smart TV platform in the US and Hisense’s own VIDAA platform in the UK, Europe and Australia. Google TV can be controlled hands-free using the TV’s built-in far-field mics or via the mic on the included fully backlit remote control.
Gaming gets an upgrade on the Q8QG series with support for 4K 165Hz input across the TV’s three HDMI 2.1 ports, and there’s also FreeSync Premium Pro, Dolby Vision and HDR10+ gaming, ALLM, and Hisense’s Game Bar menu for making quick on-screen adjustments.
Hisense U8QG review: Picture quality
- High brightness and refined local dimming
- Rich-looking color
- Contrast suffers with off-center viewing
The first thing to discuss about the Hisense U8QG’s picture quality is that it has brightness to spare – and then some. Measured in the default Filmmaker Mode preset, peak brightness on a 10% HDR white window pattern was 3,337 nits, and in Standard mode it was 2,888 nits. That’s a sizable peak brightness bump over last year’s also very bright Hisense U8N.
However, fullscreen brightness in the same modes was below what last year’s U8N delivered. In Filmmaker Mode, the new model hits 733 nits, while last year’s hit 805 nits. In Standard mode, the difference is slightly more pronounced again, with 744 nits for U8QG and 873 for the U8N.
Also, the U8QG’s SDR peak and fullscreen brightness both measured strangely low in Filmmaker Mode, meaning the Standard (or Theater Day or Night) picture preset will be the better option for viewing standard- and high-definition programs.
The U8QG’s UHDA-P3 and BT.2020 color gamut coverage in Filmmaker Mode were both excellent for a mini-LED, measuring 97.8% and 82.8%, respectively. Once again, this represents an improvement on last year’s U8N.
Color point accuracy averaged out to an impressive 1.8 average Delta-E value (the margin of error between the test pattern source and what’s shown on-screen), which is well into the zone where the human eye can’t distinguish it from being perfect (we look for anything lower than 3).
However, the average grayscale Delta-E was a less impressive 4.3, which showed up onscreen as a slightly too warm, reddish color bias.
Aside from calibrating the U8QG’s grayscale, there were certain adjustments I made to the settings in its picture menu that boosted picture performance.
Dynamic Tone Mapping gave images a slightly punchier look, and Dark Detail helped to flesh out shadows in darker movies and TV shows. There is also an AI Contrast setting in the Picture Brightness submenu that I found had a beneficial effect when set to Low or Medium, but that was only for standard and high-definition programs upscaled to 4K by the TV. With 4K HDR content, AI Contrast at all settings gave pictures a too-crisp look.
The local dimming on Hisense TVs gets incrementally better with every year, and the U8QG provides the best example yet. Dark, shadowy scenes in TV shows like The Last of Us, season 2, episode 6 (watched in 4K with Dolby Vision on Max) had powerful depth, and in challenging shots like one of moonlight shimmering on water, there was no sign at all of backlight blooming effects.
For virtually all of my viewing, I left Local Dimming set to High, and the TV’s picture was given its maximum level of contrast punch.
Colors also looked notably rich on the U8QG, confirming the great results I got from measurements. This gave sports such as the NBA basketball playoffs a serious eye candy quality, with the bold colors of the players’ uniforms popping vividly on the screen.
Given the U8QG’s high brightness levels, sports and other TV programs looked very good when watched in bright rooms, and the TV’s effective anti-reflection screen helped reduce screen glare from overhead lights, making even dark shows like The Last of Us viewable in such lighting conditions.
One area where the U8QG’s picture came up short was off-axis uniformity: When viewing from an off-center seat, colors and contrast faded noticeably. This won’t be an issue when viewing from seats spread out across a typical sofa, but a straggler at your NBA finals viewing party sitting in a far-off-center chair won’t experience the same picture quality as those directly in front of the TV.
The U8QG’s motion handling was just average. Even with Motion Enhancement set to Film mode in the TV’s Clarity sub-menu, reference movie clips such as a scene from the James Bond film No Time to Die, where Bond walks across a craggy hillside cemetery, had a blurry and slightly wobbly look.
Selecting the Custom mode in the same menu and adjusting the Judder and Blur sliders to the 3-4 range helps considerably to tone this down, and with only a slight “soap opera effect” visual penalty.
- Picture quality score: 4.5/5
Hisense U8QG review: Sound quality
- 4.1.2-channel, 72W speaker array
- Room Acoustic Tuning feature
- Bass in soundtracks can create subwoofer rattle
The Hisense U8QG’s sound gets a substantial hardware upgrade over last year’s Hisense U8N. Specifically, it has a 4.1.2-channel Dolby Atmos and DTS Virtual:X compatible built-in speaker array (powered by 72W), compared to the U8N’s 2.1.2-channel speaker array.
It also has numerous sound presets, an Intelligent Sound option that automatically optimizes the sound based on the specific program type you’re watching, and a Room Acoustic Tuning feature that uses the mic built into the TV’s remote control to measure and adjust the sound based on your room environment.
While the U8QG’s sound is powerful and provides a good level of immersion – at one point I actually checked to see if my system’s surround speakers were accidentally left turned on – low-frequency effects in movie soundtracks frequently caused the TV’s built-in subwoofer to audibly, and unpleasantly, rattle.
I didn’t experience the same issue with more standard fare, like most TV shows, news, or sports. Also, the noise could be lessened by turning down the Bass Boost level in the Sound Advanced Settings menu, or by turning off the subwoofer altogether in the same menu.
But the U8QG’s rattling built-in sub was nonetheless a disappointment, and I’d recommend instead pairing this TV with one of the best soundbars despite the strong effort put into its sound elsewhere.
- Sound quality score: 3.5/5
Hisense U8QG review: Design
- Sturdy pedestal stand with cable management
- Only three HDMI ports
- Full-sized, backlit remote control
The U8QG has a chunky look when viewed from the side due to the frame’s two-inch depth – a necessity to contain the TV’s side-firing left/right and upfiring Atmos speakers. Viewed head-on, it has a much lighter look, with its 0.25-inch thin bezel allowing maximum screen area for the picture.
An aluminum pedestal stand with an angled cut gives the TV sturdy support, and its back-facing section provides ample cable management options for a neat installation.
About the only thing I found off-putting about the U8QG’s design was that HDMI ports were limited to three instead of the usual four, though these were all HDMI version 2.1 with 4K 165Hz support. There’s also a USB-C input with DisplayPort support for a PC connection.
Hisense’s remote control is the same full-sized, fully backlit version provided with 2024’s U8N. It’s easy to handle and navigate menus with, has a built-in mic for the Google Voice assistant, and also provides quick buttons to access apps including Netflix, Prime Video, Disney Plus, and Tubi.
Hisense U8QG review: Smart TV and menus
- Google TV (US) and VIDAA (UK, Europe and Australia)
- No broadcast TV data in Live program grid
- Some settings buried too deep in menus
The U8QG uses the Google TV smart interface in the US and Hisense’s own VIDAA smart TV system elsewhere. Since I’m located in the US, my comments will pertain to Google TV.
Google TV has a relatively uncluttered interface that’s dominated by program recommendations that are fine-tuned when you sign in with a Google account (a necessity to download streaming apps to the TV).
While not ad-free – the rotating carousel at the top of the screen regularly pushes YouTube Premium subscriptions, movie rentals/purchases on the Google TV store, and Google’s own Freeplay free ad-supported TV portal – sponsored recommendations on the main ‘For You’ homescreen are equally mixed with suggestions from apps that you actually subscribe to.
The U8QG has a built-in ATSC 3.0 tuner for viewing ‘NextGen TV’ digital broadcasts in the US, and while this works perfectly fine in showing enhanced program data for the channel you’ve tuned, the Tuner section of Google TV’s Live TV program grid guide failed to show any info for live broadcast TV channels, and also wouldn’t let me select channels directly from the guide. (The Live guide shortcut button on the U8QG’s remote control was also non-functional.)
This seems like something that could likely be fixed with a software update, because the Google TV Freeplay channel section in the same Live guide worked completely fine.
A menu button on the remote control calls up a quick menu at the bottom of the screen that gives you convenient access to things like picture and sound modes, and even more advanced options like local dimming and Intelligent (AI) settings. A gear button on the remote, and also on the TV’s homescreen, unlocks more in-depth settings, including advanced picture calibration options.
- Smart TV & menus score: 4/5
Hisense U8QG review: Gaming
- Three HDMI 2.1 ports
- 4K 165Hz, FreeSync Premium Pro, Dolby Vision and HDR10+ gaming support
- Low 9.9ms input lag
The U8QG supports an impressive range of gaming features on its trio of HDMI 2.1 inputs, including 4K 165Hz, AMD FreeSync Premium Pro, ALLM, Dolby Vision gaming, and HDR10+ gaming. It also has a Game Bar menu that lets you make a wide range of gaming-related adjustments onscreen while your game plays on in the background.
Latency in Game mode measured with a Bodnar 4K input lag meter was an impressive 9.9ms. That’s the lowest input latency TechRadar has yet measured on a Hisense TV, and it puts the U8QG in the company of the best gaming TVs from Samsung and LG.
Hisense U8QG review: Value
- Performs well compared to pricier competition
- The still-available Hisense U8N (2024) is also great
- Excellent overall value
At $2,199 for the 65-inch model I tested, the Hisense U8QG wasn’t cheap at launch, though its price has since dropped to $1,399 in the US.
At that reduced price, the U8QG is an excellent value, and it’s bound to give new premium mini-LED competitors like the Samsung QN90F (currently selling for $2,099 in a 65-inch screen size) reason to be nervous.
A main factor affecting the U8QG’s value is that the 2024 Hisense U8N is still available and selling at well under $1,000 for a 65-inch screen. The U8N is a great TV, and one that also offers high brightness, refined local dimming, and a strong set of gaming features.
Having tested both models, the U8QG has better overall picture quality, and it also offers more advanced gaming features. It’s the one I’d choose between the two, but viewers on a budget will be equally happy with the U8N, as long as it sticks around.
Should I buy the Hisense U8QG?
Attributes | Notes | Rating |
|---|---|---|
Features | Feature-packed, with broad HDR support and a wide array of gaming features | 5/5 |
Picture quality | High brightness and refined local dimming and an anti-reflective screen make this a great TV for both sports and movies, though picture quality suffers when viewed from off-center seats | 4.5/5 |
Sound quality | A built-in 4.1.2-channel speaker array provides clear, powerful, and immersive sound, but the built-in subwoofer is prone to rattling on deep bass effects | 3.5/5 |
Design | A sturdy design with a solid pedestal stand and ample cable management options. The large, fully backlit remote control is a nice addition, though three total HDMI ports may not be enough for some viewers | 4.5/5 |
Smart TV and menus | Google TV is an effective and easy to navigate smart TV platform, but there are problems with the Live TV program guide and some advanced settings can be difficult to access | 4/5 |
Gaming | A wide range of cutting-edge gaming features plus very low input lag make this a fantastic gaming TV | 5/5 |
Value | Steep discounts off the initial launch prices make the U8QG series an excellent value, though its value is somewhat affected by the availability of 2024’s also great U8N series | 5/5 |
Buy it if…
Don’t buy it if…
Hisense U8QG: Also consider…
| Header Cell – Column 0 | Hisense U8QG | Hisense U8N | Samsung QN90D | TCL QM851G |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Price (65-inch) | $3.399 / £3,399 / AU$5,299 | $3,299 | $2,699 / £2,699 / AU$4,299 | $2,999 / £2,999 |
Screen type | QLED w/ mini-LED | QLED w/ mini-LED | QLED w/ mini-LED | QLED w/ mini-LED |
Refresh rate | 165Hz | 144Hz | 144Hz | 144Hz |
HDR support | DolbyVision/HDR10+/HDR10/HLG | DolbyVision/HDR10+/HDR10/HLG | HDR10+/HDR10/HLG | DolbyVision/HDR10+/HDR10/HLG |
Smart TV | Google TV / VIDAA | Google TV / VIDAA | Tizen | Google TV |
HDMI ports | 3 x HDMI 2.1 | 4 (2x HDMI 2.1) | 4 x HDMI 2.1 | 4 (2x HDMI 2.1) |
How I tested the Hisense U8QG
- I spent about 15 viewing hours in total measuring and evaluating
- Measurements were made using Calman color calibration software
- A full calibration was made before proceeding with subjective tests
When I test TVs, I first spend a few days or even weeks using it for casual viewing to assess the out-of-box picture presets and get familiar with its smart TV menu and picture adjustments.
I next select the most accurate preset (usually Filmmaker Mode, Movie or Cinema) and measure grayscale and color accuracy using Portrait Displays’ Calman color calibration software. The resulting measurements provide Delta-E values (the margin of error between the test pattern source and what’s shown on-screen) for each category, and allow for an assessment of the TV’s overall accuracy.
Along with those tests, I make measurements of peak light output (recorded in nits) for both standard high-definition and 4K high dynamic range using 10% and 100% white window patterns. Coverage of DCI-P3 and BT.2020 color space is also measured, with the results providing a sense of how faithfully the TV can render the extended color range in ultra high-definition sources – you can read more about this process in our guide to how we test TVs at TechRadar.
For the Hisense U8QG, I used the Calman ISF workflow, along with the TV’s advanced picture menu settings, to calibrate the image for best accuracy. I also watched a range of reference scenes on 4K Blu-ray discs to assess the TV’s performance, along with 4K HDR shows streamed from Max, Netflix, and other services.
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