TechTvsHisense U6H 65-inch ULED 4K TV review: a bargain TV with a luxurious pictureHisense demonstrates that top tech is now making its way into budget-oriented setsWhen you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.Here’s how it works.(Image credit: Future)T3 VerdictIt seems like everyone is budget-conscious these days, so TV shoppers are going to appreciate the quality 4K picture and admirable color fidelity of this bargain-priced set.Reasons to buy+Excellent 4K picture+Impressive color quality+Google TV smartsReasons to avoid-Lackluster built-in sound-Understated contrastWhy you can trust T3Our expert reviewers spend hours testing and comparing products and services so you can choose the best for you.Find out more about how we test.
TechTvsHisense U6H 65-inch ULED 4K TV review: a bargain TV with a luxurious pictureHisense demonstrates that top tech is now making its way into budget-oriented setsWhen you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.Here’s how it works.(Image credit: Future)T3 VerdictIt seems like everyone is budget-conscious these days, so TV shoppers are going to appreciate the quality 4K picture and admirable color fidelity of this bargain-priced set.Reasons to buy+Excellent 4K picture+Impressive color quality+Google TV smartsReasons to avoid-Lackluster built-in sound-Understated contrastWhy you can trust T3Our expert reviewers spend hours testing and comparing products and services so you can choose the best for you.Find out more about how we test.
Hisense demonstrates that top tech is now making its way into budget-oriented sets
When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.Here’s how it works.
(Image credit: Future)T3 VerdictIt seems like everyone is budget-conscious these days, so TV shoppers are going to appreciate the quality 4K picture and admirable color fidelity of this bargain-priced set.Reasons to buy+Excellent 4K picture+Impressive color quality+Google TV smartsReasons to avoid-Lackluster built-in sound-Understated contrast
(Image credit: Future)
(Image credit: Future)
T3 VerdictIt seems like everyone is budget-conscious these days, so TV shoppers are going to appreciate the quality 4K picture and admirable color fidelity of this bargain-priced set.Reasons to buy+Excellent 4K picture+Impressive color quality+Google TV smartsReasons to avoid-Lackluster built-in sound-Understated contrast
T3 VerdictIt seems like everyone is budget-conscious these days, so TV shoppers are going to appreciate the quality 4K picture and admirable color fidelity of this bargain-priced set.
T3 Verdict
It seems like everyone is budget-conscious these days, so TV shoppers are going to appreciate the quality 4K picture and admirable color fidelity of this bargain-priced set.
Reasons to buy+Excellent 4K picture+Impressive color quality+Google TV smartsReasons to avoid-Lackluster built-in sound-Understated contrast
Reasons to buy+Excellent 4K picture+Impressive color quality+Google TV smarts
Excellent 4K picture
Impressive color quality
Google TV smarts
Reasons to avoid-Lackluster built-in sound-Understated contrast
Lackluster built-in sound
Understated contrast
Why you can trust T3Our expert reviewers spend hours testing and comparing products and services so you can choose the best for you.Find out more about how we test.
Why you can trust T3Our expert reviewers spend hours testing and comparing products and services so you can choose the best for you.Find out more about how we test.
Just because something is a bargain doesn’t mean that it’s making compromises. Exhibit A: the Hisense U6H 65-inch ULED 4K TV, a set that impresses but won’t break your budget.
While the Hisense U6H might not be quite on the mind-blowing level of some of the otherbest TVs on our list, it also doesn’t come with the premium price tag. Learn abouthow we test products, and read on to find out if the Hisense U6H is the right TV for you.
HISENSE U6H 65-INCH ULED 4K TV REVIEW: PRICE AND FEATURES
The U6H uses a native 60 Hz panel versus high-end, faster refresh rate 120 Hz panels. Discerning eyes will note the difference, particularly in gaming situations. If you do want a faster panel, the 65-inch Hisense U7H has a 120-Hz refresh rate, but costs around $200 / £200 more.
The Google TV interface does a good job of supporting all the usual streaming video services. It includes all the major players, includingNetflix,Amazon Prime,Disney+ and YouTube, as one would expect. It allows you to use the Google Assistant voice control system without a remote, thanks to the set’s built-in far-field microphone.
It also picks upAlexacommands, if you prefer, and it can be turned off using a front button just under the screen if you don’t want it listening all the time. Otherwise, it works like a standard Google Assistant device so it can answer queries even when the TV is turned off.
In order to make all the necessary connections, the Hisense U6H includes Wi-Fi and Bluetooth, as well as a full accounting of wired connections on the back. There are four HDMI ports, two USB connections, ethernet and a coaxial hookup for an antenna or older video source, plus AV inputs, digital audio output and a mini headphone jack. In short, there’s everything you’d need here to build a home theater system.
The Hisense U6H 4K TV has outstanding color fidelity and picture detail that will please any cinephile.(Image credit: Future)
The Hisense U6H 4K TV has outstanding color fidelity and picture detail that will please any cinephile.
The Hisense U6H 4K TV has outstanding color fidelity and picture detail that will please any cinephile.
(Image credit: Future)
HISENSE U6H 65-INCH ULED 4K TV REVIEW: PICTURE PERFORMANCE
The Hisense U6H has several preset picture modes for different use cases, featuring an Eco mode to save power, Standard, Theater Day, Theater Night and Filmmaker Mode. The last mode is designed to turn off most of the video processing and render movies with settings that bring it as close to what the director originally intended as possible.
You can also tweak picture settings on your own, including adjusting effects such as “motion clearness,” picture noise reduction, dynamic range, active contrast (which is turned off in the theater modes), tint, sharpness and brightness. For all that, I found that Theater Day mode was the best for a variety of material and programming.
In Hulu’s hit series, “Only Murders in the Building,” there was excellent detail in the 4K picture and colors were rendered faithfully. Orange clothing popped, while blood red was well saturated without bleeding into neighboring blue and teal elements. And skin tones looked realistic, with Martin Short appearing to be in the pink.
Overall, screen uniformity was also quite good on the Hisense U6H with colors unblemished across the screen from corner to corner. Even challenging scenes, such as the serpent’s cave in “Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker,” were handled adeptly, revealing the ribs of the cave walls in the shadows without any banding or haloing around bright lights or sacrificing contrast. Desert mesas looked remarkably detailed, as well, and there was a distinct lack of motion artifacts in fast action scenes.
Similar compliments could be expressed about how the Hisense U6H handled other movies, such as “Mad Max: Fury Road.” Even the fire-breathing guitar looked realistic and striking without excessive enhancement that can make the scene appear artificial on other sets. Black areas of the screen, like the bars denoting a letterboxed program, were solid and dark.
And while the U6H handled standard TV broadcasts in 720p with aplomb, it had some difficulty upscaling “Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone,” where contrast suffered in dark corners and image depth was lacking, making the kids look superimposed in some scenes.
Gamers may also find reason to criticize the Hisense U6H, given its 60 Hz panel and the fact that, while it supports variable frame rates, it doesn’t support AMD’s FreeSync or Nvidia’s G-Sync. Nevertheless, in game mode, the set’s input lag wasn’t noticeable. So when you get fragged, you won’t be able to blame it on the U6H’s performance.
The HISENSE U6H includes several preset sound modes.(Image credit: Future)
The HISENSE U6H includes several preset sound modes.
The HISENSE U6H includes several preset sound modes.
(Image credit: Future)
HISENSE U6H 65-INCH ULED 4K TV REVIEW: SOUND QUALITY
In the sound department, the U6H’s built-in audio is typical for sets in this price range, which is to say it’s generally lackluster. There are several preset sound modes, but I settled on switching between just two – Music mode and Theater mode.
Music brings in a more focused bass range while Theater produces an exaggerated, synthesized virtual surround sound, widening the soundstage with excessive mid- and high-range frequencies. (The Standard audio mode is hollow, as if the sound were emanating from under the TV and only one speaker was working.) You can adjust the balance, as well as control a basic equalizer and make lip sync adjustments.
Auditioning several Metric songs revealed that the nuances of Emily Haines' voice were reproduced well enough. But the ultimate vocal test, Aha’s “Take On Me,” sounded tiny even though Morten Harket’s vocals were clear on the high notes. Not surprisingly, though, the lower bass registers were lacking in depth, with Steely Dan’s “Bodhisattva” sounding as if part of the kick drum was missing.
Bottom line: To match the audio quality with the picture quality of the Hisense U6H, I recommend you add an external sound bar.
The remote is simple and includes dedicated buttons to launch various popular apps.(Image credit: Future)
The remote is simple and includes dedicated buttons to launch various popular apps.
The remote is simple and includes dedicated buttons to launch various popular apps.
(Image credit: Future)
HISENSE U6H 65-INCH ULED 4K TV REVIEW: DESIGN AND USABILITY
Setting up the Hisense U6H is a straightforward affair. For a tabletop, the set has two V-shaped feet that cannot be installed incorrectly thanks to unique insertion arms. If you want to mount it on a wall, the U6H works with VESA standard brackets.
To get the smart TV features up and running,Androidusers can launch the Google Home app, scan the on-screen QR code and perform the rest of the setup on their phones. It will connect the set to your Wi-Fi network, show you how to display a slideshow of your photos on the TV and train it to recognize your voice.
Google TV’s strengths are its support for a wide variety of streaming services and its voice recognition Assistant feature.
You can make such requests without using the remote control or pressing a button. But if you must, the included Hisense remote is simple and includes dedicated buttons to launch Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, YouTube, Disney+, Tubi and Peacock.
The Hisense 65-inch U6H 4K TV is a big, beautiful television.(Image credit: Future)
The Hisense 65-inch U6H 4K TV is a big, beautiful television.
The Hisense 65-inch U6H 4K TV is a big, beautiful television.
(Image credit: Future)
HISENSE U6H 65-INCH ULED 4K TV REVIEW: VERDICT
Movie lovers who can’t afford a top-of-the-line set will appreciate the Hisense 65-inch U6H 4K TV. It has outstanding color fidelity and picture detail that will please any cinephile. These are qualities that you won’t find in many TVs under $1,000 /£1000, let alone one around $600 / £600.
True, the U6H’s Achilles’ heel is its built-in audio support, but that’s also a common weakness in sets costing much more. I spent many hours watching movies on the Hisense U6H screen, and overall was very pleased with its picture.
HISENSE U6H 65-INCH ULED 4K TV REVIEW: ALSO CONSIDER
To say there is competition in the sub-1,000 4K TV category is an understatement. And while the Hisense U6H is head and shoulders above the rest with its excellent color quality, there are a couple of other major-value brand names to consider.
The55-inch Hisense H8Gpunches well above its weight class for a TV that costs around $500 / £500. For a few hundred more, the 55-inchSony XH90finely balances powerful HDR image quality with budget.
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