‘Hisense brought their new U8K to CEDIA 2023, a 100” quantum dot model that holds its own under that unforgiving trade show lighting. The TV is designed to be used in bright living rooms where light and reflections from windows may pose issues for other TVs, making the U8K an “incredible sports machine” according to our editor, Art Feierman, who was at CEDIA 2023 to see the U8K in action.
An Immersive Video and Audio Experience
At 100 inches, there’s no arguing that the Hisense U8K has immersion in the bag. The TV is the size of a projector screen, with the convenience of a TV, and it has a built-in 50-watt multi-channel Dolby Atmos audio system. As a gamer and film enthusiast, I’m all about this TV for those purposes, but I can see how this would be phenomenal for sports. Whatever you’re watching, the combination of the screen size, the crisp, clear picture, and the audio system will put you right in the middle of the action.
That quantum dot technology, though not as capable as OLED, is only a small step below. Quantum dot TVs like this U8K have backlighting, and are divided into hundreds or thousands of zones, so as to get as close to black as possible in dark areas where there isn’t much color or white, thus achieving near-perfect black levels. If you’re more interested in how this TV does on sports, those blacks aren’t so much of a concern, more of a bonus for when you’re watching TV shows, movies, or gaming.
The U8K also supports all major formats of HDR, which will give that extra pop and wow factor to your content: Dolby Vision, HDR10, HDR10+, and HLG. This Hisense has the brightness to back up that HDR, too—1,500 nits—so you can enjoy vibrant content all day, and all night long. Filmmaker mode allows you to watch movies and TV shows the way the filmmakers intended you to see them, and that’s a mode created in cooperation with Hollywood professionals, present on all Hisense TVs. The U8K is IMAX certified as well, so you can have the IMAX experience at home.
Calling All Gamers
Every gamer knows that your refresh rate matters. You can make it on 60Hz at your grandma’s house if you must, but at home? No dice. Hisense understands the struggle, and has implemented a 144Hz Game Mode Pro on the U8K. There’s a variable refresh rate from 48Hz to 144Hz, which can be used for both console and PC gaming. Say goodbye to screen tearing and controller input lag, thanks to the AMD FreeSyn Premium Pro and Auto Low Latency Mode. You can also customize your experience using the Game Bar.
Its Smarts—Google TV, Chromecast, and HomeKit
The Hisense U8K is a Google TV with Chromecast built-in. My experience with Google TV and Google Assistant on projectors has been great—I find the feature to be wonderfully convenient. I don’t like typing things in with a remote. It’s not so bad with a PlayStation controller, but being able to use a voice assistant to search Netflix, HBO, Prime Video, or Disney+? Priceless.
I’m an Apple user, through and through. Everything I have is iOS, MacOS, when it comes to computers, my phone, and tablet. The Hisense U8K works with Apple HomeKit and Apple AirPlay, which I find to be a highly attractive feature.
Hisense U8K Demo at CEDIA 2023
Hisense demoed the U8K at CEDIA 2023, and our editor, Art Feierman, was able to visit the booth and check out the $9,999 ULED TV.
Hisense U8K—What is it Good For?
Hisense pitches the U8K as being particularly fantastic for sports viewing. With its ability to hold up under aggressive trade show lighting, huge size, excellent color, and great audio system, that claim seems sound. At $9,999, it’s no impulse buy, but it is a good investment should you be looking for a large TV for a bright room.
That quantum dot technology is just a small step below OLED in terms of black levels. Quantum dot TVs like this U8K have backlighting, and are divided into hundreds or thousands of zones, so as to get as close to black as possible in dark areas where there isn’t much color or white, thus achieving near-perfect black levels. If you’re more interested in how this TV does on sports, those blacks aren’t so much of a concern, more of a bonus for when you’re watching TV shows, movies, or gaming. The U8K, as a quantum dot TV, is truly an all-around solution for any type of content you want to enjoy, and you’ll get some impressive blacks in dark areas—right where it counts.
The 100” (and 85”) U8K models aren’t available yet, but you can check out Hisense’s line of U8 Mini-LED TVs in their other sizes that are currently available: 55”, 65”, and 75”.
