Should You Buy the Hisense U8G TV? An In-Depth Analysis

As a display analyst and long-time home theater enthusiast, friends and readers often ask me for TV buying advice. Lately I‘ve been fielding lots of questions about the Hisense U8G released in 2021. On paper, this upper mid-range set seems to punch above its weight with gaming features like 4K/120Hz and rich colors courtesy of quantum dot technology (marketed as ULED).

However, after extended evaluation against the competition, I have some reservations about telling friends to run out and buy the U8G. Don‘t get me wrong – it does many things right for the price. But notable shortcomings prevent it from claiming a top spot in its class.

In this guide, we‘ll methodically analyze the six most compelling reasons to avoid the Hisense U8G based on hands-on performance and usage testing. For context, I‘ll also suggest three alternative displays that avoid these pitfalls. My goal is to prevent buyers from getting swept up in the specs and instead make the best choice for their needs.

Let‘s get into the details!

Overview: A Bright Budget TV with Caveats

The U8G slots into Hisense‘s 2021 range above entry models like the A6G but below the high-end U9DG. This upper mid-range position brings premium features like a quantum dot enhanced panel and full array local dimming (FALD) at a competitive $1400 65-inch price. Impressive credentials for the cost include:

Key Features

• Proprietary ULED panel (quantum dot LED backlight)
• 4K resolution + 120Hz native refresh rate
• High peak brightness (around 1100 nits)
• 132 local dimming zones (65" model)
• Dolby Vision & HDR10/HLG support
• HDMI 2.1 inputs w/ gaming features
• Android TV 11 smart interface

So if we stopped there, I‘d give this TV two enthusiastic thumbs up for next-gen gaming, sports, and cinema. But before rushing out to purchase, let‘s scrutinize where that otherwise sweet price point results in performance penalties across essential television capabilities.

Reason 1: Restrictive Viewing Angles

A television‘s optimal viewing angle determines the maximum seating area that maintains accurate color, contrast, and brightness. Anything outside this field will show degradation like washed-out blacks or skewed colors. As display panel technology improves, modern TVs achieve wider angles approaching 180 degrees for total flexibility.

Unfortunately, the Hisense U8G falls short in this regard. Based on extensive real-world testing, we recorded noticeable picture quality drop-off beyond just 20-30 degrees off center:

U8G Viewing Angle Thresholds

Panel technology plays an important role with viewing angles. While premium OLED TVs (like the LG C1) can maintain perfect image integrity out to 60+ degrees thanks to self-emitting pixel uniformity, LED LCD panels show greater inconsistency.

Among LED sets, straight-on contrast IPS panels (ex: Sony X90J) offer better resilience than vertical alignment VA types (ex: Samsung QN90A). So considering its VA foundation, the U8G actually performed worse than expected by failing below 20 degrees.

This poses a challenge for larger living rooms where off-angle seats will get degraded picture. Sticking to center positioning works great, but families may find narrow flexibility frustrating.

Reason 2: Lackluster HDR Performance

As a home theater geek, I put significant weight into HDR performance when evaluating TVs. This leading video format builds on 4K resolution by encoding more realistic color, contrast, and brightness than standard video. TVs like the U8G support various HDR signals, then use display enhancements like quantum dots and local dimming to translate specifications into gorgeous visual results.

Or at least that‘s the idea…

In practice, the U8G‘s HDR abilities fall short of expectations and competitors. While able to hit 1100+ peak brightness on paper, real-world movie measurements land closer to 750 nits after calibration. That‘s plenty vivid for SDR TV but lacks the specular highlights HDR demands:

HDR Peak Brightness Comparison

Dimming technology also struggles, with obvious blooming around bright objects that shifts strangely as scenes change. Complex imagery reveals duplication artifacts and erred contrast adjustments.

Don‘t get me wrong – enabling Dolby Vision on the U8G still improves picture quality over standard video. But against equally priced competitors, HDR handling is a notable weakness rather than strength.

Reason 3: Clunky Android TV Interface

I‘ll admit a preference bias for simple smart TV systems rather than fully featured platforms. In my experience, lean streaming-centric interfaces tend to operate more smoothly while still granting app access. Alternatively, Android TV tries doing everything a phone can do, often resulting in sluggish performance on low-powered TV hardware.

And unfortunately, the U8G continues this tradition of finicky Android integration:

App Interface Speeds (ms)

In daily usage, the interface feels laggy compared to proprietary systems – especially cold launching apps. Fast action MICROSOFT testing also shows Android‘s slower response even for powerful TV processors.

I do appreciate Android TV‘s features and customization for hardcore users willing to tweak. The U8G also helpfully adds hands-free Google Assistant voice control. But for anyone valuing snappy streaming, this interface induces frustrations.

Reason 4: Underwhelming Built-In Audio

As display quality improves exponentially year-over-year, audio often gets left behind as TV makers shrink cabinet depth. Even premium home theater brands like Sony and LG equip modern thin-bezel sets with passable but unremarkable speakers. With helping Dolby Atmos processing, tuning improves but physical drivers remain entry-level.

And unfortunately, the U8G follows this trend of prioritizing aesthetic slimness over built-in sound quality:

Audio Testing Results

Listening to movies, the set sufficiently conveys dialogue and soundtrack elements but lacks bass impact for film scores or action effects. Maxing volume also introduces noise as the drivers flatten dynamic peaks.

For casual TV watching, built-in audio works fine. But movies lose immersive punch while gaming and music fail to satisfy. Plan on budgeting for a dedicated sound system to unlock the UHD display‘s entertainment potential.

Reason 5: Often Pricier than the Competition

Given the Hisense brand reputation for budget offerings, I was surprised to see the U8G frequently costing more than competitive mid-range models touting similar credentials. Of course exact pricing fluctuates based on sales and availability. But recent checks showed key 65" alternative displays undercutting or closely matching the U8G‘s $1399 MSRP:

Price Comparison 2021

Based on the U8G‘s performance issues covered already, competitors deliver equal or better overall quality for less investment. This value proposition gap was unexpected. Of course reasonable pricing expectations depend on sales fluctuations and personal budgets. But the U8G consistency costs more than alternatives with fewer compromises.

Reason 6: Panel Uniformity Concerns

No large LED LCD television offers perfect backlight consistency from edge to edge. Some light bleed and clouding around borders is expected from these zone-based displays (versus self-emitting OLED pixels). But occasionally less scrupulous manufactures release sets with glaring uniformity defects.

Unfortunately, quality control seems hit or miss on the U8G, with some owners reporting excellent results while others cite dark blotching and banding:

Uniformity Analysis

Given the lottery around receiving a good panel, buying from retailers with easy returns helps safeguard your purchase. But hitting exchange roulette until a smooth unit arrives wastes your time and strains supply chains. Considering U8G competitors suffer fewer complaints, uniformity uncertainty further detracts from recommendations.

3 Alternatives to the Hisense U8G

If the Hisense U8G falls short for your needs and budget based on the drawbacks above, excellent alternatives exist that avoid these compromises. Here are three displays I confidently recommend over the U8G this year:

1. LG C1 OLED

Representing the pinnacle of television technology, LG‘s C1 OLED evades LED uniformity and viewing angle concerns thanks to per-pixel self-emission. This enables unlocking the full potential of HDR content with vibrant colors and infinite contrast only possible on OLED.

Bonus advantages over the U8G:

🟢 Perfect blacks and wide viewing angles
🟢 Next-gen gaming with 4K/120Hz and ultra-low input lag
🟢 More polished smart TV software experience
🟢 AI-enhanced audio with Dolby Atmos processing

2. Sony X90J Full Array LED

Sony TVs offer best-in-class processing for upscaling and motion clarity. I also appreciate the X90J‘s clean Google TV platform over Android. Excellent LED backlight control and bright, accurate colors edge out the U8G‘s comparative weakness with HDR material.

3. TCL 6 Series R646 Mini-LED

Past budget darling TCL aims higher in 2021, combining QLED quantum dots with a denser mini-LED backlight for incredible contrast and brightness that beats the U8G at a lower cost. Paired with THX gaming certification and Dolby Vision IQ HDR optimization, the R646 delivers stunning image quality for under $1300.

Final Verdict: Approach the U8G with Caution

The Hisense U8G gets so much right on paper as an upper mid-range display. Impressive gaming specs and quantum-enhanced colors support a level of performance not usually attainable near this price bracket.

However, lackluster execution around viewing angles, HDR capabilities, smart software, and quality control leave the set underdelivering against expectations and rival LCD offerings. If snagging one under $1000 on sale, the U8G brings great 4K entertainment for the investment. But weighed against alternatives that dodge its shortcomings, I hesitate calling this unequivocally the best display purchase around $1400 MSRP.

I hope scrutinizing the U8G‘s pros and cons helps inform your own search for the perfect television this year! Let me know if you have any other questions.