Knowledgeable evaluation
Benefits
- Glorious colour and distinction
- reasonably priced(ish)
- Low latency recreation mode
cons
- Irritating software program (exterior the US)
- Cumbersome distant management
- Few fancy options
Our verdict
The Hisense U6K units are a no-frills Mini-LED providing, giving consumers the nice show tech at a lower cost level than rivals. There aren’t many fancy options and the VIDAA software program that ships exterior the US is not nice, however worth for cash is difficult to beat.
Hisense’s U6K collection builds on the corporate’s current success with comparatively reasonably priced TVs, providing the most recent and best in mini-LED show know-how at a value few rivals can match.
The image high quality is nice for the value, as long as you are pleased with a 60Hz refresh fee, though the software program is variable: whereas US fashions run the wonderful Google TV working system, my UK evaluate unit is powered by the a lot much less engaging VIDAA OS .
Design & construct
- 55 or 65in sizes
- Slim posture
- Enormous UK distant management
There’s not a lot to say in regards to the U6K’s design, which is pleasantly easy. The vary is available in 55 or 65 inch sizes and I’ve reviewed the bigger mannequin within the vary – formally the 65U6KQTUK with the total mannequin quantity.
A skinny border runs across the display screen, solely barely thicker on the silver-colored backside edge, which additionally options the Hisense emblem. Nothing right here is designed to seize your consideration and make sure that the display screen itself is all the time the main target.
Dominic Preston / Foundry
The TV comes with a pair of impressively slim ft, and my 65-inch mannequin had two totally different mounting factors, so you must have the ability to get the position across the measurement of your TV stand, soundbar, or different obstacles.
VESA wall mounting can also be supported, though the bracket is bought individually, and the TV is skinny sufficient to sit down pretty flat in opposition to the wall in the event you choose.
Nothing right here is designed to seize your consideration and make sure that the display screen itself is all the time the main target
What’s rather less spectacular is the distant that got here with my UK mannequin. It is completely large, becoming in a ridiculous 12 pre-programmed hotkeys on the high (three or 4 is typical), and but by some means it does not even embody a devoted settings button.
For what it is price, the US distant appears rather more compact, though I am unsure the way it differs in different markets.
Image and sound high quality
- Mini LED show
- 60Hz and 4K
- Not the brightest panel
The U6K’s promoting level is that it affords a comparatively reasonably priced Mini-LED panel – backlight know-how that may ship a few of OLED’s nice distinction and colour separation with out the fee (or danger of burn-in).
The panels right here have a regular 4K decision and a 60Hz refresh fee, so there’s nothing thrilling there.
Dominic Preston / Foundry
The underside line is that you just get glorious distinction and colour replica from the U6K, with deep blacks and wealthy, vibrant tones in all the pieces you watch.
It helps Dolby Imaginative and prescient, HDR10+ and HLG requirements, so covers a reasonably big selection of HDR content material.
The one draw back right here is that the panel is not as brilliant as dearer alternate options. Meaning it does not ship the best possible HDR on the market, requiring a brighter panel, but in addition that daytime viewing can turn out to be an train in glare discount.
The panel maxes out at 60Hz – you will need to spend extra for a 120Hz panel TV that may get essentially the most out of the PS5 or Xbox Sequence X – but it surely does help a variable refresh fee of 48-60Hz for smoother gameplay , albeit with out help for AMD FreeSync or Nvidia G-Sync.
What issues is that you just get glorious distinction and colour replica from the display screen
As an alternative, the main target of the official recreation mode – which will be activated robotically on suitable inputs – is decrease latency, which may drop to as little as 8ms for easy efficiency when a console is related.
As for audio, the set helps Dolby Atmos, so when paired with suitable audio system it ought to have the ability to ship spectacular encompass sound.
When not paired with audio system, the built-in audio is as you’d anticipate: just a little skinny and unsatisfactory, however adequate in the event you’re not choosy. Nonetheless, a regular soundbar will nonetheless symbolize a major audio improve.
Ports & Capabilities
- Three HDMI 2.0 ports
- Distant management with voice management
The Hisense U6K has a reasonably typical port choice, though the HDMI choices may disappoint just a little: even the bigger 65-inch mannequin is restricted to only three HDMI 2.0 ports, which will probably be lots for a lot of customers however who, like me, can frustrate with a variety of recreation consoles and streaming sticks.
That is very true in the event you determine to make use of a kind of three HDMI ports for its eArc performance, connecting your soundbar that means – though the digital audio output offers you an alternative choice right here.
Dominic Preston / Foundry
There are additionally two USB ports for connection and energy, a headphone jack, Ethernet for wired web, AV enter, antenna connections and a Frequent Interface card slot.
The TV does not have many standout or distinctive options, however a pleasant bonus is that the distant helps voice management. On the US Google TV fashions meaning the Google Assistant, however Amazon Alexa is included on my mannequin as a substitute.
Software program
- Runs Google TV or VIDAA
- VIDAA feels easy
- Efficiency a bit unreliable
The software program facet of the U6K is tough to evaluate just because it’s so variable.
US fashions of the TV Ship run Google TV, a easy and clear working system that I have never examined on a TV myself, however have heard good issues about.
My check mannequin – and the mannequin bought within the UK and Europe – runs Hisense’s personal VIDAA OS as a substitute.
Dominic Preston / Foundry
I will be blunt: VIDAA is clunky, ugly and sluggish. It is clearly constructed round advert areas, however proper now even these aren’t working – the highest banner on my house display screen is six an identical slides promoting the working system’s personal app retailer.
The excellent news is that it helps many of the core apps you are prone to want, and the large names – like Netflix and Disney+ – come pre-installed for comfort. The one omission I noticed was the Now app within the UK, which wasn’t accessible in any respect.
Viewers within the UK may additionally be just a little aggravated to find that the ITV and Channel 4 apps listed here are the FreeviewPlay variations, which do not help dwell TV streaming, however in any other case there’s little to complain about.
Dominic Preston / Foundry
I am extra annoyed with general efficiency. It took me a number of tries to arrange the TV because it repeatedly refused to connect with my Wi-Fi community.
It is typically sluggish to acknowledge distant inputs so feels sluggish, and one time it simply stopped recognizing the distant till I turned the TV off and again on to restart it.
I’ve principally examined it with a Sonos soundbar utilizing an optical cable, however setting it up this fashion had the sudden facet impact that at any time when I flip the audio up or down, a pop-up seems warning “This function is at present disabled.” not accessible” – although it do efficiently change the amount.
I will be blunt: VIDAA is clunky, ugly and sluggish
None of it is a actual deal breaker, and I am positive consumers will get used to the software program’s quirks, however most significantly this feeling like a less expensive TV than it really is.
Value & availability
The Hisense U6K begins from $579 / £999 for the 55-inch mannequin, rising to $799 / £1,299 for the 65-inch model.
That is aggressive sufficient within the UK, wherever it is accessible Terriblyhowever it’s distinctive within the US, particularly when you think about that US fashions use higher software program.
By comparability, the most affordable Mini-LED mannequin (Neo QLED) from Samsung’s 2023 vary begins at $1,199 / £1,399 for a 43-inch measurement.
That additionally makes shopping for recommendation variable. US consumers will battle to do higher for the value, or discover a good Mini-LED panel for much less.
Within the UK and elsewhere, the U6K is not a lot of a knockout. It is a good purchase and nonetheless affords stable worth for the display screen high quality, but it surely is perhaps smarter to have a look at one in every of final yr’s OLED or Mini-LED flagships, which are sometimes accessible for the same value now – the 2022 LG C2 OLED is a primary instance.
Try our greatest TV roundup for extra high-end choices, or finest price range TVs for cheaper fashions costing lower than $500 / £500.
Pronunciation
The Hisense U6K affords one of the best of Mini-LED on a price range, with a number of the finest distinction and colour you will discover on a TV for round a grand.
The trade-off is that it is a no-frills set – it is 60Hz, has few particular options, and outdoors the US is hampered by Hisense’s lackluster VIDAA working system.
However if you need one of the best bang on your buck relating to show high quality alone – an admirable aim when shopping for a TV – then that is going to be powerful to beat, particularly in the event you’re a US purchaser.
Specs
- Sizes: 55/65in
- Mannequin examined: 65in
- Show know-how: Mini-LED ULED
- Decision: 3840×2160 4K
- Refresh fee: 60Hz
- HDR Assist: Dolby Imaginative and prescient, HDR10, HDR10+, HLG
- HDMI: x3 (2.0)
- Tuner: Freeview playback
- Working System: VIDAA or Google TV
