Exceptional high-end TVs with every imaginable feature come at a price. You can check out the names of Samsung, Sony, and LG, all of which are great TVs, but you might not want to mention how much you paid. At the opposite end of the spectrum is the Hisense H8G Quantum Series TV. The new line of Hisense smart TVs have all the features of other brands without the high price. You can debate the intricacies of OLED vs. ULED all day long, but ultimately the main decision when considering the Hisense H8G Quantum is whether you want features like 8K, HDMI. 2.1 and eARC, or if you can live with a beautiful display without the following: gen. At just £700 for the 65-inch version of the Hisense H8G, it's exceptional value, with apps easy to find and use, Google Assistant compatibility useful, and tech specs rivaling much more expensive models. That's what it's like to wear one.
- Hisense H8G Quantum Series at Amazon for € 479.99
Prices and availability
The Hisense Quantum series is available on April 8 in four sizes: 50-inch, 55-inch, 65-inch, and 75-inch. The model we tested is the 65-inch for $700, but the 50-inch is $400, the 55-inch is $500, and the 75-inch is $1,400. Deciding between all of these isn't easy since the price bump up to 75-inches is pretty deep, but settling for 50- or 55-inches these days can seem a bit limiting. We think 65 inches is fine. We find last year's competing models from Samsung and LG to be even more plentiful, and of course the new lineup of 8K models is slightly larger, in some cases three times as large. Because there's so little 8K content available, this Hisense is always a good buy. Today's best Hisense H8G Quantum series deals
(Image credit: John Brandon)
Integrated
The Hisense H8G Quantum 4K is built to take on the big names. Hisense, a Chinese brand, doesn't have instant brand awareness in the UK or US, but the fan base is growing, mainly due to price. The 65-inch model measures 57 x 32,9 x 3,1 inches and weighs 43 pounds. It has an all-black design that's a bit generic, there aren't any fancy matte paint edges like some Samsung models, and it's not exactly slim at 3.1 inches. If you decide to use the legs to put it on a table, keep in mind that the legs seem a bit flimsy and it feels like a good bump could tip it over. You can insert the two legs a bit closer to each other if you have a shorter table or TV stand, but this makes the TV wobble even more on a TV stand and is not recommended. The good news is that Hisense designed the H8G for ease of use, with a basic remote that hides many key features. There's a home button, but you do have to search for it a bit, and even the basic volume and channel controls are a bit small and tucked away at the bottom. The menu button looks like three vertical lines (it should probably say Menu instead) and there are four buttons at the bottom of the remote for Netflix, YouTube, Google Play and Vudu. There have been a few times where we've hit the dedicated Google Assistant button and hit the mute button. Another small complaint we had is that the remote isn't on, so if you're in a dark room, good luck. Fortunately, if you plan to connect other devices, like a Dish Hopper 3 and other set-top boxes, for example, that won't matter too much, as these remotes should work with the H8G. TL design; DR: The Hisense 65H8G is a bit bland with no gray or silver accents, a purely functional remote, and can feel a bit shaky if you're standing on your lap.
(Image credit: John Brandon)
Smart TV (Android TV)
This is a feature-rich TV, thanks to Google. Android TV is powerful, flexible and useful at the same time. We had no issues with the initial setup, which took around 15 minutes total, including various app installations. For those familiar with Android TV, it looks and works almost exactly like the Nvidia Shield TV and features some vestiges of Android on a smartphone, namely the flat design and flat colors. If you're already familiar with Android, you'll instantly feel comfortable adding your Gmail account, checking settings, adding store apps, and finding rentals in the Google Play store. This is a clear advantage here. Google manages the TV interface, and even during the few weeks of testing there were several updates and tweaks. Therefore, Hisense does not have to create its own interface, and the viewer does not need to learn anything new. It's a real win-win. Android TV has a surprising number of features: we were able to install a web browser and visit TechRadar.com. We installed ExpressVPN for Android TV and it started protecting our device with just a few clicks. We've played several Android games and of course we check our emails on a 65-inch screen because that's what we do for fun. One of the first discoveries of this smart TV is that it usually arrives a little on time. It wasn't a big problem once I changed the input source to Xbox One or Dish Networks. Once the movie started, the acting was pretty impressive overall. If you spend a lot of time browsing apps, playing Android TV games, or using a web browser, it's not like the Hisense Quantum is slow all the time or even that much of a problem. It seems to start randomly at the strangest times, like when you really want to watch Picard's show. Smart TV TL; DR: It's a bit rudimentary, but otherwise Android TV is feature-rich and should come naturally to anyone with an Android smartphone.
(Image credit: John Brandon)
In terms of HD video performance, there aren't many negatives to report: video quality was excellent, and there were never any issues with smearing, artifacts, beeps, or beeps.' Other problems that sometimes occur with televisions in this price range. While other TVs can be a bit sharper overall, Hisense has done a great job with HD here. But when switching to 4K, we were impressed with the overall quality. We watched Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle and noted how brilliant the movie was. Small details, like how the arm hairs on The Rock looked in 4K on the Dish Hopper, really impressed us, as did the vibrant colors. In the Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order Xbox One game, fluid movement was realistic as the main character jumped through puddles on an alien planet. That's thanks to MotionRate 240, an industry term that improves on the 60Hz refresh rate. Technically, the refresh rate is still 60Hz, so it's not as smooth as native 120Hz panels, but for the most part, the games and movies felt super slick. In terms of color and contrast, the Hisense 65H8G uses Dolby Vision HDR and what Hisense calls Quantum Dot Wide Color Gamut. Helps give video games, movies, and photos a nice, colorful “pop.” We tested earlier Hisense models that didn't use quantum technology or Dolby Vision HDR and had a matte look that looked a bit gray or slightly off-beat compared to (expensive) higher-end TVs. We have tested several movies with the FandangoNow app which not only supports 4K movies but due to the global coronavirus outbreak now allows you to rent movies that are still in theaters. We rented the movie Onward, which looked great - we could see little details like the hairs on a character and the bumps and gouges on a stone dragon. On the stream side, brightness is capped at 700 nits, which isn't quite as high as the latest Samsung and LG models, but it's respectable for the price. (Some Samsung models that cost three times as much have a brightness rating of 3000 nits or even much higher.) Obviously peak brightness is important, but it doesn't really tell the whole story as we feel. That the vivid colors were clear and bright. for everything we've tried. HD / 4K TL performance; DR: While not as bright as other TVs from Samsung or LG, the Hisense H8G creates beautiful, colorful images that far outperform other makes and models at this price point.
(Image credit: John Brandon)
Ring
We were also impressed with the built-in sound, although it couldn't compete with the Focal soundbar we use regularly or the surround sound speakers you've probably used in the past. Fortunately, the built-in sound was clear for spoken dialogue. Like most TVs, the built-in audio isn't all that convincing for surround sound. It may have something to do with the way they're made or the fact that they emphasize screen quality. In all of our tests, the Hisense Quantum was easy to listen to, but not as loud or as full.
Final verdict
There's a lot to like about the Hisense H8G Quantum series in terms of features, picture quality, sound and extras, and you'll like it all the more because of the price. The actual interface can be sluggish at times, which definitely affects overall usability, but that goes away once the content starts playing. Movie after movie, the smooth motion, color quality, and brightness made for a very enjoyable movie or game night after night. Overall, this is a high-quality, affordable TV and we highly recommend it. Don't expect QLED or OLED quality, but don't expect those prices either.
- Expect to see the Hisense H8G Quantum on our list of the best TVs