We go hands-on with the Hisense U8K Mini LED TV, a 2023 set that might surprise you with its first-rate specs. Great performance at a fair price?
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00:00 (upbeat music)
00:02 I'm here with Hisense's brand new U8K Mini LED TV,
00:12 one of the company's top flagships for the year.
00:14 Let's go take a closer look.
00:16 Improving on last year's Hisense U8H Mini LED TV,
00:20 the 2023 U8K introduces double the number
00:23 of local dimming zones, a native 144 hertz refresh rate,
00:27 a new 85 inch screen option, and more.
00:30 All in all, Hisense's flagship set has the kind of specs
00:33 previously reserved for premium tier TVs.
00:35 The U8K comes in four sizes, 55, 65, 75, and 85 inches.
00:40 The design language and most specs are the same
00:43 across all models, with the total number
00:45 of local dimming zones increasing for each configuration
00:48 being the only notable difference.
00:50 While I like how the two feet prop the setup high enough
00:52 for it to fit a low profile soundbar beneath,
00:55 there's not much else that stands out
00:56 about the TV's simple look.
00:58 That's not to say the U8K looks cheap,
01:00 but Hisense's TV typically prioritized function over form.
01:04 On the back of the TV is a port array
01:06 that features four HDMI 2.1 ports.
01:09 That's impressive based on how much the U8K
01:11 will likely cost compared to this year's
01:13 premium mini LED TV.
01:15 What's more, the U8K has an ATSC 3.0 tuner
01:18 for next gen TV, which is something
01:20 even the LG C3 OLED TV lacks.
01:23 Hisense says it upped the number of local dimming zones
01:26 in the U8K, with the 65 inch configuration
01:28 sporting 1,008 zones, up from the 528 zones
01:32 on the previous gen U8H.
01:34 This should help with blooming,
01:35 while promising the same impressive brightness abilities
01:37 as last year's model.
01:39 We did see the 2022 U8H struggle with image banding
01:43 and upscaling in some instances,
01:45 so those are things that we'll pay close attention to
01:47 when we test the U8K in the lab.
01:50 We'll also need to take a closer look
01:52 at the TV's native 144 hertz panel,
01:55 which positions the U8K as possibly
01:57 a great gaming TV for this year.
01:59 It has auto low latency mode, variable refresh rate,
02:02 and AMD FreeSync Premium Pro.
02:04 As far as OS, the U8K's Google TV platform
02:07 should pack plenty of smart features and streaming apps.
02:10 The included TV remote features a number
02:12 of dedicated launchers for popular apps,
02:15 plus voice control via Google Assistant.
02:17 From what I've seen, the U8K could make
02:20 some first rate specs accessible
02:21 to more budget conscious customers.
02:23 Hisense hasn't announced specific pricing
02:26 and availability information for the U8K,
02:28 but if I were to guess, it should hit stores
02:30 alongside the rest of Hisense's 2023 TV lineup
02:33 in early summer, either June or July.
02:36 As for price, it would definitely surprise me
02:38 if Hisense deviated greatly from the $1,000 price tag
02:42 of the U8H 65 inch configuration,
02:45 but as I mentioned, the U8K will come
02:47 in an 85 inch configuration for the first time,
02:49 and this will likely cost somewhere
02:51 in the $2,000 to $2,500 ballpark.
02:54 Of course, we can't wait to get this in the lab
02:57 for testing to take a closer look
02:59 at the performance and other specs.
03:01 In the meantime, be sure to check us out
03:03 on social, Facebook, Instagram, Twitter,
03:04 and TikTok @tomsguide, and as always,
03:06 I'm @katekosich.
03:07 Thanks for watching, I'll catch you next time.
03:10 [BLANK_AUDIO]