Have your eye on a Hisense TV in 2021? Now that the electronics maker has unveiled its 2021 TV range, there's plenty to ogle over and even purchase, with a number of new LCDs now on sale as well as laser televisions, and new 8K TVs and experimental Dual Cell models set to come later in the year.
Hisense is a TV brand with a lot of range. While it's mainly known for offering value LCD screens at aggressive price points, it also releases a number of high-spec models that are well worth a look.
It's a combination that has lured plenty of shoppers to Hisense in recent times, with the company now ranking fifth overall for TV sales in the US, and its scale quickly growing, largely thanks to the great value across the Hisense range.
In its May launch event, Hisense showed off a number of new screens detailed below, starting at budget $300 price points and going up into the thousands, depending on the size, model and panel technology of your choice – so don't say you don't have a lot of options.
Given Hisense opted out of the virtual CES 2021 expo earlier in the year, we've been waiting a while for firm details, but now we have them: pricing, sizing, specs, release dates, format support and all. This only applies to US models for now, but those of you in the UK, Australia or elsewhere can view information on 2020 models still on sale below, or check out our 'should I buy a Hisense TV guide', which has links to recent Hisense TV reviews to consider.
New Hisense TVs for 2021 (US)
Hisense U9DG Dual Cell Series (75-inch only): This high-end set comes with a pretty price tag, but it may be justified. Hisense has been teasing its Dual Cell technology for a few years now, pairing together a 4K grayscale screen with an HD 'luminance layer' for enhanced contrast and color – in a similar fashion to the quantum dot layer of its QLED TVs, perhaps, but with significantly different underlying technology.
The Hisense U9DG features two million local dimming zones, which on paper is a big step up from the tens of thousands of dimming zones on the latest Mini LED TVs – even if it pales in comparison to the per-pixel lighting of OLED screens. You'll get a 120Hz panel, up to 1,000 nits peak brightness, as well as a host of gaming features such as VRR, ALLM, FreeSync, and "high-speed HDMI ports" (which we hope refers to HDMI 2.1, for next-gen gaming capabilities).
- U9DG Series will be available mid-2021 for $3,499.99
Hisense U800GR 8K ULED (75-inch only): The U800GR is Hisense's debut 8K TV, packing in 33 million pixels as well as the beloved Roku smart TV platform and AI upscaling. It features Dolby Vision and Dolby Atmos too, and also 1,000 nits peak brightness – not as bright as new Samsung TVs, certainly, but a pinch higher than today's best OLED TVs. We reviewed the model when it soft-launched in Australia as the U80G, and we liked it very much indeed, praising the upscaling and functionality (even if the sound left a little to be desired).
- U800GR Series will be available Summer 2021 for $3,199.99
Hisense U8G ULED (available in 55, 65-inch): Other mid-range models include the Hisense U8G ULED, with 1,500 nits brightness, 4K resolution, Dolby Vision IQ (for calibrating brightness in response to ambient light), Dolby Vision and an anti-glare screen.
- U8G Series will be available May 2021 for $949.99 (55-inch) and $1,299.99 (65-inch)
Hisense U7G ULED gaming TV (available in 55, 65, 75-inch sizes): There's also a gamer-specific model called the Hisense U7G, with a 4K display and 120Hz panel, as well as HDMI 2.1, VRR, ALLM and Freesync Premium for high-spec video passthrough and anti-screen-tearing technologies.
- U7G Series will be available Summer 2021 for $749.99 (55-inch), $949.99 (65”) MSRP and $1399.99 (75-inch)
Hisense U6G ULED TV (available in 50, 55, 65, 75-inch sizes): The Hisense U6G is the lowest specified model in the new 4K TV lineup, making do with a 60Hz panel and 600 nits peak brightness, though it does pack in full array local dimming (rather than edge lighting) as well as Dolby Vision / Dolby Atmos format support.
- U6G Series is available now for $499.99 (50”), $549.99 (55-inch), $749.99 (65-inch) MSRP and $1,099.99 (75-inch)
Hisense A6G, R6 and R7 smart TVs (sizes from 43-inch to 75-inch): Some lower-spec models are also on their way, with the 'R' series sets presumably coming with the Roku TV OS, and the budget 'A' budget model starting at a meagre $299 for those a bit more strapped for cash. You can expect cheap processing, and we'd advise to opt for smaller sizes for screens this cheap, so as not to make any visual issues too glaring – but they offer a more accessible starting point than a lot of the more premium models above.
- A6 Series is available now for $299.99 (43-inch), $379.99 (50-inch), $429.99 (55-inch), $599.99 (65-inch) and $849.99 (75-inch)
- R6 Series will be available late 2021 for $399.99 (43-inch), $499.99 (50-inch), $599.99 (55-inch), $799.99 (65-inch) and $1099.99 (75-inch)
- R7 Series will be available late 2021 for $429.99 (43-inch), $529.99 (50-inch), $629.99 (55-inch) and $829.99 (65-inch)
Hisense L5F Laser Cinema (120-inch only): Hisense's projector-TV hybrid is still here, with 120-inch projection and 4K images on a paired projector screen, running on the Android TV platform. It is pricey (you may want to opt for a high-end projector like the Samsung Premiere for this amount of cash) but it's there for those wanting to be at the forefront of new, experimental AV technologies.
- L5 Laser Cinema is available now for $4999.99 (120-inch)
Hisense TV technology for 2021
So what technology is Hisense actually working with, and what makes it stand out from the competition?
The latest news is all about Dual Cell, a proprietary panel technology that pairs a 4K grayscale display with a 'luminance layer' to add color to proceedings. It's certainly a curious idea, and since Hisense ditched OLED after the pretty disastrous Hisense O8B, this seems to be its next big bet. It's leaning into 8K resolution displays too with the new U80G 8K ULED, which is certainly a promising debut and may well pave the way for more 8K screens in future Hisense ranges.
Hisense also appears to have big plans for its laser TV range, saying that the tech is the future of home entertainment, calling it a “more natural way for human eyes” to watch TV, with reduced amounts of red light to contend with, alongside greater energy efficiency – with reportedly 40% less energy consumption than LCD sets of the same size.
In 2019, sales of laser TVs grew 107% in China, making it the fastest-growing TV category in the country. However, it’s always easier to increase a small number of sales than a large one, and there just isn't the sample size or mass market penetration to confidently say where laser TVs are going.
Hisense appears to be sticking with laser tech with its L5F model for 2021, which keeps the 120-inch projection of previous models but at a (slightly) lower price point of $4,999 (rather than $5,999), suggesting it should become more affordable over time.
Although lots of the Hisense TV tech seems flashy, and erm, laser-y, there are some more mundane developments regarding smart platforms that may hold the most promise for the TV maker – with more sets using the brilliant Roku OS, also found on streaming devices like the Roku Express and Roku Premiere.
Hisense tends to use Android TV for the interface on its more budget TVs, and its own propriety Vidaa U platform for fancier sets that carry more of the weight of the Hisense brand – the latter is pretty zippy, even if there are a few odd blind spots around picture settings and screensavers.
You'll find both Dolby Vision and HDR10+ HDR formats on these TVs, too, and Hisense tends to pack them into more mid-priced sets than some of the competition.
Hisense TV 2020 (US): what came out last year?
L5 Series (available in 100 inches): First up, there's the L5 Laser TV. This is the follow-up to 2018’s L10E, retaining the same innovative form factor that teams a display screen with an ultra-short throw projector for precise image control.
The L5 is slightly dimmer than the previous model, at 2,600 lumens rather than the L10E’s 3,000 lumens, and uses a simpler Android TV smart platform rather than Hisense’s Vidaa U interface, as well as a smaller color gamut, but the reduced cost should compensate for the slight drop in performance.
XD9G Series (available in 65 inches): We’ll also see another ULED set, the XD9G ULED, making use of Hisense’s Dual Cell panel, which fuses a 2K and 4K panel together for enhanced contrast, and boasts ‘rival contrast’ to OLED at a lower price. We’ll have to see if the XD9G ULED (the ‘XD’ stands for ‘extreme detail’) can meet those standards when it releases in late 2020.
H9G Quantum Series (available in 55, 65 inches): Hisense’s H Series of ULEDs will get some new models, with a H9G Quantum follow-up to the H9F.
H8G Quantum Series (available in 50, 55, 65, 75 inches): There's also an H8G successor to the H8F, with similar ‘quantum’ contrast tech.
H65G Series (available in 43, 50, 55, 65, 75, 85 inches): Later in the year we'll see the H65G: a less advanced 4K models with the Android smart platform and without ULED enhancements. The ‘65’ confusingly don’t refer to screens sizes, though.
H55G Series (available in 32, 43 inches): A downgrade to the above, with a 2K screen and more compact sizing options, for those with smaller needs.
Hisense R8F Roku TV (available in 55, 65 inches): Dolby Atmos enabled 4K TV with Roku operating system. Retailing for $499 for the 55-inch and $699 for the 65-inch.
Hisense TV 2020 (UK): what came out last year?
Hisense U8QF ULED (available in 55, 65 inches): The charge is being led by the U8QF, which Hisense is calling its "flagship model" for 2020. It's predictable a ULED TV – Hisense's premium TV label – which packs in a quantum dot filter for enhanced contrast, as well as support for HDR10+, HLG, and Dolby Vision HDR.
The distinguishing feature, though, is a front-firing JBL speaker, which is built into the television itself. The U8QF is retailing at £1,099 for the 55-inch and £1,699 for the 65-inch size.
Hisense U7QF ULED (available in 50, 55, 65 inches): The Dolby Atmos-enabled U7QF, for one, will come in 50-inch, 55-inch, and 65-inch sizes, though currently only the 55-inch model is currently on sale – for £899. Expect the same HDR support as above, but without the built-in JBL speaker.
Hisense A7500F (available in 43, 50 inches): Another Dolby Vision HDR TV, coming with DTS Virtual: X technology for clearer dialogue output, as well as a dedicated Game Mode – which keeps input lag under 20ms. Starting at just £449 for a 43-inch model.
Hisense AE7400F (available in 43, 50, 55, 65 inches): An iteration on the above, with DTS Virtual: X but not the Game Mode. £599 for a 55-inch model, and £899 for 65-inch. Expect HDR10+ and Dolby Vision both to be supported.
Hisense A7300F (available in 43, 50, 55 inches): A 4K TV with a dedicated Sports Mode and built-in Alexa. Pricing not yet confirmed.
Hisense A7100F (available in 58, 70, 75 inches): Equivalent specs to above. Pricing not yet confirmed.
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Hisense TV 2021: every Dual Cell, ULED and Laser TV you can buy - TechRadar
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