"Iridescent picture quality, especially for the price."
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Very good black levels
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High brightness
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Impressive contrast
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Solid HDR performance
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No support for HDMI 2.1 functions
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Requires moderate color correction
I'm still shocked at how great TVs under $ 1,000 can be these days. Time was, if you wanted premium picture quality from a 55- or 65-inch television, you'd spend at least $ 1,500 to $ 3,000.
The Hisense H8G Quantum is part of a new generation of TVs from China that are bursting the price models of competing brands. At $ 700, the 65-inch H8G Quantum looks like an almost ridiculously good value. But what about this picture quality?
To be honest, I've felt lukewarm about the last Hisense TVs I've checked. Recently the Hisense H8F worked well in bright rooms, but it lacked the deep black levels and vivid colors that I got from the TCL 6 series for the same price. The operating system was also sluggish and frustrating.
When I went into this H8G Quantum test, I hoped quantum dots, a more advanced backlight system, and Android TV could bring the H8G Quantum from good to great. Spoiler alert: I have not been disappointed.
Hisense H8G Quantum 4K HDR TV details
While we tested the 65-inch H8G model, our test also applies to the 55-inch, 75-inch, and 85-inch models.
| Screen size | Model number | RRP |
| 50 inches | 50H8G | $ 400 |
| 55 inches | 55H8G | $ 600 |
| 65 inches | 65H8G | $ 800 |
| 75 inches | 75H8G | $ 1500 |
Out of the box
Dan Baker / Digital Trends
I am pleasantly surprised by the aesthetics of the H8G Quantum. It has remarkably slim bezels and a fairly thin profile.
Like most TVs today, the TV stand consists of two blade feet. Unlike many TVs that offer a range of foot positions at the other end of the TV, the H8G Quantum also has a narrow placement option. If you choose the narrower set, the space requirement is about 36 inches wide and 9.7 inches from front to back. The wider stance, which offers more stability and honestly looks better, is just under 44 inches wide.
I am pleasantly surprised by the aesthetics of the H8G Quantum.
There are limited options for cable management. A simple cable clip is attached to the back of each stand.
The included remote control is an old-fashioned wand-style model with more buttons than you probably need. I'd love to see an update for a more modern remote, but I won't complain for $ 700.
properties
Dan Baker / Digital Trends
The H8G Quantum offers four HDMI 2.0 inputs, one of which supports ARC, but there is no eARC support. There is also no support for VRR (Variable Refresh Rate) or ALLM (Auto Low Latency Mode). Players should consider both features later next year with next generation consoles.
If you have older video components, there is a composite video input next to two analog audio inputs. All three cinch connections are integrated on the back of the TV. There is no need for a breakout cable and no support for component video connections, although the need for them quickly subsides.
Under the hood, the H8G Quantum has a VA LCD panel with a FALD backlighting system (Full Array Local Dimming). The combination of these two should help the TV achieve deeper black levels and minimize the halo effect that rings of light creates around bright objects on a dark background.
Using the VA panel also means that viewing from outside the angle doesn't look very good. The colors are washed out, the contrast is badly affected and you can see the backlight in action more easily – all very typical.
Dan Baker / Digital Trends
Hisense tried to solve these common problems with some kind of extended viewing angle, but I'm just telling you now that I don't think it works particularly well. Nevertheless, the H8G Quantum offers exactly the same performance as other televisions that have no additional layers to improve off-axis display.
Adding quantum dots should mean that the H8G Quantum not only offers a much wider range of colors, but also offers a richer HDR experience. Speaking of which, the H8G Quantum supports the HDR10, Dolby Vision and HLG HDR formats. Hisense also claims the TV supports HDR10 +, but I could never use it for Amazon Prime Video, which is my only source for that particular format. I don't think this is a TV fault, but a strange mistake.
As previously mentioned, the H8G Quantum runs Android TV and it runs surprisingly well. Android TV has been notoriously difficult to operate in the past, but I had no significant delay or lethargy.
performance
Dan Baker / Digital Trends
Full disclosure: The first H8G Quantum test sample Hisense sent me was defective. I'm not sure if the problem is related to the image processor, the panel, or both, but it didn't look right to me. I recorded my experience with this TV in this video and requested a replacement that was broadcast immediately. The defective device has been returned to Hisense for analysis, and I will update this review when Hisense reports to me about the exact error.
Hisense assures me that the problems I have had are not common, and I can confirm that there are no widespread reports of problems.
I am very impressed with the image quality of the H8G Quantum.
Within seconds of turning on the replacement pattern, I was able to determine that I had a properly functioning television. However, as I dug deeper, I began to suspect that the TV I had received might work a little too well in some ways. More on that in a moment.
In general, I am very impressed with the image quality of the H8G Quantum. Sitting in front of the TV, I was surprised at how well the backlight system controlled the dark areas around bright objects, especially in HDR mode. A popular test in the real world is watching a dark film with letterbox bars at the top and bottom of the picture while subtitles are activated. The white text at the bottom of the screen often colors the surrounding black bars medium dark gray, and although I've seen part of this effect, it has been impressively minimized.
Dan Baker / Digital Trends
The H8G Quantum I received is also able to achieve impressive brightness. Here I began to suspect that the TV I had received might perform better than expected for this model. According to Hisense, this television should output a maximum of 700 nits of peak brightness.
I measured the model I received using a SpectraCal C6 HDR colorimeter and Portrait Displays Calman 2020 color calibration software and got a peak brightness value of around 920 nits – significantly higher than Hisense's claimed and higher than that of values measured by other experts.
Commentators on YouTube have indicated that I may have received some kind of “juiced” or “optimized” television from Hisense, but I don't think this is the case. Not only did Hisense assure me that I had received a standard sample, I was doing a factory reset on all the TVs I checked before I rated them, and supposedly deleted any changes that were made to me before the TV was shipped. In short, I think I was lucky.
It was clear that the color was slightly different.
The feeling of hitting the jackpot with this TV continues in the fact that the sample I received has a flawless screen uniformity. When using a full color gray pattern, I did not see any vignetting or other dark spots on the screen. This TV has an extremely clean panel.
Not everything was great. Without taking any measurements, it was clear that the color was a little different. Not bad, just not exactly. Yellow seemed to be particularly intense, and I felt that the orange colors were also a bit overboard. After taking more measurements, I noticed that the blue pixels on the TV were too pronounced. I made a little adjustment and everything clicked into place.
Dan Baker / Digital Trends
The H8G Quantum is immediately very powerful in the modes Theater Day and Theater Night. Color could use some work, and if you're the type of person who values accurate color, consider some of the money you save on buying this TV and pay a professional calibrator to make some adjustments .
Otherwise, I think people will be amazed by the picture quality of this TV. The black tones are deep, the colors vivid and the HDR material is extremely pleasant to look at. The television looks vivid in a room with daylight and even better in a dark room for a movie night.
As for processing, I feel Hisense is making some progress. When viewing Netflix and Hulu's low bit rate content, the H8G Quantum was unable to clear the image as well as the Sony X900H. This is hardly a fair comparison, but the fact that the H8G is even in the stadium with a TV that is twice as expensive really says something.
Our opinion
The Hisense H8G is an impressive television, especially for the price. With sizes from 50 to 75 inches and prices from $ 380 to 1300, the H8G Quantum line offers a model that meets the needs of a wide range of TV buyers, especially those who want premium picture quality in a budget-friendly set.
Is there a better alternative?
At $ 700, I'm having trouble making comparisons until the Vizio and TCL TV casts arrive. I can say the H8G is well above its price range, and I suspect the IT models will outperform competitors like Samsung's TU8000 and LG's UN7300.
How long it will take?
I don't have enough years of experience with Hisense TVs to make a qualified judgment about how long this TV will last. However, I will say that Hisense's television track record in the US seems to be going in a positive direction.
warranty
Hisense grants a one-year warranty on parts and labor on the Hisense H8G Quantum. The guarantee is full of provisions. Read them carefully here.
Should you buy it
Yes. Most people will love the picture quality of this TV for the price. I wouldn't recommend it to avid gamers who are excited about the arrival of next generation consoles, but it is an extremely practical purchase for most users.
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