Almost all high-quality TVs, and we mean the flagship solutions, with all “imaginable” functions are sold at exorbitant prices. This can be easily verified by looking at Samsung, Sony or LG. All of these brands have premium 4K TVs, but what’s their price tag?
Competing with competition, “on the other side of the barricades” are Hisense U7QF Quantum TVs. This new line of Hisense smart TVs has all the characteristics of other brands, but at a real price.
Of course, there is some controversy about the intricacies of OLED versus ULED models. And now it’s worth considering the Hisense 55U7QF Quantum HDR TV review. This is an example of a model without 8K, HDMI 2.1, and eARC, if you settle for a great picture without “next generation” features.
For only some $ 700, you can please yourself with a 65-inch version of Hisense 65U7QF and this is an amazing price for such a diagonal. Specifications according to the manufacturer can compete with more expensive models. But are the promises so true – let’s try to figure it out.
It should be noted right away that the models of this series are presented in different ways for different markets. For example, the Canadian version is Hisense Q8G series, the American version is Hisense H8G, for the European version it is Hisense U7QF. In addition, there will be differences in operating systems, TV signal reception standards and appearance.
Hisense 55U7QF: Design
The Hisense U7QF Quantum 4K series TVs, according to the manufacturer’s ideas, should divert attention from global brands. Of course, Hisense, as a representative of the Chinese brand, is having a hard time entering the US markets.
If the Hisense 55U7QF TV is supposed to be installed on a horizontal surface, then the stand at first seems fragile. But this is only an initial opinion. The stand is made of silver colored metal. For some markets, standard Y-feet are available and can be positioned closer to or further from the center of the screen.
The screen is framed on three sides by a very narrow bezel. The frame is wider at the bottom with the logo in the center. Anticipating a premium TV, it gives off a bezel-less design. The front panel is made of gray plastic. Back panel made of black plastic. The interface part is located on the left side of the Hisense 55U7QF TV.
Remote controller
For ease of use, Hisense has designed a basic remote control for the U7QF with many key features. But there are also remarks about the remote control. So the Home button is disguised and you first have to search for it a little. The main volume and channel controls are a bit small and hidden at the bottom. Was it really impossible to copy and paste the remote control from other brands …
The Menu button looks like three vertical lines (most likely, it should be so). There are four buttons at the bottom of the remote for Netflix, YouTube, Google Play, and Vudu. Sometimes the sound is muted when I press the Google Assistant button.
Smart TV platform
Hisense Q8G and Hisense H8G variants are full-featured TVs thanks to Google. Android TV is a powerful and popular operating system for modern Smart TVs. There is no problem with the initial setup, which takes about 15 minutes in total, including installing some of the “missing” applications.
For those unfamiliar with Android TV, the look and feel is almost the same as the Nvidia Shield TV. It’s practically Android on a smartphone with a flat design and flat colors. If your TV is on Android, then it’s convenient to add your Gmail account and use the full power of the Google Play Store.
For “third world countries”, the user interface of Hisense U7QF TVs is made on VIDAA U4.0 with the VEWD Internet browser. This OS is built on a Linux-like system and allows you to use some applications tailored for Android.
HD and 4K playback
From the point of view of HD video performance, there are no particular complaints or negative points. The video quality looks great, there is no problem with spotting or artifacts. The sound is quite real, without the annoyances that sometimes happen on TVs in this price range.
But global brands still give a head start to Hisense, although the HD U7QF copes with a bang. When it comes to 4K playback, the overall quality is amazing. Viewing the last “Jumanji …” can be noted by the magnificence of the picture. The small details are really impressive, as are the vibrant colors.
When you view the U7QF TV as a computer screen or when connected to an Xbox , the picture dynamics seem realistic. And this despite the fact that technically the matrix refresh rate is 60 Hz. For the most part, games and movies look ultra-sleek.
In terms of color and contrast, the Hisense H8G uses Dolby Vision HDR and what Hisense calls the wide color gamut of quantum dots. It helps to give video games, movies, and photographs a pleasingly colorful image. The difference from previous Hisense models, which do not use Quantum technology or Dolby Vision HDR, is obvious. The U7QF version is equipped with HDR 10 and HLG only.
On the other hand, the U7QF’s maximum brightness is capped at 700 nits, while the standard operating brightness is 400 nits. This figure is not as high as in the latest Samsung and LG models, but it is quite respectable and corresponds to the price. Obviously, peak brightness is important, but it is not really the main parameter of a 4K TV. Moreover, in the 55U7QF under review, bright colors were reproduced correctly.
Sound
The built-in audio experience is positive, although it can’t compete with a separate soundbar or surround speakers. Fortunately, the built-in sound system handles spoken dialogue beautifully.
Like most TVs, the U7QF’s built-in audio isn’t nearly as convincing for surround sound. This is directly related to the sound power of 2×10 watts. Only DTS Virtual-X is available to the user from the “enhancers”.
Connections
The interface part is quite standard. These are four HDMI 2.0 ports, some of them with ARC support. A pair of USB standard 2.0, USB 3.0 is not. The rest of the interfaces are presented in the Specifications section.
Conclusion
The Hisense 55U7QF has a lot of interesting things in terms of functionality, picture quality, sound and additional features.
In fact, the interface sometimes freezes or is slow, which definitely hurts the overall usability. Overall, the U7QF series are affordable and high-quality TVs, but don’t expect QLED or OLED quality at these prices.
