The Roku TV interface is easy to navigate, but we experienced some lag when making selections during our testing (Image credit: Future)
The Roku Streaming Stick Plus has a lot to commend it. It’s very affordable, compact enough to take on the road, and power-efficient enough to run off a USB port on the back of a TV. Its only flaw, and it’s kind of a big one, is that there’s a little lag when navigating menus, possibly due to its older Wi-Fi standard. However, there are no performance issues once you get a show or movie streaming.
The Roku Streaming Stick Plus is ideal for someone on a budget or who wants a streamer that can tuck behind a mounted TV. If performance is a top priority, though, the more expensive Roku Ultra (2024), which I think is among the best streaming devices available right now, is worth the upgrade.
When first unboxing the Roku Streaming Stick Plus, it’s almost surprising how small it is. Measuring just 3.7 x 0.80 x 0.45 inches, it’s dwarfed by the Roku Voice Remote it comes with.
Since it’s so small, it has just an HDMI male port on one end for plugging directly into a TV and a USB-C female port situated on the other end for power. There’s also a very small reset button on the same end as the USB-C port.
Interestingly, the Roku Streaming Stick Plus doesn’t come with a power supply. Instead, it only comes with a cable with a USB-A port on the other end. The idea is that this streaming stick is so efficient that it draws all the power it needs from the powered USB port on the back of a TV – a pretty cool concept as you don’t see any of the device when looking at the TV.
The Roku’s Voice Remote is not the company’s best remote – that belongs to the Roku Voice Remote Pro (2nd edition) that comes with the Roku Ultra (2024) streaming box and the Roku Pro Series TVs – but it ticks all the usual boxes. It feels nice the way Roku remotes do with their rounded back, and there are separate Play / Pause buttons instead of the wheel of inputs a lot of remotes have these days. There are App buttons for various streaming services and, most importantly, there’s the voice command button, which lets you talk into the remote.
The Roku Streaming Stick Plus comes with a USB cable and a remote with a voice control option (Image credit: Future)
Now, performance is where the Roku Streaming Stick Plus can suffer a little bit. Before I discuss that, I do want to say that once I got something started and was streaming in 4K, there were no issues such as stuttering or other artifacts.
When first getting past setup, I started browsing the apps, and there was a small lag moving from tile to tile or from menu entry to entry. Though that was the worst, I still noticed a very short delay. This could be because the Roku Streaming Stick Plus uses the somewhat dated Wi-Fi 5 (802.11ac) standard. Also, its processor could be underpowered.
As far as the Roku interface goes, it’s the same standard layout the company uses for all its streaming products. It’s a tile-first view, where you browse various apps instead of recommended content from those apps as you would with a Google or Alexa streaming device. (There is a small selection of suggestions at the top of the interface, however.)
The Roku ecosystem has plenty of free content, offering 500 different channels along with the Roku Channel. There’s even a general Sports tab in the menu.
If you want to use the Roku Streaming Stick Plus for streaming movies, be aware that it doesn’t support every feature. It can stream in 4K with HDR10+, HDR10, and HLG high dynamic range, but it does not support Dolby Vision. On the smart home front, it supports Roku Smart Home, Apple HomeKit, Alexa, and Google Home. Also worth mentioning is that it will pass through Dolby encoded audio and DTS digital surround.
The Roku Streaming Stick Plus can be fully powered by a TV's USB-A port (Image credit: Future)
Roku Streaming Stick Plus: Price and release date
$39.99 / £39.99 (about AU$70)
Released April 2025
The Roku Streaming Stick Plus is affordably priced for a 4K streaming stick, selling for just $39.99 / £39.99 (about AU$70). Compare that to the Roku Ultra (2024), which goes for $99.99 (about £80 / AU$150).
The Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K Max (2023) is similar in a lot of ways, but uses the Alexa ecosystem and supports Dolby Vision. It’s also bigger despite having the same form factor. (When reviewing The Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K Max, I remember having to use the included dongle as the Fire TV Stick was too bulky to fit directly into my TV’s HDMI port.) Amazon’s streaming stick is priced much higher at $59.99 / £69.99 / AU$119, but it’s regularly discounted to around for the same price as the Roku Streaming Stick Plus.
If you want to go as cheap as possible, Roku also has the Roku Streaming Stick that only goes up to 1080p (HD) resolution, skipping out on 4K and HDR support. It’s a bit cheaper at $29.99 / £29.99, so if you have an older TV, it might be worth it to save the ten bucks.
The Streaming Stick Plus's Voice Remote isn't as sophisticated as the one included with the Roku Ultra, but it gets the job done (Image credit: Future)
Should you buy the Roku Streaming Stick Plus?
Roku Streaming Stick Plus
Attributes
Notes
Rating
Features
4K and HDR10+, HDR10, HLG, and Dolby Atmos support but no Dolby Vision
4 / 5
Performance
Lags just a bit when browsing, which makes it feel a little underpowered.
4 / 5
Design
Not only is it really small, but it can draw power from your TV, eliminating the need for a power cable.
4.5 / 5
Value
This streaming device might be Roku’s best value proposition, with its low price and 4K / HDR support.
4.5 / 5
Buy it if...
You want 4K on a budget The Roku Streaming Stick Plus is one of the cheapest ways to get streaming in 4K. Go any cheaper and you’ll be stuck with 1080p (HD) options.
You want to hide your streaming player The Roku Streaming Stick Plus hides discreetly behind your TV, even drawing power from it, so you won’t even notice that it’s there.
You want to be in the Roku ecosystem If you’ve used Roku devices before, you know the company’s ecosystem. This is a very affordable way to stay current with the Roku interface.
Don't buy it if...
You want the most robust streaming device The Roku Streaming Stick Plus is efficient, but it’s not the most powerful, using an older Wi-Fi standard. If you want the fastest Roku streamer, go with a Roku Ultra.
You don’t have a TV that supports 4K If your TV is a little older and doesn’t support 4K, save a little money and get the entry-level model from Roku or one of its competitors.
Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K (2023) review: Also consider
Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K Max (2023) If you have a whole host of Alexa smart home products and want to stick with first-party options, the Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K Max (2023) is almost as discreet as the Roku Streaming Stick Plus. It’s fast enough with Wi-Fi6E support, not to mention Dolby Vision, HDR10+, and Dolby Atmos support. It is very Prime-centric, however, showing ads for Prime content every time it’s on idle.
The Roku Ultra (2024) is a bit more expensive and larger, so it can’t easily be tucked away behind the TV. But the Ultra is Roku’s best and most robust streaming device, and it supports just about every feature, including Dolby Vision, and comes with the company’s best remote.
I used the Roku Streaming Stick Plus regularly for a weekend, just enough to see everything it can do. I used it with free Roku content and popular third-party apps like Max. I also spent time testing the remote and its various functions.
I’ve tested a lot of tech gear over the years from laptops to keyboards and speakers, and so have been able to use my expertise towards giving an honest and fair opinion, not to mention a critical eye, to any product I test.
The Hisense C2 Ultra is an impressive 4K projector that delivers sensational visuals, boasts impressive sound output and features a user-friendly operating system that provides access to the best streaming services. While it requires mains power, it’s small and light enough to be considered portable, which means not only can it be considered one of the best 4K projectors, but one of the best portable projectors too.
Key to the C2 Ultra’s success in projecting excellent images is its triple-laser projection system, which combines red, blue and green light sources. This system can not only go incredibly bright – Hisense says it’s rated for a peak brightness of 3000 ANSI lumens – but also covers a wide color spectrum, 110% of the BT.2020 color space, to be precise. Dolby Vision, HDR10+, HDR10 and HLG HDR formats are all supported, and it's IMAX Enhanced.
The results are outstanding, with content appearing vibrant and punchy, and contrast levels are good too, giving images great depth. It’s not only in bright, colorful scenes where the C2 Ultra excels though, as it also serves up deep blacks and is more than capable where shadow detail is concerned. If you were ever of the notion that a projector still isn’t a genuinely viable alternative to a TV, particularly outside of home movie nights, then the Hisense C2 Ultra bucks that trend in a big way.
What took me most by surprise upon my first use of the C2 Ultra was the audio performance from the built-in 2.1 channel speaker system tuned by JBL. I had the unit set up in my spare bedroom on a stand, just to the right of the bed and my viewing position. When I was watching movies, the sound appeared to be coming from the opposite wall and not blasting straight in my ears as I had expected, resulting in a much more immersive experience. The speaker system can go loud while still retaining a good amount of detail. Dialog comes through clearly, while the subwoofer can go low, which helps a lot during high-octane scenes such as explosions or rumbling car engines.
(Image credit: Future / Max Langridge)
I think it’s a good-looking unit too and one that’s impeccably built. The main projector housing can not only be moved around a full 360º to suit your specific viewing position, but it can also move upwards to a maximum of 135º to project images onto higher surfaces.
The C2 Ultra’s Vidaa OS is by far the most accomplished projector operating system I’ve personally come across. Not only is it intuitive to use right out of the box, but it also provides access to virtually all of the main streaming apps you’re likely to want. Android-based projector systems can often fall foul of not offering such wide support and often require workarounds to get some of the more popular apps. Hisense’s OS also offers a number of picture adjustment settings to help you achieve the best overall image.
Finally, it’s a great option for gamers. Not only is it ‘Designed for Xbox’ certified, but it features a 240Hz gaming mode to help with particularly fast-paced gaming action.
Its list price may initially make you think it’s expensive, but considering its capabilities rival most TVs and the fact it can project an image up to 300 inches in size, then it suddenly presents itself as a certified bargain.
Hisense C2 Ultra review: Price & availability
Release date: October 2024 (March 2025 in Australia)
Price: $2,999 / £2,499 / AU$4,499
Can already be found with discounts
The Hisense C2 Ultra was announced in October 2024 and went on sale in the US and UK at the same time, but didn’t arrive in Australia until March 2025. At launch, it was listed at $2,999.99 in the US, £2,499 in the UK and AU$4,499 in Australia.
However, it’s already received discounts worldwide, so you can now feasibly expect to pay around $2,499 / £2,299 / AU$3,999. I’ve also spotted select retailers offering the option of a free projector screen with the purchase of a shiny new C2 Ultra, should you wish to go down the ‘full’ home cinema route.
The C2 Ultra is more expensive than two of our favorite portable 4K projectors, the BenQ GP520 and Anker Nebula Cosmos Laser 4K. However, the Hisense machine is objectively brighter than either of its competitors, offers greater gaming and HDR support and is more forgiving in where it’s positioned thanks to its gimbal design.
Value score: 4.5/5
Hisense C2 Ultra review: Design & features
Semi-portable design
Excellent Vidaa OS software
Good selection of connections
The Hisense C2 Ultra is the replacement model to the C1, but you would only really know that based on the model number. Design-wise, the two projectors are worlds apart. Where the Hisense C1 was a boxy affair, the C2 Ultra is much sleeker with rounded corners and a circular base that plays home to the speaker system’s subwoofer.
The main projection unit is mounted onto a gimbal stand that allows you to move and tilt it in virtually any direction you wish. Hisense says it can tilt up to a 135º angle, but technically it can swing to a full 180º and still project an image. I can only assume the company doesn’t expect owners to want to look directly above them to view content, with the 135º angle being more comfortable.
(Image credit: Future / Max Langridge)
It is a portable projector, although the term portable should be used loosely. Not only does the C2 Ultra rely solely on mains power to work (the cord integrates a power brick too), it is still quite a sizable unit. At least, it’s sizable when compared to truly portable lifestyle projectors such as the Xgimi MoGo 3 Pro and Samsung The Freestyle, which both adopt a much smaller, cylindrical design that allows them to be slipped into a bag.
The main projector housing measures 9.7 x 7.1 x 9.7 inches (24.7 x 18.3 x 24.7 cm), but with the stand included, the total height increases to 11.3 inches (28.6cm). And coming in at a relatively lightweight 6.3kg, I can’t see many people having too much issue moving it around.
The whole unit is finished in a gun-metal gray color that shines pleasantly in the light. It features a number of ventilation panels on the front, sides and underside, while a large grille dominates the rear of the unit to help ensure everything remains cool when the projector is in use. The ventilation system certainly works as I noticed barely a murmur from the fans during use.
Sitting above the rear ventilation grille is a series of connections, including two HDMI 2.1 ports, one of which supports an Auto Low Latency Mode (ALLM) and eARC for connecting to an external soundbar or home theater system. The other can be used to connect, say, a media streaming device. You’ll also find 2x USB-A 3.0 inputs, a 3.5mm audio out and a digital optical audio out, along with an Ethernet port for a more stable, wired internet connection. However, thanks to Wi-Fi 6E support, I never had any major issues streaming wirelessly.
(Image credit: Future / Max Langridge)
On the front is where the true magic happens. The projector lens is protected by a thin layer of what I presume to be glass, helping to prevent the lens itself getting covered in dust and debris. You will still, however, likely want to give this protective layer the occasional wipe to keep it clean – there’s no motorized cover as you’ll find on the likes of the Xgimi Aura 2.
There are also a few sensors to aid with autofocusing and to facilitate an eye-protection feature that will automatically switch the light off when it detects someone in front of it to prevent it shining into their eyes. It’s incredibly sensitive, which you may or may not think is a good thing. I ultimately left it turned off during my testing and made a conscious effort to not look into the light whenever I walked past it.
(Image credit: Future / Max Langridge)
One of the standout features of the lens is its optical zoom capability, which promises to retain image quality if you zoom in or out – making the image smaller or larger – without needing to move the main unit. If you have the projector set up at a far distance opposite your projection surface, for example, which would naturally cause the image to be large, you can zoom in to decrease the size while not affecting the quality.
For the most part, I imagine the majority of owners will simply rely on the autofocus and auto-keystone adjustment settings (and potentially the manual adjustment settings) to get the best picture. I was projecting onto a white wall but, whenever I ran the auto keystone adjustment, the results were less than satisfactory. The image was totally skewed, meaning I had to go into the manual four-point adjustment settings to fix things up. I would like to believe that the same issue wouldn’t occur if you’re projecting onto a dedicated screen, but I didn’t have one to test this out.
Hisense’s Vidaa OS is used on the C2 Ultra, which I found to be exceptional. It was also a pleasant surprise, considering the company’s own, rather excellent PX3-Pro uses the Google TV OS instead. The home page is clearly laid out, albeit chock full of ads, and all the major streaming apps are supported, along with a plethora of others for those who wish to seek out less-mainstream content.
(Image credit: Future / Max Langridge)
The Hisense C2 Ultra has impressive high dynamic range support, including Dolby Vision, HDR10+, HDR10, HLG and IMAX Enhanced. It also supports 3D images and audio, but you’ll need optional 3D eyewear to take advantage.
Full control of the C2 Ultra is done via the remote control. The previous C1 did have onboard buttons, but they’ve seemingly been dropped this time around. The remote is a good one, boasting a satisfying weight and premium feel. Buttons are clearly laid out, although I would have preferred the settings button to feature the more widely used cog icon, as opposed to what could be mistaken for a shopping list. It supports voice control and features quick keys for Netflix, YouTube, Prime Video and Disney+.
(Image credit: Future / Max Langridge)
Design & features score: 5/5
Hisense C2 Ultra review: Picture & sound quality
Excellent color and brightness
Comprehensive HDR support and 240Hz mode for gamers
Superb sound output
The Hisense C2 Ultra produces fantastic images from its tri-color laser projection system that will not only give you a true home cinema experience, but which can comfortably rival many of the best TVs to make it your sole media viewing device.
Despite it claiming a peak brightness of 3,000 lumens, it naturally performs at its absolute best when the room is as dark as possible, but I found that even with some ambient light coming into my test room, I was still able to watch unaffected.
I even turned the overhead lights on to see how it fared, and while color and contrast took an obvious knock, the image was still bright enough for me to be able to watch. I wouldn’t expect many people to use the C2 Ultra in such bright conditions, but it’s good to know it is truly capable of holding its own against pesky light.
(Image credit: Future / Max Langridge)
The C2 Ultra’s vast array of HDR support options makes recently released movies such as Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire and even older, remastered movies such as Blade look fantastic in Dolby Vision, as well as TV shows such as Fallout in HDR10+. It will even support IMAX Enhanced content from Disney+, but I wasn’t able to test this since I don’t have a subscription – the price increases became too much to justify!
I was especially impressed with animated movies – the triple-laser system in combination with the C2 Ultra’s wide color support meant they were presented with outstanding color. I should note that the images included with this review don’t quite do the picture quality justice – you have to see it in reality to be impressed. The images are plagued by a peculiar pink hue that’s definitely not present in the image projected onto the wall.
The C2 Ultra supports screen sizes from 65 to 300 inches and I managed approximately an 80-inch image for my testing. The larger the image gets, the higher the likelihood of a drop in picture quality. This is where the optical zoom can come into play, allowing you to make easy adjustments rather than having to physically move the whole unit closer to the screen or rely on digital zoom, which can often not yield good results.
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Gamers also have reasons to get excited about the C2 Ultra as it features a dedicated game mode to help lower input lag, and it can enable a 2K/240Hz mode for super-smooth gameplay. It’s also ‘Designed for Xbox’ – the world’s first mini projector to lay claim to the title, says Hisense – meaning it will automatically apply optimum settings regardless of game genre when it detects a signal from an Xbox console.
I don’t own an Xbox, so I couldn't test this, but I was able to enjoy smooth gameplay from my PS5, with the fast movements of Spider-Man 2 being handled with expert authority.
Audio performance is another highlight in the C2 Ultra’s repertoire. Its 2.1 channel JBL system kicks out a surprising amount of bass, vocal clarity and immersion, aided by the fact it supports Dolby Atmos and DTS Virtual:X 3D sound formats. If the content you’re watching is encoded with Dolby Atmos, then you won’t get a true reproduction, owing to the lack of physical channels, but the performance is better than what I’ve heard from many TVs. Just note, while I was certainly impressed with the overall performance considering the projector’s size, it’s not the widest soundstage, nor is there a genuine sense of height – compared to other projectors I’ve tested, however, it comes out on top.
Of course, owners wanting a more authentic home cinema experience will want to add a fully-fledged theater system or one of the best soundbars, but casual users should find little to fault.
(Image credit: Future / Max Langridge)
Picture & sound quality score: 4.5/5
Hisense C2 Ultra review: Value
Versatile with placement
Pricey, but packed with features
The Hisense C2 Ultra isn’t the most affordable projector at $2,999 / £2,499 / AU$4,499, but given the fact I’ve already seen it come down in price since launch, I think it makes for a compelling investment. It’s more affordable than Hisense’s own PX3-Pro, although that projector has the benefit of being an ultra-short throw model, potentially making it easier to place in your room.
However, given the C2 Ultra’s default, relatively short 0.9:1 throw ratio, you can get a decently large image from a short distance. Plus, the fact it has an optical zoom and a wealth of picture adjustment settings should make it easy for anyone to set up in their room.
Then factor in its comprehensive HDR support, truly stunning images, impressive audio delivery and an intuitive interface, and there’s no doubt that it’s not only a remarkable projector, but a worthy rival to TVs.
Value score: 4.5/5
Should you buy the Hisense C2 Ultra?
Attribute
Notes
Rating
Design & features:
A good-looking package that’s brimming with useful features, connections and a great OS.
5/5
Picture & sound quality:
Bright, colorful images make it usable in virtually any lighting condition, and the built-in sound system is better than most TV speakers.
4.5/5
Value:
Not quite impulse-buy price, but ticks all the boxes where picture quality, features and versatility are concerned.
4.5/5
Buy it if...
You want a moveable projector
OK, so truly portable is a bit of a stretch, but the C2 Ultra can be picked up and moved around wherever you want thanks to its compact build and wealth of automatic picture adjustment settings. It still needs mains power to work though.
You want an affordable alternative to a big-screen TV
TVs with screen sizes 80 inches and above can cost a significant chunk of change. The C2 Ultra can produce much bigger image sizes for about the same or even less money. View Deal
Don't buy it if...
You watch movies and TV shows in brightly lit rooms
The Hisense C2 Ultra does fare well against overhead lights, but the fact remains, as with virtually all projectors, that it performs to its best ability in dimly lit rooms. View Deal
You want a truly portable projector
Going against my earlier point, if you want a projector you can take away on holiday or outside, you’ll want to look for one that’s smaller and/or can run on battery power.View Deal
Also consider
Hisense C2 Ultra
BenQ GP520
LG CineBeam Q
Price:
$2,999 / £2,499 / AU$4,499
$1,499 / £1299 / AU$ 2,199
$1,299 / £1,299 / AU$2,499
Screen sizes supported:
65-300 inches
50-180 inches
50-120 inches
Brightness (specified)
3,000 ANSI lumens
2,600 lumens
500 ANSI lumens
HDR support:
Dolby Vision, HDR10+, HDR10, HLG
HDR10+, HLG
HDR10, HLG
Display technology:
RGB laser DLP
LED DLP
RGB laser DLP
Resolution:
4K (3,840 x 2,160)
4K (3,840 x 2,160)
4K (3,840 x 2,160)
Connections
2x HDMI 2.1 (1 with eARC), 2x USB-A, 1x S/PDIF, Ethernet, 1x 3.5mm, Bluetooth 5.3
2x HDMI 2.1 (1 with eARC), 1x USB-C (DP Out, DP In, 2x USB-A 1x 3.5mm
HDMI, USB-C (display, power)
BenQ GP520
It’s a similar size to the C2 Ultra, offers similar connectivity and supports 4K content, but its HDR support isn’t as vast and it can’t go as bright. But it is cheaper.
If you’re on a tighter budget but still want a portable 4K projector, the LG CineBeam Q is a fine choice. It does still require mains power like the C2 Ultra, but its smaller size makes trips out of the house a more viable option.
Tested at home in a variety of real-world viewing conditions
Watched a variety of content including streaming and 4K Blu-ray
I tested the Hisense C2 Ultra at home in a variety of real-world conditions, which saw it being faced with in-room lighting, natural light coming into the room and with no light at all. It was tested against a bare white wall for the duration of the review period, with an 80-inch image being achieved. I also tested the optical zoom function to see if and how it affected image quality.
I watched a range of 4K HDR and HD content from built-in streaming services, as well as using the 4K Blu-ray player in the PS5.
The Samsung 65S90F TV I tested features the brand’s quantum dot approach to OLED technology. It doesn’t push the brightness of this relatively new take on the best OLED TV tech as hard as the flagship Samsung S95F OLED TV does, but that doesn’t stop it from delivering a big improvement over last year’s Samsung S90D – a level of improvement that makes it arguably the most all-round attractive TV in Samsung’s 2025 TV range once you’ve taken value into account.
Movie fans will be in awe at the Samsung 65S90F’s phenomenal contrast and light control, which finds stunningly deep black levels (provided you’re not shining some sort of spotlight at the screen…) balanced with highlights that hit levels of intensity we once thought OLED would never achieve.
Samsung’s approach to OLED technology also helps the 65S90F deliver incredibly vivid colors, while its latest NQ4 AI Gen3 Processor ensures that there’s much more subtlety and nuance in the way these fantastically rich tones are used to create more natural, three-dimensional pictures than its already illustrious predecessor managed.
Gamers are in for a treat with the 65S90F too, as it delivers such console and PC-friendly features as support for 4K at up to 144Hz, variable refresh rates across all four of its HDMI 2.1 ports, and one of the fastest response times I've ever seen from a TV.
Its Tizen smart system is packed with content and increasingly easy to use, too, and notwithstanding the occasional bass fumble, the 65S90F even manages to sound good despite its ultra-slim design.
Add to all this the fact that the 65-inch S90F costs hundreds less than its flagship S95F sibling, and it starts to become seriously hard to resist. But let me point out that this review and the performance figures only apply to the 65-inch version – at other sizes, instead of a QD-OLED panel, you may get a W-OLED panel, with different performance.
Samsung S90F series: Prices and release date
The mid-range Samsung S90F brings the picture benefits of QD-OLED to a lower price point (Image credit: Future)
Release date: April 2025
42-inch: $1,299 / £N/A / AU$1,799
48-inch: $1,499 / £1,499 / AU$2,499
55-inch: $1,799 / £1,899 / AU$3,299
65-inch: $2,499 / £2,699 / AU$4,299
77-inch: $3,499 / £3,799 / AU$5,999
83-inch: $5,399 / £5,999/ AU$7,999
The 65-inch S90F was released worldwide during April 2025. It sits in the second tier of Samsung’s 2025 OLED TV range, below the significantly brighter and more expensive S95F flagship series.
Its $2,499 / £2,699 / AU$4,299 pricing places it right at the heart of today’s upper mid-range TV marketplace, and pitches it squarely against such key rivals as the LG C5 and Samsung’s premium mini-LED TV for 2025, the Samsung QN90F.
The sizes above are the official prices for the other options in the S90F model range, but again, we're only focusing on the 65-inch here.
Samsung S90F 65-inch review: Specs
Screen type:
QD-OLED
Refresh rate:
144Hz
HDR support:
HDR10+, HDR10, HLG
Audio support:
Dolby Atmos, Eclipsa Audio
Smart TV:
Tizen 9.0
HDMI ports:
4 x HDMI 2.1
Built-in tuner:
ATSC 1.0 (US)
Samsung 65S90F review: Benchmark results
Samsung S90F 65-inch review: Features
The S90F has four HDMI 2.1 ports with 4K 144Hz support for gaming (Image credit: Future)
4K quantum dot OLED TV
HDR10, HLG and HDR10+ HDR support
Gaming support up to 4K 144Hz with VRR
For many AV fans, the 65S90F’s key appeal will be getting Samsung’s QD-OLED technology for substantially less money than the brand’s S95F flagship OLED costs.
The attraction of QD-OLED technology is that it delivers red, green and blue colors without the additional white element used by traditional OLED screens, yet still manages to at least match those ‘WRGB’ OLEDs when it comes to high dynamic range-friendly brightness for video and gaming content.
The tech has already delivered some truly spectacular picture quality results since Samsung first launched the technology back in 2022, including multiple TV of the Year award-winners.
Samsung claims to have improved the performance of the 65S90F over its S90D predecessor with increased brightness and more granular control of its QD-OLED panel, as well as an upgraded NQ4 AI Gen 3 processor.
This is stated to run NPU and GPUs that are twice as fast as the ones used in Samsung’s step-down S85F OLEDs, as well as a 17% faster CPU, while introducing new AI-driven picture and sound elements on the back of a 6.4 times increase in the number of neural networks the TV carries.
The 65S90F’s sound also benefits from Samsung’s OTS technology, which, despite the TV only having a 2.1-channel speaker configuration, uses clever audio processing to try and make sounds appear to be coming from the correct part of the screen. Or even the precise area beyond the screen’s edges if that’s what an audio mix dictates.
If you partner the 65S90F with a Samsung soundbar, you get the additional advantage of Samsung’s Q-Symphony feature, where the speakers in the TV join forces with those in the soundbar (rather than being replaced by them) to deliver a larger center channel sound with more accurate detail placement.
The 65S90F’s connections are outstanding for a mid-range TV, dominated as they are by a set of four HDMI ports that are all built to cope with the latest gaming features of 4K 120Hz feeds (actually 4K 144Hz is supported via Samsung’s Motion Xcelerator technology), variable refresh rates (including both AMD FreeSync Premium Pro and Nvidia G-Sync, with the latter coming in a software update), and auto game mode switching.
All of that is backed up by both a dedicated gaming hub within the TV’s Tizen operating system and a specific game monitoring and adjustment menu, but more on this later.
As ever with Samsung TVs, the 65S90F’s HDR support includes the ‘core’ HDR10 and HLG formats, as well as the premium HDR10+ system that adds extra scene-by-scene image data to help compatible displays deliver more accurate and punchy results.
This HDR10+ support extends to the Adaptive version that can adjust its output to compensate for ambient light conditions, and HDR10+ gaming.
Samsung continues, though, not to support the Dolby Vision HDR format on its TVs.
One other thing the 65S90F does not have is one of the potent anti-glare screen filters sported by Samsung’s S95F flagship OLED TVs and some of its 2025 premium LCD TVs.
That doesn’t mean the 65S90F’s screen is so reflective that it often or severely gets between you and the TV’s outstanding picture quality in a regular living room set up, though. And while I personally have a lot of time for Samsung’s anti-glare TV filters, some people actually prefer a slightly glossy screen, and for those people, the 65S90F is therefore a potentially great QD-OLED alternative to the S95F.
Features Score: 5/5
Samsung S90F 65-inch review: Picture quality
The S90F's above-average brightness makes it good for bright room viewing, though it lacks the anti-reflective screen coating found in the flagship S95F (Image credit: Future)
Exceptional contrast
Rich, pure RGB colors
No viewing angle limitations
Despite not being the flagship 65-inch model from Samsung’s 2025 OLED range, the 65S90F still delivers a gorgeously potent demonstration of what the latest QD-OLED panels are capable of.
Its light control and contrast are particularly phenomenal. The ability of each pixel in any OLED screen to deliver its own brightness and color entirely independently of its neighbors always gives OLED TVs an instant and important area of advantage with home theater fans, of course – but for the vast majority of the time the 65S90F manages to combine the sort of phenomenally inky, deep black tones expected of OLED TVs with brighter HDR image highlights than its S90D predecessor managed.
And that’s while also revealing substantially more consistently visible shadow detail in the darkest image corners – it's better in both bright and dark scenes.
Its brightness sees the 65S90F managing to reach as high as 1,500 nits on a 10% white HDR test window – a huge increase of almost 50% over the brightness in the same test circumstances achieved by 2024’s 65S90D.
This can be delivered on the 65S90F, too, without causing any of the backlight haloing and clouding problems rival LCD TV technology would typically present when dealing with the sort of contrast the 65S90F loves to show.
Just occasionally, the 65S90F can still sometimes crush the subtle detail out of the picture in some of its presets – but if this becomes problematic to you, then nudging the TV’s Shadow Detail adjustment up to level three or four pretty much fixes the issue without causing any unwanted side effects.
I was also struck by how clean the 65S90F’s dark picture areas and scenes look. There’s really zero sign of the sort of graininess or grey blocking noise that less able OLED screens can show in dark areas, revealing a fantastically granular level of control over the QD-OLED panel even in challenging near-black image areas.
Having so much extra brightness in its arsenal hugely increases the intensity the 65S90F can pump into HDR playback, resulting in HDR images that look more natural and realistic as well as more dynamic.
It feeds also into a significantly richer color performance than the S90D served up, getting much more value out of the QD-OLED pixel design. This is particularly and spectacularly obvious in the hard-to-resist Standard picture preset, but crucially, the more accurate Movie and Filmmaker Mode presets also look richer and warmer than they did on the 65S90D without losing that sense of ‘as the director intended’ authenticity home cinema fans are so often looking for.
On that accuracy point, the 65S90F’s measured color and white balance results with SDR content in Filmmaker Mode average out at marginally above the Delta E average error level of three – anything below this is where the human eye is considered incapable of perceiving a visible difference between what the TV is showing and the established video standards.
But since the results average only misses that Delta E error margin goal of three by a puny 0.48, I’m pretty confident that only the most trained eye will have any chance of spotting anything off-key about the Filmmaker Mode’s glorious efforts.
In fact, thanks to the refinements the 65S90F can apply to its more vibrant colors, the Filmmaker Mode looks as gorgeous in its own calmer, more nuanced way as the much more vibrant Standard mode does, with both presets bringing out the extremes of the QD-OLED panel’s capabilities. Extremes that now include a level of subtlety to go with the potency that just wasn’t there before.
The S90F's brightness reserves give highlights and colors in images added punch (Image credit: Future)
The 65S90F’s extremes of light and color precision also play their part in creating a beautifully crisp and clean picture with both native 4K sources and, thanks to the efforts of Samsung’s latest AI picture engine, upscaled HD images.
The only thing that damages the 65S90F’s sense of clarity and detail is the out-of-the-box motion settings Samsung applies to some of its picture presets, which can cause quite aggressive glitches in the picture during camera pans or around/over fast-moving objects.
Happily, though, it’s possible to tweak these issues away pretty straightforwardly by choosing a Custom setting for the Picture Clarity settings, and then turning off noise reduction and reducing the judder and blur reduction processing components to around level three or four.
Unlike most LCD and even some rival OLED screens, the 65S90F’s pictures don’t lose contrast or suffer from shifting color tones when viewed from even a really wide angle, making it a great option for big families or awkward room layouts.
I could find only two real issues with the 65S90F’s pictures. First, despite being much brighter than its predecessor, its brightness falls a fair way short of the sort of numbers we’re seeing now from the high-end OLEDs out there from the likes of LG, Samsung, and Philips. And second, if the 65S90F is being watched in very high levels of ambient light, its typically stunning black levels can start to look a bit gray.
The brighter OLEDs out there are typically much more expensive than the 65S90F, though, unless you pick up a 2024 model if you can find one. And the circumstances that cause grayness to creep into black areas are rarer and the degree of grayness milder than it was with the 65S90D, so much so that most home setups will seldom notice it.
Picture quality score: 5/5
Samsung S90F 65-inch review: Sound quality
The S90F's stand uses a pair of feet that slot screw-free into the TV’s bodywork (Image credit: Future)
2.1-channel, 40W speaker array
OTS Lite system accurately positions sound effects
Dolby Atmos and AI sound modes
The 65S90F’s sound isn’t quite as talented as its pictures, but it still is much better and louder than you might expect from such an ultra-thin TV.
For starters, it gets good traction from its Object Tracking Sound (OTS) system. As its name suggests, this enhancement ensures that soundtrack elements are coming not just from the screen generally, but from the correct part of the screen. The system also manages to stage ambient sounds and music so that they appear, correctly, to be hanging out somewhere beyond the on-screen action.
The 65S90F’s OTS Lite system isn’t quite as uncannily precise with its sound effect positioning as Samsung’s higher-end TVs are – not least because it only carries a 2.1-channel speaker system versus the 4.2.2-channel speaker setups typically provided by those more premium models. But it’s still effective enough to make soundtracks feel detailed, busy and immersive.
The staging includes a good sense of forward impact with hard sounds like gunfire, punches and explosions too, despite the TV lacking any forward-facing speakers, while shrill treble effects avoid sounding distractingly harsh or thin.
The 65S90F isn’t the loudest TV we’ve heard – at least at the sort of volume levels you’ll need to stick to if you don’t want the speakers to start feeling a bit strained. Its speakers have enough headroom, though, to be capable of shifting up at least a few gears as action or horror scenes escalate towards a crescendo – even if they don’t quite have that ‘fifth gear’ required to carry the movie world’s loudest moments all the way home.
The 65S90F even manages to find a bit of bass from somewhere, despite its skinny form. This can succumb to buzzing interference, however, and sound a bit strained with the most extreme bass drops, but such moments don’t crop up all that often.
Sound quality score: 4/5
Samsung S90F 65-inch review: Design
The S90F's pedestal stand (Image credit: Future)
‘LaserSlim’ design at its extremities
Screw-free stand design
Ultra-thin bezel
At first glance, the 65S90F looks like one of the most futuristic TVs you’ll see. This is because at its outer edges, the screen is incredibly thin – barely deeper than a couple of credit cards stacked on top of each other. The width of the frame around the screen is also unusually narrow, adding to the feeling that you’re watching pictures being conjured up out of thin air.
The 65S90F is not actually as skinny as it initially appears, though. There’s a much deeper mid-section on its rear hosting the TV’s speakers, connections and electronics. This results in a slightly awkward two-tier appearance if you’re looking at the back of the TV, with the screen seeming like it’s just been stuck onto the chunky section rather than the two areas coming together to forge a truly unified design.
Who in their right mind, though, wants to look at the back of a TV rather than its front? And from the front – and, actually, even from quite wide viewing angles – the 65S90F is a futuristic cutie.
While the 65S90F can be hung on a wall if you wish, most users will probably opt to place it on its included stand. This features a unique design that finds a pair of feet slotting screw-free into the TV’s bodywork, and a metallic plate then slotting onto the feet to create what looks like a centrally mounted pedestal support. The resulting central pedestal enables the TV to sit on pretty much as narrow a piece of furniture as you want.
Design score: 4.5/5
Samsung S90F 65-inch review: Smart TV and menus
The S90F's Tizen 9.0 smart interface (Image credit: Future)
Tizen 9.0 smart TV system
Multiple voice control systems
AI-bolstered content recommendation
The Tizen OS carried by all Samsung TVs is now in its ninth generation, and after a few stumbles along the way, all that experience has paid off handsomely.
For starters, Tizen is now extremely rich with content, including – so far as I can tell – all of the main streaming apps used around the world, as well as many more obscure ones besides.
The only obvious absentee in the UK is the Freeview Play app that brings together all of the streaming services of the UK’s main terrestrial broadcasters. But crucially, each of those catch-up apps is still available on an individual basis.
The Tizen interface can feel a little overwhelming when you’re first presented with it, and it can also run a touch sluggishly for a moment or two after the 65S90F is switched on. Once it’s settled down, though, and you’ve spent just a few moments exploring what it can do, it’s now a friendly and – in the way it learns your viewing habits and recommends content accordingly – highly intelligent TV OS.
Tizen 9.0 has also now resolved most of the navigational quirks that used to affect it when it first switched to a full-screen interface, and it’s customizable enough to easily be adapted to your personal preferences. Also, it can adapt to the personal preferences and viewing habits of different members of your household thanks to its support for multiple user profiles.
Accessing the 65S90F’s setup menus from within the Tizen OS is a bit long-winded, but pressing the settings menu on either of the two remote controls the TV ships with offers a shortcut to all the most-used adjustments.
A notable addition to Samsung’s 2025 menu system is a new AI shortcut option that both makes Samsung’s AI-based picture and sound enhancements easier to access, and makes users more aware that such AI features exist.
Purists likely won’t care for the AI enhancements, of course, and things can get a bit complicated when it turns out that some of the other picture settings you can choose can have an impact on how aspects of the AI enhancements work. But I’d recommend that most people at least experiment with them, even if only with broadcast or sub-4K content too if you prefer how it sharpens things up.
One of the remote controls I just mentioned is a fairly chunky, button-crowded ‘standard’ one, while the other is a much sleeker, less button-heavy smart handset that I suspect will become the one most people use.
Smart TV & menus score: 4.5/5
Samsung S90F 65-inch review: Gaming
Samsung includes its Solar Cell rechargeable remote control with the S90F (Image credit: Future)
4K 144Hz support on all four HDMI ports
Variable refresh rates support, including FreeSync and G-Sync
Game hub and Game Bar screens
The 65S90F is an outstanding gaming display. For starters, all of its HDMI ports can take in full bandwidth gaming feeds, meaning you could simultaneously attach four 4K 120Hz-capable consoles and PCs if you wanted to.
All four HDMIs also support variable refresh rates, including in the AMD Freesync Premium Pro format and Nvidia G-Sync (though this is being added via an update), as well as auto low latency mode switching so that the TV automatically switches into its fastest response mode when the TV detects a game is incoming.
When in its Game mode, the 65S90F only takes 9.2ms to render incoming 60Hz feeds – a truly outstanding result for a TV that pretty much halves, too, if the game you’re playing supports 120Hz.
The 65S90F also lets you call up a dedicated Game Bar menu screen rather than the usual TV menus when it knows a game is being played, and from this Game Bar you can both get key information about the incoming gaming feed and access a few gaming aids, including a mini map zoom, the option to raise the brightness of dark picture areas without impacting bright areas, and a crosshair superimposed over the center of the screen.
The Tizen OS homescreen, meanwhile, includes a dedicated Game Hub page, where all of your gaming sources, from connected consoles to game streaming services, are gathered together.
The 65S90F’s gaming performance, finally, is fantastic. Its rich color and contrast are perfectly placed to deliver gaming graphics with exceptional exuberance and dynamism, especially with titles that make particularly aggressive use of high dynamic range. The speedy input lag time ensures that gaming always feels ultra fluid and responsive, too.
The only negative thing to say about the 65S90F’s gaming performance is that unless you’re taking advantage of its HDR Gaming Interest Group (HGiG) support, where the console takes control of the HDR that’s fed out to the TV, the default game settings can cause some distracting brightness fluctuations as you run around any map that has a mix of light and dark areas.
If this is troubling you with whatever game you’re playing, though, you just need to turn off the TV’s dynamic tone mapping setting.
Gaming score: 5/5
Samsung S90F 65-inch review: Value
The S90F's design weds an ultra-thin display panel with a comparatively bulky section for the inputs and electronics (Image credit: Future)
Cheaper QD-OLED option than flagship Samsung S95F
Enhanced picture quality over S90D predecessor
Lacks S95F's anti-reflection filter
While the 65S90F is not by any stretch of the imagination cheap, it does sit slightly at the right end of the same price ball park as its key rivals.
Also, more importantly, it’s around £700 / $800 cheaper than its 65-inch S95F sibling, while delivering a more potent sense of QD-OLED technology’s strengths than its S90D predecessor.
The S95F series does look set to deliver a major brightness upgrade over the S90F, to be fair, as well as carrying a really strong anti-reflection filter that the S90F does not have.
But that price difference adds up to a lot of 4K Blu-rays and/or other home theater gear.
Value score: 4.5/5
Should I buy the Samsung S90F 65-inch?
Dual bass drivers on the TV's rear convey the ".1" subwoofer channel in Atmos soundtracks (Image credit: Future)
Samsung S90F 65-inch
Attributes
Notes
Rating
Features
Aside from not supporting the Dolby Vision HDR format, the 65S90F overall delivers a mammoth set of smart, gaming, audio and video features for its money.
5/5
Picture quality
The 65S90F’s pictures radically improve on those of its already excellent predecessor, delivering a mid-range OLED masterclass.
5/5
Sound quality
While more robust bass handling would have been nice, the 65S90F is loud enough, detailed enough and clever enough with the accuracy of its staging.
4/5
Design
While its two-tier design feels a little awkward during setup, the narrow, well-built bezel, and stunning thinness at its outer edges make it an opulent, elegant addition to your living room.
4.5/5
Smart TV and menus
It takes a little getting used to, but once you do, the rewards offered by the intelligence and scope of its content recommendation and voice recognition systems are immense.
4.5/5
Gaming
As well as looking gorgeous thanks to the screen’s rich colors and sensational contrast, games on the 65S90F feel fantastically responsive and crisp.
4.5/5
Value
The 65S90F delivers a massive chunk of QD-OLED goodness for way less than Samsung’s flagship S95F range.
4/5
Buy it if...
You want spectacular QD-OLED pictures without breaking the bank: With its stunning colors and spectacular contrast, the 65S90F still delivers truly premium picture quality despite its mid-range price.
You love gaming as much as movies: The 65S90F’s outstanding response time, excellent gaming features and spectacularly rich, dynamic pictures make it a stellar gaming screen – so long as you turn Dynamic Tone Mapping off, anyway.
You want a sophisticated smart TV system: The latest Tizen platform is exceptionally good at learning what different members of your household like to watch and recommending relevant content accordingly. Its voice control system is particularly good, too.
Don't buy it if…
You want Dolby Vision support: Samsung has never supported the Dolby Vision HDR format yet, and that doesn’t change with the 65S90F.
Your TV will sit in direct sunlight: The 65S90F doesn’t get one of the extreme anti-reflection screens the step-up S95Fs get, and QD-OLED technology can lose black level in strong direct light.
You’re not prepared to tweak a setting or two: Unhelpful default motion processing and slight black crush with some presets means you should be prepared to tinker with some of the 65S90F’s settings to get the best out of it.
Samsung S90F 65-inch review: Also consider...
Samsung 65S90F
LG OLED65C5
Panasonic 65Z85A
Philips 65OLED909
Price
£2,699 / $2,499
£2,699 / $2,699
£1,999 / $1,799
£2,499 / $N/A
Screen type
QD-OLED
OLED
OLED
OLED (w/ MLA)
Refresh rate
144Hz
144Hz
144Hz
144Hz
HDR support
HDR10+/HDR10/HLG
HDR10, HLG, HDR10+, Dolby Vision
HDR10, HLG, HDR10+, Dolby Vision
HDR10, HLG HDR10+, Dolby Vision
Smart TV
Tizen 9.0
webOS 25
Fire TV
Google TV
HDMI ports
4x HDMI 2.1
4x HDMI 2.1
4 (2x HDMI 2.1)
4 (2x HDMI 2.1)
LG OLED65C5 LG has long dominated the OLED TV scene, and the brand’s new 2025 mid-range C5 series still represents the 65S90F’s closest competition. Its pictures are capable of outstanding accuracy and support Dolby Vision, but there’s no HDR10+ support, and it also has lower peak brightness.
Panasonic 65Z85A This Panasonic mid-range isn’t as bright or vibrant as the 65S90F, and only supports advanced gaming features over two HDMI ports. Its pictures are extremely refined and natural, though, and it supports both Dolby Vision and HDR10+ and is substantially cheaper.
Philips 65OLED909 Remarkably, this Philips OLED TV provides both brightness boosting micro lens array technology and a bold Ambilight design for just £2,499 at the time of writing. While its pictures can be truly spectacular, though, you have to learn your way around the TV’s complicated menus to get the best from it.
Tested with 4K Blu-rays, multiple streaming platforms and resolutions, Freeview HD broadcasts, and HD Blu-rays
Reviewed in both dark and light dedicated test room conditions, on its stand in both corner and flat wall positions
The nature of the 65S95F’s QD-OLED technology required me to spend as much time testing it in daylight conditions as I did testing it in darkened rooms, to make sure I wasn’t disturbed by the potential for bright light to impact the screen’s contrast. So it became my full-time living room TV for much of the nearly two weeks I spent with it.
That said, I also tested it under the same specific dark test room conditions TechRadar tests all of our TVs in, with a wide range of disc, game and streaming test content. Disc content included the 4K and HD Blu-rays of It: Chapter One, Blade Runner 2049 and Pan, while for gaming tests, I deployed both a PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X running such titles as Call Of Duty: Black Ops 6, Forza Horizon 5 and South Of Midnight.
Finally, as ever I put the 65S90F through a barrage of objective tests using Portrait Displays’ Calman Ultimate analysis software, G1 signal generator, and newly released C6 HDR5000 light meter.
The Hisense U8QG follows in the footsteps of last year's Hisense U8N series mini-LED TVs, which combined exceptionally high brightness with a level of local dimming refinement that well exceeded what we’d seen in previous TVs from the company.
With the new Hisense U8QG series (65-inch model tested here), Hisense has created an even brighter U8 series offering, and also one with better local dimming performance yet again.
It’s not a huge leap in picture quality over the excellent Hisense U8N, a model that found itself on many of TechRadar's best TV lists, but our benchmark tests (see below) all indicate better measured performance, from brightness and color gamut coverage to input lag for gaming.
As with many other new TVs coming out in 2025, Hisense tags several features with the ‘AI’ buzzword, specifically AI modes for picture and sound. You can easily take these or leave them (I chose to leave them), though the AI picture mode can help improve the look of lower-resolution programs on streaming and broadcast TV sources.
The U8QG sports a buffed-up design to contain its built-in 4.1.2-channel speaker array, an upgrade over its 2.1.2-channel predecessor that provides powerful, immersive sound with most programs. Sadly, the built-in subwoofer is prone to distortion on movies with low bass effects, making things a tough listen for bass-craving action movie fans.
Hisense uses Google TV as a smart system in the US, and its own VIDAA one in Europe. Google TV is a reliable, easy to navigate smart interface, and it provides features such as an ambient mode that lets you display photos from your own Google photo library onscreen when the TV is in standby.
One area where the U8QG represents a clear upgrade over its predecessor is gaming. Features here include 4K 165Hz support, along with FreeSync Premium Pro, Dolby Vision and HDR10+ gaming. Disappointingly, the TV has only three HDMI 2.1 inputs, although there’s also USB-C input with DisplayPort support.
Prices for the U8QG series were high out of the gate, but have since dropped to a much more reasonable level in the US. For example, the 65-inch model I tested is currently selling for $1,399, and is an excellent value at that price.
Hisense U8QG review: Price and release date
The Hisense U8QG is notably brighter than 2024's also very bright U8N series (Image credit: Future)
Hisense’s U8QG series TVs are its top mainstream mini-LED models in the US, slotting in only under the Hisense U9N series. The full U8QG lineup is currently available in the US, and the 65-, 75-, and 85-inch models are available in Australia.
UK availability and pricing have not yet been announced, but we'll update this review when we have them.
Although the U8QG series was launched in the US in late March, big discounts are already starting to appear as of this review in May 2025, with the 65-inch model selling for $1,399, the 75-inch model for $1,899 and the 85-inch model for $2,499.
Hisense U8QG review: Specs
Screen type:
OLED
Refresh rate:
Up to 165Hz
HDR support:
Dolby Vision, HDR10+, HDR10, HLG
Audio support:
Dolby Atmos, DTS Virtual:X
Smart TV:
Google TV
HDMI ports:
3 x HDMI 2.1
Built-in tuner:
ATSC 3.0 (USA)
Hisense U8QG review: Benchmark results
Hisense U8QG review: Features
The U8QG has three HDMI 2.1 ports with 4K 165Hz support plus a side-mounted USB-C input with DisplayPort support (Image credit: Future)
Dolby Vision and HDR10+ high dynamic range
Anti-Reflection Pro panel
4K 165Hz gaming support
The Hisense U8QG series is feature-packed and also provides several upgrades over its U8N series predecessor. The TV’s mini-LED backlight provides up to 5,000 local dimming zones (on the 100-inch model, fewer on smaller sizes). It uses the company’s Hi-View Al Engine Pro processor, which offers AI picture and sound optimization, and its HDR support includes Dolby Vision, Dolby Vision IQ, HDR10, HDR 10+, HDR10+ Adaptive, and HLG.
Peak brightness for the series is specified at 5,000 nits, and an Anti-Reflection Pro screen helps to reduce screen glare when viewing in bright rooms.
Audio is one of the U8QG series’ biggest upgrades, with all models featuring a 4.1.2-channel Dolby Atmos speaker array (powered by 72 watts on the 65-inch model I tested).
Like previous Hisense TVs, the U8QG series uses the Google TV smart TV platform in the US and Hisense’s own VIDAA platform in the UK, Europe and Australia. Google TV can be controlled hands-free using the TV’s built-in far-field mics or via the mic on the included fully backlit remote control.
Gaming gets an upgrade on the Q8QG series with support for 4K 165Hz input across the TV’s three HDMI 2.1 ports, and there’s also FreeSync Premium Pro, Dolby Vision and HDR10+ gaming, ALLM, and Hisense’s Game Bar menu for making quick on-screen adjustments.
Features Score: 5/5
Hisense U8QG review: Picture quality
The U8QG's picture looks great in both light and dark room viewing conditions (Image credit: Future)
High brightness and refined local dimming
Rich-looking color
Contrast suffers with off-center viewing
The first thing to discuss about the Hisense U8QG’s picture quality is that it has brightness to spare – and then some. Measured in the default Filmmaker Mode preset, peak brightness on a 10% HDR white window pattern was 3,337 nits, and in Standard mode it was 2,888 nits. That’s a sizable peak brightness bump over last year’s also very bright Hisense U8N.
However, fullscreen brightness in the same modes was below what last year's U8N delivered. In Filmmaker Mode, the new model hits 733 nits, while last year's hit 805 nits. In Standard mode, the difference is slightly more pronounced again, with 744 nits for U8QG and 873 for the U8N.
Also, the U8QG’s SDR peak and fullscreen brightness both measured strangely low in Filmmaker Mode, meaning the Standard (or Theater Day or Night) picture preset will be the better option for viewing standard- and high-definition programs.
The U8QG’s UHDA-P3 and BT.2020 color gamut coverage in Filmmaker Mode were both excellent for a mini-LED, measuring 97.8% and 82.8%, respectively. Once again, this represents an improvement on last year’s U8N.
Color point accuracy averaged out to an impressive 1.8 average Delta-E value (the margin of error between the test pattern source and what’s shown on-screen), which is well into the zone where the human eye can't distinguish it from being perfect (we look for anything lower than 3).
However, the average grayscale Delta-E was a less impressive 4.3, which showed up onscreen as a slightly too warm, reddish color bias.
Aside from calibrating the U8QG’s grayscale, there were certain adjustments I made to the settings in its picture menu that boosted picture performance.
Dynamic Tone Mapping gave images a slightly punchier look, and Dark Detail helped to flesh out shadows in darker movies and TV shows. There is also an AI Contrast setting in the Picture Brightness submenu that I found had a beneficial effect when set to Low or Medium, but that was only for standard and high-definition programs upscaled to 4K by the TV. With 4K HDR content, AI Contrast at all settings gave pictures a too-crisp look.
The U8QG provides better UHDA-P3 and BT.2020 color gamut coverage than last year's Hisense U8N (Image credit: Future)
The local dimming on Hisense TVs gets incrementally better with every year, and the U8QG provides the best example yet. Dark, shadowy scenes in TV shows like The Last of Us, season 2, episode 6 (watched in 4K with Dolby Vision on Max) had powerful depth, and in challenging shots like one of moonlight shimmering on water, there was no sign at all of backlight blooming effects.
For virtually all of my viewing, I left Local Dimming set to High, and the TV’s picture was given its maximum level of contrast punch.
Colors also looked notably rich on the U8QG, confirming the great results I got from measurements. This gave sports such as the NBA basketball playoffs a serious eye candy quality, with the bold colors of the players’ uniforms popping vividly on the screen.
Given the U8QG’s high brightness levels, sports and other TV programs looked very good when watched in bright rooms, and the TV’s effective anti-reflection screen helped reduce screen glare from overhead lights, making even dark shows like The Last of Us viewable in such lighting conditions.
One area where the U8QG’s picture came up short was off-axis uniformity: When viewing from an off-center seat, colors and contrast faded noticeably. This won’t be an issue when viewing from seats spread out across a typical sofa, but a straggler at your NBA finals viewing party sitting in a far-off-center chair won’t experience the same picture quality as those directly in front of the TV.
The U8QG’s motion handling was just average. Even with Motion Enhancement set to Film mode in the TV’s Clarity sub-menu, reference movie clips such as a scene from the James Bond film No Time to Die, where Bond walks across a craggy hillside cemetery, had a blurry and slightly wobbly look.
Selecting the Custom mode in the same menu and adjusting the Judder and Blur sliders to the 3-4 range helps considerably to tone this down, and with only a slight “soap opera effect” visual penalty.
Picture quality score: 4.5/5
Hisense U8QG review: Sound quality
A dual driver subwoofer set in the TV's back panel tends to audibly distort when watching movies with heavy low-frequency effects (Image credit: Future)
4.1.2-channel, 72W speaker array
Room Acoustic Tuning feature
Bass in soundtracks can create subwoofer rattle
The Hisense U8QG’s sound gets a substantial hardware upgrade over last year’s Hisense U8N. Specifically, it has a 4.1.2-channel Dolby Atmos and DTS Virtual:X compatible built-in speaker array (powered by 72W), compared to the U8N’s 2.1.2-channel speaker array.
It also has numerous sound presets, an Intelligent Sound option that automatically optimizes the sound based on the specific program type you’re watching, and a Room Acoustic Tuning feature that uses the mic built into the TV’s remote control to measure and adjust the sound based on your room environment.
While the U8QG’s sound is powerful and provides a good level of immersion – at one point I actually checked to see if my system’s surround speakers were accidentally left turned on – low-frequency effects in movie soundtracks frequently caused the TV’s built-in subwoofer to audibly, and unpleasantly, rattle.
I didn’t experience the same issue with more standard fare, like most TV shows, news, or sports. Also, the noise could be lessened by turning down the Bass Boost level in the Sound Advanced Settings menu, or by turning off the subwoofer altogether in the same menu.
But the U8QG’s rattling built-in sub was nonetheless a disappointment, and I’d recommend instead pairing this TV with one of the best soundbars despite the strong effort put into its sound elsewhere.
Sound quality score: 3.5/5
Hisense U8QG review: Design
The U8QG's sturdy aluminum pedestal stand (Image credit: Future)
Sturdy pedestal stand with cable management
Only three HDMI ports
Full-sized, backlit remote control
The U8QG has a chunky look when viewed from the side due to the frame’s two-inch depth – a necessity to contain the TV’s side-firing left/right and upfiring Atmos speakers. Viewed head-on, it has a much lighter look, with its 0.25-inch thin bezel allowing maximum screen area for the picture.
An aluminum pedestal stand with an angled cut gives the TV sturdy support, and its back-facing section provides ample cable management options for a neat installation.
About the only thing I found off-putting about the U8QG’s design was that HDMI ports were limited to three instead of the usual four, though these were all HDMI version 2.1 with 4K 165Hz support. There’s also a USB-C input with DisplayPort support for a PC connection.
Hisense’s remote control is the same full-sized, fully backlit version provided with 2024’s U8N. It’s easy to handle and navigate menus with, has a built-in mic for the Google Voice assistant, and also provides quick buttons to access apps including Netflix, Prime Video, Disney Plus, and Tubi.
Design score: 4/5
Hisense U8QG review: Smart TV and menus
The U8QG's Google TV homescreen is uncluttered and easy to navigate (Image credit: Future)
Google TV (US) and VIDAA (UK, Europe and Australia)
No broadcast TV data in Live program grid
Some settings buried too deep in menus
The U8QG uses the Google TV smart interface in the US and Hisense’s own VIDAA smart TV system elsewhere. Since I’m located in the US, my comments will pertain to Google TV.
Google TV has a relatively uncluttered interface that’s dominated by program recommendations that are fine-tuned when you sign in with a Google account (a necessity to download streaming apps to the TV).
While not ad-free – the rotating carousel at the top of the screen regularly pushes YouTube Premium subscriptions, movie rentals/purchases on the Google TV store, and Google’s own Freeplay free ad-supported TV portal – sponsored recommendations on the main ‘For You’ homescreen are equally mixed with suggestions from apps that you actually subscribe to.
The U8QG has a built-in ATSC 3.0 tuner for viewing ‘NextGen TV’ digital broadcasts in the US, and while this works perfectly fine in showing enhanced program data for the channel you’ve tuned, the Tuner section of Google TV’s Live TV program grid guide failed to show any info for live broadcast TV channels, and also wouldn’t let me select channels directly from the guide. (The Live guide shortcut button on the U8QG’s remote control was also non-functional.)
This seems like something that could likely be fixed with a software update, because the Google TV Freeplay channel section in the same Live guide worked completely fine.
A menu button on the remote control calls up a quick menu at the bottom of the screen that gives you convenient access to things like picture and sound modes, and even more advanced options like local dimming and Intelligent (AI) settings. A gear button on the remote, and also on the TV’s homescreen, unlocks more in-depth settings, including advanced picture calibration options.
Smart TV & menus score: 4/5
Hisense U8QG review: Gaming
The U8QG's Game Menu in action (Image credit: Future)
Three HDMI 2.1 ports
4K 165Hz, FreeSync Premium Pro, Dolby Vision and HDR10+ gaming support
Low 9.9ms input lag
The U8QG supports an impressive range of gaming features on its trio of HDMI 2.1 inputs, including 4K 165Hz, AMD FreeSync Premium Pro, ALLM, Dolby Vision gaming, and HDR10+ gaming. It also has a Game Bar menu that lets you make a wide range of gaming-related adjustments onscreen while your game plays on in the background.
Latency in Game mode measured with a Bodnar 4K input lag meter was an impressive 9.9ms. That’s the lowest input latency TechRadar has yet measured on a Hisense TV, and it puts the U8QG in the company of the best gaming TVs from Samsung and LG.
Gaming score: 5/5
Hisense U8QG review: Value
The U8QG comes with a large, fully backlit remote control (Image credit: Future)
Performs well compared to pricier competition
The still-available Hisense U8N (2024) is also great
Excellent overall value
At $2,199 for the 65-inch model I tested, the Hisense U8QG wasn’t cheap at launch, though its price has since dropped to $1,399 in the US.
At that reduced price, the U8QG is an excellent value, and it’s bound to give new premium mini-LED competitors like the Samsung QN90F (currently selling for $2,099 in a 65-inch screen size) reason to be nervous.
A main factor affecting the U8QG’s value is that the 2024 Hisense U8N is still available and selling at well under $1,000 for a 65-inch screen. The U8N is a great TV, and one that also offers high brightness, refined local dimming, and a strong set of gaming features.
Having tested both models, the U8QG has better overall picture quality, and it also offers more advanced gaming features. It’s the one I’d choose between the two, but viewers on a budget will be equally happy with the U8N, as long as it sticks around.
Value score: 5/5
Should I buy the Hisense U8QG?
(Image credit: Future)
Hisense U8QG
Attributes
Notes
Rating
Features
Feature-packed, with broad HDR support and a wide array of gaming features
5/5
Picture quality
High brightness and refined local dimming and an anti-reflective screen make this a great TV for both sports and movies, though picture quality suffers when viewed from off-center seats
4.5/5
Sound quality
A built-in 4.1.2-channel speaker array provides clear, powerful, and immersive sound, but the built-in subwoofer is prone to rattling on deep bass effects
3.5/5
Design
A sturdy design with a solid pedestal stand and ample cable management options. The large, fully backlit remote control is a nice addition, though three total HDMI ports may not be enough for some viewers
4.5/5
Smart TV and menus
Google TV is an effective and easy to navigate smart TV platform, but there are problems with the Live TV program guide and some advanced settings can be difficult to access
4/5
Gaming
A wide range of cutting-edge gaming features plus very low input lag make this a fantastic gaming TV
5/5
Value
Steep discounts off the initial launch prices make the U8QG series an excellent value, though its value is somewhat affected by the availability of 2024’s also great U8N series
5/5
Buy it if...
You want a TV that can handle bright rooms Few TVs can match the U8QG when it comes to brightness, and that, combined with its effective anti-reflective screen, makes it an excellent choice for daytime or bright room viewing.
You also want a TV that looks great when you dim the lights The U8QG’s refined local dimming delivers deep blacks along with detailed shadows, and its powerful brightness reserves mean highlights in 4K movies and TV shows with HDR are given maximum punch.
You want a great TV for gaming The U8QG’s three HDMI 2.1 ports support 4K 165Hz, FreeSync Premium, and both Dolby Vision and HDR10+ gaming. An impressively low 9.9ms input lag also ranks this Hisense among the best gaming TVs.
Don't buy it if…
You don’t want to add a soundbar The TV’s 4.1.2-channel speaker array delivers powerful, clear, and immersive sound with most content, but its built-in subwoofer is prone to distortion when conveying low-frequency effects in movies.
You watch plenty of broadcast TV The ATSC 3.0 tuner (US only) is a nice perk, but the Google TV grid guide fails to list any info for tuned channels, and it’s also impossible to navigate.
You like to watch with large groups The U8QG’s main picture quality weakness is off-axis picture uniformity – images lose both contrast and color saturation when viewed from far off-center seats.
Hisense U8QG: Also consider...
Hisense U8QG
Hisense U8N
Samsung QN90D
TCL QM851G
Price (65-inch)
$3.399 /£3,399 / AU$5,299
$3,299
$2,699 / £2,699 / AU$4,299
$2,999 / £2,999
Screen type
QLED w/ mini-LED
QLED w/ mini-LED
QLED w/ mini-LED
QLED w/ mini-LED
Refresh rate
165Hz
144Hz
144Hz
144Hz
HDR support
DolbyVision/HDR10+/HDR10/HLG
DolbyVision/HDR10+/HDR10/HLG
HDR10+/HDR10/HLG
DolbyVision/HDR10+/HDR10/HLG
Smart TV
Google TV / VIDAA
Google TV / VIDAA
Tizen
Google TV
HDMI ports
3 x HDMI 2.1
4 (2x HDMI 2.1)
4 x HDMI 2.1
4 (2x HDMI 2.1)
Hisense U8N The U8N is a 2024 model that offers nearly as high brightness, along with great overall picture quality. It doesn’t have the same high-level gaming features as the U8QG, but while still available, it’s an excellent deal.
Samsung QN90D Samsung’s top mini-LED – a 2024 model – is another picture quality and gaming powerhouse, and it also has a built-in 4.2.2-channel speaker array. Pricing for the 65-inch model we tested currently matches that of the 65-inch U8QG.
TCL’s top mini-LED from 2024 is another brightness monster that also performs exceptionally well with movies. It’s only available in the US, where it is now seeing steep discounts.
Measuring a 10% HDR white window pattern during testing (Image credit: Future)
I spent about 15 viewing hours in total measuring and evaluating
Measurements were made using Calman color calibration software
A full calibration was made before proceeding with subjective tests
When I test TVs, I first spend a few days or even weeks using it for casual viewing to assess the out-of-box picture presets and get familiar with its smart TV menu and picture adjustments.
I next select the most accurate preset (usually Filmmaker Mode, Movie or Cinema) and measure grayscale and color accuracy using Portrait Displays’ Calman color calibration software. The resulting measurements provide Delta-E values (the margin of error between the test pattern source and what’s shown on-screen) for each category, and allow for an assessment of the TV’s overall accuracy.
Along with those tests, I make measurements of peak light output (recorded in nits) for both standard high-definition and 4K high dynamic range using 10% and 100% white window patterns. Coverage of DCI-P3 and BT.2020 color space is also measured, with the results providing a sense of how faithfully the TV can render the extended color range in ultra high-definition sources – you can read more about this process in our guide to how we test TVs at TechRadar.
For the Hisense U8QG, I used the Calman ISF workflow, along with the TV’s advanced picture menu settings, to calibrate the image for best accuracy. I also watched a range of reference scenes on 4K Blu-ray discs to assess the TV’s performance, along with 4K HDR shows streamed from Max, Netflix, and other services.
The Hisense U8QG follows in the footsteps of last year's Hisense U8N series mini-LED TVs, which combined exceptionally high brightness with a level of local dimming refinement that well exceeded what we’d seen in previous TVs from the company.
With the new Hisense U8QG series (65-inch model tested here), Hisense has created an even brighter U8 series offering, and also one with better local dimming performance yet again.
It’s not a huge leap in picture quality over the excellent Hisense U8N, a model that found itself on many of TechRadar's best TV lists, but our benchmark tests (see below) all indicate better measured performance, from brightness and color gamut coverage to input lag for gaming.
As with many other new TVs coming out in 2025, Hisense tags several features with the ‘AI’ buzzword, specifically AI modes for picture and sound. You can easily take these or leave them (I chose to leave them), though the AI picture mode can help improve the look of lower-resolution programs on streaming and broadcast TV sources.
The U8QG sports a buffed-up design to contain its built-in 4.1.2-channel speaker array, an upgrade over its 2.1.2-channel predecessor that provides powerful, immersive sound with most programs. Sadly, the built-in subwoofer is prone to distortion on movies with low bass effects, making things a tough listen for bass-craving action movie fans.
Hisense uses Google TV as a smart system in the US, and its own VIDAA one in Europe. Google TV is a reliable, easy to navigate smart interface, and it provides features such as an ambient mode that lets you display photos from your own Google photo library onscreen when the TV is in standby.
One area where the U8QG represents a clear upgrade over its predecessor is gaming. Features here include 4K 165Hz support, along with FreeSync Premium Pro, Dolby Vision and HDR10+ gaming. Disappointingly, the TV has only three HDMI 2.1 inputs, although there’s also USB-C input with DisplayPort support.
Prices for the U8QG series were high out of the gate, but have since dropped to a much more reasonable level in the US. For example, the 65-inch model I tested is currently selling for $1,399, and is an excellent value at that price.
Hisense U8QG review: Price and release date
The Hisense U8QG is notably brighter than 2024's also very bright U8N series (Image credit: Future)
Hisense’s U8QG series TVs are its top mainstream mini-LED models in the US, slotting in only under the Hisense U9N series. The full U8QG lineup is currently available in the US, and the 65-, 75-, and 85-inch models are available in Australia.
UK availability and pricing have not yet been announced, but we'll update this review when we have them.
Although the U8QG series was launched in the US in late March, big discounts are already starting to appear as of this review in May 2025, with the 65-inch model selling for $1,399, the 75-inch model for $1,899 and the 85-inch model for $2,499.
Hisense U8QG review: Specs
Screen type:
OLED
Refresh rate:
Up to 165Hz
HDR support:
Dolby Vision, HDR10+, HDR10, HLG
Audio support:
Dolby Atmos, DTS Virtual:X
Smart TV:
Google TV
HDMI ports:
3 x HDMI 2.1
Built-in tuner:
ATSC 3.0 (USA)
Hisense U8QG review: Benchmark results
Hisense U8QG review: Features
The U8QG has three HDMI 2.1 ports with 4K 165Hz support plus a side-mounted USB-C input with DisplayPort support (Image credit: Future)
Dolby Vision and HDR10+ high dynamic range
Anti-Reflection Pro panel
4K 165Hz gaming support
The Hisense U8QG series is feature-packed and also provides several upgrades over its U8N series predecessor. The TV’s mini-LED backlight provides up to 5,000 local dimming zones (on the 100-inch model, fewer on smaller sizes). It uses the company’s Hi-View Al Engine Pro processor, which offers AI picture and sound optimization, and its HDR support includes Dolby Vision, Dolby Vision IQ, HDR10, HDR 10+, HDR10+ Adaptive, and HLG.
Peak brightness for the series is specified at 5,000 nits, and an Anti-Reflection Pro screen helps to reduce screen glare when viewing in bright rooms.
Audio is one of the U8QG series’ biggest upgrades, with all models featuring a 4.1.2-channel Dolby Atmos speaker array (powered by 72 watts on the 65-inch model I tested).
Like previous Hisense TVs, the U8QG series uses the Google TV smart TV platform in the US and Hisense’s own VIDAA platform in the UK, Europe and Australia. Google TV can be controlled hands-free using the TV’s built-in far-field mics or via the mic on the included fully backlit remote control.
Gaming gets an upgrade on the Q8QG series with support for 4K 165Hz input across the TV’s three HDMI 2.1 ports, and there’s also FreeSync Premium Pro, Dolby Vision and HDR10+ gaming, ALLM, and Hisense’s Game Bar menu for making quick on-screen adjustments.
Features Score: 5/5
Hisense U8QG review: Picture quality
The U8QG's picture looks great in both light and dark room viewing conditions (Image credit: Future)
High brightness and refined local dimming
Rich-looking color
Contrast suffers with off-center viewing
The first thing to discuss about the Hisense U8QG’s picture quality is that it has brightness to spare – and then some. Measured in the default Filmmaker Mode preset, peak brightness on a 10% HDR white window pattern was 3,337 nits, and in Standard mode it was 2,888 nits. That’s a sizable peak brightness bump over last year’s also very bright Hisense U8N.
However, fullscreen brightness in the same modes was below what last year's U8N delivered. In Filmmaker Mode, the new model hits 733 nits, while last year's hit 805 nits. In Standard mode, the difference is slightly more pronounced again, with 744 nits for U8QG and 873 for the U8N.
Also, the U8QG’s SDR peak and fullscreen brightness both measured strangely low in Filmmaker Mode, meaning the Standard (or Theater Day or Night) picture preset will be the better option for viewing standard- and high-definition programs.
The U8QG’s UHDA-P3 and BT.2020 color gamut coverage in Filmmaker Mode were both excellent for a mini-LED, measuring 97.8% and 82.8%, respectively. Once again, this represents an improvement on last year’s U8N.
Color point accuracy averaged out to an impressive 1.8 average Delta-E value (the margin of error between the test pattern source and what’s shown on-screen), which is well into the zone where the human eye can't distinguish it from being perfect (we look for anything lower than 3).
However, the average grayscale Delta-E was a less impressive 4.3, which showed up onscreen as a slightly too warm, reddish color bias.
Aside from calibrating the U8QG’s grayscale, there were certain adjustments I made to the settings in its picture menu that boosted picture performance.
Dynamic Tone Mapping gave images a slightly punchier look, and Dark Detail helped to flesh out shadows in darker movies and TV shows. There is also an AI Contrast setting in the Picture Brightness submenu that I found had a beneficial effect when set to Low or Medium, but that was only for standard and high-definition programs upscaled to 4K by the TV. With 4K HDR content, AI Contrast at all settings gave pictures a too-crisp look.
The U8QG provides better UHDA-P3 and BT.2020 color gamut coverage than last year's Hisense U8N (Image credit: Future)
The local dimming on Hisense TVs gets incrementally better with every year, and the U8QG provides the best example yet. Dark, shadowy scenes in TV shows like The Last of Us, season 2, episode 6 (watched in 4K with Dolby Vision on Max) had powerful depth, and in challenging shots like one of moonlight shimmering on water, there was no sign at all of backlight blooming effects.
For virtually all of my viewing, I left Local Dimming set to High, and the TV’s picture was given its maximum level of contrast punch.
Colors also looked notably rich on the U8QG, confirming the great results I got from measurements. This gave sports such as the NBA basketball playoffs a serious eye candy quality, with the bold colors of the players’ uniforms popping vividly on the screen.
Given the U8QG’s high brightness levels, sports and other TV programs looked very good when watched in bright rooms, and the TV’s effective anti-reflection screen helped reduce screen glare from overhead lights, making even dark shows like The Last of Us viewable in such lighting conditions.
One area where the U8QG’s picture came up short was off-axis uniformity: When viewing from an off-center seat, colors and contrast faded noticeably. This won’t be an issue when viewing from seats spread out across a typical sofa, but a straggler at your NBA finals viewing party sitting in a far-off-center chair won’t experience the same picture quality as those directly in front of the TV.
The U8QG’s motion handling was just average. Even with Motion Enhancement set to Film mode in the TV’s Clarity sub-menu, reference movie clips such as a scene from the James Bond film No Time to Die, where Bond walks across a craggy hillside cemetery, had a blurry and slightly wobbly look.
Selecting the Custom mode in the same menu and adjusting the Judder and Blur sliders to the 3-4 range helps considerably to tone this down, and with only a slight “soap opera effect” visual penalty.
Picture quality score: 4.5/5
Hisense U8QG review: Sound quality
A dual driver subwoofer set in the TV's back panel tends to audibly distort when watching movies with heavy low-frequency effects (Image credit: Future)
4.1.2-channel, 72W speaker array
Room Acoustic Tuning feature
Bass in soundtracks can create subwoofer rattle
The Hisense U8QG’s sound gets a substantial hardware upgrade over last year’s Hisense U8N. Specifically, it has a 4.1.2-channel Dolby Atmos and DTS Virtual:X compatible built-in speaker array (powered by 72W), compared to the U8N’s 2.1.2-channel speaker array.
It also has numerous sound presets, an Intelligent Sound option that automatically optimizes the sound based on the specific program type you’re watching, and a Room Acoustic Tuning feature that uses the mic built into the TV’s remote control to measure and adjust the sound based on your room environment.
While the U8QG’s sound is powerful and provides a good level of immersion – at one point I actually checked to see if my system’s surround speakers were accidentally left turned on – low-frequency effects in movie soundtracks frequently caused the TV’s built-in subwoofer to audibly, and unpleasantly, rattle.
I didn’t experience the same issue with more standard fare, like most TV shows, news, or sports. Also, the noise could be lessened by turning down the Bass Boost level in the Sound Advanced Settings menu, or by turning off the subwoofer altogether in the same menu.
But the U8QG’s rattling built-in sub was nonetheless a disappointment, and I’d recommend instead pairing this TV with one of the best soundbars despite the strong effort put into its sound elsewhere.
Sound quality score: 3.5/5
Hisense U8QG review: Design
The U8QG's sturdy aluminum pedestal stand (Image credit: Future)
Sturdy pedestal stand with cable management
Only three HDMI ports
Full-sized, backlit remote control
The U8QG has a chunky look when viewed from the side due to the frame’s two-inch depth – a necessity to contain the TV’s side-firing left/right and upfiring Atmos speakers. Viewed head-on, it has a much lighter look, with its 0.25-inch thin bezel allowing maximum screen area for the picture.
An aluminum pedestal stand with an angled cut gives the TV sturdy support, and its back-facing section provides ample cable management options for a neat installation.
About the only thing I found off-putting about the U8QG’s design was that HDMI ports were limited to three instead of the usual four, though these were all HDMI version 2.1 with 4K 165Hz support. There’s also a USB-C input with DisplayPort support for a PC connection.
Hisense’s remote control is the same full-sized, fully backlit version provided with 2024’s U8N. It’s easy to handle and navigate menus with, has a built-in mic for the Google Voice assistant, and also provides quick buttons to access apps including Netflix, Prime Video, Disney Plus, and Tubi.
Design score: 4/5
Hisense U8QG review: Smart TV and menus
The U8QG's Google TV homescreen is uncluttered and easy to navigate (Image credit: Future)
Google TV (US) and VIDAA (UK, Europe and Australia)
No broadcast TV data in Live program grid
Some settings buried too deep in menus
The U8QG uses the Google TV smart interface in the US and Hisense’s own VIDAA smart TV system elsewhere. Since I’m located in the US, my comments will pertain to Google TV.
Google TV has a relatively uncluttered interface that’s dominated by program recommendations that are fine-tuned when you sign in with a Google account (a necessity to download streaming apps to the TV).
While not ad-free – the rotating carousel at the top of the screen regularly pushes YouTube Premium subscriptions, movie rentals/purchases on the Google TV store, and Google’s own Freeplay free ad-supported TV portal – sponsored recommendations on the main ‘For You’ homescreen are equally mixed with suggestions from apps that you actually subscribe to.
The U8QG has a built-in ATSC 3.0 tuner for viewing ‘NextGen TV’ digital broadcasts in the US, and while this works perfectly fine in showing enhanced program data for the channel you’ve tuned, the Tuner section of Google TV’s Live TV program grid guide failed to show any info for live broadcast TV channels, and also wouldn’t let me select channels directly from the guide. (The Live guide shortcut button on the U8QG’s remote control was also non-functional.)
This seems like something that could likely be fixed with a software update, because the Google TV Freeplay channel section in the same Live guide worked completely fine.
A menu button on the remote control calls up a quick menu at the bottom of the screen that gives you convenient access to things like picture and sound modes, and even more advanced options like local dimming and Intelligent (AI) settings. A gear button on the remote, and also on the TV’s homescreen, unlocks more in-depth settings, including advanced picture calibration options.
Smart TV & menus score: 4/5
Hisense U8QG review: Gaming
The U8QG's Game Menu in action (Image credit: Future)
Three HDMI 2.1 ports
4K 165Hz, FreeSync Premium Pro, Dolby Vision and HDR10+ gaming support
Low 9.9ms input lag
The U8QG supports an impressive range of gaming features on its trio of HDMI 2.1 inputs, including 4K 165Hz, AMD FreeSync Premium Pro, ALLM, Dolby Vision gaming, and HDR10+ gaming. It also has a Game Bar menu that lets you make a wide range of gaming-related adjustments onscreen while your game plays on in the background.
Latency in Game mode measured with a Bodnar 4K input lag meter was an impressive 9.9ms. That’s the lowest input latency TechRadar has yet measured on a Hisense TV, and it puts the U8QG in the company of the best gaming TVs from Samsung and LG.
Gaming score: 5/5
Hisense U8QG review: Value
The U8QG comes with a large, fully backlit remote control (Image credit: Future)
Performs well compared to pricier competition
The still-available Hisense U8N (2024) is also great
Excellent overall value
At $2,199 for the 65-inch model I tested, the Hisense U8QG wasn’t cheap at launch, though its price has since dropped to $1,399 in the US.
At that reduced price, the U8QG is an excellent value, and it’s bound to give new premium mini-LED competitors like the Samsung QN90F (currently selling for $2,099 in a 65-inch screen size) reason to be nervous.
A main factor affecting the U8QG’s value is that the 2024 Hisense U8N is still available and selling at well under $1,000 for a 65-inch screen. The U8N is a great TV, and one that also offers high brightness, refined local dimming, and a strong set of gaming features.
Having tested both models, the U8QG has better overall picture quality, and it also offers more advanced gaming features. It’s the one I’d choose between the two, but viewers on a budget will be equally happy with the U8N, as long as it sticks around.
Value score: 5/5
Should I buy the Hisense U8QG?
(Image credit: Future)
Hisense U8QG
Attributes
Notes
Rating
Features
Feature-packed, with broad HDR support and a wide array of gaming features
5/5
Picture quality
High brightness and refined local dimming and an anti-reflective screen make this a great TV for both sports and movies, though picture quality suffers when viewed from off-center seats
4.5/5
Sound quality
A built-in 4.1.2-channel speaker array provides clear, powerful, and immersive sound, but the built-in subwoofer is prone to rattling on deep bass effects
3.5/5
Design
A sturdy design with a solid pedestal stand and ample cable management options. The large, fully backlit remote control is a nice addition, though three total HDMI ports may not be enough for some viewers
4.5/5
Smart TV and menus
Google TV is an effective and easy to navigate smart TV platform, but there are problems with the Live TV program guide and some advanced settings can be difficult to access
4/5
Gaming
A wide range of cutting-edge gaming features plus very low input lag make this a fantastic gaming TV
5/5
Value
Steep discounts off the initial launch prices make the U8QG series an excellent value, though its value is somewhat affected by the availability of 2024’s also great U8N series
5/5
Buy it if...
You want a TV that can handle bright rooms Few TVs can match the U8QG when it comes to brightness, and that, combined with its effective anti-reflective screen, makes it an excellent choice for daytime or bright room viewing.
You also want a TV that looks great when you dim the lights The U8QG’s refined local dimming delivers deep blacks along with detailed shadows, and its powerful brightness reserves mean highlights in 4K movies and TV shows with HDR are given maximum punch.
You want a great TV for gaming The U8QG’s three HDMI 2.1 ports support 4K 165Hz, FreeSync Premium, and both Dolby Vision and HDR10+ gaming. An impressively low 9.9ms input lag also ranks this Hisense among the best gaming TVs.
Don't buy it if…
You don’t want to add a soundbar The TV’s 4.1.2-channel speaker array delivers powerful, clear, and immersive sound with most content, but its built-in subwoofer is prone to distortion when conveying low-frequency effects in movies.
You watch plenty of broadcast TV The ATSC 3.0 tuner (US only) is a nice perk, but the Google TV grid guide fails to list any info for tuned channels, and it’s also impossible to navigate.
You like to watch with large groups The U8QG’s main picture quality weakness is off-axis picture uniformity – images lose both contrast and color saturation when viewed from far off-center seats.
Hisense U8QG: Also consider...
Hisense U8QG
Hisense U8N
Samsung QN90D
TCL QM851G
Price (65-inch)
$3.399 /£3,399 / AU$5,299
$3,299
$2,699 / £2,699 / AU$4,299
$2,999 / £2,999
Screen type
QLED w/ mini-LED
QLED w/ mini-LED
QLED w/ mini-LED
QLED w/ mini-LED
Refresh rate
165Hz
144Hz
144Hz
144Hz
HDR support
DolbyVision/HDR10+/HDR10/HLG
DolbyVision/HDR10+/HDR10/HLG
HDR10+/HDR10/HLG
DolbyVision/HDR10+/HDR10/HLG
Smart TV
Google TV / VIDAA
Google TV / VIDAA
Tizen
Google TV
HDMI ports
3 x HDMI 2.1
4 (2x HDMI 2.1)
4 x HDMI 2.1
4 (2x HDMI 2.1)
Hisense U8N The U8N is a 2024 model that offers nearly as high brightness, along with great overall picture quality. It doesn’t have the same high-level gaming features as the U8QG, but while still available, it’s an excellent deal.
Samsung QN90D Samsung’s top mini-LED – a 2024 model – is another picture quality and gaming powerhouse, and it also has a built-in 4.2.2-channel speaker array. Pricing for the 65-inch model we tested currently matches that of the 65-inch U8QG.
TCL’s top mini-LED from 2024 is another brightness monster that also performs exceptionally well with movies. It’s only available in the US, where it is now seeing steep discounts.
Measuring a 10% HDR white window pattern during testing (Image credit: Future)
I spent about 15 viewing hours in total measuring and evaluating
Measurements were made using Calman color calibration software
A full calibration was made before proceeding with subjective tests
When I test TVs, I first spend a few days or even weeks using it for casual viewing to assess the out-of-box picture presets and get familiar with its smart TV menu and picture adjustments.
I next select the most accurate preset (usually Filmmaker Mode, Movie or Cinema) and measure grayscale and color accuracy using Portrait Displays’ Calman color calibration software. The resulting measurements provide Delta-E values (the margin of error between the test pattern source and what’s shown on-screen) for each category, and allow for an assessment of the TV’s overall accuracy.
Along with those tests, I make measurements of peak light output (recorded in nits) for both standard high-definition and 4K high dynamic range using 10% and 100% white window patterns. Coverage of DCI-P3 and BT.2020 color space is also measured, with the results providing a sense of how faithfully the TV can render the extended color range in ultra high-definition sources – you can read more about this process in our guide to how we test TVs at TechRadar.
For the Hisense U8QG, I used the Calman ISF workflow, along with the TV’s advanced picture menu settings, to calibrate the image for best accuracy. I also watched a range of reference scenes on 4K Blu-ray discs to assess the TV’s performance, along with 4K HDR shows streamed from Max, Netflix, and other services.
The JVC DLA-NZ700 is a new mid-range projector from the brand, combining its existing BLU-Escent laser light source and redesigned D-ILA 4K chipset into a more compact and lighter body.
The result with the JVC DLA-NZ700 is a highly capable beamer that builds on JVC’s success with the previously released DLA-NZ800 and DLA-NZ900, while allowing its lineup to more effectively compete with the best projectors in terms of price.
The new lens may combine plastic with glass, but it still delivers a crisply detailed image, and the picture accuracy is superb with both SDR and HDR. The latter really impresses thanks to JVC's proprietary dynamic tone mapping, along with support for HDR10, HLG and HDR10+. The laser power setting also offers more precise control for dialling in brighter HDR without fan noise.
What is most remarkable about the NZ700 is that, despite its lower price, it delivers a brightness and contrast performance that matches the earlier, and more expensive, NZ8. It even includes a colour filter to cover the DCI-P3 colour space, along with the Deep Black function and Balanced dynamic laser mode. There’s also an effective remote, redesigned menus, and flexible installation.
Of course, JVC has dropped some features to shave off costs, although most probably won’t miss the lack of 8K or 3D support. On the other hand gamers will bemoan the lack of 4K 120Hz, along with a rather high input lag. Otherwise, this affordable and feature-packed native 4K HDR projector will give any other high-end beamer a run for its money.
JVC DLA-NZ700 projector review: price and release date
A new optical unit and 80mm hybrid lens in the NZ700 contribute to its compact size (Image credit: Future)
Price: £9,499 / $8,999 / AU$14,999
Release date: May 2024
The JVC DLA-NZ700 (DLA-RS2200) is the mid-range model in the brand’s revised line-up of 4K laser-powered projectors. It’s available now and retails for £9,499 / $8,999. The NZ700 replaces the outgoing DLA-NZ7 (DLA-RS2100), and sits between the equally new DLA-NZ500 (DLA-RS1200) at £6,499 / $5,999, and the higher range DLA-NZ800 (DLA-RS3200), which costs £15,999 / $15,999.
JVC DLA-NZ700 projector review: Specs
Screen sizes supported:
30-150 inches
Brightness (specified):
2,300 lumens
HDR support:
HDR10+, HDR10, HLG
Display technology:
Laser, D-ILA
Resolution:
Native 4K (4,096 x 2,160)
Connections:
2x HDMI 2.0
Dimensions:
450 x 180 x 479mm (18 x 7 x 19 inches)
Weight:
15.2kg (33.5lb)
JVC DLA-NZ700 projector review: design and features
The NZ700 uses the same third-generation D-ILA 4K chipset found in JVC's step-up NZ800 and NZ900 projectors (Image credit: Future)
World's smallest native 4K projector
New 80mm hybrid lens
Gen2 Frame Adapt HDR
The JVC DLA-NZ700 sports a completely new design inside and out, resulting in a more compact chassis that, along with the NZ500, makes it the world’s smallest native 4K projector. The NZ700 is noticeably smaller and lighter than its predecessor, especially when they’re placed side by side.
The NZ700’s size and weight have been reduced by utilising a new optical unit and 80mm hybrid lens. However, the build quality remains excellent, and the NZ700 is still finished in matte black, making it ideal for dedicated home theatre installations. It measures 450 x 180 x 479mm (18 x 7 x 19 inches) and weighs in at 15.2kg (33.5lb).
At the rear are a pair of HDMI 2.0 inputs that support bandwidths up to 32Gbps and are limited to 4K 60Hz (which isn’t great news for console or PC gamers). The HDMI ports can also handle HDCP 2.3, and high dynamic range – specifically HDR10, hybrid log-gamma (HLG), and HDR10+.
The provided remote is the same slightly tweaked version included with the NZ800 and NZ900, with its more luminescent light button, and small bumps on the on/off and enter buttons – all of which make this well-designed controller very easy to use in a fully blacked-out home cinema.
The JVC DLA-NZ700 incorporates the same third-generation D-ILA 4K chipset introduced on the NZ800 and NZ900. The new design is more efficient, allowing for brighter images, deeper blacks, and improved uniformity. As a result, despite using the same laser light source as earlier models, the NZ700 has a claimed peak brightness of 2,300 lumens and a native contrast ratio of 80,000:1.
In addition to the improved black levels offered by the upgraded D-ILA chipset, the NZ700 has the new Deep Black function with its revised algorithm to further enhance contrast without crushing shadows. In addition, the dynamic laser control includes the new Balanced setting for pictures that appear punchier without introducing the brightness fluctuations seen on earlier models.
The NZ700 has the improved sliding scale control in the laser power sub-menu, allowing for more granular adjustments as you gradually boost brightness without a sudden increase in fan noise, thus enabling the creation of more useful settings for HDR. There’s also the new “Vivid” mode that JVC added previously for watching SDR sports or gaming in a room with some ambient light.
The NZ700 retains the BLU-Escent laser diode light source with its claimed minimum 20,000-hour lifespan and greater consistency. Other features include motorised focus, zoom and shift controls, which makes installation easier, plus there are lens memories for different aspect ratios on a 2.35:1 screen. There’s also a Filmmaker Mode, along with ISF-certified calibration controls.
JVC’s tone mapping remains state-of-the-art, with the latest proprietary Gen3 Frame Adapt HDR dynamically analysing HDR10 content on a frame-by-frame basis to optimise the image, while 18-bit gamma processing results in smoother and finer gradations. However, JVC has dropped the Theatre Optimiser, which enhances tone mapping based on your screen’s size, shape and gain.
In addition to the existing analysis of an incoming HDR signal, the NZ700 now reads the Display Mastering Luminance (DML) metadata that tells the tone mapping the peak brightness of the display on which the content was originally mastered. This is useful because the more metadata the tone mapping has to work with, the better the results in terms of the displayed HDR images.
The NZ700 has a revised menu system compared to the NZ800 and NZ900, with a new main Setting Menu Select page. Here you choose between Picture Settings, HDMI Settings and Installation Settings. Once you’ve selected the Settings you want to adjust, you’ll find all the related sub-menus for those particular settings available, and you can move between them.
Design and features score: 4.5/5
JVC DLA-NZ700 projector review: picture quality
Rear-panel ports include two HDMI 2.0 connections (Image credit: Future)
Detailed and cinematic 4K delivery
Impressive HDR tone mapping
Wide colour gamut filter
The JVC DLA-NZ700 is nothing short of a revelation, and delivers a performance that I could immediately see was comparable to the NZ800 I reviewed previously. There are similar components, such as the D-ILA chipset and laser light source, but I hadn’t anticipated the new lens producing such a sharp image, nor did I expect the black levels to be quite so impressive.
My first impressions were confirmed during testing, with the NZ700 delivering a contrast ratio of nearly 50,000:1, which is better than the earlier and more expensive NZ8. The laser brightness approaches the claimed 2,300 lumens, although you only hit these peaks in the Vivid mode, and in the preferable Filmmaker or calibrated Natural mode, this is closer to around 1,700 lumens.
The out-of-the-box SDR accuracy is excellent with the white point close to the industry standard of D65, an even greyscale, and colours hitting their saturation targets for BT.709, but this can be improved through calibration. I was able to get reference accuracy using the built-in controls, and anyone spending nearly nine grand should really get their new NZ700 professionally calibrated.
This accuracy also extends to HDR, with the NZ700 covering 97% of DCI-P3 with its colour filter in place. What’s even better is the filter only reduces the brightness by about 15%, although if you’d rather not use the filter (and with HDR10+ you don’t have a choice), then the brightness increases, but the gamut coverage now drops to around 83% of DCI-P3 instead.
The NZ700 may be more affordable, but it still includes JVC’s class-leading HDR tone mapping with the beamer not only accurately tracking the PQ curve standard, but also using dynamic tone mapping to get the best out of content based on the available metadata and real-time analysis of the HDR signal. The ability to read the Display Mastering Luminance also helps in this regard.
The Deep Black feature remains a useful addition, bringing slightly more detail out of shadows while keeping the blacks suitably inky. The Balanced dynamic laser setting is also useful, adding greater depth at the low end while also boosting the brightness at the other end without any ‘pumping’ in the image itself. The superior tone mapping ensures the highlights are also free of clipping.
The NZ700's dynamic tone mapping feature is very adept at optimising its performance (Image credit: Future)
This NZ700 is equally impressive with motion handling, producing smooth pictures that are free of blurring and unwanted artefacts. The projector may be limited to 60Hz, but the motion with games remains excellent, although the responsiveness suffers due to the lack of a low-latency mode. As a result, this projector’s input lag measures 51ms, which is probably too high for serious gamers.
When it comes to SDR content, the NZ700 is a fantastic performer, producing detailed and natural images that enjoy added depth thanks to the impressive contrast ratios. Watching Samsara on Blu-ray reveals a remarkably detailed image, and any concerns I had about the new 80mm lens using a combination of plastic and glass were dispelled by the finely rendered images on display.
Moving on to HDR, the NZ700 continues to dazzle with a spectacular delivery that retains all the fine details in the snowy landscapes of The Revenant. The colours of The Greatest Showman burst off the screen during the musical numbers, and the rain-soaked neon-lit streets of Gotham are bathed with beautifully rendered blacks, deep shadows and nuanced colours in The Batman.
The dynamic tone mapping is very adept at optimising the performance of the NZ700, and the resulting HDR is often comparable to high-end video processors that cost more than the projector itself. When able to use the dynamic metadata of HDR10+, the results are equally impressive, and the kinetic and colourful Motorball sequences in Alita: Battle Angel are brought vividly to life.
Picture quality score: 5/5
JVC DLA-NZ700 projector review: value
The JVC NZ700's fully backlit remote control (Image credit: Future)
Exceptional value for money
Has no direct competitor
The sweet spot in JVC's projector line-up
The JVC DLA-NZ700 represents remarkable value, especially when you consider it offers much of the same image quality and feature set as the more expensive DLA-NZ800. Yes, you lose support for 8K 60Hz, 4K 120Hz and 3D, plus there’s no low latency mode, but in terms of overall picture performance there isn’t a significant difference between the two, making the NZ700 a great choice for film fans looking to save a few bucks without compromising on contrast and HDR tone mapping.
The NZ800 has a direct competitor in the form of the Sony Projector 8 (VPL-XW6100ES), which is priced at £15,999 / $15,999, while the flagship DLA-NZ900 goes up against the Sony Projector 9 (VPL-XW8100ES), which costs £25,999 / $31,999. However, the NZ700 currently has no direct competitor, and while it’s more expensive than the NZ500, Sony VPL-XW5000ES and Epson EH-QB1000, when you consider its performance and features, it may well be the sweet spot in the JVC projector line-up.
Value score: 5/5
JVC DLA-NZ700 projector
Attributes
Notes
Rating
Design and features
Compact chassis, and backlit remote; motorised lens controls with memories, class-leading HDR tone mapping, and HDR10+ support, but no 4K 120Hz input or low-latency mode
4.5/5
Picture quality
Excellent black levels and accurate 4K images combine with a bright and cinematic delivery with SDR and HDR
5/5
Value
Remarkable value given the feature set and performance
5/5
Should I buy the JVC DLA-NZ700 projector?
(Image credit: Future)
Buy it if...
You want detailed 4K images with that all-important film-like quality: The new 4K chipset and hybrid 80mm lens deliver crystal-clear images, with superior black levels and excellent contrast that result in wonderfully cinematic images that elude the competition.
You want class-leading HDR tone mapping: JVC’s proprietary dynamic tone mapping reads the available metadata and analyses the incoming HDR signal to produce remarkable HDR images that rival ultra-high-end video processors.
You want HDR10+ support: The inclusion of HDR10+ allows the NZ700 to take advantage of the format’s dynamic metadata, ensuring tone mapping that’s optimised for the lower brightness of a projector compared to a TV.
Don’t buy it if…
You want support for 4K 120Hz high frame rate gaming: The NZ700 lacks HDMI 2.1 inputs, so it doesn’t accept 4K images with a frame rate higher than 60Hz, and that means those with the latest consoles or high-end PC rigs can’t game at 4K 120Hz.
You want a projector with a low input lag: There’s no low-latency mode, and as a result the input lag is 51ms. This is far too high for serious gamers, who should probably consider the cheaper Epson or Sony projectors.
You want support for 3D: JVC has dropped 3D support on both the NZ500 and NZ700, bringing them in line with Epson and Sony. Unfortunately for 3D fans, you’ll have to buy the more expensive NZ800.
Also consider...
Comparison: 4K projectors
JVC DLA-NZ700
JVC DLA-NZ800
Epson Pro Cinema LS1200
Price:
£9,499 / $8,999 / AU$14,999
$15,999 / £15,999 / AU$24,999
$4,999 (£4,399 / about AU$7,090)
Screen sizes supported:
60 to 200 inches
60 to 200 inches
50 to 130 inches
Brightness (specified):
2,300 lumens
2,700 lumens
2,700 lumens
HDR support
HDR10, HDR10+,HLG
HDR10, HDR10+,HLG
HDR10, HLG
Display technology:
Laser, D-ILA
Laser, D-ILA
Laser, 3LCD
Resolution:
Native 4K (4,096 x 2,160)
Native 4K (4,096 x 2,160)
4K (3,840 x 2,160)
Connections:
2x HDMI 2.0
2x HDMI 2.1
2xHDMI 2.1
JVC DLA-NZ800 JVC's NZ800 costs quite a bit more than the NZ700, but adds 8K, 4K 120Hz, and 3D support. For most buyers, choosing the NZ800 over the NZ700 will come down to this projector's gaming features, since it has a low-latency mode plus 4K 120Hz support for console gaming.
Epson Pro Cinema LS1200 The Epson LS1200 is our pick for the best projector for most people due to its powerful contrast, HDM1 2.1 ports, and reasonable price given the performance and features it delivers. It's a great alternative option if the JVC NZ700 exceeds your budget.
As with all my TV and projector reviews, I use a combination of subjective viewing and objective measurements against the industry standards. For projectors, I also do all my testing in a dedicated home cinema with a completely blacked-out environment and high-quality screen.
The subjective testing is based around watching a variety of familiar scenes, primarily sourced from 4K and 1080p Blu-rays, plus the Spears & Munsil UHD Benchmark 4K disc. Any test scenes have been specifically chosen to evaluate a display’s black levels, contrast performance, colour accuracy, upscaling, image processing, motion handling, and HDR tone mapping.
For the objective testing, I measured the NZ700’s brightness, greyscale and colour gamut in SDR, before doing the same in HDR. I also evaluated the accuracy of the HDR tone mapping, along with the colour gamut coverage for DCI-P3. To do this, I used a pattern generator and colour meter combined with Portrait Display’s Calman calibration software. I measured the NZ700’s input lag in milliseconds using a specialised Leo Bodnar tester.
The TCL QM7K is an impressive TV. Even though it’s a bit more expensive than the TCL QM6K I recently reviewed, it fixes the main issues I had with that model. Specifically, the audio quality is much improved. It also offers quite a bit more brightness, which particularly benefits high dynamic range content, and there are more local dimming zones in its mini-LED backlight.
The question of whether the TCL QM7K is the best TV for you will depend on if you’re comfortable paying the extra cash for the improvements it brings. TCL’s Halo Control tech does a great job of keeping backlight blooming effects – an issue even with the best mini-LED TVs – at bay, and the TV’s fast, 144Hz refresh rate (with the potential to effectively double that rate) is a great feature, though both are also available on the cheaper QM6K. In fact, everything outside of the better audio and brightness is basically the same on the QM6K.
The improvements the QM7K brings are ultimately worth the $500 price difference (that amount will vary a bit between screen sizes). But for me, the cheaper QM6K’s lower screen brightness wasn’t a dealbreaker, and adding one of the best soundbars will bring an audio quality improvement to just about any TV.
Still, the TCL QM7K is a high-quality TV with a great-looking picture that’s easy to use. It’s also packed with features, whether you want to watch a movie or boot up your PlayStation 5.
TCL QM7K review: Price and release date
The TCL QM7K's impressive color gamut coverage means colors look rich and vivid (Image credit: Future)
Release date: March 2025
55-inch: $1,299.99
65-inch: $1,499.99
75-inch: $1,999.99
85-inch: $2,499.99
98-inch: $4,999.99
115-inch: $19,999.99
The TCL QM7K is a step up from the brand’s newly released QM6K series TVs. Some of the sizes, specifically the 98-inch and 115-inch, are not yet available. TCL QM7K series TVs are only sold in the US.
The QM7K’s step up in price over the QM6K series reflects features such as the higher number of local dimming zones (a maximum of 2800 versus 500), improved brightness, and Bang & Olufsen-tuned built-in speakers.
TCL QM7K review: Specs
TCL QM7K review: Benchmark results
TCL QM7K review: Features
The QM7K's connections include two HDMI 2.1 ports with 4K 144Hz support (Image credit: Future)
Dolby Vision IQ effectively adjusts the picture for bright rooms
Picture presets include IMAX Enhanced and Filmmaker Mode
Hands-free voice control
While I’ll go into a little more detail regarding Halo Control in the next section, it’s worth mentioning that TCL’s proprietary technology for precise dimming is featured on the QM7K series, and it’s probably the most important one for this TV. I’ll go into the QM7K’s impressive HDR performance there as well.
But that’s just the tip of the iceberg here. Dolby Vision IQ is one of my favorite features for this TV (also available on the cheaper QM6K). My viewing room gets a lot of ambient light from windows, and watching TV during the day can sometimes be an exercise in frustration. But the Dolby Vision IQ feature minimizes the effects of ambient light by adjusting the TV’s brightness accordingly, so you can see the picture regardless of whether the sun is shining or not.
There’s also Dolby Vision (the non-IQ version of the feature), which functions similarly with Dolby Vision content, automatically adjusting contrast to give the best results based on the image being shown, whether it’s sports or a brooding Batman movie.
If you don’t want the TV to intelligently (the word you’ll see in the menu for these features) adjust the screen, there are plenty of picture modes available. There are the basic ones like Movie and Sports, but there’s also an Imax Enhanced mode and a Filmmaker Mode meant to provide the most accurate picture when watching movies.
Lastly, I would be remiss if I didn’t mention that there’s also hands-free voice control using far-field mics if you don’t feel like reaching for the remote.
Features Score: 4.5/5
TCL QM7K review: Picture quality
The QM7K's Halo Control technology is great at eliminating blooming effects in high-contrast pictures (Image credit: Future)
Impressive HDR brightness
Halo Tech minimizes blooming
Some minor vignetting
The TCL QM7K boasts some solid benchmarks. To start with, its brightness is one of the biggest upgrades over its little brother, the TCL QM6K. In Filmmaker Mode, peak HDR brightness on a 10% white window pattern was measured at 1,733 nits, and 100% fullscreen brightness at 536 nits.
Those same brightness measurements made in the TV’s Standard picture mode were even higher at 2,350 and 640 nits, respectively.
Color gamut coverage is good as well, but not quite the smae upgrade as the brightness. We benchmarked it at 96.9% for UHDA-P3 and 79.2% for BT.2020, both better than the QM6K and Hisense U7N. It’s also worth mentioning that the QM7K’s color accuracy averaged out to a very respectable 1.4.
The Halo Control Technology that the TCL QM7K shares with the QM6K is a huge help in minimizing bloom, an artifact of mini-LED and LED-backlit TVs, where you see a halo effect in dark parts of the screen positioned next to bright sections. The QM7K series has up to 2,800 dimming zones compared to 500 on the QM6K series, and regardless of what I watched, high-contrast images had crisp definition.
Cinematic fare like Hero, The Batman (2022), or really any movie with great cinematography came to life on the QM7K, its brightness, comprehensive HDR support, color gamut coverage, not to mention precise dimming control contributing to detailed yet vibrant images.
The only real issue I encountered was that I experienced some very slight vignetting in the corners of the screen, though it was more minimal than what I saw when I reviewed the TCL QM6K. And despite the QM7K’s high brightness, I still experienced screen glare when watching during the daytime with sunlight coming through the windows.
Picture quality score: 4.5/5
TCL QM7K review: Sound quality
The TCL QM7K's stripped-down remote control annoyingly lacks a play/pause button (Image credit: Future)
Audio by Bang & Olufsen
Limited bass
Soundstage is good if a bit narrow
Having just reviewed the TCL QM6K, the QM7K’s sound quality is another big upgrade. The 40W system is described by TCL as “Audio by Bang & Olufsen,” and since Bang & Olufsen makes solid-sounding products, that usually bodes well.
The QM7K supports Dolby Atmos and DTS Virtual:X, and is also IMAX Enhanced. There are several sound modes, including Bang & Olufsen’s proprietary Beosonic EQ profile that allows for some fine-tuning. When this is selected, a dial appears on the screen with a particular sound profile at the top, bottom, and sides: bright, energetic, warm, and relaxed (clockwise from the top). You can also navigate a cursor anywhere within the dial to create some combination of these sound profiles.
When I reviewed the QM6K, I found there to be a strange dip in the frequency response that gave the sound a slightly artificial quality. Luckily, the QM7K doesn’t have that. The mids are nice and full so that vocals have the kind of richness one would expect when listening to music or watching a movie, and the high-end has both clarity and detail. The bass is fairly limited, but that’s to be expected with any system that doesn’t have larger speakers, such as a TV.
In The Batman (2022), a scene where Selina Kyle is breaking into a safe near the beginning of the movie illustrates a lot of what’s going on with the QM7K’s sound. The sounds of her drill and the turning of the safe’s dial were heard clearly and sounded crisp. And the sound of her hand-to-hand combat with Batman had plenty of impact, as did the dialogue. The TV’s full mid-range also benefited music listening.
The QM7K’s soundstage is good, with elements in soundtracks that are supposed to be on the left or right (or moving from one side to the other) spatially well-defined but still fairly narrow, as it is physically limited by the placement of the speakers.
In the end, the QM7K’s audio quality is very good – it’s just not the full movie experience you would get if it were paired with a good soundbar.
Sound quality score: 4/5
TCL QM7K review: Design
The QM6K's support feet (Image credit: Future)
Pedestal stand can be adjusted for height
Ports include two HDMI 2.1 with 144Hz support
No dedicated play/pause button on remote
The TCL QM7K looks like most contemporary TVs, so you’re probably not going to make a buying decision based on how it looks. The bezel around the screen is fairly thin, making this a svelte-looking TV from the front, and a slight angle allows the dual ports housing the speakers some clearance if you were to wall mount it.
A pedestal stand keeps the TV stable, and it can also be connected at a range of heights so you can raise it a little higher if you want to keep the bottom of the screen from being blocked by a soundbar.
The back of the stand also has a cover that easily slides up and off, revealing some rudimentary cable management, which allows for a cleaner look, especially with the included cable clips. There’s not a ton of space here, however, so if you have a ton of devices plugged into the TV, you might not be able to route all the cables through the back of the stand.
Speaking of plugging devices in, all the ports except for the power are located on the right side of the TV and are angled so that any cables sit flush against it. This is a simple touch that helps keep things looking tidy, especially if you plan on a wall-mount installation. Also worth noting is that the different HDMI ports have their maximum resolution and refresh rate listed next to them – important for gamers!
The remote for the TCL QM7K has all the usual controls, from the directional wheel and center button used to select things to the ones that take you directly to apps like Netflix and Prime Video. There’s also a dedicated button for the TV’s voice assistant. Sadly, there’s no dedicated play/pause button, which means you have to press the directional wheel to bring up the interface and then press the center button again to actually pause playback.
Design score: 4.5/5
TCL QM7K review: Smart TV and menus
The QM7K's Google TV smart interface (Image credit: Future)
Home page displays a good range of content
Google account login required to fully unlock features
Hands-free voice control
The TCL QM7K uses Google TV as its smart TV interface. This has a large, cycling tile that takes up much of the screen with featured content, followed by various rows of tiles with suggested content from various services, a list of apps, and more. It’s a nice layout, only hampered by the fact that not all content seems to be indexed on the home page. (I would love to see suggestions from my Criterion Channel or Mubi app pop up next to YouTube and Max ones.)
As with most smart TV interfaces, there’s plenty of live and free ad-supported content available without needing an additional subscription. This isn’t up to the quality level of what you get from something like Netflix, but it’s not all Sharknado knock-offs. I came across Nip/Tuck, Mr. Bean, and The Illusionist after just a quick scroll. Of course, there’s plenty of Ed Wood-level content available as well.
To get the most out of the interface, you need to first log in to your Google account to set it up. If you’re worried about privacy, this is a requirement that might seem as invasive as it is necessary. It didn’t help that a portion of the featured tiles were ads as opposed to just highlighted content that I already have access to, including an ad with a QR code for ordering pizza on the front page.
As far as the menu diving for TV functionality goes, it’s straightforward and baked into the Google operating system, so you can get to the settings either via the remote or navigating through the home page. It’s also very easy to get deep into fine-tuning the screen, sound, and more to your liking without getting lost.
Smart TV & menus score: 4/5
TCL QM7K review: Gaming
The TCL QM7K's Game Master onscreen menu (Image credit: Future)
4K 144Hz support plus VRR game accelerator
Smooth and clear action
Dedicated Game Master settings menu
Pricier TVs like this one need to appeal to gamers, and TCL has succeeded on that front. Two of the HDMI inputs support 4K 144Hz, so you get smooth gameplay even when the game is going at a breakneck speed, as I did when running away from or through crowds of zombies in Dead Island 2. It can boost up to a 288Hz variable refresh rate (240Hz on the 55-inch model) at 1080p resolution.
If needed, there's a game-centric settings interface called the “Game Master” menu that you can easily pull up to display a refresh rate in the corner, add an aiming crosshair, turn on the VRR, and boost HDR content where applicable.
All in all, using the TCL QM7K is a treat for gaming. The picture quality is sharp and vibrant, especially when you can turn on HDR, and the action is as smooth as one could hope. Input lag is 13.1ms, which is higher than what you get with TVs from Samsung and LG, but it still feels immediate and responsive when gaming.
Gaming score: 4.5/5
TCL QM7K review: Value
The QM7K's included accessories (Image credit: Future)
Not cheap, but still a good value proposition
Cheaper than other “mid-range” TVs
Better brightness than other TVs in its price range
The TCL QM7K TV is not the same fantastic value proposition as the TCL QM6K, but it’s still a very good value.
A good point of comparison would be the Hisense U7N, a competent TV that punches above its weight. The QM7K is better than the Hisense U7N all around, with better brightness and significantly better audio quality. However, the QM7K is also more expensive.
Value score: 4.5/5
Should I buy the TCL QM7K?
(Image credit: Future)
Buy it if...
You want a picture with great contrast Thanks to Halo Control tech, there’s very little blooming. Plus, the TV’s high brightness makes full use of HDR.
You want good sound Audio is one of the main upgrades that this TV gets over its little brother and other mid-range TVs. It’s not quite the same as a good soundbar, but it's good enough that you may not need to get one.
You’re a gamer There are plenty of gaming-centric features on hand, including 4K 144Hz support on two HDMI 2.1 ports, along with 288Hz at 1080p.
Don't buy it if…
You have a limited budget You can spend quite a bit more on a TV, but the TCL QM7K is still not a cheap model. If you’re on a tight budget, you should also look at the less expensive step-down QM6K series.
You don’t want a Google TV If you don’t like connecting your Google account to a TV for privacy reasons, look elsewhere, because that step is needed to make the most of the Google TV smart interface.
Also consider...
TCL QM6K The TCL QM6K is a wonderful TV, but it’s not as bright as the QM7K, and it also has worse audio. It’s about $500 cheaper on average, however, making it is a good option for those with less cash to spend.
Hisense U7N The Hisense U7N does have some issues with backlight blooming and also suffers from poor audio quality. But it has good color gamut coverage and brightness for the price, not to mention similar features such as Dolby Vision IQ and Google TV.
TCL QM851G The TCL QM851G is a 2024 model that was still available for a substantial discount at the time this review posted. This model has even higher brightness than the QM7K, plus a similar set of smart TV and gaming features.
Benchmark measurements conducted by Future US testing lab
I used the TCL QM7K TV regularly for several weeks, testing it with movies, shows, sports events, and games. I tested the various features, such as Dolby Vision IQ, to see if they work as advertised. I also spent time listening to the TV’s audio and watching reference clips to evaluate the picture quality.
After spending some time with this TV, it’s clear that it’s aimed at those looking for a premium experience but at a lower price than a comparable Samsung or LG TV.
I’ve tested plenty of tech gear over the years from laptops to keyboards and speakers, and have been able to apply my expertise toward giving an honest and fair opinion, not to mention a critical eye, to any product I test.
The Epson QL7000 is a projector designed for situations where you normally wouldn’t use a projector: well-lit rooms free of the dark furniture and gray walls typical of home theater environments.
What makes the Epson QL7000 uniquely qualified for such situations is its brightness, which goes far beyond what you get with the best projectors and even matches some of the best TVs. The QL7000 has a specified 10,000 lumens brightness, where a typical home theater projector tops out in the 2,500 to 3,000 range. That’s one of the reasons why the QL7000 costs $29,999 (around £22,400 / AU$47,000), though there are other good reasons as well.
The QL7000 is a 'body-only' projector that needs to be outfitted with a separate lens. Epson offers a range of special lens options, including long-throw ones that let you position it far from a screen, and ultra-short-thow ones that let you install it super-close. This level of installation flexibility is unique for a consumer-grade projector, especially one as small and lightweight as the QL7000. It also has an attractive case design that will let it fit in with your living room’s decor.
The QL7000 uses a laser 3LCD light engine, along with pixel-shifting, to display 4K images. Epson’s 32-bit QZX Picture Processor is used for upscaling and other types of processing, and it supports the HDR10 and HLG high dynamic range formats (but not HDR10+, a format we’re seeing increasing support for in projectors).
A pair of HDMI 2.1 ports on the QL7000 support 4K 120Hz and ALLM (Auto Low Latency Mode), making Epson’s projector, which also has a low 19.6ms input lag, a great option for gaming. But the real draw of the QL7000 is watching sports – its super-bright picture can easily hold up in rooms with the lights on, and games of all sorts have an incredibly immersive quality on a big screen (up to 300 inches max, in this case).
The QL7000 also looks great when you dim the lights for movie time, and with a variable laser light output adjustment, you can create a separate picture mode optimized for more traditional theater-style viewing. Epson’s high-lumen projector lacks the black level refinement seen in some of the top 4K projectors, but with such powerful brightness reserves aided by a dynamic contrast feature, movies watched on the QL7000 pack a strong visual punch.
Ultimately, the QL7000 is a specialized projector designed for multi-use environments, and it serves that purpose brilliantly. Between the projector itself and the separate lens, you’ll pay quite a bit to experience its stunning brightness in your home, but for some, it will be well worth the cost.
Epson QL7000 review: price and release date
First available: March 2025
Price: $29,999 (around £22,400 / AU$47,000)
The QL7000 has a specified 10,000 lumens light output, and its laser light engine has a 20,000-hour lifespan (Image credit: Future)
The flagship model in Epson’s Q Series projector lineup, the QL7000 lists for $29,999 (around £22,400 / AU$47,000). Prices for Epson projectors generally remain consistent over time, though discounts are occasionally tied to sales events. This price is for the QL7000 projector body only, with four lens options available at extra cost.
Other Q series models include the Epson QL3000 (6,000 lumens, $14,999) and Epson QB1000 (3,300 lumens, $7,999).
Epson QL7000 review: Specs
(Image credit: Future)
Epson QL7000 review: design and features
The QL7000 has a stylish case with angled corners, and it's available in black or white (Image credit: Future)
Compact and stylish for a high-lumen projector
Multiple lens option, including ultra-short-throw
Dual HDMI 2.1 ports with 4K 120Hz and ALLM support
The Epson QL7000 represents a departure from the massive, industrial look of typical high-lumen projectors. It’s not only smaller and lighter than such models, but it has a stylish, angled case that’s available in black or white. This sets it apart as a projector that can blend in with a living room setting rather than dominate.
The QL7000 is a “body-only” projector that requires a separate lens. Epson sells a range of lenses, which allow for everything from long-throw to ultra-short-throw installation options. For this review, the company sent me a middle-throw option with a 1-1.6 zoom, +56 to -56 vertical shift, and +16 to -16 horizontal shift.
A laser 3LCD light engine in the QL7000 uses separate red, green, and blue imaging chips and employs pixel shifting to display a 4K image. Light output is specified at 10,000 lumens (white and color), around four times as high as typical home theater projectors, and the QL7000 also supports Epson’s contrast-enhancing UltraBlack technology.
The QL7000 uses Epson’s proprietary 32-bit QZX Picture Processor for upscaling, frame interpolation, and dynamic HDR tone mapping. HDR support includes HDR10 and HLG, but not the HDR10+ format supported by some home theater projectors, including the Epson QB1000.
Gaming features on the QL7000 include two 40Gbps HDMI 2.1 ports with 4K 120Hz support and Auto Low Latency Mode (ALLM). A 3.5mm audio output is also provided (like other high-end projectors, the QL7000 lacks built-in speakers), along with dual USB-A, Ethernet, and RS-232C ports. There is also support for Crestron, Control4, and other home automation systems.
The QL7000’s setup features include horizontal and vertical lens shift, keystone correction, and point correction. Since I installed the projector on a table for my testing, the setup was simple, with the trickiest part being inserting the lens into the projector’s front. Four adjustable feet are provided for leveling the projector during setup, though most QL7000 installations will use a ceiling mount.
A full-size, fully backlit remote control comes with the QL7000. The buttons are large and well arranged, but the functions seem mainly aimed at installation, with no controls to make quick adjustments to basic picture settings like brightness and contrast.
Design and features score: 5/5
Epson QL7000 review: picture quality
The QL7000 demonstration I attended at CEDIA Expo 2024. Note how bright the picture looks on the 200-inch screen in bright lighting conditions (Image credit: Future)
Incredibly bright HDR images
Impressive HDR tone mapping
Very low input lag for gaming
First, let’s look at some measurements. With the QL7000 set to Natural mode (the most accurate picture preset) and a 100% laser light output setting, it measured 1,005 nits on a 10% white HDR pattern. It also measured 1,340 nits in Dynamic mode, which is the one I ended up using for most of my picture evaluation after calibrating the grayscale and color points. For the sake of comparison, the DCI (Digital Cinema Initiatives, a theater industry trade group) digital cinema specification calls for 300 nits brightness for projectors to properly display HDR.
Contrast ratio in Dynamic mode with Dynamic Contrast on and the laser light output set to 30% was 68,000:1. With laser light output set to 100%, that number was boosted to 253,600:1, an excellent result that many competing projectors, particularly DLP-based ones, would struggle to match.
The QL7000’s UHDA P3 color space coverage was 83.7% in Natural mode, and BT.2020 coverage was 61.8% in the same mode. Those numbers aren’t nearly as impressive as high-end home theater projectors like the JVC DLA-NZ800, which is capable of full P3 coverage, or certain triple-laser ultra-short-throw models like the Hisense PX3-Pro that can fully cover BT.2020. Even so, colors looked punchy on the QL7000.
Input latency tested with a Bodnar 4K Input Lag meter was 19.6ms with the QL7000’s Image Processing menu option set to Fast. That’s an excellent result for a projector, and combined with the QL7000’s ALLM feature, it sets the QL7000 apart as a great option for big-screen gaming.
The most exceptional aspect of the Epson QL7000’s picture is its stunning brightness. Even when watching in a bright room with light streaming in from windows, the crisp, clear 4K image beamed by the QL7000 had a true window-on-reality quality.
A main benefit to all that brightness is getting to watch sports on a very big screen. When I first saw a demo of the QL7000 at the 2024 CEDIA Expo, Epson had paired it with a 200-inch screen in a well-lit room, and the football games they were showing looked clear and bright. For my setup, I used a much more modest-sized 92-inch matte white, 1.1 gain Stewart Filmscreen Cima screen, with the projector’s lens surface situated at a 10-foot distance.
As luck would have it, both the NBA playoffs and the Stanley Cup playoffs were happening during my time with the QL7000. No shortage of sports to watch! Viewing in the daytime with room lights on, the QL7000’s exceptionally bright picture made a Pacers vs Bucks match look incredibly realistic, with the Pacers players' bright yellow uniforms retaining their rich yellow hue even in my brightly lit room. With a typical home theater projector, the same image would have had washed-out-looking colors, but that was not at all the case with the QL7000.
The same held for a Capitols vs Canadiens match, with the large, bright projected image giving me a rink-side seat. The red hue of the Montreal players’ uniforms popped against the rink’s icy, white surface, and the QL7000’s excellent motion handling made fast-action plays look completely solid.
With the lights in my room dimmed for movie viewing, the projector’s picture benefited from reducing its laser light output to 30%, which provided more balanced contrast. Watching a 4K Blu-ray of Dune, in a scene where Paul Atreides is tested by the Reverend Mother, her veil came across as a solid black, and there was good overall detail in the dark background.
The projector’s somewhat elevated black level – not unexpected in a model designed for high light output – caused some shadow details to be obscured. However, both lowering the gamma setting to -1 in the Advanced menu and setting black level to 0% in the Dynamic Contrast menu helped somewhat in this regard.
Watching a reference scene from the Bond film No Time to Die that I use to test motion handling, a panning shot across a craggy hillside cemetery showed only minimal judder and motion blur. With the QL7000’s Frame Interpolation mode set to Low, those artifacts completely disappeared, and there was only a slight motion smoothing penalty seen in the picture.
As a final test, I watched a few scenes from The Elephant Man on 4K Blu-ray. The QL7000 presented the film’s black-and-white image with excellent uniformity – there was no sign of tinting or variable brightness across various sections of the screen.
Picture quality score: 4.5/5
Epson QL7000 review: value
The QL7000's fullly backlit remote control makes it easy to adjust settings in a dark room (Image credit: Future)
Provides a larger picture than biggest-screen TVs
Picture brightness a match for some TVs
Unique option for bright-room viewing
At $29,999 (around £22,400 / AU$47,000), the Epson QL7000 crosses over into the money-no-object realm for projectors, making value almost a moot point. Its main benefit is in projecting a 4K image onto screens as large as 300 inches, and with a level of brightness that’s so powerful you can watch during daytime hours with room lights on.
You can now buy super-bright mini-LED TVs in the 100-inch range for substantially less, a reality that would put something of a dent into any consideration of the QL7000’s value. But 100 inches pales in comparison to 300 inches, and yes, people actually exist who want screens that big.
Value score: 4/5
Should I buy the Epson QL7000?
(Image credit: Future)
Buy it if...
You want to watch in a bright room The QL7000 aces the task of beating daylight and overhead lights, making it a unique option for bright room viewing.
You want a great projector for sports With a specified 10,000 lumens brightness, you’ll feel like you’re watching sports on a huge-screen TV and not a projector with the QL7000, and its excellent motion handling means fast-action plays look crisp.
You want a great projector for gaming The QL7000’s dual HDMI 2.1 inputs support 4K 120Hz and ALLM. Input lag is also a low 19.6ms, which is excellent for a projector.
Don’t buy it if…
You want the best projector for movies The QL7000’s exceptional brightness makes it ideally suited for sports. Movies look great on it as well, but there are other projector options that do a better job handling 4K movies with high dynamic range.
You don’t want to buy a separate lens The QL7000 is a “body only” projector that requires a separate lens. The lenses are easy to install, but they add to the cost of an already pricey projector.
You don’t need ultra-large screen support If you don’t need a projector that can support a 300-inch screen size, there are plenty of other good options available, though they won’t match the QL7000’s brightness.
Also consider...
JVC DLA-NZ800 JVC’s 8K projector is a top choice for home theater enthusiasts and features special processing to get the best from 4K movies with HDR. It’s not nearly as bright as the QL7000, and at around $19,000, it’s far from cheap, but if you want the best projector for dark room viewing, look no further.
Epson QB1000 The QB1000 is the current pick as best projector for sports in our best 4K projectors guide because its 3,300 lumens specified brightness is higher than most models. If you can provide some level of dimming in your viewing space, you’ll save a substantial amount of money by opting for the QB1000 over the QL7000.
Sony Bravia Projector 8 The Bravia Projector 8 is another high-end home theater option that costs less than the QL7000 but doesn’t come close to matching its brightness. It uses Sony’s new XR processor for projectors, a tech derived from the company’s TV lineup that makes images look crisp and clean on the big screen.
A ceiling-mount QL7000 installation (Image credit: Future)
How I tested the Epson QL7000
Tested at home, in a room with controlled lighting
Measurements were made using Calman color calibration software
A 1.1 gain Stewart Filmscreen Cima matte white projection screen was used for evaluation and measurements
When I test projectors, my first step is to use them for casual viewing to assess the out-of-box picture presets. The next step is to select the most accurate-looking preset (typically labeled Movie, Cinema, or, in the Epson QL7000's case, Natural) and measure the white balance (grayscale), gamma, and color point accuracy using Portrait Displays’ Calman color calibration software. The resulting measurements provide Delta-E values (the margin of error between the test pattern source and what’s shown on-screen) for each category, and allow for an assessment of the projector’s overall accuracy.
Along with those tests, I make measurements of peak light output (recorded in nits) for both standard high-definition and 4K high dynamic range using a 10% white window pattern. Coverage of DCI-P3 and BT.2020 color space is also measured, with the results providing a sense of how faithfully the projector can render the extended color range in ultra-high-definition sources. The final measurements are contrast ratio, which is the ratio of the brightest white to the darkest black that the projector can display, and input lag, which is measured using a Leo Bodnar 4K HDMI input lag tester.
Sony UBP-X800M2 4K Blu-ray player review: One minute review
The Sony UBP-X800M2 is the company’s flagship 4K Blu-ray player, and it’s one that sits at an affordable price ($289 / £299 / roughly AU$481). It supports Dolby Vision HDR and Dolby Atmos and DTS:X soundtracks and plays a wide variety of disc formats, including SACD. It also features built-in Wi-Fi for streaming from apps such as Netflix and Prime Video.
The Sony UBP-X800M2 delivers picture quality that competes with the best 4K Blu-ray players, showcasing accurate textures, bold colors and excellent contrast. It also demonstrates superb upscaling with both regular Blu-rays and DVDs getting a picture quality uplift. It may not maintain film grain as accurately as the rival Panasonic DP-UB820 (something for film purists to bear in mind), but it’s still an excellent player. Paired with one of the best TVs, it will serve any home theater system well.
The X800M2’s interface is on the dated and plain side, but it’s very responsive and easy enough to navigate. There are plenty of settings on offer for both video and audio, but frustratingly, its Dolby Vision setting needs to be switched off or on depending on the disc. The player itself is reassuringly sturdy for the price, though the lack of an alphanumeric front panel display is a disappointment.
While the X800M2 may not offer as much as the Panasonic DP-UB820 and doesn’t provide the same value as the step-down Sony UBP-X700, it is still a fantastic 4K Blu-ray player. Pair it with one of the best OLED TVs, and you’ll be happy.
Sony UBP-X800M2 4K Blu-ray player review: Prices & release date
The UBP-X800M2 provides multiple connections, though not as many as the rival Panasonic DP-UB820 (Image credit: Future)
Release date: May 2019
Price: $289 / £299 (roughly AU$481)
The Sony UBP-X800M2 is Sony’s flagship 4K Blu-ray player, sitting above the Sony UBP-X700. At launch in May 2019, it cost $299 / £350, putting it in direct competition with Panasonic’s mid-range 4K Blu-ray player, the Panasonic DP-UB820.
Several years on from launch, prices have remained largely unchanged for the X800M2 in the US, though discounts appear sporadically. In the UK, stock is becoming thin, with most units available second-hand. In some cases, prices have even gone up (quite dramatically in some places), but I'd only recommend buying it at or around its initial launch price.
Sony UBP-X800M2 4K Blu-ray player review: Specs
Sony UBP-X800M2 4K Blu-ray player review: Features
The Sony UBP-X800M2 has a quick 30 second disc load time (Image credit: Future)
Dolby Vision HDR support
SACD playback
Built-in Wi-Fi for streaming
The Sony X800M2 has comprehensive disc support including 4K Blu-ray, Blu-ray, DVD (in multiple formats), CD and SACD, the latter of which is not supported by many 4K Blu-ray players including more premium ones like the Panasonic UB9000.
For HDR formats, the X800M2 supports Dolby Vision and HDR10 but not HDR10+. (The Panasonic DP-UB820, the X800M2’s closest rival, supports both Dolby Vision and HDR10+.)
The X800M2 supports Dolby Atmos and DTS:X (bitstream) and decodes Dolby TrueHD and DTS-HD soundtracks. Hi-res audio is also supported via USB, including 24-bit files and DSD (11.2 mHz).
The X800M2 features two HDMI outputs, a coaxial digital audio output, a USB port for audio and video file playback, and an Ethernet port. It has built-in Wi-Fi for streaming, with access to some of the best streaming services, including Netflix and YouTube, and BBC iPlayer pre-installed for UK-based customers. There are no analogue audio outputs as found on the Panasonic DP-UB82, but there is a Bluetooth wireless output for headphones. I tested this feature when watching La La Land, and the connection was solid with only minimal delay.
The X800M2 is responsive during use and its menus are easy to navigate. There are a good number of picture settings, including multiple 4K upscaling options, and there are audio presets to improve the quality of lower-resolution files. While easy to navigate and read, the interface itself is on the plain side, and it has the same outdated look as its more budget Sony UBP-X700 counterpart.
A frustration that carries over from the Sony UBP-X700 is that Dolby Vision must be manually turned on and off per disc; it does not work automatically like on Panasonic players. Instead, with the Dolby Vision setting turned on, the X800M2 forces Dolby Vision on regardless of the disc's content.
Features score: 4.5 / 5
Sony UBP-X800M2 4K Blu-ray player review: Performance
With the UBP-X800M2, pictures have fantastic contrast (Image credit: Future)
Superb picture reproduction
Effective upscaling
Fast load times
The X800M2 demonstrated a short load time in my testing. It took roughly 30 seconds from a disc being loaded into the disc tray to the first logos appearing on screen, which is 5-10 seconds faster than the Panasonic DP-UB820 and a full 30 seconds faster than the Panasonic DP-UB150.
For testing, the X800M2 was connected to a Panasonic MZ1500 OLED TV.
The X800M2 demonstrated superb picture quality. When viewing a 4K Blu-ray of The Batman, black levels were rich and deep, and contrast was powerful. Textures and details were true-to-life, and the Dolby Vision HDR added extra visual punch. It was a similar story with Oppenheimer: black and white scenes were presented with a full range of gray tones, creating a balanced and dynamic image.
Colors were also presented with plenty of vibrant punch. In the opening sequence of La La Land (in HDR10), the full array of brightly colored clothing on display looked natural, yet vivid. The same was true for a later scene where Mia’s yellow dress is shown against a dark backdrop, though I noticed that the X800M2 has a cooler color palette than my reference Panasonic DP-UB820 player.
The X800M2 also demonstrated brilliant upscaling. Watching the Blu-ray version of The Batman, the picture was very close to the 4K version, with only slightly softer-looking textures. A DVD of The Amazing Spider-Man didn’t quite hit 4K quality, but the clean upscaling of textures improved picture quality.
While the X800M2 demonstrated mostly accurate reproduction with films, it did smooth out some film grain, which is something purists will want to take note of. One scene I watched from a Blu-ray of Thief has a high level of film grain, and while this was mostly maintained, the picture looked overly cleaned up compared to the same disc played on the Panasonic DP-UB820. The same situation held for The Batman, an intentionally grainy movie.
The X800M2 played Dolby Atmos soundtracks flawlessly and CD playback was also issue-free.
Performance score: 4.5 / 5
Sony UBP-X800M2 4K Blu-ray player review: Design
The UBP-X800M2 has a solid, sturdy design, but the lack of an alphanumeric LED front display is disappointing (Image credit: Future)
Solid, premium design
No front-panel display
Cheap remote
For a mid-range player, the X800M2 has a premium build quality, with a weighty, solid chassis comprised of metal and plastic. The design is typical plain black, but it looks sleek and minimal compared to rival 4K Blu-ray players.
Similar to its step-down X700 counterpart, the X800M2 does not have an alphanumeric LED display on its front panel, making it difficult to easily tell where you are in a movie or see what screen/functions you’re using. It’s disappointing that Sony’s flagship player lacks this feature, which is one that Panasonic’s players provide.
The X800M2’s supplied remote is functional, but sadly feels cheap. It’s an improvement on the smaller one supplied with the Sony X700, but it’s still not as easy to use as the remotes supplied with Panasonic’s 4K players.
Design score: 4 / 5
Sony UBP-X800M2 4K Blu-ray player review: Value
The UBP-X800M2 has great overall picture quality but it does favour a cooler color palette, shown here during La La Land(Image credit: Future)
Good features and performance for the price
Step-down X700 is a better value
At $289 / £299, the Sony UBP-X800M2 is a great mid-range 4K Blu-ray player, but one that sits in an awkward spot. It has great features, including Wi-Fi for streaming, and its picture quality and responsiveness are excellent for a mid-range 4K Blu-ray player. In the UK, however, the similarly priced Panasonic DP-UB820 with its more comprehensive HDR support is probably the better option. And in the US, the step-down Sony X700 is significantly cheaper than the X800M2 and offers better overall bang for your buck.
Value score: 4 / 5
Should you buy the Sony UBP-X800M2 4K Blu-ray player?
The UBP-X800M2 does maintain film grain in older movies such as Thief, but there is some smoothing happening (Image credit: Future)
Buy it if...
You want superb picture quality The X800M2's delivers refined detail, brilliant contrast and bold colors, especially with 4K Blu-rays. View Deal
You watch a lot of Blu-rays and DVDS Your regular Blu-rays and DVDs will benefit from the X800M2's upscaling prowess, which improves textures and colors. View Deal
You want a feature-packed 4K Blu-ray player With Dolby Vision HDR, Wi-Fi for streaming and a good number of connections and settings, the X800M2 is a well equipped 4K disc player. View Deal
Don't buy it if...
You want the best value 4K Blu-ray player The step-down Sony UBP-X700 has similar features and picture for less. And the Panasonic DP-UB820, though slightly pricier, offers significantly more features for the money.View Deal
You don't want to mess with settings When switching between Dolby Vision and non-Dolby Vision discs, the X800M2 has a frustrating setting that needs to be changed each time.View Deal
You want a modern interface As you may end up spending time in the settings menus, be prepared to deal with a dated interface. View Deal
Also consider
Sony UBP-X700 The step-down Sony 4K Blu-ray player from the X800M2, the UBP-X700 delivers similar features and performance for less, demonstrating better value. Yes, the X800M2 might beat its picture quality, but not enough to justify the price difference.
Panasonic DP-UB820 Our best-in-class 4K Blu-ray player choice, the DP-UB820 offers full HDR support and more connections than the X800M2. It may be pricier than X800M2, but the DP-UB820 delivers the ultimate bang for your buck.
Panasonic DP-UB150/154 A more budget 4K player than the X800M2, the UB150/154 doesn't offer the same performance or features. It's still worthwhile if you're on a strict budget, as it supports a wide variety of discs and HDR10+ high dynamic range.
How I tested the Sony UBP-X800M2 4K Blu-ray player
Tested using a variety of discs including 4K Blu-ray, Blu-ray, DVD and CD
Tested with Panasonic MZ1500 OLED TV
For my testing of the Sony UBP-X800M2, I connected it to a Panasonic MZ1500 OLED, a TV with Dolby Vision HDR support.
To test the X800M2's video and audio quality, I predominantly used reference scenes from 4K Blu-rays, including The Batman, La La Land, Top Gun Maverick, and more.
I used several regular Blu-rays, including Thief, and DVDs such as The Amazing Spider-man to analyse the X800M2's upscaling.
I also evaluated the X800M2's video and audio settings, its menu layout and its streaming capabilities.
The BenQ GP520 is a promising projector for those on a tight budget. At $1,499, it provides a much cheaper alternative to the Hisense C2 Ultra and JGMO N1S Pro 4K. While there are plenty of other examples of the best projectors that can compete near its price, the BenQ GP520 has a solid edge where brightness is concerned. An LED light source lets it hit a high of 2,600 ANSI Lumens, and that’s plenty to provide a pleasing image even if you don’t completely black out your viewing space.
The GP520 beams a sharp and modestly colorful 4K picture and supports HDR10+ high dynamic range. In the right viewing conditions, it can look downright great for a projector at this price, and even has solid motion handling.
BenQ rounds out the GP520 with a potent pair of speakers that will do the job when you don’t have time to sort out a better sound system, and it has integrated Google TV for streaming. The projector is small and easy to move about, making it viable as a go-anywhere all-in-one theater system. While there are plenty of ways the GP520 could be better, it’s a great option for those on a budget.
BenQ GP520 review: Price & release date
There are no optical adjustments on the GP520, which uses automatic keystone and autofocus, and even framing and obstacle avoidance, to configure its picture for new setups (Image credit: Future)
Release date: October 2024
Price:$1,499 / £1299 / AU$ 2,199
The BenQ GP520 is a recent entry to the market and comes in at a modest price. At $1,499, it’s a small bargain next to the BenQ W2720i, and is cheaper than the BenQ X300G and BenQ X3100i in the company’s gaming projector lineup. It doesn’t have the gaming chops of those latter projectors, but it delivers a big, bright 4K picture for the money.
BenQ GP520 review: Design & features
The GP520's included Google TV remote control (Image credit: Future)
Compact, all-in-one design
Multiple tripod holes for mounting
Google TV
Like many recent mainstream home projectors, the BenQ GP520 has a simple, boxy design. With a compact, gray case and a blue accent around the lens, it looks a lot less like office equipment than other BenQ projectors. Inside, it packs an LED DLP projection system, dual 12-watt speakers, and the Google TV streaming platform. It’s a compact projector that’s easy to move and set up in new positions.
While some competitors have started including gimbal stands for angling their projectors, the GP520 has simple rubber feet that can extend to make small angle and tilt corrections. That said, the GP520 is equipped with tripod holes on the top, bottom, and rear for adaptable setups. You’ll want a rather sturdy tripod to secure this projector, though.
The GP520 will automatically configure its picture for new setups, including keystone and autofocus adjustments, and even framing and obstacle avoidance. Aside from focus, these are all digital adjustments that reduce the resolution of the 4K picture.
The BenQ GP520 runs the Google TV smart TV system, and while this provides plenty of functionality for finding and streaming content, the hardware running it isn’t so capable. After making a selection or trying to access a menu, the OS will hang up for one or several seconds. For instance, trying to access the picture settings menu from the main menu, the delay was long enough for me to be convinced the system had glitched (it didn’t).
Around back, the GP520 offers up a pair of HDMI 2.1 ports (one with eARC), a 3.5mm audio output, two USB-A ports (one for service only), and a USB-C port. That last one is special, as it not only supports 20 watts of charging power for a connected device but also serves as a DisplayPort input.
The back of the projector also features a small vent for exhausting heat, and while plenty of heat comes out of the back, the fans are not very loud. On top, it has buttons for volume, Bluetooth pairing, and power. The sides of the projector are covered in large grills that allow air to flow in and sound to come out of the speakers. While the GP520 is compact, BenQ uses a large and heavy external power brick that could get in the way of a convenient and tidy setup.
The remote included with the GP520 is basic and feels a bit cheap, but it does the job. It has the typical Google TV layout with a circular navigation dial, a microphone button for voice controls, and quick buttons for home and back. Interestingly, it includes a zoom control to quickly shrink the image down and blow it back up, and also has a dedicated button to automatically adjust keystone and focus. Thankfully, the remote has a shortcut button to change inputs, making it much quicker to jump from the somewhat slow Google TV operating system to any other input without getting bogged down in unresponsive menus.
Design & features score: 3.5/5
BenQ GP520 review: Picture & sound quality
Black levels can look elevated on the GP520, but it manages to easily draw out detail from dark shadows in movies like Dune(Image credit: Future)
Crisp, bright 4K picture
Color is a bit lacking
No gaming features
The BenQ GP520 puts on a good show, beaming a picture with 2,600 lumens of brightness. In a well-lit room, you’ll want to stick with content like cartoons and TV, but if you can draw the curtains and dim your space, the GP520 is good for movies. Enemy of the State had great visuals and solid contrast on my 100-inch screen, even with light slipping through my blinds during the day. Black levels weren’t incredibly deep, but it still looked good.
Watched in these same conditions, a 4K Blu-ray of Dune looked excellent in the GP520’s HDR10 picture mode. The picture had sharp detail, and there was also detail in dark shadows, such as fabrics and the Harkonnen armor. Occasionally, the projector exhibited judder during panning and tilting shots, but it was very subtle. There’s also an Auto HDR picture mode, but this shifts to a cooler color temperature and introduces the soap opera effect along with other odd motion artifacts.
Elevated black levels seen on the GP520 can be a little distracting when it displays letterboxed movies or larger areas of black, but contrast is nonetheless quite good. The GP520 performed well in Paul’s duel with Jamis toward the end of Dune. I’ve seen other projectors struggle greatly with this fairly dark scene, but the GP520 presented it clearly and brought out plenty of detail, including in Jamis’ face.
The GP520's Google TV smart interface (Image credit: Future)
The GP520 falls a bit short on color, though, with its LED light source only covering 81% of the DCI-P3 color space. That leaves plenty of room for improvement, but such improvement will generally come from more expensive triple laser projectors, like the JMGO N1S Pro or Hisense C2 Ultra. This won’t hold the GP520 back with some movies, such as the aforementioned Enemy of the State, but it loses a little punch with content that benefits from especially vibrant color, like Cyberpunk Edgerunners.
The speakers on the GP520 pack a punch for a system of this size. The balance is a little crisp, putting a lot into the mids and rolling off the bass. Sub-bass is absent, so you’ll miss some meat from movies, TV, and games.
While the projector can run games with a reasonably low latency, it can’t switch to 1080p display and bump up the frame rate like some of its competitors. Regardless of resolution, the refresh rate is capped at 60Hz.
Picture and sound quality score: 3.5/5
BenQ GP520 review: Value
Connections include two HDMI 2.1 ports (one with eARC) and a USB-C port with DisplayPort support (Image credit: Future)
Brighter than similar options
Affordable price for a 4K projector
All-in-one design enhances value
The BenQ GP520 may not be the best projector around, but it’s offering an excellent value. For one thing, it’s a complete package with integrated speakers and a streaming software that lets you power it up and start watching without any extra gear. It’s also offering solid performance for the money, with a picture that’s plenty bright, crisp, and with HDR10+ support. It could use a bit more color richness, a deeper black floor, and the option to increase refresh rate at lower resolutions, but for straightforward movie and TV watching, it’s quite good.
At $1,499, the BenQ GP520 sits in a proper place, steering clear of some of its more colorful triple-laser competition but offering better brightness compared to similarly priced projectors.
Value score: 4.5/5
Should I buy the BenQ GP520?
(Image credit: Future)
Buy it if...
You want a bright picture The BenQ GP520 scores high marks for its brightness, which helps it perform better in rooms with some ambient light. View Deal
You want a solid all-in-one at a great value The BenQ GP520 checks all the boxes. It’s a bright 4K beamer with robust stereo sound and integrated Google TV. You can find this combination in other systems, but BenQ drives a hard bargain at $1,499.View Deal
You want setup flexibility The BenQ GP520 may not have any optical adjustments, but it does have some decent flexibility thanks to its support for multiple tripod mounting locations and its ability to flip upside down, stay upright, or even tilt vertically. View Deal
Don't buy it if...
You want a gaming projector BenQ may be a big name in gaming, but the GP520 isn’t particularly well-suited for it. It caps out at 60Hz while some of its competitors can jump up to 120Hz or even 240Hz and deliver lower lag in the process.View Deal
You want the best picture for your money Rivals from JGMO and Hisense may not be able to go as bright as the GP520 at the same price, but their triple-laser light sources make for absolutely stunning visuals. As long as you can control the ambient light in your viewing area, they’ll prove more impressive. View Deal
You like motion smoothing Some devices do motion smoothing well, but the GP520 isn’t particularly adept at it. It can make panning shots and moving objects look smoother, but it introduces obvious visual artifacts into other sorts of motion. View Deal
Also consider
JMGO N1S Pro This triple-laser projector won’t beam quite as bright, but that may not be obvious when you’re appreciating its absolutely stunning color.
BenQ W2720i At a considerable markup, the BenQ W2720i steps up the visuals with better color and more advanced optics. This also allows for better positioning control for the image without relying too much on digital adjustments. It’s a little dimmer and a lot bigger, though, so it won’t work for everyone.View Deal
Xgimi Horizon Ultra This model combines LED and laser projection for a bright and colorful picture, plus it has a more elegant design to fit in with your decor. But it also won’t be as bright for the money.
Tested at home in multiple, real-world viewing conditions
Presented the display with a variety of media and formats
I have tested numerous projectors and displays over the last half-decade
I tested the BenQ GP520 at home, in real-world conditions. This saw it faced with ambient light coming in from numerous windows, in-room lighting, as well as ambient noise that both the projector and speaker systems had to overcome. The projector was tested both against a bare, white wall and an Akia Screens CineWhite screen. It was presented with streamed content, HDR and non-HDR, and PC gameplay.
My testing evaluates the projector’s performance with respect to its price and competition from other models I and colleagues at TechRadar have tested.
I have been testing projectors since 2021 and displays for even longer.
