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Sony Bravia Theater Bar 8 review: a competent performer struggling to be heard in a crowded market

3:32 am | October 1, 2024

Sony Bravia Theater Bar 8: One-minute review

When Sony announced its 2024 AV lineup, it wasn’t just its TVs that received a more straightforward naming system, but its soundbars too. This year, the potentially tricky-to-remember model numbers have been replaced with a much simpler Bravia branding. The Sony Bravia Theater Bar 8 replaces the HT-A5000 as the company’s mid-range model – sitting below the Theater Bar 9 and the Bravia Theater Quad four-speaker audio system – and arrives with the aim to be one of best soundbars.

As with the HT-A5000, this latest model is a standalone Dolby Atmos soundbar. There are no wireless rear speakers included, nor is there a wireless subwoofer, but these can be added as optional extras if you wish to create an even more immersive surround sound experience. Despite the Sony Bravia Theater Bar 8 cramming 11 speakers into its slimline body to create a “bubble of sound” in Sony’s words, we would recommend true movie buffs consider adding at least a subwoofer to handle the low-end.

The Bar 8 is smaller than its predecessor – by some 30% – and is low in height, meaning it slots effortlessly in front of a TV. Connectivity is good rather than great with just two HDMI ports, one of which is eARC to connect to your TV. Thankfully, however, the other HDMI input is the 2.1 standard and it supports 8K/60Hz and 4K/120Hz passthrough, meaning you can confidently connect external devices including games consoles and 4K Blu-ray players. Elsewhere there is Spotify Connect, AirPlay 2 and Bluetooth for streaming music.

While some may expect more from a soundbar that costs $999 / £999 / AU$1,499, where connections or additional rear speakers are concerned there’s no denying the Sony Bravia Theater Bar 8 does an excellent job of boosting the sound of your TV. Although as for true Dolby Atmos it does fall a little short of the competition. The company’s 360 Spatial Sound Mapping tech does work in creating phantom speakers, but we found during our testing that the soundfield was more of a half-dome as opposed to a full-dome covering an entire room.

We also found that the Bravia Bar 8 performed at its best in small to medium-sized rooms, as it seemed to lack the power to fill a larger open space. Adding the optional rear speakers and/or a subwoofer will undoubtedly help (we didn’t have them for this review), but the total cost of such a package adds up to far more than tried and tested complete Dolby Atmos soundbar packages, despite the Bravia Bar 8 receiving what seem to be permanent price cuts globally (as of September 2024, it's typical street price is generally around $849.99 / £799 / AU$1,249).

So while it might not be the outright best option for your main TV viewing room, the Sony Bravia Bar 8 can certainly find a spot in a bedroom or smaller TV room. The only question you’ll need to ask yourself is if you’d rather opt for the Sonos Arc. It doesn’t cost that much more than the Sony, handles music better and has the added potential benefit multiroom functionality.

Sony Bravia Theater Bar 8 review: Price and release date

Launched in July 2024
List price of $999 / £999 / AU$1,499
Has received price cuts since launch

The Sony Bravia Theater Bar 8 was announced in April 2024 and went on sale in July 2024 in the US, UK and Australia for $999 / £999 / AU$1,499. That puts it right in the firing line of the Sonos Arc, which also goes without a wireless subwoofer or rear speakers included.

It’s less than the MSRP of the Samsung HW-Q990D – our current favorite Dolby Atmos soundbar on our list of the best soundbars – although recent price drops against Samsung's soundbar make it approximately the same price as the Sony Bravia Theater Bar 8 in most regions.

Samsung’s flagship bar comes with a wireless subwoofer and rear speakers included, although the rears do require constant power. Sony’s selection of optional rear speakers run off rechargeable batteries and so could prove to be a more appealing option for anyone short on power outlets in their room.

Sony Bravia Theater Bar 8 review: Specs

Sony Bravia Theater Bar 8 review: Features

5.0.2 speaker channels
Phantom speakers for extra 'virtual' channels
HDMI 2.1 with 4K 120Hz support

Top-down view of the Sony logo on the Sony Bravia Theater Bar 8

(Image credit: Future / Max Langridge)

As you’ll find with soundbars from the likes of LG and Samsung, the Sony Bravia Theater Bar 8 can connect to a Sony TV from 2021 or newer and use it as a center channel via Bravia Acoustic Center Sync. It would have been nice for this to have worked via HDMI – whereby the soundbar should be able to detect it’s connected to a Sony TV – but you have to connect them together using the included cable. If you don’t own a Sony TV, but your TV has an S-Center speaker input, you can take advantage of this feature via the same 3.5mm cable wired connection (the 3.5mm port on the rear of the Bravia Bar 8 can only be used for this feature and can’t be used as an input from external devices).

There are only two HDMI ports on the Bravia Bar 8, and with one needed to connect to a TV via eARC, there is just one spare for external devices. Fortunately, this input does support 8K/60Hz and 4K/120Hz passthrough and gamers will appreciate that it supports auto low latency mode (ALLM) and variable refresh rate (VRR). Having just one spare HDMI input shouldn’t alienate too many users, but the previous HT-A5000 had two spare, so it’s peculiar as to why Sony has dropped one this time around.

Setting up the Bravia Bar 8 is incredibly easy. Simply connect it to your TV via the aforementioned HDMI port, open up the Bravia Connect app on your iOS or Android device and connect it to your network. Once done, you’ll want to run a calibration to ensure the soundbar is optimized for your specific room. It’s a process that only takes around 20 seconds and sees the soundbar emitting various tones to determine the acoustics of your room to optimize the sound output based on your usual seating position.

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Rear view of the HDMI, DTS:X and Dolby Atmos logos on the Sony Bravia Theater Bar 8 — (Image credit: Future / Max Langridge)

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Picture of the remote control supplied with the Sony Bravia Theater Bar 8 soundbar — (Image credit: Future / Max Langridge)

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Picture of the remote control supplied with the Sony Bravia Theater Bar 8 soundbar, being held in a hand — (Image credit: Future / Max Langridge)

There’s no option to manually adjust speaker channel settings as you can with other soundbars such as the Samsung HW-Q990D, but you can choose from three height modes – lower, default and higher – and three different sound field settings. The default option here is Sony’s 360 Spatial Sound Mapping, but you also have the option of DTS Neural:X or Dolby Speaker Visualizer. You can also turn the sound field mode off entirely if you wish (I’ll discuss the effects of this further down in the performance section). And, when rear speakers are connected, the Sony Bravia Theater Bar 8 can deliver an IMAX Enhanced certified audio presentation.

There aren’t any sound modes along the lines of ‘Movie’ or ‘Music’, which is an interesting omission, and there’s also very little mention of AI being used. The only AI-related feature of the Theater Bar 8 is to detect human voices and make them clearer via “AI sound separation”.

If you want to play music through the Bar 8, you can do so via HDMI, Bluetooth, Spotify Connect or AirPlay 2. Hi-Res audio is supported from compatible sources along with Sony’s LDAC wireless codec. You can also stream songs mixed in Sony’s own 360 Reality Audio via Amazon Music Unlimited.

Features score: 3.5/5

Sony Bravia Theater Bar 8 review: Performance

Powerful with genuine height
Bass handling would benefit from a dedicated subwoofer

With 11 speakers inside the bar, including two up-firing and two new side-firing drivers, the Sony Bravia Theater Bar 8 is certainly capable of delivering powerful, expansive sound into your room. But expansive doesn’t necessarily mean enveloping, as I found it to produce more of a half-dome of sound rather than a complete bubble to include sounds coming from behind my viewing position.

I began my testing in a smaller room of the house, with the soundbar connected to the Sony Bravia 8 OLED TV and a scene from The Incredibles streaming on Disney Plus – the part where the children are in the jungle escaping from Syndrome’s henchmen. There was obvious height and width to the sound, with the flying saucer-like vehicles shooting across the screen and up above the listening position when they went off screen.

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Wide view of the Sony Bravia Theater Bar 8 in front of the 65-inch Sony Bravia 8 OLED TV — The Bravia Theater Bar 8 nestles perfectly in front Sony's own 65-inch Bravia 8 OLED TV. (Image credit: Future / Max Langridge)

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Sony Bravia Theater Bar 8 soundbar with feet attached and sitting over the feet of the Sony Bravia 8 OLED TV — Optional feet can be attached to the Bravia Bar 8, so that it slides over the feet of 2024 Sony Bravia TVs. (Image credit: Future / Max Langridge)

For the majority of my testing, I had the height sound setting set to ‘higher’ as it provided the most immersive experience. I toggled between ‘default’ and ‘lower’ settings but found both to have a negative impact on the movie I was watching. I wasn’t personally able to find a scenario where either of these settings would be useful when watching a film.

Sony says the Bravia Bar 8 is capable of bouncing sound off the ceiling to create phantom speakers behind the listening position, but I wasn’t able to distinguish these during my testing. Dedicated rear speakers would no doubt alleviate this, as they’ll be on hand to actually deliver sound from behind the viewing position.

Dialogue was notably impressive, however, coming through crystal clear even when the volume was turned up. I also found the Voice Mode – activated within the Bravia Connect app or on the supplied remote control – did indeed give dialogue a boost without sacrificing too much of the rest of the soundtrack. And as for the Bravia Bar 8’s bass handling during the same scene in The Incredibles, I was pleasantly surprised by the depths it could go to, especially given the absence of a wireless subwoofer.

But, those same opinions didn’t translate over to the chase scene in The Batman – I loaded up a 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray on a PlayStation 5 and was left a little disappointed. The engine growl from the Batmobile was lacking impact and the chase as a whole lacked excitement. The bass output from the Theater Bar 8 is good, but it was apparent it had a limit to its capabilities. A subwoofer would help here as it would take away much of the low-end duties from the soundbar, leaving it to focus on other tasks.

A positive to come from this sequence, however, was that bullets fired at the Batmobile’s windows did pierce through the presentation, which is something I’ve found other soundbars such as the Sonos Arc can falter on.

View of HDMI connections on the Sony Bravia Theater Bar 8 — There are just two HDMI 2.1 connections on the Sony Bravia Theater Bar 8 soundbar, one of which is reserved for an eARC connection. (Image credit: Future / Max Langridge)

I also streamed music to the Bravia Bar 8 via AirPlay from my iPhone using Amazon Music Unlimited. I loaded up a few tracks that had been mixed in Sony’s 360 Reality Audio format, but that were also available in Ultra HD – Amazon’s version of Hi-Res – so I could switch between the two.

Put simply, songs streamed in the latter format sounded much better. Miley Cyrus’ Flowers, for example, was delivered with extremely good vocal clarity and decent low-end bass when streaming in the Ultra HD format. Having the soundbar’s 360 Spatial Sound Mapping soundfield selected also added some extra expanse to the performance, resulting in something that was perfectly enjoyable and listenable. However, switching it to the default setting did yield a more natural-sounding performance.

It wasn’t such good news when moving over to the 360 Reality Audio version of the same song. Bass was essentially eradicated and the overall performance sounded tinny and not too dissimilar to a very cheap Bluetooth speaker. I tried to fix it by turning off the soundfield setting, but it didn’t make a huge amount of difference, other than removing any notion of height from the song.

Performance score: 3.5/5

Sony Bravia Theater Bar 8 review: Design

Premium build with cloth wrapping
Suits 55-inch to 75-inch TVs
A front display would be nice

Sony’s website claims the Bravia Theater Bar 8 outputs sound in a 5.0.2-channel configuration – the same as the Sonos Arc – but we’ve also been told directly from Sony’s product managers that this isn’t so definitive. This is because the sound output will be different for every room, as Sony’s 360 Spatial Sound Mapping technology calibrates the output on a room-by-room basis. Plus, it makes use of phantom speakers with the intention of creating a bubble of sound.

The Bravia Theater Bar 8 is pretty attractive by soundbar standards. It measures 1100 x 64 x 113 mm, making it slightly shorter than a 55-inch TV (which roughly measures 1200mm). I had it setup in front of a 65-inch Sony Bravia 8 OLED and a 77-inch LG G4 OLED TV (top image) during my testing and in both instances it looked perfectly fine, meaning it would be well-suited to be placed in front of a 75-inch TV, too. Coincidentally, 55-, 65- and 75-inch are the three sizes the Sony Bravia 8 OLED TV is available in and, to further highlight how both 8-series TV and soundbar are ideal partners, Sony includes a set of feet in the box with the soundbar to raise it slightly so that it can slide over your TV’s feet if your TV bench isn’t deep enough to accommodate both.

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A picture of the optional feet for the Sony logo on the Sony Bravia Theater Bar 8

Sony supplies optional feet and screws to attach to the bottom of the Sony Bravia Theater Bar 8 soundbar. (Image credit: Future / Max Langridge)

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The optional feet attached to the Sony Bravia Theater Bar 8 — (Image credit: Future / Max Langridge)

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Sony Bravia Theater Bar 8 soundbar with feet attached and sitting in front of the LG G4 OLED TV — (Image credit: Future / Max Langridge)

If you want to add rear speakers to the Bravia 8, you have a choice of the SA-RS3S or SA-RS5, although only the latter pair features dedicated up-firing speakers. As for subwoofers, you can pair the Bravia Bar 8 with either the 200W SA-SW3 or 300W SA-SW5.

The entire soundbar is covered in a cloth fabric which means when you’re watching TV the soundbar’s top panel won’t reflect the screen above it.

Close-up image of the front LED indicator on the Sony Bravia Theater Bar 8 soundbar. — A small LED is the only indicator for power and input. (Image credit: Future / Max Langridge)

One feature I would have liked to see is a proper front panel display for information such as current input or even volume level. There are two small LEDs on the front right of the Bar 8, one to indicate when you’re adjusting the volume and one to indicate the current source. An HDMI device shines white, for example, while Bluetooth is expectedly blue. For more information relating to volume level and source input, you need to open up the Bravia Connect app.

Design score: 4/5

Sony Bravia Theater Bar 8 review: Setup & usability

Quick sound calibration
Bravia Connect app and remote for easy control
HDMI eARC connection to TV

Screenshots taken from the Bravia Connect app when connected to a Sony Bravia Theater Bar 8 soundbar — (Image credit: Future / Max Langridge)

Setting up the Sony Bravia Theater Bar 8 is a relatively straightforward affair. All you need to do is connect an HDMI cable from the soundbar to your TV (Sony supplies one in the box), wait for it to register and you’re away. You’ll need to turn to the Sony Bravia Connect app for iOS and Android to get it connected to your home Wi-Fi network and to carry out the speedy sound optimization calibration.

A remote control is supplied too, for those moments when you don’t want or need to use the app. There is a central button for volume control (you can’t press and hold to turn the volume up and down), along with a dedicated button to adjust the bass level, turn the soundfield mode on or off (but not toggle through them), and toggle voice mode and night mode. The Bar 8 does work via HDMI-CEC, allowing you to adjust the volume using your TV’s remote control.

Setup & usability score: 4.5/5

Sony Bravia Theater Bar 8 review: Value

Premium price
Similarly-priced competitors include rear speakers and subwoofer
Not a class leader

While it launched at $999 / £999 / AU$1,499, the Bravia Theater Bar 8 appears to have received a regular discount in all territories, seeing its price drop to $849.99 / £799 / AU$1,249. In the US at the time of writing, it can be picked up with a further discount of $150. At its MSRP, the Bravia Bar 8 was immediately pitted against the Sonos Arc, which we consider to be one of the best standalone Dolby Atmos soundbars and which does outperform the Sony.

Now it appears to have received a price cut, it’s a more appealing option and somewhat helps stomach the extra cost for a wireless subwoofer and/or wireless rear speakers, should you want to add them. Considering its performance isn’t quite at the level we were expecting, it’s not the obvious choice for anyone looking to create a Dolby Atmos experience at home.

Our current pick for the outright best Dolby Atmos soundbar is the Samsung HW-Q990D, which can regularly be found for much less than its launch price in all territories. If you have one of Sony’s 2024 Bravia TVs, then the Bravia Theater Bar 8 is a natural pairing, but for anyone else, the Samsung soundbar still gets our vote.

Value score: 3.5/5

Should I buy the Sony Bravia Theater Bar 8?

Buy it if...

You want a simple solution for a smaller room
The Bravia Bar 8 will struggle to fill a large space, but if you want boosted TV sound in a smaller room or bedroom, it's worth an audition.

You want a full-range soundbar that supports Dolby Atmos
The Bravia Bar 8 can indeed deliver a expansive soundstage with good object placement, and it has the option of additional hardware to create a complete system.

Don't buy it if...

You want an authentic Dolby Atmos experience
Without the rear speakers or subwoofer included, the Bravia Theater Bar 8 can't deliver a true Dolby Atmos experience, despite its best efforts through calibration techniques.

You own Sonos speakers
This may sound strange, but if you already own Sonos speakers such as the Era 100 or Era 300, you're better off getting the Sonos Arc. It has the same speaker configuration as the Sony, but can be paired with speakers to create a full home theater. Plus, it handles music more confidently.

Sony Bravia Theater Bar 8 review: Also consider

Sonos Arc
It’s been mentioned throughout this review for good reason. The Sonos Arc doesn’t cost much more than the Sony Bar 8, yet delivers a more authentic and immersive audio performance. It’s much better with music and has the obvious additional benefit of being able to be added into a larger multiroom system.

Read our full Sonos Arc review

Samsung HW-Q990D
You may need to pay a little extra to pick up Samsung’s latest Dolby Atmos soundbar, but it is absolutely worth it. Wireless rear speakers and a subwoofer are included in the box to deliver a sensational home cinema experience. It also has an extra HDMI 2.1 input, making it better for owners of multiple playback devices or games consoles.

Read our full Samsung HW-Q990D review

How I tested the Sony Bravia Theater Bar 8

Connected to the Sony Bravia 8 and LG G4
Tested with a variety of sources
All soundfield modes tested

I tested the Sony Bravia Theater Bar 8 over a period of two weeks. I connected it to a Sony Bravia 8 TV in a small room to test its sound output and any same brand exclusive features. I also moved it to a much larger room and connected it to an LG G4.

The majority of testing was conducted with the highest soundfield setting enabled, although I did toggle between the other options to analyze the sound output.

I played content from streaming services and 4K Blu-ray discs to test the Bravia Theater Bar 8's ability to handle Dolby Atmos soundtracks, and analyzed not only its spatial sound performance, but also bass, trebles and vocal clarity.

I also streamed music via Bluetooth and Wi-Fi to test music playback. I played hi-res audio, Atmos and Sony 360 Reality Audio tracks via Amazon Music Unlimited and Apple Music.

Samsung Q60D: Two minute review

The Samsung Q60D is a budget QLED TV that delivers good picture quality and gaming performance and is a fine entry-level option for those looking to save money. It’s missing some key features and faces plenty of more affordable competition, however, so it’s not going to beat the best TVs anytime soon.

Picture quality on the Q60D is fairly good overall, with punchy but natural colors and solid contrast. Detail is where the Q60D shines, with crisp textures serving as the Q60D’s best aspect. With a QLED panel and standard LED backlight, black levels won’t rival those of the best OLED TVs, but they are better than the Amazon Fire TV Omni QLED, another affordable QLED TV. There’s some motion blur when watching sport and shadow detail is lacking compared to sets that benefit from better backlights, but the picture is good overall for a TV at this price.

The Q60D has a basic 2.0-channel, 20W speaker array. Speech is clear and there’s good sound placement thanks to Samsung’s OTS Lite feature, but the sound lacks the bass heft and virtual surround you’ll get from the best TVs for sound. For those looking to use it for more than casual viewing, I’d recommend one of the best soundbars.

Gaming on the Q60D is fun enough, with the TV’s decent gaming performance helped by a low 9.6ms input lag time and a clean picture. However, with no support for 120Hz or VRR, it lacks key features of the best gaming TVs, though it does support ALLM and has Samsung’s useful Gaming Hub.

The Q60D is fairly priced for what it offers and is available in 43-85-inch screen sizes (a 32-inch model is also available in the US). However, it faces competition from cheap mini-LED TVs such as the Hisense U6N and Hisense U7N, and the TCL C805 (in the UK), all of which benefit from more gaming features, Dolby Vision HDR support and mini-LED backlights.

Samsung Q60D with orange butterfly on screen — The Samsung Q60D delivers surprisingly crisp details. (Image credit: Future)

Samsung Q60D review: Prices & release date

Released April 2024
32-inch: $479.99
43-inch: $529.99 / £479
50-inch: $599.99 / £549
55-inch: $749.99 / £599 / AU$1,195
65-inch $799.99 / £899 / AU$1,495
75-inch: $999.99 / £1,299 / AU$1,995
85-inch: $1,699.99 / £1,699 / AU$2,995

The Samsung Q60D is the entry-level QLED series in Samsung’s 2024 TV range, sitting below the Q70D and Q80D.

Since release, Q60D prices have fallen across every screen size in every region and it’s regularly on sale both through Samsung and other retailers. We’ve seen the 50-inch model we tested for as low as £479 in the UK – more than £200 off from its initial £699. In the US, prices have dropped roughly $200 across the range.

Samsung Q60D review: Specs

Samsung Q60D review: Benchmark results

Samsung Q60D connectivity panel — The Samsung Q60D includes three HDMI ports, but none support 4K 120Hz or VRR. (Image credit: Future)

Samsung Q60D review: Features

4K QLED ‘Dual LED’ panel
Tizen smart TV platform
HDR10+ high dynamic range support

The Q60D features a QLED panel that uses quantum dot tech to improve brightness and color detail over standard LED TVs. It also features what Samsung calls ‘Dual LED’ tech, which aims to boost contrast. It comes with Samsung’s Quantum Processor Lite 4K processor, with the more premium NQ4 AI Gen2 Processor available starting in the step-up Q80D series.

As with all Samsung TVs, the Q60D supports the HDR10+, HDR10 and HLG high dynamic range formats, but not Dolby Vision. For Dolby Vision support in a similar price range, look to the Amazon Omni QLED.

For sound, the Q60D has a basic 2.0-channel speaker array totaling 20W of power and features a ‘Lite’ version of the Object Tracking System (OTS) that can be found in Samsung’s more premium sets. It also supports Adaptive Sound and the Q Symphony feature that can combine the TV’s speakers with those in a compatible Samsung soundbar.

For gaming, the Q60D comes with Samsung’s Gaming Hub, with support for Cloud gaming apps from Xbox, Nvidia GeForce Now and more. It also features ALLM but does not support 4K 120Hz or VRR.

The Q60D uses Samsung’s Tizen platform for its smart TV interface. Tizen provides access to popular streaming apps such as Netflix, Prime Video and Disney Plus. In the UK, it also supports BBC iPlayer, ITVX, Channel 4 and Freeview apps, although live TV services are handled by Samsung’s own TV Plus system rather than Freeview.

Features score: 4/5

Samsung Q60D with sunset on screen — The Samsung Q60D's contrast is richer than anticipated, with a good balance between light and dark tones. (Image credit: Future)

Samsung Q60D review: Picture quality

Punchy colors
Refined detail
Middling black levels and contrast

When measuring peak brightness, the 50-inch Q60D yielded results of 417 nits and 384 nits in Standard and Filmmaker Modes respectively on a 10% HDR white window. This is lower than the rival Amazon Omni QLED, which hit 531 nits and 402 nits in its same picture modes on the same tests, though it’s worth noting the Amazon TV was a 65-inch model.

Measuring the Q60D’s HDR color gamut coverage, it yielded results of 71% and 92.9% for BT.2020 and UHDA-P3 color spaces respectively in Filmmaker Mode. While those are not the best results, they are still decent for a budget TV and actually put it in line with mini-LED sets such as the Samsung QN85D and Hisense U6N.

The Q60D did a decent job displaying standard-definition images on its 50-inch screen, though it’s likely that textures would be fuzzier on larger screen sizes. High-definition content fared better, showing clearer-looking textures.

Moving onto 4K HDR sources, I first viewed a stream of Star Wars: The Last Jedi on Disney Plus to test the Q60D’s colors. In the throne room fight scene, which is filled with bright reds, the Q60D displayed plenty of punch while also maintaining a natural look. And in the opening race sequence of Ready Player One, colors were vivid, even though they lacked some of the same brightness I’ve seen on more premium TVs.

Samsung Q60D with geyser on screen — The Samsung Q60D thrives with bright images. (Image credit: Future)

The Batman is a challenging movie for many TVs due to its numerous dark scenes. Viewed with regular room lighting, the Q60D demonstrated good contrast throughout and decent enough black levels, especially for a QLED set. In the opening crime scene, there was good shadow detail with no black crush. Light sources, such as lamps, were balanced well within the scene's dimly lit surroundings.

Viewing this same scene in darker lighting conditions, blacks took on more of a gray look with a cloudy wash over the whole screen. However, black levels were still better than expected and better than those of the Amazon Omni QLED.

Viewing black-and-white scenes in Oppenheimer, the Q60D did a better job displaying the film’s wide range of brighter whites and grays over the black tones.

The Q60D demonstrated refined-looking textures and details. In scenes from The Batman and Top Gun: Maverick, facial features were clearly defined, and details in clothing also had a more realistic look than I anticipated for a budget QLED TV. Watching demo footage from the Spears & Munsil UHD Benchmark Blu-ray, details in landscapes, cityscapes and close-up shots of animals looked authentic throughout.

When I watched an HD stream of a Soccer game on Prime Video, the Q60D delivered acceptable motion handling. I found that setting judder reduction in the motion section of the picture settings to a lower amount, say 2 or 3, was better than having it set to full, though some may prefer the smoother processing. Regardless, there was still some judder and blur present due to the TV’s 60Hz panel. If you’re a sports fan, you’ll be better off looking at the best TVs for sport, such as the Samsung QN90D.

The Q60D’s motion handling with movies was much better. Watching Top Gun: Maverick, it did a solid job with the quick panning shots and tumbling cameras during the training missions and Darkstar opening scene. There was still occasional judder, but it didn’t detract from the viewing experience.

Picture quality score: 4/5

Samsung Q60D with La La Land title card on screen — The Samsung Q60D suffers from limited built-in sound, as heard when watching *La La Land*. (Image credit: Future)

Samsung Q60D review: Sound quality

Clear speech
Good directional sound
Limited bass and soundstage

The Q60D has a 2.0-channel speaker array with 20W of power. It supports Object Tracking Sound Lite (OTS Lite) and Adaptive Sound, a feature that changes volume based on an analysis of the content being displayed. It also has Q Symphony, a feature that combines the Q60D’s built-in speakers with those in compatible Samsung soundbars for an enhanced audio presentation. There are two sound presets, Standard and Amplify, with Amplify being the best overall and the one I used during testing.

The Q60D delivered clear dialogue during the chaotic Batmobile chase in The Batman. It also delivered good sound placement, with effects such as tyres, crashes and bullets in the Batmobile chase scene well-placed on the screen and connected to the action.

Other elements of the Q60D’s built-in sound were lacking. Its limited bass meant there was no real impact from the rumbling engines of cars in both The Batman and Ready Player One. And with a limited soundstage, the full, sometimes brash jazz score of La La Land was restrained, with some instruments lost in the mix.

For those looking to use the Q60D as a main TV, a soundbar is recommended.

Sound quality score: 3/5

Samsung Q60D feet — The 50-inch Q60D I tested came with support feet that could be height-adjusted to fit a soundbar underneath. (Image credit: Future)

Samsung Q60D review: Design

Sleek, slim design
Premium looks for price
SolarCell remote

The Q60D has a more premium design than you’d expect at this price level, with a sleek, thin profile that's similar to pricey sets such as the Samsung S95D OLED. The rear panel also has a burnished, navy finish that again gives the Q60D a premium look.

A near bezel-less front allows nearly all of the picture to take up the screen. The 50-inch model I tested came with height-adjustable support feet to fit a soundbar underneath. These felt a little cheap but were very easy to install and provided sturdy enough support.

The Q60D is supplied with Samsung’s SolarCell remote, which has a solar panel on the rear and a USB-C port at the bottom for charging. It’s good to see this remote, which doesn’t use disposable batteries, supplied with more budget sets in Samsung’s TV range.

Design score: 4/5

Samsung Q60D with game hub on screen — Tizen is divided into various hubs, including the useful Gaming Hub (pictured). (Image credit: Future)

Samsung Q60D review: Smart TV & menus

Tizen smart TV platform
Good range of picture settings

The Q60D uses Samsung’s Tizen smart TV platform. This is divided into multiple hubs that allow for easy navigation and organization and includes Home, where apps plus TV show and movie recommendations are displayed; Ambient, which lets you select dynamic and static artworks; Game, a hub that houses everything gaming-related including cloud-based apps; and Daily+, which has office, health and home-based apps for daily tasks.

There are a good number of settings available for those who like to adjust picture quality, with preset modes including Standard, Movie, Filmmaker and more. The same can’t be said for audio, which has only two preset modes, Standard and Amplify, and very few settings to adjust.

Smart TV & Menus score: 4/5

Samsung Q60D with battlefield V on screen — The Samsung Q60D has limited gaming features, but still performs well at 4K 60Hz. (Image credit: Future)

Samsung Q60D review: Gaming

Samsung Gaming Hub and ALLM
No 120Hz or VRR support
9.6ms input lag time

The Q60D doesn’t have as many features as the best gaming TVs, with no HDMI 2.1 ports for 120Hz refresh rate and VRR support. It does support 4K 60Hz and ALLM, however, and has Samsung’s Gaming Hub for cloud-based gaming from the likes of Xbox, Luna, and Nvidia GeForce Now.

Despite its lack of next-gen gaming features, the Q60D’s gaming performance is perfectly fine. Playing Battlefield V, shootouts and battles still felt suitably intense and switching between targets was smooth and judder-free. There are Off, Level 1 and Level 2 Game Motion modes to choose from, though I did not notice a significant difference between the three options.

Graphically, the Q60D did a solid job. Textures were well-defined and colors had a dynamic look. Contrast was decent, giving objects a sharper appearance, though I did find that HDR tone mapping was a little aggressive in some sequences.

Gaming score: 4/5

Samsung SolarCell remote — The Q60D comes with Samsung's SolarCell remote control. (Image credit: Future)

Samsung Q60D review: Value

Fairly priced for picture and performance
Budget mini-LEDs available from TCL and Hisense
Good range of sizes and frequently on sale

The Q60D delivers good overall performance at a budget price that will suit many people. However, it faces stiff competition from cheap mini-LED TVs that provide more gaming features and better picture quality such as the Hisense U6N and Hisense U7N in the US and UK, and the TCL C805 (UK-only).

The 55-inch Q60D is priced at $749.99 / £599 / AU$1,195 (prices have dipped below this level before). Hisense’s U6N is priced at $499 / £749 / AU$995, and while it shares similar gaming features, it benefits from a mini-LED backlight and Dolby Vision HDR support. The TCL C805 (available in the UK and Australia) costs £649 / AU$1,395, and although pricier, it benefits from 4K 120Hz and VRR gaming support and also features a mini-LED backlight and Dolby Vision HDR.

For US and UK customers, there is also the Amazon Omni QLED, which retails for roughly $349 / £399 and benefits from Dolby Vision HDR support, though the Q60D provides a better overall picture.

Despite tough competition, the Q60D is likely to see major discounts throughout the year, which will bring its value more in line with the models listed above.

Value score: 3.5/5

Samsung Q60D with hot spring on screen — (Image credit: Future)

Should I buy the Samsung Q60D?

Buy it if...

You want a good picture for the price
The Q60D delivers crisp textures, solid contrast and vivid colors in an affordable TV, beating most similarly priced LED models.

You want a nice-looking TV
With a slim profile, adjustable feet, and trim bezel, the Q60D looks more premium than its price would suggest.

You want a budget gaming TV
If you're looking for a gaming TV that performs well with your Nintendo Switch and advanced gaming features don't matter, the Q60D is worth checking out.

Don't buy it if...

You need good built-in sound
The Q60D delivers clear speech, but its built-in sound lacks in other areas. For more than casual viewing connect a soundbar.

You need the best gaming TV
Gaming performance is good on the Q60D, but it lacks key features including 4K 120Hz and VRR support that we expect to see in the best gaming TVs.

You want the best value TV
While prices are likely to drop, the Q60D faces competition from mini-LED TVs such as the Hisense U6N and TCL C805 which offer more but sit at a similar price.

Also consider

Amazon Fire TV Omni QLED
The Omni QLED has similar specs to the Q60D, but supports Dolby Vision HDR, which the Q60D doesn't. It's also frequently on sale for less than the Q60D, though the Q60D has an overall better picture.

Read our full Amazon Fire TV Omni QLED review

Samsung Q80D
The Q60D's more premium QLED sibling, the Q80D delivers better pictures, more gaming features, superior performance, and better built-in sound. But you will pay roughly $300 / £300 more for this step-up in quality.

Read our full Samsung Q80D review

Hisense U6N
The Hisense U6N has similar features and specs to the Q60D, but it benefits from Dolby Vision HDR support and a mini-LED backlight for more refined pictures. It's also very similar in price.

Read our full Hisense U6N review

Samsung Q60D with testing equipment connected, including Portrait Displays' Calman color calibration software — (Image credit: Future)

How I tested the Samsung Q60D

Tested in lab with varying lighting conditions
Tested using both SDR and HDR sources
Measurements recording using Portrait Displays' Calman color calibration software

When testing the Samsung Q60D, I first used it for casual viewing to determine the most accurate picture preset modes (Movie, Filmmaker Mode and in some cases Standard) before moving on to critical viewing.

I then used a variety of SDR (broadcast TV, DVD, Blu-ray) and HDR (4K streaming and 4K Blu-ray) sources to test the out-of-the-box picture, analyzing color, contrast, motion, black levels, detail and upscaling (for lower resolution sources), using reference scenes. For 4K Blu-ray playback, I used a Panasonic DP-UB820 4K Blu-ray player.

After critical viewing, I made measurements of brightness (both SDR and HDR), color and grayscale accuracy, and HDR color gamut coverage. To do this, I used a test pattern generator and colorimeter and recorded results using Portrait Displays' Calman color calibration software.

Brightness measurements were recorded for both HDR and SDR in nits using 10% and 100% white window patterns. For the color gamut, I recorded the Q60D's BT.2020 and UHDA-P3 coverage. For color and grayscale accuracy, I recorded the Q60D's Delta E values (the margin for error between the test pattern source and what's displayed on the TV) and averaged them.

I also tested the QN90D's gaming performance using an Xbox Series X and recorded its input lag time with a Leo Bodnar 4K HDMI Input Lag Tester.

For more information on how we test TVs at TechRadar, check out our guide in the link.

First reviewed: September, 2024
Read TechRadar's reviews guarantee

Hisense PX3-Pro: a perfect ultra short throw projector for gaming and movies

2:00 pm | September 21, 2024

Author: admin | Category: Computers Gadgets Home Theater Projectors Televisions | Tags: HDR | Comments: Off

Hisense PX3-Pro: two-minute review

Hisense has been has been responsible for some of the best ultra short throw projectors, and the Hisense PX3-Pro is among its latest. The PX3-Pro has a daunting task following up on the Hisense PX2-Pro, but Hisense has pulled it off with some key upgrades.

The new Hisense PX3-Pro differs in design from the PX2-Pro, but under the hood, it gets an upgraded projection system that’s much brighter at 3,000 lumens and also boasts a 1080p/240Hz mode. This feature turns it from an exceptional ultra short throw (UST) projector into a speed demon of a gaming projector – Hisense even bills it as the "world's first designed for Xbox UST projector." And with rich color, strong contrast, and Dolby Vision HDR support, the PX3-Pro ranks up there with the best 4K projectors when it comes to picture performance.

While the PX3-Pro’s built-in sound isn’t quite as impressive as its picture, it at least has the volume level to match the visuals, and Hisense offers plenty of ways to connect to better speaker systems. All of this comes at a higher price than its predecessor, but it seems well worth the extra expense.

Hisense PX3-Pro review: price and release date

First available: October 2024
Price: $3,499 / £2,499

Availability of the Hisense PX3-Pro is set to begin in mid-October 2024. It is priced at $3,499 / £2,499, a marked increase over the lower brightness PX2-Pro, which launched at $2,999 in June 2023. Like the rest of the Hisense PX series, the PX3-Pro doesn’t come with a projection screen.

Hisense PX3-Pro UST projector on a table with remote control — The Hisense PX3-Pro comes with a full-size remote control and features the Google TV smart TV platform for streaming (Image credit: Future)

Hisense PX3-Pro review: Specs

Hisense PX3-Pro UST projector rear panel ports — The PX3-Pro features dual HDMI 2.1 ports and supports gaming at 1080p/240Hz (Image credit: Future)

Hisense PX3-Pro review: design and features

Futuristic-looking design
All-in-one capability plus flexibility for different setups
Streaming and gaming benefit from hardware and software upgrades

Where the Hisense PX2-Pro was a simple under-the-hood refresh of its predecessor, The PX1-Pro, the new PX3-Pro sees some bigger changes both to its internal components and its outward appearance. The design has a stylistic resemblance to its predecessors, but it gives off more of a proper futuristic vibe than the prior models with their retro-futuristic looks.

The whole unit is done up in gray and silver surfaces of all types: matte, shiny, smooth, and coarse. It features large grilles on either side for air intake and exhaust – generating 3,000 lumens creates some heat even when using lasers. The front also gets a perforated grille for the built-in speakers. At either side of the grille are vertical slots in shiny housing that have standby lighting built in, so when the projector is turned off, these illuminate the mirrored finish inside. This may appeal to some, but I found it a little tacky compared to the PX2-Pro’s subtler design.

Style aside, perhaps the most critical design change is the projector’s size. It’s a little wider and taller than its predecessors, but not as deep front-to-back. That combined with a shift from a 0.25:1 throw ratio to a 0:22 throw ratio means the PX3-Pro can sit closer to a wall, protruding into the room less, and still provide a massive picture.

The PX3-Pro sits on four height-adjustable feet, which helps get the picture aligned with a screen. It also offers digital image correction and adjustable focus, letting you dial in everything perfectly.

Around the back, you’ll find three HDMI ports, including one with eARC. There’s also a high-speed USB type-A port (and another on the right side), and both and optical digital and 3.5mm audio output. With Google TV onboard, the PX3-Pro can tap into plenty of streaming services, including Netflix, and has both Wi-Fi 6E and Ethernet network connections.

The Hisense PX3-Pro has comprehensive high dynamic range support, including Dolby Vision and HDR10+. Its built-in speakers support Dolby Atmos and IMAX Enhanced for DTS, though audio is best passed on to an outboard sound system. Unlike its predecessors, the PX3-Pro offers Active 3D support (requires optional 3D eyewear).

There are still a few features the PX3-Pro could have benefitted from. Optical image adjustments beyond focus would be a welcome addition, especially zoom, though I’ve never seen that feature in a UST projector. A cover would be a more reasonable one, as dust can gather quickly on top of UST projectors.

Design and features score: 4.5/5

Hisense PX3-Pro UST projector showing image from Avatar 2 on screen

The PX3-Pro has exceptional color, along with powerful contrast in dim lighting conditions (Image credit: Future)

Hisense PX3-Pro review: picture and sound quality

Exceptional color and brightness
Crisp 4K picture with comprehensive HDR support
240Hz mode is a perk for gamers

The Hisense PX3-Pro builds on a strong picture quality foundation. The PX2-Pro offered stunning color from its tri-chroma projection system and the PX3-Pro takes that up a notch with a notably brighter picture, rated to reach 3,000 lumens. For some content, like cartoons and sports, that’ll make a very presentable picture even with high ambient room lighting. It also gives the PX3-Pro plenty of latitude in dim lighting conditions, with a bright enough picture that it can call for some dimming of the laser in a dark room.

While the projector has powerful contrast as is, a High Dynamic setting for Laser Luminance can further enhance its picture. I’m normally wary of settings like this that adjust the picture based on the content being displayed as they tend to have noticeable artifacts, but the PX3-Pro managed it admirably, with imperceptible transitions. The only odd behavior I noted was a sudden brightening when white subtitles appeared onscreen during dark scenes. Otherwise, this played out well for Guy Ritchie’s Sherlock Holmes, helping to punch up the bright scenes while avoiding pumping up black levels in dark ones.

The PX3-Pro’s comprehensive HDR support made the latest seasons of The Rings of Power in HDR10+ and The Avengers: Endgame in Dolby Vision both look fantastic. The wide color gamut of the triple-laser projection system played a big part in this, giving the PX3-Pro simply astounding color. One downside of this is that rainbows, a regular artifact of DLP technology, can seem a little more pronounced.

The PX3-Pro serves up a big, bright 4K picture ranging from 80 to 150 inches. While it’s possible to project images beyond these sizes, the focus range is limited and you may end up with a softer image.

For gamers, the Hisense PX3-Pro has something extra special in store. In addition to simply switching to a game mode with lower input lag, the projector can swap over to a 1080p/240Hz mode. This sacrifices some picture detail but provides buttery smooth visuals, and the DLP system has minimal ghosting. The gameplay is highly responsive and a big perk. Though the projector will also display 4K 120Hz signals, it doesn’t appear to display every frame but rather skips every other one as checked with Blur Busters’ frame skipping tool.

Audio on the PX3-Pro isn’t half-bad either. Its 50W Harman Kardon-designed speakers can get loud enough to match the size of the pictures the PX3-Pro projects, and the sound has an impressive range with booming bass, though it doesn’t get deep into sub-bass territory. What it really lacks is the spatial aspect. The stereo separation isn’t very wide, and there are no side, rear, or height channels. This means that even though the projector supports Dolby Atmos and Imax Enhanced for DTS, it’s best used with external speakers.

Picture and sound quality score: 4.5/5

Hisense PX3-Pro UST projector showing google TV interface — The PX3-Pro's Google TV smart interface (Image credit: Future)

Hisense PX3-Pro review: value

High price but a compelling picture
Versatility adds to its value

The Hisense PX3-Pro doesn’t come cheap at $3,499. Its price puts it a ways above its predecessor and sets it up against others like the Epson Home Cinema LS800. It also raises the question of whether you should instead opt for a big TV since you can get an 83-inch OLED like the LG C4 for not too much more.

But the PX3-Pro brings a lot to the table. It has enough brightness and detail to comfortably stretch its 4K picture to massive proportions. The PX3-Pro also supports 3D content and a wide range of HDR formats, has a 240Hz refresh rate mode, and has Google TV built-in (with a fast enough processor to run it smoothly). There’s little question that the PX3-Pro UST offers a lot, and it’s a worthy rival to TVs and other projector types.

Value score: 4.5/5

Hisense PX3-Pro UST projector showing image from Avatar 2 onscreen

(Image credit: Future)

Should I buy the Hisense PX3-Pro?

Hisense PX3-Pro UST projector close up of front panel — (Image credit: Future)

Buy it if...

Don’t buy it if…

Also consider...

Epson LS800
The Epson LS800 uses a 3LCD laser light source to beam a stunningly bright 4,000 lumens image. This makes it a great option for daytime sports viewing and it also has good built-in sound.

Read our full Epson LS800 review

Hisense PX3-Pro UST projector with wires connected to rear ports — (Image credit: Future)

How I tested the Hisense PX3-Pro

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 Hisense PX2 Pro 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 standard definition and 4K HDR streamed content, 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.

I measured the Premiere 9’s input lag in milliseconds using a Leo Bodnar tester with the low latency mode switch on.

First reviewed: September, 2024

Read TechRadar's review guarantee

Samsung The Premiere 9 ultra short throw projector review: bright, beautiful images and big sound

4:00 pm | September 12, 2024

Author: admin | Category: Computers Gadgets Home Theater Projectors Televisions | Tags: HDR, HLG, TV | Comments: Off

SAMSUNG THE PREMIERE 9: two-minute review

The Samsung Premiere 9 is a highly capable example of the best ultra short throw projectors and builds on the brand’s earlier successes in this growing market segment. The key to this popularity is the triple-laser light source that uses red, green and blue lasers to generate cinematic images that are bigger than the largest TV screens. But these pictures aren’t just big, they’re bright enough to handle white walls and ambient light, while creating a huge gamut for more vibrant colours.

Samsung’s The Premiere 9 uses single-chip DLP display technology, which results in sharply defined images due to there being no alignment issues, and while not strictly native 4K the level of detail on show is often impressive. The Premiere 9 delivers superb motion handling regardless of the content – a recognised strength of DLP – but also suffers from poor black levels, which is weakness of the technology. On the plus side, a triple-laser should help reduce incidences of rainbow artifacts that can accompany DLP tech.

The Premiere 9 delivers accurate pictures thanks to the inclusion of Filmmaker Mode, while highly effective HDR tone mapping also ensures shadows are detailed and highlights free of clipping. The colour gamut covers the entire HDR standard, and beyond, so, as a result, the performance with high dynamic range is exceptional. Whether it's HDR10, HLG or HDR10+ (but not Dolby Vision, an HDR format not supported by Samsung TVs and projectors) the pictures burst off the big screen with dazzling highlights and vibrant color primaries that are a treat for the eyes.

This beamer sports an attractive lifestyle-friendly design and is easy to install and set up, while the Dolby Atmos audio system is genuinely immersive – acting more like a built-in soundbar thanks to its 2.2.2-channel speaker layout. There’s also Samsung’s AI-enhanced Object Tracking Sound processing for non-Atmos audio. There are extensive gaming features, a full smart platform with a comprehensive choice of streamers, good connectivity, and a myriad of control options.

In fact, the only real complaint is the lack of any built-in tuners, but otherwise, this capable beamer artfully blurs the line between projector and supersized TV. It does an excellent job of producing big and bright images that rival the largest examples of the best TVs, and as a result, it provides a viable, more affordable, and definitely more practical alternative, and comes highly recommended.

SAMSUNG THE PREMIERE 9 review: price and release date

First available: September 2024
The Premiere 9 (LPU9D): $5,000 / £5,999

Samsung’s The Premiere 9 (LPU9D) is the new range-topper in the brand’s line-up of laser-powered ultra short throw (UST) 4K HDR projectors and is available now for $5,999 / £5,999. It replaces the older The Premiere LSP9T, although this is also still available for the same price of $5,999 / £5,999. In addition, Samsung will release the mid-tier Premiere 7 in October, although pricing has yet to be announced. The Premiere 9 is not currently available in Australia.

Samsung The Premiere 9 on table — The Premiere 9 uses single-chip DLP display technology and supports HDR10+ high dynamic range (Image credit: Future)

SAMSUNG THE PREMIERE 9 review: Specs

Samsung The Premiere 9 on table close up of lens — The Premiere 9's lens (Image credit: Future)

SAMSUNG THE PREMIERE 9 review: design

Stylish and discreet design
Excellent connectivity
SolarCell remote control

The Premiere 9 is surprisingly stylish for a UST projector, with a curved chassis that’s well-built and finished in a neutral white. The front is covered in grey fabric, with the speakers behind, and there are air vents on either side for cooling. Despite being relatively large, this projector’s lifestyle-friendly design allows you to place it discreetly up against the wall.

Better connectivity is offered on The Premiere 9 than most other UST projectors, with three HDMI 2.0 inputs, one of which supports eARC. There’s also a USB port for multimedia playback and powering dongle-style streaming devices, an optical digital output, and an Ethernet port. The wireless connectivity includes built-in Wi-Fi 5, Bluetooth 5.2, and support for Apple AirPlay.

Samsung provides a variation of the SolarCell remote included with its current range of TVs, although the controller is styled in white to match the projector. The zapper is well-designed, intuitive to use, and comfortable to hold. There’s also a far-field microphone for the built-in voice assistants, although those wishing privacy can switch this off at the back of the projector.

Design score: 4.5/5

Samsung The Premiere 9 rear ports — Ports include 3 HDMI 2.0 connections (1 with eARC) (Image credit: Future)

SAMSUNG THE PREMIERE 9 review: features

Triple-laser light source
HDR10, HLG and HDR10+ support
2.2.2-channel Dolby Atmos audio system

Samsung’s The Premiere 9’s headline feature is its triple-laser light source that uses red, green and blue lasers for 3,450 lumens brightness plus a wide colour gamut and 20,000-hour lifespan. This gives it an advantage over most other UST projectors and delivers sufficient luminance to handle rooms with white walls, large windows or ambient light.

As a UST beamer it’s able to project 100 inches from only 11cm (around 4 inches) , and can fill a 130-inch screen at just 24cm (9.5 inches), so even those with limited space can enjoy big screen fun. You change the image size by physically moving the projector towards or away from the wall, centre it by moving to the left or right, and level it using the adjustable feet. There are also manual controls for focusing the image.

The Premiere 9 is a single-chip DLP projector with a claimed resolution of 4K – although this is achieved by shifting pixels. It also supports most high dynamic range formats with HDR10, HLG (hybrid log-gamma), and HDR10+. Samsung doesn’t support for Dolby Vision on any of its current displays, but the RGB laser light source ensures HDR is punchy with bright and vibrant colours.

This projector sports a built-in sound system with a 2.2.2-channel speaker layout and 40W of amplification. There’s support for Samsung Object Tracking Sound (OTS) AI-enhanced audio processing, along with Dolby Atmos decoding. As a result, there’s an immersive soundstage, with clear dialogue, width at the front, some bass presence, and effectively rendered overhead sound.

There’s also support for music casting, as well as various proprietary audio features such as AI-powered Adaptive Sound Pro enhancements, Adaptive Voice Amplifier Pro for making dialogue clearer, and Q Symphony for synching the Premiere 9 with a compatible Samsung soundbar. The latter would definitely provide benefits for those who enjoy seriously deep bass with their movies.

Once installed the setup is exactly the same as a Samsung TV, with the SmartThings app taking you through the entire process. Just follow the instructions, and within minutes you’ll have the Wi-Fi connected and all the streaming apps installed. There’s even a Vision Boost feature that uses a built-in light sensor to adjust the image brightness based on levels of ambient light in the room.

The Premiere 9 runs the full Tizen-powered smart TV system found in Samsung’s TVs, and crucially has sufficient processing power to ensure the platform is responsive. There’s smart assistance in the form of built-in Bixby and Amazon Alexa, along with a comprehensive choice of video streaming services. Where available these all offer 4K, HDR, HDR10+ and Dolby Atmos.

For gaming, there’s support for ALLM (auto low latency mode), although when in the game mode the input lag is still 53ms, which is too high for competitive gamers. In addition, the HDMI 2.0 inputs cap the frame rate at 4K/60Hz and there’s no VRR. However, the motion handling is excellent, resulting in smooth gameplay that also benefits from the immersive big-screen images.

There’s a host of other features including Samsung’s Game Hub for gaming without a console, plus a Game Bar that curates all the main settings and technical data in one place and provides access to gaming-related settings for a more personalised gaming experience. Finally, the AI Auto Game Mode allows the projector to automatically optimise settings for specific gaming genres.

This is a well-specified projector and about the only TV features missing are built-in terrestrial and satellite tuners. This is fairly common on UST projectors, probably because it makes them easier to manufacture and market globally. While you can use the TV catch-up apps instead for most shows, if you really want to watch live linear broadcasts you’ll need a set-top box of some kind.

Samsung The Premiere 9 showing image of moose in field — The Premiere 9 beams bright, colorful 4K images using a triple-laser light engine (Image credit: Future)

SAMSUNG THE PREMIERE 9 review: picture and sound quality

Sharp and detailed 4K images
Bright and punchy HDR
Extremely wide colour gamut

The Samsung Premiere 9 immediately impresses with its bright and punchy big screen pictures. There’s no doubt the triple-laser adds value, not just in terms of lumens but also with its wider colour gamut. The projected image is sharply defined thanks to the use of single-chip DLP, while focus and uniformity across the screen are also good, resulting in a clean and even presentation.

The out-of-the-box picture accuracy is excellent, with the white point close to the industry standard of D65, an even greyscale, and colours hitting close to their saturation targets for BT.709, but this can be improved through calibration. I was able to get a near reference-level accuracy through adjustment, and when you factor in the cost of a Premiere 9 the additional expense of a calibration is worth considering.

This accuracy also extends to HDR, with the Premiere 9 covering 100% of DCI-P3, and 92% of the even wider BT.2020 colur gamut. The previous generation of Samsung’s UST had trouble reigning in this massive native colour gamut, resulting in noticeable errors, so I was pleased to discover the accuracy of the Premiere 9 has definitely been improved with better tracking of saturation targets.

The blacks look more of a dark grey, which is fairly standard for a DLP projector, and while the claimed native contrast ratio is 1,500:1, I actually measured it at 1,700:1. The dynamic contrast ratio is a claimed 2,000,000:1, but this is basically achieved by turning the laser off on a black screen, so it doesn’t really reflect real-world content. There’s also a Real Depth Contrast Enhancer feature to help with contrast.

The Premiere 9 certainly has sufficient lumens to light up a 130-inch screen, even in the dimmer Filmmaker Mode, which doesn’t hit the brightness peaks of the Dynamic mode. It also means the HDR has plenty of punch and although the black levels might not be great, the tone mapping is very effective, sticking close to the PQ curve and thus avoiding unwanted crush or clipping.

The imaging is based around the Quantum Processor 4K picture engine, applying AI upscaling to lower-resolution content to take full advantage of the available pixels. The result is a finely detailed image, regardless of the original resolution, and the processing is also able to clean up the image, reducing noise or compression artefacts to deliver expertly rendered big-screen pictures.

As you’d expect from a DLP beamer, motion handling is superb, with the lightning-fast response times of the technology delivering smooth movement. Samsung includes its Motion Xcelerator technology, along with a Film mode to ensure that film-based content looks natural but is also free of judder, while fast-paced sports can enjoy smoother motion without introducing artefacts.

In standard HDR10, the brightly lit snowy landscapes of The Revenant look absolutely stunning. The same is true when watching Dune Part 2 with its desert vistas, and in both cases, these native 4K films reveal exceptional levels of detail in the sharply rendered images. Inside Out is a movie that fully utilises the wider gamut, and its deeply saturated colours really pop off the screen viewed on The Premiere 9.

Alita: Battle Angel includes HDR10+ and the Premiere 9 correctly detected the signal, applying the dynamic metadata to the tone mapping. The resulting images are well-defined, with colours that are rendered with skill, highlights that are bright, and impressive levels of detail in the shadows. There’s a lot of motion in this film as well, which was handled without judder or other artefacts.

Picture quality aside, the Premiere 9 is quiet in operation, with the noise level going from 30dB next to the chassis, down to 26dB at the main seating position. There is also an eye protection feature designed to automatically reduce the light intensity if something blocks the beam. It’s an important safety feature for anyone with small children or pets, preventing any vision damage.

Picture quality score: 4.5/5

Samsung The Premiere 9 gaming hub — Samsung's Gaming Hub provides easy access to cloud gaming apps from Xbox and other services (Image credit: Future)

SAMSUNG THE PREMIERE 9 review: value

More expensive than much of the competition
Cheaper and more convenient compared to a supersized TV

The Samsung Premiere 9 may seem expensive at $5,999 / £5,999, and it’s certainly not cheap compared to other ultra short throw projectors, but most of them don’t use a triple-laser with all the benefits that provides. The Premiere 9 also offers great value compared to jumbo-sized TVs, with the Samsung considerably more affordable than screens with panel sizes over 100 inches. It’s also a lot easier to install – just try getting a TV with a 110-inch screen into your living room.

If you’re looking for alternatives you could consider the Epson LS800, which doesn’t support HDR10+ or Dolby Vision but is even brighter at 4,000 lumens. There’s also the Hisense PX2-Pro, which only delivers 2,400 lumens but offers support for HDR10+ and Dolby Vision. However, neither has a sound system as good as the Premiere 9 nor do they offer as many gaming features or as comprehensive a smart platform.

Value score: 3.5/5

Samsung The Premiere 9 remote control — The Premiere 9's basic remote control for navigating its smart menus (Image credit: Future)

Should I buy the SAMSUNG THE PREMIERE 9?

Buy it if...

Don’t buy it if…

Also consider...

Read our full Epson LS800 review

Samsung The Premiere 9 close up — (Image credit: Future)

How I tested the SAMSUNG THE PREMIERE 9

Reviewed in a dedicated home cinema
Measurements taken using Calman calibration software
Evaluated using SDR and HDR content

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. In the case of the Premiere 9, I also tested it in my lounge in order to simulate the kind of conditions for which it was primarily designed.

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. These 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 Premiere 9’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 and BT.2020. To do this I used a pattern generator and colour meter combined with Portrait Displays’ Calman calibration software.

I measured the Premiere 9’s input lag in milliseconds using a Leo Bodnar tester with the low latency mode switch on.

First reviewed: September, 2024

Read TechRadar's review guarantee

Sony Bravia 8 review: high-end performance without the price

10:02 am | September 11, 2024

Author: admin | Category: Computers Gadgets Televisions | Tags: Google Assistant, HDR, Sony Bravia, TV | Comments: Off

Sony Bravia 8: Two-minute review

Sony consolidated its TV lineup for 2024 with fewer models and a naming convention that was easier to follow. Perhaps what was most interesting about this move was that a mini-LED TV – the Bravia 9 – was spearheading the charge as the new flagship Sony TV, effectively demoting OLED to the next rung down. Enter the Bravia 8, a pure WOLED screen that replaces the excellent A80L.

If you want the absolute pinnacle of Sony’s OLED prowess, the A95L released in 2023 is still available to buy, complete with its much higher price tag. But you may not feel the need to stretch that high, since the Bravia 8 (on review here) takes the A80L's winning formula and makes a few notable improvements.

Sony claims this latest mid-range OLED model is brighter than its predecessor, yet manages to do without some of the brightness-boosting tech we’ve seen applied to other OLED TVs in the past couple of years. Instead, the Bravia 8 relies on Sony’s new Bravia XR processor to do the proverbial heavy lifting and stake a claim as one of the best OLED TVs you can buy.

This processor harnesses the power of AI to better understand the image on screen and make adjustments to ensure it’s delivered at its absolute best. And it does (for the most part) improve over the A80L where brightness is concerned to deliver a gorgeous picture no matter if you’re watching TV or movies, or playing games.

Sony’s Acoustic Surface+ audio system makes a return, maintaining the brand’s position as being one of the best TVs for sound thanks to actuators placed behind the screen to physically vibrate it – a feature that’s exclusive to Sony TVs. It means the Bravia 8 can go loud, is dynamically impressive and is capable of placing objects within a soundfield better than many other flat-screen TVs. When connected to one of Sony’s latest Bravia Theater soundbars – the Theater Bar 8 is a natural pairing – an Acoustic Center Sync feature can be used to turn the TV into a dedicated center channel speaker.

The Bravia 8 is a great option for gamers thanks to its support of all the major gaming features, including 4K support at 120Hz, an auto low-latency mode (ALLM), variable refresh rate (VRR) and Sony’s ‘Perfect for PS5’ tech that automatically adjusts picture settings to their optimum – for both games and movies – when a PlayStation 5 console is detected in either of its two HDMI 2.1 inputs. Yep, the Bravia 8 still only supports 4K/120Hz across two of its four HDMI inputs and you’ll need to use the one marked ‘eARC’ if you plan to connect an external soundbar. Sony isn’t alone in offering support across only half of its TV’s inputs, but it’s a shame that it’s still happening in 2024.

The main caveat at the time of writing, however, is that in some territories the A80L is still readily available and for a more affordable price. While there’s no doubt the Bravia 8 makes improvements over its predecessor, some customers either won’t notice, or won’t care for the admittedly incremental upgrades. The Bravia 8 is indeed Sony’s best mid-range OLED, but it’s not quite the generational leap we’ve seen between some other TV series – see the improvements Samsung makes each year with its S95 QD-OLED series as an example.

Sony Bravia 8 review: Price and release date

Announced in April 2024 for July 2024 launch
Pricing starts at $2,799 / £2,699 / AU$3,495 (55-inch)
No 83-inch model in 2024

The Sony Bravia 8 was announced in April 2024 and released in July 2024 in 55-, 65- and 77-inch sizes. The A80L predecessor was available in a larger 83-inch size, but that has seemingly been dropped this time around.

Pricing has remained relatively consistent compared to the A80L, with the 65-inch model I’ve reviewed setting you back $2,799 / £2,699 / AU$4,495. That’s $200 / £200 more expensive than the A80L in the US and UK and the same as the A80L’s launch price in Australia. Since launch, we’ve already seen small price drops in all markets, so it’s unlikely you would need to pay the full suggested retail price if you decide to buy.

The 55-inch Bravia 8 has been priced at $2,799 / £2,699 / AU$3,495 while the range-topping 77-inch retails for $3,899 / £3,499 / AU$6,995. The Sony Bravia 8’s pricing once again puts it squarely up against the LG C4 (the A80L and LG C3 were similarly priced in 2023) and in most cases, LG’s mid-range OLED comes out the more affordable, and it’s available in a greater variety of sizes.

LG’s telly offers full 4K/120Hz support across all four HDMI inputs, making it a better prospect for gamers and those with multiple external devices, but as was the case in 2023, LG’s TV has weaker built-in sound.

Sony Bravia 8 review: Specs

Sony Bravia 8 review: Benchmark results

Sony Bravia 8 review: Features

New Bravia XR processor
Voice Zoom 3 for improved vocal clarity
New eco-friendly remote control

The Sony Bravia 8 uses a standard WOLED panel as found in its A80L predecessor, but the key metric Sony is keen to advertise with the Bravia 8 is that it's capable of going 10% brighter, thanks to the aforementioned XR Processor. There’s no Micro Lens Array (MLA) or QD-OLED tech to be found here, so it is strictly the power of the new chip and its ability to better understand how to manipulate lighting that is going to result in that brightness boost.

Indeed, Sony says its new XR chip can better detect objects in scenes with greater accuracy and will then automatically optimize the picture to get as close to the creator’s intentions as possible. Also new in the Bravia 8 is a dedicated Prime Video Calibrated Mode (also a feature of the flagship Bravia 9) which will automatically adjust picture settings when you’re watching a raft of content on Amazon’s streaming service. This is in addition to the Netflix Calibrated Mode and Sony Pictures Core Calibrated Mode, both of which work in similar ways and have been carried over from the outgoing A80L.

Sony's Eco Dashboard viewed on a Sony Bravia 8 — The latest iteration of Sony's Eco Dashboard gives clear insights into how much energy the TV is using. (Image credit: Future / Max Langridge)

Voice Zoom 3, also taken from the high-end Bravia 9, is integrated into the Bravia 8, which can be used to boost (or decrease) voices and dialogue in whatever content you’re watching.

Elsewhere, there is little to separate the Bravia 8 and A80L from a features perspective. Both support Dolby Vision, HDR10 and HLG HDR formats (no HDR10+) and the Bravia 8 once again gets Google TV as the operating system of choice. Sony’s second iteration of its Eco Dashboard makes an appearance too, allowing you to adjust various energy-saving features and view their effects in a neat bar graph-style chart.

Sony also ships the Bravia 8 with a new Eco Remote that has a slight speckled appearance. This remote is made from 80% recycled materials, is backlit and recharges via USB-C.

Features score: 4.5 / 5

Sony Bravia 8 review: Picture quality

Wonderfully natural colors
Slightly increased brightness for improved HDR performance
Performs at its best in darker rooms

Sony’s claims of the Bravia 8 benefitting from a 10% brightness increase over the A80L certainly carry some weight, with its latest OLED TV recording a 149.5 nits measurement in HDR Filmmaker Mode on a full screen, compared to the A80L’s 139 nits based on our measurements.

Scene from Shang Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings shown on a Sony Bravia 8 TV — (Image credit: Future / Max Langridge)

There are noticeable differences in the 10% window brightness measurements in both HDR and SDR Standard modes, too. HDR Standard returned a result of 816.7 nits on the Bravia 8 (compared to the A80L’s 741 nits), while SDR Standard saw the Bravia 8 improve upon the A80L’s 247 nits with a measurement of 287.9 nits. Interestingly, measurements taken for SDR content in Filmmaker mode (or rather, Sony's own version called Professional) returned vastly different results and not in the Bravia 8’s favor, with a measurement of 99.4 nits compared to the A80L’s 224, indicating this is a picture mode you’ll want to avoid when watching SDR content.

Outside of this, it should mean the Bravia 8 will take everything that we loved about the A80L but throws in a helping of improved contrast and, with the new XR Processor acting as the brains of the operation, finer control of light for improved HDR performance.

As for color performance, the Bravia 8 does well against some of its closest competitors, covering 99.1% of the UHDA-P3 color gamut and 75% BT.2020. The LG C4, by comparison, returned results of 98.7% and 72.7%, respectively.

For my real-world performance tests, I streamed the opening fight sequence between Ta Lo and Xu Wenwu in Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings on Disney Plus in its IMAX Enhanced version. It's a glorious test of color with various shades of green, yellow and red as the two go head-to-head with their own fighting styles. I was watching in a dark room and so selected the Dolby Vision Bright picture setting, which increases brightness without any sacrifice to detail and found the Bravia 8 reproduced this scene beautifully. Dolby Vision Dark was a little too dim for my preference in this case.

Sony’s XR Triluminos Pro technology, which aims to reproduce natural and accurate colors, worked to full effect, with the greens and yellows of the forest setting looking incredibly realistic – it was easy to notice the different shades depending on where the light was hitting and the characters’ faces were clear and detailed.

Even the rings around Xu Wenwu’s arms gave off a satisfying blue shine as they were powering up for attack, highlighting the Bravia 8’s – and more specifically, the XR Contrast Booster’s – ability to precisely control the light. What makes this all the more impressive is the fact that there is no MLA technology or Quantum Dot layer, but instead a traditional WOLED panel.

After we meet present-day Shang Chi and he’s speaking with friends in a dimly lit bar, the Sony Bravia 8 flexes its muscles with regard to picking out detail where there’s little to no light. His dark T-shirt is clearly distinguishable from his even darker cardigan, while the stripes on his female friend’s blazer can also be seen. There’s no discernible light blooming around the bright table lamps, both the one at the front and center of the screen, and the numerous others dotted about in the background.

Scene from The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare shown on a Sony Bravia 8 TV — The Sony Bravia 8 offers the option to switch to a dedicated 'calibrated' mode when watching content on Prime Video (as above), Netflix or Sony Pictures Core (Image credit: Future / Max Langridge)

An Ultra HD stream of The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare on Prime Video provided a good opportunity to test out the new Prime Video Calibrated Mode. Switching this mode on and off is as simple as toggling a switch in the picture settings, but in the instance for this particular movie, I noticed absolutely no difference between the Calibrated picture settings and Sony’s own Professional picture mode (the brand’s version of Filmmaker mode). This could potentially be because the Bravia 8 doesn’t support HDR10+, which Prime Video uses, but regardless, in either mode, I was presented with a beautiful, natural image with great depth. I compared the same opening scene on the LG G4 and, while the better-specced TV did have more refined light control, it wasn’t quite the stark difference I was initially expecting – which is kudos to Sony.

I switched the overhead lights on and loaded up Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes on Disney Plus – while there was a fair amount of reflection noticeable in the opening, very dark scene, it wasn’t enough to distract me from my viewing. And that viewing was glorious, with the Bravia 8 managing to pick out the individual strands of fur on the apes, while also handling Caesar's burning funeral pyre without any noticeable signs of blooming.

Picture quality score: 4.5 / 5

Sony Bravia 8 review: Sound quality

Accurate placement of object sounds
Dynamically impressive
Still lacking in the bass department

Sony has once again employed its Acoustic Surface Audio+ technology here, which sees actuators placed behind the screen to physically vibrate it, turning the entire surface into a speaker. Not a lot has changed in this iteration compared to the A80L, although Sony says its added a new tweeter to help boost higher frequencies and, in particular, dialogue.

It’s a really remarkable system – and the first time I’ve personally heard it in action – as when using the same opening fight sequence from Shang Chi, gusts of wind, flailing arms and attacks using the 10 rings were accurately placed within the soundfield; when an attack was landed towards the bottom left of the screen for example, that’s exactly where it could be heard, as opposed to a full sound coming from all speakers.

When I began the stream, I received a pop-up asking if I wanted to activate the IMAX Enhanced DTS:X soundtrack (the Sony Bravia 8 is an IMAX Enhanced-certified TV) and there was a genuine effect of height to the audio. These effects were only amplified the louder I turned up the volume and they remained distortion-free.

The Voice Zoom 3 feature works incredibly well, too, for any spoken content that you may have a little trouble hearing. Not only does increasing the level help dialogue become easier to hear, it does so without sounding separate from the rest of the soundtrack or other audio, instead sounding entirely natural. The same feature can be used when connected to an external soundbar or speaker system.

The only slight downside is that bass performance still isn’t a strong point of Sony’s audio system. While this will undoubtedly be a blessing to your neighbors, it does mean that despite the Bravia 8 being more impressive than its peers in the sound department, you will want to invest in one of the best soundbars to experience more engaging home cinema thrills. Taking the car chase scene from The Batman as a prime example, there isn’t a deep rumble from the Batmobile’s engine that you would get from an external subwoofer, but is certainly more engaging than most other TV sound systems.

Sound quality score: 4.5 / 5

Sony Bravia 8 review: Design

Height adjustable feet in two positions
Slimmer rear makes it easier to wall mount
Invisible speakers

As well as the Bravia 8 delivering a 10% increase in brightness, I’m going to also say it’s 10% better looking. For starters, Sony has slimmed the TV down to a depth of just 37mm, making it easier to wall mount in the process. This is due to Sony removing the protruding rear housing for all the connections, subwoofers and processing electronics on the A80L. Instead, the rear is a uniform panel – something Sony calls “One Slate” design – and the grid of etched squares has now been increased in size to cover the entire rear.

You’ll still find a similar set of connections on the right-hand side when viewed from the back, including four HDMI ports (only two of which are HDMI 2.1, and one of these supporting eARC), optical digital audio out, an ethernet port, RF antenna port, two USB type-A and an input S-Center speaker input, which you can use to turn the TV into a center speaker as part of a wider external sound system. If you connect one of Sony’s new Bravia Theater soundbars, you can bypass the need for this connection and still use the TV as a center-channel speaker via Acoustic Center Sync.

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Sony Bravia 8 TV — The Bravia 8's feet can be adjusted to two different heights in both a narrow or wide position. (Image credit: Future / Max Langridge)

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Also new for the Bravia 8 – and the entire 2024 Bravia lineup – is the ability to position the included feet in any of four ways, up from the previous three. You can position them in either a narrow or wide configuration – meaning those with smaller TV stands can place the Bravia 8 on top with little issue – and this time you can raise the screen a few inches in both narrow and wide configurations, to better accommodate a soundbar beneath.

A single remote control comes in the box this time around, which is effectively the same as the one that shipped with the A80L. It’s relatively long and thin, with a central mic button for voice recognition – I figure this positioning is Sony’s attempt to encourage users to interact with the Bravia 8 more with their voice – and direct buttons for six streaming services at the bottom.

What is perhaps more interesting about this remote control, however, is the fact it’s made from approximately 80% recycled plastic, and the way in which Sony produces the speckled design means that each one is ever so slightly different. It’s backlit and rechargeable via USB-C.

Design score: 4.5 / 5

Sony Bravia 8 review: Smart TV and menus

Google TV smart system
Google Assistant baked in and 'Works With' Alexa/Apple HomeKit support
Eco Dashboard 2 for power saving tips

The Bravia 8 continues Sony’s appreciation for the Google TV platform, which is a smart thing to do. As expected, the full suite of major video and music streaming apps is available, along with (quite literally) tens of thousands of others. The home screen, which Google TV calls 'For You', shows you content you’re currently in the middle of watching across any installed apps, followed by recommended content based on your viewing habits and Google Search history across other devices when you’re logged into the same account. Google Assistant is available for voice commands and to help you find whatever you want faster.

Google TV home screen on Sony Bravia 8 TV — (Image credit: Future / Max Langridge)

I did appreciate Sony’s implementation of a quick settings menu system, whereby you just press a button on the remote control with the wrench icon to bring up a row of common settings along the bottom of the screen, each with its own set of choices to cycle through. The order of these can be personalized, so if you know you’re going to want to adjust picture and sound settings the most, for example, you can place these at the start of the row.

Sony has installed the second-generation of its Eco Dashboard in the Bravia 8, which presents the TV’s power consumption history in the form of animated graphs. You can also adjust power-saving settings from this screen, with the dashboard indicating how much power in kilowatt-hours (kWh) you’ll save.

Naturally, Chromecast is supported for streaming to the TV from compatible devices, as is AirPlay 2. And, despite using Google TV, Sony clearly doesn’t want to discriminate, as it’s added ‘works with’ support for Amazon Alexa and Apple HomeKit.

This was the first time in a long time I’d personally used Google TV. I’d read and heard good things, so I was keen to experience it for myself. However, in comparison to LG’s webOS TV system, which I’m very familiar with, I found Google TV here to be quite slow and clunky. Button presses on the remote control weren’t received with the immediacy I’d expect for a TV of this caliber.

Smart TV and menus score: 3.5 / 5

Sony Bravia 8 review: Gaming

4K @ 120Hz and VRR support
Dolby Vision Gaming for compatible sources
Improved 12.8ms input lag

The Bravia 8 presents itself as a great option for gamers thanks to its excellent color reproduction and improved HDR brightness, and is a natural partner for the PlayStation 5 thanks to Sony’s ‘Perfect for PS5’ feature that automatically adjusts the image to deliver optimum results.

Even if you don’t have a PS5, you can still benefit from VRR and ALLM, while Xbox gamers can take advantage of Dolby Vision Gaming. During my testing, I measured an input lag of 12.8ms, which is a significant improvement over the 16.5ms lag on the A80L, putting the Bravia 8 on par with the likes of the LG G4, although the LG C4 – Sony's closest competitor for this telly – undercuts it further with a figure of 9.2ms.

Marvel's Spider-man 2 displayed on a Sony Bravia 8 TV — (Image credit: Future / Max Langridge)

Loading up Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 and it’s clear the Sony Bravia 8’s excellent lighting control when watching video content is carried over to gaming. Spidey’s suit and buildings exhibit clear shine where they’re being hit by sunlight, while the stunning vistas in Grand Theft Auto 5 exhibited fantastic depth, with plenty of detail to buildings and bushland when viewed up close.

Sony’s Game menu pops up at the press of the Menu button on the TV remote control, bringing up quick-select options for game type, toggling VRR on or off and a new, previously promised feature to adjust the screen size. You're also able to toggle on an on-screen crosshair, which could help players of FPS games get an upper hand.

The picture does improve when switching to the LG G4, but this is to be expected with its greater control of light and increased peak brightness. But, for a mid-range OLED, the Sony Bravia 8 will be great for gamers.

The only thing that does continue to hold it back is that only two of its four HDMI ports support the 2.1 standard for 4K/120Hz. If you only have one games console, this won’t be an issue but, if you have multiple, then you'll be better served by a model from LG or Samsung. There's also no support once again for Nvidia G-Sync or AMD FreeSync.

Gaming score: 4/5

Sony Bravia 8 review: Value

Small premium over A80L but with improved performance
Already receiving discounts
LG C4 can be found for similar money

The Sony Bravia 8 presents itself as good value for money. Its launch price is a little higher than its predecessor in some territories, but you are getting a number of upgrades, such as the new processor and Dolby Vision Gaming mode, to justify it. However, since launch, we've seen its price come down and, at the time of writing, there are savings of up to $900 / £200 / AU$1,100 direct from Sony, with third-party retailers likely price-matching or beating those prices.

While some may have wished for a greater leap in terms of brightness, it’s not a total shock that Sony has continued to omit brightness-boosting technology, such as MLA or Quantum Dot, as these technologies are reserved for the flagship screens – the LG C4 gets the same treatment for example.

But considering what the Sony Bravia 8 can do, such as displaying movies with great detail and light control, and offering up a number of picture modes that work well as opposed to the one or two you sometimes find on competitor screens, it’s a fantastic, affordable option for those with dark rooms.

Value score: 4/5

Should I buy the Sony Bravia 8?

Buy it if...

You want a glorious TV for movies without breaking the bank

The Bravia 8’s beautifully natural image processing and 4K clarity makes it perfect for watching movies, especially in HDR, all for a relatively affordable price.

You want a TV to sound good without an external system

Sony’s Acoustic Surface audio system continues to prove why it’s the best at built-in sound. It’s fired directly into the room and is especially capable at placing objects in your space.

Don't buy it if...

You watch content during the day

The Bravia 8 does an admirable job at countering brightly lit rooms, but it can’t compete against TVs that have much higher peak brightness credentials.

You want a super slick TV OS

Google TV offers plenty in the way of apps and connectivity, but it’s slow and clunky in comparison to others on the market.

Also consider...

LG C4
LG has made great improvements to its mid-range OLED TV, including boosting its brightness to above-average levels. It continues to support 4K/120Hz across all four HDMI ports, making it a great choice for gamers.
Read our full LG C4 review

TCL C855
If you're not loyal to OLED but you still want the best bang for your buck, the mini-LED TCL C855 is one of the best choices you could make. It delivers a stunning picture and has a strong set of features, all for an incredibly affordable price.
Read our full TCL C855 review

Hisense U8N
Another great choice for gamers with Dolby Vision gaming and 4K/144Hz support, the Hisense U8N is another wallet-friendly wonder. It can go incredibly bright, yet controls it well with powerful local dimming.
Read our full Hisense U8N review

How I tested the Sony Bravia 8

While this was my first time using a Sony TV for an extended period of time, I have previously tried and tested a few LG TVs. So the first I did was dive into menus to familiarize myself with the setup, then played a variety of content from streaming apps and via 4K Blu-rays playing on a PlayStation 5 over the course of five weeks.

I streamed content in both SDR and HDR and assessed the available picture mode options for each from services including Netflix, Disney Plus and Prime Video. I found Professional to offer the best results for non-Dolby Vision content, and the Dolby Vision Bright setting for content produced in that HDR format. I also toggled between the calibrated picture modes for Netflix, Prime Video and Sony Pictures Core, and found the settings for Prime Video to be the weakest of the three, in the sense that there was no obvious difference to the overall picture.

You can read in-depth how we test TVs at TechRadar for much more information.

First reviewed: September 2024
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LG B4 review: the top budget OLED TV gets even better for gaming

12:31 pm | August 23, 2024

Author: admin | Category: Computers Gadgets Televisions | Tags: AI, Dolby Atmos, Magic Remote, Quick Menu | Comments: Off

LG B4: Two-minute review

The LG B4 is the company’s entry-level OLED TV series and follows in a long line of B-series models that provide a high-value option to fans of the best OLED TVs. At $1,699 / £2,099 / AU$2,999 for the 65-inch model I reviewed, the B4 is a sensible TV option for those who don’t want to spend big bucks on flagship models like the LG G4 and Samsung S95D, and also don’t want to deal with the shortcomings of mid-range mini-LED TVs – poor off-axis picture quality and limited gaming features to name just two.

A huge gaming upgrade the LG B4 gets over last year’s LG B3 is four sets of HDMI 2.1 ports compared to the B3’s two HDMI 2.1 connections. Otherwise, it uses a similar W-OLED display panel that doesn’t provide a picture brightness upgrade. That’s not to say the B4 doesn’t have an impressive picture – a new Alpha 8 AI processor with Dynamic Tone Mapping Pro and AI Super Upscaling features helps bring out the best in 4K and lower-resolution movies and TV shows, and it also provides sound quality benefits such as 9.1.2 virtual surround processing.

Sound quality isn’t a B4 strong point, so if you’re a movie fan or just like to crank the volume up loud, you’ll benefit from pairing it with one of the best soundbars. It also has a basic design, with support feet instead of the premium aluminum pedestal stand found on the step-up LG C4, and HDMI inputs split between side and back panel sections – an arrangement that makes a flush wall-mount installation more challenging. It does come with LG’s Magic Remote control, however, and it’s one of the best in the business for navigating smart TV menus.

Speaking of that, LG’s webOS 24 has a more streamlined layout than last year’s webOS 23 and features the same Quick Cards for conveniently browsing apps by category among other functions. A big portion of the home screen is devoted to ads, however, which seems to be the norm for smart TV homescreen layouts these days.

The B4’s four HDMI 2.1 ports support 120Hz pass-through, VRR (with Nvidia G-Sync and AMD FreeSync), and 4K Dolby Vision gaming. Combine that with the TV’s extensive cloud gaming options, which include GeForce Now, Amazon Luna, Utomik, Blacknut, and Boosteroid, and low 9.1ms input lag, the B4 comes off as a relatively budget powerhouse among the best gaming TVs.

Which brings us to the topic of value. If you’re looking for a great gaming TV at a reasonable price, the LG B4 easily qualifies. Otherwise, its value is undercut somewhat by the LG C4, which might be a clear step up in price, but is available in a wider range of sizes, provides even more gaming features, and has a significantly brighter picture.

LG B4 review: Price and release date

LG B4 OLED TV showing colorful image — The LG B4 OLED TV showing artwork in standby mode. (Image credit: Future)

Release date: March 2024
48-inch: $800 / NA / NA
55-inch: $1,399 / £1,399 / AU$2,199
65-inch: $1,699 / £2,099 / AU$2,999
77-inch: $2,699 / £3,099 / NA

The LG B4 series is the company’s entry-level OLED line, slotting just beneath the mid-range LG C4 series. B4 series OLED TVs were released in March 2024 in 48, 55, 65, and 77-inch screen sizes, though the availability of the 48-inch model appears to be limited to the US and a single retailer (Best Buy) at the time of writing. The 77-inch model also doesn’t appear to be available in Australia.

There’s a notable gap between LG’s entry-level and mid-range OLED TVs, with the 65-inch B4 I tested priced at $1,599 / £2,099 / AU$2,999 and the 65-inch C4 selling for $1,999 / £2,099 / AU$3,499.

Strangely, prices for both models in a 65-inch size were equivalent in the UK, though will probably change over time since TVs are discount so quickly these days. The current prices LG has listed are discounted from the original suggested prices, and you can expect to see them drop further as we near the end of 2024.

LG B4 review: Specs

LG B4 review: Benchmark results

LG B4 review: Features

LG B4 OLED TV ports with cables sticking out — The LG C4's four HDMI 2.1 ports are split between side and back panel sections. (Image credit: Future)

Standard W-OLED panel and Alpha 8 AI processor
New Dolby Vision Filmmaker mode
Four HDMI 2.1 inputs with 4K 120Hz support

The LG B4 uses a standard W-OLED panel and has the new Alpha 8 AI processor also found in the company’s top-tier mini-LED TVs for 2024. This features Dynamic Tone Mapping Pro and AI Super Upscaling with face detection for pictures, and AI Sound Pro for 9.1.2-channel virtual surround processing over the TV’s 2.0-channel speakers. B4 series TVs also have an anti-reflection screen that effectively reduces glare from bright room lights.

HDR support for the B4 series includes Dolby Vision (with Dolby Vision IQ), HDR10, and HLG formats. A new Dolby Vision Filmmaker Mode makes its debut on 2024 LG OLED TVs, and this helps by disabling the motion smoothing that’s typically applied by default in Dolby Vision modes on other TVs.

A new and welcome addition to LG’s B-series OLED TVs is four HDMI 2.1 inputs, which lets you connect both Xbox Series X and PS5 consoles to the TV along with one of the best soundbars via HDMI eARC. These all support 4K 120Hz, VRR, ALLM, and Quick Media Switching (QMS), a feature that enables seamless frame rate matching when connected to a compatible source such as an Apple TV 4K (2022).

LG’s webOS 24 smart TV platform is used for streaming on the B4 and it includes a wide range of apps including, Netflix, Prime Video, Disney Plus, Max, and more (but sadly not The Criterion Channel in the US). Cloud gaming is also supported, with apps including GeForce Now, Amazon Luna, Utomik, and Blacknut. LG’s Quick Cards, which give you easy access to app categories like Home Office, Games, Music, Home Hub, and Sports, get a refreshed layout in webOS 24 with the cards now cutting horizontally across the home screen’s center. Both AirPlay and Chromecast built-in are onboard for wireless streaming, and there’s your choice of Alexa or Google Assistant for voice commands.

Features Score: 4.5/5

LG B4 review: Picture quality

Average brightness for an OLED TV
Very good overall picture quality
Anti-reflection screen

With a standard W-OLED panel rather than the OLED Evo (with Brightness Booster) one found in the LG C4, I didn’t expect the LG B4 to beat last year’s B3 when it came to brightness, and my measurements confirmed that. With the B4 in Filmmaker mode, peak HDR brightness measured on a white window test pattern covering 10% of the screen area was 656 nits, and a full-screen pattern measured 128 nits. Those are expected results for an entry-level OLED TV, although OLED TVs are generally getting brighter, with the C4 yielding results of 1,065 nits and 202 nits, respectively on the same brightness tests, so there's a massive leap in contrast and fullscreen brightness if you step up to the pricier model.

Otherwise, the B4’s lab performance was excellent. UHDA-P3 color space coverage in Filmmaker mode was 98.9% and BT.2020 coverage was 74%, results that basically match the performance of the C4. The B4’s averaged Delta-E values, which are used to determine grayscale and color accuracy, were 2.9 and 1.6, respectively. Once again, those numbers match our results for the C4 and are within the threshold we look for TVs to hit (we're happy with anything under 3.0)

The LG B4’s anti-reflection screen proved effective when watching with overhead lights on, with little to no glare visible even with TV shows with mostly dark, shadowy images like House of the Dragon on Max. I’ve recently tested several mini-LED TVs with stunningly high brightness such as the Hisense U8N and TCL QM815G. Compared to these, the B4 with its limited peak brightness lacked the same dynamic picture those sets delivered for daytime viewing, though the picture looked crisp and had rich color and great detail even when viewing upconverted non-4K TV shows.

I generally watch with my room lights dimmed and in those conditions, the B4’s picture revealed a high contrast range, along with exceptional shadow detail. This could easily be seen in the interior scenes from House of the Dragon, and it also helped to bring out the dynamic quality of the black-and-white images from Ripley on Netflix. And when I streamed Godzilla Minus One in 4K with Dolby Vision on Netflix, the subtle color range of this kaiju movie set in post-World War II came through perfectly thanks to the TV’s Dolby Vision Filmmaker Mode, which provides an accurate, director-approved presentation without having to muck with picture adjustments.

OLED TVs typically excel at motion handling and the LG B4 is no exception. When I watched a scene from the James Bond film No Time to Die where the camera pans to follow Bond crossing a cemetery on a rocky landscape, the picture looked solid and was impressively judder-free. The same held for a subsequent sequence where Bond is chased through city streets on a motorcycle in an action-packed high-speed chase.

Picture quality score: 4/5

LG C4 review: Sound quality

LG C4 OLED TV remote control held in hand — The LG B4's Magic Remote control allows for both point-and-click and scrolling navigation. (Image credit: Future)

2-channel speaker system
9.1.2-channel virtual Dolby Atmos
Decent sound but limited bass

The LG B4 has a basic 2.0-channel built-in audio system that uses down-firing speakers. Audio features are limited compared to other LG OLED TVs, but the B4 can output audio wirelessly to a Bluetooth speaker or headphones, and it also supports both Wowcast for lossless wireless Dolby Digital output to LG soundbars and wireless speakers, and WiSA, which does the same for WiSA-enabled speakers.

Otherwise, the B4 has an automatic volume adjustment feature to maintain a constant volume level when switching TV channels. It also has an equalizer adjustment and an AI Sound Pro mode that converts sound to virtual 9.1.2-channel Dolby Atmos.

Sound from the B4’s built-in speakers has decent balance and dialogue comes across as clear. It becomes a bit thin and edgy when you raise the volume, however, and there’s not much of a directional effect with Atmos soundtracks, even in the TV’s Theater sound mode. Selecting the AI Sound Pro mode, which provides virtual 9.1.2-channel upmixing of soundtracks, gave the sound a better sense of spaciousness, but it also thinned out the set’s already challenged bass and made dialogue overly crisp.

Sound quality score: 3.5/5

LG B4 review: Design

LG B4 OLED TV close up of support feet — The LG B4's aluminum support feet. (Image credit: Future)

Aluminum support feet
Side and back panel input sections
Magic Remote control

The LG B4 uses a set of aluminum feet for support, and although they aren’t height- or width-adjustable, they are a design step up from the plastic pedestal stand used for last year’s B3. The feet provide sturdy support for the TV, which is otherwise a thin display panel with an input section protruding two inches out from the back.

A thin bezel surrounds the B4’s screen, giving it the same “all-picture” look as the C4. Connections on the back are split between two sections: one side-mounted with two HDMI 2.1 ports, a USB type-A port, and an antenna input; and the second back-mounted with with two HDMI 2.1 ports, a USB type-A port, an optical digital output, and RS-232 and Ethernet ports for control.

The Magic Remote that comes with the B4 gives you the choice to either point-and-click on apps and menu sections or traditionally scroll through them using navigation buttons. It has direct access buttons for the Netflix, Prime Video, Disney Plus, Sling, and LG Channels apps, and there’s one to activate Alexa. A centrally located button activates the built-in mic for voice commands when pressed.

Design score: 4/5

LG B4 review: Smart TV and menus

LG B4 OLED TV webOS 24 smart interface — The LG B4's webOS 24 smart interface has a streamlined appearance, with Quick Cards for storing apps by category – but also big banner ads. (Image credit: Future)

Streamlned Quick Card layout
App selection can be customized
Quick Menu for easy setup

LG’s webOS 24 smart interface is one of the best ones going, and it features a few modifications over webOS 23. The main one is a new streamlined look for Quick Cards section, with the categories – Games, Music, Home Hub, Sports, Accessibility, and Home Office – running horizontally across the middle of the screen. These let you easily access related apps or each category, and the Home Hub one lets you set up Matter-compatible devices such as smart lights and cameras for control via the TV.

Other elements of the main webOS screen include a horizontal row of apps running beneath the screen, with most major ones such Netflix, Disney Plus, Prime Video, Apple TV Plus, and Max represented. The selection and arrangement of these can be customized, making it easy to access the ones you want. Unfortunately, there’s a large banner at the top third with a rotating array of ads, but to be fair, most smart TV interfaces feature some degree of promoted content.

I really like LG’s Quick Menu, which appears as a vertical panel with various settings such as picture mode, pixel brightness, sound mode, sound output, and more when you press the gear icon on the remote control. Clicking on another gear icon in the Quick Menu calls up another settings menu, with advanced settings that let you perfectly dial in the TV’s picture. Another new feature in webOS 24 is an onscreen chatbot that covers a wide range of topics related to setup and use of the TV and even speaks to you.

Smart TV & menus score: 4.5/5

LG B4 review: Gaming

LG B4 OLED TV game bar menu onscreen — The LG B4's pop-up game menu provides quick access to gaming-related settings. (Image credit: Future)

Four HDMI 2.1 ports
Cloud-based gaming apps
Low 9.1ms input lag (Boost mode)

While last year’s LG B3 topped out at two HDMI 2.1 ports, the LG B4 ups that number to four with support for 4K at 120Hz, VRR (with Nvidia G-Sync and AMD FreeSync), and 4K Dolby Vision gaming present on all of them. The inclusion of four HDMI 2.1 ports is a major upgrade when it comes to flexibility and future-proofing, and it makes the B4 an excellent gaming TV for the price.

Cloud-gaming apps located in the Games Quick Card include GeForce Now, Amazon Luna, Utomik, Blacknut, and Boosteroid. Any connected game console will also show up here, where it can be easily selected.

The B4 will automatically switch to Game Optimizer mode when an active console is detected. You can also press the gear icon on the remote to call up the Game Menu, a transparent bar overlay at the bottom of the screen that shows frame rate, VRR status and other information, and provides quick access to game genre picture and sound presets, dark area adjustment and more. With Game Optimizer on, the B4’s input lag measured an excellent 11.9ms, and 9.1ms with Boost mode enabled.

Gaming score: 5/5

LG B4 review: Value

LG B4 OLED TV LG channels free TV program grid — The LG B4's LG Channels free TV grid guide. (Image credit: Future)

Least expensive LG OLED TV series
LG C4 not much more money
Better value for gamers

The 65-inch LG B4 I tested costs $1,699 / £2,099 / AU$2,999. That’s a fair price for an OLED TV with average brightness but overall excellent picture quality and a fantastic suite of gaming features. And the 48-inch version is an even better value at $800 – if you can find one.

The value of the B4 is made a bit problematic by LG’s own C4 series OLED. That model offers significantly higher peak brightness than the B4. It also has a more elegant design with a pedestal stand as opposed to the B4’s support feet and features Nvidia 144Hz certification – an important feature for PC gaming.

Any one of those factors could impact your decision to buy the C4 instead, which for the 65-inch model is priced not all that much higher at $1,999 / £2,099 / AU$3,499 (oddly, 65-inch B4 and C4 prices are equivalent in the UK). Even so, the B4 remains a very good value for what it offers, and most people – gamers especially – will be pleased with its features, picture, and basic sound quality.

Value score: 4/5

Should I buy the LG B4 OLED TV?

Buy it if...

Don't buy it if…

LG B4 review: Also consider...

How I tested the LG B4 OLED TV

Samsung QN900D showing test pattern — (Image credit: Future)

Tested over the course of two weeks
Measurements were made using Calman color calibration software
A full calibration was made before proceeding with subjective tests

When I test TVs, I first 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.

For the LG B4, 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, and 4K HDR shows streamed from Max, Netflix, and other services.

You can read an in-depth overview of how we test TVs at TechRadar at that link.

First reviewed: August, 2024
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Mohu Vibe review: a compact, powerful, and attractive indoor TV antenna

7:59 pm | August 20, 2024

Author: admin | Category: Computers Gadgets Televisions | Tags: TV | Comments: Off

Mohu Vibe: Two-minute review

Mohu Vibe on table — The Mohu Vibe has a gray fabric front panel. (Image credit: Future)

The Mohu Vibe indoor TV antenna is unlike most other TV antennas in that it actually looks good. Only three things about the best indoor TV antennas really matter: Does it pull the stations you want at your location? Is its size and style compatible with your room? Is its price/performance in your range?

Mohu’s new Vibe claims a 50-mile range; it sports a decor-friendly form factor (about the size and shape of a supermarket sushi tray) and a discreet gray tweed-like finish, and at a $50 list-price – typically sold for half that amount – it’s going to fit a lot of budgets.

Setup couldn’t be easier: you can hang the Vibe on a picture hook or a screw (Mohu provides the latter, plus a sheetrock anchor), or do as I did and use double-sided tape (not supplied) against a window pane or smooth wall. A captive 12-foot cable leads from the antenna to the “Jolt” amplifier module – about the size of a box of TicTacs – but the coax whip from the amp is only six inches, so unless you supply your own, longer coaxial extension cable you’ll have to site the antenna within two arm-spans of your TV. A second cable attaches the amplifier to a USB port for power. This one is much longer, in case the TV has no free USB jack (you have to supply your own USB charger).

Mohu Vibe on table backside shown — A screw and sheet-rock anchor are included for wall-mounting the Vibe antenna. (Image credit: Future)

Visually, the Vibe is about as unobtrusive as an antenna can get: it could be a motion sensor, or at a stretch, an arts & crafts decoration. As to performance, first our usual disclaimer, and it’s a very important one to understand and accept: Any TV antenna’s real-world reception depends enormously on two factors: its elevation, and what obstructions, natural or man-made, intervene between it and the desired signal(s) transmission towers. So our results, as always, represent one location only, and a pretty idealized one at that: a semi-rural spot at about 700 ft. above sea level, in a second-story window with a clear line-of-sight southeast, from whence a variety of signals emanate from the east, south, and southwest, at distances ranging from 17 miles to more than 75.

In this arrangement, the Mohu Vibe pulled in 27 stations (9 primary channels, such as 5.1, and 18 sub-channels like 27.2, 56.4, and so on). This is about 25% fewer than we obtained from Mohu’s slightly larger and bulkier Arc model – but note that atmospheric conditions will vary results from day to day and time to time. (In truth, antenna technology really hasn’t changed much since the Eisenhower years.) Only the one weakest station (a lower-power one a bit north of east, and thus well off the Vibe’s aimed axis) suffered the occasional picture blocking of a marginal signal strength; the others were all rock solid.

The Vibe should perform well in typical suburban and urban locations, and, given some elevation and lack of obstructions, even in more rural/distant locations, like our test site.

Mohu Vibe on table with USB in-line amplifier — The included “Jolt” amplifier module attaches to the antenna and to your TV's USB port for power. (Image credit: Future)

Mohu Vibe: Price and release date

First available: September 2023
Price: $49.99

The Mohu Vibe’s $50 list price is reasonable, given its somewhat more attractive form and finish. (A seemingly perpetual 20% off deal cuts the price to around $40, and we’ve seen it for $25.) That said, there are myriad competing antenna designs, in a dizzying range of shapes, sizes, and forms, that will probably perform similarly, for prices from a bit less to a whole lot more.

Mohu Vibe USB in-line amplifier on table — The antenna's “Jolt” amplifier module. (Image credit: Future)

Should you buy the Mohu Vibe?

Buy it if...

You live in an urban/suburban area: The Vibe is a good option for receiving stations from stations located mostly within 25-40 miles or less.

You want a maximally unobtrusive antenna: The Vibe’s very compact form factor and gray fabric front panel allow it to virtually disappear in almost any environment.

Don't buy it if...

You live in rural/edge location: If you need to “pull” signals much beyond 40 or 50 miles, or are surrounded by hills or tall buildings, a raised (roof or mast/tower), outdoor (or high-attic-mounted) unit is still the best, and sometimes the only answer.

You want a setup app to optimize reception: Some pricier indoor antennas come with a custom setup app to help point the antenna for best possible reception, but no such app is provided with the Mohu Vibe.

Mohu Vibe review: Also consider

How I tested the Mohu Vibe

Tested at semi-rural location
Compared with powerful "reference" antenna

I test indoor TV antennas at a semi-rural, hilltop location with good elevation and a clear line-of-sight over nearly 360 degrees to TV transmitters ranging from about 15 to about 70 miles. This testing environment gives me the ability to evaluate models catering to a full spectrum of indoor antenna needs.

For the testing process, I first place the antenna high up in a south-facing window and run the tuning process on a TV with an ATSC 3.0 “next-gen TV” tuner. I then record the number of carriers tuned, along with the total number of sub-channels. A powerful inside-the-attic rooftop-type antenna at the same location is also used as a reference for comparison.

Sanus VLT7 review: Two minute review

The Sanus VLT7 is a premium tilting TV wall-mount bracket with swivel functionality designed to cover a range of TVs from 42-90-inch sizes, holding up to 150 bls (68Kg) in weight. The Sanus VLT7 is almost identical in spec, but is cheaper. For our tests, however, we used the VLT7.

Installation of the VLT7 is incredibly easy, with a simple three-step process suggested by Sanus taking close to the 30 minutes suggested. The instructions provided are easy to follow and the construction and installation process ran smoothly. You'll need your own tools (mainly a screwdriver and socket wrench) and two people to carry out installation.

The VLT7's build quality is strong, with both the brackets and wall plate feeling reassuringly sturdy and robust. Most of the materials are made from a quality black metal which again feels premium and tough. The covers used to help hold the bracket hooks to the wall plate feel a little cheap and plasticky in comparison to the rest of the bracket, but this is the one complaint in an otherwise solid wall mount.

The VLT7 carries 15 degrees of tilt, and even with the weighty 20kg of the 65-inch Amazon Fire TV Omni QLED feels comfortable at full tilt. A useful 15-degree swivel and 6.8 inches of extension means connections such as HDMI are easily accessible and changeable. Even when not in tilt mode, the VLT7 sits snug to the wall at 2.1 inches distance.

The VLT7 is priced at roughly $189.99 / £89 / AU$225, meaning its decent value for money in the UK, but pricey elsewhere. Although it caters to a large range of sizes, more affordable options are available such as the Mounting Dream MD2268-LK-02, one of the best TV wall-mounts, which also caters to a similar range 37-82 inch TVs, and is priced at $35 / £35 – a quarter of the price.

Sanus VLT7 review: Prices and release date

Priced at $189.99 / £89 / AU$225
First available 2021
Available from major online retailers

The Sanus VLT7-B2 is a tilting and swivel wall mount that fits 42-90-inch TVs. Available from online retailers for $189.99 / £89 / AU$225, it sits at the more premium end of the tilting TV bracket market.

The version we tested from Amazon is referred to as the VLT7. It's the same product but pricier in the UK and Australia, retailing for $189.99 / £129.99 / AU$269.99, so you're best getting the VLT7 if you're in those regions.

Sanus VLT7 review: Specs

Sanus VLT7 brackets with person using screwdriver — Installation of the Sanus VLT7 TV wall-mount is a breeze. (Image credit: Future)

Sanus VLT7 review: Ease of installation

Easy installation process
Two people recommended
Simple instructions

Sanus says that the installation for the VLT7 takes 30 minutes and uses a 3-step process, and during my testing, this was pretty accurate. For our setup, we placed a wooden board onto a stud wall and used the four included lag bolts to hold the back plate in place. A clear template for how to measure is provided.

Installation of the lag bolts and back plate uses a 0.5-inch (13mm) socket wrench and was easy. Two people were required during installation – one to hold the back plate in place, while the other tightened the lag bolts.

The brackets are easily installed onto the back of the TV, with varying height options for different sizes in its vast 42-90 inch range. Included in the box were a large number of M6 and M8 screws (compatibility will vary from TV to TV). For our tests, we used the 65-inch Amazon Fire TV Omni QLED, which worked with the provided M6 12mm screws. Spacers are also included in the box if required.

It’s worth noting that you will require your own tools for installation, with the most vital being the socket wrench and screwdriver. Within the instructions, Sanus recommends other tools including a tape measure, pencil and various drill bits depending on the wall type.

Ease of installation score: 4.5 / 5

Sanus VLT7 bracket at full tilt — The Sanus VLT7 feels comfortable even with larger TVs at full tilt (Image credit: Future)

Sanus VLT7 review: Build quality

Premium metal materials
Solid, sturdy feel
Cover on back plate feels cheap

Straight out of the box, the VLT7 feels weighty and premium. Its two brackets and back wall plate are made of a black metal that feels solid when held. Although the rear brackets were light, they still felt reassuringly sturdy during the installation process.

When installed on the wall, the 65-inch Omni QLED, which weighs 45 lbs (20 kg), felt secure on the VLT7 bracket. At full downward tilt, the Omni QLED didn’t feel like it was moving anytime soon. One thing I did notice, however, was that the plastic cover on the back plate (designed to cover the rear hooks) felt a little on the cheap side in comparison to the rest of the metal materials, but this was the only complaint I really had.

The VLT7 may be at the premium end of the wall-mount market, but its durability and solid, secure design make it worth it.

Build quality score: 4.5 / 5

Sanus VLT7 back wall plate — The Sanus VLT7's back plate is large enough to allow space over in-wall plug sockets (Image credit: Future)

Sanus VLT7 review: Design

Good level of tilt and swivel
Wide back plate gives more installation freedom
Fairly snug to the wall

The VLT7 is designed to support larger, weightier TVs. Despite this, it hits a sweet spot of good extension and tilt, and can also fit snug to the wall when not in tilt mode.

With 15 degrees of downward tilt available, the VLT7 will prove useful to those who need to install their TVs high up on the wall. As we’ve already said, you can feel safe knowing that the VLT7 is ready to take the full weight of a TV even at full tilt. When not in tilt mode, the TV will only sit 2.1 inches from the wall and during my testing, that was the case with the 65-inch Omni QLED (although with a large depth overall it did stick out a little more). Another design advantage of the VLT7 is that its tilt function is more ‘automatic’ and doesn’t require manual adjustments each time, something that a budget tilting or full-motion wall-mount such as the Perlesmith PSSFK1 requires.

The VLT7 can also extend by 6.8 inches, giving plenty of access to the rear of the TV to swap any cables or manage connections. With the VLT7 extended and swiveled (again 15 degrees available here), the Omni QLED felt solid. I also tested whether moving a larger TV was doable on my own and thankfully the Omni QLED never felt unsecured.

Another useful design feature is the VLT7’s larger back plate. Although it initially looks cumbersome, the larger design is made with freedom of installation in mind, allowing enough room to accommodate any in-wall plug sockets or devices.

Design score: 4.5 / 5

Sanus VLT7 with Amazon Omni QLED attached and tilting — The Sanus VLT7 with the 65-inch Omni QLED attached. (Image credit: Future)

Sanus VLT7 review: Value

Premium design and materials
Somewhat pricey
Cheaper alternatives available

As the VLT7 is a tilting bracket with swivel that holds 42-90-inch TVs, it requires a robust design and as such sits at the more premium end of the TV wall-mount market. While its design and build quality justify the price to an extent, it’s hard to ignore that there are cheaper alternatives.

The VLT7 retails for $189.99 / £89 / AU$225. Compare that with the Mounting Dream MD-2268, one of the best TV wall-mounts available, and its price becomes a bitter pill to swallow. The MD-2268 doesn’t offer the same features as the VLT7, with a 32-80-inch size range, 8 degrees of tilt, and no swivel, but it’s priced at $35 / £35 – a quarter of the VLT7's price in some regions.

Despite its more premium price, it’s hard to overlook just how sturdy and solid the VLT7 felt, even with the weightier 65-inch Omni QLED attached, and how easy it was to use.

Value score 4 / 5

Sanus VLT7 review: Should you buy it?

Buy it if...

You have a large or heavy TV
The VLT7 is compatible with a large range of TV sizes – up to 90 inches – and when tested with a heavier 65-inch set felt reassuringly solid.

You want a good range of tilt
With 15 degrees of downward tilt, the VLT7 will be useful in several situations, whether placed up high or compensating for glare in brighter viewing environments.

Don't buy it if...

You’re on a budget
The VLT7 is a premium tilting TV wall mount and as such comes with a higher price tag – even higher than some full-motion TV brackets.

You need a full-motion bracket
Although the VLT7 can tilt and swivel, it doesn’t have the same level of movement as a full-motion wall-mount for angled viewing.

Sanus VLT7 bracket contents of box — The VLT7 comes with everything you need except tools. (Image credit: Future)

How I tested the Sanus VLT7

Tested with 65-inch Amazon Fire TV Omni QLED
Tested on a wooden stud board on drywall
Two-person installation

The Sanus VLT7 was installed on a wooden stud board placed over drywall, with holes made using a drill. The back plate was held to the board using a set of lag bolts installed with a socket wrench and the back brackets were installed using a basic Philips screwdriver.

For our testing, we opted to use the Amazon Omni QLED 65-inch to test the build quality and functionality of the VLT7. The Omni QLED is on the heavier side for a 65-inch TV, weighing 45 lbs (20kg) and sits roughly at the midway point of the VLT7's support range.

The VLT7 comes with screws and spacers to attach the bracket to the TV. For the Omni, the relevant sizes were M6 screws12-15mm in length, but this will vary from TV to TV. We had two people work on this installation as this is the safest approach, regardless of TV size.

First reviewed: August 2024
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Zvox AV157 review: a small, single-purpose soundbar

9:04 pm | August 13, 2024

Author: admin | Category: Computers Gadgets Televisions | Tags: HDMI, TV | Comments: Off

Zvox AV157 Soundbar: Two-minute review

The Zvox AV157 soundbar is a tough little sucker to review. That’s because it has one main purpose and doesn’t do much else compared to other soundbars, though it does that one thing well.

If you’re in the market for one of the best soundbars to enhance your TV viewing, the Zvox AV157 soundbar is not the one. However, if you need something to simply accentuate voices in your favorite shows or movies because they seem to get buried in the mix, then the Zvox AV157 is for you. People who are experiencing hearing loss will appreciate this small soundbar the most.

Similar to the Soundfun Mirai I recently reviewed, I found the Zvox AV157’s price a bit off-putting given that it's mostly a one-trick pony. But if you can’t hear what the heck Robert Pattinson is saying in Tenet, you’ll probably be willing to spend for it, though you could get a good mid-range soundbar such as the Sony HT-S2000 for not too much more money.

The Zvox AV157’s design is about as unobtrusive as it gets. It’s a small, black rectangular unit measuring just 17 x 3.3 x 2.9 inches with a front grille that indicates volume, input (indicated by the puzzling “In1d” and “In2A”) and Accuvoice and PhaseCue virtual surround (aka virtual surround sound) levels using an orange alphanumeric LED display.

Port-wise, the Zvox AV157 is very basic, offering just 3.5mm analog and optical digital audio inputs and a subwoofer/headphone output. It would have been nice for Zvox to also include an HDMI port with ARC capability since optical connections can be finicky.

For instance, I’ve had issues where I had to turn on a TV and connected speakers or soundbar in a particular order when using an optical connection. Considering this soundbar is aimed at older people who might find it difficult to troubleshoot connection issues, including an HDMI port would have been a good idea.

The Zvox has three 3-inch full-range drivers being fed 24 watts from a Class-D amplifier under the hood, so it will get loud enough for most people in a small to medium-sized room. Since this is a smaller unit, I wouldn’t recommend it for larger rooms, even if you need the dialogue-boosting capability.

I appreciate the AV157’s remote control, which is straightforward with large buttons that don’t require a hard press to register changes. Its size is substantial enough that you shouldn’t have issues losing it, at least not more than any other remote.

Zvox AV157 on TV stand — The Zvox AV157's alphanumeric LED display provides visual feedback to remote commands. (Image credit: Future)

As far as the soundbar’s performance goes, different people are going to feel differently about it. Again, that 24 watts offers more than enough power for smaller setups. And it provides an upgrade to normal budget flat-panel TVs that typically sport small, downward-firing speakers (a big reason why modern TVs sound worse than ones from a few decades ago) even without any special boosting or surround sound mode activated.

Since the AV157 is small, there’s not much in the way of bass and the high-end is nothing special. You have six levels at your fingertips when using the AccuVoice dialogue boosting feature, with each one pushing up the mid-range where voices sit, while six levels of SuperVoice tech simultaneously minimize background sounds.

The Zvox AV157 does a good job doing what it advertises. However, the more accentuated that mid-range gets, the more unnatural the audio sounds. In fact, voices end up sounding boxy. In a way, it’s kind of like a hearing aid in that they don’t make things sound better, just more audible.

Another Zvox feature, “PhaseCue virtual surround,” uses processing to, as its name suggests, deliver virtual surround sound. It has three levels and, like most virtual surround sound, it makes the sound just a bit more spacious. Still, it might be something you appreciate, since it gives a bit of depth to the AV157’s very mid-range-forward sound. An additional feature, Output Leveling, is used to modulate overall volume levels so TV commercials don't sound blaringly loud, for example.

If you have issues hearing dialogue, the AV157 can improve your TV viewing experience. Keep in mind, though, that TV speakers generally are subpar, so, if you wish you could hear dialogue a little bit clearer (and don’t have serious problems with your hearing), just upgrading to any decent soundbar will help.

Zvox AV157 remote control — The Zvox AV157's remote contains a full set of control buttons. (Image credit: Future)

Zvox AV157 Soundbar review: Price and release date

Price: $249 / £159 / AU$458
Released May 2020

The Zvox AV157 is on the pricey side for a diminutive soundbar, listing for $249 / £159 / AU$458. Just like the Soundfun Mirai ($299) which fills a similar need, I find the price a bit much for a soundbar that mainly boosts the frequencies where dialogue resides. But at least the Zvox also comes with virtual spatial audio to spice things up. It also can frequently be found on sale for less than $249.

Of course, there are cheaper soundbars out there that have a dialogue mode or the ability to boost mid-range frequencies such as the Roku Streambar, which costs $130 / £130. The Streambar has a whole host of extra functionality including the built-in Roku platform and HDMI ARC support, but not the Zvox’s precision voice boosting, which is something people who are hard of hearing will appreciate.

Should I buy the Zvox AV157 soundbar?

Buy it if...

You want something easy to use
Navigating its features is easy thanks to a remote with big buttons and clear labeling. You won’t have issues adjusting the various features to your liking.

You want something compact
The Zvox AV157 is petite. If you’re tight on space, you won’t have to worry about fitting it into your setup.

Don't buy it if...

You want natural-sounding dialogue
While its dialogue-boosting feature works well, it doesn’t retain the natural timbre of your media’s audio. If you’re even something of an audiophile (even with some hearing loss), you’ll have trouble enjoying the sound.

You need an HDMI port
It’s unfortunate that there’s no HDMI port, especially since optical connections can be finicky to deal with.

Zvox AV157 Soundbar review: Also consider

How I tested the Zvox AV157 Soundbar

I used the Zvox AV157 Soundbar for a week
Tested with both TV and movies

I used the Zvox AV157 Soundbar regularly for a week, viewing TV, movies, and Youtube videos. I compared it to just my TV’s speakers to see what kind of improvement it offers and found that, as I’ve stated in the review, it’s good at what it’s designed for. If you’re hard of hearing, this is a good but slightly pricey option. I

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.

First reviewed August 2024

Hisense U8N: Two-minute review

The Hisense U8N is the company’s next-to-top mini-LED TV series for 2024, slotting in between the Hisense U7N and Hisense U9N. This new series follows the same path as the Hisense U8K, one of the best TVs of 2023, by boosting brightness over its predecessor and refining picture processing with a focus on local dimming performance.

While most TVs provide only incremental improvements over last year’s model, the new Hisense U8N takes a dramatic performance leap, specifically in its peak brightness, which is nearly twice what I measured on the Hisense U8K. Local dimming has also been improved, and even the TV’s sound quality seems better. Many of these performance boosts mirror what I found on the new TCL QM851G mini-LED model that rivals it – perhaps not surprising given the determination both brands have shown in recent years to not just break through, but dominate the US TV market.

The Hisense U8N has mostly similar gaming features to the U8K, with two HDMI 2.1 ports that support up to 4K 144Hz, VRR including FreeSync Premium Pro, ALLM, and Dolby Vision gaming, Those features, plus a Game Bar menu for on-the-fly tweaking of picture settings, make it a great TV for gaming, although we really want to see four HDMI 2.1 ports in the best gaming TVs. Google TV is used for the U8N’s smart TV platform in the US, and Hisense’s own VIDAA platform in the UK, Australia, and elsewhere.

Along with video and audio performance, design is an area where Hisense made some tweaks for the new series. The U8N has an adjustable-height pedestal stand as opposed to the U8K’s adjustable-width support feet. And Hisense’s full-size, backlit remote control is also a big improvement on the cheap-feeling compact one included with last year’s U8K. It also has an ATSC 3.0 tuner for receiving next-gen broadcast TV channels in the US.

Hisense TVs continue to be high-value options, and that includes the new U8N. At $1,499.99 / £1,799 / AU$2,699 list for the 65-inch model and with price drops in the US since launch, the U8N provides formidable competition to mini-LED offerings from traditional premium brands like Samsung, Sony, and LG, and is even priced lower than the TCL QM851G while providing mostly similar features and performance, making it an incredibly tempting option.

Hisense U8N remote control held in hand — The U8N's full-scale remote control features a backlit keypad. (Image credit: Future)

Hisense U8N review: Price and release date

Release date: April 2024
55U8N: $1,099.99
65U8N: $1,499.99 / £1,799 / AU$2,699.99
75U8N: $1,799.99 / £2,299 / AU$3,699.99
85U8N: $2,799.99 / AU$4,999.99

The Hisense U8N series was released in April 2024 in screen sizes ranging from 55 inches to 85 inches. All sizes are available in the US, while the 65- and 75-inch models are sold in the UK and the 65-, 75-, and 85-inch sizes in Australia.

Prices for all models have dropped in all markets for the U8N series since launch, with the 65-inch model I tested selling for $1,299 in the US at the time of writing. Prices tend to fall fast on Hisense models in the US than in the UK and Australia, so the TV may be better value there than in other countries – I'm based in the US, and I'll be making my value judgments on the aggressive US pricing.

Hisense U8N review: Specs

Hisense U8N review: Benchmark results

Hisense U8N rear panel ports — Connections include two HDMI 2.1 ports and an ATSC 3.0 tuner input (US only). (Image credit: Future)

Hisense U8N review: Features

2x HDMI 2.1 inputs with 144Hz support
Built-in ATSC 3.0 tuner
Low-reflection screen

Hisense U8N series TVs feature a new Hi-View Engine PRO processor that, according to the company, “leverages deep learning” to deliver AI-fueled dynamic HDR tone mapping, face detection, and detail enhancement. The mini-LED backlight in U8N series TVs is specified as having twice as many local dimming zones as last year’s U8K series models. It also has an anti-glare low-reflection screen, a 50W 2.1.2-channel built-in speaker system with Dolby Atmos and DTS:X support, Wi-Fi 6E for streaming, and an ATSC 3.0 tuner in the US to receive next-gen TV broadcasts.

For high dynamic range support, the U8N series handles Dolby Vision (IQ), HDR10+, HDR10, and HLG formats, and there’s a Filmmaker Mode for an accurate, director-approved picture out-of-the-box without having to play with picture settings. The U8N series is also IMAX Enhanced certified.

Gaming features on the U8N series include two HDMI 2.1 ports with support for up to a 144Hz refresh rate, VRR including FreeSync Premium Pro, and 4K Dolby Vision gaming. The Google TV smart TV platform is used for US models and Hisense’s own VIDAA platform in the UK and Australia. AirPlay 2 and Chromecast are onboard for wireless streaming, and Google voice assistant is supported, with the option to use either the remote control’s built-in mic or the TV’s internal mic for hands-free control.

Features Score: 4.5/5

Hisense U8N showing colorful image onscreen — Google TV's screensaver options include a wide range of colorful abstract and nature images. (Image credit: Future)

Hisense U8N review: Picture quality

High brightness
Powerful local dimming
Just-average motion handling

I've mentioned it a few times already, but this TV is astonishingly bright. Measured in Filmmaker mode at the default picture settings, the 65-inch U8N essentially matched the peak brightness numbers (in Movie mode) of the TCL QM851G, which had earned a designation as the brightest TV TechRadar had yet tested at the time of our review. An HDR white window pattern covering 10% of the screen yielded 2,851 nits, and a full-screen pattern measured 805 nits. The U8N also had outstanding brightness in Standard mode with both HDR and standard dynamic range sources, measuring 2,920 and 2,770 nits, respectively, on a 10% pattern.

The U8N also had strong measured results for color, hitting 96.3% of UHDA-P3 (the color space used for mastering 4K Blu-rays and digital cinema and streaming releases) and 81.9% of BT.2020. Color accuracy in Filmmaker mode was below the margin of error threshold we use for a benchmark (ie, if it were any more accurate, you wouldn't be able to tell the difference anyway), though grayscale accuracy came in slightly above that point – a situation helped by changing the Gamma preset in the TV’s picture Brightness settings sub-menu to 2.2, bringing it to a high-enough level of accuracy.

What did all of the above equate to when watching TV with the Hisense U8N? Pictures were wonderfully bright and punchy, with impressive detail and depth. Watching a broadcast of the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris, the powerful effect of overhead lights beaming on the athletes brought the games to life, while colors in the uniforms looked rich and robust. Mind you, this was a regular high-definition broadcast, though it was carried with Dolby Vision HDR in the US on ATSC 3.0 broadcast TV channels.

Hisense U8N showing colorful landscape — (Image credit: Future)

I generally found the Hisense U8N to be a great TV for viewing sports, with its high brightness complemented by a low-reflection screen that made quick work of any would-be glare induced by my room’s overhead lights. The one weak point was the U8N’s off-axis uniformity – when viewed from a far off-center seat, both color and contrast noticeably faded.

The U8N’s powerful local dimming delivered deep blacks and refined shadows in shows such as House of the Dragon on Max. When I watched the season 2 finale, scenes that take place in dark chambers revealed plenty of detail in the backgrounds and the characters’ clothing. Candles illuminating these spaces popped out briskly against the dark backgrounds, giving pictures a strong sense of dimensionality.

Checking out a few segments from the demo reel section of the Spears & Munsil Ultra HD Benchmark 4K Blu-ray disc that I use to evaluate local dimming, there were virtually no backlight blooming artifacts to be seen in high-contrast images. A starfield test sequence indicated that the TV’s local dimming was a bit too aggressive at its High setting (the default in Filmmaker Mode), however, obscuring bright pinpoints of light that were otherwise visible with the local dimming set to Low or Off.

Motion handling on the U8N is one of its weaker points. When I watched a scene from No Time to Die where James Bond walks across a craggy hillside cemetery, the texture of the landscape and the monuments lining it both lost detail and took on a “smeared” quality as the camera panned horizontally. Setting the Blur and Judder adjustments in the Custom Motion Enhancement sub-menu to a low setting (I settled on 3 for both) fixed this, however, and didn’t introduce any noticeable soap opera effect.

Picture quality score: 4.5/5

Hisense U8N rear panel subwoofer — That's a subwoofer on the U8N's back panel, in case you need it spelled out for you. (Image credit: Future)

Hisense U8N review: Sound quality

2.1.2-channel Dolby Atmos speaker system
Extensive sound adjustments
Very good sound quality

The Hisense U8N’s 2.1.2-channel built-in speaker system supports both Dolby Atmos and DTS:X immersive sound formats. A subwoofer on the TV’s back panel (a slightly protruding, vented section that’s actually labeled “subwoofer”) adds a good dose of bass to soundtracks and there are upfiring speakers for height effects.

Hisense provides plenty of settings to tweak audio quality in the TV Sound Effect menu. There are seven sound mode presets, including Theater (the one I mainly used) and Intelligent Sound. An Advanced Settings sub-menu offers Auto Acoustic Tuning, a process that uses the mic built into the remote control to adapt the sound to the space the TV is set up in, along with Equalizer, left-right Balance, and subwoofer level settings.

I was very impressed with the U8N’s sound quality. Dialogue was clear and full, and the built-in subwoofer made bass effects sound surprisingly weighty. The sound level was plenty loud in my space even with the volume at a relatively low setting. When I watched a chase scene through a village in No Time to Die, directional effects such as the trajectory of the cars and motorcycle came across vividly, extending well beyond the screen, and Atmos effects such as the clanging of a church bell had an impressive sense of height as well. Although we usually recommend adding one of the best Dolby Atmos soundbars to a TV, I think plenty of people will be happy with the U8N’s built-in speakers.

Sound quality score: 4.5/5

Hisense U8N close up of pedestal stand — The U8N's adjustable-height aluminum pedestal stand. (Image credit: Future)

Hisense U8N review: Design

Basic, pleasing design
Four HDMI ports (2x HDMI 2.1)
Backlit remote control

The HIsense U8N has a basic, but pleasing design. Metal is used for the TV’s frame and pedestal stand and the screen is surrounded by a 0.25-inch thin bezel.

Connections on the TV’s side panel include food HDMI ports (2x HDMI 2.1) and an optical digital audio output, headphone jack, and a 3.5mm analog composite video/stereo audio input. There are also two powered USB type-A ports, along with Ethernet and serial data connections.

The Hisense U8N comes with a better-than-average remote control. Although comprised of plastic, it has a faux-brushed aluminum surface and sits well in the hand. The keypad is backlit, and there are direct access buttons for the Netflix, Prime Video, Disney Plus, YouTube, and Tubi streaming apps.

Design score: 4/5

Hisense U8N Google TV interface — The U8N's Google TV interface. (Image credit: Future)

Hisense U8N review: Smart TV and menus

Google TV with hands-free voice assistant
AirPlay 2 and Chromecast built-in support
Extensive picture and audio settings

The U8N series uses the Google TV smart TV platform in the US, and Hisense’s own VIDAA platform in the UK and Australia. Google TV on the model I tested was similar to my experience with other TVs that use the same platform, including models from Sony and TCL. Google TV has a fairly simple main screen layout, with a large top window and a central row displaying suggested content, with some suggestions drawn from your viewing and Google web browsing history. A bottom row lists apps you’ve subscribed to, and you can edit the order of apps or remove them from the row altogether.

Tabs at the top of the screen let you switch between the main Google TV interface and Live, Apps, and Library screens, with the latter showing movies and shows you’ve purchased or rented from Google TV. The Live TV program grid can be sorted by a range of channel categories (Google TV, Popular, Movies, News & Opinion, Kids, and more) and also lets you view only broadcast TV programs pulled in by the built-in tuner. A separate broadcast TV guide provides a more detailed view of broadcast listings and it provides extended data for ATSC 3.0 channels (US models only). Using this, I was able to determine that the Summer Olympics in Paris was being broadcast in HDR with Dolby Atmos audio, both of which are features of the next-gen ATSC 3.0 broadcast format.

As with other Google TVs, picture settings are easily accessed by pressing the gear icon on the remote control and then selecting the picture menu. Another, more convenient, option on the Hisense U8N is to press the Menu button on the remote, which calls up a scrolling horizontal bar at the bottom of the screen that provides quick access to preset picture and sound modes. The bar layout can also be customized, letting you add settings like brightness, local dimming, and more for easy access.

Smart TV & menus score: 4/5

Hisense U8N showing Game Bar menu — The U8N's Game Menu lets you make quick gaming-related picture adjustments. (Image credit: Future)

Hisense U8N review: Gaming

2x HDMI ports with 4K 120Hz, VRR up to 144Hz support
Game Bar menu
13.1ms measured input lag

The Hisense U8N features two HDMI 2.1 ports with support for 4K 120Hz, VRR up to 144Hz (including FreeSync Premium Pro), ALLM, and Dolby Vision 4K gaming. A Game Bar menu can be accessed when the TV is in PC/Game mode, giving you quick access to gaming-related adjustments.

Input lag measured with a Bodnar 4K input lag meter was 13.1ms. That’s a slight improvement on last year’s Hisense U8K, and while higher than some of the best gaming TVs, it’s below the 15ms threshold that serious gamers look for.

Gaming score: 4/5

Hisense U8N Live TV guide — Google TV's Live TV guide incorporates free streaming and broadcast TV channels. (Image credit: Future)

Hisense U8N review: Value

Great value
Price drops since launch
Less pricey than traditional premium TV options

The 65-inch version of the Hisense U8N that I tested lists for $1,499.99 / £1,799 / AU$2,699.99 and is currently selling for $1,299 in the US. That’s an excellent deal for a TV with great overall picture quality plus high-level gaming features.

Looking over the competition, the TCL QM851G, another 2024 mini-LED model, hits even higher brightness peaks than the U8N, and also features an anti-reflection screen for daytime viewing. The QM851G pretty much matches the Hisense when it comes to gaming features, though it has more powerful 2.1.2-channel built-in speakers.

And then there’s the Samsung factor. The Samsung QN85D, the company’s least expensive mini-LED model, currently sells for $1,599 at 65 inches. It has lower peak brightness than the Hisense, a noticeable degree of backlight blooming, and similar limitations when it comes to off-axis viewing. Where the QN85D shows advantages over the U8N is its more sophisticated Tizen smart TV platform and comprehensive set of gaming features, including four HDMI 2.1 ports and a Gaming Hub that provides convenient access to cloud-based gaming apps from Xbox, Nvidia GeForce Now, and others.

Another TV that competes with the Hisense U8N is the Samsung QN90C (currently $1,399 for the 65-incher). Although it’s a 2023 model, the QN90C is still rated as our best TV for sport in that guide, has higher brightness than the Samsung QN85D (though it’s not as bright as the Hisense), better off-axis viewing uniformity, and the same suite of gaming features. At just $100 more than the Hisense U8N, it’s a tempting choice for sports fans and gamers while stocks last.

But that just emphasizes what fantastic value the Hisense is – even Samsung's previous model still isn't being sold as cheaply as the U8N, let alone any of the Hisense's 2024 competition. You can't get more TV for your money than this right now.

Value score: 5/5

Should I buy the Hisense U8N?

Buy it if…

Don't buy it if…

Also consider...

How I tested the Hisense U8N

Tested over two weeks
Measurements made using Calman color calibration software
Movie picture mode used for subjective tests

When I test TVs, I first spend a few days or weeks of casual viewing to assess out-of-box picture presets and familiarize myself with its smart TV menu and picture adjustments. I then select the most accurate preset (typically Filmmaker Mode, which was the case with the Hisense U8N) 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.

For the Hisense, I used the Calman ISF workflow to assess its picture accuracy, which was good in the default Movie mode, though it required some calibration to achieve a more perfect result.. I also watched a range of reference scenes on 4K Blu-ray discs to assess the TV’s performance, along with 4K HDR shows and movies streamed from Max, Netflix, and Hulu.

You can read an in-depth overview of how we test TVs at TechRadar for more information about our process.

First reviewed: August 2024
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