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I reviewed Hisense’s top mini-LED TV, and it sets a new standard for bright-room viewing, but with a few key flaws
3:00 pm | May 25, 2025

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Hisense U8QG: Two-minute review

The Hisense U8QG follows in the footsteps of last year's Hisense U8N series mini-LED TVs, which combined exceptionally high brightness with a level of local dimming refinement that well exceeded what we’d seen in previous TVs from the company.

With the new Hisense U8QG series (65-inch model tested here), Hisense has created an even brighter U8 series offering, and also one with better local dimming performance yet again.

It’s not a huge leap in picture quality over the excellent Hisense U8N, a model that found itself on many of TechRadar's best TV lists, but our benchmark tests (see below) all indicate better measured performance, from brightness and color gamut coverage to input lag for gaming.

As with many other new TVs coming out in 2025, Hisense tags several features with the ‘AI’ buzzword, specifically AI modes for picture and sound. You can easily take these or leave them (I chose to leave them), though the AI picture mode can help improve the look of lower-resolution programs on streaming and broadcast TV sources.

The U8QG sports a buffed-up design to contain its built-in 4.1.2-channel speaker array, an upgrade over its 2.1.2-channel predecessor that provides powerful, immersive sound with most programs. Sadly, the built-in subwoofer is prone to distortion on movies with low bass effects, making things a tough listen for bass-craving action movie fans.

Hisense uses Google TV as a smart system in the US, and its own VIDAA one in Europe. Google TV is a reliable, easy to navigate smart interface, and it provides features such as an ambient mode that lets you display photos from your own Google photo library onscreen when the TV is in standby.

One area where the U8QG represents a clear upgrade over its predecessor is gaming. Features here include 4K 165Hz support, along with FreeSync Premium Pro, Dolby Vision and HDR10+ gaming. Disappointingly, the TV has only three HDMI 2.1 inputs, although there’s also USB-C input with DisplayPort support.

Prices for the U8QG series were high out of the gate, but have since dropped to a much more reasonable level in the US. For example, the 65-inch model I tested is currently selling for $1,399, and is an excellent value at that price.

Hisense U8QG review: Price and release date

Hisense U8QG showing image of pine tree branch

The Hisense U8QG is notably brighter than 2024's also very bright U8N series (Image credit: Future)
  • Release date: March 2025
  • 55-inch: $999 / £TBC
    65-inch: $2,199 / £TBC / AU$2,999
    75-inch: $2,499 / £TBC / AU$3,999
    85-inch: $3,499 / £TBC / AU$4,999
    100-inch: $4,999

Hisense’s U8QG series TVs are its top mainstream mini-LED models in the US, slotting in only under the Hisense U9N series. The full U8QG lineup is currently available in the US, and the 65-, 75-, and 85-inch models are available in Australia.

UK availability and pricing have not yet been announced, but we'll update this review when we have them.

Although the U8QG series was launched in the US in late March, big discounts are already starting to appear as of this review in May 2025, with the 65-inch model selling for $1,399, the 75-inch model for $1,899 and the 85-inch model for $2,499.

Hisense U8QG review: Specs

Screen type:

OLED

Refresh rate:

Up to 165Hz

HDR support:

Dolby Vision, HDR10+, HDR10, HLG

Audio support:

Dolby Atmos, DTS Virtual:X

Smart TV:

Google TV

HDMI ports:

3 x HDMI 2.1

Built-in tuner:

ATSC 3.0 (USA)

Hisense U8QG review: Benchmark results

Hisense U8QG review: Features

Hisense U8QG rear panel ports

The U8QG has three HDMI 2.1 ports with 4K 165Hz support plus a side-mounted USB-C input with DisplayPort support (Image credit: Future)
  • Dolby Vision and HDR10+ high dynamic range
  • Anti-Reflection Pro panel
  • 4K 165Hz gaming support

The Hisense U8QG series is feature-packed and also provides several upgrades over its U8N series predecessor. The TV’s mini-LED backlight provides up to 5,000 local dimming zones (on the 100-inch model, fewer on smaller sizes). It uses the company’s Hi-View Al Engine Pro processor, which offers AI picture and sound optimization, and its HDR support includes Dolby Vision, Dolby Vision IQ, HDR10, HDR 10+, HDR10+ Adaptive, and HLG.

Peak brightness for the series is specified at 5,000 nits, and an Anti-Reflection Pro screen helps to reduce screen glare when viewing in bright rooms.

Audio is one of the U8QG series’ biggest upgrades, with all models featuring a 4.1.2-channel Dolby Atmos speaker array (powered by 72 watts on the 65-inch model I tested).

Like previous Hisense TVs, the U8QG series uses the Google TV smart TV platform in the US and Hisense’s own VIDAA platform in the UK, Europe and Australia. Google TV can be controlled hands-free using the TV’s built-in far-field mics or via the mic on the included fully backlit remote control.

Gaming gets an upgrade on the Q8QG series with support for 4K 165Hz input across the TV’s three HDMI 2.1 ports, and there’s also FreeSync Premium Pro, Dolby Vision and HDR10+ gaming, ALLM, and Hisense’s Game Bar menu for making quick on-screen adjustments.

  • Features Score: 5/5

Hisense U8QG review: Picture quality

Hisense U8QG showing image of city

The U8QG's picture looks great in both light and dark room viewing conditions (Image credit: Future)
  • High brightness and refined local dimming
  • Rich-looking color
  • Contrast suffers with off-center viewing

The first thing to discuss about the Hisense U8QG’s picture quality is that it has brightness to spare – and then some. Measured in the default Filmmaker Mode preset, peak brightness on a 10% HDR white window pattern was 3,337 nits, and in Standard mode it was 2,888 nits. That’s a sizable peak brightness bump over last year’s also very bright Hisense U8N.

However, fullscreen brightness in the same modes was below what last year's U8N delivered. In Filmmaker Mode, the new model hits 733 nits, while last year's hit 805 nits. In Standard mode, the difference is slightly more pronounced again, with 744 nits for U8QG and 873 for the U8N.

Also, the U8QG’s SDR peak and fullscreen brightness both measured strangely low in Filmmaker Mode, meaning the Standard (or Theater Day or Night) picture preset will be the better option for viewing standard- and high-definition programs.

The U8QG’s UHDA-P3 and BT.2020 color gamut coverage in Filmmaker Mode were both excellent for a mini-LED, measuring 97.8% and 82.8%, respectively. Once again, this represents an improvement on last year’s U8N.

Color point accuracy averaged out to an impressive 1.8 average Delta-E value (the margin of error between the test pattern source and what’s shown on-screen), which is well into the zone where the human eye can't distinguish it from being perfect (we look for anything lower than 3).

However, the average grayscale Delta-E was a less impressive 4.3, which showed up onscreen as a slightly too warm, reddish color bias.

Aside from calibrating the U8QG’s grayscale, there were certain adjustments I made to the settings in its picture menu that boosted picture performance.

Dynamic Tone Mapping gave images a slightly punchier look, and Dark Detail helped to flesh out shadows in darker movies and TV shows. There is also an AI Contrast setting in the Picture Brightness submenu that I found had a beneficial effect when set to Low or Medium, but that was only for standard and high-definition programs upscaled to 4K by the TV. With 4K HDR content, AI Contrast at all settings gave pictures a too-crisp look.

Hisense U8QG showing image of northern lights

The U8QG provides better UHDA-P3 and BT.2020 color gamut coverage than last year's Hisense U8N (Image credit: Future)

The local dimming on Hisense TVs gets incrementally better with every year, and the U8QG provides the best example yet. Dark, shadowy scenes in TV shows like The Last of Us, season 2, episode 6 (watched in 4K with Dolby Vision on Max) had powerful depth, and in challenging shots like one of moonlight shimmering on water, there was no sign at all of backlight blooming effects.

For virtually all of my viewing, I left Local Dimming set to High, and the TV’s picture was given its maximum level of contrast punch.

Colors also looked notably rich on the U8QG, confirming the great results I got from measurements. This gave sports such as the NBA basketball playoffs a serious eye candy quality, with the bold colors of the players’ uniforms popping vividly on the screen.

Given the U8QG’s high brightness levels, sports and other TV programs looked very good when watched in bright rooms, and the TV’s effective anti-reflection screen helped reduce screen glare from overhead lights, making even dark shows like The Last of Us viewable in such lighting conditions.

One area where the U8QG’s picture came up short was off-axis uniformity: When viewing from an off-center seat, colors and contrast faded noticeably. This won’t be an issue when viewing from seats spread out across a typical sofa, but a straggler at your NBA finals viewing party sitting in a far-off-center chair won’t experience the same picture quality as those directly in front of the TV.

The U8QG’s motion handling was just average. Even with Motion Enhancement set to Film mode in the TV’s Clarity sub-menu, reference movie clips such as a scene from the James Bond film No Time to Die, where Bond walks across a craggy hillside cemetery, had a blurry and slightly wobbly look.

Selecting the Custom mode in the same menu and adjusting the Judder and Blur sliders to the 3-4 range helps considerably to tone this down, and with only a slight “soap opera effect” visual penalty.

  • Picture quality score: 4.5/5

Hisense U8QG review: Sound quality

Hisense U8QG rear panel subwoofer drivers

A dual driver subwoofer set in the TV's back panel tends to audibly distort when watching movies with heavy low-frequency effects (Image credit: Future)
  • 4.1.2-channel, 72W speaker array
  • Room Acoustic Tuning feature
  • Bass in soundtracks can create subwoofer rattle

The Hisense U8QG’s sound gets a substantial hardware upgrade over last year’s Hisense U8N. Specifically, it has a 4.1.2-channel Dolby Atmos and DTS Virtual:X compatible built-in speaker array (powered by 72W), compared to the U8N’s 2.1.2-channel speaker array.

It also has numerous sound presets, an Intelligent Sound option that automatically optimizes the sound based on the specific program type you’re watching, and a Room Acoustic Tuning feature that uses the mic built into the TV’s remote control to measure and adjust the sound based on your room environment.

While the U8QG’s sound is powerful and provides a good level of immersion – at one point I actually checked to see if my system’s surround speakers were accidentally left turned on – low-frequency effects in movie soundtracks frequently caused the TV’s built-in subwoofer to audibly, and unpleasantly, rattle.

I didn’t experience the same issue with more standard fare, like most TV shows, news, or sports. Also, the noise could be lessened by turning down the Bass Boost level in the Sound Advanced Settings menu, or by turning off the subwoofer altogether in the same menu.

But the U8QG’s rattling built-in sub was nonetheless a disappointment, and I’d recommend instead pairing this TV with one of the best soundbars despite the strong effort put into its sound elsewhere.

  • Sound quality score: 3.5/5

Hisense U8QG review: Design

Hisense U8QG pedestal stand on TV stand

The U8QG's sturdy aluminum pedestal stand (Image credit: Future)
  • Sturdy pedestal stand with cable management
  • Only three HDMI ports
  • Full-sized, backlit remote control

The U8QG has a chunky look when viewed from the side due to the frame’s two-inch depth – a necessity to contain the TV’s side-firing left/right and upfiring Atmos speakers. Viewed head-on, it has a much lighter look, with its 0.25-inch thin bezel allowing maximum screen area for the picture.

An aluminum pedestal stand with an angled cut gives the TV sturdy support, and its back-facing section provides ample cable management options for a neat installation.

About the only thing I found off-putting about the U8QG’s design was that HDMI ports were limited to three instead of the usual four, though these were all HDMI version 2.1 with 4K 165Hz support. There’s also a USB-C input with DisplayPort support for a PC connection.

Hisense’s remote control is the same full-sized, fully backlit version provided with 2024’s U8N. It’s easy to handle and navigate menus with, has a built-in mic for the Google Voice assistant, and also provides quick buttons to access apps including Netflix, Prime Video, Disney Plus, and Tubi.

  • Design score: 4/5

Hisense U8QG review: Smart TV and menus

Hisense U8QG Google TV homescreen

The U8QG's Google TV homescreen is uncluttered and easy to navigate (Image credit: Future)
  • Google TV (US) and VIDAA (UK, Europe and Australia)
  • No broadcast TV data in Live program grid
  • Some settings buried too deep in menus

The U8QG uses the Google TV smart interface in the US and Hisense’s own VIDAA smart TV system elsewhere. Since I’m located in the US, my comments will pertain to Google TV.

Google TV has a relatively uncluttered interface that’s dominated by program recommendations that are fine-tuned when you sign in with a Google account (a necessity to download streaming apps to the TV).

While not ad-free – the rotating carousel at the top of the screen regularly pushes YouTube Premium subscriptions, movie rentals/purchases on the Google TV store, and Google’s own Freeplay free ad-supported TV portal – sponsored recommendations on the main ‘For You’ homescreen are equally mixed with suggestions from apps that you actually subscribe to.

The U8QG has a built-in ATSC 3.0 tuner for viewing ‘NextGen TV’ digital broadcasts in the US, and while this works perfectly fine in showing enhanced program data for the channel you’ve tuned, the Tuner section of Google TV’s Live TV program grid guide failed to show any info for live broadcast TV channels, and also wouldn’t let me select channels directly from the guide. (The Live guide shortcut button on the U8QG’s remote control was also non-functional.)

This seems like something that could likely be fixed with a software update, because the Google TV Freeplay channel section in the same Live guide worked completely fine.

A menu button on the remote control calls up a quick menu at the bottom of the screen that gives you convenient access to things like picture and sound modes, and even more advanced options like local dimming and Intelligent (AI) settings. A gear button on the remote, and also on the TV’s homescreen, unlocks more in-depth settings, including advanced picture calibration options.

  • Smart TV & menus score: 4/5

Hisense U8QG review: Gaming

Hisense U8QG showing game image with game menu onscreen

The U8QG's Game Menu in action (Image credit: Future)
  • Three HDMI 2.1 ports
  • 4K 165Hz, FreeSync Premium Pro, Dolby Vision and HDR10+ gaming support
  • Low 9.9ms input lag

The U8QG supports an impressive range of gaming features on its trio of HDMI 2.1 inputs, including 4K 165Hz, AMD FreeSync Premium Pro, ALLM, Dolby Vision gaming, and HDR10+ gaming. It also has a Game Bar menu that lets you make a wide range of gaming-related adjustments onscreen while your game plays on in the background.

Latency in Game mode measured with a Bodnar 4K input lag meter was an impressive 9.9ms. That’s the lowest input latency TechRadar has yet measured on a Hisense TV, and it puts the U8QG in the company of the best gaming TVs from Samsung and LG.

  • Gaming score: 5/5

Hisense U8QG review: Value

Hisense U8QG remote control held in hand

The U8QG comes with a large, fully backlit remote control (Image credit: Future)
  • Performs well compared to pricier competition
  • The still-available Hisense U8N (2024) is also great
  • Excellent overall value

At $2,199 for the 65-inch model I tested, the Hisense U8QG wasn’t cheap at launch, though its price has since dropped to $1,399 in the US.

At that reduced price, the U8QG is an excellent value, and it’s bound to give new premium mini-LED competitors like the Samsung QN90F (currently selling for $2,099 in a 65-inch screen size) reason to be nervous.

A main factor affecting the U8QG’s value is that the 2024 Hisense U8N is still available and selling at well under $1,000 for a 65-inch screen. The U8N is a great TV, and one that also offers high brightness, refined local dimming, and a strong set of gaming features.

Having tested both models, the U8QG has better overall picture quality, and it also offers more advanced gaming features. It’s the one I’d choose between the two, but viewers on a budget will be equally happy with the U8N, as long as it sticks around.

  • Value score: 5/5

Should I buy the Hisense U8QG?

Hisense U8QG showing image of trees with orange background

(Image credit: Future)
Hisense U8QG

Attributes

Notes

Rating

Features

Feature-packed, with broad HDR support and a wide array of gaming features

5/5

Picture quality

High brightness and refined local dimming and an anti-reflective screen make this a great TV for both sports and movies, though picture quality suffers when viewed from off-center seats

4.5/5

Sound quality

A built-in 4.1.2-channel speaker array provides clear, powerful, and immersive sound, but the built-in subwoofer is prone to rattling on deep bass effects

3.5/5

Design

A sturdy design with a solid pedestal stand and ample cable management options. The large, fully backlit remote control is a nice addition, though three total HDMI ports may not be enough for some viewers

4.5/5

Smart TV and menus

Google TV is an effective and easy to navigate smart TV platform, but there are problems with the Live TV program guide and some advanced settings can be difficult to access

4/5

Gaming

A wide range of cutting-edge gaming features plus very low input lag make this a fantastic gaming TV

5/5

Value

Steep discounts off the initial launch prices make the U8QG series an excellent value, though its value is somewhat affected by the availability of 2024’s also great U8N series

5/5

Buy it if...

You want a TV that can handle bright rooms Few TVs can match the U8QG when it comes to brightness, and that, combined with its effective anti-reflective screen, makes it an excellent choice for daytime or bright room viewing.

You also want a TV that looks great when you dim the lights
The U8QG’s refined local dimming delivers deep blacks along with detailed shadows, and its powerful brightness reserves mean highlights in 4K movies and TV shows with HDR are given maximum punch.

You want a great TV for gaming
The U8QG’s three HDMI 2.1 ports support 4K 165Hz, FreeSync Premium, and both Dolby Vision and HDR10+ gaming. An impressively low 9.9ms input lag also ranks this Hisense among the best gaming TVs.

Don't buy it if…

You don’t want to add a soundbar
The TV’s 4.1.2-channel speaker array delivers powerful, clear, and immersive sound with most content, but its built-in subwoofer is prone to distortion when conveying low-frequency effects in movies.

You watch plenty of broadcast TV
The ATSC 3.0 tuner (US only) is a nice perk, but the Google TV grid guide fails to list any info for tuned channels, and it’s also impossible to navigate.

You like to watch with large groups
The U8QG’s main picture quality weakness is off-axis picture uniformity – images lose both contrast and color saturation when viewed from far off-center seats.

Hisense U8QG: Also consider...

Hisense U8QG

Hisense U8N

Samsung QN90D

TCL QM851G

Price (65-inch)

$3.399 / £3,399 / AU$5,299

$3,299

$2,699 / £2,699 / AU$4,299

$2,999 / £2,999

Screen type

QLED w/ mini-LED

QLED w/ mini-LED

QLED w/ mini-LED

QLED w/ mini-LED

Refresh rate

165Hz

144Hz

144Hz

144Hz

HDR support

DolbyVision/HDR10+/HDR10/HLG

DolbyVision/HDR10+/HDR10/HLG

HDR10+/HDR10/HLG

DolbyVision/HDR10+/HDR10/HLG

Smart TV

Google TV / VIDAA

Google TV / VIDAA

Tizen

Google TV

HDMI ports

3 x HDMI 2.1

4 (2x HDMI 2.1)

4 x HDMI 2.1

4 (2x HDMI 2.1)

Hisense U8N
The U8N is a 2024 model that offers nearly as high brightness, along with great overall picture quality. It doesn’t have the same high-level gaming features as the U8QG, but while still available, it’s an excellent deal.

Here’s our Hisense U8N review

Samsung QN90D
Samsung’s top mini-LED – a 2024 model – is another picture quality and gaming powerhouse, and it also has a built-in 4.2.2-channel speaker array. Pricing for the 65-inch model we tested currently matches that of the 65-inch U8QG.

Here’s our Samsung QN90D review

TCL QM851G

TCL’s top mini-LED from 2024 is another brightness monster that also performs exceptionally well with movies. It’s only available in the US, where it is now seeing steep discounts.

Here’s our TCL QM851G review

How I tested the Hisense U8QG

Hisense U9N TV being measured for brightness by reviewer

Measuring a 10% HDR white window pattern during testing (Image credit: Future)
  • I spent about 15 viewing hours in total measuring and evaluating
  • Measurements were made using Calman color calibration software
  • A full calibration was made before proceeding with subjective tests

When I test TVs, I first spend a few days or even weeks using it for casual viewing to assess the out-of-box picture presets and get familiar with its smart TV menu and picture adjustments.

I next select the most accurate preset (usually Filmmaker Mode, Movie or Cinema) and measure grayscale and color accuracy using Portrait Displays’ Calman color calibration software. The resulting measurements provide Delta-E values (the margin of error between the test pattern source and what’s shown on-screen) for each category, and allow for an assessment of the TV’s overall accuracy.

Along with those tests, I make measurements of peak light output (recorded in nits) for both standard high-definition and 4K high dynamic range using 10% and 100% white window patterns. Coverage of DCI-P3 and BT.2020 color space is also measured, with the results providing a sense of how faithfully the TV can render the extended color range in ultra high-definition sources – you can read more about this process in our guide to how we test TVs at TechRadar.

For the Hisense U8QG, I used the Calman ISF workflow, along with the TV’s advanced picture menu settings, to calibrate the image for best accuracy. I also watched a range of reference scenes on 4K Blu-ray discs to assess the TV’s performance, along with 4K HDR shows streamed from Max, Netflix, and other services.

I reviewed Hisense’s top mini-LED TV, and it sets a new standard for bright-room viewing, but with a few key flaws
3:00 pm |

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

Hisense U8QG: Two-minute review

The Hisense U8QG follows in the footsteps of last year's Hisense U8N series mini-LED TVs, which combined exceptionally high brightness with a level of local dimming refinement that well exceeded what we’d seen in previous TVs from the company.

With the new Hisense U8QG series (65-inch model tested here), Hisense has created an even brighter U8 series offering, and also one with better local dimming performance yet again.

It’s not a huge leap in picture quality over the excellent Hisense U8N, a model that found itself on many of TechRadar's best TV lists, but our benchmark tests (see below) all indicate better measured performance, from brightness and color gamut coverage to input lag for gaming.

As with many other new TVs coming out in 2025, Hisense tags several features with the ‘AI’ buzzword, specifically AI modes for picture and sound. You can easily take these or leave them (I chose to leave them), though the AI picture mode can help improve the look of lower-resolution programs on streaming and broadcast TV sources.

The U8QG sports a buffed-up design to contain its built-in 4.1.2-channel speaker array, an upgrade over its 2.1.2-channel predecessor that provides powerful, immersive sound with most programs. Sadly, the built-in subwoofer is prone to distortion on movies with low bass effects, making things a tough listen for bass-craving action movie fans.

Hisense uses Google TV as a smart system in the US, and its own VIDAA one in Europe. Google TV is a reliable, easy to navigate smart interface, and it provides features such as an ambient mode that lets you display photos from your own Google photo library onscreen when the TV is in standby.

One area where the U8QG represents a clear upgrade over its predecessor is gaming. Features here include 4K 165Hz support, along with FreeSync Premium Pro, Dolby Vision and HDR10+ gaming. Disappointingly, the TV has only three HDMI 2.1 inputs, although there’s also USB-C input with DisplayPort support.

Prices for the U8QG series were high out of the gate, but have since dropped to a much more reasonable level in the US. For example, the 65-inch model I tested is currently selling for $1,399, and is an excellent value at that price.

Hisense U8QG review: Price and release date

Hisense U8QG showing image of pine tree branch

The Hisense U8QG is notably brighter than 2024's also very bright U8N series (Image credit: Future)
  • Release date: March 2025
  • 55-inch: $999 / £TBC
    65-inch: $2,199 / £TBC / AU$2,999
    75-inch: $2,499 / £TBC / AU$3,999
    85-inch: $3,499 / £TBC / AU$4,999
    100-inch: $4,999

Hisense’s U8QG series TVs are its top mainstream mini-LED models in the US, slotting in only under the Hisense U9N series. The full U8QG lineup is currently available in the US, and the 65-, 75-, and 85-inch models are available in Australia.

UK availability and pricing have not yet been announced, but we'll update this review when we have them.

Although the U8QG series was launched in the US in late March, big discounts are already starting to appear as of this review in May 2025, with the 65-inch model selling for $1,399, the 75-inch model for $1,899 and the 85-inch model for $2,499.

Hisense U8QG review: Specs

Screen type:

OLED

Refresh rate:

Up to 165Hz

HDR support:

Dolby Vision, HDR10+, HDR10, HLG

Audio support:

Dolby Atmos, DTS Virtual:X

Smart TV:

Google TV

HDMI ports:

3 x HDMI 2.1

Built-in tuner:

ATSC 3.0 (USA)

Hisense U8QG review: Benchmark results

Hisense U8QG review: Features

Hisense U8QG rear panel ports

The U8QG has three HDMI 2.1 ports with 4K 165Hz support plus a side-mounted USB-C input with DisplayPort support (Image credit: Future)
  • Dolby Vision and HDR10+ high dynamic range
  • Anti-Reflection Pro panel
  • 4K 165Hz gaming support

The Hisense U8QG series is feature-packed and also provides several upgrades over its U8N series predecessor. The TV’s mini-LED backlight provides up to 5,000 local dimming zones (on the 100-inch model, fewer on smaller sizes). It uses the company’s Hi-View Al Engine Pro processor, which offers AI picture and sound optimization, and its HDR support includes Dolby Vision, Dolby Vision IQ, HDR10, HDR 10+, HDR10+ Adaptive, and HLG.

Peak brightness for the series is specified at 5,000 nits, and an Anti-Reflection Pro screen helps to reduce screen glare when viewing in bright rooms.

Audio is one of the U8QG series’ biggest upgrades, with all models featuring a 4.1.2-channel Dolby Atmos speaker array (powered by 72 watts on the 65-inch model I tested).

Like previous Hisense TVs, the U8QG series uses the Google TV smart TV platform in the US and Hisense’s own VIDAA platform in the UK, Europe and Australia. Google TV can be controlled hands-free using the TV’s built-in far-field mics or via the mic on the included fully backlit remote control.

Gaming gets an upgrade on the Q8QG series with support for 4K 165Hz input across the TV’s three HDMI 2.1 ports, and there’s also FreeSync Premium Pro, Dolby Vision and HDR10+ gaming, ALLM, and Hisense’s Game Bar menu for making quick on-screen adjustments.

  • Features Score: 5/5

Hisense U8QG review: Picture quality

Hisense U8QG showing image of city

The U8QG's picture looks great in both light and dark room viewing conditions (Image credit: Future)
  • High brightness and refined local dimming
  • Rich-looking color
  • Contrast suffers with off-center viewing

The first thing to discuss about the Hisense U8QG’s picture quality is that it has brightness to spare – and then some. Measured in the default Filmmaker Mode preset, peak brightness on a 10% HDR white window pattern was 3,337 nits, and in Standard mode it was 2,888 nits. That’s a sizable peak brightness bump over last year’s also very bright Hisense U8N.

However, fullscreen brightness in the same modes was below what last year's U8N delivered. In Filmmaker Mode, the new model hits 733 nits, while last year's hit 805 nits. In Standard mode, the difference is slightly more pronounced again, with 744 nits for U8QG and 873 for the U8N.

Also, the U8QG’s SDR peak and fullscreen brightness both measured strangely low in Filmmaker Mode, meaning the Standard (or Theater Day or Night) picture preset will be the better option for viewing standard- and high-definition programs.

The U8QG’s UHDA-P3 and BT.2020 color gamut coverage in Filmmaker Mode were both excellent for a mini-LED, measuring 97.8% and 82.8%, respectively. Once again, this represents an improvement on last year’s U8N.

Color point accuracy averaged out to an impressive 1.8 average Delta-E value (the margin of error between the test pattern source and what’s shown on-screen), which is well into the zone where the human eye can't distinguish it from being perfect (we look for anything lower than 3).

However, the average grayscale Delta-E was a less impressive 4.3, which showed up onscreen as a slightly too warm, reddish color bias.

Aside from calibrating the U8QG’s grayscale, there were certain adjustments I made to the settings in its picture menu that boosted picture performance.

Dynamic Tone Mapping gave images a slightly punchier look, and Dark Detail helped to flesh out shadows in darker movies and TV shows. There is also an AI Contrast setting in the Picture Brightness submenu that I found had a beneficial effect when set to Low or Medium, but that was only for standard and high-definition programs upscaled to 4K by the TV. With 4K HDR content, AI Contrast at all settings gave pictures a too-crisp look.

Hisense U8QG showing image of northern lights

The U8QG provides better UHDA-P3 and BT.2020 color gamut coverage than last year's Hisense U8N (Image credit: Future)

The local dimming on Hisense TVs gets incrementally better with every year, and the U8QG provides the best example yet. Dark, shadowy scenes in TV shows like The Last of Us, season 2, episode 6 (watched in 4K with Dolby Vision on Max) had powerful depth, and in challenging shots like one of moonlight shimmering on water, there was no sign at all of backlight blooming effects.

For virtually all of my viewing, I left Local Dimming set to High, and the TV’s picture was given its maximum level of contrast punch.

Colors also looked notably rich on the U8QG, confirming the great results I got from measurements. This gave sports such as the NBA basketball playoffs a serious eye candy quality, with the bold colors of the players’ uniforms popping vividly on the screen.

Given the U8QG’s high brightness levels, sports and other TV programs looked very good when watched in bright rooms, and the TV’s effective anti-reflection screen helped reduce screen glare from overhead lights, making even dark shows like The Last of Us viewable in such lighting conditions.

One area where the U8QG’s picture came up short was off-axis uniformity: When viewing from an off-center seat, colors and contrast faded noticeably. This won’t be an issue when viewing from seats spread out across a typical sofa, but a straggler at your NBA finals viewing party sitting in a far-off-center chair won’t experience the same picture quality as those directly in front of the TV.

The U8QG’s motion handling was just average. Even with Motion Enhancement set to Film mode in the TV’s Clarity sub-menu, reference movie clips such as a scene from the James Bond film No Time to Die, where Bond walks across a craggy hillside cemetery, had a blurry and slightly wobbly look.

Selecting the Custom mode in the same menu and adjusting the Judder and Blur sliders to the 3-4 range helps considerably to tone this down, and with only a slight “soap opera effect” visual penalty.

  • Picture quality score: 4.5/5

Hisense U8QG review: Sound quality

Hisense U8QG rear panel subwoofer drivers

A dual driver subwoofer set in the TV's back panel tends to audibly distort when watching movies with heavy low-frequency effects (Image credit: Future)
  • 4.1.2-channel, 72W speaker array
  • Room Acoustic Tuning feature
  • Bass in soundtracks can create subwoofer rattle

The Hisense U8QG’s sound gets a substantial hardware upgrade over last year’s Hisense U8N. Specifically, it has a 4.1.2-channel Dolby Atmos and DTS Virtual:X compatible built-in speaker array (powered by 72W), compared to the U8N’s 2.1.2-channel speaker array.

It also has numerous sound presets, an Intelligent Sound option that automatically optimizes the sound based on the specific program type you’re watching, and a Room Acoustic Tuning feature that uses the mic built into the TV’s remote control to measure and adjust the sound based on your room environment.

While the U8QG’s sound is powerful and provides a good level of immersion – at one point I actually checked to see if my system’s surround speakers were accidentally left turned on – low-frequency effects in movie soundtracks frequently caused the TV’s built-in subwoofer to audibly, and unpleasantly, rattle.

I didn’t experience the same issue with more standard fare, like most TV shows, news, or sports. Also, the noise could be lessened by turning down the Bass Boost level in the Sound Advanced Settings menu, or by turning off the subwoofer altogether in the same menu.

But the U8QG’s rattling built-in sub was nonetheless a disappointment, and I’d recommend instead pairing this TV with one of the best soundbars despite the strong effort put into its sound elsewhere.

  • Sound quality score: 3.5/5

Hisense U8QG review: Design

Hisense U8QG pedestal stand on TV stand

The U8QG's sturdy aluminum pedestal stand (Image credit: Future)
  • Sturdy pedestal stand with cable management
  • Only three HDMI ports
  • Full-sized, backlit remote control

The U8QG has a chunky look when viewed from the side due to the frame’s two-inch depth – a necessity to contain the TV’s side-firing left/right and upfiring Atmos speakers. Viewed head-on, it has a much lighter look, with its 0.25-inch thin bezel allowing maximum screen area for the picture.

An aluminum pedestal stand with an angled cut gives the TV sturdy support, and its back-facing section provides ample cable management options for a neat installation.

About the only thing I found off-putting about the U8QG’s design was that HDMI ports were limited to three instead of the usual four, though these were all HDMI version 2.1 with 4K 165Hz support. There’s also a USB-C input with DisplayPort support for a PC connection.

Hisense’s remote control is the same full-sized, fully backlit version provided with 2024’s U8N. It’s easy to handle and navigate menus with, has a built-in mic for the Google Voice assistant, and also provides quick buttons to access apps including Netflix, Prime Video, Disney Plus, and Tubi.

  • Design score: 4/5

Hisense U8QG review: Smart TV and menus

Hisense U8QG Google TV homescreen

The U8QG's Google TV homescreen is uncluttered and easy to navigate (Image credit: Future)
  • Google TV (US) and VIDAA (UK, Europe and Australia)
  • No broadcast TV data in Live program grid
  • Some settings buried too deep in menus

The U8QG uses the Google TV smart interface in the US and Hisense’s own VIDAA smart TV system elsewhere. Since I’m located in the US, my comments will pertain to Google TV.

Google TV has a relatively uncluttered interface that’s dominated by program recommendations that are fine-tuned when you sign in with a Google account (a necessity to download streaming apps to the TV).

While not ad-free – the rotating carousel at the top of the screen regularly pushes YouTube Premium subscriptions, movie rentals/purchases on the Google TV store, and Google’s own Freeplay free ad-supported TV portal – sponsored recommendations on the main ‘For You’ homescreen are equally mixed with suggestions from apps that you actually subscribe to.

The U8QG has a built-in ATSC 3.0 tuner for viewing ‘NextGen TV’ digital broadcasts in the US, and while this works perfectly fine in showing enhanced program data for the channel you’ve tuned, the Tuner section of Google TV’s Live TV program grid guide failed to show any info for live broadcast TV channels, and also wouldn’t let me select channels directly from the guide. (The Live guide shortcut button on the U8QG’s remote control was also non-functional.)

This seems like something that could likely be fixed with a software update, because the Google TV Freeplay channel section in the same Live guide worked completely fine.

A menu button on the remote control calls up a quick menu at the bottom of the screen that gives you convenient access to things like picture and sound modes, and even more advanced options like local dimming and Intelligent (AI) settings. A gear button on the remote, and also on the TV’s homescreen, unlocks more in-depth settings, including advanced picture calibration options.

  • Smart TV & menus score: 4/5

Hisense U8QG review: Gaming

Hisense U8QG showing game image with game menu onscreen

The U8QG's Game Menu in action (Image credit: Future)
  • Three HDMI 2.1 ports
  • 4K 165Hz, FreeSync Premium Pro, Dolby Vision and HDR10+ gaming support
  • Low 9.9ms input lag

The U8QG supports an impressive range of gaming features on its trio of HDMI 2.1 inputs, including 4K 165Hz, AMD FreeSync Premium Pro, ALLM, Dolby Vision gaming, and HDR10+ gaming. It also has a Game Bar menu that lets you make a wide range of gaming-related adjustments onscreen while your game plays on in the background.

Latency in Game mode measured with a Bodnar 4K input lag meter was an impressive 9.9ms. That’s the lowest input latency TechRadar has yet measured on a Hisense TV, and it puts the U8QG in the company of the best gaming TVs from Samsung and LG.

  • Gaming score: 5/5

Hisense U8QG review: Value

Hisense U8QG remote control held in hand

The U8QG comes with a large, fully backlit remote control (Image credit: Future)
  • Performs well compared to pricier competition
  • The still-available Hisense U8N (2024) is also great
  • Excellent overall value

At $2,199 for the 65-inch model I tested, the Hisense U8QG wasn’t cheap at launch, though its price has since dropped to $1,399 in the US.

At that reduced price, the U8QG is an excellent value, and it’s bound to give new premium mini-LED competitors like the Samsung QN90F (currently selling for $2,099 in a 65-inch screen size) reason to be nervous.

A main factor affecting the U8QG’s value is that the 2024 Hisense U8N is still available and selling at well under $1,000 for a 65-inch screen. The U8N is a great TV, and one that also offers high brightness, refined local dimming, and a strong set of gaming features.

Having tested both models, the U8QG has better overall picture quality, and it also offers more advanced gaming features. It’s the one I’d choose between the two, but viewers on a budget will be equally happy with the U8N, as long as it sticks around.

  • Value score: 5/5

Should I buy the Hisense U8QG?

Hisense U8QG showing image of trees with orange background

(Image credit: Future)
Hisense U8QG

Attributes

Notes

Rating

Features

Feature-packed, with broad HDR support and a wide array of gaming features

5/5

Picture quality

High brightness and refined local dimming and an anti-reflective screen make this a great TV for both sports and movies, though picture quality suffers when viewed from off-center seats

4.5/5

Sound quality

A built-in 4.1.2-channel speaker array provides clear, powerful, and immersive sound, but the built-in subwoofer is prone to rattling on deep bass effects

3.5/5

Design

A sturdy design with a solid pedestal stand and ample cable management options. The large, fully backlit remote control is a nice addition, though three total HDMI ports may not be enough for some viewers

4.5/5

Smart TV and menus

Google TV is an effective and easy to navigate smart TV platform, but there are problems with the Live TV program guide and some advanced settings can be difficult to access

4/5

Gaming

A wide range of cutting-edge gaming features plus very low input lag make this a fantastic gaming TV

5/5

Value

Steep discounts off the initial launch prices make the U8QG series an excellent value, though its value is somewhat affected by the availability of 2024’s also great U8N series

5/5

Buy it if...

You want a TV that can handle bright rooms Few TVs can match the U8QG when it comes to brightness, and that, combined with its effective anti-reflective screen, makes it an excellent choice for daytime or bright room viewing.

You also want a TV that looks great when you dim the lights
The U8QG’s refined local dimming delivers deep blacks along with detailed shadows, and its powerful brightness reserves mean highlights in 4K movies and TV shows with HDR are given maximum punch.

You want a great TV for gaming
The U8QG’s three HDMI 2.1 ports support 4K 165Hz, FreeSync Premium, and both Dolby Vision and HDR10+ gaming. An impressively low 9.9ms input lag also ranks this Hisense among the best gaming TVs.

Don't buy it if…

You don’t want to add a soundbar
The TV’s 4.1.2-channel speaker array delivers powerful, clear, and immersive sound with most content, but its built-in subwoofer is prone to distortion when conveying low-frequency effects in movies.

You watch plenty of broadcast TV
The ATSC 3.0 tuner (US only) is a nice perk, but the Google TV grid guide fails to list any info for tuned channels, and it’s also impossible to navigate.

You like to watch with large groups
The U8QG’s main picture quality weakness is off-axis picture uniformity – images lose both contrast and color saturation when viewed from far off-center seats.

Hisense U8QG: Also consider...

Hisense U8QG

Hisense U8N

Samsung QN90D

TCL QM851G

Price (65-inch)

$3.399 / £3,399 / AU$5,299

$3,299

$2,699 / £2,699 / AU$4,299

$2,999 / £2,999

Screen type

QLED w/ mini-LED

QLED w/ mini-LED

QLED w/ mini-LED

QLED w/ mini-LED

Refresh rate

165Hz

144Hz

144Hz

144Hz

HDR support

DolbyVision/HDR10+/HDR10/HLG

DolbyVision/HDR10+/HDR10/HLG

HDR10+/HDR10/HLG

DolbyVision/HDR10+/HDR10/HLG

Smart TV

Google TV / VIDAA

Google TV / VIDAA

Tizen

Google TV

HDMI ports

3 x HDMI 2.1

4 (2x HDMI 2.1)

4 x HDMI 2.1

4 (2x HDMI 2.1)

Hisense U8N
The U8N is a 2024 model that offers nearly as high brightness, along with great overall picture quality. It doesn’t have the same high-level gaming features as the U8QG, but while still available, it’s an excellent deal.

Here’s our Hisense U8N review

Samsung QN90D
Samsung’s top mini-LED – a 2024 model – is another picture quality and gaming powerhouse, and it also has a built-in 4.2.2-channel speaker array. Pricing for the 65-inch model we tested currently matches that of the 65-inch U8QG.

Here’s our Samsung QN90D review

TCL QM851G

TCL’s top mini-LED from 2024 is another brightness monster that also performs exceptionally well with movies. It’s only available in the US, where it is now seeing steep discounts.

Here’s our TCL QM851G review

How I tested the Hisense U8QG

Hisense U9N TV being measured for brightness by reviewer

Measuring a 10% HDR white window pattern during testing (Image credit: Future)
  • I spent about 15 viewing hours in total measuring and evaluating
  • Measurements were made using Calman color calibration software
  • A full calibration was made before proceeding with subjective tests

When I test TVs, I first spend a few days or even weeks using it for casual viewing to assess the out-of-box picture presets and get familiar with its smart TV menu and picture adjustments.

I next select the most accurate preset (usually Filmmaker Mode, Movie or Cinema) and measure grayscale and color accuracy using Portrait Displays’ Calman color calibration software. The resulting measurements provide Delta-E values (the margin of error between the test pattern source and what’s shown on-screen) for each category, and allow for an assessment of the TV’s overall accuracy.

Along with those tests, I make measurements of peak light output (recorded in nits) for both standard high-definition and 4K high dynamic range using 10% and 100% white window patterns. Coverage of DCI-P3 and BT.2020 color space is also measured, with the results providing a sense of how faithfully the TV can render the extended color range in ultra high-definition sources – you can read more about this process in our guide to how we test TVs at TechRadar.

For the Hisense U8QG, I used the Calman ISF workflow, along with the TV’s advanced picture menu settings, to calibrate the image for best accuracy. I also watched a range of reference scenes on 4K Blu-ray discs to assess the TV’s performance, along with 4K HDR shows streamed from Max, Netflix, and other services.

I tested the MSI Summit MS321UP – a high-quality business monitor that’s packed with features
10:45 am | May 13, 2025

Author: admin | Category: Computers Gadgets Pro | Tags: | Comments: Off

This review first appeared in issue 340 of PC Pro.

MSI describes the Summit MS321UP as a business and productivity monitor, as opposed to its huge range of gaming screens and a handful of creative displays. With a peak 60Hz refresh rate it’s obvious that gamers won’t be applying, but MSI still hopes to lure designers here as it includes a monitor hood in the box.

Print designers can’t expect miracles at this price. There is an Adobe RGB mode, but with this selected it covers only 79% of that color space; a huge distance behind the 95% you can expect of an Eizo ColorEdge monitor. But, and it’s a big but, even the 27in ColorEdge CG279X costs twice as much, while the 32in and 4K ColorEdge CG319X retails for almost £4,000. Two more pitfalls for print designers: its color accuracy isn’t great, with an average Delta E of 1.97, and there’s no Pantone certification.

There’s far more for digital creatives and photographers to cheer, as coverage of the DCI-P3 space is 92% if you switch to the Display P3 profile, while color accuracy improves with an average Delta E of 0.88. You may also want to take advantage of the Design Assistance tools. Alongside print-focused aids such as guides for business cards, A4 and more (these guides appear as rectangular overlays on the screen, so you just slot your artwork within the lines), there’s a bunch of rulers and grids, including a rule-of-thirds grid.

In general, though, I found myself sticking to the sRGB gamut as it locks so well to the 6500K color temperature – I measured 6501K, which is essentially perfect for whites – while again scoring 0.88 for color accuracy. And while a 4K resolution may seem overkill when working in typical business tools such as Word and Excel, you grow to enjoy the sheer crispness of the words and numbers on screen.

Full view of the MSI Summit MS321UP

A monitor hood is just one of this flexible display’s many attractions (Image credit: Future)

The panel pushes up to 468cd/m2, which is retina-burning high for daily use, and, as its HDR600 certification illustrates, it can push right up to 600cd/m2 in localized areas. I preferred to keep it at around 375cd/m2 (70 in the controls), but this consumes 47W of power. If you’re trying to control your energy outgoings then you can manually drop this yourself or switch to the Eco mode, where brightness dropped to 175cd/m2 – which is still fine in a typical office – and power consumption to 33W. You can also activate auto brightness control, but I found that distracting.

As you can tell from all these options, it’s worth investigating the OSD menu. Tucked away at the bottom of the profile choices are three calibration profiles for your own use, for example, and if you select the User profile a sophisticated array of tools for controlling color temperature, saturation and hue become available. But these are probably overkill for most users, unless they want to fine-tune the color calibration themselves.

You don’t need to head into the main menu to switch between profiles, as pushing the joystick upwards flicks between them. Pushing down activates the Design Assistance tools, while heading right gives you the option of choosing the display input: there are two HDMI ports, one DisplayPort and the increasingly crucial USB-C port.

Rear view of the MSI Summit MS321UP

Connections include two HDMI ports, a DisplayPort and a USB-C port (Image credit: Future)

It’s disappointing that this only delivers 15W of power, so it will trickle-charge laptops at best, but that isn’t such a problem if a laptop will stay connected most of a working day. And because there’s a KVM built into the monitor, if you connect a second PC or laptop (via the monitor’s USB-B input as well as the video input) then you can share a mouse and keyboard between them. Pressing left on the joystick allows you to switch inputs, or you can keep it as automatic – or you can use the Picture-in-Picture (PIP) and Picture-by-Picture (PBP) features.

You can also share any device connected via the three USB-A ports, with one port tucked awkwardly at the rear and the other two on the left-hand side. There are mic and headphone jacks here, too – note the lack of built-in speakers – along with a full-size SD card slot.

I ended up being grateful for the proximity of those ports, as this 9.7kg hunk of a monitor isn’t easy to move. There’s 35° of swivel to the left and right, and a more than adequate 100mm of height adjustment, but with a 32in panel such as this you’d need an even heftier stand to support 90° pivots into portrait mode.

Despite this lack of physical flexibility, this monitor fully deserves to be described as versatile. The ease with which you can switch between color profiles, along with the shedload of features, mean it can fit into almost any workflow. And at £700, with a five-year warranty, it’s great value.

We've rated the best monitors for a dual screen setup.

I spent weeks reviewing the feature-filled TCL QM7K, and it’s a great TV that fixes a big problem with mini-LED
2:00 pm | May 10, 2025

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

TCL QM7K: Two-minute review

The TCL QM7K is an impressive TV. Even though it’s a bit more expensive than the TCL QM6K I recently reviewed, it fixes the main issues I had with that model. Specifically, the audio quality is much improved. It also offers quite a bit more brightness, which particularly benefits high dynamic range content, and there are more local dimming zones in its mini-LED backlight.

The question of whether the TCL QM7K is the best TV for you will depend on if you’re comfortable paying the extra cash for the improvements it brings. TCL’s Halo Control tech does a great job of keeping backlight blooming effects – an issue even with the best mini-LED TVs – at bay, and the TV’s fast, 144Hz refresh rate (with the potential to effectively double that rate) is a great feature, though both are also available on the cheaper QM6K. In fact, everything outside of the better audio and brightness is basically the same on the QM6K.

The improvements the QM7K brings are ultimately worth the $500 price difference (that amount will vary a bit between screen sizes). But for me, the cheaper QM6K’s lower screen brightness wasn’t a dealbreaker, and adding one of the best soundbars will bring an audio quality improvement to just about any TV.

Still, the TCL QM7K is a high-quality TV with a great-looking picture that’s easy to use. It’s also packed with features, whether you want to watch a movie or boot up your PlayStation 5.

TCL QM7K review: Price and release date

TCL QM7K showing image of lizard on screen

The TCL QM7K's impressive color gamut coverage means colors look rich and vivid (Image credit: Future)
  • Release date: March 2025
  • 55-inch: $1,299.99
  • 65-inch: $1,499.99
  • 75-inch: $1,999.99
  • 85-inch: $2,499.99
  • 98-inch: $4,999.99
  • 115-inch: $19,999.99

The TCL QM7K is a step up from the brand’s newly released QM6K series TVs. Some of the sizes, specifically the 98-inch and 115-inch, are not yet available. TCL QM7K series TVs are only sold in the US.

The QM7K’s step up in price over the QM6K series reflects features such as the higher number of local dimming zones (a maximum of 2800 versus 500), improved brightness, and Bang & Olufsen-tuned built-in speakers.

TCL QM7K review: Specs

TCL QM7K review: Benchmark results

TCL QM7K review: Features

TCL QM7K rear panel ports

The QM7K's connections include two HDMI 2.1 ports with 4K 144Hz support (Image credit: Future)
  • Dolby Vision IQ effectively adjusts the picture for bright rooms
  • Picture presets include IMAX Enhanced and Filmmaker Mode
  • Hands-free voice control

While I’ll go into a little more detail regarding Halo Control in the next section, it’s worth mentioning that TCL’s proprietary technology for precise dimming is featured on the QM7K series, and it’s probably the most important one for this TV. I’ll go into the QM7K’s impressive HDR performance there as well.

But that’s just the tip of the iceberg here. Dolby Vision IQ is one of my favorite features for this TV (also available on the cheaper QM6K). My viewing room gets a lot of ambient light from windows, and watching TV during the day can sometimes be an exercise in frustration. But the Dolby Vision IQ feature minimizes the effects of ambient light by adjusting the TV’s brightness accordingly, so you can see the picture regardless of whether the sun is shining or not.

There’s also Dolby Vision (the non-IQ version of the feature), which functions similarly with Dolby Vision content, automatically adjusting contrast to give the best results based on the image being shown, whether it’s sports or a brooding Batman movie.

If you don’t want the TV to intelligently (the word you’ll see in the menu for these features) adjust the screen, there are plenty of picture modes available. There are the basic ones like Movie and Sports, but there’s also an Imax Enhanced mode and a Filmmaker Mode meant to provide the most accurate picture when watching movies.

Lastly, I would be remiss if I didn’t mention that there’s also hands-free voice control using far-field mics if you don’t feel like reaching for the remote.

  • Features Score: 4.5/5

TCL QM7K review: Picture quality

TCL QM7K showing image of red flower on black background

The QM7K's Halo Control technology is great at eliminating blooming effects in high-contrast pictures (Image credit: Future)
  • Impressive HDR brightness
  • Halo Tech minimizes blooming
  • Some minor vignetting

The TCL QM7K boasts some solid benchmarks. To start with, its brightness is one of the biggest upgrades over its little brother, the TCL QM6K. In Filmmaker Mode, peak HDR brightness on a 10% white window pattern was measured at 1,733 nits, and 100% fullscreen brightness at 536 nits.

Those same brightness measurements made in the TV’s Standard picture mode were even higher at 2,350 and 640 nits, respectively.

Color gamut coverage is good as well, but not quite the smae upgrade as the brightness. We benchmarked it at 96.9% for UHDA-P3 and 79.2% for BT.2020, both better than the QM6K and Hisense U7N. It’s also worth mentioning that the QM7K’s color accuracy averaged out to a very respectable 1.4.

The Halo Control Technology that the TCL QM7K shares with the QM6K is a huge help in minimizing bloom, an artifact of mini-LED and LED-backlit TVs, where you see a halo effect in dark parts of the screen positioned next to bright sections. The QM7K series has up to 2,800 dimming zones compared to 500 on the QM6K series, and regardless of what I watched, high-contrast images had crisp definition.

Cinematic fare like Hero, The Batman (2022), or really any movie with great cinematography came to life on the QM7K, its brightness, comprehensive HDR support, color gamut coverage, not to mention precise dimming control contributing to detailed yet vibrant images.

The only real issue I encountered was that I experienced some very slight vignetting in the corners of the screen, though it was more minimal than what I saw when I reviewed the TCL QM6K. And despite the QM7K’s high brightness, I still experienced screen glare when watching during the daytime with sunlight coming through the windows.

  • Picture quality score: 4.5/5

TCL QM7K review: Sound quality

TCL QM7K remote control held in hand

The TCL QM7K's stripped-down remote control annoyingly lacks a play/pause button (Image credit: Future)
  • Audio by Bang & Olufsen
  • Limited bass
  • Soundstage is good if a bit narrow

Having just reviewed the TCL QM6K, the QM7K’s sound quality is another big upgrade. The 40W system is described by TCL as “Audio by Bang & Olufsen,” and since Bang & Olufsen makes solid-sounding products, that usually bodes well.

The QM7K supports Dolby Atmos and DTS Virtual:X, and is also IMAX Enhanced. There are several sound modes, including Bang & Olufsen’s proprietary Beosonic EQ profile that allows for some fine-tuning. When this is selected, a dial appears on the screen with a particular sound profile at the top, bottom, and sides: bright, energetic, warm, and relaxed (clockwise from the top). You can also navigate a cursor anywhere within the dial to create some combination of these sound profiles.

When I reviewed the QM6K, I found there to be a strange dip in the frequency response that gave the sound a slightly artificial quality. Luckily, the QM7K doesn’t have that. The mids are nice and full so that vocals have the kind of richness one would expect when listening to music or watching a movie, and the high-end has both clarity and detail. The bass is fairly limited, but that’s to be expected with any system that doesn’t have larger speakers, such as a TV.

In The Batman (2022), a scene where Selina Kyle is breaking into a safe near the beginning of the movie illustrates a lot of what’s going on with the QM7K’s sound. The sounds of her drill and the turning of the safe’s dial were heard clearly and sounded crisp. And the sound of her hand-to-hand combat with Batman had plenty of impact, as did the dialogue. The TV’s full mid-range also benefited music listening.

The QM7K’s soundstage is good, with elements in soundtracks that are supposed to be on the left or right (or moving from one side to the other) spatially well-defined but still fairly narrow, as it is physically limited by the placement of the speakers.

In the end, the QM7K’s audio quality is very good – it’s just not the full movie experience you would get if it were paired with a good soundbar.

  • Sound quality score: 4/5

TCL QM7K review: Design

TCL QM7K pedestal stand showing cable management

The QM6K's support feet (Image credit: Future)
  • Pedestal stand can be adjusted for height
  • Ports include two HDMI 2.1 with 144Hz support
  • No dedicated play/pause button on remote

The TCL QM7K looks like most contemporary TVs, so you’re probably not going to make a buying decision based on how it looks. The bezel around the screen is fairly thin, making this a svelte-looking TV from the front, and a slight angle allows the dual ports housing the speakers some clearance if you were to wall mount it.

A pedestal stand keeps the TV stable, and it can also be connected at a range of heights so you can raise it a little higher if you want to keep the bottom of the screen from being blocked by a soundbar.

The back of the stand also has a cover that easily slides up and off, revealing some rudimentary cable management, which allows for a cleaner look, especially with the included cable clips. There’s not a ton of space here, however, so if you have a ton of devices plugged into the TV, you might not be able to route all the cables through the back of the stand.

Speaking of plugging devices in, all the ports except for the power are located on the right side of the TV and are angled so that any cables sit flush against it. This is a simple touch that helps keep things looking tidy, especially if you plan on a wall-mount installation. Also worth noting is that the different HDMI ports have their maximum resolution and refresh rate listed next to them – important for gamers!

The remote for the TCL QM7K has all the usual controls, from the directional wheel and center button used to select things to the ones that take you directly to apps like Netflix and Prime Video. There’s also a dedicated button for the TV’s voice assistant. Sadly, there’s no dedicated play/pause button, which means you have to press the directional wheel to bring up the interface and then press the center button again to actually pause playback.

  • Design score: 4.5/5

TCL QM7K review: Smart TV and menus

TCL QM7K Google TV home screen with hand holding remote in front

The QM7K's Google TV smart interface (Image credit: Future)
  • Home page displays a good range of content
  • Google account login required to fully unlock features
  • Hands-free voice control

The TCL QM7K uses Google TV as its smart TV interface. This has a large, cycling tile that takes up much of the screen with featured content, followed by various rows of tiles with suggested content from various services, a list of apps, and more. It’s a nice layout, only hampered by the fact that not all content seems to be indexed on the home page. (I would love to see suggestions from my Criterion Channel or Mubi app pop up next to YouTube and Max ones.)

As with most smart TV interfaces, there’s plenty of live and free ad-supported content available without needing an additional subscription. This isn’t up to the quality level of what you get from something like Netflix, but it’s not all Sharknado knock-offs. I came across Nip/Tuck, Mr. Bean, and The Illusionist after just a quick scroll. Of course, there’s plenty of Ed Wood-level content available as well.

To get the most out of the interface, you need to first log in to your Google account to set it up. If you’re worried about privacy, this is a requirement that might seem as invasive as it is necessary. It didn’t help that a portion of the featured tiles were ads as opposed to just highlighted content that I already have access to, including an ad with a QR code for ordering pizza on the front page.

As far as the menu diving for TV functionality goes, it’s straightforward and baked into the Google operating system, so you can get to the settings either via the remote or navigating through the home page. It’s also very easy to get deep into fine-tuning the screen, sound, and more to your liking without getting lost.

  • Smart TV & menus score: 4/5

TCL QM7K review: Gaming

TCL QM7K Game Master menu shown on screen

The TCL QM7K's Game Master onscreen menu (Image credit: Future)
  • 4K 144Hz support plus VRR game accelerator
  • Smooth and clear action
  • Dedicated Game Master settings menu

Pricier TVs like this one need to appeal to gamers, and TCL has succeeded on that front. Two of the HDMI inputs support 4K 144Hz, so you get smooth gameplay even when the game is going at a breakneck speed, as I did when running away from or through crowds of zombies in Dead Island 2. It can boost up to a 288Hz variable refresh rate (240Hz on the 55-inch model) at 1080p resolution.

If needed, there's a game-centric settings interface called the “Game Master” menu that you can easily pull up to display a refresh rate in the corner, add an aiming crosshair, turn on the VRR, and boost HDR content where applicable.

All in all, using the TCL QM7K is a treat for gaming. The picture quality is sharp and vibrant, especially when you can turn on HDR, and the action is as smooth as one could hope. Input lag is 13.1ms, which is higher than what you get with TVs from Samsung and LG, but it still feels immediate and responsive when gaming.

  • Gaming score: 4.5/5

TCL QM7K review: Value

TCL QM7K on floor showing accessories

The QM7K's included accessories (Image credit: Future)
  • Not cheap, but still a good value proposition
  • Cheaper than other “mid-range” TVs
  • Better brightness than other TVs in its price range

The TCL QM7K TV is not the same fantastic value proposition as the TCL QM6K, but it’s still a very good value.

A good point of comparison would be the Hisense U7N, a competent TV that punches above its weight. The QM7K is better than the Hisense U7N all around, with better brightness and significantly better audio quality. However, the QM7K is also more expensive.

  • Value score: 4.5/5

Should I buy the TCL QM7K?

TCL QM7K showing image of oranges on screen

(Image credit: Future)

Buy it if...

You want a picture with great contrast
Thanks to Halo Control tech, there’s very little blooming. Plus, the TV’s high brightness makes full use of HDR.

You want good sound
Audio is one of the main upgrades that this TV gets over its little brother and other mid-range TVs. It’s not quite the same as a good soundbar, but it's good enough that you may not need to get one.

You’re a gamer
There are plenty of gaming-centric features on hand, including 4K 144Hz support on two HDMI 2.1 ports, along with 288Hz at 1080p.

Don't buy it if…

You have a limited budget
You can spend quite a bit more on a TV, but the TCL QM7K is still not a cheap model. If you’re on a tight budget, you should also look at the less expensive step-down QM6K series.

You don’t want a Google TV
If you don’t like connecting your Google account to a TV for privacy reasons, look elsewhere, because that step is needed to make the most of the Google TV smart interface.

Also consider...

TCL QM6K
The TCL QM6K is a wonderful TV, but it’s not as bright as the QM7K, and it also has worse audio. It’s about $500 cheaper on average, however, making it is a good option for those with less cash to spend.

Read our full TCL QM6K review

Hisense U7N
The Hisense U7N does have some issues with backlight blooming and also suffers from poor audio quality. But it has good color gamut coverage and brightness for the price, not to mention similar features such as Dolby Vision IQ and Google TV.

Read our full Hisense U7N review

TCL QM851G
The TCL QM851G is a 2024 model that was still available for a substantial discount at the time this review posted. This model has even higher brightness than the QM7K, plus a similar set of smart TV and gaming features.

Read our full TCL QM851G review

Samsung QN900D showing test pattern

(Image credit: Future)

How I tested the TCL QM7K

  • I used the TCL QM7K TV for two weeks
  • Tested with TV, movies, music, and games
  • Benchmark measurements conducted by Future US testing lab

I used the TCL QM7K TV regularly for several weeks, testing it with movies, shows, sports events, and games. I tested the various features, such as Dolby Vision IQ, to see if they work as advertised. I also spent time listening to the TV’s audio and watching reference clips to evaluate the picture quality.

After spending some time with this TV, it’s clear that it’s aimed at those looking for a premium experience but at a lower price than a comparable Samsung or LG TV.

I’ve tested plenty of tech gear over the years from laptops to keyboards and speakers, and have been able to apply my expertise toward giving an honest and fair opinion, not to mention a critical eye, to any product I test.

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

I’ve spent hours playing games and listening to music with the Astro A50 Gen 5 — here’s why they’re worth the price.
4:00 pm | April 27, 2025

Author: admin | Category: Computers Gadgets Gaming Gaming Accessories | Tags: , , | Comments: Off

Astro A50 Gen 5 review: one-minute review

Astro A50 Gen 5

(Image credit: Future)

Logitech’s Astro sub-brand has a sizeable lineage, offering competition-grade audio solutions for years now, and the A50 Gen 5 is able to easily maintain that status quo at a (slightly) lower price point than the Astro A50 X, one of the best wireless gaming headsets we tested last year.

Much of the Astro A50 Gen 5 is built on the same very impressive foundation. It’s packing graphene drivers, which not only sound great but also contribute very little in terms of weight, while the whole design feels well-built without ever feeling uncomfortable for longer periods of use.

Audio sounds excellent, with a broad soundstage that packs in plenty of bass without distortion and plenty of high-end without tinniness, and I found myself using it for listening to music almost as much as I did for gaming.

Dolby Atmos and Windows Sonic are included, as well as the option to pipe in Bluetooth audio from an external source — ideal for anyone looking to crank up a podcast or playlist while grinding in their favorite game.

That flexibility is a common theme with the A50 Gen 5, too, since it can be connected to multiple platforms. While its pricier ‘X’ branded sibling can switch HDMI inputs with a button press, the A50 Gen 5 can do the same for audio.

The same mic from the A50 X is here, too, crystal clear in pressurized competitive moments (or as competitive as you can get within my own skill level) and easy to fold up if you’d prefer to just use the headset as a pair of very nice headphones.

Add to that a fantastic 24 hours of battery life, plus the convenience of being able to rest the headset on the docking station so it’s always ready to go and you’ve got a compelling package — and that’s before touching on Logitech’s G Hub software, which features custom equalizers and Blue voice adjustments.

It’s still not exactly affordable, but if you’re looking for a headset that can work across all platforms, it may be cheaper than buying a dedicated one for each.

Astro A50 Gen 5 review: Price and availability

  • List price: $299.99 / £299.99
  • Cheaper than Astro A50 X by around £70/$80
  • Available worldwide

For $300 / £300, you get a solid package here. Aside from the fantastic headset, that base station really is nifty.

It's well constructed, offering a really handy way to keep your headset charged, while it’s hard to find fault with the build quality of the A50 Gen 5 headset itself.

It’s more premium than mid-range headsets that lean on plasticky shells, and similarly priced SteelSeries Arctis Nova Pro.

That rival arguably feels more headphone-like in its design, but offers similar versatility from multi-platform and dual-source output. If you want something that looks a little less like a gaming peripheral, that might be the way to go.

Astro A50 Gen 5

(Image credit: Future)

Astro A50 Gen 5 review: Specs

Astro A50 Gen 5

(Image credit: Future)

Astro A50 Gen 5 review: Design and features

  • Lightweight headset with fold-down mic
  • Graphene drivers are lightweight but offer big sound
  • Fabric ear cups are comfortable and avoid sweat build-up

Sat next to the pricier A50 X, you’d be hard-pressed to spot the differences, although the red cables on the Gen 5s versus the black cables on the A50 X are a bit of a giveaway.

The A50 Gen 5 comes in black or white, with magnetic cushions that can be taken off and swapped if you feel they’re getting to the end of their life (although even after well over a year of the premium version, it’s not ever felt that way to me).

The mic is identical, too, folding down to mouth level, while the side panel on the other side contains all the inputs. There’s chat and audio mixing on the headset itself, as well as Bluetooth functionality for piping your music through.

It’s comfortable for long periods thanks to being lighter than the old Logitech Pro X headsets I’ve used in the past, while the ear cups never feel like they get too hot. In fact, I prefer them to the colder, more leather-like alternatives (although you can buy a leatherette conversion kit from Logitech).

Onto the docking station, then, and while there’s no HDMI connectivity on the back, there are four USB ports. One is reserved for power, so the math enthusiasts will recognize that there are three ports left.

The ports are labeled for PC, PS5, and Xbox, meaning Switch is absent, but you can plug it into any of them.

You may need to provide your own USB-C cables, though — Logitech only provides one for power and a single cable to connect up other consoles.

Astro A50 Gen 5

(Image credit: Future)

Astro A50 Gen 5 review: Performance

  • 24-hour battery life plus added convenience of docking station
  • 24-bit PC audio, 16-bit on consoles but you’re unlikely to hear the difference
  • Connects via USB-C to docking station, but no HDMI ports

The Astro Gen 5, at least to my relatively trained ears as a musician, sounds the same as its premium sibling.

Footsteps from enemies in Call of Duty: Warzone and Black Ops 6 are crisp and easy to place, while the direction of gunfire is discernible even with short bursts.

Overwatch Hero callouts sound crisp, while more cinematic titles like Assassin’s Creed Shadows feel particularly impressive, notably when rain is falling on rooftops.

It’s worth noting that there’s no Active Noise Cancellation (ANC), but despite having a relatively large head, I felt the seal around my ears was tight enough where that never felt like a major concern. Your mileage may vary, though.

Perhaps most impressively, the A50 Gen 5s are fantastic for non-gaming audio, too. If you want to kick back with music, the balanced soundstage pairs with the comfortable headset to make everything feel nice and fresh.

I found listening to rock epics was a great experience, with piano and percussion dancing around each other nicely, while there’s plenty of bass when the situation calls for it, but without the distortion you may get from cheaper headsets.

You can play around with a mixer in the Logitech G app, too, while the aforementioned earcup controls are ideal for adjusting chat and game audio.

Still, audio output is only one-half of the coin, and while I have tended to keep mics folded up in favor of a desktop option with older setups, the mic here is crystal clear at all times.

The Logitech G app on PC can tap into the company’s Blue mic filtering to adjust to get you sounding sweet as a whistle, but even right out of the box, it feels as though you could be standing right next to a teammate as you work on strategies.

The Astro A50 Gen 5 headset base on a carpeted surface

(Image credit: Future/Lloyd Coombes)

Should you buy the Astro A50 Gen 5?

Buy it if...

You’re a console and PC player
Being able to switch between your console and PC audio at ease is a huge help for multiformat setups.

You want a clear mic
Whether on Discord or console-based party chat, the mic on the Astro A50 Gen 5 is one of the best we’ve tested.

Don't buy it if...

You’re not looking for multiformat functionality
The Astros are great, but there are comparable headsets with a focus on a single platform that will set you back a lot less.

Also consider...

Still not sold on the Astro A50 Gen 5? Here’s how it compares to two similar products.

Astro A50 X
It’s hard not to compare the pricier variant of the Astros with this version. The main draw is those HDMI ports on the base station, which means you can switch between inputs with a button press. If you’re not looking for that functionality, though, you’ll lose very little with the A50 Gen 5s.

For more information, check out our full Astro A50 X review

Razer BlackShark V2 Pro
Less interested in the multiformat chops of the Astro Gen 5s? The BlackShark V2 Pro remains top of our list of the best wireless headset list thanks to fantastic audio, great battery life, and a premium build — but it’s only for PC.

For more information, check out our full Razer BlackShark V2 Pro review

The Astro A50 Gen 5 headset against a white wall background

(Image credit: Future/Lloyd Coombes)

How I tested the Astro A50 Gen 5

  • Tested over multiple weeks
  • Used on a gaming PC with an RTX 4070 Ti, PS5 Pro, and Xbox Series X
  • Party chat across multiple games used to test the mic, as well as Discord on PC

I spent my time using the Astro A50 Gen 5 across PC and console, switching between Call of Duty Warzone and Black Ops 6, indie multiplayer title The Headliners, and EA FC 25.

For testing the mic, I played some heated games of Overwatch 2, Marvel Rivals, and Destiny 2 to ensure comms were clear.

First reviewed April 2025

Read more about how we test

I’ve spent hours playing games and listening to music with the Astro A50 Gen 5 — here’s why they’re worth the price.
4:00 pm |

Author: admin | Category: Computers Gadgets Gaming Gaming Accessories | Tags: , , | Comments: Off

Astro A50 Gen 5 review: one-minute review

Astro A50 Gen 5

(Image credit: Future)

Logitech’s Astro sub-brand has a sizeable lineage, offering competition-grade audio solutions for years now, and the A50 Gen 5 is able to easily maintain that status quo at a (slightly) lower price point than the Astro A50 X, one of the best wireless gaming headsets we tested last year.

Much of the Astro A50 Gen 5 is built on the same very impressive foundation. It’s packing graphene drivers, which not only sound great but also contribute very little in terms of weight, while the whole design feels well-built without ever feeling uncomfortable for longer periods of use.

Audio sounds excellent, with a broad soundstage that packs in plenty of bass without distortion and plenty of high-end without tinniness, and I found myself using it for listening to music almost as much as I did for gaming.

Dolby Atmos and Windows Sonic are included, as well as the option to pipe in Bluetooth audio from an external source — ideal for anyone looking to crank up a podcast or playlist while grinding in their favorite game.

That flexibility is a common theme with the A50 Gen 5, too, since it can be connected to multiple platforms. While its pricier ‘X’ branded sibling can switch HDMI inputs with a button press, the A50 Gen 5 can do the same for audio.

The same mic from the A50 X is here, too, crystal clear in pressurized competitive moments (or as competitive as you can get within my own skill level) and easy to fold up if you’d prefer to just use the headset as a pair of very nice headphones.

Add to that a fantastic 24 hours of battery life, plus the convenience of being able to rest the headset on the docking station so it’s always ready to go and you’ve got a compelling package — and that’s before touching on Logitech’s G Hub software, which features custom equalizers and Blue voice adjustments.

It’s still not exactly affordable, but if you’re looking for a headset that can work across all platforms, it may be cheaper than buying a dedicated one for each.

Astro A50 Gen 5 review: Price and availability

  • List price: $299.99 / £299.99
  • Cheaper than Astro A50 X by around £70/$80
  • Available worldwide

For $300 / £300, you get a solid package here. Aside from the fantastic headset, that base station really is nifty.

It's well constructed, offering a really handy way to keep your headset charged, while it’s hard to find fault with the build quality of the A50 Gen 5 headset itself.

It’s more premium than mid-range headsets that lean on plasticky shells, and similarly priced SteelSeries Arctis Nova Pro.

That rival arguably feels more headphone-like in its design, but offers similar versatility from multi-platform and dual-source output. If you want something that looks a little less like a gaming peripheral, that might be the way to go.

Astro A50 Gen 5

(Image credit: Future)

Astro A50 Gen 5 review: Specs

Astro A50 Gen 5

(Image credit: Future)

Astro A50 Gen 5 review: Design and features

  • Lightweight headset with fold-down mic
  • Graphene drivers are lightweight but offer big sound
  • Fabric ear cups are comfortable and avoid sweat build-up

Sat next to the pricier A50 X, you’d be hard-pressed to spot the differences, although the red cables on the Gen 5s versus the black cables on the A50 X are a bit of a giveaway.

The A50 Gen 5 comes in black or white, with magnetic cushions that can be taken off and swapped if you feel they’re getting to the end of their life (although even after well over a year of the premium version, it’s not ever felt that way to me).

The mic is identical, too, folding down to mouth level, while the side panel on the other side contains all the inputs. There’s chat and audio mixing on the headset itself, as well as Bluetooth functionality for piping your music through.

It’s comfortable for long periods thanks to being lighter than the old Logitech Pro X headsets I’ve used in the past, while the ear cups never feel like they get too hot. In fact, I prefer them to the colder, more leather-like alternatives (although you can buy a leatherette conversion kit from Logitech).

Onto the docking station, then, and while there’s no HDMI connectivity on the back, there are four USB ports. One is reserved for power, so the math enthusiasts will recognize that there are three ports left.

The ports are labeled for PC, PS5, and Xbox, meaning Switch is absent, but you can plug it into any of them.

You may need to provide your own USB-C cables, though — Logitech only provides one for power and a single cable to connect up other consoles.

Astro A50 Gen 5

(Image credit: Future)

Astro A50 Gen 5 review: Performance

  • 24-hour battery life plus added convenience of docking station
  • 24-bit PC audio, 16-bit on consoles but you’re unlikely to hear the difference
  • Connects via USB-C to docking station, but no HDMI ports

The Astro Gen 5, at least to my relatively trained ears as a musician, sounds the same as its premium sibling.

Footsteps from enemies in Call of Duty: Warzone and Black Ops 6 are crisp and easy to place, while the direction of gunfire is discernible even with short bursts.

Overwatch Hero callouts sound crisp, while more cinematic titles like Assassin’s Creed Shadows feel particularly impressive, notably when rain is falling on rooftops.

It’s worth noting that there’s no Active Noise Cancellation (ANC), but despite having a relatively large head, I felt the seal around my ears was tight enough where that never felt like a major concern. Your mileage may vary, though.

Perhaps most impressively, the A50 Gen 5s are fantastic for non-gaming audio, too. If you want to kick back with music, the balanced soundstage pairs with the comfortable headset to make everything feel nice and fresh.

I found listening to rock epics was a great experience, with piano and percussion dancing around each other nicely, while there’s plenty of bass when the situation calls for it, but without the distortion you may get from cheaper headsets.

You can play around with a mixer in the Logitech G app, too, while the aforementioned earcup controls are ideal for adjusting chat and game audio.

Still, audio output is only one-half of the coin, and while I have tended to keep mics folded up in favor of a desktop option with older setups, the mic here is crystal clear at all times.

The Logitech G app on PC can tap into the company’s Blue mic filtering to adjust to get you sounding sweet as a whistle, but even right out of the box, it feels as though you could be standing right next to a teammate as you work on strategies.

The Astro A50 Gen 5 headset base on a carpeted surface

(Image credit: Future/Lloyd Coombes)

Should you buy the Astro A50 Gen 5?

Buy it if...

You’re a console and PC player
Being able to switch between your console and PC audio at ease is a huge help for multiformat setups.

You want a clear mic
Whether on Discord or console-based party chat, the mic on the Astro A50 Gen 5 is one of the best we’ve tested.

Don't buy it if...

You’re not looking for multiformat functionality
The Astros are great, but there are comparable headsets with a focus on a single platform that will set you back a lot less.

Also consider...

Still not sold on the Astro A50 Gen 5? Here’s how it compares to two similar products.

Astro A50 X
It’s hard not to compare the pricier variant of the Astros with this version. The main draw is those HDMI ports on the base station, which means you can switch between inputs with a button press. If you’re not looking for that functionality, though, you’ll lose very little with the A50 Gen 5s.

For more information, check out our full Astro A50 X review

Razer BlackShark V2 Pro
Less interested in the multiformat chops of the Astro Gen 5s? The BlackShark V2 Pro remains top of our list of the best wireless headset list thanks to fantastic audio, great battery life, and a premium build — but it’s only for PC.

For more information, check out our full Razer BlackShark V2 Pro review

The Astro A50 Gen 5 headset against a white wall background

(Image credit: Future/Lloyd Coombes)

How I tested the Astro A50 Gen 5

  • Tested over multiple weeks
  • Used on a gaming PC with an RTX 4070 Ti, PS5 Pro, and Xbox Series X
  • Party chat across multiple games used to test the mic, as well as Discord on PC

I spent my time using the Astro A50 Gen 5 across PC and console, switching between Call of Duty Warzone and Black Ops 6, indie multiplayer title The Headliners, and EA FC 25.

For testing the mic, I played some heated games of Overwatch 2, Marvel Rivals, and Destiny 2 to ensure comms were clear.

First reviewed April 2025

Read more about how we test

I spent a month testing the affordable, feature-packed TCL QM6K mini-LED TV, and the picture is great for the price
3:00 pm | March 22, 2025

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

TCL QM6K: Two-minute review

Affordable Premium is the modus operandi of the TCL QM6K TV, and it fits that bill quite well. It offers a handful of features that you won’t find on budget TVs like Dolby Vision IQ and Dolby Atmos support. And the company’s own Halo Control technology does a great job of minimizing backlight blooming in pictures.

Combined with its affordable price, it should rank among the best TVs for those wanting to thread the needle between premium performance and value.

This TCL does have some shortcomings that may paint other, slightly more expensive TVs as worth the extra cash. The speakers aren’t all that great, though very few TVs have mastered this and you should get one of the best soundbars regardless. More concerning is the fact that the screen has some minor vignetting in the corners.

That said, those issues are very small ones that you probably won’t even notice if you’re not doing a head-to-head comparison. It mostly does everything right, especially from an end-user point of view. Its picture is vibrant and sharp. It has a speedy 144Hz refresh rate. And it’s easy to use.

TCL QM6K remote control held in hand

The TCL QM6K's remote control is sturdy and serviceable, but lacks a play/pause button for streaming (Image credit: Future)

TCL QM6K review: Price and release date

  • Release date: February 2025
  • 50-inch: $749.99
  • 55-inch: $799.99
  • 65-inch: $999.99
  • 75-inch: $1,299.99
  • 85-inch: $1,999.99
  • 98-inch: $2,999.99

The TCL QM6K series is TCL’s first TV release of 2025 and is only available in the US. The series ranges in size from 50 to 98 inches.

The 65-inch version I tested retails for $999.99, while the other models range from $749.99 to $2,999.99. At those prices, the value of the QM6K series is good, but all sizes are already seeing discounts, with the 65-inch model I tested now selling for around $800.

TCL QM6K review: Specs

TCL QM6K review: Benchmark results

TCL QM6K side panel ports

The QM6K's connections include two HDMI 2.1 ports with 4K 144Hz support (Image credit: Future)

TCL QM6K review: Features

  • Dolby Vision IQ helps in bright rooms
  • IMAX Enhanced for IMAX content
  • Hands-free Google voice assistant

There’s quite a handful of features on offer here. I’ll touch on things like HDR, hands-free voice support, Halo Control, and the game accelerator in other sections, but there’s still plenty to talk about.

Dolby Vision IQ is something I always appreciate, but especially with this TCL since the only logical place for me to set it up was in a room that gets a lot of ambient light. What Dolby Vision IQ does is adjust the brightness of the TV according to the level of ambient light in your room so you can still see what’s on the screen when it’s bright, and then dim the picture for a more pleasurable viewing experience at night.

Along with the ‘Adaptive Brightness,’ as Dolby Vision IQ is called in the menu, you can toggle a blue light filter to minimize eye strain.

In the same vein as Dolby Vision IQ is the non-IQ version which adapts the brightness according to the content on the screen, whether it’s sports, a movie, or a video game. The QM6K also supports the HDR10+ high dynamic range format.

While there are the usual picture mode suspects including Filmmaker mode, there’s also an IMAX Enhanced mode to support IMAX content on 4K Blu-rays and streaming services such as Disney Plus.

  • Features Score: 4.5/5

TCL QM6K showing image of honey dripper

The QM6K's Halo Control technology is great at eliminating blooming effects in high-contrast pictures (Image credit: Future)

TCL QM6K review: Picture quality

  • Good color and contrast
  • Very good at eliminating blooming
  • Some minor vignetting in the corners

Our TCL QM6K benchmarks cite HDR peak brightness at 559.8 nits (Filmmaker mode) and 695.5 nits (Standard mode). For HDR fullscreen brightness, it measured 476.8 nits (Filmmaker mode) and 594.4 nits (Standard mode). Both of those results are about average for a budget mini-LED TV. For color gamut coverage, the QM6K benchmarked at 94.7% for UHDA P3 and 71.2% for BT.2020, both of which are average results.

In use, the results are more impressive, especially for those upgrading to mini-LED from an older standard LED TV. The QM6K’s brightness can’t quite outmatch the sun in a brightly lit room, and there are screen reflections, so be aware of that when figuring out the TV placement. However, it’s bright enough for most applications and the contrast with or without HDR (this TV supports Dolby Vision IQ, HDR10+, HDR10, and HLG) not only allows colors to pop but also reveals shadow details in dimly lit scenes. I used the Disney movie Coco as a touchstone for colors and found that they were clear, distinct, and vibrant.

The QM6K’s 500 local dimming zones allow the backlight to turn off completely enough that deep blacks blend into the TV’s bezel. On a more budget TV, black might appear as more of a dark gray, but here it came across as a true, deep black.

On top of that, the QM6K utilizes TCL’s Halo Control technology so that bright objects on the screen won’t bleed into dark backgrounds, an effect referred to as halos or blooming. Sometimes, I find proprietary tech to be a gimmick or something that makes just a subtle difference. That’s not the case here. Halo Control technology performs exactly as advertised.

The QM6K has a native 120Hz refresh rate with up to 144Hz VRR (Variable Refresh Rate). Between this and the motion blur-related settings in the menu, programs were consistently pretty smooth looking. For instance, the testing of this TV started with a Super Bowl party via YouTube TV. The action on the field was clear and solid the entire time. I also did a little gaming and will discuss that below.

About the only issue I have with this TV’s picture quality is that there is some very minor vignetting in the corners of the screen. Now, if I’m looking at it head on, I can’t see it, but go off axis just a little bit and it’s fairly visible. It is millimeters of vignetting so you’ll barely notice it, but it’s there.

  • Picture quality score: 4/5

TCL QM6K back panel speakers

The back-mounted speakers in the QM6K's built-in 2.1-channel Onkyo speaker system (Image credit: Future)

TCL QM6K review: Sound quality

  • Built-in 2.1-channel Onkyo speaker system
  • Audio is boxy-sounding
  • Virtual spatial audio support

The sound quality on the TCL QM6K unfortunately doesn’t buck the trend slim modern TVs have with poor audio. Its 2.1-channel, 40W Onkyo speaker system is mostly good, but its limitations are also noticeable.

Highs are clear and have plenty of resolution and detail. If you’re watching a live performance like a Tiny Desks Concert on PBS, sounds like cymbals and flutes are properly reproduced. Also, dialogue is very easily understood, even without the dialogue boost available in the settings, as there’s a little bit of a mid-range boost. The mid-range is fairly rich and full, though a very noticeable frequency dip makes everything sound boxy and a bit cheap.

The bass is there but is fairly muted. Even though there’s a built-in subwoofer, you get just a little bit of low-end rumble. The soundstage is not exceptionally wide, being confined to the size of the TV’s screen, though the trajectory of sounds is accurately tracked.

Lastly, there is virtual processing for Dolby Atmos and DTS: X. It’s nice having these features on hand as it gives a sense of space to any supported content. But as is typically the case, the sound is limited by the physical confines of the speakers and their placement.

  • Sound quality score: 3.5/5

TCL QM6K support feet held in hand

The QM6K's support feet (Image credit: Future)

TCL QM6K review: Design

  • Relatively thin
  • Ports including two HDMI 2.1 with 144Hz support
  • No dedicated remote play/pause button

The TCL QM6K series comes in a wide range of screen sizes, so whether you want something for a smaller(ish) setup or a home theater, there are options.

From the front, there’s not a whole lot that sets it apart from the competition. The bezels are thin enough to disappear during viewing, except on the bottom where it’s a little thicker. It’s a little more interesting in the back where it has a slightly sloped shape that not only keeps it fairly thin but allows the two raised speaker ports situated near the top room to breathe. More importantly, its ports are situated so they face directly to the side for easy access.

As far as the ports go, there are four HDMI inputs (two HDMI 2.1 with one supporting eARC), an optical digital audio output, Ethernet and RF inputs, as well as USB 3.0 and USB 2.0.

Navigating the TV is mostly done through the remote. Most of the usual suspects (in terms of buttons) are here, from a directional wheel with a button in the center to settings, input source, and sponsored buttons (Netflix, etc.). There’s also a voice button for hands-free usage that in my testing mostly went well, though I apparently don’t always enunciate as clearly as it wants me to. The only thing I don’t like about the remote is that there’s no dedicated play/pause button for streaming.

  • Design score: 4/5

TCL QM6K Google TV home screen

The QM6K's Google TV smart interface (Image credit: Future)

TCL QM6K review: Smart TV and menus

  • Nice mix of recommended content on home page
  • Menu diving is easy
  • Hands-free voice control

The TCL QM6K uses Google TV for a Smart TV interface, and it’s a treat to use. While I’m used to the Roku or Apple TV way of interfacing – namely, a grid of app tiles – the Google TV Smart OS gives a nice variety of information, and is a less ad-filled OS than one would get with an Amazon Fire TV stick. The menu options are For You (you need to sign in with your Google Account to get tailored content recommendations here), Apps, TCL ( free content) plus a few other selections on the left side while the more utilitarian selections such as Settings are on the right.

Below that and taking up the upper half of the screen is a rotating carousel of featured content. Continuing below are various rows of content such as “previously watched,” installed apps, “continue watching,” genre groupings, and several other suggestions. The interesting thing is that most of the selections on the screen link to the actual content instead of the apps to get to the content, making things just a bit more convenient.

Of course, not everything is going to pop up on this main page, so you’ll still want to go digging if you’re like me and like more esoteric content. I subscribe to the Criterion Channel, for instance, and have yet to see any suggestions from that service pop up.

The settings menu, which is integrated into the Google TV Smart OS, is intuitive. So, despite there being a bunch of different settings to play with, from different modes, and contrast options, to presets like Gamma, I never got lost when I was in the menu settings.

Being a Google TV, hands-free voice control is available. Just say “Hey Google” to interact with the far-field mic array built into the TV if you don’t feel like messing with the remote.

  • Smart TV & menus score: 4/5

TCL QM6K showing game and game menu screen overlay

Gaming is smooth and responsive on the TCL QM6K (Image credit: Future)

TCL QM6K review: Gaming

  • Fast refresh rate that benefits even more from a game accelerator
  • Ation always looks smooth and clear
  • Has a dedicated settings menu when gaming

Gaming on the TCL QM6K TV is a treat. It not only has a 120Hz native refresh rate, but supports up to 4K 144Hz VRR (with Nvidia G-Sync and AMD FreeSync) and 288Hz at 1080p resolution. Our benchmarks show an input lag (Game mode) of 13.1ms, which is not the best we’ve seen, but in practice didn’t affect the gaming experience.

When testing the TV, I connected a PlayStation 5 and played several games including Uncharted Legacy of Thieves Collection (the only PS5 game I have been able to get to run at 120 fps), Ride 5, and Dead Island 2. As I discussed earlier, the colors are vibrant and the contrast lets images pop off the screen. No matter how fast the action, the gameplay was smooth and clear no matter if I was turning the corner on a course or trying to fight off an overwhelming horde of zombies.

It helped that when I turned on the PS5, the TV automatically changed to a Game Mode that also allowed me to mess with the refresh rate as well as turn on higher contrast settings. There’s also a dedicated ‘Game Master’ menu overlay that you can pull up using the remote to change settings without exiting the game. It’s a nice feature.

  • Gaming score: 4.5/5

TCL QM6K with accessories on floor

The QM6K with included accessories (Image credit: Future)

TCL QM6K review: Value

  • Punches above its weight in terms of value
  • Some comparable models with similar features
  • Better at eliminating blooming than other budget mini-LED TVs

The TCL QM6K punches above its weight in terms of value. And that’s even before considering the price has already dropped from the current $999 for the 65-inch size to around $800.

For comparison’s sake, the 65-inch version of the Hisense U7N is priced similarly at $999 and has many of the same features. It has higher peak and fullscreen brightness but also suffers from some backlight blooming – something TCL has managed to minimize with the TCL QM6K.

The Roku Pro Series TV fits into a similar value category but was released at a slightly higher price of $1,199 for the 65-inch. Of course, we’re seeing $400 off at the time of writing, which lets the Pro Series directly compete with the TCL. This TV also comes with some of the most important features like Dolby Vision IQ and has better sound thanks to a shadow box design that also allows for it to sit flush on the wall when mounted. However, the TCL again has that Halo Control tech and more extensive gaming support.

  • Value score: 4.5/5

TCL QM6K showing image of trumpet on screen

(Image credit: Future)

Should I buy the TCL QM6K?

Buy it if...

You want premium but at a value price
The TCL QM6K offers much more than cheaper TVs, and is a great upgrade for those who don’t want to spring for the price of a flagship TV.

You want an easy-to-use TV
Google TV and the settings menus are straightforward to navigate. Most people will find this TV easy to interact with.

You’re a gamer
Not only is there a 144Hz refresh rate but a gaming accelerator that upscales to double the refresh rate along with support for Nvidia G-Sync and AMD FreeSync

Don't buy it if…

You’re very fussy about picture quality
While the picture looks good, the slight vignetting and less-than-average brightness will be irksome if you’re used to looking at top-of-the-line TVs

You want a TV with great sound
The QM6K has good overall sound, but a slightly boxy quality makes it best paired with an external soundbar.

Also consider...

Roku Pro Series
The Roku Pro Series falls into a similar almost premium but reasonably priced category. While it has limited HDMI ports and the brightness is nothing to write home about, it has a wonderfully intuitive remote with hands-free voice control and a shadowbox design that not only allows for better sound but flat positioning when mounted.

Read our full Roku Pro Series review

Hisense U7N
The Hisense U7N might have some backlight blooming, unlike the TCL QM6K, and also suffers from poor audio quality. But it has quite a bit more brightness, not to mention many of the same features such as Dolby Vision IQ, 4K 144Hz support, and Google TV.

Read our full Hisense U7N review

Samsung Q60D
Samsung's budget QLED TV is cheaper than the TCL QM6K and delivers good overall picture quality, but lower brightness. This TV's Tizen smart interface is more sophisticated than the TCL's Google TV, and it also provides built-in cloud-gaming, which is a feature the TCL lacks.

Read our full Samsung Q60D review

Samsung QN900D showing test pattern

(Image credit: Future)

How I tested the TCL QM6K

  • I used the TCL QM6K TV for a month
  • Tested with both TV, movies, music, and games
  • Benchmark measurements conducted by Future US testing lab

I used the TCL QM6K TV regularly for a month, testing it with movies, TV shows, sports events and games. I tested the various features, such as Dolby Vision IQ, to see if they work as advertised. I also spent time listening to the audio as well as paying attention to the picture quality.

After spending some time with this TV, it’s clear that it is meant for more budget-minded consumers looking to upgrade to a premium experience but don’t want to spend quite what most flagship TVs go for.

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.

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

Amazon Fire TV Omni Mini-LED TV review: the best Fire TV yet, and a solid option for sports and gaming
7:00 pm | January 25, 2025

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

Amazon Fire TV Omni Mini-LED TV review: Two minute review

The new Amazon Fire TV Omni Mini-LED enters a seriously competitive mini-LED TV market, taking on Samsung, Hisense, TCL and Roku. It doesn’t stand out in this crowded arena, but it is a solid all-around TV for the price.

The Amazon Fire TV Omni Mini-LED’s picture quality is pretty good overall compared to the best TVs. Colors are vibrant, textures and details are lifelike and contrast is well-balanced. Motion handling is good for both sports and movies. Unfortunately, it suffers from crushed black levels in some picture modes, resulting in a loss of shadow detail.

Audio quality is a mixed bag on the Omni Mini-LED. Sound is accurately placed with a good sense of direction, speech is clear and there’s generally good bass. While the sound can go beyond the borders of the screen, it feels narrow and contained, especially with Dolby Atmos effects. For those wanting a full home theater experience, I’d recommend one of the best soundbars.

The Omni Mini-LED has a good stock of gaming features including 4K 144Hz, Dolby Vision gaming, VRR (AMD FreeSync Premium Pro is included) and ALLM support. Performance is smooth and while it won’t beat the best gaming TVs from LG and Samsung, it provides a good mid-range alternative, though its graphics could be better.

Amazon’s Fire TV smart TV platform performs well enough and has a good number of picture settings for those who like to experiment. While Fire TV can be on the cluttered side, and there’s occasional stutter, it's a perfectly decent smart TV platform.

With a similar price to its main competitor, the Hisense U7N, the Omni Mini-LED’s real value comes down to what sort of prices it can hit during Prime Day and Black Friday. Discounts are already appearing, so it has the chance to seriously up its value when the sales begin.

Amazon Fire TV Omni Mini-LED TV review: Prices & release date

Amazon Omni Mini-LED with red flowers on screen

(Image credit: Future)
  • Release date: November 2024
  • 55-inch: $819.99 / £849.99 (about AU$1,316)
  • 65-inch: $1,089.99 / £1,149.99 (about AU$1,750)
  • 75-inch: $1,499.99 / £1,599.99 (about AU$2,409)
  • 85-inch: $2,099.99 / N/A (about AU$3,373)

The Amazon Fire TV Omni Mini-LED series is the latest entry in Amazon’s Fire TV range, following the Amazon Fire TV Omni QLED. It is the first Fire TV to feature a panel with a mini-LED backlight and is available in 55, 65, 75 and 85-inch (US-only for the 85-inch) sizes.

Its launch prices are strikingly similar to the Hisense U7N, one of the best mini-LED TVs on the market. The U7N has seen major discounts since its release in April 2024, especially during Black Friday, and the Amazon Mini-LED is already following suit.

Despite a relatively recent release, the 55-inch Mini-LED (the size I tested) is already down to $699.99 / £749.99 (about AU$1,122) and the 65-inch is down to $959.99 / £949.99. I expect these prices will drop even further during peak trading events in 2025 such as Amazon’s own Prime Day and Black Friday.

Amazon Fire TV Omni Mini-LED TV review: Specs

Amazon Fire TV Omni Mini-LED TV review: Benchmark results

Amazon Fire TV Omni Mini-LED TV review: Features

Amazon Omni Mini-LED TV connection ports

The Amazon Omni Mini-LED features two HDMI 2.1 ports, a first for an Amazon Fire TV (Image credit: Future)
  • First mini-LED panel in Amazon’s TV range
  • 4K 144Hz support for gaming
  • Dolby Vision IQ and HDR10+ high dynamic range

The Amazon Omni Mini-LED is the first set in Amazon’s Fire TV range to feature a display panel with a mini-LED backlight, a step-up feature from its LED and QLED TVs. The Omni Mini-LED features 512 dimming zones and supports both Dolby Vision IQ and HDR10+ high dynamic range.

Gaming support on the Omni Mini-LED includes 4K 144Hz, VRR (including AMD FreeSync Premium), ALLM and Dolby Vision and HDR10+ gaming. A game mode provides optimal picture settings for gaming but does not feature a game bar, a useful feature in gaming TVs from brands like LG, Samsung, Hisense and Panasonic. It also only features two HDMI 2.1 ports.

(One HDMI-related issue occurred during my testing. When switching a source from HDMI 2 to HDMI 1, the TV kept switching back to HDMI 2. I found that turning the TV off at the wall fixed the problem, which is something to bear in mind should this issue happen to you.)

The Omni Mini-LED has a 2.1-channel speaker array with Dolby Atmos support plus several preset audio modes including Standard, Movie and Sport.

The Omni Mini-LED uses Amazon’s own Fire TV as its smart TV platform. Fire TV supports all major streaming services such as Prime Video, Netflix and Disney Plus as well as UK-based streaming services such as BBC iPlayer and ITVX. It also has an Ambient Experience, where photos and artwork can be displayed on the screen when the TV is idle and it supports hands-free Alexa voice control.

  • Features score: 4.5 / 5

Amazon Fire TV Omni Mini-LED TV review: Picture quality

Amazon Omni Mini-LED with butterfly on screen 2

The Amazon Omni Mini-LED demonstrates very good detail (Image credit: Future)
  • Bold color and accurate detail
  • Better than expected contrast
  • Black crush in darker scenes

The Omni Mini-LED’s peak HDR brightness as measured on a 10% white window pattern was 845 nits in the Standard picture preset and 973 nits in Filmmaker Mode. These results were with out-of-the-box settings for both picture modes, where the backlight was set to 80 and 70, respectively, and are roughly in the range of the Hisense U7N, which hit 807 nits in Standard mode and 1,074 nits in Filmmaker Mode.

Raising the backlight to 100 for both modes, the Omni Mini-LED hit 1,081 nits in Standard mode and 1,333 nits in Filmmaker Mode. While the higher backlight settings resulted in much higher brightness levels, I found it made highlights look blown out when watching movies.

Measuring fullscreen HDR brightness on a 100% white window pattern, again with out-of-the-box settings, the Omni Mini-LED hit 431 nits in Standard mode and 481 nits in Filmmaker Mode. When bumping up the backlight to 100 in picture settings in those modes, the Omni mini-LED hit 538 and 633 nits, respectively.

For picture testing and measurements, I used the Omni Mini-LED's out-of-the-box settings. When measuring color and grayscale in Filmmaker mode (with local dimming set to Medium), it averaged 2.9 for color accuracy and 4.8 for grayscale accuracy.

However, I did find that the Omni Mini-LED has potential for those who want its picture calibrated. After using the TV's calibration tools in Filmmaker Mode (SDR), it averaged 1.7 and 2.5 for color and grayscale accuracy, respectively, which are notable improvements.

Watching an HD stream of Fight Club via Disney Plus, the Omni Mini-LED did a solid job of upscaling, with both textures and contrast improved. It also did a good job of displaying the movie’s murky, dark color palette.

Color on the Omni mini-LED was very good overall. A 4K Dolby Vision stream of Star Wars: The Last Jedi on Disney Plus showcased vivid reds during the throne room fight scene. They verged on oversaturation but were still pleasing to the eye. A 4K Blu-ray of La La Land also demonstrated stunning color reproduction, with Mia’s yellow dress given a dynamic punch.

Measuring the Omni Mini-LED’s HDR color gamut coverage, it yielded results of 70.3% for BT.2020 and 94.9% for UHDA-P3 – both good results that are comparable to the Samsung QN85D and Hisense U7N.

Amazon Omni Mini-LED TV with geyser on screen

The Amazon Omni Mini-LED delivers solid contrast (Image credit: Future)

Contrast was generally strong, with the Omni mini-LED displaying a good balance between light and dark tones, something that could be seen in the opening crime scene and aerial shots of the city when watching a 4K Blu-ray of The Batman. I found that Dolby Vision Filmmaker Mode was the best overall picture preset, though setting local dimming to Medium in the picture settings resulted in the best contrast. Also, when watching the black-and-white scenes in Oppenheimer, there was a good range of gray tones throughout.

Black levels and shadow detail were a mixed bag on the Omni Mini-LED. The contrast was solid and it demonstrated decent backlight control, but I found it would crush black tones in darker scenes, resulting in a loss of shadow detail. For example, in the same opening crime scene of The Batman, with local dimming set to Medium in Dolby Vision Filmmaker Mode, the detail in clothing was lost. Brighter picture modes such as Dolby Vision IQ or Dolby Vision Bright rectified this, but contrast also looked less accurate in those modes.

Textures were generally very good on the Omni Mini-LED, with facial features and details in a wide range of movies including The Batman, Top Gun: Maverick and Oppenheimer all looking accurate and true-to-life. Pictures could occasionally look on the soft side compared to more premium mini-LED TVs, but they were still solid for a mid-range model.

Motion in Sports TV mode was accurate out-of-the-box. When watching an HD stream of a soccer game, I found that setting Smoothness (judder reduction) at 4 and Clarity (blur reduction) at 10 were the optimal adjustments. For viewing sports, I found the Omini Mini-LED to be better than both the Hisense U6N and U7N, which required a lot more setup.

Motion was also good for movies, with the Omni Mini-LED easily handling the intense, fast-moving flight sequences in Top Gun: Maverick. Interestingly, I found I couldn’t alter the Natural Cinema motion setting in Dolby Vision Filmmaker Mode, but it did not seem to make a noticeable difference when tested on other picture modes.

  • Picture quality score: 4 / 5

Amazon Fire TV Omni Mini-LED TV review: Sound quality

Amazon Omni Mini-LED TV with La La Land on screen

The Omni mini-LED has average built-in sound quality, so movies such as La La Land could benefit from a soundbar (Image credit: Future)
  • 2.1-channel speakers
  • Good accuracy and placement
  • Sound is narrow and contained

The Omni Mini-LED has a 2.1-channel speaker system totaling 24W of power. It supports Dolby Atmos and comes with several sound modes targeted towards different types of content such as Movie, Sports, and Music. In my testing, I generally found Movie to be the best sound preset.

Watching the Batmobile freeway chase sequence in The Batman, the Omni mini-LED demonstrated good sound placement and accuracy – as cars swerved across the screen, the sound of the screeching tires also swept across the screen. Bass was decent, with a good level of rumble stemming from the Batmobile’s engine. When watching Top Gun: Maverick, the sound exceeded the confines of the screen during flight sequences, giving it an expansive quality, and the dialogue was clear throughout my viewing.

Even so, in both The Batman and Top Gun: Maverick, Dolby Atmos effects were so faint as to be unnoticeable, with the rain in The Batman and height channels in the Mach 10 scene in Top Gun: Maverick never hitting – something to be expected from a TV with basic, 2.1-channel built-in speakers. For those using the Omni Mini-LED mainly for watching movies, I’d recommend adding a soundbar.

  • Sound quality score: 3.5 / 5

Amazon Fire TV Omni Mini-LED TV review: Design

Amazon Omni Mini-LED TV feet

The Amazon Omni Mini-LED's tall feet allow plenty of space for a soundbar (Image credit: Future)
  • Tall feet allow space for a soundbar
  • Hand-free voice control
  • Bland design for the price

One of the Omni Mini-LED’s best design features is its supplied feet. They are tall enough to easily fit a soundbar without the soundbar obscuring the bottom of the screen, a common issue with many TVs.

Otherwise, the Omni Mini-LED’s design is very uninspired, with a rather generic and slightly bulky appearance compared with mini-LED rivals from Hisense, Samsung and TCL. I expected a slimmer depth at this price.

The Omni Mini-LED comes with Amazon’s latest generation Alexa Voice remote, which still feels a little cheap and flimsy compared to remotes from other brands. Hands-free Alexa voice control is available via the TV’s built-in microphone – a welcome feature that can also be turned off in the settings.

  • Design score: 4 / 5

Amazon Fire TV Omni Mini-LED TV review: Smart TV & menus

Amazon Omni Mini-LED TV with geyser on screen

Fire TV has access to plenty of apps but its home screen is taken up by a large banner ad (Image credit: Future)
  • Fire TV smart TV platform
  • Sometimes stuttering performance
  • Advanced picture setup options

The Omni Mini-LED uses Amazon’s Fire TV smart TV platform, which is featured on the Amazon Fire TV Stick range as well as TVs from other brands.

Fire TV’s home screen provides a good number of movie and TV recommendations (especially for Prime Video) based on your viewing history and lets you easily jump back into programs you’ve previously been watching. It also has a large, revolving banner ad at the top that takes up roughly one-third of the screen.

Performance-wise, Fire TV is generally responsive when navigating though there were occasional stutters and freeze-ups during my testing. Menus, while fairly easy to get around, could be a little more user-friendly. There are plenty of settings to tailor the picture to your taste and even 2-point, 11-point and Color Grading calibration tools for those who want advanced fine-tuning.

While Fire TV gives preference on its home screen to Prime Video movies and TV shows, it does provide access to a wide array of streaming services including Netflix and Disney Plus.

  • Smart TV & menus score: 4 / 5

Amazon Fire TV Omni Mini-LED TV review: Gaming

Amazon Omni Mini-LED TV with Battlefield V on screen

The Amazon Omni Mini-LED, shown here with Battlefield V, has a good stock of gaming features and performs well (Image credit: Future)
  • 4K 144Hz and Dolby Vision gaming
  • 13.4ms input lag time
  • Only two HDMI 2.1 ports

The Omni Mini-LED is well-equipped with gaming features, including support for 4K 144Hz, VRR (including AMD FreeSync Premium Pro), ALLM and Dolby Vision gaming. It is the first of Amazon’s FireTVs to feature 120Hz support, but only features two HDMI 2.1 ports, which is currently the case for all TVs not made by LG or Samsung.

The Omni Mini-LED performs well, even at higher frame rates. Playing Battlefield V on Xbox Series X, I found chaotic battle sequences, quick targeting and panning shots all ran smoothly and showed quick response times. When I measured the input lag time, it hit 13.4ms, which is similar to TVs from Hisense, TCL, and Sony, but doesn’t quite beat the best gaming TVs from Samsung and LG. Still, it sits below the 15ms threshold gamers look for.

For picture quality during gaming, the Omni Mini-LED delivers good detail and dazzling colors along with solid contrast, again shown in desert and night missions in Battlefield V. I did find that textures took on a soft, muddy tone in some cases, which detracted from the experience a bit, but overall the Omni mini-LED is a solid gaming TV.

  • Gaming score: 4 / 5

Amazon Fire TV Omni Mini-LED TV review: Value

Amazon Fire TV remote

The Amazon Omni Mini-LED is supplied with the Alexa Voice remote (Image credit: Future)
  • Extremely competitive mini-LED TV market
  • Closely matches rivals’ prices
  • Potential for discounts

The Omni Mini-LED enters a highly competitive mini-LED TV market dominated by Samsung, Hisense and TCL, and also competes with budget models from Roku.

Its primary rival is arguably the Hisense U7N, which delivers similar features and performance and has very similar prices. For the 55-inch model I tested, we’ve seen the U7N average about $598.99 / £699.99, and it has gone as low as $480 in Black Friday sales. But the Omni Mini-LED has already hit $699.99 / £749.99 only months after release, and as an Amazon product, it has the potential to drop lower during Prime Day and Black Friday.

The Omni Mini-LED is a solid TV for the money, offering good performance and many features that will please most TV buyers. It doesn’t quite beat the Hisense U7N in terms of value, but that could all change come Prime Day.

  • Value score: 4 / 5

Should you buy the Amazon Fire TV Omni Mini-LED TV?

Amazon Omni Mini-LED with flower on screen

(Image credit: Future)

Buy it if...

You want a TV ready for sports
Compared with other budget mini-LED TVs, the Omni Mini-LED is ready for sports out-of-the-box, requiring almost no setup in its Sports mode.

You want a good-value TV
The Omni Mini-LED is well-priced for what it offers and has the potential for big discounts during sales events such as Prime Day and Black Friday.

Don't buy it if…

You want the best built-in sound
The Omni Mini-LED's accuracy and sound placement are very good, but it lacks in other areas.

You want the best smart TV platform
While Fire TV has its plus points, a cluttered home screen and sometimes stuttering performance means it falls short of the likes of Google TV and LG's webOS.

Also consider

Hisense U7N
The Omni Mini-LED's closest rival, the Hisense U7N offers a similar list of features, plus similar picture quality and overall performance. The U7N isn't quite as good for sports, but it's better for sound. Your choice should come down to the price at the time of buying. Read our full Hisense U7N review. View Deal

Amazon Fire TV Omni QLED
The Omni QLED is the step-down model from the Omni Mini-LED, using a QLED panel that doesn't offer as good a picture or as many gaming features as it's limited to 60Hz. It is, however, a good budget option if you're looking for something cheaper. Read our full Amazon Fire TV Omni QLED review. View Deal

Samsung QN90D
A much more premium mini-LED TV, the Samsung QN90D offers impressive picture quality and superb motion handling for sports. Plus, it comes with a full suite of gaming features and better built-in sound. Be prepared to spend a lot more on this TV, however. Read our full Samsung QN90D review. View Deal

How I tested the Amazon Fire TV Omni Mini-LED TV

  • Tested in light light-controlled environment
  • Used SDR and HDR sources for testing picture quality
  • Measurements were taken using Portrait Displays' Calman color calibration software

Amazon Omni Mini-LED with testing equipment attached

(Image credit: Future)

To test the Amazon Omni Mini-LED, I first conducted casual viewing to establish the TV's most accurate picture mode. In this case, it was Filmmaker Mode, which I used to carry out both subjective and objective testing.

For subjective testing, I used reference scenes from both SDR sources, such as HD streaming and broadcast TV, as well as 4K Blu-ray and streaming HDR sources. I tested the Omni Mini-LED's color, contrast, detail, motion handling, and black levels. Some of the same reference scenes were also used to test the Omni Mini-LED's built-in audio quality.

I also tested the Omni Mini-LED's gaming features and performance using an Xbox Series X.

For objective testing, I took measurements of the Omni Mini-LED's brightness, color and grayscale accuracy, and HDR color gamut coverage. The measurements were taken using a colorimeter, test pattern generator and Portrait Displays' Calman color calibration software.

Brightness measurements were taken using both SDR and HDR white window patterns, ranging in size from 1-100% with a focus on 10% (peak brightness) and 100% (fullscreen brightness). Color and grayscale accuracy were taken in SDR, using Delta E values, looking for a score below 3. HDR color gamut coverage was measured for the BT.2020 and UHDA-P3 color spaces.

For input lag testing, measured in milliseconds, I used a Leo Bodnar 4K HDMI input lag tester.

Majority Naga 60 Review: a solid soundbar for a ridiculously cheap price
5:00 pm | November 23, 2024

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

Majority Naga 60 Soundbar: Two-minute review

The Majority Naga 60 is an enigma. This relatively small $64.95 soundbar offers a significant upgrade over the built-in speakers on most TVs while costing the equivalent of a dinner at a semi-cheap restaurant. I would consider it among the best soundbars for the price. It does have more than the low price going for it, however, as its sound quality is solid and benefits from basic 3D audio processing and a built-in subwoofer.

That low price tag also makes it easier to ignore that the Majority Naga 60 tends to not perform all that well when close to its max volume. It also makes it easy to live with the fact that there’s no HDMI passthrough – something I don’t expect in cheaper soundbars anyway.

Overall, the Majority Naga 60 is an impressive addition for anyone looking to upgrade their TV sound without going the full home theater system route. It’s never going to measure up to something like the LG S95TR soundbar, for instance, but it’s not supposed to. If your bedroom TV sound is a bit dull and you want to bring some life to your next viewing of NCIS, or want something a little better for the TV in your one-bedroom apartment, you’ll find its low, around-$60 price more than worth it.

On the surface, the Majority Naga 60 looks like a normal soundbar. It’s got an all-black colorway with a metal grille covering the front half and top of the body. At first glance, there’s nothing remarkable about its design outside of the outward-pointing tweeters on either end.

Those tweeters provide the soundbar’s limited 3D audio effect. Two 2.25-inch drivers provide the majority of the sound and there are also two upward-facing 2.5-inch drivers and an internal 2.5-inch subwoofer.

Regarding ports, there’s not a whole lot going on. There’s no HDMI passthrough, but at least there’s HDMI ARC and optical digital for connection to a TV, plus a 3.5mm aux input, USB-A, and a subwoofer output. Bluetooth wireless connectivity is also on hand.

For controls, there are four buttons on top for power, input, and volume up and down. The remote is much more involved, as it also can toggle 3D audio on and off, as well as select between four different EQ modes. You can boost or cut the bass and treble, and there are also some play, forward, and rewind controls that work to control playback of a TV or other device over the HDMI ARC connection.

Lastly, before we move on to how the Majority Naga 60 sounds, I do want to mention there’s a very basic LED indicator visible through the metal grill to show changes to volume, input, and other settings.

Majority Naga 60 soundbar on sofa with accessories

The Majority Naga 60 comes with a full package of accessories including an HDMI cable and wall-mount hardware (Image credit: Future)

While all of that is important, what’s even more important in a soundbar is its sound quality. I should first mention that there is plenty of volume on tap on the Naga 60, which is rated at 120 watts. Second, it does sound good for the most part, but the audio gets distorted and blown out when close to maximum volume. You’re not going to get a full home theater experience here, especially if you’re boosting the bass.

Otherwise, the Naga 60’s sound is a noticeable step up from most TV speakers. It’s not audiophile quality, but the highs are fairly defined and clear, and the mid-range has plenty of body to it. Bass is somewhat limited since there’s such a small driver acting as a subwoofer. The specified frequency range is 30 - 20kHz, so you do get some bass, but it’s not very deep.

When testing, I was quite impressed when listening to music. I didn’t get any rumble with hip hop or EDM, but there was still plenty of punch. Just about all genres seemed to fare well. You’ll only be disappointed if you want big bass or audiophile quality – remember, this is a $60 soundbar, so keep those expectations in line.

With TV and movies, dialogue was front and center and plenty clear, and soundtrack effects were just as present. However, since this is an all-in-one 2.1-channel soundbar, the audio can get a bit cluttered and lose some definition when there’s a lot of action. For example, scenes in The Beekeeper and My Spy The Eternal City tended to overwhelm the soundbar (and don’t shame me for not pulling up Blood Simple).

Since the Naga 60 is compact, its soundstage isn’t all that wide – another probable factor in the cramped audio during busy scenes in action movies. Of course, this is where its 3D sound comes in. There’s only 3D sound on and off, not to mention that it’s the most basic spatial audio (there’s no Dolby Atmos processing or anything like that), but it does add a bit of depth to the proceedings. So, it’s a setting I happily leave on most of the time.

Majority Naga 60 soundbar top panel control buttons

The Naga 60's top surface control buttons (Image credit: Future)

Majority Naga 60 Soundbar review: Price & release date

  • Price $64.95
  • Date first available: December 2023

While Majority Audio also sells soundbars in the UK, the Naga 60 is currently only available in the US. It is ridiculously cheap, coming in at $64.95, but frequently on sale for as low as $49.95. Of course, it’s not perfect as I’ve discussed above, but it’s a competent soundbar, especially for a smaller TV and viewing space.

One of my go-to recommendations for cheap soundbars has been the Roku Streambar, which retails for $130. It’s even smaller than the Naga 60 and comes with the Roku interface built-in, making it a great value even when it’s still double the price of the Majority Naga 60.

Cheap soundbars are typically more flawed than the Majority Naga 60. The Saiyin DS6305 goes for $59.99 in the US with a subwoofer, which is certainly cheaper, especially taking the inclusion of the subwoofer into account. Yet, its build quality leaves a lot more to be desired, and doesn’t have 3D audio processing.

Majority Naga 60 soundbar rear panel ports

Ports include HDMI ARC, optical digital and 3.5 analog audio inputs and a subwoofer output (Image credit: Future)

Should I buy the Majority Naga 60 Soundbar?

Buy it if...

You’re on a budget: It’s tough to get this kind of sound quality in this price range. If you’re on a very limited budget, this is probably your best bet.

You want a good amount of volume: It doesn’t compare to expensive soundbars, but make no mistake, it sounds good with plenty of volume on tap.

Don't buy it if...

You want HDMI passthrough: Yes, the Majority Naga 60 does have HDMI ARC, but there’s no HDMI passthrough here – a small but unfortunate omission.

You want an immersive soundstage: While the 3D audio does make things sound more expansive, you’re just not going to get a wide soundstage with a soundbar of this size.

Majority Naga 60 Soundbar: Also consider

Roku Streambar
The Roku Streambar has surprisingly loud and clear sound for such a small soundbar. Add in its built-in Roku interface and Bluetooth connectivity, along with a very reasonable price, and it’s a great option for smaller setups. Just don’t expect any kind of spatial audio or strong bass.

Read our full Roku Streambar review

Saiyin DS6305
The main thing the Saiyin DS6305 has going for it is an incredible price. It also has a good amount of power. It also offers some rumble – something most cheap soundbars don’t have – thanks to the inclusion of a subwoofer. The build quality does leave something to be desired, not to mention there’s no HDMI connectivity.

Read our full Saiyin DS6305 review

Majority Naga 60 soundbar on table showing side-firing tweeters

(Image credit: Future)

How I tested the Majority Naga 60 Soundbar

  • Listened with it for one week
  • Tested with TV, movies, and music

I listened with the Majority Naga 60 Soundbar regularly for a week. I used it with TV and movies, along with plenty of music. I tested it with and without its 3D audio feature to see how much it affected the sound.

After spending some time with it, it’s clear that the Majority Naga 60 is ideal for those on a budget with a smaller setup as it sounds surprisingly good for the price. The sound quality and soundstage, however, won’t quite fit the needs of those looking for a fuller home theater audio experience.

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 November 2024

Read more about how we test

Sonos Arc Ultra review: the best one-box Dolby Atmos soundbar for the price, with one grating flaw
9:00 pm | November 9, 2024

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

Sonos Arc Ultra review: Two minute review

The Sonos Arc Ultra is the new flagship in Sonos’ soundbar line-up, and it takes everything that was good about the original Arc and cranks it up to the next level. Better Dolby Atmos effects, better bass, better speech clarity, better connectivity.

The Sonos Arc Ultra is a huge step up for music quality over the original Sonos Arc, and while it’s less of a jump up from the original with movies, it’s still a clear and obvious improvement, and ranks among the best soundbars.

Is it worth upgrading from the original Sonos Arc? I think that’ll depend on how much of a cinephile you are; I really appreciated the improved sound balance and the clearer speech, and the obvious improvement to Dolby Atmos effects positioning, and found it hard to go back – but the original Sonos Arc is no slouch, and more casual viewers may find the difference to feel less essential.

The Sonos Arc Ultra keeps the original’s biggest flaw, which is not having any HDMI passthrough port in an era when HDMI ports are becoming a bit of a premium, and effectively all its key rivals offer this. The lack of DTS is also a shame, but won’t be a big problem for most people. I still thoroughly recommend the Sonos Arc Ultra, but it just may not be the best fit for your setup because of its HDMI limitation.

For those wondering about Sonos’ app, I had no problems setting it up, playing with different configurations, and changing settings.

I’m reviewing the Sonos Arc Ultra as a single soundbar here, though I have tested it with the Sub 4 and rear speakers, and I’ll talk about that experience too.

I think the Sonos Arc Ultra gives you the best cinematic experience you can get from a single-unit soundbar for under $1000 / £1000. However, in the UK, you can get the Samsung HW-Q990D for around the same price during sales events, and if you’re happy having a four-box surround system, you’ll get a far more immersive experience. And Sony’s Bravia Theater Bar 9 is a key competitor around the world – it's a single-box soundbar like the Arc Ultra, but it offers the missing HDMI port, and with 4K 120Hz support, no less. It officially costs a lot more than the Sonos Arc Ultra, but sales season discounts bring it down to around the same price. It’s even bigger than the Arc Ultra, though.

Sonos Arc Ultra in front of a 55-inch TV

(Image credit: Future)

Sonos Arc Ultra review: Price & release date

  • Released on October 29, 2024
  • Priced at $999 / £999 / AU$1,799

The Sonos Arc Ultra is priced pretty well at $999 / £999 / AU$1,799, considering that other flagship one-box soundbars can be far higher, such as the $2,399 / £1,990 / AU$3,999 Devialet Dione, or the $1,399 / £1,399 / AU$1,795 of the Sony Bravia Theater Bar 9.

Obviously, it's not cheap, and you can find the Samsung HW-Q800D for significantly less, but that's not a one-box soundbar, and building high-quality sound into a single unit that isn't huge (which the Devialet Dione especially is) is hard. For a premium soundbar, the Arc Ultra is competitive.

Sonos Arc Ultra review: Specs

Sonos Arc Ultra showing the Sonos logo

The Sonos Arc Ultra features the first use of Sonos' Sound Motion driver tech. (Image credit: Future)

Sonos Arc Ultra review: Features

  • 9.1.4 speaker channels, with Sound Motion bass driver
  • All Sonos' usual special skills, plus Bluetooth
  • Dolby Atmos support, but no DTS

Much like the original Sonos Arc, this is a Dolby Atmos soundbar with HDMI eARC connectivity, Sonos multi-room wireless support, and optional voice control from Alexa or Sonos’ own more limited voice assistant.

The biggest new feature is the Sound Motion driver, which delivers big bass performance from a small speaker, and a generally improved speaker setup that now promises 9.1.4 channels of sound, compared to 5.0.2 from the original Sonos Arc.

There’s also Bluetooth connectivity in the Arc Ultra, which is a first for a Sonos soundbar, but is now standard on the best Sonos speakers at last, including the recent Sonos Era 100 and Sonos Era 300.

Naturally, the Sonos Arc Ultra works with Sonos’ Sub options (including the new Sub 4 as well as older models) and you can connect it to rear speakers for a real surround sound setup. The Arc Ultra is the first Sonos soundbar that doesn’t work with the Sonos Play:1 or Play:5 speakers – but it still works with Sonos One, Sonos Five, the Era models, or with two wired speakers connected to a Sonos Amp.

Sonos’ TruePlay room-tuning tech is here, and it’s finally available on Android in a new ‘quick’ version, which is also available on iOS. This new version will probably be preferable for a lot of people because it’s much easier. It uses the Arc Ultra’s own mic array to test your room using a series of pet-alarming tones, to adjust the system’s sound for better precision and Dolby Atmos surround effects. On iOS, it still asked me to hold my phone where I sit for a set of measurements there first, which is what the full TruePlay system does – but then I didn’t have to walk around the room waving my phone up and down.

The biggest flaw in the Sonos Arc is the lack of any HDMI passthrough ports. Most premium soundbars have more than one HDMI port – one to connect to your TV, and then at least one other that passes video through to your TV, so that you don’t lose the use of one of your HDMI ports for connecting consoles or other video boxes. This is doubly annoying in the majority of TV models available today, which only have two HDMI 2.1 ports for 4K 120Hz support at most, and the HDMI eARC is usually one of those ports, so you’re losing one of the most important ports. (Many LG and Samsung TVs have four HDMI 2.1 ports, so this is less of a problem, and in 2025 far more TVs will have four HDMI 2.1 ports thanks to a new chip from MediaTek – but that doesn’t help TVs today.)

Even ignoring the type of ports, four video devices is not an uncommon amount for people to want to connect to a TV here in 2024, and yet if you have the Sonos Arc Ultra, you can only connect three.

It’s so frustrating, given that it was a complaint I had about the original Sonos Arc when that launched in 2020. I’ve spoken to Sonos about the topic, and the company’s stance has been that HDMI passthrough adds complexity and it wants its soundbars to be as simple as possible. But that only holds true if someone doesn’t then have to deal with the headache of what a good solution is if they want to connect more devices than they have ports free, once the Arc Ultra is connected. I think Sonos has simply off-loaded the complexity to users. With an HDMI passthrough port, I’d have been seriously looking at giving the Arc Ultra a five-star rating overall.

The other notable issue is a lack of DTS decoding. This is not a big problem if your TV or playback device will decode DTS-HD to LPCM, as many will. I had a great time playing DTS-HD Blu-rays while testing the Sonos Arc, and getting the big, powerful, high-quality sound I was expecting. The lack of DTS:X is the more annoying part for purists, especially with it now used on Disney Plus for some movies, but it really isn’t a dealbreaker for the vast majority of people.

The Sonos Arc Ultra works with the audio-swap feature of the Sonos Ace headphones, so you can watch anything that plays on your TV with great spatial audio on the headphones to avoid disturbing others in the house – our Sonos Ace review has more on how well that works, but it’s not affected by the Sonos Arc Ultra's performance, so I won’t go into it here.

  • Features score: 4 / 5

Sonos Arc Ultra with Sonos Sub 4 and Sonos Era 300 speakers

I tested the Arc Ultra on its own, and with Sonos' complete Dolby Atmos setup. (Image credit: Future)

Sonos Arc Ultra review: Performance

  • Excellent dynamic range
  • Very strong Dolby Atmos effect
  • Very clear speech and detail

In my opinion, the Sonos Arc Ultra is the best-sounding single-box soundbar you can get for under $1,000 / £1,000. It delivers fulsome balance and exciting sound with clear speech, and superb height and width. The Devialet Dione maybe does this all better as a single-unit soundbar, but at around twice the price and twice the size, it’s a harder sell in several ways.

Dolby Atmos surround effects don’t seem like they’re coming from behind you, inevitably, but they do feel like they reach you when there are movement effects in particular. Height channels have motion and precision, despite being part virtual – Sonos claims four channels of overhead sound, but there are only two drivers, with the width drivers combining with the height drivers for a sense of four channels, and it works well.

Sound is layered very impressively in Dolby Atmos, with a sense of 3D positioning across the whole space in front of you.

Everything is an improvement over the original Sonos Arc. It’s not quite night and day, but it’s a clear step up anyway. That especially goes for speech clarity and Dolby Atmos effects in movies, with everything feeling just more expansive and more in the room than from the older soundbar.

I tried Sonos’ new and upgraded speech enhancement tools for the Arc Ultra, and they’re very effective, but they affect the sound balance (as do all such tools), and I found that I really didn’t need them anyway on the Arc Ultra. It’s a bit unoriginal to say that the speech in Christopher Nolan movies is hard to hear, but I tested the old and new Arc with them, and there was a big jump in legibility on the Arc Ultra that meant they really weren’t hard to follow any more (generally).

Surprisingly, the new bass driver didn’t create that big an effect compared to the original Sonos Arc in movies that already ramp up the bass, but it does help to make the sound feel fuller in general. It makes the bass that the Arc Ultra can generate better connected through to the mid-range, so the overall balance in low-end-heavy scenes is stronger – and just excellent overall. There’s a good dispersal of the bass so that it doesn’t feel too directional, and the impact is really pleasing for such a relatively compact soundbar.

The Sound Motion bass speaker did really jump out during music though. This actually was a night and day difference from the original Arc, with a massive improvement across the whole frequency range. For music, the original Arc sounded unclear and subdued compared to the Arc Ultra at the same volume. Having said that, I would still put the Arc Ultra essentially on par for music quality with the Sonos Era 300, which is half the price. It’s easier to fill out that sound when you can be thick and tall, unlike a soundbar.

Sonos Arc Ultra viewed from the side

(Image credit: Future)

Running TruePlay tuning helps the Dolby Atmos and finer details to come through more clearly, so I absolutely recommend it. There wasn’t a clear difference between the quick version and the full version in my setup, so as I mentioned above, the quick version should be all that most people need to bother with.

To repeat myself from the start of this section, I think the Arc Ultra delivers the best-value cinematic experience from a single-box soundbar. It’s the best combination of a demure design, effective sound reproduction and 3D effects, and a reasonable price given what it can do. More expensive soundbars may do better, but the audio package here is excellent.

I’m reviewing it as a single unit for all the scores here, but I also tested it with a Sub 4 and Era 300 speakers in Sonos’ full-power ultimate system. I also tested it with a Sub 4 only, and then slotted it and the Sub 4 into my existing setup using my Sonos One rear speakers.

Make no mistake – despite the Sound Motion tech being very impressive for bass, the Sub 4 adds a whole new dimension of bass you can feel, in frequencies the soundbar alone simply can’t touch. You will literally get more from your movies with a big sub, though obviously for a premium of $799 / £799.

In the full elite surround mode, with Era 300 units behind as well, you can really feel the overall power of the system. Even with one sub (you can connect a second to more fully spread the bass around) you can feel the power of the low frequencies everywhere, with excellent fullness through to the mid-range, and a clear separation of higher frequencies from that mix. It’s a really well-connected whole system, and testing against the Samsung HW-Q990C, I say you get a more satisfying overall sound profile from the Sonos setup. However, not by that much, considering you’ll pay a lot more for the Sonos system – it kind of proves why Samsung’s top-end soundbars are five-star products among the best Dolby Atmos soundbars. Still, for those with the ear, I think the Sonos system’s sound is superior.

Even with my Sonos Ones as rear speakers, I felt like I was getting a different sound profile from the rears (post TruePlay) than with my Sonos Arc and Sub Mini that I usually have. They felt punchier and with a little more bass added to them, perhaps to match the broader sound profile the bar is capable of compared to the original Arc. I feel that swapping the Arc for the Arc Ultra in my setup would be an upgrade, albeit one that I would enjoy as someone who’s obsessive over sound and setups – perhaps someone more casual about home theater wouldn’t find it to be as good value.

  • Performance score: 5 / 5

Sonos Arc Ultra volume control close-up

The concave volume control matches other recent Sonos releases. (Image credit: Future)

Sonos Arc Ultra review: Design

  • Very well made and subtle
  • Some key buttons hidden at the back
  • Shorter but wider than original Arc

The Sonos Arc Ultra is 18% smaller by volume than the original Sonos Arc, according to Sonos, and this manifests in it being less tall (which is very welcome) and less deep (also welcome for those with chunky TV stands, though it’s still somewhat deep because it has a chunky bar across the back). However, it’s actually wider than the Sonos Arc. It’s still good for TVs of 55 inches and up, though, and the shorter height can make a real difference with some TVs.

It comes in black and white, and the overall look is very simple and classy. A hard, curved grille covers the entire thing, and it’s good at just disappearing into the room, which is what most people will want. The new design seems to pick up fingerprints worse than the old one, so be warned if you’re fastidious and have handsy kids.

The button for activating Bluetooth pairing mode is on the back, which is inconvenient for a soundbar, especially if it’s wall-mounted. You can pair from the Sonos app instead, but it would be better still if the Bluetooth button was on top, for maximum flexibility – especially since the button layout here was redesigned anyway, including moving volume over to the right, for whatever reason. In the middle, you still have buttons to play/pause, and skip tracks.

The switch to kill the voice control mics is also on the back, and is turned on by default, so the privacy conscious should remember to hit this before getting it situated. Also on the back is an Ethernet port, and then the power and HDMI ports are on the sides of the bit port cutaway on the rear – just like the original Arc.

The Arc Ultra is wall-mountable and works on the same mounts as the original Arc, which is nice for upgraders – though some of the mount may be visible, due to the change in size.

  • Design score: 4 / 5

Sonos Arc Ultra rear, showing the mount and recessed connections.

The connections are all in that recessed area. (Image credit: Future)

Sonos Arc Ultra review: Setup & usability

  • Use Sonos app to get started
  • TruePlay is now easier, and very useful
  • Once connected to the TV, very little effort needed

If you have read or watched anything about recent Sonos releases, you will have seen strong opinions about the new Sonos app. We can’t post a video covering Sonos without a cascade of comments saying no one should ever buy Sonos again because of the state of the software. At launch, earlier in 2024, the app was missing a lot of features, and a lot of people had problems accessing or making changes to their systems.

At the time of writing this review, Sonos says that it has added 90% of the missing features back in, and is still committed to updates every two weeks to address bugs and performance while adding the remainder of the features.

I had no problems at all setting up the Arc Ultra at home through the app, making the settings adjustments I needed, and then adding/breaking multiple different surround setups while I tested different configurations of Sonos setups.

I did have trouble setting the surround system up in our office testing rooms, where the connection between the components would drop regularly – but this is pretty common on our office Wi-Fi outside of Sonos. I’ve had a problem getting Samsung’s soundbars to connect to register on the SmartThings app, and it can be difficult with smart home tech, so I don’t blame Sonos for this – but it’s only fair to note it if I’m going to dig into the experience. At home, on my normal mesh router setup, I had no problems at all.

The usability of Sonos’ soundbars continues to be a slightly mixed bag – I think if you designed an app for controlling a soundbar as its first priority, rather than playing music as its first priority, you probably wouldn’t bury settings like the Speech Enhancement that far down in the settings.

I’d love to see Sonos change how it approaches its Now Playing screen when you’re connected to HDMI, so it puts more emphasis on making settings available to you instead of a lack of artwork.

But setting it up was smooth, and most people won’t need to go back into the app, especially if you won’t connect other devices. As I mentioned, I found the speech clear enough without using the enhancement, and I didn’t think the EQ needed adjustment. TruePlay will be suggested as part of the setup too, and it worked with my remote (over HDMI-CEC, but infrared is also enabled by default) out of the box with no tinkering required.

  • Setup & usability score: 4 / 5

Sonos Arc Ultra with Sub 4

The Sonos Arc Ultra with the Sub 4. (Image credit: Future)

Sonos Arc Ultra review: Value

  • Premium, but competitive price
  • As good sound as you can get for the price
  • Surround-ready products available around the same price

The Sonos Arc Ultra isn’t cheap, but if you want powerful, expansive, clear Dolby Atmos sound from a single inoffensively-designed soundbar, you can’t do better for the price – as long as you’re not tight on HDMI ports.

You can get a full surround setup for a similar price to this, but the core Sonos Arc Ultra is designed for people who don’t want to deal with having four boxes including a hefty subwoofer. And I think it’s the best, most cinematic single box you can add to your TV for the price, making it very strong value.

But as I say, if you’re already filling your HDMI ports, that value is harmed, because the Arc Ultra may create a new problem for you. For the price, it should really offer you the solution.

  • Value score: 4 / 5

Should I buy the Sonos Arc Ultra?

Buy it if...

You want the best sound from a single-unit soundbar
At this price, and without extra satellite speakers, nothing beats what the Sonos Arc Ultra can do.

You want clearer speech and Dolby Atmos cinematic effects
The Arc Ultra is a big step up over the Arc for dialogue, and boosts Dolby Atmos positioning skill at the same time.

You want Sonos' extra skills
Part of a multi-room music system? Check. The ability to add other speakers in the future to improve the sound? Check. TruePlay room tuning? Sound check.

Don't buy it if...

You're short on HDMI ports
No HDMI passthrough really could be a dealbreaker.

You want the best value sound and could have more than one box
The Sonos Arc Ultra is very good value for a one-box system, but if you can live with more hardware, you can get bigger sound for the price.

You're a home theater purist about DTS
Sonos' continued lack of DTS support will irk those those with physical media in DTS:X.

Sonos Arc Ultra review: Also consider

Sony Bravia Theater Bar 8
We didn't rave about this soundbar overall in our Sony Bravia Theater Bar 8 review, but it's cheaper than the Sonos Arc Ultra and offers 4K 120Hz HDMI passthrough, so it might be the most practical option for some people – or its more expensive sibling, the Sony Bravia Theater Bar 9 is the beefier-sounding option, but is pricier than the Sonos.

Sonos Beam 2
Want to go even more compact and have Sonos' options for expansion? The Beam 2 delivers surprisingly full sound for such a compact soundbar, and supports Dolby Atmos, but not with anything like the effectiveness of the Arc Ultra. But it's half the price, so swings and roundabouts – definitely read our Sonos Beam 2 review if you want to know more.

Samsung HW-Q990D
Look, if you can find this full Dolby Atmos surround system for close to the Sonos Arc Ultra's price, know that it will give you a truly mind-blowing Dolby Atmos home theater experience – as long as you can live with four boxes instead of one. We gave it five stars in our Samsung HW-Q990D review.

How I tested the Sonos Arc Ultra

Sonos Arc Ultra with original Arc in front of a TV

The Arc Ultra sitting on top of the original Arc. I didn't test it like that, obviously… (Image credit: Future)
  • Tested over a week
  • Tested at home, in my usual setup
  • Tested with Sonos surround configurations

For the crucial portion of this review, I used the Sonos Arc Ultra at home, in the same setup where I usually use the original Sonos Arc, so I had a good point of direct comparison. I directly compared the sound of the two bars to gauge the difference, but mostly I just used the Sonos Arc Ultra for my normal viewing, which included 4K Blu-rays and streaming. I listened in both lossless quality and compressed, as well as in Dolby Atmos, regular 5.1 surround sound, and in stereo.

As mentioned above, I tested the Sonos Arc Ultra on its own mainly, but also tried it with the Sub 4, and then with the Sub 4 and different Sonos rear speaker options.

I also tested a Sonos surround setup for a short time compared to the Samsung HW-Q990C in TechRadar's TV testing rooms. On our corporate Wi-Fi systems, I had connections problems that meant I couldn't do longer-term comparisons; at home, I use a Google Nest Home mesh Wi-Fi system and had no problems with the Sonos app or network connectivity.

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