Hisense H55U8B, test and analysis of the new Hisense ULED TV

Hisense has made a strong breakthrough in the Spanish television market. In most shopping centers we can already find their models for sale. But the best thing is that the Chinese manufacturer is not only capable of competing in the mid-range, it also does so in the high-end with models like the Hisense U9A that we had the opportunity to test a few months ago. And not only that, they have really interesting proposals for the future, such as their OLED model or an impressive 8K TV. But today we are going to focus on the Hisense H55U8B, a high-mid-range ULED TV that includes very important news. The U8B is, at the moment, the highest model of the ULED range of 2019. An elegant, slim TV that hides inside the new Hi-view Engine processor. Inheriting some technologies from the top-of-the-range model, the U9A, and adding some new ones, such as Dolby Vision and HDR10 + support, the Hisense H55U8B promises to deliver exceptional performance . And also with a very contained price. How interesting is it how it seems? To find out I have spent a few weeks testing it thoroughly and here I will tell you what I think.

Hisense H55U8B datasheet

Simple but elegant design

Hisense did not want to risk the design, but has refined the most important details to the maximum. For example, around the panel we have aluminum frames that measure just over 2 millimeters . At least this is the case on three of the four sides, since the lower frame, as usual, is thicker. It has caught my attention that the upper and lower frames are silver, but the sides are black.

As for the base, it is anchored to the screen in the central part and has an open V shape. It is made of a mixture of metal and plastic, offering a stable and robust support. Of course, its design means that the support is somewhat separated from the screen, so to place it we will need a piece of furniture with a depth greater than that of the television itself .

Yes, the design of the back has caught my attention. Especially for its extreme thinness. The upper part has surprised me, as it is only 7.9 millimeters thick . It reminds me a lot of the design of OLED TVs, which are usually very thin in the panel area.

The bottom is thicker, but nothing over the top. It is covered with a plastic casing and this is where we have all the connectors. The vast majority are in a horizontal position, except for the RJ45. Although the cables are visible, the back of the stand has a small guide to organize their output .

As for the control, it follows a design very similar to that of the television. It has a gray metal casing that gives it a premium TV feel. It is a slim and handy remote, but it includes direct access buttons to Netflix, YouTube, Amazon Video and Rakuten TV .

The image quality has pleasantly surprised me

The Hisense H55U8B features an 8-bit panel with FRC and Edge LED lighting system. In addition, it is part of the manufacturer's ULED range, whose technology combines special optical materials and algorithms to achieve higher image quality.

According to data from Hisense, the TV offers a 4,000: 1 contrast and is capable of covering 74% of the BT.2020 color space . In addition, it has a maximum brightness of 450 nits and a backlight system that is divided between multiple zones (although I do not have the data of how many).

All of this is controlled by the new Hi-View Engine image processor . It is a chip with four cores that, according to Hisense, substantially improves the processors used in previous models.

Having seen the technical data, it is time to check if all this technology does a good job. And the truth is that yes, so much so that I was pleasantly surprised by the image quality that the Hisense H55U8B achieves .

I will be honest with you. At home I usually use an OLED TV, so I am very critical of the black level and annoying light leaks that LED models usually have. And it is here that I have had the first surprise with this Hisense television. The lighting control is really good . Typical black stripes in many movies are black, and not dark gray as is common. Even in images as complicated as a black screen with a logo in the center, the TV saves the shot.

Not surprisingly, this TV doesn't get as much detail in dark areas as the Full Array backlit models. But, even so, I was very surprised not to have a trace of light leaks, clouding or light pollution .

For the rest, the reproduction of the colors is good and the level of contrast, without being the best, complies perfectly . If we reproduce native 4K content we will have a very high image quality. The same goes for quality FHD content, as with a Blu-Ray movie. With DTT, the processor suffers somewhat more with scaling, offering an acceptable image but it does not stand out.

As for HDR, it's surprising that a relatively inexpensive TV supports Dolby Vision, HDR10 +, HDR10, and HLG . This guarantees that we can see all kinds of content with the correct quality. The reproduction of HDR images is correct, of good quality, but the maximum brightness of 450 nits does not make the images look spectacular.

Finally, it is worth highlighting two also very positive aspects. The first is the magnificent viewing angles that the television has. The image holds the type up to 60-70 degrees, where it already loses some luminosity although it maintains good color reproduction.

The second is the good handling of the movement . The Hisense H55U8B features MEMC technology, which enhances movement and image clarity in fast scenes. And the truth is that it works, since I have not noticed any kind of strange artifact or annoying "tapping" in fast panoramas.

Gallery of images in different resolutions

VIDAA U3.0 system

Hisense this year maintains its commitment to its own operating system. The VIDAA system reaches version U3.0 and offers a design change . Now it looks more like Samsung and LG systems, with a horizontal scroll and, in general, a less intrusive interface.

The system works much better than last year's version. It is more fluid and customizable , being able to access the most common options quickly.

Using your own system is good for controlling performance and updates, but it means that the manufacturer must reach agreements with the different services to include their applications. On the Hisense H55U8B we have Netflix (4K HDR Dolby Vision), Amazon Prime Video (4K HDR) and YouTube (4K) .

We also have other interesting applications, such as Rakuten TV, MiTele, DAZN, Bein Connect, RTVE a la carte, YouTube Kids, Clan, Filmin or Plex. The big absentee, as usual, is HBO .

Very interesting is the compatibility of the Hisense H55U8B with Amazon's Alexa . If we have an Echo speaker at home, we can activate the voice control option in the TV menus and control it through voice commands. It is possible to turn it off and on, to change the channel, control the volume or change the input.

And speaking of menus, these are quite complete. We don't have too many picture modes available, but the usual Cinema modes (day and night) have a pretty good calibration . We also have a Game Mode, although curiously this is not available in the modes section, but we must activate it within the image settings.

Quality sound for everyday use

Another novelty included in the Hisense H55U8B is the Dolby Atmos sound technology . This can be activated from the menu options, as well as choosing between the different audio modes.

The TV has two 10W speakers placed on the back . These achieve a good audio level, remaining distortion-free even at high volumes. In addition, we have a Theater Mode that provides a somewhat more open sound field and surround sound effects.

Of course, this model does not reach the sound level of the Hisense U9A, since it does not have a sound bar. Nor can we compare it to an external soundbar or a system with an AV receiver. But for normal use of the television, such as watching series or programs, it is more than enough .

Conclusions and price

We come to the end of the analysis and we must draw conclusions. And I'll be honest, the Hisense H55U8B has been a surprise . Its design, without being flashy, is effective and elegant. It even has details, like the thinness of its back, that attract attention.

But where it really surprises is in the image quality. We perform really good , especially when we feed it with quality content. Of course, it does not reach the level of high-end models, but its price is not the same either.

I find it incredible that a TV of this price is compatible with Dolby Vision and HDR10 +, something I had only seen in high-end models and only this year. On the other hand, I would have liked a higher quality point in HDR images and an improvement in the vertical viewing angles .

As for its Smart TV system, it is not the best on the market, but at least it has the applications that most of us look for . The main apps can reproduce in 4K HDR and we have interesting applications, such as Plex or SSIPTV. As I have mentioned before, I have been missing HBO and the A3Player and Movistar + applications to curl the curl.

In short, the Hisense H55U8B seems like a great option if you are looking for a mid-range TV that offers good image quality. We can find it in specialized stores with a price of 1,000 euros for the 55-inch model and 1,500 euros for the 65-inch model .