Launched in the year 2021, the 55U8G is a 55" 4K TV from Hisense. It features a 10-bit VA panel with Anti-glare/Matte finish.
The max. resolution it can achieve is 3840 x 2160 @ 120 Hz with a pixel density of 80 ppi.
Picture Quality
After screen size and resolution, the next important spec to look for in a display is its Color Reproduction (defined by its color gamut specification).
The Hisense 55U8G is rated with a DCI P3 color gamut coverage of 97%. Incase you're wondering, this is equivalent to 132.27% sRGB coverage. The color accuracy on this TV will be Lifelike!
Understanding Color Gamut
Color gamut specification of a display indicates the range of colors that it can show.
Put Simply, it determines the ability of a TV to produce accurate colors. A panel with low gamut coverage will miss out on some colors (such as deep red), the result would be a "washed out" picture quality.
It is specified in different units - sRGB,sRGB (standard RGB), NTSC, DCI P3 to name a few.
For example, the color gamut of this TV is specified in DCI P3.
But don't worry, below is a chart that will help you choosing a TV with good color accuracy.
Other than color accuracy, you should look at the static contrast specification as it influences the picture quality substantially.
What is Static Contrast ?
A TV with low static contrast ratio will not produce deep enough blacks and can bleed backlight as shown below:
The image is an example of another display, it is not this oneThe above TV's static contrast is 800:1. So make sure you get a TV with a static contrast of >= 1000:1. More the better.
Also note, static contrast ratio and resolution go hand in hand when it comes to details. To put it into perspective, a TV with low contrast ratio will show both dark gray and black as black, so lesser detail overall.
If given a choice, always prefer a FHD TV with high contrast ratio over a 4K TV with low contrast ratio.
This TV is rated with a static contrast ratio of 5000 : 1., well enough to produce deep blacks. The panel comes with local dimming backlight which is a plus.
Dolby Vision, HDR10 and HLG (Hybrid Log Gamma) are also supported on this TV, so that's a plus.
As for brightness, it is capable of producing a maximum luminance of 1500 nits. The backlight used on the panel is Direct LED (Full-Array Local Dimming). This amount of brightness is good enough even for a room with sun's rays in!
Gaming Performance
If you are going to use the TV other than watching videos — say as a PC monitor or for gaming purposes, you should take a TV that features the lowest input lag. For gaming, both the input lag and response time affects the performance.
The input lag on the Hisense 55U8G is 5.8 ms and its minimum response time is 4 ms. Pick this one if you are a gamer.
What is Input Lag and Why it matters ?
This lag is the amount of time at which your key-presses/mouse movements changes the content of your TV. Though, this won't matter much if you aren't into competitive/FPS games like call of duty.
But ideally, look for a TV that features an input lag and response time of less than 20ms.
Ergonomics and Dimensions
Now, speaking of ergonomics — a VESA mount with interface size of 400 x 300 mm is provided for wall-mounting. The unit doesn't come with Swivel, Tilt or Pivot support.
The width of this TV is 48.5 inches while its height is 30.67 inches.
It is 3.86 inches thick.
Overall the TV weighs 17.8 KGs including stand. Without stand, it weighs 17.3 Kilograms.
Hardware and Audio
The Operating System on this TV is Android 10.
For display connectivity, there are four HDMI 2.0 (b; ARC; CEC) ports and one AV Composite In (Video + L/R) port on this TV.
For connecting USB devices, you have — 1x USB 2.0 and 1x USB 3.0. Other connectivity ports include — 1x Cable/Antenna In (F-type) and 1x Ethernet RJ45.
For wireless connectivity on this TV, you will have — Wi-Fi (5Ghz + 2.5Ghz), Wifi-Direct and Bluetooth.
Now, speaking of speakers, Hisense has provided 2 x 10W built-in speakers on the 55U8G.
In terms of power usage, this TV uses 61W on average and 0.5W on standby.
For powering this unit, you will require an 100 V - 120 V/50 Hz - 60 Hz outlet.