You know the old adage: money doesn’t buy happiness. But you know what he can buy? Incredibly large TV. And the 85-inch Hisense U7H makes me damn happy. Sports, movies, sports movies…everything looks better when it’s at the edge of theater size. You’ll definitely pay a premium to go from 65 or 75 inches to this gigantic stretch, but is it worth it? Short answer: Yes. If you can afford it and your living room has the space, this is a fantastic TV. Here is my review of the Hisense U7H. (Note: for a limited time, it’s $300 off at Best Buy!)
It is currently the only 85-inch model in the Hisense line; the U6H and U8H series each reach 75 inches. But you really should get out the measuring tape before choosing this size; read my story “Can a TV be too big?” to learn more.
You also need to make sure there’s room for a soundbar, which I recommend for all TV purchases. The U7H has built-in speakers, sure, but they’re small and underpowered and just don’t do a screen of this size justice. Here are the best soundbars of 2023 if you want some ideas.
Hisense U7H: Easy to set up?
This TV beast will require at least two people to unpack and set up. If you don’t plan to mount it on the wall, you’ll need a stand that’s at least 18 inches deep, as the two included legs extend 17.8 inches. Luckily, you can install these legs 55.1 or just 24.4 inches apart, which is fine if you have a deep but also narrow tabletop.
I liked that the included quick setup guide included customer support information upfront: a toll-free phone number, hours of operation, a service email address, and a QR code you can scan for a much more comprehensive instruction manual. . I highly recommend accessing it, as the printed guide only covers the basics.
The U7H relies on the Google TV operating system, which should look and feel familiar to Android phone users. I consider it the second best TV operating system, easier to learn and navigate than Amazon’s Fire TV, but not as simplistic as Roku. The good news is that the U7H has four HDMI inputs (including two HDMI 2.1, important for gaming), so you can plug in your favorite streaming device – Apple TV, Fire Stick, Roku, etc. – and still have room for the cable. boxes and game consoles.
(Note: I use a Roku Streambar Pro, which not only provides a great soundbar, but also my favorite Roku interface. On occasion, I switch back to Google TV so I can take advantage of its built-in Chromecast, which lets me stream content from my phone or tablet.)
Regardless of what you end up using, you’ll need to complete the time-consuming and sometimes nerve-wracking Google TV setup process (because there’s So lots of questions to answer and settings to configure). You’ll also need the Google Home app on your phone; if you don’t already have it, it’s one more thing to download, configure, etc. Even after going through all of this, I had to wait for what seemed like an eternity while the TV downloaded and installed various apps.
The U7H supports hands-free voice commands through Google Assistant, although you can also set it to recognize Amazon Alexa commands if that’s your preference (although setup is a pain). While I love this ability, I can’t use it to the fullest due to my aforementioned Roku usage. If I ask Google or Alexa to say “Play ozark on Netflix”, it can only do this in the Google TV OS. But that’s a software limitation; it’s not a ding on the TV itself.
As with most modern televisions, you should also plan to spend some time in the settings to adjust the picture to your liking. For example, the first thing I do with any new TV is turn off motion smoothing, which creates the dreaded “soap opera effect”. To my surprise, however, the U7H required a few more image tweaks, at least for my taste. Everything else looked pretty dazzling right out of the box. Speaking of what…
Hisense U7H: Features and Image Quality
Modern television nomenclature includes things like Quantum Dot, Dolby Vision, local dimming, and more. I am of the opinion that few people understand all this and even fewer care about it; they just want a bright, colorful image that looks good in all lighting conditions. So, I’m going to focus less on the super-techy details and more on the end result: how satisfied was I watching NFL playoff games, mythical quest (AppleTV+), Welcome to Wrexham (Hulu) and The Batman?
Answer: very. No; extremely. The U7H had no trouble rendering smooth action in fast-paced football, even with smoothing effects turned off. Welcome to Wrexhama docuseries about “the other” football (i.e. soccer), featured bright greens on the pitch (i.e. pitch) and bright blues and reds in the player outfits (i.e. uniforms).
The Batman, a notoriously dark outing for the Caped Crusader (and I’m not talking about the plot), revealed superb contrast in scenes that would trip lesser television sets, including overhead searchlights catching criminals on rainy streets la night. This movie is pretty much just shadows, but I never had trouble seeing what I was supposed to see.
Interestingly, the only visual oddity I encountered was in mythical quest, Season 3. Several episodes contain scenes in a stark white hallway, where I noticed severe gradients (also called posterization) on the walls. Just to be sure, I watched the same scenes in the Google TV OS (as opposed to Roku) and found that band of white hues barely noticeable. After digging around in the TV’s picture settings, I noticed that some options were greyed out. The culprit behind all this? My Roku Streambar had been set to 4K HDR at 30fps, not 60fps. Once I made this change, the settings came back and the posterization issue was pretty much gone. Go figure.
You might consider this a point in favor of using a TV’s built-in OS over a plug-in alternative, and I’ll admit you’re less likely to run into such bizarre issues. That said, in all other respects the U7H performed like a champ (with the Roku, I mean). It’s bright when it needs to be, great with dark scenes, and gloriously colorful everywhere.
I’ll ding the remote, however, for the lack of dedicated fast-forward and rewind buttons (you use the directional pad for that), and for not being backlit. I think an $1800 TV should include a remote that you can see in the dark. At least it has six streaming service shortcut buttons; my Roku remote only has four.
Hisense U7H: Should you buy it?
I’ll just say it: it’s my favorite TV I’ve ever tested. Admittedly, I tend to rate the mid-range and entry-level models, but I’m struck by the quality of the U7H for its price.
But here’s the thing: right now, you’re paying a hefty premium for an 85-inch screen. The 75-inch U7H, which is identical in almost every way, is currently $700 less at $1,098 (and can often be found for $900). Yes, it’s 10 inches smaller on the diagonal, but still huge enough for most living rooms. Either way, you get a two-year warranty, which is unusual for any TV. I appreciate that very much.
Indeed, whatever size you choose, I have no qualms recommending the Hisense U7H. Like many modern TVs, it’s a bit of a pain to set up, but once you get past that it’s smooth sailing. Whether you’re looking for big-screen madness for the Super Bowl or a screen that can do movie justice to shows like The Mandalorianthis TV will make you very happy.
Originally Posted