We recently spent an evening with a Hisense TV. We checked into a hotel, entered the room and there waiting for us was a new 65 inch Series 8 Hisense television. We then attended the launch of this TV and the larger, fancier 75inch Series 9 television.
Visually, the biggest differences at a glance relates to the design but also a larger speaker array as the series progresses. We recently tested the Series 7 and found ourselves extremely impressed. The area where it needed improvement was in the audio area, it’s now obvious how Hisense is addressing audio when you look at the higher models.
From a specification sheet perspective the televisions are all similar on the surface; 4K, HDR, ULED and all the inputs you’d expect. When you consider the Series 8 vs the Series 9 the main differences appear to be the addition of Quantum Dot Technology and a higher 2200 nits brightness on the Series 9.
Hisense Series 8
The sound coming from the Series 8 is an obvious improvement over the Series 7, Hisense have added dbx-tv technology to improve the delivery of the sound. This technology is said to envelope you in audio. In a hotel you don’t generally get to crank the TV too loud but the Series 8 television does not require you to buy a soundbar, that much we can confirm.
Hisense Series 9
Using the TV is a similar experience the Series 7 and is relatively easy to use and get started. We were watching Netflix in a minute thanks to the dedicated button on the remote and we’re continuously impressed when we look at beautiful 4K content. The Series 8 delivered the visuals across the 65 inch screen perfectly and the upscaling for non 4K content was also impressive.
For a Friday night we can’t complain about having the opportunity to enjoy a new TV and one this big. We even made some time in the morning to get a quick reminder of the quality before leaving the hotel. Hisense is serious about making different sized televisions and different grades of TV to compete on all levels. The Series 8 and 9 do add a price hike to Series 7, even in the same size. The Series 7 represents very good value and a good image while the Series 8 and 9 are looking to fight on an similar price scale to the big brands while still maintaining value but improved quality. It’s a tougher area to compete but those who believe in the brand and perhaps owned one in the past will be glad to know you can upgrade without leaving Hisense. It must be said though, the Series 7 is available in a 65inch and 75inch version so in some ways buyers may find themselves tossing up against two Hisense TV’s. The money saved on a Series 7 could go towards a home theatre system, for example.
Hisense Series 9
The Series 8 65 inch retails for $4,999 while the Series 9 75 inch retails for $9,999 although a quick search will show you that these prices are so much lower in the real world.
