Hisense Series 7 TV review: Ticking all the boxes

I’ve got a soft spot for the Hisense Series 7 TVs I must admit, they seem to have this perfect synergy of performance, quality and price and the 2019 version (65R7) continues that fine form.

Sitting in the EFTM office, chilling back on the couch avoiding all manner of tasks that require my attention, I do find it hard to imagine forking out my own hard earned cash for anything that might cost more than this, because I’m really not left wanting for much.

No, it’s not OLED blacks and contrast, but even Hisense’s own OLED will cost you double this price. And while I know that’s the be all and end all of pictures, on any given day you’ll not be left in regret.

Think about this, here you have – in our case – a 65 inch TV. Dolby Vision, HDR, Dolby Atmos, 4K resolution.

Sports mode which enhances the picture specifically for horizontal motion, and a 200 hertz refresh rate (which Hisense call “200 Smooth Motion”) which is all about getting less blur in fast moving scenes – like sport.

This may be the ultimate sports fan’s TV?

Hisense’s push into “ultra local dimming” is still kicking goals, and while it’s not OLED like for blacks, bloody hell it does a good job.

On picture – this thing is well and truely batting above it’s average.

As crazy as it sounds, I don’t think that’s been Hisense’s crowning glory over the last two or three years. Their continual improvement of picture is commendable, and they are keeping up with the Joneses in every part of the picture technology game, but perhaps what matters most is how easy (or not) a TV is to use.

In an age where we don’t just channel up and channel down any more, a TV must be easy to use and feature the right content. Hisense have their “VIDAA U3.0 AI” operating system on board here.

You really have to ask to use the remote when you are in stores looking at TVs, the usability is critical.

This year not only do you have a simple to use and customisable “TILE” approach to laying out your TV usage – things like HDMI, Netflix, Stan or Live TV – you also have the latest data from within those sources.

Showing you your recently viewed Netflix content so you can skip right into it. Really important that these features are there and this keeps Hisense right alongside LG and Samsung in usability.

Plus, it’s smart – with Alexa Built in and works with Google Assistant – though I still don’t see a great use for that until I feel more comfortable discussing my viewing habits with a robot – you do have full control of your smart home and the ability to ask those simple questions of life to your TV now.

The Hisense 65 Inch R7 kicked into stores earlier this year at around $2500. Today, you’ll find it for $1500 or less, and that’s the sweet spot for me.

$1500 for a high end, very capable 65 inch TV that won’t give you any grief is the perfect budget.