Skip to playerSkip to main content
  • 2 months ago
Wondering which smart TV is best for the value, or if the Hisense U65QF Mini-LED is actually the best budget gaming TV around right now? Kate breaks it down in this Buy or Skip review. When it comes to the Hisense U6, this video includes performance data for input lag, HDR brightness and color reproduction, as well as anecdotal experience with the set’s motion handling and wide angling viewing.

Then there’s the situation of Fire TV vs. Google TV…

But ultimately this Hisense U6 review comes down to the value proposition. It’s one of the most affordable options among the best 85-inch TVs and even comes in a 100-inch configuration which lands under $2,000 thanks to permanent sale pricing.

Category

🤖
Tech
Transcript
00:00Hey guys, welcome back to Buy or Skip.
00:03Today we're checking out a very tempting option, the Hisense U65 QF Mini LED TV.
00:09If you're asking which smart TV is best for budget 4K or hunting for the best budget gaming
00:14TV with bigger screen sizes, this one should definitely be on your radar.
00:19But does it deliver?
00:21Let's dive in and decide whether to buy or skip in this review.
00:25Let's talk value first because the U6 is Hisense's most entry level ULED or Mini LED TV price wise,
00:33and it comes in a very healthy selection of size options including big screens up to 100 inches.
00:39Now this is the 55 inch version and it's actually the smallest size and it starts at $800 but is
00:45basically permanently on sale for $450. If you see it priced somewhere where it's much higher than that,
00:51do not buy it. In fact, I'll link the best deal down in the description.
00:55But honestly, the best deal might be this thing at 85 inches, just under $1,000.
01:01Even that 100 inch size is under $2,000 which is just ridiculous.
01:05But more importantly, at these low price points, the Hisense U6 packs a serious punch.
01:11You get 144Hz panel, HDMI 2.1, variable refresh rate, and auto low latency mode,
01:17all of which are key if you plan to game. We tested out the input lag. It measures around 13.2 milliseconds,
01:23so it's definitely usable for console or PC gaming. If you just happen to be searching for the best
01:29budget gaming TV that you can get in big sizes, this checks a lot of boxes. Premium gaming features
01:36without premium pricing. As long as you can live with some trade-offs, which I'll get to later in
01:40this video, this is a standout value play. Next, something a lot of you guys always seem to care
01:47about in these videos, brightness. We ran our usual set of benchmarks, and the U6 pushes close to 1,000
01:54nits in HDR, which translates to highlights that actually pop. Even in a bright room, movies and games
02:01look dynamic and punchy. HDR content really benefits from this. You get vivid explosions and reflections
02:07without that usual washed out look that I was kind of expecting for a TV at this price. So for HDR
02:13performance at this price point, it gets a very big thumbs up. Another selling point of the U6's
02:19performance for me is the color accuracy. It's genuinely solid and again, kind of blew my expectations
02:25away. It covered about 99% of the Rec.709 color gamut with a Delta E under 2, meaning colors are balanced
02:32and natural right out of the box. That's how we test these TVs. Look, that's pretty rare in this price range.
02:38I mean, I've seen many LED TVs this year that cost like double, and the numbers aren't this good.
02:46Now, as I mentioned earlier, there are some trade-offs with the performance. In the cases of value TVs,
02:51sometimes you just have to look a little bit closer to actually find them. For me, the biggest issues come
02:57with fast motion and off angle viewing. You might see ghosting in quick action scenes or blooming
03:02around bright objects on dark backgrounds. And like a lot of VA panels, the picture just kind of loses
03:08contrast if you're watching from the side. If you mostly watch it straight on, no big deal. But for
03:13wide seating setups or sports nights with a crowd, this is something I would absolutely keep in mind.
03:19A final thing to keep in mind, and it is a very big one. The smart TV experience on the U6 here is
03:26powered by Amazon's Fire TV platform. Can you put on Wicked? In recent years, we've seen a lot of TV
03:33makers move away from Fire TV in favor of Google TV. And in fact, most of Hisense's 2025 TVs are Google
03:41TVs, but they're offering a little bit of variety here. And honestly, it's fine. It's also nothing
03:48special. Although you should find all of the apps that you want, navigation feels a little bit clunkier
03:54than it does on Roku or Google TV. And the home screen leans quite heavily on Amazon content. And
04:00I mean, if I wanted that, I would just buy a Fire Stick or one of those new fancy Amazon brand TVs if
04:06if that's what I was going for. If you already have a Roku stick or prefer Apple TV or maybe even have
04:12a Google TV streamer, you'll probably want to plug that in anyway. Also, if this is a gaming TV, you know,
04:19I'm guilty of just using the streaming apps on PS5 sometimes. There's nothing wrong with that.
04:23Fire TV just is not my cup of tea. But unless you already have a platform that you strongly prefer,
04:30I don't necessarily think that it's a deal breaker.
04:33To wrap things up, if you want a massive screen with strong gaming specs,
04:37great HDR brightness, and surprisingly accurate color, the Hisense U6 delivers real value. But if
04:43you care more about perfect motion handling, wide viewing angles, or a slick smart interface,
04:49you'll probably notice the compromises. It's a little more expensive, but I would encourage you
04:54to check out the TCL QM6K brand new TV for this year with Google TV and maybe more consistent
05:00performance. I'll link that below alongside the Hisense U6. Take a look at both if you're torn.
05:06I know this was a little bit shorter of a TV review than I usually do here on the channel. But if you did
05:11like this format, be sure to let me know in the comments. Otherwise, that is it for this episode of
05:16Buy or Skip. Don't forget to like, subscribe, and I will catch you next time.
Comments

Recommended