TECH REVIEW – Hisense brings Mini LED technology into the mid-range market at an affordable price, achieving enjoyable results. The 65UXKQ demonstrates Hisense’s capability to quickly learn and evolve, enhancing the capabilities of its previous models. With the arrival of this TV, Hisense redefines what value for money truly means in this technological segment, while proving that Mini LED can indeed conquer the mid-range category.

It would be easy to believe that the television industry is increasingly leaning towards OLED-based technologies, especially this year, when the new MLA and QD versions take OLED to a whole new level. However, the truth is that Mini LED screens, which can combine high brightness with good contrast at competitive prices, have great potential, which means that this technology is not going away.

As proof of this, Hisense has expanded its Mini LED offering this year from a single U8H series in 2022 to three series by 2023. Standing out among them is the 65-inch 65UXKQ, shown here.

Assembly miseries

Before I start the review, I must share that it was no easy task to set up the large, elegant, yet extremely heavy TV. The most significant challenge wasn’t the weight itself but the installation of the well-designed and sturdy base that keeps the heavy TV stable.

We found no Hungarian instructions specifically for the assembly, but that alone wouldn’t have been an issue. However, the somewhat hastily prepared instructions and diagrams failed to mention certain assembly operations and components, leaving me to figure out that a particular small part was meant to attach the top of the base to the TV. Since assembling the multi-part base itself was not straightforward, and the assembly diagram poorly illustrated this process, it caused considerable head-scratching until I figured out where and how to fit the missing, yet necessary component onto the TV and how to screw it together with the base part. No doubt: the base thereafter held the TV completely stable, thus its design is top-notch, but the assembly and connection to the TV caused quite a bit of frustration.

Design: form and function

The appearance of the 65UXKQ immediately attracts attention. The casing gives a reliable and quality impression. Of course, for those used to ultra-thin TVs, it may come as a surprise that this TV is much thicker than is fashionable these days. I like this slightly thicker design, but those who prefer a thinner design might not like it as much.

The design of the back of the set is also a bit of a compromise between form and function, as the 65UXKQ’s direct lighting system causes the back of the TV to slope forward slightly, making the already thick TV even thicker.

The remote control itself is a striking feature, with its elegant elongated shape, distinctive angled buttons and bright silver finish. Notably, the manufacturer has enabled users to access the most popular streaming services such as Disney+, Netflix, Prime Video, Freeview Play and YouTube directly, increasing the convenience of use.

Features: innovative technologies

So in 2024 we get a high-contrast VA-type Mini-LED ULED panel, and for the 65-inch model we count 384 separately controlled brightness-dimming zones. Mini LED ULED and local dimming light controls allow the screen to deliver more brightness and contrast than conventional LED TVs.

The lighting system is powered by Hisense’s Dinamic X processing – an AI-powered system responsible for the 65UXKQ’s noise reduction, motion correction and 4K upscaling processing, as well as controlling the Quantum Dot colour scheme. No less than Hisense claims it can display a billion colours.

The 65UXKQ, like most modern televisions, is able to take advantage of its advanced lighting technology to display the wide dynamic range of images offered by HDR10 and HLG formats. What really sets it apart from the field is its ability to support not only the sophisticated HDR10+ and Dolby Vision formats, which provide detailed picture information for every scene, but also their advanced versions: the Adaptive and IQ versions, which intelligently adapt to the lighting conditions of the viewer’s environment, ensuring optimal picture quality in every situation.

For the Gamers: HDR10+ and Dolby Vision included!

Many TV brands, including giants such as LG, Samsung and Sony, generally only support either HDR10+ or Dolby Vision, not both. So it’s great to see Hisense leave industry politics behind and simply ensure that the 65UXKQ is able to receive the best version of any content. This is especially good news for gamers (like myself…) who use multiple consoles, as while the PlayStation 5 only uses HDR10+, the Xbox Series X already has Dolby Vision support, so when I’m playing on one console I can use and enjoy one feature and when I’m playing on the other I can use and enjoy the other.

This premium Mini LED TV excels at supporting the latest video gaming technologies that are essential for today’s gamers. Of particular note, two of its four HDMI ports can receive 4K resolution games at 120Hz or even 144Hz refresh rates, providing an extremely smooth and detailed gaming experience. It also supports Variable Refresh Rate (VRR) technology and Automatic Low Latency Mode (ALLM), which optimise image refresh and reduce input latency for the fastest possible response time. Most notably, the 65UXKQ supports AMD FreeSync Premium technology, which is also available on the Xbox Series X console, as well as a Dolby Vision gaming mode, which despite its rarity, can operate at 4K resolution and 120Hz refresh rate, giving gamers a lifelike visual experience.

Just like the previous Hisense TV we tested, the Hisense E7 Kpro, the 65UXKQ also comes with a dedicated Game Menu screen when you start playing, from which you can switch to ultra-wide aspect ratios for compatible PC games, or adjust the brightness of the dark areas only to spot hidden enemies more easily. Last but not least, on the gaming front, the 65UXKQ takes just 13ms to render 60Hz graphics when using the Game Preset – a low enough number that it’s hard to blame it for screen lag if you end up in last place in a Call Of Duty death match.

The 65UXKQ’s smart features are powered by Hisense’s proprietary Vidaa platform in Europe, including our home country and Australia, while in the US it’s powered by Google TV. The Vidaa system should not be underestimated – while it may not seem as sophisticated or ambitious as some of its competitors, its advantages lie in its speed, logical design and user-friendly interface. The platform already includes the most popular video streaming services, offering users a comprehensive and easy-to-use experience.

Brilliant visual performance

The 65UXKQ is an excellent demonstration of how Hisense has learnt the lessons from the launch of the Mini LED in 2022, delivering picture quality that far surpasses older models.

The black levels of the television are particularly noteworthy. In dark scenes, the screen’s black colour has the depth of OLEDs, thanks to the light-blocking efficiency of the VA panel. As a result, dark scenes are more realistic and deeper, dark parts of the picture do not lose detail, and the distracting effects of backlighting around bright objects are much less noticeable than on previous models.

The TV’s richness in black levels and tones is matched by high brightness, which is not typical of mid-range TVs. This is particularly advantageous for HDR content, as the TV is able to maintain image quality even in full-screen bright scenes, something OLED technology often struggles with.

The 65UXKQ’s screen delivers excellent picture quality with 2500 nit brightness. At certain higher picture intensity settings, the TV may darken the image subtly to minimise the effect of backlight blooming. However, this fine-tuning is done discreetly and much more gently than on similar but much more expensive Samsung Mini LED TVs, which generally offer higher brightness and rarely show blooming.

Although less pronounced than on the previous U8H model, the blooming seen on the 65UXKQ does occur, especially in extreme picture conditions – such as when bright white objects appear against a dark background. That said, the intensity of light spill is slight and faint at the edges, creating a slight haze rather than distracting blooming. This effect can be further reduced by some backlighting in the room.

Among premium televisions, the 65UXKQ stands out for its particularly good colour reproduction, thanks to Quantum Dot technology and excellent contrast and brightness values. Colours are rich and vibrant, while the picture is balanced and free from exaggeration, so even the most saturated hues blend in naturally.

With subtle transitions, skin tones and backgrounds, the 65UXKQ TV delivers an extremely detailed and sharp picture that displays even 4K content with impressive clarity. Although some slight blurring can be experienced when using the 144Hz refresh rate, especially in game mode, motion remains generally natural and smooth, even with 24 frames per second sources.

There is one exception, however: certain dark but detailed backgrounds – such as the darkly lit walls of Georgie’s wallpapered house in a scene from ‘AZ’ – can appear strangely blurred and less sharp, as if the dark colours are flowing into each other. This phenomenon is rare, but it can distract the viewer and take their attention away from the central element of the story.

Nevertheless, the 65UXKQ deserves a positive assessment of its picture quality. The television’s play mode, despite its slight blurring, performs excellently, delighting users with rich and vibrant colours. Thanks to its AI-powered processor, the 65UXKQ also boasts an impressive HD content upscaling capability, which is an outstanding value for a Mini LED TV at such a relatively higher price point.

Energetic Acoustics with a Dedicated Subwoofer

The 65UXKQ TV’s picture performance speaks for itself, but what’s really remarkable is the powerful sound of its 4.1.2 multichannel surround sound system with WiSA Ready. Even the maximum volume setting is half the level that typical living room audiophiles and people with average hearing ability would find comfortable.

However, this can also be a positive. For a television of this size and with such vivid picture quality, it is important that a powerful sound system complements the visual experience, offering a full cinematic sound experience. What makes the 65UXKQ’s sound system special is its ability to create a wide soundfield that supports Dolby Atmos sound format, so that the sound can be felt even in space.

A dedicated subwoofer mounted on the back of the TV delivers deeper bass than most TVs, providing a strong foundation for a rich midrange while keeping highs clear without being overly sharp.

The only caveat is that the 65UXKQ’s sound system, while capable of producing immense power, sometimes lacks finesse. With larger musical inputs, the sound can feel a little harsh and less settled, as if the speakers are pushing the limits of their power. This can also sometimes affect the trusty subwoofer, which can produce some noise at certain extreme bass levels.

Balanced Performance

The 65UXKQ will prove to be the perfect choice for most television connoisseurs. It offers outstanding black levels, brightness and especially contrast, thanks to its advanced Mini LED technology and more precisely adjustable local dimming function. In addition, the colours provided by Quantum Dot technology are stunningly vivid and captivating.

In addition to stunning picture quality, the 65UXKQ also offers excellent smart features and powerful sound, all at a lower price point than the Mini LED ULED TV market, even at its higher price point.

-Gergely Herpai (BadSector)-

Cons:

– Faint but sometimes widespread blooming
– “Smearing” of some colors
– Assembly difficulties of the base​​