Ezilyamuzed
Standard Member
I've been evaluating the 75H8G for the past week. Here's a quick review of my experience so far:
The H8G series comes in 4 sizes, all sharing the same specifications. The most significant change from the earlier H8 series is the addition of Quantum Dot technology that was only available in their top of the line H9 series. It is still an LED screen, but without getting all technical, Quantum dots simply results in brighter, more saturated, and more accurate colors.
Other key features shared by the H8G series are a bezel-less frame, more local dimming zones (up to 90, depending on size), Dolby Vision HDR, Dolby Atmos sound, and HDR10+. The interface is Android TV with Google Assistant. The unit reviewed here is the 75" version.
Out of the box, the H8G set to economy mode, and frankly the picture left a lot to be desired. Immediate and significant improvements were gained with a simple switch from economy to Theater Day Mode. While the ambient light where the TV is placed differs will require a bit of playing around, once I started turning off all the dynamic options and interpolation features, I noticed improvements in the picture with every feature turned off/disabled. Turning the brightness down to 70-80 resulted in very good black level and very vibrant and accurate color. Again, your mileage may vary depending on the the particular lighting conditions of the room the H8G is placed in, my results were very accurate colors and very black blacks. I am sure with proper calibration the results would be outstanding.
This was my first time using Android TV, and while I'm used to Samsung’s interface, there's a lot to like here. The interface is clean and for the most part self-explanatory, displaying a row of favorite apps at the top and various "channels" below that which displays apps for access from your home screen. There's also a Play Next section, which groups all of your apps together and recommends things to watch based on what you've been watching.
There’s a good selection of apps available, including all the big names like Netflix, Hulu, Disney +, and Amazon, and s whole host of varied, lesser known apps are available. Chromecast is built-in, as is Google Assistant. Just press the button on the remote and ask it to find a movie, or even control living room lights and room temperature if you have those smart home devices installed and configured. Whatever you can use your Google Assistant on your Android phone, you can do from your TV. The performance is fine overall, though I did run into noticeable lag now and then. If you have a soundbar connected via eARC, however there is a noticeable lag in response when adjusting the volume.
The H8G comes with 4 HDMI ports, but it does not list in the specifications whether they are HDMI 2 or HDMI 2.1. Responses from Hisense employess to questions regarding this on both Amazon and Best Buy Q&A pages for the H8G state it does have HDMI 2.1 interfaces. I’m assuming they are NOT 2.1 as while the H8G supports ARC (making the addition of a soundbar with ARC support simple), it does not support eARC, which, using the higher bandwidth of HDMI 2.1 supports lossless Dolby audio. This is not necessarily a “bad” thing, as HDMI 2.1 is generally only featured in most manufacturer’s premium line of televisions costing two to three times the cost of the HG8, but if it is supported, why? It doesn't seem to make use of the benefits of higher bandwidth associated with the 2.1 spec.
Overall the design and build quality of the H8G is pleasing, although it is a bit “thicker” than I would like. I really like the bezel-less screen, which allows edge-to-edge pictures along the top and sized, with a very narrow bezel along the bottom.
I don’t like the remote, which while having all the functions, looks bland, dated and cheap. It is contrary to the aesthetic of the television itself and looks out of place.
Despite a few drawbacks, overall the H8G is an exceptional TV, offering a gorgeous 4K ULED panel with Dolby Vision and HDR+. Android TV is a clean and functional interface. When you put all of that together with the more than reasonable price, you end up with a very good value.
What I liked:
Gorgeous picture with vivid color and decent black
Andoid TV is a clean, easy to use Operating System
Dolby Vision and HDR support
Goggle Assistant and Chromecast built-in
Not so much:
Remote looks dated and no illumination
Android TV can be a bit slow
Lack of eARC despite the (claimed) presence of HDMI 2.1
The H8G series comes in 4 sizes, all sharing the same specifications. The most significant change from the earlier H8 series is the addition of Quantum Dot technology that was only available in their top of the line H9 series. It is still an LED screen, but without getting all technical, Quantum dots simply results in brighter, more saturated, and more accurate colors.
Other key features shared by the H8G series are a bezel-less frame, more local dimming zones (up to 90, depending on size), Dolby Vision HDR, Dolby Atmos sound, and HDR10+. The interface is Android TV with Google Assistant. The unit reviewed here is the 75" version.
Out of the box, the H8G set to economy mode, and frankly the picture left a lot to be desired. Immediate and significant improvements were gained with a simple switch from economy to Theater Day Mode. While the ambient light where the TV is placed differs will require a bit of playing around, once I started turning off all the dynamic options and interpolation features, I noticed improvements in the picture with every feature turned off/disabled. Turning the brightness down to 70-80 resulted in very good black level and very vibrant and accurate color. Again, your mileage may vary depending on the the particular lighting conditions of the room the H8G is placed in, my results were very accurate colors and very black blacks. I am sure with proper calibration the results would be outstanding.
This was my first time using Android TV, and while I'm used to Samsung’s interface, there's a lot to like here. The interface is clean and for the most part self-explanatory, displaying a row of favorite apps at the top and various "channels" below that which displays apps for access from your home screen. There's also a Play Next section, which groups all of your apps together and recommends things to watch based on what you've been watching.
There’s a good selection of apps available, including all the big names like Netflix, Hulu, Disney +, and Amazon, and s whole host of varied, lesser known apps are available. Chromecast is built-in, as is Google Assistant. Just press the button on the remote and ask it to find a movie, or even control living room lights and room temperature if you have those smart home devices installed and configured. Whatever you can use your Google Assistant on your Android phone, you can do from your TV. The performance is fine overall, though I did run into noticeable lag now and then. If you have a soundbar connected via eARC, however there is a noticeable lag in response when adjusting the volume.
The H8G comes with 4 HDMI ports, but it does not list in the specifications whether they are HDMI 2 or HDMI 2.1. Responses from Hisense employess to questions regarding this on both Amazon and Best Buy Q&A pages for the H8G state it does have HDMI 2.1 interfaces. I’m assuming they are NOT 2.1 as while the H8G supports ARC (making the addition of a soundbar with ARC support simple), it does not support eARC, which, using the higher bandwidth of HDMI 2.1 supports lossless Dolby audio. This is not necessarily a “bad” thing, as HDMI 2.1 is generally only featured in most manufacturer’s premium line of televisions costing two to three times the cost of the HG8, but if it is supported, why? It doesn't seem to make use of the benefits of higher bandwidth associated with the 2.1 spec.
Overall the design and build quality of the H8G is pleasing, although it is a bit “thicker” than I would like. I really like the bezel-less screen, which allows edge-to-edge pictures along the top and sized, with a very narrow bezel along the bottom.
I don’t like the remote, which while having all the functions, looks bland, dated and cheap. It is contrary to the aesthetic of the television itself and looks out of place.
Despite a few drawbacks, overall the H8G is an exceptional TV, offering a gorgeous 4K ULED panel with Dolby Vision and HDR+. Android TV is a clean and functional interface. When you put all of that together with the more than reasonable price, you end up with a very good value.
What I liked:
Gorgeous picture with vivid color and decent black
Andoid TV is a clean, easy to use Operating System
Dolby Vision and HDR support
Goggle Assistant and Chromecast built-in
Not so much:
Remote looks dated and no illumination
Android TV can be a bit slow
Lack of eARC despite the (claimed) presence of HDMI 2.1