Hisense is well and truly stretching the definition of “mid-range” with the launch of its new 116-inch U75QG ULED Mini-LED TV in the U.S.
It’s being marketed as a more “affordable” alternative to the company’s other 116-inch TV – the 116UX RGB-MiniLED model that features a fancy new backlight and costs $25,000.
In contrast, the new U75QG ULED TV is a “normal” Mini-LED TV that’s a relative snip at just $19,999 (around ₤14,800) via Best Buy, which for now at least is the sole retailer of this particular model. It’s being called a mid-range TV because, with its regular Mini-LED display, it does indeed span the gap between Hisesen’s luxurious, premium RGB-LED TV and its more standard TVs.
However, it’s packed with premium features that make it stand out as Hisense’s flagship QLED TV. The company uses the “ULED” branding on its QLED televisions, which utilise LCD panels with quantum-dots, and this is by far its biggest such model, with a very beefy 6.2.2-channel Cinestage X surround sound system that’s tuned by its audio partner, the luxury speaker maker Devialet. It supports both Dolby Atmos and DTS:X.
Another premium feature is the TVs’ chipset, namely the Hi-View AI Engine X processor, which has previously found a home in the company’s premium UX TV lineup. It’s the engine behind all of the AI-powered picture processing smarts on the TV, including AI-enabled scene recognition, optimisation and colour management.
The Mini-LED panel boasts more than 3,000 local dimming zones and can achieve brightness of up to 4,000 nits. It also has VRR and auto low-latency mode and a 165Hz native refresh rate to support fast-paced gaming, with a dedicated Game Mode Ultra that optimises the on-screen graphics when a console is hooked up to the TV. Elsewhere, there’s support for premium high dynamic range formats in Dolby Vision IQ and HDR10+, as well as Filmmaker mode for movie purists who want to watch their content exactly as the director intended.
As for the operating system, Hisense once again relies on Google TV, which is certainly as good as any with its comprehensive library of streaming apps and voice activated controls.
As mentioned, the Hisense U75QG can currently only be purchased at Best Buy for $21,999. That’s a whole $3,000 cheaper than the even more luxurious Hisense 116UX RGB-MiniLED TV, which currently costs $24,999.
Admittedly, this TV is unlikely to meet many people’s definition of a “mid-range” model, but then again, five-figure prices are pretty much the norm for such massive televisions, and it’s certainly a lot more affordable than many of its competitor’s models.
