14 replies to this topic

[Meep Meep]

I've been hooked on big screen gaming as soon as pc compatible tv became available for a reasonable price but while the huge screen was awesome being limited to 60hz and no vrr always had me looking enviously at the expensive and smaller but more gaming oriented dedicated pc displays.

No more.

This most recent crop of 4k tv have not only caught up to dedicated gaming displays but in some cases surpass them especially at the price point. My cheap 4k hdr set just went belly up so I decided to go ahead and bite the bullet on a nice pc display. Welp after perusing rtings I quickly found out the newest crop of higher end tv not only support high refresh rates and super low latency but also vrr.

So after using rtings to compare them all I ended up with this.



Released last year at over $1000 but now can be had for as little as $650 brand new from most outlets since its been replaced by a newer but way more expensive model. I got lucky and a bestbuy 40 miles away had an unused open box for $550 so I lept on it and took a little drive.

I can't describe in words just how awesome the picture on this tv is. Plus the absolute ~smoothness~ of motion. It comes with freesync premium pro and has a vrr range of 48~120 fps so no matter how demanding the game you are going to get buttah smooth visuals. I kept holding off on a high refresh display even though I have a 3090 and i9 because most of my AAA games would max out around 80ish fps when running them max details but the incredible vrr range on this set has no issues. Plus mwo running a solid silky smooth 120 fps is like another game now.

If you have the money and the space this is the easiest no brainer purchase ever unless you have an nvidia gpu.

Oh a footnote. It's only meh as an actual tv hooked up to cable. This set is purely for streaming and high end video players or pc/console use. Plus if you get one make sure to update the firmware asap as it fixes some pc specific issues mainly in 120hz gaming mode and allows for 10 and 12 bit color.

Footnote to the footnote. If you have an nvida gpu with a 2.1 hdmi port ~do not use~ freesync for the vrr. Enable vrr in windows and in the nvidia control panel but turn it off on the tv. Otherwise you get odd conflicts and black screens. Was driving me nuts thinking either the gpu was going bad or the tv wasn't working right.

Footnote to the footnote to the footnote. Goodness this is a fair bit trickier to set up than I thought as the black screens are still happening. Ok after even more tinkering and getting on a chat with a hisense tech you have to turn off all vrr both tv and windows then use the nvidia gsync setting to enable it. ALSO and this is the main culprit for the black screens is you have to go into the windows display settings and set the refresh to 120hz as it defaults to 119.998hz and that conflicts with the 120 set by the gpu driver. NOW it should be solid.

Still worth it even with the headaches getting it to play nice on an nividia gpu. This doesn't happen with the consoles or amd gpu.

Edited by Meep Meep, 01 October 2023 - 01:37 PM.

[Meep Meep]

Edited to say can't recommend the u8h for nvidia gpu. Fine for everything else. Save yourself the hassle.

Just to bump this topic in case anyone with an nvidia gpu was thinking about getting one but hasn't read any of the edits.

If you are going to use this tv on an nvidia gpu with hdmi 2.1 there is a specific installation process you have to do to get it to sync properly with the hdmi 2.1 vrr functions and not get glitch behavior. After some back and forth emails to a quite helpful hisense tech they know there are issues currently with this specific set and nvidia gpu trying to use the hdmi 2.1 functions and he stated there is a focus on the next firmware update to address that and possibly get it on the official gsync compatible list.

But in the meantime you have to download the latest firmware and install it then follow this set of instructions.

First is to use DDU to completely reset the OS back to freshly installed as far as display drivers are concerned and have it shut down after cleaning.

Now you can connect the gpu and set with a certified ultra high speed 48gbs hdmi cable(the tech recommended nothing longer than 8 feet if you want to use hdmi vrr) and power on the set for the first time and run through whatever level of setup you prefer. I just used the basic setup and turned off all the smart tv functions since they are not needed for a pc display.

Next you want to change to the input you will be using and press the menu key to open the detailed options settings.

Scroll down to the hdmi format option and set it to 'enhanced' and this will reset the tv into high speed 120hz mode with hdmi vrr.

Next would be to open the gamezone settings and ensure that freesync is disabled and low latency mode is set to auto.

Last is open the picture settings and scroll down and open advanced settings then scroll down to hdmi input optimization and set it to 'text clarity optimization'.

The rest of the settings are to your personal taste on picture mode etc.

Now turn on the pc and when you get to the desktop install the latest drivers and reboot.

When back at the desktop open the nvidia control panel and ensure that the resolution is set to pc 4k and 120hz then apply and exit.

Right click the desktop and open display settings and then advanced display settings and ensure the refresh rate is set to 120hz.

Go back one screen then enter the graphics settings and ensure that hardware-accelerated gpu scheduling is on and windows vrr is set to off rebooting if needed.

Now go back into the nvidia control panel and in the g-sync section enable gsync for fullscreen mode only if not already done by default and also check the 'enable settings for the selected display model' and apply.

Reboot one more time and off you go. Yeah it really did end up being a massive pain in the butt to get this superb display to play nice but at least there is a process to do it and future firmware should make it as painless as using it with consoles or an amd gpu.

Now back to glorious big screen 120hz hdr gaming!

Edited by Meep Meep, 29 August 2023 - 03:43 AM.

[Meep Meep]

Update. Returned it not because it was a bad tv per say but due to the nvidia incompatibilities. After the latest firmware vrr runs but is somewhat buggy in some games including mwo. Ah well.

No issues I simply exchanged it for the u8k($150 more) which is the 2023 model with the dedicated pentonics dolbyvision hdr 120hz chipset.

https://www.edge-ai-...c-1000-chipset/

This tv was plug and play and is working flawless at 120hz vrr and even supports up to 144hz but I have it set to 120 so the gpu isn't running 100% all the time. Might even cap it at 100hz because anything past 80fps seems just as smooth.

Still would recommend the u8h for anyone that doesn't use nvidia since its cheaper and is functionally and visually near identical however if you have the extra $150 then that pentonics chip is the shizz. It includes a real time hardware ai edge sharpening setting and while it doesn't work with all pc games the ones it does work look way better than using its built in aa function with almost no impact on latency and of course no extra gpu load from ingame aa. If you have a compatible console like the latest playstation and xbox it works on all published games.

Hisense isn't screwing around.

edit; Oh forgot to add you actually have to enable freesync on this model for vrr to work along with the gsync options in the nvidia control panel.




.

Edited by Meep Meep, 29 August 2023 - 03:41 AM.

[Meep Meep]

Update: New firmware for u8k that effectively makes it a gsync display minus the 'official' certification. All gsync functions now work natively without the need for the hdmi vrr compatibility layer. The nvidia control panel still lists it as unsupported but thats cosmetic.

[Tarl Cabot]

What size did you end up getting, was it the 55in since that looks like the smallest one for the U8K. Still having a large TV/Monitor is terrific 99.99% of the time!! No need to go into zoom mode lot of the times!!

[Meep Meep]

55" since thats about the max size you want to go for a pc display unless you have a very large room since you will have to set it back around 5ish feet from your viewing position otherwise its too close and screws with your peripheral vision. But at 5ish feet it fills the vision cone perfectly with a bit of each side going into peripheral vison and makes open world and racing games incredibly immersive. I feel that a smaller display is better for high speed competitive twitch type fps though so all of the screen is inside your perfect vision range. However for a slow paced game like this its perfect and you are right about the zoom. No need for advanced zoom just normal zoom even at 1000m+ ranges.

[Meep Meep]

55" U8K now reduced to $699. Get em while they last.

[Meep Meep]

For those wanting to get into this type of gaming but not break the bank then there is the U6K which is the lower binned version and is much cheaper at $450. Same features with vrr etc but 60hz max which for many isn't going to be an issue because their gpu can't drive a 4k image at high frames. Also his gripes about the vrr and local dimming have been addressed in firmware updates.



And for the most budget conscious there is the 58" R6E3 which can be had at near any walmart for ~$270.



It's a more traditional panel without all the fancy stuff but it does have a pc specific very low latency mode and a VA panel for great gaming response and a bright colorful picture with good motion handling and an excellent hardware upscaler which can take a 1080/1440p pc native input and upscale it to 4k 60 with virtually no additional latency and it looks like 4k native with taa applied(heavy taa for 1080p). It supports all the normal streaming and hdr standards and is great for movies and shows etc too. Just make sure to update the firmware asap to fix some pc specific issues.

Edited by Meep Meep, 17 January 2024 - 02:25 PM.

[Meep Meep]

Side note on my old 4k tv that went belly up. Finally got off my butt and ordered the parts to fix it and now its as good as new again and the total bill was a bit over $40 shipping and all.

What many don't know is that 95% of the time your big screen stops working its not the panel its the power supply or mainboard and those are typically easy to replace by design. I would have done it before but I wanted a better screen and so nabbed the u8k.

I mean if this guy can fix his tv then...



If you have a big screen stuck away in a closet that wasn't physically broke with cracked screen etc then try this site for the replacement parts and it will most likely have the parts to fix it.

https://www.shopjimmy.com/

They even have replacement led strips if you want to go that deep into a repair.

Edited by Meep Meep, 11 January 2024 - 08:37 PM.

[Tarl Cabot]

So true, it is either the power supply adapter or the main board, or potentially both. Usually the power supply adapter first (those are FUN to crack open!!!) but the initial issue may have caused some damage to the motherboard that may not show up until later. I have actually repaired the adapter to one of my monitors by replacing a bulging capacitor, and well as a roasted resistor on the monitor's motherboard for the cost of a few dollars. There were a few other components on the motherboard that I was not able to source out that looked questionable (cracked plastic holders) but measured out okay. And just in case the temp fix it didnt work or doesnt hold for long, I have also ordered a new power adaptor and that motherboard, total $30. That specific monitor, which is still available at Best Buy and Walmart is just over $100.

[Meep Meep]

Tarl Cabot, on 15 January 2024 - 08:16 PM, said:

So true, it is either the power supply adapter or the main board, or potentially both.

For the low and mid range big screens yeah and thats by design which is why they are made to be repaired easily and for low cost. With so much competition in the tv market margins are often razor thin so they dump the most money into the panel and leds but tend to massively cheap out on the mainboard/psu and t-con. This is why sites like shopjimmy exist and thrive as just like with the auto makers the tv brands also have a replacement parts segment.

The upside are that the replacements are typically of much higher quality as they can charge more since there isn't any competition for those. The $40 mainboard and t-con I bought was probably a fraction of that cost for the factory installed set. This is born out when I compared the replacement boards with the factory. Same general layout but lots of quality branded components instead of a bunch of cheap chinese knockoffs or even no brand chips. Been thinking of doing some side work by picking up free 'broken' tv(local listings tend to have a ton of them because they want them gone) and reselling them after replacing the guts.

[Meep Meep]

New core firmware on the website for the U8K if you happened to get one. After screwing around with it the UI is much snappier and the occasional vrr screen flashes on some older games including mwo are gone now. Colors seem just a tad more intense and peak brightness has been increased ergo moar nits. Apparently fixes some cable and over the air compatibility stuff like nexgen broadcasts.

Oh and rtings finally has a review.

https://www.rtings.c.../hisense/u8-u8k

This is still one of the best bang for the buck deals.

edit; Well they certainly did fix the over the air portion of the tv as before it would barely pick up any stations and badly at that but now there are almost 40 that come in nice and clear. This was just a test though as all the stations are garbage like any set schedule broadcasts are including cable tv. Well a couple of channels are cool with older shows but nothing you can't watch on demand from the internet.

Edited by Meep Meep, 20 March 2024 - 09:24 PM.

[Meep Meep]

Another big set of hisense price cuts probably to clear stock to make way for the next releases.

55" U7K 144hz vrr for $479..

https://www.bestbuy....p?skuId=6541864

[Meep Meep]

Welp looks like the super cheap 58" walmart exclusive model I like to recommend has been replaced with a newer tech best buy exclusive version thats even cheaper. 55" instead of 58" but you gain full vrr and dolby vision gaming support along with quantum pixels for intense colors.

$259..

https://www.bestbuy....p?skuId=6561417

Also that old 2020 58r6e3 model that walmart sells that I recently fixed just got a new core firmware update too. Added in some pc specific features and upgraded the ui and greatly expanded upon the color control with multiple gamma choices along with a fully customizable series of calibration settings for color temperature and space to get the perfect color and white/black balance. Its high end features on a low end tv but hey I'll take it. The pc specific stuff seems geared towards better motion handling as quick transitions in view don't blur near as much and is almost imperceptible now unless you are specifically trying to notice it. Still a good choice if you want a slightly bigger screen and don't care about vrr.

Hisense firmware coders are out for blood it seems with all the QoL upgrades and performance enhancements they are packing into these updates even for older low end stuff.

Edited by Meep Meep, 15 April 2024 - 12:06 AM.

[Meep Meep]

Heh, didn't know rtings had a youtube channel or I would have linked their reviews before now..

U8K



U7K



U6K



Alas they don't do reviews for store exclusives like the best buy and walmart sets.


edit: A note about the U8K review on the pc side. The max refresh rate issues he reported in that six month old review as per nvidia gpu have been fixed in the latest core firmware update along with the vrr and hdr mode motion handling bugs. Nvidia rtx based gpu are now fully compatible and I can back this up as I use it with a 3090ti. Soooo glad I got this tv its like a window into the world with high end content.

Edited by Meep Meep, 02 May 2024 - 10:53 PM.