The U8N also lets you control the output volume of its optical port with the TV remote, making it much simpler to control older audio systems that don't support HDMI ARC/eARC, like my original. KEF LSX speakers. If you decide to settle for the built-in sound, the U8N's 2.1.2 speaker system offers decent detail and a bit more bass punch for its woofers.
The TV is well stocked on the gaming front, including VRR (Variable Refresh Rate) and AMD FreeSync Premium Proto for smooth high frame rate gaming, as well as ALLM (Auto Low Latency Mode) for low input lag . The game is realistic and responsive, with impressive HDR performance. I like the variety of picture settings available, including Theater and Game modes, which provide rich contrast and vibrant colors for details like Kratos' ruby red armor in God of War Ragnarok.
Peaky Blinder
The U8N offers an almost intimidating level of picture settings for in-depth adjustments. The Peak Brightness setting is the most confusing. When applying my usual picture modes during setup, like Theater Night for Standard Dynamic Range (SDR) and HDR Theater mode for HDR10, Peak Brightness was set to High by default, which really improves the overall picture. This can lead to higher black levels and burning highlights in content and menu bars, especially with HDR video, leading my wife to call the U8N “the hurt TV” at first.
There are a few things going on here. First, Peak Brightness is designed for daytime viewing in bright rooms where sunlight penetrates, allowing even the darkest scenes to appear. Hisense also includes an adjustable auto light sensor in the general picture settings, something most reviewers tend to turn off for consistent performance, but is almost necessary for maximum brightness. It does a relatively good job of taming bright brightness in low light, although I don't always like the way it responds to every environment.
Still, Hisense's decision to discreetly set maximum brightness to high (often without the light sensor activated) in picture modes that are typically more restrained is confusing, even for someone accustomed to digging through the settings image. A colleague suggested that the TV's default power-saving mode (a dimming setting that includes the light sensor turned on for maximum brightness) is the one Hisense expects most viewers to experience , because most people apparently don't change their picture settings. The light sensor is also helpfully enabled by default in some other modes, like Dolby Vision Dark.
If you decide to use Peak Brightness, which is necessary to achieve the TV's highest brightness levels, I suggest starting on Low and turning on the light sensor for nighttime viewing. This worked well for lighting difficult SDR content like Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows during daylight hours, where darker scenes seemed to have even less pop than the U8K without the maximum brightness setting.
My brightest HDR test content often looked overcooked and oversaturated in this mode. This isn't surprising, given that the TV can achieve over 3,000 nits, or triple the brightness at which most videos are currently mastered (although this benchmark changes with the latest mastering tools). I usually leave the setting off for HDR, but it can be useful in brighter rooms, especially for the always-dark Dolby Vision Dark mode. I couldn't help but marvel at how vibrant and flashy some scenes looked with the scenery turned on, like the monster scene in Moana, where the golden shell of the giant crab Tamatoa bursts into disco psychedelia.
Slackjaw Show
However you use the U8N's picture settings, it's capable of producing the beautiful characteristic picture we've come to expect from the series, with deep black levels, fabulous backlight control, very little “halo” around luminous objects and intense colors that sparkle like jewels. under the sun.
This is a remarkable performance, especially for high-quality 4K HDR productions like Netflix's. Our planet. The coral scene in Episode 4 is incredible, with vibrant neon yellows, sapphire blues, and realistic sunlight sparkling throughout. Sometimes the TV tends to oversaturate the reds, especially when using the Warm1 color temperature, but it still looks amazing nonetheless. It's the kind of image that makes you want to sit there, gaping and stunned, as the pretty colors and bright sparkles dance before your eyes.