4K televisions are incredibly affordable. And while it’s certainly true that high-end TV panels boast top-tier picture quality, budget-priced 4K TVs can still deliver an excellent image. The Hisense H8F is an entry-level 4K television that offers a host of features typically found on higher-end units, and one of the best affordable 4K TVs on the planet.
Hisense H8F Specs
The Hisense H8F comes in three sizes with 50-inch, 55-inch, and 65-inch options. It’s 4K 2160p (3840 x 2160) resolution. There’s support for the HDR10 and Dolby Vision high dynamic range (HDR) standards along with a wide color gamut (WCG). You’ll find full-array local dimming which allows for dimming of certain parts of the screen while keeping other parts dark. As such, local dimming provides a better contrast ratio. With a peak brightness of up to 700 nits, the Hisense H8F remains bright and vivid even when faced with lots of ambient lighting. Its game offers a low 15ms input lag. For streaming, the H8F features Android TV built-in. Excellent inputs and outputs include four HDMI ports, a USB 3.0, USB 2.0, AV input, TOSLINK optical audio output, headphone jack, Ethernet port, and antenna input.
Hisense H8F specs:
- Android TV built-in with Chromecast and Google Assistant
- HDR (Dolby Vision and HDR10 standards)
- 4K 2160p (3840 x 2160) resolution
- Game mode with 15ms of input lag
- 50-, 55-, and 65-inch options available
- Wide Color Gamut
- Full-array local dimming
- I/O: 4 x HDMI, 2 x USB, optical audio out, headphone jack, AV input, Ethernet, antenna input
Hisense H8F Review – A Budget 4K TV With a Premium Picture
Boasting a 4K 2160p resolution, HDR10 and Dolby Vision, a wide color gamut, and full-array local dimming, the Hisense H8F delivers outstanding image quality. 4K HDR content from both streaming services as well as 4K UHD Blu-rays looks incredible. High Dynamic Range videos look stunning, with Dolby Vision particularly making the colors pop on the Hisense H8F.
Because of the full-array local dimming, its contrast levels are incredible, rivaling those of TVs well over $1,000. When watching “Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom,” a volcanic eruption appeared lifelike with good separation of the ash cloud and sky behind. “Lord of the Rings – Fellowship of the Ring” on 4K UHD Blu-ray displayed marvelously with each blade of grass distinguishable. Colors are accurate out-of-the-box. For non-HDR content, the theatre night preset is the most accurate, although it disables the backlight so it’s better for viewing in a dark setting. If you need a bit more brightness for daytime viewing, the theatre day preset works well. When watching HDR videos, the HDR vivid preference is best.
Both HDR and SDR content looks fabulous. Upscaled 1080p videos from streaming services and Blu-rays looked equally stunning. Even non-high definition content such as VHS tapes and LaserDiscs is perfectly watchable, even on the Hisense H8F’s 4K screen. In addition to movies and TV shows, the Hisense H8F handles gaming extremely well. Its game mode yields a low 15ms of input lag which, while not as low as most gaming monitors, is in line with the industry standard for televisions. I noticed no lag whatsoever on the H8F.
Since the H8F includes Android TV onboard, it benefits from Google Assistant and Chromecast baked in. A small pinhole on the remote lets you utilize voice search. It’s a useful feature, though a dedicated streaming box is still recommended.
Unfortunately, there’s some light bloom that can detract from the contrast, which happens when a brighter part of the screen bleeds into a darker area. It’s not too noticeable but occasionally happens. Most viewers won’t even realize this, but hardcore cinephiles might complain. While Android TV does come built-in, it only features 8GB of storage space. Since most of that is taken up by the onboard operating system (OS), it leaves about 4GB of usable space which is paltry to say the least. Although I was able to install a few apps, performance suffered from freezing apps until I uninstalled a few. Of course, even if you have a smart TV like the Hisense H8F, you’re better served with a dedicated streaming device such as an Android TV box, Roku, Amazon Fire TV, or Apple TV.
While the H8F can decode Dolby Atmos, it can’t send that back to a soundbar or receiver using ARC (audio return channel). eARC, or enhanced ARC, is required to transmit uncompressed audio tracks, and without eARC it’s no surprise that the H8F can’t send uncompressed audio signals. However, most streaming services carry Dolby Atmos in a compressed container like Dolby Digital Plus which can be sent over ARC. Oddly, the H8F isn’t able to send DD+ audio which seems more like a software issue than a hardware problem. Theoretically, it could be fixed with a firmware update. Though the HDR10 and Dolby Vision HDR standards are supported, the H8F lacks HLG and HDR10+. Still, Dolby Vision HDR looks the best of all HDR standards, and HDR10 still lends significant color depth.
Despite a few shortcomings, the Hisense H8F is nevertheless an incredible 4K TV, especially for the money. Picture quality is fantastic and competes with far more expensive televisions. Movies, TV shows, sports, and video games look great, and it’s got plenty of inputs.
A High-end Image Without the High Price – Hisense H8F Review Final Thoughts
Overall, the Hisense H8F is a shockingly good value. Its extremely good contrast, 4K resolution, HDR, WCG, and full-array local dimming combine for a razor-sharp image. HDR and SDR content both look magnificent and there’s good out-of-the-box color accuracy. A high peak brightness means daytime viewing works well. Low input lag in its game mode makes the Hisense H8F a versatile television set. Though there’s occasional light bloom and the built-in streaming experience is hampered by lack of storage space, the Hisense H8F gives you a bright, high-end picture without a high price tag.
Pros
- Excellent picture quality with great contrast and full-array local dimming
- 4K HDR (HDR10, Dolby Vision)
- Low 15ms in game mode
- Lots of inputs including 4 x HDMI ports
- Extremely affordable
Cons
- Occasional light bloom
- Paltry storage space for apps and updates
- Can't pass Dolby Atmos via ARC
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