{"id":142772,"date":"2022-03-07T16:37:34","date_gmt":"2022-03-07T16:37:34","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.techweekmag.com\/?p=142772"},"modified":"2023-10-18T07:04:21","modified_gmt":"2023-10-18T06:04:21","slug":"hisense-a8g-review-well-made-and-feature-packed","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.stereoindex.com\/tech\/tv\/hisense-a8g-review-well-made-and-feature-packed\/","title":{"rendered":"Hisense A8G : Well-made and feature-packed"},"content":{"rendered":"

Hisense A8G is a 2021 4K HDR OLED TV series from a Chinese manufacturer.\u00a0It comes with Dolby Atmos and HDR10+ features, but no IMAX Enhanced support.\u00a0The speakers sound surprisingly good and the smart platform is quite responsive.\u00a0True, there are some minor issues, but overall this series is very competitive.<\/p>\n

\"Hisense
Hisense A8G is a well-made and feature packed TV<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Theoretically, the A8G series from Hisense is presented as a Smart TV with an OLED display in 55 and 65-inch diagonals. Unlike some competitors, there are no compact 48-inch variants or giant 77-inch versions in the lineup. In the review of Hisense 55A8G 4K HDR OLED, we will consider a model with a diagonal of 55 inches, which is presented on the official website.<\/p>\n

Hisense A8G review<\/h2>\n

Before considering the A8G series, you should pay attention to the Hisense A9G TV line. And if someone thought that the name of this series of TVs is familiar, then this is true.\u00a0Sony’s 2019 family of 4K OLED models included a model with the same designation Sony\u00a0A9G\u00a0.\u00a0When searching for Hisense in the SERP from Google, there will be quite a lot of results for the namesake from Sony.\u00a0The main difference between the A9G series and the considered Hisense A8GQ is the matrix frequency of 120 Hz.<\/p>\n

But that’s not all.\u00a0In Europe, along with the Hisense A8G series TVs, an \u201cimproved\u201d version is presented – these are the Hisense A85G models.\u00a0The main functionality of the A85G is kept at the A8G level, but the matrix supports the coveted 120 Hz and the design has been changed.\u00a0It should be pointed out that the price difference between Hisense A85G and A8G is only 100 euros.\u00a0And it’s not that expensive for the Hisense 55A85G model with a 120Hz screen.\u00a0Naturally, when buying, you should give preference to the Hisense A85G series.<\/p>\n

\"Hisense<\/a><\/p>\n

Design<\/h3>\n

There is an opinion that Hisense could borrow some solutions from older Sony models as the basis for the design of the A8GQ series.\u00a0There is no screen tilt.\u00a0The upper part of the Hisense 55A8G screen “hangs in the air”.\u00a0At first glance, it seems that the model is frameless.\u00a0But this is not so – there is a small and elegant edge, but it is almost invisible.<\/p>\n

The stand is made in the form of two L-shaped legs.\u00a0They are located at a certain distance from the edges of the screen and provide a secure fixation of the Hisense 55A8G TV on a horizontal surface.<\/p>\n

The back side of 2\/3 of the screen size has a certain depth.\u00a0This is where the motherboard of the TV is located.\u00a0Speakers and interface inputs are located in this case.\u00a0Most connections are made to the side, but there are also rear connections.<\/p>\n

As a result, while Hisense’s 55A8G looks nice and is very well made, it feels a bit dated in terms of design.\u00a0In terms of dimensions, the 55″ version measures 122cm wide, 71cm high and 6.8cm deep (with 31cm stand).\u00a0VESA mount 300x200mm.<\/p>\n

\"Hisense<\/a><\/p>\n

Connections<\/h3>\n

The connections are on the left side of the Hisense 55A8G, with most of them facing the side.\u00a0This interface part is closed with a decorative cover.\u00a0The rear connections are not protected by decor, but the design of the stand allows you to fix the cable connections, and everything will look neat.<\/p>\n

There are four HDMI inputs (three side and one rear) supporting 4K@60Hz.\u00a0Among them there is a pair of\u00a0HDMI2.1\u00a0(ALLM, VRR), HDMI2.1 (eARC, ALLM, VRR).\u00a0Oddly enough, some sources do not mention HDMI2.1 in Hisense A8G, although the official resource denies this and positions it as a TV with HDMI 2.1.<\/p>\n

There are also terrestrial and satellite tuners, an AV input (adapter included), an optical digital output, an Ethernet port, two USB ports (2.0 and 3.0), a headphone jack and a CI slot.\u00a0As for wireless connections, the user gets built-in dual-band Wi-Fi IEEE 802.11 a\/b\/g\/n\/ac (2.4G and 5G) and Bluetooth 5.0.<\/p>\n

Remote controller<\/h3>\n

The remote control is a stylish piece with a long, thin shape and an attractive black and silver two-tone finish.\u00a0It is comfortable to hold and easy to use with one hand.\u00a0The remote is well designed, with sensible button placement and quick access buttons to the main streaming services.<\/p>\n

Smart TV platform<\/h3>\n

The Hisense A8GQ TV series runs on the latest\u00a0VIDAA\u00a0U 5.0 smart platform.\u00a0Although it is not as bright and comprehensive as some of the competitors.\u00a0The Smart TV system is intuitive and quite effective.\u00a0It is based on a full-screen home page reminiscent of the latest version of Android, with all the apps, features and information laid out in an easy to understand and navigate way.<\/p>\n

Apps appear in the center of the home screen, with content related to the currently highlighted app displayed just above.\u00a0Beneath the apps are rows of content based on recommendations, and at the top are icons for search, input, settings, posts, and EPG.<\/p>\n

The interface is nice, customizable and easy to navigate thanks to the responsive remote control.\u00a0The platform has support for Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant (may not be available in all markets), making the 55A8G TV a full-featured, voice-controlled smart assistant.<\/p>\n

There is a decent selection of streaming apps including Netflix , Amazon Prime, YouTube, Britbox, and Rakuten TV. All this is complemented by a well-integrated EPG. Only the absence of Disney + and Apple TV + is disappointing. The specification’s inclusion of support for Dolby Vision and Atmos maximizes the Netflix experience.<\/p>\n

\"Hisense<\/a><\/p>\n

Image<\/h3>\n

The Hisense A8G uses an\u00a0LG Display\u00a0panel like any other OLED TV on the market today.\u00a0Therefore, the series in question retains all the usual advantages such as wider viewing angles, perfect blacks, superb pixel-perfect shadow and light detail.<\/p>\n

In addition, the overall screen uniformity is excellent, with no banding, dirty screen effect, or extra color cast.\u00a0Night mode “Cinema” achieves the most accurate picture setting out of the box, with overall errors below the visible threshold.<\/p>\n

By the way, if you have the necessary measuring instruments, a template generator and the appropriate software, you can even better adjust the accuracy of the picture.\u00a0But even without additional calibrations, the image of the factory setting of the average user will completely satisfy.<\/p>\n

SDR playback<\/h3>\n

Although advanced users are of the opinion that the gamma could be better, and the color management system is a bit rough.\u00a0But in general, the image quality of SDR is very good.\u00a0The colors look quite natural.\u00a0Even lower resolution content looks crisp and detailed thanks to decent scaling and processing, including Hisense’s AI-powered “Hisense Alphonso” auto mode.<\/p>\n

The motion control in Hisense’s A8GQ is very good.\u00a0The Ultra Smooth Motion menu offers a choice of Smooth, Standard, Sharp, Film and Custom modes.\u00a0For movie buffs, turn it all off and avoid director mode, which will cause judder.<\/p>\n

Sports events can be viewed in smooth mode, which works quite well.\u00a0Custom mode allows you to experiment with different shake and blur settings in action scenes.<\/p>\n

HDR playback<\/h3>\n

The Hisense A8G series excels at wide dynamic range and offers a full range of\u00a0HDR10\u00a0, HLG, HDR10+ and Dolby Vision options.\u00a0Support for IMAX Enhanced has not been officially announced.<\/p>\n

For HDR10 and HLG, night mode is the most accurate option, while for HDR10+, Cinema is the best choice.\u00a0Dolby Vision should select “Dark” for some content.\u00a0Adjusting image brightness based on dynamic metadata is useful when watching general broadcasts.\u00a0There is also a user mode, but it seems redundant.<\/p>\n

The Hysens A8G series delivers peak brightness of 800 nits in full screen mode.\u00a0It’s about 350 nits.\u00a0Tone mapping brings out highlights.\u00a0However, for most content, the results are excellent.\u00a0Deep blacks and bright whites provide crisp images.<\/p>\n

Color performance is also good.\u00a0It covers 98% of the DCI-P3 color space.\u00a0Here we get all the benefits of the wider HDR color gamut.\u00a0These colors are displayed correctly.\u00a0As a result, the 55A8G TV does a good job of handling the “exaggerated” colors that are used in surreal moments.<\/p>\n

\"Hisense<\/a><\/p>\n

Game Mode<\/h3>\n

The Hisense A8G series of TVs is good enough for gaming, but if you’re using one of the next generation consoles, the Hisense A9G might be a better option.\u00a0The HDMI inputs support ALLM and the TV switches to game mode when the console is detected, but no 4K@120Hz.\u00a0In this series, you have to be content with only 60 Hz.<\/p>\n

\"Hisense
Hisense A8G Rear<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Game Mode uses the current picture settings, but features that optimize input lag, such as Motion Enhancement, are greyed out.\u00a0Although the latency in game mode is significantly less, it is 28ms.\u00a0The manufacturer claims less than 35 ms.\u00a0This figure is still much higher than most competitors.\u00a0Many models offer a latency of less than 10ms.<\/p>\n

However, PS4’s HDR gameplay was pleasantly responsive, with smooth motion, detailed images, and crisp highlights.\u00a0As always, there is a minimal risk of screen burn, but you are unlikely to run into problems if you watch a variety of content and do not pause games for several hours in a row.<\/p>\n

Sound system<\/h3>\n

Hisense’s A8G TV lineup sounds surprisingly good, especially considering it’s a thin OLED panel.\u00a0The soundtrack comes from the speakers 4x10W + 2x10W (built-in subwoofer at the back).\u00a0There are a pair of upward-firing speakers that support Dolby Atmos and DTS Virtual X. Adding an extra amplifier makes for an amazing 2.1.2-CH system.<\/p>\n

Unfortunately, there are no rear channels, like the Hysens A9G.\u00a0In the ninth series, there is an additional panel under the TV screen.\u00a0Therefore, the focus of the front soundstage is slightly blurred.\u00a0On the other hand, there is real support for Dolby Atmos – real upward-firing speakers.\u00a0There is a genuine feeling of the frontal upper channels on the face.\u00a0As far as bass is concerned, the sound system cannot compete with a separate soundbar and a dedicated subwoofer.<\/p>\n

Conclusion<\/h3>\n

Hisense A8G is an impressive 4K OLED TV, well-made and feature-packed.\u00a0While image fidelity is generally very good, the 20-point white balance is off and gamma is a bit capricious.\u00a0HDR tone mapping can clip glare in content.\u00a0But a 60 Hz matrix nullifies all the advantages of OLED.<\/p>\n

But on the other hand, it will certainly be difficult to find a similarly priced OLED model that supports Dolby Vision, HDR10+, IMAX Enhanced and Dolby Atmos.\u00a0Add to that a 2.1.2-channel sound system and an efficient intelligent platform.\u00a0Plus good overall performance in SDR and HDR.\u00a0Therefore, A8GQ from Hysens is indeed a very competitive option for a modern TV.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Hisense A8G is a 2021 4K HDR OLED TV series from a Chinese manufacturer.\u00a0It comes with Dolby Atmos and HDR10+ features, but no IMAX Enhanced support.\u00a0The speakers sound surprisingly good and the smart platform is quite responsive.\u00a0True, there are some minor issues, but overall this series is very competitive. Theoretically, the A8G series from Hisense […] More<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":10402,"featured_media":142795,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[641],"tags":[778],"class_list":{"0":"post-142772","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-tv","8":"tag-reviews"},"acf":[],"amp_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.stereoindex.com\/tech\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/142772","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.stereoindex.com\/tech\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.stereoindex.com\/tech\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.stereoindex.com\/tech\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/10402"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.stereoindex.com\/tech\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=142772"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.stereoindex.com\/tech\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/142772\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.stereoindex.com\/tech\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/142795"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.stereoindex.com\/tech\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=142772"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.stereoindex.com\/tech\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=142772"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.stereoindex.com\/tech\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=142772"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}