Showcasing both the video game and the color variety of the movies, the all-new U78KM series is generous in features. It surprises with a very low price. However, its reduced contrast and speakers remind us that we’re still in the midfield.
Posted at 9:00 am.
We love
For this two-week test, we adopted the 65-inch format from the Hisense U78KM, a 39 kg device that thankfully proved easy to assemble. Setting up this Google TV was instant, with a QR code and Google account already open.
We note right from the start that we have four HDMI inputs on the back, two HDMI 2.0 and then two HDMI 2.1 capable of transmitting up to 48 Gbps. We also have an Ethernet input, the favorite of those who want stable internet with lower latency, two USB ports and an optical audio output.
If we add the refresh rate of up to 144 Hz, a 4K resolution of 3840 x 2160, the 6th WiFi connection, AirPlay compatibility, an integrated Chromecast and its mini-LED technology, we have the impression of being on top to stand area. But no, the 65-inch model is available for a suggested retail price of $1,399.99.
Google TV’s interface is pretty basic, but it does have a few flaws that we’ll get to in more detail. The remote control offers us six buttons for quick commands, including Netflix, Prime Video and YouTube, as well as a microphone that we can use to challenge the Google Assistant. This can, for example, show the weather, control home automation devices and, what is important here, show one of the inputs or applications.
Since we’re in the Android universe, almost every TV application has a version, from Spotify to GeForce Now, through Tablo, Netflix, Tubi and even, what’s too rare, ICI Tou.Tv. In total, more than 10,000 applications and hundreds of free Internet channels, although of very different quality.
The system responds well and quickly enough not to notice annoying delays when navigating from one menu to another. Without freezing, however, this TV isn’t the most maneuverable we’ve tested. However, it is powerful enough to manage, for example, a gamepad and the GeForce Now application for cloud gaming.
Enough talking about software, let’s move on to image quality. This is particularly bright and the colors are saturated. The details are well worked out and the action or sports scenes show a nice fluidity. In video games, of course, we’re at the mercy of the work we’re testing. The magnificent landscapes of God of War or the psychedelic scenes of Cyberpunk 2077 are rendered well. On the other hand, The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom felt a bit boring to us, its washed-out colors and slightly blurry graphics being abused by this TV. For the video game, we’ll also access an interface through which we can see and sometimes adjust certain parameters using Game Mode Pro. In particular, the refresh rate, the number of frames per second and the latency are taken into account.
The connection of Bluetooth devices such as headphones is efficient and stable. Unusually, we were even able to use one of the USB inputs for a Bluetooth key, which sends the signal to a headset with zero latency. The only drawback, however, is that we then had no way to control the volume.
We love less
In some menus, the U78KM simply doesn’t manage to deliver a convincing black. Unfortunately, the Google TV home screen is one of those slightly faded results, as is Apple TV+, which gives us a greyish background. However, the TV managed to display a deeper black when receiving Netflix or certain films, for example.
Perhaps the settings are to blame and in that regard, the Google TV interface isn’t the easiest. Yes, getting started is easy, but finding all the settings and ports in the submenus seemed tedious to us. Some presets are questionable: the game mode for the image, for example, did not contribute to the precision of the image, on the contrary.
Another annoyance is the attempt to foist a lot of Google curated content on viewers, which is hard to dismiss. For example, even after uninstalling the Disney+ app, we continued to see movie suggestions on this platform.
On the sound side, we have two speakers here that can put out 20 watts, which should be enough. We didn’t like it, the sound lacked bass and depth despite the inclusion of Dolby Atmos.
You buy ?
This is clearly one of the best mid-range models available. At an attractive price, despite some annoyances, we offer a rich and well-defined 4K image, technological generosity and an efficient interface. Obviously at this price point there’s no way to get the perfect black of an OLED TV and the sound could use some improvement.
But it is undoubtedly a recommendable purchase.
U78KM
Manufacturer: Hisense
Price: From $1199.99 (55″) to $2799.99 (85″)
Rating: 8.5 out of 10