Wondering which smart TV is best for the value, or if the Hisense U65QF Mini-LED is actually the best budget gaming TV around right now? Kate breaks it down in this Buy or Skip review. When it comes to the Hisense U6, this video includes performance data for input lag, HDR brightness and color reproduction, as well as anecdotal experience with the set’s motion handling and wide angling viewing.
Then there’s the situation of Fire TV vs. Google TV…
But ultimately this Hisense U6 review comes down to the value proposition. It’s one of the most affordable options among the best 85-inch TVs and even comes in a 100-inch configuration which lands under $2,000 thanks to permanent sale pricing.
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0:00 - Hisense U65QF 2025 Review 0:26 - Best budget gaming TV? 1:45 - Brightness tested 2:17 - Color reproduction and accuracy 2:44 - Motion handling and viewing angles 3:20 - Fire TV vs. Google TV 4:33 - Buy or Skip?
The Hisense U65QF is a budget-friendly Mini LED TV that offers impressive value, especially for gamers and those seeking large screens. While it excels in brightness, color accuracy, and gaming specs, it makes compromises in motion handling, viewing angles, and its smart interface. It is a strong contender for those prioritizing performance-per-dollar over premium refinement.
Hey guys, welcome back to Buy or Skip. Today we're checking out a very tempting option,
the Hisense U65QF Mini LED TV. If you're asking which smart TV is best for budget 4K
or hunting for the best budget gaming TV with bigger screen sizes, this one should definitely
be on your radar. But does it deliver? Let's dive in and decide whether to buy or skip in this
review. Let's talk value first because the U6 is Hisense's most entry-level ULED or Mini LED TV
price-wise and it comes in a very healthy selection of size options, including big screens up to 100
inches. Now this is the 55 inch version and it's actually the smallest size and it starts at $800
but is basically permanently on sale for $450. If you see it priced somewhere where it's much
higher than that, do not buy it. In fact, I'll link the best deal down in the description.
But honestly, the best deal might be this thing at 85 inches, just under $1,000. Even that 100
inch size is under $2,000 which is just ridiculous. But more importantly, at these low price points,
the Hisense U6 packs a serious punch. You get 144 hertz panel, HDMI 2.1, variable refresh rate,
and auto low latency mode, all of which are key if you plan to game. We tested out the input lag.
It measures around 13.2 milliseconds so it's definitely usable for console or PC gaming.
If you just happen to be searching for the best budget gaming TV that you can get in big sizes,
this checks a lot of boxes. Premium gaming features without premium pricing. As long as
you can live with some trade-offs, which I'll get to later in this video, this is a standout value
play. Next, something a lot of you guys always seem to care about in these videos, brightness. We ran
our usual set of benchmarks and the U6 pushes close to 1,000 nits in HDR, which translates to
highlights that actually pop. Even in a bright room, movies and games look dynamic and punchy.
HDR content really benefits from this. You get vivid explosions and reflections without that
usual washed out look that I was kind of expecting for a TV at this price. So for HDR performance at
this price point, it gets a very big thumbs up. Another selling point of the U6's performance for
me is the color accuracy. It's genuinely solid and again, kind of blew my expectations away.
It covered about 99% of the Rec.709 color gamut with a Delta E under 2, meaning colors are balanced
and natural right out of the box. That's how we test these TVs. Look, that's pretty rare in this
price range. I mean, I've seen many LED TVs this year that cost like double and the numbers aren't
this good. Now, as I mentioned earlier, there are some trade-offs with the performance. In the cases
of value TVs, sometimes you just have to look a little bit closer to actually find them. For me,
the biggest issues come with fast motion and off-angle viewing. You might see ghosting in
quick action scenes or blooming around bright objects on dark backgrounds. And like a lot of
VA panels, the picture just kind of loses contrast if you're watching from the side. If you mostly
watch it straight on, no big deal. But for wide seating setups or sports nights with a crowd,
this is something I would absolutely keep in mind. A final thing to keep in mind, and it is a very big
one. The smart TV experience on the U6 here is powered by Amazon's Fire TV platform. Can you put
on Wicked? In recent years, we've seen a lot of TV makers move away from Fire TV in favor of Google
TV. And in fact, most of Hisense's 2025 TVs are Google TVs, but they're offering a little bit of
variety here. And honestly, it's fine. It's also nothing special. Although you should find all of
the apps that you want, navigation feels a little bit clunkier than it does on Roku or Google TV.
And the home screen leans quite heavily on Amazon content. And I mean, if I wanted that,
I would just buy a Fire Stick or one of those new fancy Amazon brand TVs if that's what I was
going for. If you already have a Roku Stick or prefer Apple TV, or maybe even have a Google TV
streamer, you'll probably want to plug that in anyway. Also, if this is a gaming TV, you know,
I'm guilty of just using the streaming apps on PS5 sometimes. There's nothing wrong with that.
Fire TV just is not my cup of tea. But unless you already have a platform that you strongly prefer,
I don't necessarily think that it's a deal breaker. To wrap things up, if you want a
massive screen with strong gaming specs, great HDR brightness, and surprisingly accurate color,
the Hisense U6 delivers real value. But if you care more about perfect motion handling,
wide viewing angles, or a slick smart interface, you'll probably notice the compromises.
It's a little more expensive, but I would encourage you to check out the TCL QM6K,
brand new TV for this year with Google TV, and maybe more consistent performance.
I'll link that below alongside the Hisense U6. Take a look at both if you're torn.
I know this was a little bit shorter of a TV review than I usually do here on the channel,
but if you did like this format, be sure to let me know in the comments. Otherwise,
that is it for this episode of Buy or Skip. Don't forget to like, subscribe,
and I'll catch you next time!