Hisense introduced four separate series of mini LED TVs at CES 2024, with the line-up led by a huge 110-inch model, the 110UX. The 110UX is the largest TV in the company’s flagship ULED X series, which also has a 98-inch model – the baby of the family.
We’ve been looking forward to testing the new Hisense U8N, the successor to the Hisense U8K, and the mid-range option in our best TV guide. But the company has now surprised us with yet another mini-LED TV series, the Hisense U9N.
The U9N series slots in between the ULED These features include Hi-View Engine X image processing and a mini LED backlight with up to 5,300 local dimming zones. The brightness of the U9N series is specified at 5,000 nits, which is the same brightness spec Hisense listed for the new 98-inch ULED X model at CES.
Like the new U8N series, U9N TVs use a quantum dot LCD panel and support Dolby Vision, Dolby Vision IQ and HDR10+ high dynamic range. Other picture improvements include IMAX Enhanced and Filmmaker Mode picture presets, an anti-glare screen, and an ultra-wide viewing angle to improve off-center viewing.
In terms of audio, U9N series TVs have a built-in 4.1.2-channel Dolby Atmos audio system, with up to 82W of power. Hisense has also equipped its new 2024 TVs with the Google TV smart platform, Wi-Fi 6E wireless connectivity and a built-in ATSC 3.0 tuner to receive next-generation digital TV channels.
Gaming features on the U9N series include a native 144Hz refresh rate for PC gaming, VRR with AMD FreeSync Premium Pro support, Dolby Vision gaming, Auto Game Mode, and a new Game Bar feature with a user customization option.
The U9N series is coming to BestBuy.com this summer and will cost $2,999 for the 75-inch size and $3,999 for the 85-inch size.
Analysis: Super-bright TVs are becoming the new normal
There are benefits to watching on a TV with high brightness, especially when it comes to movies. Some movies are mastered with brightness peaks that exceed the 1,000 nits threshold typically used for 4K HDR production – up to 4,000 nits in some cases – and any TV that can display that content will have an advantage in picture quality.
High brightness TVs also have advantages for daytime viewing, when the set has to compete with bright room lighting, which can dull the picture and cause distracting screen reflections.
Mini-LED is a better option for high screen brightness than regular LED and OLED technology. That is why TV makers are increasingly releasing models with mini LED backlighting. Hisense is using mini-LED for its entire 2024 TV range, and Sony has switched from OLED to mini-LED for its 2024 flagship TVs, the Bravia 9 series.
We had a chance to test Samsung’s flagship 4K mini-LED TV for 2024, the Samsung QN90D, and it measured a peak brightness of around 2,000 nits. We also tested the company’s flagship 8K mini-LED TV, the Samsung QN900D, and it measured an impressive 2,338 nits.
Hisense claims its new U9N series TVs can reach a peak brightness of 5,000 nits – more than double what Samsung’s brightest mini LED TV can deliver. A 75-inch Samsung QN90D costs $3,299, while the 85-inch QN90D costs $4,799. With Hisense’s U9N series costing $2,999 and $3,999 for the 75-inch and 85-inch models respectively, these new TVs should provide serious competition for both Samsung and Sony.
TVs are getting bigger, as that 110-inch Hisense ULED X model proves. But the next battleground in the TV wars is brightness, and if the Hisense U9N can hit 5,000 nits while costing less than its premium competition, it could raise the stakes significantly.