Hisense has announced the US launch of its 2019 H8F and H9F LCD TVs with local dimming capabilities. Prices start at $400 for a 50-inch model.
Hisense H8F and H9F
Hisense's H8F and H9F were announced at CES 2019 as part of a full line-up for 2019 that also includes a flagship 4K LCD TV and more affordable 4K LCD TVs with either Android or Roku.
Both TVs will be sold as "ULED", which is a marketing term similar to Samsung's "QLED". It is conventional LCD technology with a quantum dot film in the display stack. In addition, the LCD panels in H8F and H9F feature local dimming capabilities.
Hisense says that H9F features a 120 Hz panel, 132 dimming zones, and 1000 nits peak brightness. It uses quantum dot technology to expand the color gamut to 100% DCI-P3. H8F has 60 dimming zones, 700 nits peak brightness, and 90% DCI-P3 coverage.
The TVs have been designed with viewers, not buyers, in mind, the company said. For this purpose, Hisense has selected Google's Android TV platforms that offers access to streaming apps such as HBO, Netflix, and YouTube.
- "We see consumers as TV viewers, not just buyers, so we've worked tirelessly to design stunning and sophisticated televisions from the inside out that challenge expectations and deliver best-in-class experiences," said David Gold, Hisense USA VP of Consumer of Electronics. "With thousands of games and 500,000 movies and TV episodes available, Android TV allows us to provide a wide array of entertainment options that are easy to find. No one in your house will be able to say 'there's nothing to watch' anymore."
The Chinese company also used to opportunity to emphasize that it is the "fastest growing TV brand of the top six brands in the US", according to data from NPD Group. Hisense believes that "H8F significantly outperforms Vizio and TCL across the defining elements of ULED including brightness, range, and accuracy of colors, and image contrast", citing market research from Wakefield Research. The study was commissioned by Hisense.
The new TVs will compete head-to-head with zone dimming LCD TVs from the likes of Sony, Samsung, TCL, and Vizio. With the advent of High Dynamic Range (HDR), TV makers have started transitioning away from edge-lit LCD TVs, which are incapable of reproducing HDR, to either zone dimming LCD TVs or OLED. There is no word on Hisense's OLED TV that was launched in Australia in late 2018 but later this year Hisense is bringing its 1000-zone U9F LCD TV to the US.
Hisense says that H8F is available now from amazon.com. H9F will be available in June, starting at $700 for a 55-inch model.
Hisense H8F / H9F - prices & dealers
| Series | Features | Price | | Hisense H8F | 4K LCD
60 dimming zones
Dolby Vision & HDR10
Android TV with Google Assistant | (50")
(55")
(65")
|
| Hisense H9F | 4K LCD
132 dimming zones
Dolby Vision & HDR10
Android TV with Google Assistant | $700 (55")
$1000 (65")
|
