// WIRED US/UK — MOBILE & WEB
Hisense UR8 RGB MiniLED TV: Midrange Quality, Upscale Color Accuracy
An array of brilliant colors is what you want from an RGB television, and on that front, the Hisense UR8 RGB MiniLED delivers. After having reviewed a number of the top RGB TVs, including the flagship Hisense UR9 RGB MiniLED and offerings from Samsung and LG, I can report that this UR8 is solidly good. It provides mini RGB tech at a lower price than the impressive UR9. As long as you can accept UR8's lacking contrast and brightness capabilities—at least compared to its high-performing sibling—the television's color accuracy stands to wow you.
What makes RGB models like the Hisense UR8 RGB MiniLED so interesting is that you can tweak the picture quality for more brilliant and accurate colors. While testing proved the UR9 has a brighter panel that performs at a higher caliber for movies, shows, games, and even displaying artwork, the UR8 is certainly colorful. But are the compromises of this more budget-friendly model worth the savings? That has less of a clear, black-and-white answer.
The UR8 is a bit thicker than the UR9, but it is otherwise visually similar: They appear to have the same chassis and similarly feature a single pedestal. The stand snaps into place and requires some screws, but the assembly process is overall straightforward and quick. Installation couldn't be simpler: Just scan a QR code that connects to Google Home and move through the steps.
The left side of the TV houses all of the port inputs: an Ethernet port for reliable streaming, an optical audio port, a coaxial port, and one USB-A port for external storage or connecting an HD antenna. Like the UR9, this model supports Wi-Fi 6E for speedy and reliable streaming. For color accuracy, the UR8 meets 100 percent of the BT.2020 spec and is Pantone Validated, meaning it can showcase a broad selection of color variation.
Now for the key differences in specs between the UR8 and UR9 RGB models: The UR8 is around 3,500 nits while the UR9 is 5,000 nits—a delta that made a big difference in my benchmarks, which I’ll cover in a bit. The UR8 has four HDMI 2.1 ports, while the UR9 only has three; however, the UR9 adds a USB-C port on the side for low-latency gaming, which didn't prove particularly impactful.
The UR8 also has less capable internal speakers than the UR9. It’s a 2.1.2 system (two main channels, one sub, and two height channels) compared to the 4.1.2 channel configuration on the UR9 (which adds a side channel). If you use a soundbar or an AV receiver, this won’t matter. Both models support Dolby Atmos and have an eARC passthrough audio port for surround sound.
The UR8 offers a 55-inch size, while the UR9’s smallest size is 65-inch. Otherwise, both are available in 75-inch, 85-inch, and 100-inch sizes.
Finally, the two share a remote control design, with a nicely centered Home button but a strangely hidden Mute on the lower right. I am not sure why there is a shortcut button for Kidoodle.TV, either, but I love that it’s backlit.
First, some background on micro and mini RGB televisions: Like traditional LED televisions, RGB models use LED backlights. But instead of shining white or blue lights through a color filter and LCD panel (as is the standard for an LED television), RGB TVs use red, green, and blue lights. The result is often strikingly realistic, even if you’re watching during the bright daylight.
To test the capabilities of the UR8, I watched scenes of the film Awake on Netflix that are so remarkably dark on many midrange televisions that it's nearly impossible to see what's happening. As with all RGB televisions I've tested, I could adjust the picture quality on the UR8 to help with contrast, but that function isn't a cure-all. Initially, a scene where the main character rides a bike was almost completely dark, especially while using Dolby Vision Reference mode and standard Dolby Vision modes. Switching to a custom Dolby Vision setting helped after I cranked up the brightness, but the picture still wasn’t overly clear.