Hisense U6K Pro Review (55U6K Pro) – Big Brilliant ULED TV Tested

Hisense has been carving out a niche for value-oriented offerings especially with their Google TV-powered U6K Pro series ULED TVs that come in both 55-inch and 65-inch sizes for the Malaysia market and which are intended as the more mainstream choice below their more premium U7K series and the 8K U900KF TV.

We recently got our hands on the 55-inch U6K Pro model for review for the past couple of weeks and put it through its paces. Here’s our Hisense U6K Pro review where we share if their mainstream smart TV deserves a place in your home.

Hisense U6K Pro Review – Build and Design

Out of the box, our 55-inch Hisense U6K Pro review unit comes with the panel itself protected by multiple layers of protective wrap and suspended in a styrofoam framework, its stand assembly that consists of two feet that attach to the base of the TV, a set of screws to bolt said feet to the TV, a power cable and a remote control.

Getting the TV set up and deployed is best done as a two man job on account of its size though it can be done by a single person in a pinch with some care and patience.

In terms of build and design, our 55-inch Hisense U6K Pro review sample features a clean, minimalist look with the front featuring slim side and top bezels around the 55-inch Quantum Dot ULED LCD panel though the bottom bezel is slightly thicker with the Hisense logo emblazoned in the corner.

The base of the TV also has a raised chin that extends out from the bottom bezel which has physical controls to toggle access to the microphone that Google Assistant relies on for voice commands and another button to turn it on or off in lieu of the remote control. 

Propping the TV up are a wide pair of angular, squarish looking feet to hold the entire affair up that are held in place with a set of Phillips head screws.

Granted, they aren’t the most stylish design as stands go but they get the job done and our Hisense U6K Pro review sample proved to be extremely stable when fully assembled. One quibble here is that there isn’t much clearance at the base of the TV for plonking a soundbar so you’ll need to modify your setup accordingly if you aim to use one and get a riser or stand. 

The sides of the TV are finished in a glossy chromed finish though the entirety of the back of the U6K Pro is a polycarbonate panel done up in an utilitarian matte black. The rear also hosts a VESA mount in case you want to wall mount the TV though the mount has to be acquired separately.

Assuming you’re facing the TV, you’ll get the majority of its ports on the left side in a row with a trio of HDMI 2.0 ports, one of which has eARC support, a pair of USB 2.0 ports, an AV-in port, a 3.5mm audio port and a service port for diagnostics. Placed directly on the rear panel is an Ethernet port and a digital audio output.

The provided remote control for our Hisense U6K Pro review unit covers all the basics with direct button shortcuts to Netflix, Youtube, Youtube Music, Prime video and Google Play arrayed at the bottom, a numeric keypad up top, a direction pad in the middle, volume and channel controls as well as a button to summon Google Assistant via voice commands.

There is also a handy shortcut button to swap inputs and Picture Mode settings on the fly. Here’s how it stacks up on paper…

Specifications
Price RM2,999 [55 inch]
Display 55-inch Quantum Dot ULED display, 3,840 x 2,160 pixels w/ Dolby Vision, HDR10, HLG, HDR 10+, 60Hz refresh rate
OS Google TV
Processor N/A
Memory 2GB RAM/ 16GB storage
Connectivity 3 HDMI 2.0,  2 x USB 2.0, Wifi 5 802.11AC, Bluetooth 5.0
Speakers 2 x 10W w/ Dolby Audio, Dolby Atmos
Size/Weight 1,232 x 778 x 313mm / 13kg [with stand]

Hisense U6K Pro Review – Setup and Performance

Our Hisense U6K Pro review unit uses a 55-inch Quantum Dot ULED display with 4K resolution (3,840 x 2,160 pixels), a native 60Hz refresh rate with variable refresh rate (VRR) and an auto low latency mode (ALLM) though it does not officially state support for NVIDIA G-Sync or AMD Freesync though, to be fair, this isn’t intended for serious gaming duties.

For the uninitiated, a Hisense ULED panel is essentially an LED-backlit LCD panel with the aforementioned Quantum Dot film over the display for richer colour rendition that also integrates a range of proprietary Hisense technologies to enhance image quality. In Malaysia, a 65-inch U6K variant exists and will have similar results.

Of note is that the TV offers support for HDR content including HDR10, HDR10+, HLG and Dolby Vision too. The TV also has a built-in adaptive light sensor that can intelligently adjust brightness levels to offer optimum viewing when you’re watching it in the daytime or at night. On the acoustic front, the TV is able to kick out sound via a pair of 10W speakers with Dolby Atmos support.

Under the hood, our Hisense U6K Pro review unit runs Google TV with Chromecast as well as Apple Airplay support, voice commands using Google Assistant as well as baked-in shortcuts to Prime Video, Netflix, YouTube and YouTube Music.

Powering the TV is their own Hisense Hi-View AI Engine that optimises settings for content viewed on screen in the background paired with 2GB RAM and 16GB of onboard storage though the small size of apps on Google TV doesn’t make this an issue.

A variant of the U6K is also available in Malaysia that has similar specifications but which runs VIDAA OS firmware but that’s a different kettle of fish entirely. If you venture beyond Malaysia, Hisense also has other variants that use Mini LEDs and different combinations of either Google TV or VIDAA so it can get somewhat confusing fast.

Setting up our Hisense U6K Pro review unit  is a straightforward task by signing in with our Google account, our Netflix account and toggling through a few basic settings like the WiFi password and whatnot.Once all the formalities are sorted, the TV runs in a fashion akin to other Google TV powered Smart TVs which makes for an easy learning curve.

Our Hisense U6K Pro review unit offers a number of picture settings with the ability to tweak colour settings to taste. Out of the box, the TV was set to Standard mode though you can opt for a more saturated Dynamic mode or a Filmmaker mode that attempts to adjust video to its original settings for the most authentic viewing experience possible. 

You can also get a Cinema mode, a Sports mode, a Game mode, Natural and a Calibrated mode. For those who enjoy late night viewing, the U6K Pro also has selectable low blue light settings though this tends to throw a yellow cast on footage so it’s best used only for casual viewing like catching the news or a quick sports update where colour accuracy isn’t an issue.

By and large, I preferred the usage of Dynamic mode with its more saturated tones for viewing most content with Filmmaker mode when watching movies. 

When subjected to test 4K footage, our Hisense U6K Pro review sample did surprisingly well. Blooming, when you see shades of white bleeding over from an extremely bright image over a dark background, was well handled overall and the TV was able to keep it well under control with its full array local dimming save for extreme circumstances with pure white text over black backgrounds. 

In Dynamic mode, test footage of Squid Games was handled well with the neon pink jumpsuits of the guards and the more muted green of the contestants rendered at the right hues without being overly saturated. 

Scenes from the Dark Knight Rises which can stress out lesser displays were also well handled with beautifully deep blacks and clear details grey in the costumes used in the movie on account of the U6K Pro’s full array local dimming  with Filmmaker mode lending it subtler nuances of black as Nolan intended it to be.

Watching the Fifth Element with Filmmaker mode was a delight with its futuristic, ultra vibrant scenery looking fantastic and, especially in the city scenes with its multitude of easter eggs in the various building windows brimming with detail.

When subjected to a quick game of Cyberpunk 2077 off a paired gaming laptop via HDMI with Game Mode Plus on, our Hisense U6K Pro review unit handled it in a fairly competent fashion without noticeable ghosting especially during intensive firefights though the 60Hz frame rate cap means that the U6K Pro can’t take full advantage of higher end game settings on consoles like the Playstation 5.

The dearth of HDMI ports also means that more ardent gamers who have multiple consoles may have to end up plugging consoles in and out over time but it’s not a huge dealbreaker.

The pair of 10W speakers on the U6K Pro acquitted themselves well and were capable of kicking out high volume sound without distortion though bass and very subtle tracks like Vaughan William’s ‘The Lark Ascending’ sounded rather muted with middling sound staging. On its own for standard usage running through live streams, movies and the like, it’s more than sufficient though if you’re looking for richer detail and better sound staging, you’ll need to acquire a soundbar or better speaker setup. 

Should you buy the 55-inch Hisense U6K Pro TV?

The 55-inch Hisense U6K Pro TV is an accomplished design that offers good colour rendition and excellent contrast for most content with decent audio off the built-in speakers.

For what you pay for, this offers great value  as a general purpose TV for your home that’s easy to set up and master on account of Google TV running under the hood, large enough to take pride of place in your living room and has the ability to handle movies and casual gaming in a respectably competent fashion.

Hisense U6K Pro review sample courtesy of Hisense Malaysia. For more details and to purchase please visit https://www.hisense.com.my/product/4k-uled-tv-u6k-pro-series/