Hisense U8G vs Samsung QN90A: Which one should you buy?

If you’re willing to shell out a pretty dime for a premium LED TV, there’s no better time than the present. Across the industry, bright and colorful TVs take center stage, and while the price for near-perfect performance remains high, there are plenty of options to choose from.

This year, the Hisense U8G and the Samsung QN90A are two of those options. Both represent some of the best TV tech that every brand has to offer – premium experiences for people who buy in a higher price bracket. Given Samsung’s recent success in designing premium flagship TVs, we weren’t surprised that the QN90A is one of the best LED TVs you can buy, but we were surprised at how much the Hisense U8G gives the QN90A for its money. While both of these TVs offer exceptional picture quality, a chic design, and a long list of forward-looking features, there are some subtle and less subtle differences to be aware of before investing in your next high-end TV.

Buy the Samsung QN90A on Amazon

Buy the Hisense U8G on Amazon

Price

Credit: Reviewed / Jackson Ruckar

Before we get into the details of picture quality and features, let’s take a look at the availability and price of each of these TVs.

Hisense U8G:

The U8G is Hisense’s flagship TV for 2021. It comes in just two sizes: 55 inches and 65 inches. While this makes it easier for buyers to make a decision, people looking for a TV larger than 65 inches will have to look elsewhere.

Here’s how the series shakes up from a pricing perspective:

• 55-inch (Hisense 55U8G), MSRP $ 949.99
• 65-inch (Hisense 65U8G), MSRP $ 1,299.99

Samsung QN90A:

If you put aside the QN900A 8K Neo QLED TV series – a high-end luxury item that might be relatively hard to find – the QN90A is Samsung’s best 2021 TV. The QN90A is available in four sizes, ranging from 55 inches to 85 inches.

Here is the series at a glance:

• 55 inch (Samsung QN55QN90A), MSRP $ 1,799.99
• 65 inch (Samsung QN65QN90A), MSRP $ 2,599.99
• 75 inch (Samsung QN75QN90A), MSRP $ 3,499.99
• 85 inch (Samsung QN85QN90A), MSRP $ 4,999.99

The QN90A offers 75-inch and 85-inch options for people looking to have fun on a large, room-dominating TV, but the Hisense U8G’s two size options are much cheaper than their Samsung counterparts. Barring discounts, the 55-inch U8G costs around $ 850 less than the 55-inch QN90 at the time of writing. The 65-inch QN90A is about twice as expensive as the 65-inch U8G.

Our selection : Hisense U8G

Design

Credit: Reviewed / Jackson Ruckar

Both of these TVs are premium flagships, and their outward appearance certainly plays a role – they’re premium TVs through and through, and as such their materials look sturdy and chic. That said, there are some key differences that can be taken into account in your decision-making process.

The Hisense U8G is a beautifully cut (albeit bulky) panel that sits on an eye-catching butterfly-shaped stand. The stand design is a refreshing change from the wide boomerang-shaped legs that have grown in popularity in recent years, and it’s certainly nice to see companies think outside the box. That said, the footprint of the mount is quite large, so depending on the depth of your TV mount, it can clutter up the surface.

For people who embrace the unconventional, the U8G’s mix of chic and unique style can be appealing. For those who want to play it safe with a bit of minimalism, the U8G’s design might be too quirky.

Credit: Reviewed / Jackson Ruckar

The Samsung QN90A’s panel is thinner than that of the U8G and, from a visual point of view, the rear frame is less strained. Rather than relying on feet mounted at the end, this beautiful slab sits on a center-mounted curved stand that allows generous space for placement of a soundbar and / or external streaming devices.

Cable management slots are built into both designs, which is handy, but given the U8G’s large stand footprint, the QN90A will likely offer more flexibility on the table. And while beauty is in the eye of the beholder, the sleek, minimalist design of the QN90A is more our speed.

Our selection : Samsung QN90A

Features and smart platform

Credit: Reviewed / Jackson Ruckar

Being high-end TVs, the U8G and QN90A come equipped with an array of features and enhancements. Before we get to some of the differences, let’s take a look at what features these two TVs have in common:

• 4K resolution

• HDR (HDR10, HDR10 +, HLG)

• Quantum dot color
• 120Hz refresh rate

• HDMI 2.1 (4K @ 120fps)

• eARC
• Variable refresh rate (VRR)
• Automatic Low Latency Mode (ALLM)

Both TVs also have smart platforms built in, of course: the U8G comes with Android TV, and the QN90A has Samsung’s Tizen-based Smart Hub. While we love the near endless flexibility that Android TV offers, we find Samsung’s smart platform flexible enough. and easier to use.

The U8G and QN90A both offer high dynamic range (HDR), but only the U8G arrives ready to display Dolby Vision content. As of 2021, no Samsung TV on the market supports Dolby’s higher HDR format.

Credit: Reviewed / Jackson Ruckar

While both TVs offer HDMI 2.1 ports, only two of the U8G’s four HDMI ports carry specifications. On the other hand, the four HDMI ports of the QN90A are of the 2.1 variety. It might not seem like a big difference, but consider this: if you own an Xbox Series X, a PlayStation 5, and an eARC compatible soundbar, one of your exciting new gaming consoles will have to be relegated to an HDMI port that doesn’t support next-gen gaming features. With the QN90A, this is not a problem.

And while the U8G is no slouch when it comes to bells and whistles, it can’t quite compete with Samsung’s built-in software (Samsung Health, Samsung’s Game Bar, and support for his Q-Symphony, for example). Between these improvements, the superior smart platform and the additional HDMI 2.1 ports of the QN90A, the winner is clear.

Our selection : Samsung QN90A

Performance

Credit: Reviewed / Jackson Ruckar

Let’s put one thing aside: the U8G and QN90A are some of the best LED TVs you can buy today. Their screens equipped with quantum dots offer rich, precise but psychedelic colors and searing reflections. In fact, these are the two brightest TVs we’ve tested this year, so both will appear in well-lit rooms.

Another similarity is that these two TVs look their best when viewed from a direct front angle. Move to the side and you will notice a slight bloom and a slightly washed out color. The good news? Due to their brightness, both TVs handle off-angle viewing better than most TVs with VA-style panels.

Credit: Reviewed / Jackson Ruckar

Where you’ll start to notice significant differences between the two is during dark content. Both TVs feature full local dimming, but while the U8G hits a maximum of 360 zones for the 65-inch model, the 65-inch QN90A undoubtedly offers a lot more. This is because the QN90A has mini-LED backlighting, which means the LEDs are considerably smaller. The addition of more LEDs, along with their smaller size, makes the QN90A more agile when it comes to contrast control. In other words, the darker parts of the image can remain dark, even when lighter image elements come into play.

We spent a lot of time with both TVs, and while they are equally impressive, the QN90A is significantly better at limiting the bloom of light during darker scenes. So while the QN90A doesn’t give you Dolby Vision support, it is, pound for pound, the most cinematic experience.

Our selection : Samsung QN90A

And the winner is…

Credit: Reviewed / Jackson Ruckar

From its dazzling performance to its maximalist approach to features and enhancements, the Samsung QN90A is a better TV than the Hisense U8G. If you want the best, it’s the Q90A all the way.

Ultimately, however, the U8G could end up being one of the most cutting-edge TVs of the year, as it essentially offers around 80% of the QN90A experience for a fraction of the cost. It’s as bright as the QN90A, delivers incredible HDR colors, and comes with a toolbox full of gaming-related features.

If you are looking for better hardware, better performance, and a better selection of features, then go for the Samsung QN90A. If you want to be frugal while also snagging one of the best TVs of the year, the U8G is a perfect contender.

Buy the Samsung QN90A on Amazon

Buy the Hisense U8G on Amazon

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Prices were correct at the time of this article’s publication, but may change over time.