The trickle down of TV tech is speeding up. This year, Hisense brought Mini LED — which until recently was found only on high-end LCD TVs — to its budget-priced U6 line.
Mini LEDs use lots of little backlights instead of a large one to produce a picture on the screen. The result is better blacks, which translates to more contrast and a better picture overall. The best Mini LED TVs can rival an OLED TV for picture quality.
Adding Mini LEDs to the Hisense U6K makes it one of the best budget TVs you can buy. Its colors stand out, and it produces good contrast. But it can’t rival more expensive TVs that employ Mini LED technology, and you’ll sacrifice some performance in exchange for its low cost.
The Hisense U6K comes with a budget-friendly price and delivers vivid colors and good contrast. But it has limited viewing angles and it struggles with fast action, such as live sports.
What we liked about it
It produces impressive color and contrast
As soon as you start watching, you’ll see how deep reds, greens and blues pop off the screen; credit the screen’s quantum-dot technology. When the Great Mothers appear in “Ahsoka,” their red garb radiates from the screen; when Loki (“Loki”) dons his traditional armor, the green looks saturated. The blue skin of the Na’vi and the water in “Avatar: The Way of Water” appear hyperrealistic.
The Mini LEDs help the U6K produce much better contrast than other TVs at this price, including TCL’s Q6. When the Harkonnen attack in Denis Villeneuve’s “Dune,” the night sky was very dark, but you could still see some details; the Q6 looked washed out when playing the same scene.
It has an attractive price
You used to have to pay big bucks for a Mini LED TV, but Hisense, one of the best budget brands around, sells the 65-inch U6K for just $550. It also comes in a 55-inch version for $400 and a 75-inch one for $700. That’s a whole lot of TV for not a lot of cash.
But even at those prices, you can find better-priced alternatives. TCL’s Q6 65-inch TV is currently selling for $448, though it lacks the Mini LED.
It sounds decent
Decent sound might not sound like a compliment, but usually cheap TVs sound cheap. The U6K surprises by delivering a wide sound with clear vocals (though it lacks any significant bass). The U6K actually produces good enough sound that you might not have to buy a soundbar, though your viewing experience will be significantly better with one of our picks for best soundbar.
What we didn’t like about it
It’s underpowered
For many uses, the U6K works great. However, you’ll notice that it’s a bit slow to run Google TV, its smart OS. If you lack patience for it to catch up to your commands, you can add a streaming stick or player to bypass the built-in OS.
A more annoying problem is how it struggles with fast action. If you like to watch live sports — especially in 4K — you’ll see some jumping and stuttering, as if it’s skipping frames. This happened while watching the MLB playoffs in 4K on YouTube TV and Thursday Night Football on Amazon (the Amazon experience was smoother than YouTube TV, but the issue was still noticeable). The problem is likely due to a combination of not enough computing power and the TV’s limited 60Hz frame rate, which keeps it from displaying content as smoothly as more advanced TVs with 120Hz or higher refresh rates.
It has a limited viewing angle
The U6K’s picture is only impressive if you’re sitting directly in front of the TV. As soon as you get too far left or right of center, the colors immediately lose their intensity. This will be an issue if you’re watching with a group of people.
How it compares
 |  | |
|---|---|---|
| Size options | 55, 65, 75 inches | 55, 65, 75, 85 inches |
| Dimensions (65-inch model) | 57.1 x 33.1 x 3.1 inches | 56.9 x 32.8 x 3.2 inches |
| Panel type | Mini-LED QLED | QLED |
| Connections | 4 HDMI (one eARC) | 3 HDMI (one eARC) |
| HDR | Dolby Vision, HDR10, HDR10+, HLG | HDR PRO+, Dolby Vision, HDR10+, HDR10, HLG |
| Price | From $400 | From $450 |
Bottom line
In the battle for best budget TV, Hisense makes a strong case with the U6K. Thanks to its Mini LED backlighting and quantum-dot QLED screen, it delivers a picture that belies its price tag.
You have choices if you’re on a budget. The TCL Q6 doesn’t look quite as good overall, but it’s available for even less than the U6K. While the Q6 also doesn’t handle Google TV well and suffers from limited viewing angles, it didn’t have issues with fast action.
Overall, the U6K is a better choice than the Q6 for most people. The U6K isn’t perfect, especially if you like to watch live sports with a large group of people. You’ll have to spend more if you want a large 4K TV that has fewer issues. But for people looking for the best picture without spending too much, the U6K will make both their eyes and wallet happy.
