Penny Saver

Hisense 65H9D Plus LCD Ultra HDTV

- Thomas J. Norton

CHINESE TV MAKER HISENSE has chosen the designation ULED for their 2017 Ultra HDTVs. Like most other modern sets, however (apart from OLED TVs), these are still LCD sets; the LEDs merely provide the necessary back lighting. While Hisense’s larger TVs (the 75H9D Plus and the flagship 70- and 75-inch H10D models) offer full-array local dimming (FALD), the 65-inch 65H9D Plus reviewed here is LED edge-lit. While for most consumers its $2,000 MSRP makes it look expensive, its discounted street price with major online retailers (as of late October) puts it well under $1,500 and makes it price-friendly—especially when compared with the flagship TVs I’ve reviewed recently.

Features

The 65H9D Plus, like most new sets, doesn’t do 3D. Its HDR capability is also limited to HDR10—no Dolby Vision or HLG (Hybrid Log-Gamma). But most of today’s HDR sources, particularly on Ultra HD Blu-ray, use HDR10. And Dolby Vision sources can be played back as HDR10, though without the claimed benefits of Dolby Vision’s dynamic metadata. (HLG is sometimes used for 4K streaming and will appear in future 4K broadcasts.)