Hisense 116-inch RGB Mini LED UX Smart TV review – size does matter and so does the quality

It’s big TV season in Australia and the latest to land is the Hisense 116-inch RGB Mini LED UX Smart TV which dazzles with both its remarkable size and its new backlight technology.

We saw this TV for the first time in January at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas – and it’s finally arrived in Australia.

As you’d imagine a TV of this size and quality sporting brand new tech doesn’t come cheap. The price is a tidy $39,999.

Hisense also has a 110-inch RGB Mini LED model for $22,999.

For our review of the 116-inch RGB Mini LED UX, Hisense had set up the TV in a multi-level Dover Heights mansion with views to die for of Sydney Harbour and the Bridge.

To afford this TV you’d need to be doing very well and living in an that sort of elite postcode – and good luck to you if you can.

But for the rest of us it’s a sign of things to come as the technology filters down to the rest of Hisense’s regular line-up in the years ahead.

It’s one thing to afford it but the other is whether this can fit inside your home.

We sat just under 3m away from the display and was able to see the entire screen without the need to move our head.

If we had to move our head to see the whole picture, we are sitting too close to the screen.

The TV itself is less than 40mm thick and has slick look despite its massive size.

At the heart of the TV is the new RGB Mini LED technology which signals a new milestone in the category.

What Hisense has created is an all-new Mini LED backlight which are typically made up of a white lights.

But these are RGB Mini LEDs which mean the backlight now incorporates red, green and blue – the building blocks of all colours – for a purer output.

With a regular white backlight, a quantum dot filter comes in to play to create the colours.

That’s not required with RGB Mini LED because it can reach an impressive 95 per cent of the BT.2020 colour gamut.

This more refined light source means it can produce more precise colours, provide better contrast and even deeper blacks.

This all adds up to a truly stunning picture.

We watched a few shows and movies we know very well and the Hisense 116-inch RGB Mini LED UX Smart TV served up remarkable results.

And the fact those results were in all their glory across a 116-inch screen was superb.

There are more than 10,000 colour dimming zones that offer up to 8000 nits peak brightness.

This means there is more sharpness and even more detail in the bright and dark areas of the screen.

So when we were watching Interstellar, Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith and The Woman in Cabin 10 the colours were warm and vivid and there was no blooming from brighter colours beside darker colours.

It was also a smooth and quality experience watching sport – and with this size screen it will like you’re on the sideline oe courtside.

What helps with maintaining the picture quality across an even larger screen size is the Hi-View AI Engine and AI 4K upscaling which maintains accuracy and clarity.

The Hisense 116-inch RGB Mini LED UX Smart TV does have Anti-Reflection Pro technology onboard but we still saw a few reflections especially in darker scenes where we were able to see our own reflection.

We were watching the TV in afternoon/evening and, despite it being positioned a few metres away from full length screen doors it didn’t intrude too much.

There was a strip light in the kitchen directly opposite the TV and we could see that line of light reflected in the TV – not overly bright but it was there.

But as we got into watching our movies, we stopped noticing it.

There is no doubt about the Hisense 116-inch RGB Mini LED UX Smart TV’s picture quality – it is incredible and needs to be seen to be believed.

But we are pleased to report the TV sounds just as good as it looks thanks to the powerful built-in 6.2.2 CineStage X surround system that was developed and calibrated by prestigious audio brand Devialet.

Hisense takes advantage of the TV’s size and has spread speakers across the sides and the back of the panel.

And because they spaced so much further than a regular TV you can easily hear the separation of the various channels.

There are visible side speakers that delivers impressive surround sound and Dolby Atmos to immerse even viewers even further.

The opening battle of Revenge of the Sith sent the speakers into overdrive as did the scene in Interstellar where they are trying to get off Miller’s planet after the gargantuan tidal wave hits their ship.

There is even a built in sub-woofer that was loud enough for the neighbours to hear.

Whether it’s someone’s voice or an explosion the Hisense 116-inch RGB Mini LED UX Smart TV offers brilliant quality and completes the entertainment experience.

It easily fills the entire room and makes the TV feel as premium as its price tag.

Also onboard is the excellent VIDAA U operating system that is really easy to navigate with easy access to streaming apps and suggested content.

The Hisense 116-inch RGB Mini LED UX Smart TV is available now and is priced at $39,999.

VERDICT

The Hisense 116-inch RGB Mini LED UX Smart TV is an excellent demonstration of the power of Hisense’s new technology and while it’s out of most customer’s reach it will do a lot to transform the company into a more premium brand.