Hisense will continue to migrate its high-end features down to its less-expensive models in 2020, and we should finally see the company’s dual-cell technology come to fruition in the U.S., with the XD9G in Q3. Dual-cell means there the display panel is outfitted with second LCD layer acting as an array backlight filter for the primary LCD layer. It’s said to rival the blacks of OLED, but at a significantly lower price.
Up the alphabet
Much like Sony, Hisense leaves its model numbers intact and upgrades them by a letter. Last year the line revved from E to F, this year it’s from F to G. As of version G, the H8 series TVs coming to market in March 2020 acquire quantum dots for a wider and more accurate color palette. Dolby Vision and more array zones sweeten the deal. The H8G’s will retail for $400 (50-inch), $500 (55-inch), $700 (65-inch), and $1,4000 (75-inch).
The H9G series, slated to hit stores in April, already featured Dolby Vision, but it will also increase the number of zones in its backlight array. There’s more peak brightness than with the H8G series, but both now support Dolby Atmos and sport the Android TV operating system.
Box store extravaganza
Roku will now be available in a wider variety of models, including the 4K UHD R7 with a voice remote and motion compensation for $250 (43-inch), $300 (50-inch), $350 (55-inch), and $500 (65-inch). No pricing was provided for the R6 series, but the entry-level 1080p H4 will be $115 (32-inch), $178 (40-inch), $196 (43-inch).
Hisense is also introducing two new affordable Android TV models: the 4K UHD H65G and 1080p H55G. Somewhat confusingly, these numbers do not indicate screen size, as the H65G series is available in 43-inch ($270), 50-inch ($300), 55-inch ($330), 65-inch ($480), 75-inch ($900), 85-inch ($1,500) flavors, while the H55G series will be available in 33-inch ($140), 40-inch ($200), and 43-inch ($230) configurations.
The H65G offers Dolby Vision HDR, while the H55G, somewhat surprisingly at the price, offers Bluetooth audio.