Hisense A9G presents itself on the TV market with all the credentials to be a best-buy. It is an OLED TV that clashes with much more expensive models: LG C1 , Sony A90J , Panasonic JZ2000E . The A9G, however, starts at just 1,399 euros (a very low figure for this panel technology), still offering 4K resolution, support for HDR and Dolby Vision standards and a series of measures that improve the viewing experience. Among these it should be emphasized the care placed by Hisense in the audio sector.
At the bottom, there is a soundbar , which integrates as many as six 10 Watt speakers and supports the Dolby Atmos standard. A unicum in this price range which, as we will see, guarantees an enveloping and precise reproduction. The model we tested is the 55-inch version , but Hisense also produces a 65-inch variant for which 1,999 euros are needed. The advice is to focus on the one with a lower diagonal, which gives access to a nice saving and is certainly among the best on the market for quality / price ratio.
A very good quality OLED panel
In both versions, the resolution of the OLED panel is 3,840 x 2,160 pixels. There is obviously support for HDR, HDR10 +, Dolby Vision IQ standards with dynamic metadata. This last technology makes it possible to make the compatible image even more immersive, offering greater contrast and sharpness and therefore a more pleasant vision. Excellent maximum brightness, which allows you to have an excellent viewing experience even in well-lit environments, finally it is important to emphasize compatibility with the HDMI 2.1 standard.
This, together with the resolution and refresh rate of 120 Hertz, allows you to take full advantage of the new generation consoles ( PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X ) and, why not, the new Nvidia or AMD video cards . Overall, one cannot fail to be satisfied with the work done by Hisense regarding the colors and the detail that this OLED is able to return, it is undoubtedly a panel of excellent quality, despite the price range. You can see it from the blacks and the details that emerge in some highly contrasted scenes, with a painstaking management of all the movements and transitions between light and darker images.
In addition, the integrated quad-core processor is able to better manage various usage scenarios: not only the big cinema, but also sporting events such as football matches and Formula 1 races. special menu where you can adjust the individual settings of the functions brought by HDMI 2.1, a feature that would have been very useful with video games. Low-resolution content is handled convincingly thanks to the upscaling algorithm.
Audio quality above average
Few TVs are able to offer above average audio quality, an aspect that should be emphasized even more considering the low price of the Hisense A9G for an OLED. The soundbar integrated in the lower part not only has excellent power, but manages to provide a good level equalization with a decent presence of bass too.
All of this offers an immersive audio experience and makes purchasing or connecting other equipment virtually unnecessary. Distortion is hard to notice, even at a volume higher than 50% , and in general we had a very good impression both when watching movies and listening to music. The special menu also allows you to customize the equalization, an aspect that should not be underestimated in the logic of obtaining as much personalized feedback as possible. Really excellent work done by the company.
The presence of the soundbar has an inevitable impact on the design. In this case, it comes down to a subjective level, but, having used it for a long time, the impression is that Hisense A9G is really successful also on an aesthetic level. The panel is slightly inclined and seems to protrude from the speakers positioned at the bottom, which have a gunmetal gray color. It is an elegant and pleasant TV to see, even when switched off, perfect to use as a piece of furniture in the living room, thanks also to the presence of particularly thin frames.
The lower part is much less refined, where you can see the price difference compared to the competitors. The support has a trapezoidal shape and allows you to install the TV in a simple way, but to do so it is better to be two. On the connectivity side, nothing is missing: four HDMI all with support for 2.1 specifications , audio input and output, two USB ports, and various interfaces for satellite and antenna. There is also dual band Wi-Fi and Bluetooth 5.0, very useful for connecting wireless headphones or earphones.
It is important to underline that the thickness and dimensions are greater than other solutions with OLED panel. The dimensions are 1,234 x 279 x 736 millimeters for a total weight of 30.7 kilograms, of which almost 9 are composed of the base alone. In short, you will need space.
A smart platform that is half-hearted
As on all its Smart TVs, Hisense has also implemented the proprietary operating system VIDAA U5.0 in this model , it is an OS that shows lights and shadows: on the one hand the ease of use, on the other the absence of some streaming applications, among which Disney + certainly stands out. The settings are however many and both for the image and for the sound you can customize all the parameters in order to make the reproduction more akin to our tastes.
Hisense A9G integrates Alexa, the Amazon home voice assistant , which is activated by pressing the microphone button on the remote control and works just like one of the Echo speakers. We can therefore ask not only to change the channel, adjust the volume, turn the TV on or off, but also information on weather, traffic and appointments. The TV also becomes a home automation control HUB, with the ability to manage any lighting systems and other connected appliances.
The remote control is the classic of Hisense, the body is made of aluminum and the keys are memorized within a few uses. At the bottom there are four dedicated keys to launch Netflix, YouTube, Prime Video and Rakuten TV.
Conclusions
Pro:
- Panel quality
- List price
- Audio quality
- HDMI 2.1 support
Against:
- Some streaming apps are missing
Hisense A9G is all about the relationship between price and performance. The 1,399 euros required for the 55-inch version are absolutely in line with what is offered , making this TV extremely competitive. It is necessary to consider how the operating system has some gaps in relation to the support of some streaming apps, but overall there are no major sacrifices and the OLED panel guarantees a high-level vision in any context of use.
