The A6 series from Hisense, a Chinese manufacturer, occupies the entry-level segment of their product range, positioned just below the E7NQ series. The A6N series features a variety of straightforward TV models available in sizes of 43, 50, 55, 58, 65, 75, and 85 inches, mirroring the offerings of its predecessor, the A6K from 2023. This makes it one of the most comprehensive selections within the Hisense TV lineup.
The Hisense A6N is an LCD television boasting a resolution of 3840 by 2160 pixels and operates on the VIDAA 7 platform. While it has some limitations in HDR brightness and experiences slight blurriness, this budget-friendly and well-equipped model provides a consistent and engaging viewing experience.
Design
The Hisense 65A6N TV features a sleek and understated design that stands out in its category. Its build quality is commendable, surpassing that of many similar models. Notable aspects of the 65A6N’s design include a metal back panel and a plastic cover for the electronics compartment. The screen is framed by metal borders measuring 3 mm in width.
The TV is supported by V-shaped plastic legs that are widely spaced at 992 mm, providing excellent stability. The gap between the surface and the bottom edge of the screen, located beneath the logo, is 54 mm, which may limit the placement of some soundbars without obstructing the view. All connection ports are positioned on the left side when facing the TV, with some angled towards the back, which can restrict how close the TV can be placed to the wall.
The remote control follows a traditional design, lacking backlit buttons. It features a multitude of buttons that allow quick access to 11 pre-selected applications, which may be a unique selling point for certain users. Additionally, the arrangement of the application buttons has seen minor adjustments compared to the 2023 A6K series.
Image quality
The Hisense A6N TV features an IPS LCD display in its ADS variant. These panels are advantageous as they deliver precise color reproduction even when viewed from an angle. The television employs direct LED backlighting, resulting in commendable color accuracy. It is worth mentioning that the Hisense A6K series lacked a film director mode, whereas the new series includes this feature.
In this mode, the average color display error is recorded at 2.2, which is below the sensitivity threshold of 3.0. This performance is impressive for a television in this price range. Objectively, the red hues appear slightly oversaturated; however, this does not adversely affect the representation of human skin tones, such as facial features, and instead adds a touch of vibrancy to the overall image.
As expected from an ADS LCD panel, color fidelity remains consistent at various viewing angles, unlike competing VA panels. However, the display of red at 75% saturation across the entire screen reveals a minor flaw in the TV’s performance. There is a noticeable lack of uniformity in the backlighting, leading to some darkening away from the screen’s edges, while the edges themselves exhibit a lighter, vignette-like effect.
In full-screen white mode, this issue is hardly perceptible. The 65A6N is positioned as a budget-friendly option, capable of reproducing only a standard color gamut. Its coverage of the UHDA-P3 (CIExy) color space is 80% by area, indicating that it may struggle to render vibrant colors in HDR content. The average error for color samples tested in HDR mode reached 19.4, which speaks for itself.
Due to the limitations of the low-contrast ADS matrix, the Hisense 65A6N series falls short in delivering deep black levels. Consequently, this TV is more suitable for daytime viewing or in well-lit environments rather than in complete darkness, as one would expect in a cinema. In Filmmaker mode, the ANSI contrast ratio is measured at 980:1, which is considered a subpar result.
The black level, represented by the Brightness parameter, is well-calibrated and does not need any adjustments. It is important to note that the default setting for HDR content adheres to the HDR10 standard. However, this mode diverges significantly from industry benchmarks, appearing excessively sharp, which may lead users to prefer the filmmaker mode.
There remains considerable room for improvement regarding detail. Conversely, adjusting the picture settings to recover lost detail exposes potential shortcomings that the manufacturer might have intended to conceal: overly bright blacks and inconsistent backlighting. Consequently, the 65A6N is not suitable for a home theater setup.
Given its relatively low peak brightness, the 65A6N is inadequate for critical viewing of demanding and bright HDR scenes. In Filmmaker mode, when a white window occupies 10% of the screen, the maximum brightness reaches only 240 nits after a three-minute measurement. This brightness level remains stable and is largely unaffected by window size, indicating that the manufacturer does not employ tactics such as temporarily boosting the backlight LEDs.
Display of movement and play
The A6N provides moderate sharpness for moving images, yet it incorporates a new and effective interpolation function. In tests involving 1080 vertical lines, the Hisense 65A6N displayed only 150 lines, which is a disappointing outcome typical of budget 60Hz LCD displays. However, the performance is somewhat mitigated by two characteristics of the panel: minimal smearing and a very slight dirty screen effect.
In the past, the absence of anti-aliasing on a 65-inch display could be frustrating. The manufacturer claims that the 65A6N includes several features tailored for gamers, such as game mode, Auto Low Latency Mode (ALLM), and Variable Refresh Rate (VRR). The input lag during gaming is impressively low, with a measured image output delay of just 9.2 ms in 1080p/60 mode.
Smart TV
The television utilizes the VIDAA 7 operating system, which is developed in-house by the manufacturer. This system impresses with its user-friendly interface, as well as its speed and fluid performance, often outperforming some higher-priced competitors with less efficient systems. However, a drawback of the VIDAA system is its limited selection of applications, which is not as extensive as that of leading competitors.
Nonetheless, it does feature a variety of well-known and widely used applications, such as Apple TV, Disney+, Netflix, Prime Video, and YouTube, among others. However, it lacks certain applications like Spotify, Tidal, and Filmbox Live. On a positive note, the Hisense A6N TV supports video playback from USB devices, successfully handling most test files, including formats like AVI, MKV, MOV, MTS, and MP4, although it does not support FLV and WMV formats.
Sound
The Hisense 65A6N delivers sound quality that is adequate for typical television viewing, including news broadcasts and talk shows. It features two full-range speakers that project sound downward, with a total output of 2×10 W as stated by the manufacturer.
In contrast to its rivals, the grille design in front of the 65A6N’s speakers significantly hinders sound diffusion. The small holes and the two solid horizontal bars between the rows restrict the sound wave’s propagation. This design choice has remained unchanged for several years, and a more open grille could enhance sound quality, particularly in the lower frequency range.
Measurements indicate that in standard mode with factory settings, the amplitude-frequency response begins to decline around 450 Hz, negatively impacting sound quality. While the default settings yield average sound performance, adjustments can lead to notable improvements. The television offers several preset sound modes, including standard, cinema, music, speech, night mode, and sports. Additionally, the extensive sound correction options allow for individual equalizer adjustments for each mode, a feature that many competitors lack.
Connections
The 65A6N features a comprehensive array of ports, including three HDMI 2.1 ports that support eARC, two USB ports, an analog video input, and a headphone output. Additionally, it is equipped with a CI slot and two antenna jacks. The LAN port and optical audio output are positioned perpendicular to the rear panel. Furthermore, the device offers built-in dual-band WiFi and Bluetooth 5.0 connectivity.
Conclusion
The Hisense 65A6N is a spacious yet budget-friendly television. Its standout feature is the accurate, vibrant, and appealing color reproduction, whether viewed head-on or from an angle. This TV is ideal for daytime viewing in areas with moderate sunlight. It is a suitable choice for those seeking a large screen for regular television watching.