If you are looking for a TV that offers a high-quality picture at a midrange price, the Hisense U8G could be an excellent choice. It delivers a strong performance in bright rooms and for watching movies and series, along with solid gaming features. However, its performance in a bright room is not as strong as in other conditions, and it has a more limited viewing angle, which could be a concern in wide-seating arrangements.
On the other hand, the Sony X85J, while more expensive, offers a very good sports viewing experience and has a high-quality upscaling feature for lower resolution content. It also has broader viewing angles which can be beneficial for watching with a group. However, it falls short in dark room performance and does not support features such as HDR10+ or Dolby Vision.
In conclusion, if you prioritize a high-quality picture for movies and the capability to handle brightness well, at a more affordable price, the Hisense U8G could be the better option. If you are willing to invest more for superior sports viewing and more accommodating viewing angles, along with better sound options, the Sony X85J might be the preferred choice. Give Feedback
this description is based on the product variant with some specs and product variant with some specs. At the time of writing, the variant with some specs cost some dollars and the variant with some specs cost some dollars.
Advantages of the Hisense U8G (LCD)
Very good for bright room
Good for dark room
Very good for gaming
Very good for movies & TV
Good for use as monitor
Very good reflections
Advantages of the Sony X85J (LCD)
Good for sports
Best in class for upscaling
Best in class motion processing
Key differences
Picture Quality
8.0/10
7.3/10
7.63/10
CONTRAST
7.88/10
7.7/10
COLOR VOLUME SCORE
7.3/10
LED FALD
PANEL TYPE
LED
VA
PANEL SUB-TYPE
VA
The Hisense U8G (LCD) has very good picture quality, while the Sony X85J (LCD) has good picture quality.
Movies & TV
8.0/10
6.5/10
7.63/10
CONTRAST
7.88/10
7.2/10
BLACK UNIFORMITY
6.9/10
7.5/10
UPSCALING
10.0/10
Yes
HDR10 SUPPORT
Yes
Yes
HDR10+ SUPPORT
No
Yes
DOLBY VISION SUPPORT
Yes
The Hisense U8G (LCD) is very good for movies & TV, while the Sony X85J (LCD) is only fair.
The Hisense U8G excels in watching movies and cinematic TV due to its superior local dimming, which enhances contrast and adds depth to darker scenes, and its excellent black uniformity, which prevents areas from looking gray in dark scenes. In contrast, the Sony X85J, while having slightly better contrast, lacks local dimming and has poorer reflection handling, which can affect its performance in dark scenes and environments with many light sources.
Sports
6.4/10
7.2/10
3.9/10
MOTION PROCESSING
10.0/10
120Hz
REFRESH RATE
120Hz
7.6/10
INPUT LAG SCORE
7.6/10
7.5/10
UPSCALING
10.0/10
8.8/10
SDR BRIGHTNESS SCORE
8.5/10
Yes
HLG SUPPORT
Yes
The Sony X85J (LCD) is good for sports, while the Hisense U8G (LCD) is only fair.
The Hisense U8G has a faster response time which is good for sports, but it performs less well in brightly lit rooms due to its reflection handling; whereas, the Sony X85J has a slower response time for motion but handles reflections better, making it a more suitable option for well-lit environments. Viewing angles are similar on both units, not being a strong point, while gray uniformity has a somewhat important impact on sports viewing and is not the main distinguishing factor between these two TVs.
Gaming
8.3/10
7.6/10
8.1/10
RESPONSE TIME SCORE
7.8/10
7.6/10
INPUT LAG SCORE
7.6/10
3.9/10
MOTION PROCESSING
10.0/10
80.0/100
GAMING LOCAL DIMMING
0.0/100
8.6/10
GAME HDR BRIGHTNESS SCORE
7.5/10
The Hisense U8G (LCD) is very good for gaming, while the Sony X85J (LCD) is good.
The Hisense U8G offers a very good response time and good input lag, making it an excellent choice for gaming, whereas the Sony X85J, with good response time and good input lag, still provides a decent gaming experience but may not be as smooth as the Hisense for fast-paced games. Both models support a 120Hz refresh rate but the swifter response time of the Hisense U8G translates to less motion blur and crisper visuals, especially in action-packed scenes, which is crucial for a superior gaming experience.
Bright Room
8.9/10
7.3/10
5.3/10
VIEWING ANGLE
5.3/10
8.8/10
SDR BRIGHTNESS SCORE
8.5/10
8.4/10
HDR BRIGHTNESS SCORE
7.1/10
8.6/10
REFLECTIONS SCORE
5.9/10
The Hisense U8G (LCD) is very good for bright room, while the Sony X85J (LCD) is good.
The Hisense U8G outshines the Sony X85J in bright room viewing primarily because of its higher reflection handling capability and superior SDR and HDR brightness, which effectively counteracts glare. While both TVs have very good SDR brightness, the Hisense's ability to deal with reflections ensures a clearer picture in well-lit environments compared to the Sony X85J, which is less adept at minimizing the impact of reflections.
Cost
$1,707
$1,200
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
$2,500
$3,000
The Hisense U8G (LCD) has a price of $1,707 and the Sony X85J (LCD) costs $1,200.
The Hisense U8G (LCD) and Sony X85J (LCD) are both very good for cartoons & animation.
The Hisense U8G and Sony X85J are both highly regarded for watching cartoons and animation because they each offer 'Excellent' colors right out of the box, ensuring that the vivid and varied hues in animated content are displayed accurately without the need for additional calibration. Moreover, both TVs have a 'Very Good' color gamut, which is critical for reproducing the wide range of colors typically used in animation, though the Hisense has the edge in color volume, which means it can maintain these colors at different brightness levels.
News, Talk, & Other TV
8.6/10
8.2/10
8.8/10
SDR BRIGHTNESS SCORE
8.5/10
7.5/10
UPSCALING
10.0/10
The Hisense U8G (LCD) and Sony X85J (LCD) are both very good for news, talk, & other TV.
The Hisense U8G excels in upscaling lower resolution content and has good SDR brightness, making it suitable for watching news and talk shows, while its excellent colors out of the box and very good color gamut assure quality viewing in various conditions.
Give feedback
We’re constantly working to improve.
How the Hisense U8G (LCD) and the Sony X85J (LCD) compare to other TVs
Spec Comparison
Hisense U8G (LCD)
Sony X85J (LCD)
GENERAL
Price
Price
$1,707
$1,200
Brand
Brand
Hisense
Sony
Release Date
Release Date
May 2, 2021
April 4, 2021
Full name
Full name
65U8G
KD-65X85J
Screen Size
Screen Size
65"
65"
Screen Resolution
Screen Resolution
4K
4K
Screen Type
Screen Type
LCD
LCD
Screen Sub-type
Screen Sub-type
LED FALD VA
LED VA
Smart TV
Smart TV
Yes
Yes
TV FEATURES
Operating System
Operating System
Android TV
Android TV
Sound Quality Score
Sound Quality Score
7.5/10
7.5/10
NextGen Ready
NextGen Ready
No
Yes
HDMI Ports
HDMI Ports
4
4
Coax Ports
Coax Ports
1
1
Refresh Rate
Refresh Rate
120Hz
120Hz
Variable Refresh Rate
Variable Refresh Rate
Yes
Yes
HDR Supported formats
HDR Supported formats
HDR10, HDR10+, Dolby Vision, HLG
HDR10, Dolby Vision, HLG
Accessibility
Accessibility
None
None
DISPLAY QUALITY SCORES
Picture Quality Score
Picture Quality Score
8.1/10
7.3/10
Bright Room Score
Bright Room Score
8.9/10
7.4/10
Gaming Score
Gaming Score
8.3/10
7.6/10
Movies & TV Score
Movies & TV Score
8.1/10
6.6/10
Sports Score
Sports Score
6.4/10
7.3/10
News, Talk, & Other TV Score
News, Talk, & Other TV Score
8.7/10
8.3/10
Cartoons & Animation Score
Cartoons & Animation Score
8.7/10
8.6/10
Use as Monitor Score
Use as Monitor Score
7.5/10
6.9/10
PHYSICAL
Dimensions w/o Stand (H x W x D)
Dimensions w/o Stand (H x W x D)
33.1" x 57.1" x 4.1"
32.8" x 57.2" x 2.8"
Dimensions with Stand (H x W)
Dimensions with Stand (H x W)
35.6" x 57.1"
35.6" x 57.2"
Weight without Stand
Weight without Stand
53.4 lbs
48.7 lbs
VESA Mount
VESA Mount
400 x 400
300 x 300
DISPLAY
Color Depth
Color Depth
10 bit
10 bit
Black Frame Insertion
Black Frame Insertion
Yes
Yes
Auto Low Latency Mode
Auto Low Latency Mode
Yes
Yes
Contrast
Contrast
7.6/10
7.9/10
Local Dimming
Local Dimming
8/10
2.5/10
Gaming Local Dimming
Gaming Local Dimming
8/100
0/100
Game HDR Brightness Score
Game HDR Brightness Score
8.7/10
7.5/10
SDR Brightness Score
SDR Brightness Score
8.8/10
8.5/10
HDR Brightness Score
HDR Brightness Score
8.5/10
7.2/10
Gray Uniformity
Gray Uniformity
6.4/10
8.3/10
Black Uniformity
Black Uniformity
7.3/10
6.9/10
Viewing Angle
Viewing Angle
5.4/10
5.4/10
Reflections Score
Reflections Score
8.7/10
5.9/10
Upscaling
Upscaling
7.5/10
10/10
Motion Processing
Motion Processing
3.9/10
10/10
Color Gamut Score
Color Gamut Score
8.2/10
7.3/10
Color Volume Score
Color Volume Score
7.8/10
7.3/10
Response Time Score
Response Time Score
8.2/10
7.8/10
Input Lag Score
Input Lag Score
7.7/10
7.7/10
Colors Out of the Box Score
Colors Out of the Box Score
9/10
9.2/10
Quality Control
Quality Control
6.3/10
8.8/10
Chroma Subsampling Score
Chroma Subsampling Score
8/10
7.5/10
SOUND
Speaker Setup
Speaker Setup
2.0
2.0
Speaker Power
Speaker Power
20 W
20 W
Dolby Atmos
Dolby Atmos
Yes
Yes
DTS:X
DTS:X
Yes, Bypass only
Up to DTS Digital Surround, Bypass only
Get a great deal on the Hisense U8G (LCD) or the Sony X85J (LCD)
About Hisense
Hisense, a Chinese TV manufacturer, entered the US market in approximately 2011 and has since acquired TV divisions from various companies such as Toshiba, Sharp, Hitachi, and NEC. Currently ranking as the fourth largest vendor in terms of sales volume, Hisense aims to capture a wide range of TV budget segments. They offer exceptional value with TVs that often outperform their competitors at similar price points, making them a compelling choice for consumers. In the US, they use Google TV as their smart TV software which provides the largest app selection and a very modern user interface, however it is not as user friendly as the software from other vendors.
About Sony
Sony stands as a highly experienced and widely trusted TV manufacturer, earning a reputation that surpasses all others. A Japanese company, Sony has been making TVs for far longs than it has been making Playstation game consoles. Sony's high-end TVs are often regarded as the ultimate choice for videophiles, representing the epitome of quality, albeit at a premium price point. Renowned for their advanced and precise motion handling, as well as their cutting-edge local dimming algorithms, Sony consistently delivers unparalleled performance in these areas. They include Google TV software with all their TV sets, which grants access to the largest selection of apps available and they also include Bravia Core which is a movie streaming platform specifically for Sony TVs that offers higher picture quality by using more bandwidth.
This information was produced and vetted by the PerfectRec TVs team. We are a product research and recommendation organization that meticulously reviews and evaluates the latest TV information and makes it digestible for you.
By the numbers
385
TVs evaluated
33,110
TVs stats compiled
21
Proprietary TVs ratings developed
122,130
Recommendations made
18,320
Consumer hours saved
About the TV team
Joe Golden, Ph.D
CEO and TVs Editor
Joe is an entrepreneur and lifelong electronics enthusiast with a Ph.D in Economics from the University of Michigan.
Jason Lew
Staff Expert & Software Engineer
Jason is a staff expert and software engineer that has been making laptop recommendations for 7 years and moderates one of the largest laptop subreddits.
Chandradeep Chowdhury
Staff Expert & Software Engineer
Chandradeep is a staff expert and software engineer and expert in televisions and monitors. He’s been making monitor recommendations for ten years.
Jaime Roldán
TVs Expert
Jaime is a Colombia-based TV expert. He is an electronics engineer with 8 years of experience in the telecom sector and has been making TV recommendations for 12 years.