Hisense R50B7120UK

The Hisense R50B7120UK is the first Roku TV to land in the UK. With a reputation built on a zippy and intuitive UI featuring more than 8000 apps, Roku TVS are a big deal in the US. Though the platform has been available to UK users through the stick and box HDMI add-ons, Hisense and Roku have now produced a 50in, direct Led-backlit TV, with a 4K resolution, HDR support and all the apps you could need. And all at a staggeringly low price.

There’s something reassuring about the Hisense R50B7120UK. The frame and rear are both no-frills dark grey plastic and the stand is a pair of V-shaped feet. There’s a bezel of 5mm running around the screen. Optical and USB sockets are present – one of each, along with three HDMIS and a headphone jack. There’s really not much else you could ask for.

Speedy processing

At the heart of this TV, Hisense says, is a quad-core processor, and we’re delighted at the speed and ease with which the Roku interface operates. It’s responsive, too, when using the remote control or via the Roku mobile app. The neat remote strikes a balance between features and complexity, and the remote control app is almost as reliable. You can search for programmes, add channels, stream content from your mobile to the screen or just use it to control playback.

Apps-wise, Roku comes with Apple TV, Disney+, Now TV and more, most in 4K and HDR where available, with the 1080p SDR delivery from Google Play Movies & TV a notable exception. BT Sport is the only significant omission.

There are thousands of lesser known apps here, too, delivering almost any kind of content you’d wish for – golf, fishing, surfing, kung-fu or cinema. If it’s not on Roku, you’re unlikely to find it on any other TV smart platform.

We start off with Kingsman: Golden Circle on 4K Blu-ray and we’re pleased to see that this TV is not spoiled by the kind of backlight bleed problems that plague many cheap sets. It’s a direct-lit LED panel that’s consistent from edge to edge, and that makes for a solid canvas.

The picture itself is good straight out of the box, too, though tinkering a little with the settings will yield better results. Fortunately, the settings are clear and jargon-free, so you’re unlikely to get lost in the menus. One oddity is the lack of motion processing in the settings, but whatever processing this Hisense manages in the background is effective. There’s a little judder if you look hard, but it never spoils our viewing.

The Hisense does a reasonable job of the white details of the snow of the Italian Alps scenes of Kingsman. There’s some differentiation in the bright sweeps over mountain peaks and texture to the frosted ground when the three agents battle with Miss Poppy’s henchmen.

Between the black of the agents’ ski suits and the bright sapphire blue sky, there’s a really enjoyable impact and drama to this TV that makes it easy to watch. The trade-off is that it’s not as careful with contrast as some others but this feels like a well chosen mid-point between dynamism and detail.

As we step down to 1080p with The Force Awakens on Blu-ray, we’re impressed with this set’s scaling ability. Close-ups of the actors’ faces in the scene at Maz’s bar look just as revealing for detail as our 4K viewing. There’s a little shimmer to that detail with movement, but it’s a pleasing watch.

Once the action switches to space we’re pleased to see a strong sense of black depth for a TV at this end of the market. There’s an aubergine tinge to the darkness, but you’d need to spend twice as much to get anything much deeper. There’s enough detail to appreciate the dark underbelly of the star cruiser as it eclipses the planet of Jakku.

What’s superb about this set, though, is how well it treads a tightrope between punch and finesse, within its limitations. It could easily be too lifeless or too artificial, but it never gets the image wrong enough to get in the way of what you’re watching. Combined with decent viewing angles that mean almost everyone in the room will see the picture as intended, it’s a laudable balancing act.

Easy listening

With two speakers, each powered by 7W of amplification, the TV’S sound system is a little underpowered, but it’s a balanced and easy listen. Dynamics are limited and there is little weight to the sound, but everything is produced with clarity.

Spatially, effects are centred around the screen itself. There’s a little left to right movement as X-wings chase Tie-fighters, but even a budget soundbar would make a big difference here.

Many TVS at this end of the market have problems that are hard to ignore, whether that’s terrible viewing angles or chronic motion processing issues. The Hisense R50B7120UK avoids all of these pitfalls and offers a performance that never detracts from the on-screen drama. It’s a long way from being a masterclass in image quality but, given its price, it presents a pleasing compromise.

Throw in its full feature set, upscaling prowess and superb smart platform and out pops the best value affordable TV you’ll find anywhere right now.

“This Hisense is the best value affordable TV you’ll find anywhere right now”