Hisense · Television Reviews · QD5N Series

Hisense QD5N Review: Colorful Budget QLED With Responsive 60Hz Gaming

The 2024 Hisense QD5N is an affordable 4K QLED TV that delivers vibrant color, useful HDR compatibility and a full Google TV experience. Tech Steve measured 9.4 ms of input lag in Game Mode and found gaming responsive, with no noticeable tearing or smearing during his evaluation. Movies and sports also looked colorful, and lower-resolution content was upscaled effectively. The main compromises are its native 60 Hz limit, elevated blacks, visible screen-uniformity patches, reflective screen and modest built-in audio.

8.0Tech Steve score
out of 10

Video summary

Tech Steve evaluates the Hisense QD5's movie, gaming, sports, upscaling, viewing-angle, reflection and audio performance before demonstrating the unboxing and Google TV setup. He found that movies produced impressive color and decent contrast for a budget television, although dark areas could look gray. His Game Mode input-lag measurement was 9.4 ms, and he observed no obvious tearing or smearing while gaming. The TV accepted 4K, 1440p and 1080p signals at up to 60 frames per second and supported VRR, ALLM, HDR and Dolby Vision gaming at 60 fps. Sports looked colorful, shadow detail in crowds was good, and 720p material compared favorably with 4K during his upscaling demonstration. He also found the viewing angles better than expected, but noted screen-uniformity patches and noticeable reflections. The built-in speakers were adequate for dialogue and news, while a soundbar was recommended for movies. The unboxing showed simple plastic feet, a voice remote without backlighting and a straightforward Google TV setup process.

Bottom line

Tech Steve Takeaway

Buy the QD5N if you want an inexpensive bedroom or casual living-room TV with strong color, responsive 60 Hz gaming and Google TV. Choose a higher-tier model if you need 4K/120 or 4K/144 gaming, deeper blacks, local dimming or more impactful built-in sound.

The Hisense QD5N combines a direct-lit 4K QLED display with Google TV, quantum-dot color and support for the major HDR formats. Its native 60 Hz panel and HDMI 2.0 connections limit gaming to 4K/60, but VRR, ALLM and a measured 9.4 ms Game Mode result make it responsive for casual console play. Picture strengths include colorful movies, attractive sports and effective upscaling, while gray blacks, screen-uniformity patches, reflections and modest stereo audio reflect its budget positioning.

Picture quality

Quantum-dot color is the QD5N's strongest picture advantage. Tech Steve found movies and sports colorful, with good shadow detail and effective upscaling of lower-resolution broadcasts. Viewing angles were also better than he expected. Dark scenes expose the budget design, however, with some black areas appearing gray. His uniformity test revealed patches across the screen, and the reflective screen can be distracting in rooms with several windows or lights.

HDR performance

The QD5N supports Dolby Vision, HDR10, HDR10+ Adaptive and HLG, providing broad compatibility with streaming and disc content. Tech Steve was impressed by the color produced by high-bit-rate demos and streaming material. Its lack of local dimming on the verified 50- and 65-inch versions, along with no established peak-HDR brightness figure, means shoppers should view HDR compatibility and color as the principal benefits rather than expect premium-level highlight intensity or black depth.

Gaming performance

This is a responsive 60 Hz gaming TV rather than a high-refresh competitive display. Tech Steve measured 9.4 ms of input lag in Game Mode and did not notice tearing or smearing during gameplay. Game Mode Plus includes VRR and ALLM, while the Game Bar provides frame-rate, HDR and VRR information plus crosshair, dark-detail and picture-size controls. It supports Dolby Vision gaming at up to 60 fps and accepts 4K, 1440p and 1080p at 60 fps. The native-resolution ceiling is 4K/60; it cannot display 4K at 120 Hz or 144 Hz.

Motion handling

The physical panel refresh rate is 60 Hz. Tech Steve reported no noticeable tearing or smearing during his gaming demonstration, and sports remained enjoyable. Hisense's Motion Rate 120 label describes motion processing and does not make this a native 120 Hz television.

Sound quality

The down-firing stereo speakers are adequate for news, dialogue and casual viewing, but they lack the power and low-frequency impact needed for an immersive movie experience. Tech Steve recommends adding a soundbar for movies. The 50- and 55-inch versions have verified 16-watt systems, while the 65-inch version has a verified 20-watt system.

Smart TV experience

Google TV provides streaming apps, recommendations and Google Assistant voice control. Setup can be completed with the Google Home app or directly on the television. The Bluetooth voice remote includes dedicated app shortcuts and high-contrast navigation buttons, but it is not backlit. Chromecast, Apple AirPlay and HomeKit support add convenient casting and smart-home options. A Basic TV setup is available for viewers who only want to use an antenna or external devices.

Calibration notes

Tech Steve found the color presentation impressive out of the box. Filmmaker Mode is available for viewers who want reduced processing and a presentation closer to the source's original frame rate, aspect ratio and color intent. Picture presets should still be selected separately for SDR, HDR and Dolby Vision content.

What we like

Vibrant quantum-dot color across all four screen sizes
Broad HDR compatibility with Dolby Vision, HDR10, HDR10+ Adaptive and HLG
Tech Steve measured a responsive 9.4 ms of input lag in Game Mode
VRR and ALLM help provide smoother, lower-latency console gaming at up to 4K/60
Effective upscaling made lower-resolution sports and video look cleaner
Better-than-expected off-axis color during Tech Steve's viewing-angle demonstration
Google TV includes Chromecast, AirPlay and built-in Google Assistant
The 65-inch model provides four HDMI inputs

What to consider

The native 60 Hz panel cannot display 4K at 120 Hz or 144 Hz; Motion Rate 120 is processing terminology, not the physical refresh rate
Gray-looking black areas limit dark-room movie performance
Local dimming is absent on the verified 50- and 65-inch models
Tech Steve's uniformity test revealed visible patches across the screen
The reflective screen can pick up windows and room lighting
Built-in stereo audio is suitable for dialogue but lacks movie impact and bass
The included voice remote does not have backlighting
HDMI count varies by size: the 43-, 50- and structured 55-inch specifications list three inputs, while the 65-inch model lists four

Tech Steve verdict

The Hisense QD5N is best suited to budget shoppers who prioritize vibrant QLED color, broad HDR format support, Google TV and responsive 60 Hz gaming. It works especially well as a bedroom TV, while the larger sizes can serve as casual living-room displays when deep black levels and premium HDR impact are not priorities. Its strongest compromises are the native 60 Hz ceiling, no 4K/120 support, elevated blacks, screen-uniformity patches, reflections and basic stereo sound. Movie fans who watch in dark rooms and competitive gamers seeking high frame rates should step up to a brighter local-dimming television with a native 120 Hz or faster panel.

Choose your size

Size-by-size buying guide

Brightness measurements are shown only for the exact size researched. Recommended distance uses a 30°-40° field-of-view range for mixed TV and cinematic viewing.

Size / model	Panel / finish	Refresh	Dimming zones	Peak HDR	VESA	Feet width	Viewing distance	Buy
43"43QD5N	QLED LCD with direct LED backlighting	60 Hz native	—	No size-specific test	200 x 300	29.8 in	4.9-6.7 ft	Check price ↗
50"50QD5N	QLED LCD with direct/full-array LED backlighting and no local dimming	60 Hz native	—	No size-specific test	200 x 400	35.2 in	5.7-7.8 ft	Check price ↗
55"55QD5N	QLED LCD with direct LED backlighting	60 Hz native	—	No size-specific test	200 x 400	38.3 in	6.3-8.6 ft	Check price ↗
65"65QD5N	QLED LCD with full-array/direct LED backlighting and no local dimming	60 Hz native	—	No size-specific test	300 x 400	39 in	7.4-10.1 ft	Check price ↗