Remember the hulking, $30,000 116‑inch Hisense TV that stole headlines? At CES 2026 the company showed it wasn’t a one‑off flex: that same RGB mini‑LED approach is being scaled down for living rooms, and it’s getting a few bright ideas along the way.
Small(er) sets, big color
Hisense announced two new RGB mini‑LED families, the UR9 and UR8, and says both will be offered in more conventional sizes — roughly 55 to 100 inches. The pitch is simple: take the color performance of the flagship 116UX and cram that color‑accurate backlight into screens people can actually buy and fit into their homes.What makes these sets different from typical mini‑LED TVs is the use of RGB clusters in the backlight. Instead of relying solely on color filters or quantum dots, tiny groups of red, green and blue LEDs are used to produce color before it ever hits the panel. Hisense claims that translates into richer saturation, more accurate tonal reproduction, and better preservation of color in bright rooms — an advantage for viewers who don’t sit in a blacked‑out screening room.
Hisense also highlighted its new Hi‑View AI Engine RGB processor, which it says smooths gradients and tightens motion compared with last year’s models. Audio duties are handled with a tune from French audio brand Devialet, continuing a trend of premium audio partners on higher‑end TVs.
More than three colors
Perhaps the most interesting tweak is color plumbing. Hisense is experimenting with adding a fourth internal color to the backlight architecture. Some new models use cyan (or 'sky blue') as an extra primary to expand gamut and refine midtones; its Micro‑LED prototype pushes a yellow subpixel into the mix, which is said to enrich warm tones like amber and gold.That fourth subpixel concept isn’t just marketing spin — it’s a hardware change that affects how color is generated and processed inside the set. The company’s 116UXS iteration claims it can approach the full range of human‑perceivable color (Hisense quotes about 110% of BT.2020 for that model), while the gigantic 163MX Micro‑LED prototype aims for comprehensive BT.2020 coverage with its internal yellow component.
Where this fits in the bigger picture
Manufacturers are increasingly treating the backlight as a place to innovate, not just the panel. Samsung and LG are both expected to bring their own RGB backlit or multi‑primary displays into 2026, and the industry’s format and processing battles continue offstage — from HDR pipelines to how TVs handle wide gamuts during streaming and gaming. For context on how HDR formats and ecosystem battles are evolving, see Samsung's HDR10+ Advanced push and its implications for the industry Samsung's HDR10+ Advanced push.At the same time, TVs are getting smarter on the inside: proprietary AI engines and image models are becoming baseline features as brands try to distinguish picture processing. Hisense’s Hi‑View AI sits in that same trendline of in‑house imaging efforts — a movement that tech companies across categories are doubling down on, much like Microsoft’s new MAI image work Microsoft’s MAI image model.
Models to watch (quick rundown)
- UR9 and UR8 RGB Mini‑LED series: 55–100 inches, RGB backlight, Hi‑View RGB processor, Devialet‑tuned audio.
- 116UXS: updated 116‑inch RGB Mini‑LED claiming wide BT.2020 coverage.
- 163MX Micro‑LED: 163‑inch self‑emissive Micro‑LED with an internal yellow subpixel aimed at richer warm tones.
Pricing and exact availability remain unannounced. Hisense’s strategy appears to be: make headline‑grabbing tech accessible at mainstream sizes, then let competition — and later reviews — sort out whether extended subpixel palettes and AI processing deliver meaningful, everyday improvement.
This isn’t just about peak brightness charts or splashy show floor demos. If the technology scales and prices align, the practical payoff could be clearer colors in normal rooms and gaming setups, plus TV sound that isn’t embarrassingly thin. But the added complexity also raises questions: How will content be mastered and delivered to take advantage of extra primaries? Will gaming consoles and streaming apps embrace these extended gamuts? Those answers will arrive more slowly than Hisense’s product slides.
Either way, CES 2026 made one thing obvious: color is the next battleground for big‑screen TV makers, and Hisense wants its 116‑inch stunt to be remembered as the start of a broader push rather than a one‑off spectacle.