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Hisense E7 UK Guide: Cheap TVs from 43 to 85 Inches, and Where the Compromises Are

Q: What sizes does the Hisense E7 come in?

In the UK we hold tracked links for six models: the 43 inch 43E7STUK, 50 inch 50E7STUK, 55 inch 55E7STUK, 65 inch 65E7STUK, 75 inch 75E7STUK and 85 inch 85E7STUK. We only link to configurations where we hold a tracked affiliate link.

Q: Does the Hisense E7 support 120Hz or 144Hz gaming?

We do not hold a confirmed refresh rate specification for the E7 range, so we will not claim one. The E78 PRO and Q8 above it are listed at 144Hz. If gaming is a priority, check the refresh rate, VRR and ALLM support on the specific listing, or look at a range built around gaming features.

Q: Do I need a TV Licence for a new television in the UK?

You need a TV Licence to watch or record live television on any channel or service, or to use BBC iPlayer, and this applies regardless of how new or how large the television is. Using the set purely for streaming services other than BBC iPlayer, gaming or discs does not require one. Check the current rules and cost on the official TV Licensing website.

The E7 is the bottom rung of Hisense's UK range, and it spans six sizes from a 43" set for a bedroom to an 85" panel for a big room. Here's the honest version of what you get, what quietly disappears compared with the ranges above it, and the point at which spending a bit more is the smarter buy.

By TV Verdict · Published 4 October 2026 · Last updated 4 October 2026

Short answer

If it's a second room, a bedroom or a first home: buy the E7 and put the savings somewhere else.
If it's the main television in a bright room: step up to the E78 PRO or the Q8.
The 43" and 50" sets are the ones that solve a problem nothing else in the range does.
The 75" and 85" sets are the cheapest way to get that much screen — and the most honest test of a budget panel.
If gaming is the point: don't buy this one. Compare the U7Q and U7S PRO instead.

Where this guide stands: everything below is based on specifications published by the manufacturer and UK retailers, not on our own lab measurements — we have not yet tested any E7 set. We have not quoted any brightness, contrast, colour coverage or input lag figures, and we won't publish those until we've measured them ourselves. Where a specification is not confirmed in the listings we hold, we say so rather than guessing. Nothing here is a paid placement.

What the E7 is, and who it's actually for

Every manufacturer has a range at the bottom, and it's usually the one that gets written about least and bought most. The E7 is Hisense's. It sits below the E78 PRO and the Q8, and it exists to do one thing: put a competent television in a room where the budget is the deciding factor.

What makes it interesting isn't the picture. It's the size spread. The E7 is the only range here that starts at 43 inches, and it runs all the way to 85 inches. Six sizes, one feature set, and a price ladder that means the decision is mostly about how much screen you can fit rather than which technology tier you can afford.

That makes it the answer to a set of questions people actually ask and that most buying guides skip: what's the cheapest decent television for a box room? What's the cheapest way to get an 85" screen on the wall? What do I put in a kitchen or a bedroom where nobody is critically evaluating the HDR? The E7 is built for exactly those, and it's a mistake to judge it as though it were competing for the main living room.

Hi-QLED, and why the refresh rate isn't quoted here

Two things are worth being precise about, because both are places where budget TV marketing tends to be slippery.

Hi-QLED is Hisense's term for its standard LED panel tier. It is not Mini LED. There are no independently controlled dimming zones doing the work that a Mini LED backlight does on the Q8 or the U8Q, and that single difference is the main reason a bright room will flatter a Q8 more than an E7. In a dim room in the evening, the gap narrows considerably — which is precisely why the E7 makes sense for bedrooms and second rooms.

We do not quote a refresh rate for the E7, because we don't hold a confirmed figure we trust. The E78 PRO and Q8 above it are listed at 144Hz; we have no equivalent confirmed specification for the E7 in the listings we track. That's worth flagging plainly, because a lot of budget television pages quietly imply gaming capability they haven't substantiated. If a refresh rate matters to you, read the specific listing for the specific size — and treat a missing number as a missing number rather than assuming it's 120Hz.

Where the money goes as you climb the range

The clearest way to decide is to see what each step up actually buys, and what it costs you to skip it.

	E7	E78 PRO	Q8	U7Q / U7S PRO
Backlight	Hi-QLED	Hi-QLED	Mini LED	Mini LED
Refresh rate	Not confirmed	144Hz	144Hz	144Hz
UK sizes	43", 50", 55", 65", 75", 85"	50", 55", 65", 75", 85"	50", 55", 65", 75", 85"	50", 55", 65", 85"
Built around	Price and size choice	Size plus refresh rate	Backlight at value prices	Gaming feature set
Best room	Bedroom, kitchen, second room	Dim main room, first home	Bright main living room	Gaming-led rooms

E7 vs E78 PRO is the decision most buyers in this bracket are actually making. Both use a Hi-QLED panel. The E78 PRO adds a confirmed 144Hz rating and, in practice, is the range positioned for someone whose main television this is. The E7 is the one to buy when the difference in price is real and the room is undemanding. If the two are within a few pounds of each other on the day, the E78 PRO is the better television.

E7 vs Q8 is the bright-room question. The Q8's Mini LED backlight with local dimming is the feature that earns its keep when daylight is coming through the window and you're watching HDR. If your main room has big windows and you watch during the day, that is the single most worthwhile upgrade on this table. If you watch in the evening with the lamps low, the E7 is fine and the Q8's advantage is much harder to see.

E7 vs U7Q is not really a comparison — it's two different buyers. The U7Q and U7S PRO are built around gaming: confirmed refresh rates, variable refresh rate, auto low latency mode, full HDMI 2.1 on the ports that matter. If a console is plugged in most evenings, the E7 is the wrong purchase at any price.

Which size, and the one that's genuinely unusual

Use the standard 4K rule of thumb: sit roughly 1.2 to 1.5 times the screen diagonal away, measured from where your eyes actually are on the sofa or the bed to the wall — not from the middle of the room.

That puts the 43" at about 4 to 5.5 feet, the 50" at around 5 to 6 feet, the 55" at around 5.5 to 7 feet, the 65" at around 6.5 to 8 feet, the 75" at around 7.5 to 9.5 feet, and the 85" at around 8.5 to 11 feet. Most UK living rooms land in the 65" band; most bedrooms, kitchens and box rooms land in the 43" to 50" band.

The 43E7STUK deserves a specific mention because it solves a problem. Most of the interesting ranges — including the E78 PRO and Q8 — start at 50". If you need a television to fit a narrow wall, a box room, a kitchen unit or a bedroom chest of drawers, 43" is often the only size that physically works, and the E7 is where that option lives.

At the other end, the 75" and 85" sets are the cheapest route to a genuinely huge picture. Two warnings before you order one, both boring and both important. Measure the wall: an 85" panel is very nearly two metres wide, and a lot of Victorian and 1930s semi living rooms have a chimney breast that eats into that. Measure the route in: the box has to clear your front door, your stairs and any hallway corner. Couriers will not unpack it for you, and returning an 85" television is a miserable business.

43E7STUK 43" · Hi-QLED · the size nothing else in the range offers; suits a bedroom, kitchen or box room at around 4 to 5.5 feet Check price

50E7STUK 50" · Hi-QLED · the step up when 43" is too small but 55" won't fit; around 5 to 6 feet Check price

55E7STUK 55" · Hi-QLED · the mainstream second-room and first-flat size; around 5.5 to 7 feet Check price

65E7STUK 65" · Hi-QLED · the default UK living room size; the point where stepping up to the Q8 starts to make sense in a bright room Check price

75E7STUK 75" · Hi-QLED · a lot of screen for the money; needs a deep room, around 7.5 to 9.5 feet Check price

85E7STUK 85" · Hi-QLED · the cheapest way to get this much picture; check wall width and doorways before ordering Check price

We only link to configurations where we hold a tracked affiliate link, so not every variant in the wider E7 family is listed above. If the size you want isn't shown, check current UK availability directly.

The honest list of what you give up

Budget televisions are not bad televisions, but they are made to a price, and it's more useful to name the compromises than to pretend they aren't there.

No local dimming. Without independently controlled zones, dark scenes lift towards grey rather than staying black. You notice this most on film content in a dark room.
Less backlight headroom. HDR content is graded assuming the display can produce bright highlights. A panel that can't reach those levels still shows you the picture, but it isn't showing you what was intended.
Bright rooms are unkind. This is the biggest single weakness. Daylight washing across the screen is where the difference between a Hi-QLED panel and a Mini LED one is hardest to ignore.
Sound is usually an afterthought. Television speakers get thinner as the set gets cheaper, and large rooms make it worse. If the room is big or you care at all, budget for a soundbar — it will improve your evenings more than any picture upgrade at this price.
Viewing angles narrow. On a budget panel, sitting well off to the side tends to wash the picture out. Fine for a bedroom where you watch from one spot; less fine for a wide sofa and a corner-facing television.
Smart platform responsiveness. Generally the first thing to feel its age. If you already use a streaming stick, a Sky box or a console for everything, this stops mattering entirely.

What you are not giving up is the thing most people actually care about: a large, sharp, reliable picture for streaming and live television. That's the trade, and for a lot of rooms it's the right one.

UK buying checklist

A few things specific to buying a television here that are worth settling before you order rather than after.

Confirm resolution and refresh rate on the exact listing. Don't assume the 43" matches the 65". Budget ranges vary by size and by production run more than flagship ranges do.
Catch-up apps. Check whether the set includes Freeview Play or an equivalent, which is how most British households get BBC iPlayer, ITVX, Channel 4 and the rest without a separate box.
TV Licence. You need one to watch or record live television on any channel or service, or to use BBC iPlayer — and that applies regardless of how new or how large the television is. Using the set only for other streaming services, gaming or discs doesn't require one. Check the current rules and cost on the official TV Licensing site.
Stand width. If it isn't going on the wall, measure the width of the feet against your unit. A 75" set can overhang furniture that comfortably held a 55".
Wall mounting. Much UK housing is plasterboard over timber studs or blockwork. A stud partition needs the bracket into the studs or heavy-duty fixings rated well above the television's weight — not the screws in a generic kit. If it's a chimney breast, a party wall, or you're unsure what's behind the plaster, use an installer.
Delivery and returns. Large-screen delivery is usually a two-person service and returns above 65" are awkward. Check the returns terms before ordering and keep the box until you're certain you're keeping it.

Who should buy it — and who shouldn't

Buy it if…

You need a 43" or 50" television and nothing else in the range goes that small
It's for a bedroom, kitchen, student house, rental or first home
You want the largest screen your budget allows and you watch mostly in the evening
You use a streaming stick or set-top box for everything and just need a good panel
You'd rather put the difference towards a soundbar, which will improve things more at this price

Buy something else if…

It's the main television in a bright room — that's the Q8
You want a confirmed high refresh rate without checking listings — that's the E78 PRO
Gaming is the main use — compare the U7Q and U7S PRO
Picture quality is the whole point of the purchase — that's the U8Q
You want it to look like furniture when it's off — that's an art TV, not this

Consider waiting if…

You want independently measured brightness, contrast and input lag figures before committing — we don't have them yet, and we'd rather say so than invent them
You're weighing it against newer panel technology arriving in UK shops, which we cover in our RGB Mini LED guide
A major discount period is close; UK television pricing moves sharply around them, and budget ranges discount hardest

Where to check current UK pricing

Prices on this range move with size and with retailer promotions, so check the listing rather than relying on anything you read on a review site — including this one. Compare the current price, what's included, and the delivery terms before ordering.

Check price — 43" E7 Check price — 50" E7 Check price — 55" E7 Check price — 65" E7 Check price — 75" E7 Check price — 85" E7

What we can't tell you yet

We're being explicit rather than hedging. We have not measured any E7 set, so we can't publish verified figures for peak or sustained brightness, contrast ratio, colour coverage, out-of-the-box accuracy, viewing angles, or input lag. We also don't hold a confirmed refresh rate specification for this range, which is why we haven't quoted one — and we'd rather leave it blank than print a number we can't stand behind.

What we can do now is narrow the decision using everything verifiable before purchase: the six sizes available, the panel tier, how the range sits against the E78 PRO and Q8 above it, and how each size fits a real UK room. Specifications here come from manufacturer and retailer listings; measured brightness, contrast and input lag data are pending our own testing. Once our testing rig is running, this page will be updated with measured results.

FAQ

What sizes does the Hisense E7 come in?

We hold tracked UK links for six models: the 43 inch 43E7STUK, 50 inch 50E7STUK, 55 inch 55E7STUK, 65 inch 65E7STUK, 75 inch 75E7STUK and 85 inch 85E7STUK. We only link to configurations where we hold a tracked affiliate link.

Is the Hisense E7 a 4K TV?

Resolution varies by size and by production run, so confirm it on the retailer listing for the exact model you're buying rather than assuming the whole range matches. This is especially worth checking on the 43 inch set, where UK ranges sometimes differ from their larger siblings.

Does the Hisense E7 support 120Hz or 144Hz gaming?

We don't hold a confirmed refresh rate specification for the E7 range, so we won't claim one. The E78 PRO and Q8 above it are listed at 144Hz. If gaming is a priority, check refresh rate, VRR and ALLM support on the specific listing, or look at a range built around gaming features.

Is the Hisense E7 good enough as a main living room TV?

For a lot of households, yes. If you mostly watch streaming services and live television in a room that isn't blazing with daylight, the E7 covers the basics. Where it shows is bright rooms with HDR content and fast gaming, which is where the backlight and refresh rate of the ranges above it start to matter.

Is the Hisense E7 worth it over the E78 PRO?

Buy the E7 if the price gap is meaningful and the set is for a bedroom, kitchen, second room or a first home. Step up to the E78 PRO if it's the main television in a bright room, or if you want the higher refresh rate and gaming features that range is listed with.

Is a cheap 85 inch TV a false economy?

Not necessarily, but go in with the right expectation. A budget 85 inch set buys you scale, not picture sophistication. In a large, bright room the limitations are more visible at that size. In a dim room used mostly in the evening, a big cheap screen can be genuinely good value.

What should I check before buying a Hisense E7?

Confirm the native resolution and refresh rate for the exact size, how many HDMI ports there are and whether any carry the full HDMI 2.1 feature set, whether Freeview Play is included for UK catch-up apps, and the width of the feet against your TV unit.

Do I need a TV Licence for a new television in the UK?

You need one to watch or record live television on any channel or service, or to use BBC iPlayer, and this applies regardless of how new or how large the television is. Using the set purely for other streaming services, gaming or discs doesn't require one. Check the current rules and cost on the official TV Licensing website.

Keeping this page current: specifications, prices and availability change frequently, and retailers revise listings through the year. We review and update this page as listings change. Found something out of date? Tell us.