When you buy through our links, Business Insider may earn an affiliate commission. Learn moreThe Hisense U6SF Pro TV is an excellent choice if you want an anti-glare TV on a budget.Ryan Waniata/Business InsiderTV tech is booming, which means you don't have to spend a ton of money for serious performance. If you can invest around $1,200-$1,500, you can get a very good 65-inch TV, from brightness monsters like the Hisense U7SG to the fabulously colorful TCL QM7L. But if that's too steep, you can still get a pretty good TV for far less cash thanks to budget-friendly options like the new Hisense U6SF Pro.The U6SF Pro doesn't offer the next-gen colors, searing brightness, or striking contrast of pricier mid-tier models, but its QLED panel and Mini LED backlight deliver impressive poise across content, with natural-looking colors and minimal light bleed. Its matte screen kills reflections in bright rooms, an upgrade over many cheaper models, and it looks better from an angle than most backlit TVs I've tested.For smarts, the U6SF Pro runs on Amazon's Fire TV platform, which offers handy features like Alexa+ and an ambient art mode. However, Fire TV is a lot clunkier than Google TV or Roku OS, and all but requires investment in Amazon services. You'll get better overall performance by stepping up a tier, but if you're on a strict budget, the U6SF Pro is a fine TV that delivers good performance for the money.The U6SF Pro packs plenty of goodies into a slick designThe U6SF Pro has an anti-reflective screen that works well in bright rooms.Ryan Waniata/Business InsiderTV hardware design is becoming increasingly slick (and uniform), with even budget-forward models like the U6SF Pro offering slim bezels and relatively thin panels.At just over 40 pounds, the 65-inch model I tested feels a bit flimsy, and its basic feet leave little clearance for a soundbar, but they're a cinch to assemble and offer wide or narrow positions to fit your console. Following the industry trend toward larger screens, the U6SF Pro comes in several sizes, ranging from 55 to 100 inches.The standout hardware feature is the U6SF Pro's matte-like screen. Once reserved for high-end models and art TVs, it does a killer job diffusing virtually all ambient reflections in challenging rooms, though it's less effective with direct reflections than fancier anti-glare screens used on pricier models like the Samsung S90H and S95H OLED TVs. However, keep in mind that the 100-inch U6SF Pro does not feature a matte panel like its smaller counterparts.Two of the TV's HDMI ports support up to a 144Hz refresh rate in 4K resolution.Ryan Waniata/Business InsiderBehind the panel's left side is an accessible connection hub with four HDMI ports, two of which support gaming features such as VRR at up to 144Hz. That's a nice get at this price, and just as importantly, neither high-bandwidth input overlaps with the HDMI eARC port, leaving it free to connect a soundbar or receiver. You'll definitely want one, as even with its added back woofer, the U6SF Pro sounds as flat and tinny as you'd expect for its class.Like its pricier siblings, the TV supports all the top HDR formats, including HDR10 and HLG, as well as the more advanced HDR10+ and Dolby Vision dynamic formats that adjust contrast frame by frame. Other notable features include voice control via the basic wand remote, WiFi 6, Apple AirPlay, Bluetooth streaming support, and both Dolby and DTS audio decoding. However, unlike step-up Hisense TVs, the U6SF Pro's remote lacks backlit buttons.The TV's picture opts for balance over spectacleImage quality is good for a TV in this class, with 1,200-nit peak brightness.Ryan Waniata/Business InsiderBrightness is a key spec for TV performance, and the Hisense U6SF Pro claims a solid 1,200-nit peak brightness, well above what most streaming content requires. Using a Portrait Displays C6 HDR5000, a G1 pattern generator, and Calman software, I measured almost exactly that in the most accurate Filmmaker Mode. The less accurate Standard Mode initially measured well below 1,200 until I raised the local dimming from Medium to High and turned off the Light Sense feature.I mention this because the U6SF Pro can look dimmer than its specs suggest. That's likely due in part to its black levels, which, while solid, don't get as deep as those on midrange models like the TCL QM7L. This results in lower perceived contrast, especially in moderate lighting, where the matte screen can look more like charcoal. But even when selecting a traditionally bright preset, like Gaming Mode, the U6SF Pro takes a restrained approach, which may prompt some users to enable the TV's Intelligent HDR feature for more punch.Black levels aren't quite as inky as those on pricier TVs, but shadow delineation is good.Ryan Waniata/Business InsiderThe TV's above-average shadow detail and reflection handling ensure it's still a capable performer in brighter rooms, and its Mini LED backlight system can certainly muster som
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