The Hisense 116UX: Why a $24,999 RGB Mini-LED Monster Can Be Worth Every Dollar

RGB Mini-LED: Not just brighter, but smarter light

Most LED-based TVs rely on white or blue LEDs shining through color filters. The 116UX does something much more ambitious: it uses an RGB Mini-LED backlight made up of tiny red, green, and blue emitters. That means the light behind each part of the image is inherently colored and can be controlled with far more precision.

In real-world viewing, this delivers two huge benefits. First, it allows the TV to produce more accurate color at extremely high brightness levels. HDR highlights do not just become “whiter”—they retain their intended color. Fire looks like fire instead of a blown-out patch of orange-white. Neon lights in a night scene glow with a believable intensity instead of bleeding into the shadows.

Second, RGB Mini-LED gives the local dimming system much finer control. With thousands of tiny LEDs working behind the scenes, the 116UX can carve bright objects out of deep black backgrounds without the distracting halos and blooming that can ruin the illusion on lesser displays—especially at this giant size.

Why 165 Hz matters more when the screen is this huge

On a 55-inch TV, motion blur and judder are annoying. On a 116-inch TV, they are impossible to ignore. That is where the native 165 Hz panel on the Hisense 116UX becomes a game-changer.

For fast-moving content—sports, action movies, racing sims, shooters—a higher refresh rate means less stutter, clearer motion, and fewer artifacts. You see the ball’s trajectory, not a blur trail. Camera pans across stadiums or landscapes feel smooth, not choppy. When you pair that with HDMI 2.1 features like VRR (variable refresh rate) and ALLM (auto low latency mode), the 116UX basically becomes a wall-sized gaming monitor with cinema-level picture quality.

The important part is that this smoothness does not have to come with that over-processed “soap opera” look many people hate. With the right settings, you can balance motion clarity and cinematic feel so that films look intentional and games look razor sharp. At 116 inches, that balance is what keeps the experience immersive rather than distracting.

4K HDR that pulls you into the frame

Specs are one thing; what it feels like to sit in front of this TV is another. Imagine starting a 4K HDR movie on the 116UX. The room is dim, but not pitch-black—you do not have to live like a cave dweller to enjoy this set. The opening shot fades in: a city at night, thousands of tiny lights scattered across skyscrapers, reflections shimmering in windows and puddles.

On a typical TV, that scene looks nice. On the 116UX, it feels like standing on a balcony overlooking the city. The combination of 4K resolution, RGB Mini-LED contrast, and huge peak brightness creates layers of detail that your eyes naturally wander through. Individual windows are distinct. The glow from streetlights pools realistically on the pavement. Distant buildings are not just blocks of gray—they have texture and depth.

HDR highlights are where this TV really flexes. Explosions, sunrises, chrome reflections, sparks, and specular highlights in water all retain subtle gradations instead of flattening out. The 116UX’s brightness gives those highlights a sense of intensity, while its dimming system keeps surrounding blacks rich and deep. Dark scenes hold onto detail instead of dissolving into muddy gray. This is the kind of image fidelity that makes time disappear—you hit play, and suddenly it is three episodes later.

6.2.2 CineStage X: when the TV sounds like a full system

A screen this large begs for serious sound, and the 116UX shows up prepared. The built-in 6.2.2 CineStage X audio system is not the usual “token speakers behind the bezel.” It is a multi-channel array designed to create a wide, tall, and deep soundstage without requiring an immediate soundbar upgrade.

Two sub channels provide real low-frequency presence, so you feel rumbles and impact rather than just hearing thin bass. Height channels fire sound upward to simulate overhead effects, bringing rain, aircraft, and ambient sound into a more three-dimensional space. Front and side drivers handle dialogue and directional effects.

In practice, this means that:

• Dialogue stays intelligible, even when action scenes get loud.
• Sound effects wrap around the seating area instead of feeling stuck to the screen.
• Scores and soundtracks have room to swell and breathe.

For many people, that level of built-in performance will be more than enough—especially on day one. Enthusiasts can always add external audio later, but CineStage X gives you a legitimately cinematic starting point without extra boxes and cables everywhere.

Designed for real rooms, not just showrooms

Ultra-premium displays sometimes assume a perfect environment: fully light-controlled rooms, custom installers, and dedicated theaters. The Hisense 116UX certainly thrives in those conditions, but it is also built to handle real-life spaces.

The extreme brightness and anti-reflective screen treatment mean this TV can hold its own in open living rooms, spaces with windows, and mixed lighting. Afternoon sports with sunlight streaming in are not a washed-out mess. You do not have to close every blind just to enjoy the picture. That flexibility matters when you are investing this much in a display you will use daily.

On the software side, the Google TV interface gives you quick access to streaming apps, live TV integrations, voice search, and personalized recommendations. You get a familiar, responsive platform instead of a clunky proprietary system. For a screen this advanced, it is nice that the interface feels simple instead of demanding.

Is a $24,999.99 TV actually worth it?

There is no getting around it: this is not a mainstream purchase. The 116UX is not for someone shopping for a casual living-room TV. It is for people weighing it against high-end projectors, dedicated theater builds, and commercial-grade displays.

Viewed in that context, the value picture shifts. A comparable projection setup—a reference-level projector, acoustically transparent screen, light control, amplification, and speakers—can easily exceed this price once you factor in installation. You also have to keep the room darker more often and deal with more moving parts.

With the 116UX, you are effectively purchasing:

• A massive 116" 4K canvas that stays bright and punchy in more than just ideal conditions.
• An advanced RGB Mini-LED backlight system that pushes LCD performance far beyond “basic LED TV.”
• A 165 Hz panel ready for high-frame-rate content and serious gaming.
• A built-in 6.2.2 audio system that can hold its own against many separate soundbar setups.
• A smart platform and physical design that make it usable every day—not just on movie night.

For the right buyer, that combination does not feel like overkill. It feels like the most direct, elegant way to bring a truly elite theater experience home with the least amount of friction.

Want something slightly more manageable? Consider the 100" Hisense UX.

If the 116" UX feels a bit too large or intense for your room, the 100" Hisense UX offers a more practical take on the same design philosophy. You still get a truly cinematic screen size, premium UX-series performance, and the kind of HDR impact that makes streaming nights feel special—but in a form factor that fits more living rooms and dedicated media spaces.

Priced at $10,999.99, the 100" model dramatically lowers the cost of entry into the UX ecosystem while maintaining that “wow” factor every time you hit play. For many buyers, it is the sweet spot between jaw-dropping immersion and real-world usability.

Who the Hisense 116UX is really for

The 116UX is for someone who is serious about building a destination at home—a room that rivals or surpasses the experience of going to a theater. It is for the person who values immersion over minimalism, who wants movies, sports, and games to feel enormous and emotionally charged every single time.

It is not for everyone, and it should not be. But if you have the space, the budget, and the desire to own one of the most ambitious RGB Mini-LED TVs on the market, the Hisense 116UX is more than a spec sheet. It is a statement about how you like to experience your entertainment: fully, deeply, and without compromise.