Skip to main content

LeEco introduces 4K HDR TV lineup, featuring the 85-inch, $5,000 uMax85

Wednesday marks the official launch of LeEco in the U.S., and considering that the company acquired Vizio earlier this year, the announcement of LeEco-branded TVs for the U.S. is somewhat of a surprise. At least, it would have been if the company hadn’t accidentally leaked this news earlier this month. As expected, LeEco unveiled four new Android-powered TVs on Wedesday, October 19, as part of its #LeNext presentation, all of which offer 4K Ultra HD resolution.

LeEco uMax85

umax85_front-eui2

The star of the show, at least as far as TVs are concerned, is the company’s latest flagship, the 85-inch uMax85. As expected in such a sizable TV these days, the uMax85 supports 4K resolution, but it doesn’t stop there. The TV also features support for both HDR standards: HDR10 and Dolby Vision. So far, the only other companies offering TVs that support both are LG and — surprise, surprise — Vizio.

Like Vizio TVs, this model uses a vast array of local dimming zones to make for darker blacks and thus better contrast, as well as more uniform brightness. In the case of the uMax85, there are a total of 448 separate partitions. The TV boasts an 80,000:1 dynamic contrast ratio, and 3,000:1 static contrast ratio. The TV features a total of four HDMI inputs, as well as an optical audio output.

The TV also features Fluid Motion for sports fans, and claims to provide one of the best TV experiences for gamers, with a 6.5 millisecond response time. LeEco says its new TVs offer best-in-class processors and storage, with the uMax85 featuring a quad-core processor, along with 4GB RAM and 64 GB of internal storage.

The uMax85 also aims to decrease the need for external speakers (although most home theater enthusiasts will almost certainly still want them) by partnering with Harman/Kardon to provide the sound for the TV. Support is included for both Dolby and DTS audio, and both Bluetooth 4.1 and dual-band 802.11ac Wi-Fi are included for connectivity.

The suggested retail price for the uMax85 will be $5,000, but a rebate program promises that amount will drop to $4,000 at checkout. This appears to be one of the least expensive TVs of its size and capabilities on the market.

Super4 X Series

super4-x65_front-eui

The company also announced its Super4 X UHD TVs would be coming to the U.S., though details were all but entirely absent. The TVs will be available in 65-inch, 55-inch, and 43-inch screen sizes, priced at $1400, $900, and $650 MSRP respectively. Rebates on these TVs will also be offered and,  like the uMax85, LeEco promises best-in-class performance.

Unlike the uMax85, while these models feature HDR, they only support HDR10 — Dolby Vision support isn’t included here. Each of these models is also slightly less powerful overall than the flagship, offering similar processing power, but only 3GB RAM and 32GB of internal SSD storage, except in the case of the Super4 X43 Pro, which only features 16GB of storage. Response times are also slightly slower at 8ms.

The two larger TVs also feature Harman/Kardon sound, while the smaller Super4 X43 Pro does not.

LeEco-system

Each of the new TVs is preloaded with familiar apps like Netflix, Hulu, YouTube, Sling TV, and others, but LeEco wants to draw customers into its own ecosystem. The company announced several launch partners today, some of whom, like Lionsgate and Vice, had presenters at the show. Other partners include Sling TV, SeeSo, and Showtime.

These companies will provide video content via a number of built-in apps, like Live, which LeEco says provides nine streaming channels at any given time, offering a channel surfing analog. Le, on the other hand, is an on-demand service loaded with content from LeEco’s partners. Another app, Le View, attempts to learn your tastes as you watch content.

Finally, the company unveiled EcoPass, a service somewhat similar to Amazon Prime, which buyers of a LeEco uMax 85 TV get free for one year, along with a three-year warranty. The service offers unlimited photo and video storage, as well 5TB of online storage for whatever users want. There are also discounts on the company’s LeMall store and unlimited monthly viewing of Fandor — an online independent film streaming service.

These LeEco TVs are expected to be available in the U.S. on November 2.

Updated on 10-19-2016 by Kris Wouk: Added more specs and information on the Super4 TV models.

Kris Wouk
Former Digital Trends Contributor
Kris Wouk is a tech writer, gadget reviewer, blogger, and whatever it's called when someone makes videos for the web. In his…
This 32-inch Roku Smart TV is on sale for under $100, and selling fast
An onn. 32-inch Roku Smart TV on a cabinet in a living room.

This smart TV is on sale for under $100. That's it; that's the story. Sure, it's only 32-inches, but come on, it's only $98! This deal likely won't stick around too long, so if you need a new TV for your dorm, kitchen, garage or office, grab this one before it jumps back up to its usual price of $144.

Why you should buy the Onn. 32-inch Roku Smart TV
One of the most attractive features of a Roku TV is the simplicity of its user interface and the convenience it’s able to bring to your viewing experience. With all of the features of a Smart TV bundled into it, this Onn. 32-inch TV is always ready and waiting with instant access to more than 500,000 movies and TV episodes across thousands of free or paid channels. Because it’s a Roku TV, it presents your favorite content through your own customizable home screen. The TV’s smarts also include smart home readiness, as the Onn. 32-inch Roku TV works with Apple Home, Amazon Alexa, and Google Home.

Read more
Our 10 favorite Memorial Day deals (including a 50-inch TV for $198)
A collection of electronic gadgets out of their shipping boxes.

Memorial Day is upon us. As we reflect on those that have lost their lives in wars, and the ongoing conflicts around the world, we are also given a chance for a much needed break and a three-day weekend. Retailers, too, celebrate this time of year by giving us sales lasting the whole weekend. Of course, not all of these sales and deals are created equally, so we've poured through the listings and found ten that we believe are truly worth your time. They include everything from TVs to smart thermostats, so let your imagination go wild as you scroll through our 10 favorite Memorial Day deals:
Ring Video Doorbell — $70, was $100

Want to keep your home safer, communicate with outdoor strangers without opening your door, and catch high quality video footage of the outside of your home even when its dark? For only $70 you do, especially with a Ring Video Doorbell, one of our favorite smart doorbells. You can communicate with it directly via Alexa, too, as part of your smart home. This can mean speaking directly with the people outside or using a preset response built into your Ring Alarm. Or, if you don't want to be bothered — or are outside your home —  you can have your alarm take a message. The setup is relatively easy, as the machine is wireless. While this does mean that the device uses a battery, you'll find that Ring Video Doorbells have longer lasting batteries than you might've guessed.

Read more
Don’t miss your chance to get a 50-inch TV for $200 today
The onn. 70-inch 4K Roku TV hangs on the wall as part of a home theater arrangement.

The graph of the standard TV size and the standard TV price is shaped like an X. As TVs get cheaper and cheaper, we all want to get bigger and bigger ones in our home theaters. A 50-inch TV is pretty much the smallest size you could want in your living room. That means they're very, very affordable. For instance, Onn.'s 50-inch 4K TV is normally only $238, even without TV deals.

Luckily, you can grab it even cheaper at Walmart, where they offer it for just $198. That's a $40 discount and brings this reasonably great and large TV in the sub-$200 range, and it even comes with a great smart TV platform, Roku, so you don't have to spend extra money on a streaming stick for a better experience. While there certainly are a couple of compromises regarding features to keep the price so low, they aren't deal-breaking, and it's well worth picking up if you don't mind a straightforward TV experience.

Read more